I probably have enough content for two blogs, but I only have the time to keep up with one. And sometimes I can't even do that! There are so many projects and makeovers I work on that you never see. I just don't have the time to stage them, photograph them, write about them. I sort of hit my favorite projects and what I'm feeling most inspired by on my blog. One of the things I didn't share was this union jack sign I made out of an old dutch barn door. It had the original red paint on it, so I kept the red and painted the blue and white in craft acrylics.
It looks like it came off an old ship or something.
I also recently painted that French mirror with gold leaf detail and the small shelf to the left of the dresser. Speaking of the dresser...
This is what it looked like when I bought it. Great lines and it had the prettiest wood interior I've ever seen on a dresser. I wish I took a picture of it without the drawers. The grain is so pretty.
I used Provence chalk paint directly over the old finish. No sanding, no priming. Just painting. Just the fun stuff. This dresser had the dreaded red stain that seeps through paint like crazy, but the chalk paint handled it pretty well. Some did seep through, but the second coat and distressing took care of it. The nice thing about using chalk paint on a piece with the red stain is that you can paint it without sanding. The original poly acts as a sealant to keep the stain from seeping through. Pretty nice, huh?
I was going to paint the top, but I decided after the first coat that I would strip the top and stain it.
Two coats of Provence, some dark walnut stain on the top, distressing, Old White details, light and dark wax and tada! Did you catch all of that. Sorry I didn't take pictures for a step-by-step.
One warning about Provence...it is very deceptive when you're first putting it on. It looks really light and bright, almost like a Tiffany's box. It tones down when it dries, it gets richer after a second coat and the color gets even prettier after it's waxed. This dresser is currently for sale in my pavilion at Lucketts.
If you want to order some chalk paint, check out my post listing the stockists.
