First Milk Paint Furniture Project: A Dainty Demilune

Tags

crescent shaped console table, Demilune table, milk paint, milk paint console table, shabby chic console table

Sometimes taking a wrong turn is a good thing… I was heading to my local thrift store last week and missed the turn into the parking lot, so I decided to go back around through the alley. It just so happens that the store takes in all of their furniture donations in the alley, and as I was driving by, I noticed this little demilune table on top of a pile of stuff. I asked the guy that was loading it inside if he could price it for me right away and then headed back to park the car and go inside and grab it. I’m glad I did, because several people were eying it as I headed to the cash register!

I decided I wanted to try some of the milk paint on it that I bought at Lee Valley a few weeks ago. I chose slate for this project and first gave the table a good hand sanding with 120 grit sandpaper. I mixed it with some water until I got a consistency I liked and then got painting. I let the first coat dry overnight, and the next day I was horrified to see the paint flaking off ALL OVER the table! I had read a bit about milk paint flaking a little (which is one reason it’s desirable way to achieve a vintage look), but I wasn’t expecting anything like this! I ended up sanding the table again, repainting, sanding more and repainting until I was satisfied with the look and there was only a little flaking (I sanded these away).
Milk paint really DOES have a mind of its own, and I think it’s one of those things that I’m going to have to learn to love. It’s best used on very porous and untreated wood surfaces – hmmm, I guess I didn’t read the instructions very carefully before I started! Unfortunately, I’m often working on pieces that have previously had some kind of finish. There is an Extra bond additive that you can buy when painting less porous surfaces and I think I will try this next time. I finished off the table with poly acrylic in a satin finish.
Milk paint certainly hasn’t won me over yet, but I’d definitely give it a second chance…

Sharing at the parties listed here as well as:

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Coastal Charm

Restore Interiors

Finders Keepers Friday: my first wine crate!

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milk paint wine crate, painted wine crate, Wine crate, wooden wine ctate

Happy Friday everyone!
The cordless mouse has stopped working for my desktop computer, so this is my first iPad post…
I think I really just need to get a new desktop altogether – it’s just getting too slow and I guess in computer years it’s getting ancient.

I’m beginning to wonder when all of the projects that I’ve got underway for the vintage market will start coming together! I feel like I’ve got way too big a list to complete over the next 22 days, and will need some little elves to help me out working through the nights ahead.

My find of the week is something that I’ve been on the lookout for a while now – a simple wooden wine crate.
I’ve discovered that they are actually very hard to come buy and only the bigger flagship liquor stores get them in. Anyway, I scored this one the other day and decided to give it a wash of milk paint in oyster white. I plan on using it for displaying/staging at my booth at the market.

Hopefully I can get my hands on a couple more in the next few weeks!

PS – can’t wait to show you what I’ll be using the farm animals for!

Finders’ Keepers Friday: Some Milk {paint} and a good book.

Tags

fifty shades of grey, milk paint

On Fridays I like to share some of my weekly “finds”. These might include great deals I’ve come across, thrift finds, design or diy inspiration, roadside rescues, or random cool things that just don’t fit into any category, but I’m dying to share with you!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I’m excited to share a new love… MILK PAINT. I’ve been admiring many of the milk paint projects posted by one of my favourite blogista’s -  Miss Mustard Seed.  Marion has impeccable taste and there’s not a single thing she’s done that I don’t love. Recently she announced that she will soon have her own milk paint line… I can’t wait to see the colours she chooses. In the meantime, I picked up some Old Fashioned Milk Paint from Lee Valley {I love living less than 2km away} in Oyster White, Marigold Yellow and Slate.

It comes in a powder form and you simply mix it with water.  I mixed it until I got a consistency I liked, but so far it seems more watery than my homemade chalk paint {and if too thick it doesn’t spread easily}, so it will be interesting to try this on a piece of furniture. I love that it’s environmentally friendly – totally VOC free!

I’ve decided to start with the Oyster White… will post my first milk paint project tomorrow…

Another find I’m excited about is FIFTY SHADES OF GREY.

Source

I’ve been looking for a good book to get lost in and I hope that I’ve found it. A few of my friends have recently started reading it, and I’ve also heard it’s sold out at many book stores. I downloaded it on iTunes today and can’t wait to curl up with a bowl of popcorn tonight… I’ll keep you posted.

Kathryn.