Chalk it up to a good morning that I was feeling happy and satisfied that I was very productive.  I took out the Chalk Paint and put a new look on three plastic patio tables that we’ve had for years.  I don’t think of this blog as a place to share my DIY projects because frankly, I don’t have many; but, I wanted to share my experience with this great paint.

Since I don’t quite have this whole blogging thing down pat (and again, thank you for those of you that are hanging in there with me – I may eventually get it!), I didn’t think to take pictures of the before product, but you can see the end result and perhaps get the idea of how much better these tables look now that the stains and worn spots are covered.

Though I am pleased with the tables’ look now – a cheerful yellow color – my good feeling with the project probably came more from my recollections while I was painting, of how I came to know about this special paint, and the day I purchased it.

For the last couple of years, daughter, Amy, and I have gone to the Junk Bonanza held twice a year at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN.  We have great fun meandering through the exhibit hall looking at all the vendors’ (some 150+) wares…antiques, repurposed stuff, vintage items and just plain junk!  This past spring daughter-in-law, Karen, joined us for the day.  Karen loves all things retro from the 1950s and 1960s; Amy looks for vintage farm/country style stuff and I have a fetish for enamelware, pitchers and small vases or jars that can be used as vases.  All of the above can be found at the Bonanza.

On Amy’s and my first visit to the Junk Bonanza, we stopped at the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint vendor and were intrigued by what we saw.  The paint is available in a multitude of colors which we were able to actually see in use as the vendor had some furniture pieces on display that had been refinished with the paint.  We were impressed!

We picked up brochures touting the paint’s versatility and ease of use, and immediately began listing the furniture pieces we each had at home that would benefit from this fun paint. We noted where the vendor had shops and a couple of months later, we made a trip to the small town of Buffalo, MN to purchase our paint.

Buffalo is a short, but very pleasant, drive through the countryside from Amy’s house.  The small downtown area is dotted with antique stores – more junk shopping in which we could indulge!

We spent the morning wandering through the shops and had lunch outdoors at a cute little bistro.  We found the store selling the chalk paint and each made a purchase – red and gray for Amy, a pale yellow for me.  We left with high hopes of transforming some old furniture into magnificent pieces to behold!

Never mind that it took us several more weeks before we got around to painting our first pieces.  Then, we weren’t really sure what we were doing or how exactly to work with the paint.  Turns out we waxed the pieces too soon after painting – directions say to wait 24 hours (but, who reads directions?).  I had chosen a little plant stool for my first attempt with using the paint, so no harm done to my piece by our error.  Amy ended up re-doing the shelves she had worked on.

It was a learning experience!

I have since found painting pieces that are to reside outside as being the easiest method of using the paint – no need to wax.  That seems weird to me since outdoor pieces are exposed to the elements, but that is what the directions (we finally read) say.

There are several finishes one can achieve with the paint just by changing the method of application – rustic, distressed, smooth modern, antique.  I have not yet ventured beyond the basic “vintage”look, and probably never will.  The best part about using this type of paint is there is no need for sanding or priming before painting.  Just slop on the paint and call it a day.  My kind of DIY project.  I’ve used the paint on wood and plastic with no problems.  Apparently, it can also be used on metal, concrete and terracotta…so, it is great for painting outdoor items.

The sales clerk that sold Amy and me our first cans of paint during our fun visit to Buffalo, told us we’d find numerous uses for it…it would become addicting.  She was right!

I have ideas for a few more chalk paint projects.  If you have items you want to re-do, you might want to join the fun!