As Babies Sleep-

It’s been, “One of those days” where I have gotten nothing done today. The house is in shambles and two little toddlers are finally fast asleep in their beds for nap time, grumpy all around. Last week my husband watched my two little ones for a few days while I worked. The question he asked me as I walked in the door, “How do you get anything done all day with these two little ones?” He went on to tell me that he was just happy to keep them entertained, healthy and without injury each day. I laughed because he appreciates what I do more than any man I know.

I started on my journey on being a mom when I was 22. After our three young children entered school over the years, I then found myself ready to work again more full time. After several years of beautifying homes, one day I was on a job site. I loved working and creating, but I was empty. Empty? “What?” you say! I know your thinking: she already has 3 kids!

Every day I came home to my three wonderful kids, but knew something was missing in my life. I realized that being a mom is what I love, it is what I am about. So my husband and I knew at that time that it was time to have more children and I’ve never been happier to have these two little babes in my life, mess and all. So after I put them to bed today, I snuck off and knew I needed to blog.

Blog subject for today: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Cabinets

If you want to save money, then save money by refinishing furniture you already have or pieces you can find in yard sales or craigslist. Three years ago I heard about this product that was taking the United States by storm. It was the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I fell in love instantly (except for the price of Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint). Let’s be honest, to pay $40 for a quart of ANY paint makes you shiver, at least it did for me.

Cabinet door using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint: Coco with accents of Duck Blue. Then 1 coat of Annie Sloan Clear Wax, then 2nd coat of clear wax mixed with a little Annie Sloan Dark Wax for aging. Remember: Dark wax needs to be mixed with Clear Wax or it will be to dark.

I kind of put it out of my mind until I realized I had a piece of oak TV unit that my husband was ready to take the sledge hammer to. I am serious, my husband loves to break things! I had to stop him and stop him quick. I won and worked the entire weekend making the wall unit structurally sound and sturdy. Anytime a piece of furniture is beyond repair he is like a little boy in a candy store, he breaks it into so many little pieces that it is unrecognizable (Don’t worry, I don’t get rid of much, but when I do then I have a willing participant!) So after the cabinet was put together again I painted. The nice thing about the chalk paint on oak is that it hides the grain a little so it isn’t so obvious that it is oak.

I posted the photo of the cabinet door. The Fleur de Lis on the front of the cabinet was not part of the cabinet, it is actually clay composite that can be molded to the surface you are applying it on. I think it adds the right amount of detail! The company I get these clay pieces from have been around only 100 years, go here to see all the possibilities. They can be applied to walls, furniture, cabinets or ceilings (almost anything). I applied that separately, instructions are here.

I just finished a piece for a client last week.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint requires no sanding or priming. However, I strongly suggest taking sandpaper (150) and giving it a good sanding so that the paint can grip well to the surface. After applying the finish you will want to wax it with Annie Sloan Clear Wax. I will go over the exact process of adding a darker wax in my next post.

TIPS: I hate the cans the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint comes in, they get goopy and the lid NEVER goes back on after you open it because of spills and drippings of chalkpaint in the lid area. When you pay $40 a quart, each drip is like liquid gold. Happy furniture refinishing. Don’t worry, I have lots to say about that in future posts.