Falling In Love With Ms. Mustard Seed's Milk Paint!

I recently had my first experience with Ms. Mustard Seed's milk paint and it was a total success! I pickup up this vanity that was an aged bright white...you know that color...that white that has a yellowed tint...ugh.  I wanted to play with some different looks and textures, so I ventured out on this one and hoped for the best. Read below for a step by step playbook of this refunked beauty.

1. The VERY BEST thing about CeCe and Ms. Mustard Seed's paints is that there is NO SANDING OR PRIMING...you just start painting!  So, I just jumped right in and dry brushed a think coat of  CeCe Caldwell's Chalk and Clay paint in Young Kansas Wheat. I did this because I did not want all that bright white as a dominate undertone.  WARNING...the chalk paint underneath the milk paint does take away the natural chippiness effect of the milk paint!! So, do not do this if you want the milk paint to chip itself!!

2.  I think mixed up 1 cup of Miss Mustard Seed's milk paint in Kitchen Scale.  I applied two coats, allowing 1 hour drying time in between. 

3. I then took a damp rag and began distressing it.  I also used a sanding block very heavy handed to get the desired look I wanted around the edges and across the top.  I wanted to dry brush strokes to pop through...that was intentional.

4.  Finally, I waxed the entire vanity with CeCe Caldwell's Clear Wax, using my wax brush to really work it into the paint.

I used clear knobs to really compliment the colors in the vanity, versus using colored ones that would compete with them.

Up next...a blog on using chalk paint versus milk paint...both are GREAT, but very different! :)

Happy Painting ya'll!

Embracing the Imperfections

From the moment I saw this table at an estate auction, I knew I had to have her. She was so feminine, her touches of the original green paint spying through the clumpy cabinet paint someone had so sadly put on her.  She was very delicate and yet so well preserved for her age.  Everyone else there apparently wanted her too as I had to put my game face on and embark in a bidding war.  I was determined she was going home with me and so she did.

I have let her sit in my garage for way too long while I have debated on how to paint her. Go back to that original green or go a bit edgier??  Also, I knew tackling that cabinet paint was not going to be fun.  As I was getting ready for Junk Hippy last week, this table started calling my name.  I stared at her for a long time before deciding her imperfections were what I loved most about her...so here is her refurbished journey.

First I sanded her down with my electric sander (except on the legs...I did those by hand since it is such an old table).  NEVER, EVER use cabinet paint on furniture. That is what caused her lumpy, bumpy surface.  I did like the crackle look of it though, so I sanded her down just enough to make it smooth, but not enough to remove all of the crackle. If you truly wanted to remove all of that crackle  visually, you would need to completely strip your piece; it will not disappear by sanding alone.  I also only sanded down to the first layer of color (the green) on 80% of the table.  I then took CeCe Caldwell's Young Kansas Wheat and just brushed it on in certain "high traffic" areas (sides, corners, etc) so that it was just lightly pop through when I started distressing.  Allowed dry time, then covered the entire table in a coat of CeCe's Santa Fe Turquoise.  Again, allowed dry time, then I painted her two final coats in CeCe's Vintage White.  I honestly probably could have just done one coat of the white, however, since it is a kitchen table and takes a lot of wear, I decided to do two coats.  I realize this is a lot of painting, but that is just the way it had to be for the look I wanted.  You could obviously make it so much simpler by not doing so many colors.

Then, when all the painting was complete, I started distressing her.  I lightly sanded with 220 grit sand paper on most of the table. I did use an electric sander on the corners.  Again, I like sanding by hand because I feel I have more control on how much is taken off.  The corners had the most crackle look, so I sanded them much heavier than the rest of the table.  You can see this in the image below:

I then applied CeCe's clear wax to seal the table, allowed that to dry overnight, and then buffed over the table again with a rag the next morning.  There are a few dark spots in these pictures, however, they are not actually part of the table (I don't want anyone thinking I used dark wax). 

Here she is all finished. 

I fully realize my design for this table is not for everyone...but honestly, I paint for me.  Of course, I want to sell each piece, and want to make something my customers will enjoy and want in their homes, however, I have to follow my heart on these pieces sometimes or I'll go crazy. As with any artist, I start with a blank canvas and create something beautiful from an image created from my heart.  That is also the reason I don't take on a lot of custom work...I want to be able to "do my thing" and create from my own ideas. That is why I love what I do...if I had to do each piece a certain way, I am afraid I'd stop loving refurbishing the way I do.    I am now thinking I may go a bit crazier on this table, maybe add a flower, chevron or something...or, I may just go more conservative and give her a top coat of green to go back to her original state...you never know!  Sometimes a project is never really complete for me...or maybe I just need to learn when to walk away :) 

Happy Visioning, Creating, and Painting! 

Seeing Red!

 With the birth of our son, my DIY projects have centered around his room and some western flare. I realize most people do these things BEFORE the baby comes, but for those who know our history, know I never let my self truly believe in the small miracles until they are here safely.  Almost like I am afraid I will jinx it or something...I guess that just comes after such a devastating loss. Anyway, so I am now focused on little man's room and wanted to share a few projects I have been working on. 

First, here is a little wall decor.

This is actually a piece of barn wood from one of our family barns. It was honestly pretty perfect as it was...weathered, worn, etc.  I took some sand paper and sanded the edges just in case some little hands were to grab it (no splinters for us!) and then just took some red milk paint and dry brushed it over the wood.  Seriously as easy as that. The stars were made from heavy metal, so I used liquid nail to attach them to the wood (I was afraid hot glue would not have been strong enough).  I let that dry overnight, attached hanging hooks to the back, and TA DA! Done!

My second project has been this antique dresser.

I really thought it would be perfect for his room, however, after completing the project, we moved it into his room, started adding the clothes, and figured out it was not NEAR big enough...so, it will now go to one of  my booths...a little disappointed, but love it all the same! This antique dresser was well worn in that it had the perfect amount of knicks, wear, and yet still had beautiful lines and stain color.   I simply covered it in light coats of milk paint, distressed it lightly (I wanted that dark stain to show through, not as much of the natural wood), and then applied dark wax over the entire piece. I applied the dark wax pretty heavy over the corners of the drawers as that is where there was the most wear and I wanted to really draw that out and make it a focal point.  I had ordered western knobs to match his room, but I decided to save those bad boys for which ever piece we end up using in there and the original knobs on this piece were still gorgeous and fit the piece perfectly, so back on they went! I did add a little bit of antiquing gel to them just to deepen their color.

Here is an up-close of the dresser's leg...this is why I love milk paint so...love its "chippiness" and it just adds so much character!

So blessed to have the opportunity to create this space for such a wonderful little boy and I love getting to share it with all of you! Many blessings!

Distressing Furniture...not worth stressing over!

I received a panicked email the other day from a friend who had "over distressed" a piece she said. Now, to me, you can never over distress...that is like having hair that is too big...just not possible in Oklahoma! Once she sent me a picture though, I fully understood why she felt this way as she used multiple methods and it had ended up looking as though she had "tried too hard" instead of that natural, aged look we want our pieces to have. This gave me the idea for my next post as I think we forget to mention this aspect of refinishing. Here are my simple tips for distressing. Again, please note these are just my opinions and what I find works for me!

First, pick your method. There are as many ways to distress a piece as there are brands of paint. There is not necessarily a right or wrong here, it is just your preference. You can use sand paper and sand by hand, you can use an electric sander, you can use a razor, wax method, paint remover, or with some paint, you can simply use a rag and water! Each method requires a bit of work and some planning!!!

1. Sanding by hand: I often prefer this method as I feel it gives me more control on where and how much I am sanding. I normally use 220 grit sand paper and I hit all the edges and corners first. Then I'll move to the "heart" of the piece-the top and drawers or doors. I honestly do not draw out a plan of where and how much I am sanding....I just start on edges and go from there. I like to hit any flaws a little heavier so that it really draws out that aged look. If I want the bare wood to stand out in a spot, I sand that spot with a heavier hand. If I have a color underneath the top coat I want to show through, I sand with a delicate hand and do not over press.

2. Sanding with Electric Sander: First, let me say that electric sanders are expensive. So only consider this method if you a. already have an electric sander or b. you plan on going into the furniture refinishing business and will get your use out of it ( or c. if you just have a whole lot of money sitting around and are looking for ways to spend it....in this case, CALL ME!!) I do use my sander quite often...at the beginning of a piece if using Latex paint, and at the end of a piece if I want it to look HEAVILY distressed. Now, I do not at all claim to be a pro at this...this is just what I have learned from experience. I have almost NO control over my sander....it tends to lead me around, so this is why I say I prefer to hand sand :) Please see picture below of a heavily sanded piece. I wanted it to look really worn, aged, and wanted the raw dark wood to have a presence on the dresser.

This can also be accomplished by hand, it just takes more muscle and patience.

3. Razor Method: Honestly, I have never been a big fan of this method. You have to have a very steady hand for this method as a razor will actually cut through the wood you are distressing and leave permanent cut marks and scratches in the wood. If you choose to use this method, I only recommend doing so on edges and corners; doing so only with light pressure. I normally have 2 small kiddos with me while I work, so having a razor blade lying around is not an option for me :)

4. Wax: Here is another method I tend to steer away from. I just never could get it to work how I had planned and the finish never worked out. The basic idea is that you apply the wax UNDER the paint and then when paint is dry, wipe it off over the spots you applied the wax, giving it a distressed look. However, this takes major planning and sketching as you need to know exactly where you applied the wax. It will bubble a bit or look streaky where you applied the wax, but it is easy to miss a few and then you lacquer over a place that you missed and you have a mess.

5. Paint Remover: Third method I stay away from. Fist off, there is nothing worse than the smell of paint remover. YUCK! It is such potent stuff and you need to wear gloves, etc. Chemicals are not my thing, so I stay away as much as possible. Secondly, this actually wipes the paint off, so if you aren't careful,you get a spot that screams "hey, I just wiped some paint off this spot" versus a jagged, rubbed, worn spot that sanding leaves. I can tell when remover has been used 99.9% of the time, it just looks obvious and like you took a cloth and wiped it off. This is definitely not the ideal method if you have glazed a piece. It just wipes the glaze off and ruins the look of a glazed piece.

6. For Chalk Paint, you can simply use a rag and water!!! This is another reason I love the Chalk Paint so much. You can simply wet a rag (not dripping wet, just damp) and rub it across the areas you want to distress. Using your hands allows you get into the corners, cracks, etc and still looks worn and rubbed through versus just wiped off as mentioned in the above post. Once you apply the wax over your piece, it really brings out that area that you distressed. No sanding saves a lot of time, dust, and muscle power. For me, the biggest plus is no dust. Here is a piece that I simply used the rag/water method. Please note, this ONLY WORKS WITH CHALK PAINT!! I use CeCe Caldwell's Chalk Paint and love how it finishes out after I distress it.

Hope this is helpful! Happy Distressing!