Sept 12

I've been having fun re-doing some old wood furniture pieces. I happened upon The Purple Painted Lady's blog last month and was enlightened by her transformations and the use of Annie Sloan Chalk paints and waxes. I was drawn by the continued mentions that the paint will stick to anything, with virtually no prep. Around that time Ace Hardware was promoting their new paint which is a combined primer/paint. We all know how primer sticks to everything, right? so I thought if I got it in a flat finish it may be cheaper yet comparable to chalk paint. I had a coupon for a free quart and got gray (I think because I just couldn't decide on a color) and painted this cabinet I had been hanging on to in the garage for quite some time. It was (like most pieces start out) a blah brown. 

I had also ordered three little sample 4oz jars of the AS paint, as well as the finishing wax in both clear and dark. This piece is the result of the Ace paint with a top coat of the Annie Sloan dark wax. I used this technique to transfer the words across the middle shelf. (yay! So glad I just found that gal's tutorial because now I don't have to type it all out).

Things change over time and that far end of the kids' play area in our family room is no exception. Where once hung the ABC quilt over dolls and toys, now hangs a map of the United States over a desk and books. This is now an 'education corner'. Years ago I snagged that IKEA embroidered lamp shade at a yard sale and FINALLY took it a couple weeks ago to the hardware store and asked for help to make it a hanging lamp. I suspect that if I'd been 30 pounds (or 20 years) lighter the guy at the electrical counter would have just put it all together for me but I was equally happy that he sent me home with all the right parts and instructions and it actually works. :-) 

I hadn't planned on actually cordoning off the space, but one day last month as I was driving by the nearby thrift shop I saw this tri-fold screen (again, a big blah brown piece) and just knew I needed to bring it home. When that little voice pipes up; "You're not ever gonna see THAT again!" I just have to buy it. 

First I spray painted it with my all time favorite Robin's Egg Blue, then I dry brushed the flat Clark+Kensington version of REBlue paint over that. Then, after some distressing with sandpaper and screwdrivers I rubbed the Annie Sloan dark wax over it all. It may not stay looking this way forever but I'm glad I bought it when I saw it. 

I still have several fun pieces waiting for transformations in the garage but I'm not sure how much I can keep bringing in my house!

I'll pass this on too, before I forget; next time I'm going to try this recipe for chalk paint that I came across while googling today. Will be interested to see the difference between that and the primer paint I've been using. Much as I love the finished pieces I've seen, I will avoid as long as possible paying shipping on $37 quarts of paint.

Oh--That big empty aquarium? I couldn't leave it at a yard sale for only 10 dollars, but what to put IN it has become quite the dilemma. What we're reading about most turtles is that they get so big they really need to live in the back yard. Most of the lizards and geckos we saw at the pet store seemed so dang FAST and jerky, I just have all sorts of stress thinking about cats chasing them under couches. Any suggestions or testimonials would be greatly appreciated! 

Well, all those pieces were just supposed to be the lead up to a pretty cool end table I finished this week but if I'm tired of typing you're probably tired of reading so I promise I'll be back in a day or two to share. 

Comments

[Tina]

Darling!!! Love Love Love. You're so stinkin' creative!!! :)

[BrendaLou]

I discovered Ann Sloan Chalk paint on this blog: http://www.homeroad.net/ It is a DIY furniture/accessory blog. It's really cool. Love the lamp and the screen. Hows the homeschooling coming?

[Kris Halstrom]

Love these projects! Thanks for showing them off. What a nice place you set up for studying. We have a bearded dragon lizard in an aquarium about that size. They live for 10 years or so. They are very easy, but we don't have cats to worry about.