Downtown Stuodio Salon: Painting a Mirror Frame and Vanity

Here is my work station at my salon, Downtown Studio and (facebook page). I have shown pics of this place before and of my work, and yet the place is always changing. That is the beauty of having customized work stations as opposed to the matching built-ins that so many salons use. We have a penchant for vintage and diy, and our style is reflective of the combined personalities of our salon family and our guests. The salon owner, Candice, painted, glazed and distressed this desk herself. The mirror was quite small, so we exchanged this brass mirror for the larger size.

I mixed it a little paint with some clear glaze and gently dry brushed some more turquoise and purple on the mirror and added for purple to the desk for a uniform look. The corner details are the purple Martha Stewart glitter paint. I also painted a picture frame for holding a Brazilian Blowout certificate to match.

A few carefully selected storage items hold all I need for a functional, yet pretty corner. I decorated an acrylic business card holder with trim, vintage buttons and jewels, the faux book holds foils for highlighting hair, a vintage bottle holds fresh roses and my chevron bucket contains formula info and other notes. The purple mason tip jar is gussied up with some hanging prisms.

 Our salon is in a very old building in a Historic town square, that once sold clothes and work denim ceiling high, but we love the industrial charm of exposed pipes and amazing, stained cement floors.

By using vanities and furniture combed through searching on craigslist, facebook garage sale groups, and local thrift shops, we have connected a community through reusing beloved furniture pieces, while at the same time, creating a salon with a lot of character and a flexible budget. We have had more than one client come in here claiming that a piece of furniture once belong to them as a child or a loved one in their family whose furniture they hadn't seen in years, and were thrilled to be reunited again with it.

 This wall now boasts two amazing, rare, vintage light fixtures, and a birdcage for storage. I will have to post those soon!

 

This stylist brought her heirloom vanity and vintage chair from home.

People often mistake our salon for an antique shop, as our windows are ever changing, and there are many antique shops on our square. We will eventually install that amazing door as our sign, so people will really know from the street just who we are. This is a wonderful place to work and to visit as a client and I am going to miss it so much when I leave! But at least  have helped create a little footprint through the floors, chandelier, my dresser turned make-up station, furniture, hair and events we have worked on together :)

Prom and Bridal Hair by Me and my Downtown Studio Salon Team

 

 partial updo by me, elegant twists make a stunning partial

It is prom and wedding season and we have been going crazy with updos here at Downtown Studio in Historic Rosenberg, Texas! We have been doing lots of the relaxed and more creative style hair for weddings, and the teens are all about partial updos. Common requests this year are braids, twists and soft curls. Which is fine by me, it's one of my favorite styles to achieve! So scroll down for lots of creative inspiration photos by our salon. If you pin them, please attribute the photos to us, thanks!! If you are the The Sugar Land, Pecan Grove, Rosenberg, Richmond, Katy, Houston, Needville areas, come on by to get your hair done! We make it a party every time :) If you aren't local, come say "hi" on our facebook page for lots of hair styling tips and tutorials.

hair by me, a small french twist with little pin curls

hair by me, lots of woven twists and braids! love that reverse ombre

hair by me, twists and braids!

hair by me, more twists, braids and curls!

 updo by me, tiny braids are woven throughout

color and partial updo by Candice, extensions by Trecina 

updo by Candice

side braid updo with flower by Candice

 side braid bridal updo by Candice

mother of the bride updo by Candice

updo/chignon by April and Candice

junior bridesmaid partial updo by April

elegant woven and braided bridal updo by Candice

me and Trecina, hard at work

Trecina applying eyelashes, while Candice, the salon owner and updo extrodinare works her magic

me, April, Trecina and Candice with our formal girls

beautiful!

Much love from the Downtown Studio salon team and all who come for their special events!

DIY: How to Add Patina to a Chandelier

A few months ago, I found this semi mangled chandelier on the side of the road next to the garbage. Talk about a curb side treasure! So, I did this manic U-turn, pulled into an awkward driveway and loaded it up. It also comes with those gold lampshades, but we most likely won't use them for now. What is your opinion, shades or no shades? Living in a rental, we can't put this up, besides, it is too big for our place with such low ceilings.

Our Downtown Studio salon is switching the massage and Jacuzzi room, with our large party/lounge area, and I knew this chandelier would be perfect for lighting since it is pretty dark. Pics of our gorgeous set up here! We spray painted the "candlesticks"  black and got some of the vintage candle flame looking light bulbs. I used a patina-like sea foam green color and dry brushed it on for an aged look, and in some parts, did more of a watercolor wash. I am probably going to add a second patina color and then do a little bit of sanding on the "patina" to really age it. We usually don't like the bright gold, but it works in here and really shines up the rustic glam feel. And of course, I want to add strands of drippy prisms from the bottom. It will be gorgeous and I will most definitely include photos of the finished project!

It's not really work when you love what you are doing!

 

Finished Product! At Downtown Studio Salon's massage and spa room.

 

February Madness

It's been since Valentine's Day that I have blogged! Don't get me wrong, I have TRIED. But blogger keeps blocking my access and freezing up during my posts, then deleting them!! Grrrrrr. So, what have I been up too aside from cursing this computer? Millions of things, life has been a whirlwind! But here is the lowdown, because it is so important, of course.

I have been so dang busy, that I bought Valentines from the store (instead of hand making them) and my little guy and I worked on them together. Funny thing is, when I asked my boys what they wanted me to get, they told me I knew best. *yesss!* Wonder how long that will last? So, Star Wars for the boys and Cinderella for the girls it was.

Note, all of the laundry piles, and mega kitchen clean up going on back there. Neglecting duties due to being crazy busy. At one point, we even slept on the couches because of the piles of nearly folded laundry on the bed.

Been busy mugging on this little bit for a while. She is *this close* to walking, just turned 10 months. She absolutely loves hanging upside down, growing out of her clothes and eating. Her one, bottom tooth, blonde fauxhawk and rosy cheeks are adorable.

Been busy doing face painting and working (and playing) at the salon and other events. It's usually the prepwork (like that gingerbread house there) that destroys the house and my sleep cycle!

 

We finally pulled out this alien head kit. The boys had fun making it and painting it. The hubs and I painted the details in at the end. 

 Caleb being a most excellent model.

I have been failing at the homework department, so Isaac had to help me remember to sign it :) So... what all have you been up to?