HUCKELBERRY SHAKE OR CHALK PAINT ??

I like to work with chalk paint whenever I want to "age" something.  There are many manufacturers out there that make chalk paint, however I find it tends to be a little pricey and I don't like pricey.  I keep a supply of paint on hand, I pick up paint from the "oops" counters at Home Depot or Lowe's and take advantage of our local Ace Hardware annual quart sample give aways.  I don't always get the color I want or know what I am going to do with the paint when I bring it home, but when I get the urge to paint something I have the paint on hand. 

Since I like to keep my price points way down when working on something I make my own chalk paint, mixing colors of paint to achieve the color I'm looking for.  There are a number of recipes on Pinterest for making chalk paint and I have used this recipe in the past.  I mixed 1/2 cup plaster of paris with 1/2 cup warm water, stirring to get a very creamy consistency, I then add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of paint to my creamy mixture.  In this case I mixed a couple colors of paint to get the tint I was looking for.


 My husband sees this color and asks if I am making him a "Huckelberry Shake", ah, ah, ah.

  One of the nice things about chalk paint is the no-need for sanding.  This rule, of course, will only apply if you are working on something that doesn't have a hard poly or veneer finish.  This little plant stand had the perfect finish for a chalk paint treatment.  I scrubbed it good several days ago and let it sit to ensure that it was dry then I began by putting a few coats of color on it.

 

I let my paint job sit overnight then I "aged" it with a warm damp cloth, again saving myself the clean up mess from sanding.  Once I had the look I was happy with I waxed the entire object.  I use BriWax for waxing, it is a product that stains, waxes and seals all in one application.  When working with chalk paint you must seal the paint, the paint will feel gritty before being sealed, but nice and smooth after the wax has dried.

 

Now I just need a plant  !!!!!