Painting, painting, chalk painting..

  At 60 I am learning, learning to blog and learning to paint furniture. Thanks to all you girls who are light years ahead of me and have inspired me.

 Here's a before photo of my first project

It is an old desk of my husbands. I have been admiring the turquoise tables and before I knew about chalk paint I bought a sample jar of this turquoise color at Menards. It is Pittsburg paint, but I will have to find the exact name of the color. Sorry.

 I have to admit It did not adhere to the top as well I as I wanted, ( I forgot I wasn't really using chalk paint) But I am happy w the way it came out. I used Johnson and Johnson paste wax and then added dark furniture stain ( Old English) it toned the color down just a tad. Like I said I am happy w it but from now on it will be CHALK PAINT!

This is my next piece a 'blanket chest" I picked up for a song ( $30.00) at a dear friends auction.`It is a bad photo but it is handmade out of scrap wood, very rough!  I didn't have the paint I wanted and I feel very smart that at this stage in the game I made my own chalk paint w just what I had on hand. 

  I had some creamed colored latex paint, I added a dab of yes that turquoise abuve, I mixed a few tbsps. of plaster of paris w warm water and then added it to my ( around 2-3 cups) of above paint. It came out perfect!!

I gave this baby two coats ( no sanding or prepping last week. I was painting in a dark barn so today when I took it out in daylight I felt it needed another coat. The Inside was dirty and smelly and I want to store blankets in this for my ' Grands' so I sanded the inside and then cleaned w bleach and water and let dry in the noonday sun ( 92 degrees!).

I found this cedar spray at Menard's and sprayed the fresh sanded wood.. I am hoping it will all be good! Voila I am happy w it!