MONDAY MORNING PRESS

May 17, 2013

Prep for my first Lucketts Spring Market

Howdy!

Nick and I are hitting the road for Leesburg, Virginia tonight after work. We will be attending (not participating unfortunately ..maybe next year???) the Lucketts Annual Spring Market and I could not be more excited!

I’ve been looking forward to this weekend for a long time, I have never been to Luckett’s before but have been dying to go. I’m strongly considering trying to participate next year so I am anxious to check it out to see if I can come even close to “hanging” with the vintage market goo-roos! It should be fun… I’m dragging Nick along (mostly so he can take pictures of me with my blogging idols) and he is having a really good attitude… I figure if I can find him a funnel cake and a hotdog he will be a happy camper:)

Yes… Miss Mustard Seed will be there… and yes, I cannot wait to meet her/I’m so nervous! I hope I can work up the nerve to ask her to sign my copy of her book, Inspired You and maybe even get a picture. Nick says he is going to meet her even if I am too shy- ha ha ha.

So, this week (this very busy week), my one and only goal was to FINALLY print something on my letterpress machine. I got the last few parts in a few weeks ago and have been itching to take the plunge and attempt the first print. I thought business cards would be the perfect test job… especially with Luckett’s this weekend!

On Monday night, I got everything set up…

(the press is currently in the dining room)

I locked up the chase with the plate(or cut) I had made of my custom business card design.

The wood furniture holds the cut in place, while the quoins expand (with the key) to tighten the whole compostion so it will not fall out once in the machine.

Once the chase was all ready, I locked it into the press!

Next I added ink to the ink plate, attched the rollers (kicking myself I dont have a picture of the rollers on!)

and lined up the paper with cut in the chase and started printing! I’m not going to lie, there were a few bumps in the road, the whole set up probably took atleast an hour, and I one point I was close to tears… but everything came together in the end.

I. had. so. much. fun…

Here is the full set up, with the paper in place and my first batch of prints drying on the feedboards!

I experimented with all different kinds of paper… crane lettra (ecru), chip board, and even scrapbook paper!

I was able to get some great impression on the thicker cotton paper and it just made my heart so happy!

I am going to need to practice photographing my letterpress projects to fully capture the beauty of the impression in the paper…these pictures do not do it justice!

Needless to say, I was pretty pumped that everything had finally come together and that I was successfully printing on my very own 110 year old press! It was a beautiful evening.

I delivered a few pieces of furniture that I refinished for a friend on Wednesday, and thought it would be fun to tie a card to the piece for a special touch!

Isn’t this a cute little phone table? Its actually very small, the owner is going to use as a plant stand which I think will look great!

Here is a picture of the table/chair before…

Well, I cant wait to fill you in on our tript o Luckett’s! I hope to take tons of inspirational pictures and hopefully make some new connections. Are any of you planning to be there? Look for Nick and I… we are giant people so kinda hard to miss… ha ha ha. If you see a tall brunette awkwardly sobbing on Miss Mustard’s Seed’s shoulder, you’ve probably found me!

Enjoy the weekend!

2 comments | posted in furniture, letterpress, life

May 13, 2013

First print!

By Natalie Monday

Been waiting for this day for 6 months! All the parts are in place and its ready to run… Attempting my first print job tonight (MMP business cards for Lucketts this weekend!) a little nervous, but mostly excited. Stay tuned!

1 comment | posted in letterpress

May 2, 2013

Going Green

By Natalie Monday

Good evening and happy hump day!

I cant wait to share my latest project with you so I am going to get right to the point…

I bought this dresser off Craigslist a few weeks ago with little excitement. I had run out of pieces and was itching to start a new project.

To be completely honest, I may have never given this ugly duckling a second look if it hadn’t been for the fantastic drawer pulls. As soon as I saw them up close, I knew the cost of the piece was worth it for the hardware alone. Because I was not initially in LOVE with the dresser, I felt more at ease about trying out a new color…

So when it came time to paint, I decided to be adventurous. I mixed up a custom batch of home made chalk paint and went to town…

The leather laminate inset on top was in perfect condition, so I decided to leave it alone.

I’m not usually a fan, but on this piece I think it actually works!

And, BAM! There she is…

I was skeptical about this dresser from the start, but I have to say that I have not had more fun working on a piece of furniture than I did on this Emerald beauty!

…and those pulls!!! Gah!

I did a heavy distress…

and applied a generous layer of dark wax to knock down the brightness of the original paint color

It definitely makes a statement, but there is something soothing about it at the same time

and the turquoise really goes well with so many different colors…

I had so much fun setting up this vignette!

although I did learn that it is super hard to photograph a mirror….which is kind of a no-brainer I guess

Well, that’s it for now folks…

Goodnight!

Linking to these parties!

Miss Mustard Seed

The Shabby Chic Cottage

House of Hepworths

Beyond The Picket Fence

52 Mantles

Somewhat Simple

The Brambleberry Cottage

7 comments | tags: chalk paint, DIY, emerald, furniture | posted in furniture

April 23, 2013

MMP goes mobile…

By Natalie Monday

Happy Monday!

This past weekend, Monday Morning Press took the show on the road! Nick and I had been wanting to visit my brother(Dan) and sister-in-law (Anna) in Chesapeake, Va for awhile (it had been too long!). They are expecting their first baby in August and I was anxious to see the progress they had made on the nursery and their house in general. I knew Dan had been building a few pieces of furniture for their living room and wanted my help with some finishing touches…

…so I packed up my most handy-dandy painting tools(along with Nick and Hobie)and we hit the road for a fun-filled-family-furniture weekend!

Hobie loves to visit Dan and Anna…

and he especially approved of the new nursery!

(Yes, our cat travels with us, I know it’s weird… insert “Crazy Cat Lady” joke here…)

After a delicious meal (homemade pizza!) Friday night, we relaxed with some Blue Bell ice cream and tv lounging…the perfect start to the weekend!

Saturday morning we took a quick trip to Lowes to get a few last supplies and then started on the table projects.

The large coffee table is a piece they got off Craigslist. Dan sanded it down in preparation for a fresh coat of stain and paint.

While I started painting, Dan, Anna and Nick worked on assembling the second side table that Dan built.

His garage/shop is so nice, I enjoyed working in such a big space!

Dan and Anna both liked the mint dresser I did last week and requested to use the same color on the base of their tables.

We finished up the two tables Sunday morning before heading back to Richmond.

We did not have enough time to finish the 3rd side table, so I brought it home with me.

The other two pieces turned out great and look awesome in their living room! A very beachy, and fresh feel.

I was so impressed with Dan’s building skills, he adapted the plans for this table from a project on Ana White’s website and I think he did a great job!

The coffee table makes a bold statement in the room as well, with the dark stained top, and minty, sea foam legs!

The third table will go the right of this couch and will be painted/stained the same way to finish up trio.

I really love all that Dan and Anna have done with this room since they moved in, it is such a cozy and comfortable space!

We had a really fun weekend hanging out and look forward to more collaborative projects in the future!

Speaking of Dan, today is his 26th birthday! Love this guy so much and look up to him in so many ways.

Thanks Dan, for being such a wonderful role model and example to me. I love you and loved spending the weekend with you, Anna, and the little one!

This weekend Benny visits Richmond and I am looking forward to some more brotherly love!

Linking up to these parties!

Shabby Creek Cottage

Miss Mustard Seed

1 comment | tags: ana white, DIY, home | posted in furniture

April 19, 2013

The Mint Maiden

By Natalie Monday

Hey… hello there! Welcome to Thursday Evening Press…. I’m a little late on the post this week, I’m sorry!

You see, I’ve been trying out this new concept lately… its called grocery shopping/cooking. Some of you may have heard of it, but its actually a pretty foreign thing in the Monday household lately. Trying to get back in the swing of things, and it has taken a little bit of an adjustment to our evenings. So, there’s my lame excuse for not posting until now.

Luckily, I do have something fun to share with you guys!

I started this beauty a few weeks ago… I was in the middle of another project but could barely wait to get my hands on this beautiful, oak ,antique dresser!

Isn’t she fantastic?!?!

The woman I got her from said she had been in the family for many, many years… I have no idea how old she is but she had so much character I could not pass her up.

(I was so anxious to get started, I forgot to snap a picture with the drawers in, and then I got lazy, so…oh well!)

The top was pretty badly stained but I loved the curved lines on the front edge! I knew it would clean up nicely, and I think I was right!

Check out the results of a little elbow grease, an orbital hand sander and some dark walnut stain… drool!

(of course don’t forget the pre-stain conditioner)

The drawers needed some minor repairs…the dovetail joints needed to be re-glued and I had to replace the bottom surface of both the large drawers. After making all the necessary repairs, I mixed up a batch of my own chalk paint using Sweet Mint Valspar Satin paint, Plaster of Paris, and water.

This is the second time I have made my own chalk paint (the Empire dresser was the first) and I really like it! I am definitely partial to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (its the best!), but you really cant beat the price of making your own, (this batch cost me only about 12 bucks for a pint and there is tons left over for the next project!) I finished off with a coat of clear wax on the whole piece and some dark wax for aging.

And now… the big reveal!

I’ve been wanting to do a mint colored piece for a while…(mint is so hot right now!)

…and I just love the way it turned out!

I did a light distress on the whole piece, and really enjoy the contrast with the smooth, silky stained top.

I’d really love to keep this piece, but alas… there are 3 dressers, one table, and a letterpress machine in my dining room right now…

…so, sadly… it must go :)

Have any of you experimented with making your own chalk paint?

I’d love to hear about it!

Happy weekend!

Linking up to these parties!

Miss Mustard Seed

Simple Home Life

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

French Country Cottage

The Shabby Nest

My Romantic Home

Between Naps on the Porch

4 comments | tags: annie sloan chalk paint, antique, furniture, vintage | posted in furniture

April 9, 2013

Mustard Makeover

By Natalie Monday

I’ve been dying to share this latest piece with you!

When I saw this dresser on Craigslist, I knew it could be something great. I loved the modern/clean lines mixed with the detailing on the middle drawer and was anxious to dress this lovely lady up! It is a very solid, heavy piece and for some reason it just screamed “PAINT ME YELLOW!”

I never talk back to furniture, so that is just what I did. (The same Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Arles I used for this little cutie)!

I finished painting the dresser a few weeks ago but just recently found the perfect hardware to finish the job (thank you Hobby Lobby!)

I was skeptical at first but as soon as I got them all in place, I was totally in love!

I think the black and white contrast is just perfect against the yellow… what do you think?

All the drawers are the same size, so I played around with the placement of the detailed drawer…

…and I think this is my favorite configuration!

Hope this project reminds you of spring… bring on the warm weather- I’m ready!

This piece is for sale! Please check out my Facebook page for more details!

Linking to these parties!

Domestically Speaking (check out my feature from last week!)

Savvy Southern Style

The Trendy Treehouse

Southern Lovely

and of course… Miss Mustard Seed

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Family, friends, and fellow bloggers… I just wanted to say a quick thank you for your love/support/and encouragement over the last

3 months. I never imagined how fun and exciting this blogging adventure would be. Thanks to you, I am one step closer to opening the Print Shop!

I will be ordering some of the final pieces for my Old Style 8×12 Chandler and Price printing press this week (ink rollers!)

I am so excited to be able to share with you more about my passion for letterpress very, very soon!

(vision of the Print Shop… in design)

3 comments | tags: annie sloan chalk paint, chandler and price, letterpress | posted in furniture

April 2, 2013

Chalkboard Kitchen Cart

By Natalie Monday

Good evening- I hope everyone had a blessed Easter weekend and got to spend some good, quality time with family and friends!

Nick and I traveled to Athens, Georgia for a wedding so I was not able to get much work done in the paint shop (but we had a great time at the wedding!), so I figured it would be a perfect time to share this piece with you all.

I finished up this fun cart a few weeks ago but am just now getting around to photographing it….

I went to pick up a dresser from a craigslist find, and saw this little cabinet sitting in the corner. I asked the owner if it was for sale and ended up taking it home with me.

This is how it looked before…

It is definitely a more modern piece than I am used to working with, but I thought it would be fun to switch it up and try something different.

After finding stickers all over the sides and back of the cart, I was inspired to take a more kid-friendly approach to this makeover… I immediately thought of chalkboard paint.

I sanded down the top and body and primed the areas where the chalkboards would go.

I applied 3 coats of Emperor’s Silk ASCP on the outside,

stained the top in Dark Walnut, and replaced the torn screens on the doors with chicken wire.

And tadddaa! Here it is all prettied up!

I think this is a really fun and versatile piece…it could be used in a playroom or kitchen for storage or as a coffee car in a dining or living room.

The chalkboard feature is perfect for keeping little ones entertained while whipping up dinner!

The backside has even more chalkboard area…

I hope you enjoyed my spin on this more modern piece!

Linking to these parties!

Not Just a House Wife

Cedar Hill Ranch

Our Home Away From Home

Domestically Speaking

Savvy Southern Style

Miss Mustard Seed

5 comments | posted in furniture

March 30, 2013

The next project…stay tuned!

By Natalie Monday

A Tale of Two Tables…

By Natalie Monday

Hello there loyal followers! That’s right, I’m talking to (all 10 of) you…long time, no see!

Please forgive my brief hiatus. I promise I have working hard on pieces to share with you, I just have not been able to actually FINISH one darn piece in quite a few weeks!

I shared these cute little side tables with you a few week ago…

Little did I know how challenging these would be! I ran into a few roadblocks along the way and have learned some valuable DIY lessons…I’d like to think I’m stronger for it in the end, but these little ladies definitely tried my patience on multiple occasions..

Here is my story….

There once was a beautiful thing called Minwax Pre-Stain Conditioner…. USE IT!

END.OF.STORY…

No….but seriously…remember when I was raving about how much I loved staining? Well, this little project may have just changed my mind all together. I must have gotten lucky on the Empire dresser because the top stained up BEAUTIFULLY without any conditioner. So of course, in my head, I never imagined that the side tables would be any different.

I sanded the tops down to bare wood and was so excited to slap on some beautiful dark walnut stain.

I applied the stain and to my dismay found that I was getting very blotchy results….so I resanded and repeated 3 TIMES (cut me some slack- I’m still a newbie!)…

…when FINALLY, my wonderful father tipped me off to this essential pre-conditioning step in the staining process! Turns out some woods are more porous than others and the conditioner helps even out the surface so the stain soaks in consistantly.

I guess it was 4th times a charm for this project, because after applying the conditioner before the stain, these beauties turned out just right!

Aren’t they cute???

You live and learn, right?

I hope you enjoyed the story and will benefit from my mistake :)

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Speaking of my dad, I want to brag on him for just a minute…

He’s always been a great woodworker and recently sent me pics of his latest project…. check it out!

These are handmade gauges used for marking off dovetail joints!

Aren’t they beautiful… just look at the details… I’m so impressed!

Way to go Dad!!!

2 comments | posted in furniture

March 14, 2013

Weekend recap

By Natalie Monday

Well, I had big ambitions for last weekend as you can read here

Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way you plan. We had a very productive weekend overall but I did not finish one darn furniture project. I made progress, but was not able to bring one to completion before the work week. Let me explain….

It was a beautiful morning on Saturday and my wonderful husband started the day with a burst of motivation ” I think I’m going to try and organize the basement today”. OK!!! (I had to take advantage of this while it lasted! )

Well, a trip to Lowe’s…

… and a couple hundred dollars later, “organizing the basement” turned into the beginnings of a complete basement renovation. I really can only blame myself, I’m notorious for taking a small task and creating a huge project… Poor Nick- he refers to me as The Taskmaster…. I just can’t help myself, I get all these grand ideas in my head and have a hard time containing myself (and our budget) Nick had to kindly reel me in, and we decided to start with the first step… DryLock.

DryLock is a waterproofing system most used in basements that you roll on like paint (except it is the consistency of toothpaste). It’s best to apply to the out side out the walls to prevent moisture from getting in, but since our walls were underground, we painted the inside. (At least this is my very general understanding).

Here is a shot of the basement before ( don’t judge)

And after applying DryLock…

We only finished half of the space, but It was a great way to get the basement project started, and while it still looks rough, it’s a huge improvement from the exposed CMU. One step at a time…that is what I have to tell myself. There is an existing B-Dry system so hopefully between the B-Dry and the DryLock, our basement will really BE dry!

In between DryLocking, I was painting furniture…

I gave you a sneak peak of this chair last week…

And posted a poll on Facebook asking people to vote on whether or not I should paint it. The majority of people said, Yes! Paint!

So, that is what I did…

I taped up all the fabric so it would not get splattered( there were mixed opinions on this upholstery, but I decided to keep it for now)

…and painted it with two coats of Old White ASCP. To give a little extra pizzazz, I useD Duck Egg Blue ASCP to add accents to the beautiful detailing in the wood.

On Tuesday night, I finally finished the project…I did a heavy distress, followed by a coat of clear wax, with dark wax brushed on for depth.