Chalk Paint - I LOVE IT!

Have you heard of chalk paint? I am not talking about chalkboard paint (which I also love).  This is a paint that is incredible for painting and distressing furniture.  I heard about it and thought I have to try it...I was told that you do not have to prime the piece before you paint and very fast dry time. So much so that you can have a piece of furniture complete in just a few hours!  I had to try this!!!  I googled and found Annie Sloan chalk paint and went and purchased some last week.  Over the weekend I decided to paint a ice cream table and chairs.  I had told Chris about this paint and he was like...yah yah yah.  Well while I was painting he came over and took the paint brush from me and started painting and exclaimed this is great paint.  We completed our project start to finish in about 2 hours! (Sorry, I didn't take photos).

So next up I had a couple of other pieces that needed to be painted.  Again, no so much on the before pictures but I did take some after.  This paint is a thick paint (you don't want to leave the lid off for very long) covers incredibly well, one coat in most applications, drys VERY quickly, then you add a coat of wax, if you want darken the piece you then wax with the dark wax and then again with the clear wax.  This sounds time consuming but it is not.  The paint is a bit pricey put you use very little and then take into consideration that you do not have to sand, prime, paint, paint, poly, etc., the cost is very reasonable.  To get info on using the paint and products, I looked up some tutorials on youtube and they where very helpful at the shop giving instructions and tibits.

For all that use Pintrest...there are lots of ways to make your own chalk paint.  I have not tried them because I felt that I first had to see what the real deal was.  I am planning on trying out some of the receipes to see how they compare.  Have you tried both...real deal vs. home made?  If so, which recipe did you use (calcium carbonte, unsanded grout or plaster of paris)?  What do you think?  Let us know!

Okay, here are some pictures of my projects! Of course all of these items where purchased at auction total spent at auction a mere $88.52!

Before:  Table purchased at auction

 After

 wood mirror...after

 rocking chair...after

 large coffee table....after

I admit that I am an auction junkie!  Could you have passed up these deals?  These pieces will be going to market, hopefully they will move quickly because I am off to an auction tonight!