Things I've Learned - Lazy Lids

One of the biggest reasons I love using Chalk Paint™is because I can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time.  It is the perfect paint for the people like me who need to see the stunning results with minimal work.  

"Minimal work people" tend to be "minimal clean up people" as well...right?

We are not people who like to take the time to hammer nail holes in the rims for the paint to drain back into the can.

We are not people who like to clean off the lids so that paint does not build up around the rim.

We are the people that will buy these lids {above} with hopes that we will have clean, non crusty, easy to use and pour paint cans.  

Things I've Learned....

I am the person who won't clean the plastic lid off either.  I'm the person who will let the plastic lid crust up and I won't screw on right either.  I also dislike these lids b/c the opening is very small for my brush.  

Things I've Learned....

When you are lazy with your lids expect this at some point in your life!!

So I'm wondering if there is anyone out who keeps their lids all neat and pretty????

Things I've Learned - Brushes Matter

When Chalk Paint™ made its grand debut in the Red White and Blue it seemed everyone was using "chip" brushes to spread the new found paint all over anything and everything!  We were scooping up these cheap brushes left and right from stores like Big Lots and even IKEA for cheap!

Here I am {nostril shot and all...too lazy to edit!} using Chalk Paint™ for the the very first time!  Using a natural bristle "chip" brush and getting some pretty great results! 

 I never really thought that there might be a better brush out there.  I just naturally assumed this was the best brush to use for all my paint projects.  

They would last for awhile and then I would toss them in the trash.  They were so cheap that I could afford to chuck em when I forgot to wash them out.....which I am admitting was quite often.  

And then.....

I met this gal and the love affair began!

I fell hard....

It felt like I was spreading butter...

Oh and it held so much paint...

my need to dip in the can every second to load up more paint was greatly reduced...

the way the paint flowed was amazing....

it was like I had been eating Hershey's chocolate all my life and then was biting into fine Belgium chocolate!

photo from Annie Sloan Unfolded

She comes in three glorious sizes...small, medium and large {duh!}.

She is all natural hair, imported from Italy.

She is oval shaped with tapered bristles and a pure joy to paint with.

Take care of her and she will last you a lifetime.

I can't even begin to describe how using this brush has changed my painting!

If you will be doing any amount of painting this is a MUST! 

Don't waste your time with the cheapies!!!

What brushes are you using??

Sleek Dresser Makeover

This dresser was given to me last week in need of a makeover.  It was a donation from a furniture company for a fundraiser for our local youth football league silent auction.  When it arrived it had been damaged on the top.  There was a rumor on the team that MJ could work some paint magic and fix it!  

I only had a few days so I had to work fast!  While waiting for the wood filler to dry, I picked a "glam" palette of Graphite and Paris Grey Chalk Paint™and some silver metallic paint I had.  

I painted the entire dresser with the Paris Grey Chalk Paint™ and then hit the decorative embellishments and hardware with the metallic paint.  

I painted the entire top with Graphite Chalk Paint™ and washed over it with some Paris Grey to soften the look.  I love how the Paris Grey grabs the imperfections and brush marks in the top!

And here you have it!  The glammed up after shot!  

I hope she found a lovely new home!

I can picture this piece in an entry way of a home with a fun lamp on top!

PAINTED PUMPKINS

Fall is here!  

I've purchased some live mums, which I do every year about this time.  It is comical that I do this every year.  I put them on the porch, forget about them and then find them dried and shriveled when it is time to put out the Christmas Decor!  

It is also pumpkin time too!

In preparation for the Fall Open House we had at Total Bliss and the Pumpkin Painting class (October 16th and 10 am and 6 pm) I broke out the Chalk Paint, some stencils, some shiny metallic paint and creams!  My palette consisted of Old White, Graphite, and Paris Grey.  

A few hours later I had a fun pile of pumpkins!!

MJ