Transformations...a guide to paint. Yes, I have issues.

My name is Maureen and I have a problem...with spray paint...and interior paint (not actually applying it to walls though) and curtains, and ugly lamps, but that is another post.

So a friend that will remain nameless introduced me to something called chalk paint. No, not like chalkboard paint. This paint has calcium carbonate, crushed chalk, in it (or a few other options if you choose to make it yourself...which I did). Some of the big box home improvement store are now starting to carry there own brand which you can tint in house or if you are live in an area that has a store that carries the original Annie Sloan chalk paint, brushes and wax you can go that route too. I have not used the original Annie Sloan, but opted to make my own to see if I liked it.
Enter Pinterest.

I used a basic recipe that is latex paint, plaster of paris, and water and for the wax I used Minwax floor wax in the dark finish.
I used a basic paintbrush for the paint and a round craft brush for the wax.

My first project was a nightstand that I had as a child in the 70s and 80s...you know the one the off white with the gold trim. I am horrible at before pictures because I am always in a hurry to get going and then I am all like duh...and take a half-assed pic of whatever I haven't yet painted.
For example:

The drawer sans hardware...pre paint.

The top of the nightstand.

The thing I love most about chalk paint is how little prep work you actually need to do. You can TSP it with some water, but I just used a damp rag with water to get off the cobwebs and top layer of yuck.

I mixed my paint and went to town. This stuff dries super fast and just sticks right on.

In progress.

I did two coats of paint. Next you distress the piece if you want to give it the antique shabby chic kind of look if you want. There are no rules to this...grab some sand paper and go to town on the areas where the piece would normally show wear...like the edges. Do as little or as much there is no right or wrong here.

Waxed.

Brush off your dust and wax on...wax off. On this first piece I forgot to get extra fine steel wool to take off any excess wax, but it turned out fine.If it got goopey I wiped it down with a soft cloth.

This piece has the Minwax dark wax on it which I love. I did one coat and let it dry for about 30 minutes then went back and added a second. I let the piece sure overnight and polished it up in the morning.

Here is it with the hardware replaced and waxed.

Gratuitous frontal shot.

I love how this turned out and for a first go it turned out pretty well! 

A few things to remember:

Once you wax it is almost impossible to unwax a piece.

You have options other than wax to seal the piece (will be discussed later) which can be more forgiving if you want to make a change in the future.

The wax could use touched up in the future and may require maintenance. It can also melt in extreme temperatures, so just be aware.

Next up...old door transformed into a headboard.

Making tiny BIG!

So I have always enjoyed tinkering...with food, with painting furniture, with taking pictures, with all sorts of things. Many times I start, and I don't always finish or practice enough to be more than just proficient. I blame it on the fact that I love trying new things and you never know what you might love until you try!!!! AmIRight????

So lately my obsession (other than painting every piece of furniture I can get my hands on) has been snapping pictures. We have a starter Nikon digital and a few lens to play with, but lately it has been all about the macro lens...it is so amazing focusing on a small part of something or something small and making it the focus of the picture that has had me snapping pictures of everything...especially bugs and plants and occasionally plants with bugs.

I will soon put up a post on some of my furniture make overs...but today I want to share a few pictures I have taken recently.

A newly hatched Cicada

Same guy...just hanging on.

Succulents

Hens and chicks covered in morning dew.

Fern.

A cicada opening its wings.

My blue cicada

Making more cicadas...

Yep.

Honeysuckle I believe...

Hosta flowers.

Clematis.

Rose.

Hosta flowers.

More hens...

more hens...

An ant in a trumpet flower.

Same ant, same trumpet flower.

A surprise alium...

Now I figure out what to do with my new hobby...

Newness & Oldness

A new city, a new start and a hell of a lot of stuff that needs to be sorted through.
We are mostly settled in the new house - even though you would never know if you looked in the office or the garage...

Chicago has brought its challenges and its rewards.

Moving is hard. Physically, mentally and emotionally.

The physical part is mostly over apart from the boxes in the garage.
The mental part has calmed down now that we have a place to call home, income and are meeting neighbors and making friends.
The emotional part fluxes. You miss the familiar. Friends. Food. Knowing where the hell you are going when you get in the car to go to the grocery store. We also lost our dear sweet Sydney not long after moving here. It was sudden and unexpected and I still expect to see her furry ass running up to me with a toy...

But, overall, it has been a welcome and happy transition I feel.

The food. I swear we could eat at a different  restaurant for every meal every single day for the next three years and still not venture further than two miles from the house. Oh and the food is amazing. I have had my first actual real ramen experience and the pizza...you have heard of it, but until you actually experience it you just can't understand.  I may need to start my own Chicago Food blog lol. It IS that amazing.

More soon I have to work on the house clean up...we are having a guest!