Like Butta'

I think I'm in love. Is it possible to think a wax is....sexy?

Ok, I know, I have some explaining to do here. Since my Bestie Gen is a retailer of MMS Milk Paint, I of course bought the entire line of paint along with all its finishing products. I'm having a great time getting to know the best way to use the products and experimenting with the colors and techniques that are unique to milk paint. But I have to say that I already know that I'm sort of head over heals for the furniture wax that is included with this line.

This wax....hmmmmmm, it's like butta'! It's sumptuous, it's sexy. Since this is a natural beeswax based product, it smells great and has a silky smooth consistency. It's fast and easy to apply and it buffs to a beautiful natural finish. I find myself stroking my furniture....I think my husband might be jealous.

MMS furniture wax works great over milk paint, but I'm loving it over Annie Sloan Chalk Paint as well. If you've found paste wax to be tricky and sticky, this is such a no-brainer to use.

I just finished waxing a dinning room table with the stuff...so I think I'll light a cigarette and bask in the afterglow. Just kidding....well about the cigarette at least.

Poetic waxing

Something I've learned along the way with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, is that it must be waxed to finish and seal the paint. The ASCP wax is good quality and worth the investment, but if you'd rather stick with a brand you already have...that's fine too.

My best tips for ASCP wax are as follows:

Apply a thin layer evenly with a paint brush of your choosing

I like to buy cheap brushes that I can toss without guilt after a few applications...because I'm lazy and don't like to wash my brushes. If you are a better steward of the Earth and your finances than I, my best tip for cleaning is to rub some vegetable oil into the bristles of your brush to loosen the wax then wash with warm soapy water.

Let the wax cure for at least 24 hours before buffing

I like to wax pieces at night and since my stuff is for resale, buff them at the shop once they have been transported. That way you avoid scratches and dings in the finish.  If you don't allow the wax to cure, it will be sticky and you won't be able to bring it to a shine.

Use ASCP dark wax sparingly!!!!

I love the effect the dark wax can give to a piece, but it can go all wrong very, very fast!!!! For the best results, apply a thin layer of clear wax first, then gingerly dab the dark wax onto the areas that you would like to have a more aged appearance, then work it in with a dry brush. If you put too much dark wax on, work the area with a brush with clear wax on it...this can help knock down the dark. On rare occasions I do apply dark wax over an entire piece...but only when using a dark ASCP color such as Graphite. Since the dark wax is meant to give an aged appearance to a piece, be thoughtful about where you might see an authentic wear pattern or darkening on an antique piece. For instance, in the cracks and grooves of details or around the handles or corners. DO NOT take your brush and make skid marks across your lovely furniture!

Pre wax

Pre wax

This is literally how much wax I put on my brush...just specks on the outer edges.

You can see here that I put hardly any wax on my brush...a little goes a long way!

                I like to stipple the dark wax around a small area and then work it in with my brush.

Work in the wax and try to get it in the nooks and crannies of the piece. BTW...this isn't one of the fore mentioned cheap brushes...I did splurge for this waxing brush. Honestly, it's not that much better than the cheap ones, in my opinion. However, the cheapies shed bristles which you have to then pick out of  the wax. This one just happened to be clean.

 

Here is the dark wax worked in. You can see that it gives the piece a more aged patina.

Up close you can see the way the wax sits in the nooks and crannies...hmmmmmmm
      all this nook and crannie talk is making me crave and English Muffin.

And finally...here she is waxed and ready to go to French Hen. Against the brick wall, this looks a little like a furniture mug shot...but oh well.

Deep Thoughts Monday

Julie...this pic's for you! XO

Well, it was a busy weekend at the shop and now I'm just trying to catch up a little around the house and get ready to clean my workroom again....argghhhh....never ending!

To tell the truth, my thoughts really aren't that deep today. I just like the idea of having a day and a forum to express whatever I want. I guess that's really what a blog is...a journal with legs, a vehicle for your thoughts to go out and meet the world.

We're experiencing the first glimpses of winter where I live and I love it! There's something about the first rainy cold days that make you want to put on a pot of soup and take on a little (or big) project. I have some new projects in the hopper, a MMS milk paint testimonial and the reveal of my little pink piggy coming up this week. Hope you'll check those posts out. Until then....

If only...

Or is it, Only if?
Do you find yourself thinking, "If only I had that house, body, dollar amount, car or talent" then I could....fill in the blank. I'm the worst at this!!!! I can't tell you how often I'm blind to the blessings in my life. It's so easy to get lost in the I don't haves.

For me it boils down to self worth. I tell myself things like, "If only I owned this house, I would..." or "If only I had the bankroll to really support my business, I would..." When really I'm telling myself..."Only if.." then you can achieve your dreams. Well, I don't a lot of things...but the truth is, I can't let what I don't have hold me back.

"You can't always get what you want....but if you try, sometimes, you might just find you get what you need."
Or so the song goes ;)

Deep Thoughts Monday,
By: Emily Bruhn
LOL!!!

Makeover underway...An update:

If you paint enough with ASCP you start to get bored with the colors on the market. And because chalk paint is so popular with people in my business, you end up seeing a lot of carbon copies. Sometimes, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of Paris Grey. What's a girl to do? Mix it up! Literally....

One of my favorite colors in the ASCP line is Duck Egg. I think it's sort of a robin's egg/aqua hybrid. One day, I was in a reckless mood so I mixed the Duck Egg and Paris Grey together....and Grey Duck was born. Or Paris Egg? Whatever, I'm obviously thinking too much about this.

My well cared for paint cans

Disposable Tupperware makes a great container for paint

Anyway, Grey Duck is the color I choose to paint my little side table project. I love this color with Annie Sloan Dark wax applied over it, which BTW, dramatically changes the end color. So here's the update photo with one coat...which I think is plenty because I primed my little piggy ;)

The dark wax will really nestle in the grooves of the legs and these little floral/sunburst details at the top. I'll walk you through the sanding and waxing next post.

Deep Thoughts

I haven't watched Saturday Night Live in a long time....but one of the things I do remember is the "Deep Thought" clips. They always cracked me up and I thought that would be a good seg-way into my own "deep" thoughts.

I admit, I'm an overachiever when it comes to self analysis. I'm definitely my own harshest critic and at times it can be really debilitating. With the seasons changing and lots on my mind lately. I'm finding myself on the presuppose of change. With a heavier work load and growing children my expectations for myself and my family are changing. I still have trouble thinking of myself as a "working" mother...but I certainly am. But that doesn't make it any easier to ask for more help from the kids and hubby. Old habits die hard...and most days I just feel like I'm drowning in a sea of dirty dishes. Hmmmmm, what to do? Chore chart? Nervous breakdown? Tears usually get my hubbies attention. A maid....definitely a maid. Right?

In the end, I just have to speak up and ask for more help. I need to keep reminding myself that delegation is not a sign of weakness.

Words of wisdom...learned the hard way

Since I'm a crash course kinda of gal, it's taken me a few "blunders" to get some techniques under my belt. My best friend Gen is more the research type, as I've written about before. She will research and test out a new product, judiciously conserve her paints and tools, etc. Basically, everything I don't do.

I tend to just open the can and start slapping it on. I think that was part of the appeal of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. The theory is that you don't have to sand or prime and it sticks and covers anything. Which I have to say is mostly true. I have however, also railed through can after can of this rather expensive (but totally worth it) paint. Finally I got wise after a huge buffet that took something like 5 coats of pure white ASCP to cover the bleed through of mahogany stain. Hmmmmmmm, maybe I could save some time and money and put a coat of primer on first. Genius!!! Not really...actually it was what my partner Brenda had suggested at the beginning with that mammoth buffet. So on certain pieces, ones with bright original paint colors or strong dark stains, I now happily use a primer coat.

So that was the starting point with my bubble gum pink darling. Here she is with one healthy coat of primer....actually, when you're not entirely sure what color you want to paint something, sometimes a primer is the best place to start. I find it gives you the opportunity to see the piece as a blank canvas. Often a strong color can blind you to the beauty of piece.

My last tip for today my seem dumb, but I say it only because I've learned this one the hard way too. Always remove your hardware before you start to paint and put it in a safe spot. I put knobs in a sandwich bag, then in one specific drawer in my work room.

There's nothing worse than hunting for a missing screw or drawer pull when your at the end. Its like having the perfect pair of earrings for an outfit...you're about to walk out the door for your date, but you can only find one.....arrggghhhh!