fauxplusdesign

Art Ladies Road Trip, or, Leading the Artful Life!

We are the Art Ladies. Full-time artists. Part-time artists. Art lovers. Women who buy art. We have been meeting for dinner, wine and artful conversation monthly for eleven years. Our core group never varies, and, well, we just love each other.

A few weeks ago we piled in a car late on Friday afternoon and drove two hours north to a tiny town in Virginia to visit art lady Nancy Brooks of Sleepin'Dog. She makes art prolifically. And buys art. Prolifically.

Her 200-year-old restored home is beyond eye candy. Every turn lands on a fabulous vignette.

Just look. I don't have the words...

To see Nancy Brooks' artwork and jewelry,

visit

sleepindog.com

Taking the Cake at Cake, or, Decidedly Delicious Vintage & Home Accessories!

Time has flown since the October High Point Furniture Market and have just discovered these photos I took while designer friend Sandra was placing an order at CAKE.

I'm not going to try to explain what CAKE is all about. Just savor these photos. I have never been particularly passionate about silverware and teacups but how I loved what these designers and artisans have done with such things and more.

Know you will enjoy as much as I did!

See much more at cakevintage.com.

Now I must find the adorable young man who delivers his decadent homemade cupcakes around the Mill. Just got this sudden craving.

A Painter Paints for Herself, or, Black Friday in the Studio!

Everyone but everyone was out shopping.

But me.

I was alone in the 600,000 square foot, 100-year-old Mill where I paint day in and day out for my amazing clients.

I'll admit that sometimes I get jealous of those clients.

 

They get the best of me and my work and I just wanted to finish a little project for our living room.

 

A really tiny table that has needed some ooomph for years.

 

Did it!

Well, I did it will a little help from Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

 

If you are passionate about doing paint projects yourself, visit my website at ilovefaux.com where you can learn about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and the amazing and addictive workshops I offer!

 

All you need is a little inspiration - a color, a picture, or even a single pillow!

 

Let's paint!

   For more info be sure to visit AnnieSloan.com and AnnieSloanUnfolded.com

 

 

Our Devilishly Delicious Halloween Feast, or, BOO!

Nobody, but nobody puts on a Halloween bash like my friends Sandra, Kim and Sophie.

They plan, scheme, cook like fiends, decorate devilishly and dress up in creative, creepy costumes. And they out-do themselves time and time again.

This Saturday's soiree was a sit-down "Witches Stew" for 30 ghosts and goblins.

Check out some of the evening's characters, the grub and the dastardly decor...

The beatific Beetlejuice couple.

The pregnant smokin' nun.

The Lady Pirate and Frankenstein's Wife

 

 Fabulous finger food...

 Pre-poisoned prosciutto.

Savory skewered eyeballs...

Plump pumpkin soup...

And all of the goulish gourmet goodies imaginable.

Not to mention wiggly webs,

 

quoting ravens,

hand-some candles,

 

witchy beverages,

scullery cornbread,

wee folks with wee appetites,

glamorous glitterati,

powerful potions,

potentially polluted popcorn,

and last year's human sacrifice.

A hair-raising night fit for The Queen of Hearts, pirates, blind referees, performing Blues Brothers, undead Finnish sailors, football players, wanton witches and lots and lots of skeletons.

Oh, and me, Dale Evans, famous Halloween photographer and hubby George the Gangly Golfer. 

 

P.S. Have a scary safe evening!

Loving Chartreuse, or, A Dreary Day Discovery in My Own Backyard!

It was that kind of Saturday. Drippy. Dark. Dank. The skys had been raining cats and dogs for days.

I woke up itching for adventure. The shopping kind.

A new client, fresh from Arkansas, had scored some ultra-cool upholstered chairs and a funky coffee table. I thought I knew all of the crusty, fabulous stores in town. Not so.

"Chartreuse," she told me.

My favorite color. So off I went.

Owner Paula Lynam was out, but artist husband Steve (Tin Man) showed me his work, the store, and, so fun, the back room where every junker-at-heart like me MUST SEE! Rooms full of furniture, mill carts and random pieces and parts to be crafted into magic stuff. By Steve, or a buyer with a project in mind.

Retro and rustic with artsy fun proprietors.

Now that I am a mini-stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I am always hunting for "finds" to paint for myself and my students.

Bingo!

 

 

You know me by now. You are asking what I bought.

These! To grace my two Annie Sloan paint displays at the studio.

 

So green. In more ways than one.

Leave it to the newcomers in town to clue me in!

 

DESIGN SOURCES

CHARTREUSE, Owner Paula Lynam

   806 Merritt Drive, Greensboro NC 27407 ~ Phone 336.617.7423

Open Tue-Sat 10am-5:30pm

chartreusellc.com

chartreusellc@aol.com

 

ANNIE SLOAN CHALK PAINT, Greensboro area

Me! Debbie Hayes, FAUX DESIGN STUDIO, Inc.

1150 Revolution Mill Drive, Studio 4

Greensboro, NC 27405

336.707.6945

Hours by appointment or by chance

debbie@ilovefaux.com

ilovefaux.com

 

Holding on to Summer, or, the First Blush of Fall.

In came Fall.

In came the rain. And more rain. The heavens opened up.

And brought nature back to life.

For one last moment of glory.

 

I looked everywhere for them.

The first signs of fall...

And there they were.

With Buddha.

At home at Aubrey Home, or, a new decor store in town!

Generally I spend my days painting on a ladder in a lovely home, or in my studio conjuring up colorful magic on furniture.

Yesterday I spent the day showcasing my new venture as a mini-stockist with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint at Greensboro, NC's newest decor and design store, Aubrey Home. Created by designer Sharon Nussbaum, it features furniture and accessories in enticing rooms full of gorgeous vignettes.

spectacular florals abound. Never a passion of mine, but I was entranced with the natural arrangements in rustic containers.

Art is abundant. Local artists presented beautifully.

And for the Grand Opening, handmade jewelry to die for.

If you are in the area, make sure you stop by.

Sad to say my favorite picks were sold immediately. Even sadder, not to me!

Oh, what did I accomplish besides ogling the offerings?

Stay tuned for more about painted furniture galore!

 

DESIGN SOURCES:

AUBREY HOME 3500 Old Battleground Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27410 336.324.9490

FLORALS, BLOEMENBINDER, Debbie Efird, 336.207.7679 theflowermaker.com

FINE ART (Hydrangea oils and more), DEBBI KLEISCH, 336.286.0881

CUSTOM JEWELRY, LE GARAGE STUDIO, Gwyn Dunn, 336.282.7166

 

 

Studio redesign redux, or, here I go again!

There is one thing my dearest friends know about me. I love change.

Design change is uplifting, exciting, motivating and transforming.

Three years ago as I planned my new studio design, I was on the way to Marrakech, so, it became distinctively Moroccan, featuring treasures from my faux adventure there. Citrus-colored rugs and warm layers of color.

Check out the old design here.

Now? Well, see for yourself! I believe I have morphed.

 





 


 



Now it's sort of crusty industrial.

I like it here so much, I want to work 24/7...

 

A Passion for the Pantheon, or, My Sunday Memories of Rome.

As I finalize preparations to leave for Barcelona next month on my next faux/work/travel adventure with Melanie Royals and some dear friends and friends not-yet-met, I spent the day savoring our trip to Rome and Florence last October.

One of our last stops was at the Pantheon.

Ancient. Breathtaking. Mysterious. Inspiring.

I am a very fortunate fauxwoman indeed to experience the wonders of this world with so many gifted finishers from across the USA.

Not a day passes without visions of our projects, our mouth-watering meals, our laughter and our joy of discovery. 

I will truely miss one of my frequent travel roomies, Barb Skivington. You will be with me every step, every moment!

Redesigning my studio, or, fun with old stuff!

I've been at my current studio location in a 1898 restored flannel mill for three years now. My Morrocan-inspired decor in cheery bright oranges and greens and yellows made me love showing up to work.

But I do love change. Just when I'm too busy to think about a project, I always jump in head first.

So I went to my favorite High Point Furniture Market vendor and scored lots of industrial-crusty-funky new treasures. As designer-friend Sandra and I were unloading our haul, I was selling the old treasures right and left.

Yesterday, while hubby made the coolest ever metal rolling walls, I finished this project:

 
THE NEW DESIGN CONFERENCE AREA:

My old rolling table found at a used fixture store, plus new metal stools.

I COMBINED:

An old piece of frosty glass, plus a new stencil from Royal Design Studio, and some leftover Annie Sloan paint:

Love it!

Stay tuned for a little more studio magic...

DESIGN SOURCES:

Stencil: Royal Design Studio

Paint: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Paint Stockist: Faux Works Studio