A Chalk Paint Epiphany!

I have been playing with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Cece Caldwell Chalk Paint for a few months now.  It did the job.  It had a decent finish.  Some of my pieces turned out mediocre and some turned out really good, but not good enough for me.  Small pieces, I have not had a problem with, they turn out great, but the furniture, I haven't had the best of luck with.  I have spent quite a bit of money trying to learn how to get the professional finish that I wanted, without traveling to an workshop miles and miles away.  In hindsight, it would have been cheaper to travel all of those miles, but eh, I am a diy girl!  I am self taught!  I can do this!

This is the first weekend that I've had off from everyone and everything.  I am determined to get some of this furniture painting done.  Tonight, while I was struggling with my Coco dresser on the deck, in the dark, with mosquitoes biting me everywhere and low lighting, I finally saw the finish I was looking for!!  I was so excited that I didn't even notice all that buzzing in my ears!  Finally!!!  I wish I could continue to work on it tonight, but those mosquitoes are really eating me up!  So stay tuned!

French Poem Chalk Paint Table

I am a really bad blogger.  I've been MIA for 3 weeks!  Anyway, I haven't finished my Coco dresser.  It's been raining on my days off.  I started on this little side table.  I painted it in Old White and then, since I didn't have $100 to spend on the beautiful Paris in Springtime stencil, I got out my overhead projector and did it with a transparency that I made based on the same poem.  I used French Linen for the lettering.  It turned out okay, but I am not the best painter when it comes to tiny details.  I seem to get the paint too thick in these little lines, which is why I like to use paint pens for this sort of thing.  Anywhooo,  I distressed it and clear waxed it, and will probably dark wax it as well.  It didn't turn out exactly like I wanted, but my little table was only $7, so it was worth the experience.

I also did a cute little bar stool in Coco and used a black paint pen for the graphics.

Annie Sloan Coco Chalk Paint Dresser

I added a few things to my shop, and like always, I got side tracked and picked up my paint again!  I think I have ADHD, because I can't stick with one thing for very long.

I am really feeling the color Coco from Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint line!  A few people have said that they don't care for it, I however,  LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!  I am not one for a lot of bright colors.  I love all of the new shades of neutrals that have come out the past few years, so this is right up my alley!

I got this dresser on Craigslist for $25.00!  It's solid and the lady took really good care of it.  You remember this furniture from the 70's, don't you??

Every little girl's room had this style in it...er, except for mine!  I had to share a bedroom with my older sister, so we had an earlier bedroom set.  I always wanted a set like this, and now slowly, I am getting it!

Here is my progress so far...

I haven't quite decided if I want to paint the drawers Old White or Old Ochre, or just paint it all Coco.  I am also going to add some icing to this dresser with some resin appliques that I painted in Coco and dry brushed with Old Ochre...they look amazing!  

I also got this Ethan Allen buffet for $30 that I am trying to pick a color for.  Graphite?  Louis Blue?  I just don't know yet!

I do have to get back to one of two things...painting or beading.  Hmmmm, which will I choose today??

That's it for now!  Thanks for looking!