HGTV Magazine

My friend, Lindsey Cheek, had her family home photographed last May by HGTV Magazine featuring her Wilmington bungalow. An Abigail Lea original was also photographed by the photographers in her home. I'm so excited to announce that my painting is in the latest issue of HGTV Magazine!

Abigail Lea Original Artwork - Mixed Media

Wooden Forest Designs by Steve Blackerby (MY DAD)

I'm so excited and proud to announce that my Dad, Steve Blackerby, has his very first artist reception coming up next week at The Sunflower Studio in Wake Forest, NC on Friday, November 9th from 5 to 9pm.

Dad graduated from Auburn University with a design degree and has used his artistic eye and creativity throughout his life at work managing a team of creative marketers but MORE IMPORTANTLY... he has used these skills to make our family furniture, desks, shelves and all of life's little necessities throughout our childhood and even as adults. These pieces are not only handmade with love but they are gorgeous!

My Dad will be sharing his collection of handmade wooden spoons next week... that's right, he's moving his work out of the garage for all to see!

Each spoon was handcrafted in one of my favorite places, Dad's garage. He widdled, shaped and smoothed to the rhythm of great music and ended with a product that is functional and easy on the eyes. You won't be able to help yourself... you will have to pick one up!

You won't want to miss this!

 

 

  

 

 

Who would've thunk... I'm in Better Homes & Gardens!

That's right! Our holiday crafting last season made the cut and now we are in Better Homes & Garden's Christmas Ideas 2012 on newsstands now!
 
I work for a company named Salt Harbor Designs & Harborside Event Rentals. We specialize in full event planning, directing, floral, paper design and specialty rentals for weddings around the Southeastern North Carolina area. We never thought our Christmas decorating and crafting would be a hit to other people. We just enjoy being creative and acting on an idea that one of us has. In this case it was, "let's get together and do holiday crafts one night, want to?" "Yes, and let's bring food!"

What we first thought was a basic holiday crafting night with our local friends and coworkers of Salt Harbor Designs, Harborside Event Rentals, The Atrium & Millie Holloman Photography became a fully decorated event, photo shoot, crafting and potluck dinner! Millie of Millie Holloman Photography and Jen, owner of Salt Harbor Designs, later submitted our photos for the holiday issue of Better Homes & Gardens and they loved it. And here we are...

We are excited to announce that in December this year we will be crafting and wrapping several days a week at The Atrium. We will teach you everything we know about holiday crafting and you too can make paper trees, book page wreaths, moss tress and tree-band napkin rings!

More details on sign up for our holiday crafting on our facebook pages and e-newsletter soon!

Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint

A few months ago, my good friend Tessa invited me to come to a Girls' Nite Out event she put together for the magazine Focus on the Coast here in Wilmington. This was not a typical night out on the town with the girls... it was better! We were going to DISTRESS and PAINT furniture. We met at a local business called, Budget ReDesign, that specializes in distressing furniture with the key product, Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan.

About Chalk Paint:

Annie Sloan developed her now famous Chalk Paint to answer the need she had for a paint which would have many uses from acting like limewash to looking like old painted furniture and that had a good range of colour that could be extended by the user. This paint is very easy to work with and allows people to be creative as one doesn't get involved with the technicalities of preparation and it also allows you to change your mind without hassle.

Add a little water to it to make it smooth, thicken it up by leaving the lid off if you want to make it thicker, make it into a wash by adding even more water to it. Use flat brushes for a smooth look or bristle brushes for a more textured aged look. Chalk paint is water based and comes in 29 fantastic colors that you can mix and adapt to your project.

 We were told to bring in a piece of furniture that needed to be brought back to life. I brought a little end table that I got from my company who was finished with it after a few photo shoots. It was originally a red table and now had several coats of paint on it, light blue, white, then black. My friend Tessa, also brought in her entry way table that was rustic black and brown.

Wiping down the piece before painting

Tessa painting from the bottom to the top

There are so many great things about Chalk Paint but to me the best part about it is that you don't have to sand it down or prime it before you paint! You can also paint on any surface... metal, wood, or plastic. It's very flexible so you can be creative and change your mind half way through to another color. You can also use this paint outdoors, on your kitchen cabinets or on your walls!

STEP by STEP:

1. Wiped our piece of furniture down

2. Added our first color of paint (that would be seen through after sanding)

3. Added our second color painted on all parts

4. Added dark wax in corners and on edges

5. Rubbed back with fine sand paper 

6. Finished off with a coat of wax 

Here's my finished piece at home.

The entire GNO group at Budget ReDesign

 

To bring a group to Budget ReDesign or buy Chalk Paint you can go to www.budgetredesign.com

Eve's Paint Party

In June this year our sweet little Eve turned seven years-old. She had been asking for over a year to have a paint party where her friends could come and paint with her. So, we invited the very talented Gayle Blackerby (my Mom and Eve's Gigi) to Wilmington to help us paint canvases with some of Eve's family and friends to celebrate turning seven. It was such a special time painting cupcakes on canvas, quesadillas, milkshake stations at the Atrium, downtown Wilmington!

I'm so blessed to share the love of art with my Mom and my little Eve. :)

Eve helped me paint our invitations that I designed and printed at home

Each friend had their own apron, canvas, paint, brushes & water.

The very happy birthday girl, Elizabeth Eve

 

Maggie making progress on the background of her cupcake.

Louise focused on the edges.

Our Milkshake station sign done on watercolor paper

This was a hit!

Thanks for coming everyone!

TO DO: Print at home, paint, cut and round the corners.

The masterpieces are completed!

Thanks Gigi - We love you!

Been A Little Busy...

Hey Everyone! Sorry I haven't been on here reporting and inspiring all of the creative fun things that I usually have my hands in. I've been up to my ears in helping Salt Harbor Designs with weddings and events over the past few months and I GOT MARRIED! Now I'm on to an event that I'm directing called, Courtyards & Cobblestones: A Walk Through Wedding Row taking place on January 14th. This entire event was designed and created to change the way wedding shows are done here in Wilmington, NC. Check out the sneak peek into the event in this film by Life Stage Films. I will be blogging more soon about my wedding, Christmas crafts and more!

Tooling Leather

My husband, Michael and his dad Steve, turned me on to this fun art. Tooling leather! We have had a great time making different leather items for friends and a few for ourselves. Michael and I got married just over a month ago and we gave presents to our groomsmen and bridesmaids that we tooled. I will let Michael put up some pictures on his blog to show you some of those. Below, I will show you what we did a few months before we got serious about this awesome leather cutting/tooling business. We did a few simple things like cutting and tooling some bracelets. Michael also made me a bible cover with my new initials as an engagement present. I've just done a few leather items but Michael is getting very good at this!!! Here are a few of the steps during the process. :)

Michael is my sweet leather cutter (which is hard work)

He taught me how to add a nice edge around the bracelets with this tool

Here are a few of the tools that when put together in a pattern can make incredible designs

We have three different dye colors: Black, Dark Brown and Tan

Here's the edge I added to my first bracelet for my sister

There are many different sets of metal letters this is a classic western style font... you can't go wrong with it

This is a "C" for my sister Caitlin

"A" for Abi

Closer view of the tooling

Tan center with Dark Brown Edges

We added some snaps and they are done!

Contact Abi if you'd like a hand tooled leather bracelet with your initial: Abilea20@aol.com