Rhossili Bay, Wales

Rhossili Bay_analog filter

For this picture I used Analog Efex Pro2 to create a look similar to that of pictures shot on film – including light scratches and dust that come with leaving photos unattended in the attic.

 

Rhossili Bay

Here I only slightly adjusted the Curves in Photoshop for a better contrast. The picture was shot only seconds before the picture above.

Refurbishing an old “Abbess” desk

I recently bought an old Abbess schoolmaster’s desk from the 1940s or 1950s  in a charity shop – for only £25. Sadly enough the surface was quite greasy and scratched, so I decided to use it for a refurbishing project. Since I love the texture and look of old wood I wanted to keep the surface as natural as possible, adding some modern touches.

1 Old Abbess Desk

I bought some additional material – apart from sanding paper I already had at home – for £20: Chalk paint and furniture wax.

2 Materials

Then I started sanding the complete surface – using a machine for the tabletop and did the rest by hand. It already looked better after that.

3 Sanding the surfaces

I decided to paint the legs with anthracite chalk paint.

4 Painted the legs with chalk paint

But I tried to keep the original features like this old “Abbess” label.

5 Keeping original features

What I love about chalk paint: You can still see and feel the texture of the wood.

6 Structure of the wood

As last step I polished the complete surfaces with furniture wax. Took ages. Looks fantastic.

7 Using wax for polishing

Now it has a new purpose: As sideboard in my living room

8 New pupose as sideboard

Canons Ashby – House and Gardens

 

This Sunday’s trip took me to Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire. The Elizabethan manor house lies in the middle of terraces 18th-century gardens and is managed by the National Trust.

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/canons-ashby

I would like to have taken a few more pictures outdoors, but sadly enough after a warm and sunny start, it started to rain later that afternoon.

Where to find it: