Lost And Found - Nesting Tables

While purging our garage the other day, I stumbled upon a set of nesting tables that I had completely forgotten about.  If I recall correctly, I had purchased them for our daughter's first apartment in her college sophomore year and she really didn't care for them.  It was not the 'design aesthetic' she was going for.  Anyhow, I was thrilled to have found them.

Coincidentally, I had recently been leafing through one of my favorite home
catalogs, Wisteria and fell in love with their Cabriole-Leg Table Set and knew I had to refinish my table set to reflect their traditional Swedish design. 

If you have been following my blog, you may recall my  Homemade Chalk Paint Experiment and the resulting table shown below.  I decided to use the same technique on my nesting table set.

So, I mixed 2 tablespoons of non-sanded grout and one cup of leftover flat white ceiling paint and began to paint my tables.

Below you will find the 'before and after' with one coat of paint.

 

This chalk paint recipe provides even and full coverage much like Annie Sloan Chalk paint at a fraction of the cost.  After two coats of chalk paint, I lightly sanded each of the tables and generously applied my 'go-to' Howard Citrus Shield Premium Wax in Golden Oak.  So easy to apply, 'wax on, wax off'...

Now, this is where I need your help.  I'm not too sure about the final color of the tables so I repainted one with a 'grey' chalk paint that I mixed with some leftover Behr paint. I then sanded it and applied my 'go-to' wax.  Below, are my two tables with their final waxed finish.  They are positioned in between my two Craigslist Cane Chairs and will complete one of the vignettes in my spare bedroom.

Project #5 Almost Complete!

Your vote will determine how I paint the entire set, WHITE OR GREY....

Let me know what you think.....

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Painting for Charity - Princess Fairy Chair

When I began blogging in August, I mentioned that I am frequently asked to paint furniture, especially children's furniture for fundraisers.

Unfortunately, I have not been good at taking pictures of these items but I did find these few photos of a cute little "Princess Fairy" chair that I painted this past year for the Western Pennsylvania Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. 

I often find inspiration from children's books, blankets, pictures and even toys.  In this case, it was a book about a fairy princess.  The seat of the chair features the princess herself and it is surrounded by dainty flowers.

I then added a sweet multi colored fringe, polka dots and of course, more flowers.

The spindles were painted in coordinating colors and voila....

A perfect chair for a little fairy princess!





Homemade Chalk Paint Recipe Experiment

Like most furniture refinishers, I have fallen in love with the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint finish.  Unfortunately, ASCP is not sold anywhere in the Pittsburgh area and to be honest with you, I really didn't want to pay $38 plus $15 shipping for a quart of paint.  However I wanted to paint this great little end table in our family room with chalk paint.  I love it's lines and it is just the right size but it was looking a little worn.

So, I took to the internet to find a chalk paint recipe.  I stumbled across numerous sites and settled on a recipe from Make Your Own Zone .  It calls for a mix of 2 tablespoons of unsanded grout combined with 1 cup FLAT paint.  I however chose an old can of Behr SATIN paint that I had from a previous home project.  Did it make a difference?  I have no clue!  It seems to me that it shouldn't if you wax or use a polyurethane to complete the project.

As per chalk paint instructions, I didn't sand or prepare the table in any way, I just painted.  The paint was very thick and I think with this recipe, it might be a good idea to add just a bit of glaze.  Here is the coverage after only one coat of homemade chalk paint.  Depending on your piece of furniture and the look you want to achieve, this might be the only coat you need.

I really wanted full coverage and opted for a second coat of chalk paint as shown below.

Once the second coat was completely dry, I sanded edges where I felt normal wear would occur.  I did not want a heavily distressed look so my sanding was minimal. I then covered it with a thin coat of Howard Citrus Shield Premium Paste Wax in Golden Oak.  I let the wax sit for a couple of hours although it only calls for 3-5 minutes and then I buffed it.  As per ASCP instructions, I added another coat of wax, waited and buffed.

I am really pleased with the overall outcome.  I saved a great deal of time by skipping the initial sanding and preparation stages. I have never used ASCP so I really don't have anything to compare my homemade chalk paint too but the bottom line is, I'm thrilled with the chalk paint recipe and I am thrilled with my 'new' end table!

 

Let me know what you think....



I am  Blog Hopper !!

Painting for Charity - "Under The Sea" Step Stool

As mentioned previously, one of my favorite things to do is to create items for fundraisers.  I am often asked to paint a piece of furniture and in this case, it was a step stool for the Western Pennsylvania Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The step stool was the focus of a larger silent auction prize that featured an underwater children's theme.

I painted the entire stool with acrylic paints using stencils that I created with vellum and then sealed the stool with a poly acrylic finish.

Voila....the playful step stool sold at auction!!!

Let me know what you think.....

French Blue Chest

Paint...

Give me a can of paint and I'll do something with it.  If it doesn't work out, I figure I can always paint over it again.  So, needless to say a number of my friends were shocked when I told them I was going to refinish an Ethan Allen Medallion Collection chest of drawers that I've loved for years but had grown tired of it's finish. 

My inspiration was a lovely french blue chest of drawers from one of my favorite catalogs, Wisteria.

And here is mine....

I used a lovely blue gray paint combined wth cream and accents of gold around the drawers and top.  I then finished it off with a brown wax.  This was my first attempt at the distressed french antique finish.  I hope you like it.!! Let me know what you think.

One last thing, take a closer look below at the handmade votive.  An inexpensive yet dramatic effect accomplished by hot gluing tulip petals to the bottom of a votive and voila....