Simple and Pretty Bench

This is one of those projects that I'd put off, but now that it's done, I wish I'd done it months ago.  It only took me a few hours for paint, wax and a slipcover.



 The end result is so simple and pretty.

 

 Here it is in all it's previous glory.   It is so versatile and has been all around our house, but I had kept throws over it to hide it.  It's great in the hall, at the foot of the bed, subbing as a coffee table, or at the breakfast table.

 

Now it will be much prettier as it moves around.

 

I used Annie Sloan Country Grey and Old White, with a coat of clear wax and then a coat of dark wax.

 

I pulled some trusty drop cloth out to make the slipcover. 

 

Its just one piece for the top, piping and a knife pleat ruffle.

 

Sweet and Simple.

 

Linking up to

French Country Cottage

Miss Mustard Seed

 

Chalk Paint Test Piece

 

 

 

When I set up my french armoire and it was time to start painting, I got a little nervous since I hadn't used Chalk Paint before.

 

So I pulled out this old table and decided to test the three colors I'd bought:  ASCP Coco, Country Grey and Old White.  For those of you unfamiliar with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, the great thing about it is that there is no sanding, priming or prepping, even for this table; look at the lacquer and shine on the top of this desk! 

 before

after

 

The great thing about testing out paint on a table I was otherwise going to throw away is that I had the guts to do a little decorative design on the front. 

 

 

 

I like how it turned out but I don't really have a place for it in my house.  Right now it is in a little corner near the TV.

 

Playing with the styling to try to make it functional and pretty.

 

 

Not sure if I will keep it, but I liked the freedom of painting without worrying about how it turned out.  It's something I need to remember for all my projects!

 

Linking up to

 

Jennifer Rizzo

 

Miss Mustard Seed

 

 

My First Milk Paint Project

Milk Paint Mission Chairs, Part One

Four chairs and three Milk Paint colors later, I have almost finished these chairs!

 

I've had four of these chairs for a while.  They are sturdy and great with the kids, but really not my thing in their orginal Mission style state.    So I thought I'd see what a couple coats of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint could do.

I'd never used Milk Paint before, and knowing that it can be quite unpredictable, I started with just two chairs.

   I have to admit, after the first coat...I hated it, but after the second coat...when the chipping started happening....I was falling in love!  This paint is so fun!  I can't believe how much it transformed these chairs. 

 I applied Miss Mustard Seed hemp oil to one chair.  (the chair on the right) I noticed it made Lucketts Green slightly more blue.  So I used Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Wax on chair number two.  The color stayed more the same, and I love the subtle variation of the two chairs. 

I painted two coats of Miss Mustard Seed Linen on the last two chairs

 

 

 Ok...confession.  First three chairs, I wiped down with cleaner on a cloth.  Number four.....not so much.  I am assuming that is why I had the mass adhesion problem!  Looking back at this picture, I kinda wish I would have kept the linen chair with just the little bit of chipping.  But I didn't......

I decided to try out French Enamel.  I love this blue!  I applied two coats and gently scraped off the chippy areas. 

I lightly sanded to reveal some if the Linen paint underneath.

I then applied 2 coats of Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Wax.  I think they are still going to need another layer of wax.  The paint is rather thick on them!

 

The seats on these chairs really need to be replaced.  They are the orginals and a couple have holes and springs popping through. 

 

 

So for now I am making slipcovers.  Since I now LOVE these chairs,  I wanted something that wouldn't cover too much of the chair, and also something that would add a

 little femininity to all the straight lines. It also had to be kid friendly, washable, and something that when it did get ruined (an assumption that must be made with a 2, 5, and 7 year old), I could make another. 

 

This slipcover is so simple to make.  I used a dropcloth and cut it to the size of the chair.  Then I used the scalloped stitch on my sewing machine and stiched around the perimeter of my square.

 

Then, using emboridery scissors, I carefully cut along the edge, cutting off the excess and creating the scallopped edge.

 

 I found the tie ribbon for 99 cents a yard at Joann Fabrics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amazing what a little paint and a scallop edge can do!

 

Linking up to

 Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Friday

Savvy Southern Style Wow Us Wednesday

French Country Cottage

 

Starting with a French Armoire

So EXCITED to share my first Annie Sloan Chalk Paint project for my first post!  Welcome to my blog!

 

                     For my first project.....My French Armoire! 

Here is the 'before' picture.  I found it on Craigslist...and my husband hauled it home.....not sure how many pieces, but I wish I had a picture of it in a pile in my living room.....it was quite a task to assemble!  Once we got it put all together it was obvious I would be painting it assembled and in our living room. There was no way we were going to go through that process a second time!!

The Armoire had a lot of water damage and as you can see there was a lot of peeling veneer and I wasn't sure what to do with that. Some of it I just peeled off. 

 

Some of it needed a lot of wood filler and sanding.  (Sorry about that glare!)

 

 

Initially I wasn't sure what to do with metal details.....

 

 

I also wasnt sure what colors to use.

Here you can see Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Coco on the upper left, Country Grey on the right and Old White on the bottom left.  I walked by these swatches a few days until I knew what I wanted to do.

 

I decided to paint the entire piece in ASCP Country Grey. Then, following the lines of the original veneer, I added contrast with ASCP Old White.   You can see here were I started to doubt myself and tried a little ASCP Old White on the front to see if I would like it better....but I stuck to my plan.

 

I was able to see the veneer through the first coat, so it was easy to tape off.

 

 

I wasn't sure what to do with the metal pieces until I saw how they looked unpainted. They were much too dark and I didn't like the contrast. So I painted them and then wiped off a little of the paint.

 

 

Getting there...After getting to this point, I decided to add some Old White to the top piece and on the legs.

 

I very lightly sanded; including the metal.  I absolutely LOVE the little glimmer of gold shining through the chalk paint!

 

 

 

 

 

Here it is all painted,  pre-wax, and reflecting a cute kindergartner!

 

 

 

 

 

I first applied a coat of clear wax and finished with a coat of dark wax.  Since this was my first time using waxes, this was rather scary.  I learned a lot about the waxes...what to do and what not to do.  I now know to mix some clear wax with the dark wax....it gives you so much more control over how dark the piece is and eliminates the streaky look.

 

 

But I am still so happy with the results!

 

 

 

 

 

It is so pretty and the perfect place to hold all my creative stuff!  I would like to paint the inside, too, but that is a project for another day!

 

I  am linking up to

Miss Mustard Seed Furniture Friday

Savvy Southern Style

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage