I'm set up in my driveway, fair-skinned and un-sunscreened in the midday sun - with a paintbrush and a new can of Paris Gray chalk paint, ready to tackle a $5 yard sale table.

We had been in our new house just a few months, and I was on a decorating tear. Inspired by the furniture facelifts I'd seen on blogs, I was ready to tackle some of my own with this "magic" chalk paint I'd been hearing so much about, not only online but at local decor stores, as well.

I bit - and I was bitten - by the painting bug.

They say paint is transformative, and I've learned just how true that is this past year. It has transformed not only my home, but my life as it's encouraged me to embark on a new creative and business venture.

Here are a few pieces I've painted. ...»