My Vision for this Antique Cradle and My Process...

I have had this antique all wood cradle lying around my office for awhile.  Bouncing around from place to place in my home, racking my brain as to what to do to it.  I would bring it out and put it in my office staring at it for hours searching for inspiration.  After awhile, I would get distracted and work on another piece or a custom order.  This little game with the cradle has been going on for two years.  You see, sometimes a piece speaks to you right away and the vision comes into sight.  You get gitty and excited to begin the process of transforming a blank canvas (piece of furniture/project piece) into art.  You can't wait to get started.

However, there are pieces that spoke to you when you purchased them, begging to be saved but then you get them home and there is silence. No thoughts whatsoever.  The inspiration well runs dry and that piece will sit til it's ready to speak again.  At least, that is how it is for me.  I could of just painted it or made it into a table or planter but something within my heart told me this cradle needed to be special.  So, I put it away, work on something else and wait for it to speak to me.

Well it finally, spoke to me.  Now, I know some may think this is crazy waiting for a piece to speak to you especially when I could of just painted it and sold it and moved on, that's not who I am at all. I'm not just about painting a piece and selling it quick.  I tried that route and it extinguished the artist flame in me.  My passion to recreate dulled.  The spark left.  I felt like I was being untrue to me and who I want to be as an artist.  I don't want to be just another furniture painter.  Anyone can paint a coat of paint and seal it.  Seriously, you can.  It's easy and that is why you are seeing so many people doing it.  I want to be different, I want to be me.  I want to let my heart and passion flow out through my work and see what it becomes.  God gave me this talent, this gift and I don't want to let him down.  I want to use it and let it flourish.  I want to see where else it will lead me.  

With that being said, I will rarely just paint a piece white, distress it and seal it.  It will always have a part of my heart in its transformation.  For me this isn't about always getting the sale.  Some of you won't always get my art, some may not understand that isn't about the sale or what's always trending; and that's ok.  Not everyone sees the same thing when looking at art.  And that is what art is meant to be. It is meant to be viewed through all eyes and feelings.  I don't always understand my process either until it's finished.

Now, Back to this cradle... I began with cleaning it well.  That is really important when you are prepping a piece for transformation.  You want whatever process you are going to use to adhere properly to the piece so that it will last.  Next, I applied Firle Annie Sloan chalk paint to the exterior (2-3 coats) until I achieved the right color and texture I was looking for.  I then used Annie Sloan chalk paint in Scandinavian Pink for the interior.  I was loving the combo.  It was so bright, cheery and fun.  Full of life and energy.  Just what this cradle needed after all isn't that what it usually holds?  Life!  After painting, I applied a coat of Wise Owl Matte Sealer while I waited to see where this cradle would take me next...

***INSERT JEOPARDY MUSIC (lol)

While waiting for this cradle to give me some direction, I decided to organize my work space and during that process I found this transfer (pretty sure it's been retired). The transfer is from re-design with Prima titled "La Vie Est Une Fleur"  As I sat staring at it, I thought I use a lot of French Script maybe I should look this up to see what it says, it may be awkward to put in a cradle.  So, I looked it up...

"La vie est une fleur dont l'amour est le miel" is part of a poem by Victor Hugo.  Victor Hugo was a French poet/novelist big in the romantic movement during the 1800's  (1802-1885)
Translation "Life is a flower of which love is the honey"  While this poem is about romance that line spoke to me about birth and the unconditional love we give as mothers to our children.  It was then I knew it needed to be part of this cradle.  With this all in my mind, I referred again to my own experience as a mom.  My son was and always will be (but don't tell him, he's 24 now and I don't think he will like me saying it LOL) "my little prince" and with that in my mind I thought of a "Crown" and then I thought of the "flower" in the poem and thought of a "Bee" and then keeping true to the French poet Victor Hugo I knew I had to go in French Inspired direction as I moved forward.  I began with the two Crowned Bee Stencil by Stencil Stash at each end of the cradle but I wanted them to pop more than the sides so I used Metallic Waxes in Gold and Emerald Green.  The Bee itself is done with a pearl embossing paste by Fusion (gives it a slight raised texture feel)  I almost went with a harlequin pattern on the sides but as I was straightening up stencils I came across the bees in a diamond pattern (also from Stencil Stash) and just knew they needed to be included for that dramatic over the top look that you find a lot of in old world French decor.  I was thinking royalty and just knew this was the right stencil for this cradle.  This is being applied to both sides using the pearl embossing paste by Fusion.

And this is where I am at thus far,  I am working on the feet as I write this and still have one more side to stencil but what I am seeing and feeling as I head towards the finish line for this piece is overwhelming pride and gratefulness.  I am so grateful that I waited for this cradle to speak to me.  Now, I don't know if anyone else will like it, I don't know if anyone would use it or want it or if little girls even play with dolls anymore.  But what I do know is I let this piece pair up with my talent and my gift to see beyond just a coat a paint, allowed it to see a recreation, a transformation and become work of art. It was a blank canvas for my passion to shine on.  I think I have found the right path for this cradle and I believe that the right person, the one it is meant to be with will come along when they are meant to. 

I will post and share the final pics when I am done on our Facebook Page and on our Instagram account, please feel free to comment or message with any questions.  Also, please feel free to share with your friends and family.

As always, thank you for following along with me on this journey.  I appreciate your encouragement and support more than you'll ever know.  It inspires me to continue to grow and become who I meant to be.

God Bless and Be Well. 
​XOXOXO