Chalk Paint

Well, I DID it! 

I fell for the (over priced) Anne Sloan Chalk Paint and bought a quart in Paris Grey. 

I also bought a sample in Pure White and Provence.

I may have also talked my sister-in-law into buying some. 

That way, I got to practice painting on her frame project before taking my paint home.

{hehe}

It sat on my basement steps for months.... honestly, I was a little scared to use it.

It could have been because it was so pricey.

It could have been because I was afraid I wouldn't LOVE it as much as everyone else.

It probably was because I was afraid I WOULD love it and have to fork out more mu-lah for all the other fun colors!!!! :)

Yes, I definitely love it.

My first project.....

Isn't it puuurrrty? (cough, cough)
This is my jewelry cabinet I've had for years. (And I still use it, I just hide it in my closet.)


I started out painting the creases with the Provence. And yes, you read that right...
I started out painting.
If you're unfamiliar with Anne Sloan Chalk Paint (also known as ASCP) you should know that there is NO prep. When I first heard that, the 38ish dollar sign was a little easier to swallow.

After the Provence dried, I painted the entire piece with the Paris Grey.

I experimented with my distressing methods after letting the grey dry.
First I tried lightly sanding to distress.
The second method I tried turned out to be the better option for me (for the look I was trying to achieve). I took a damp cloth and rubbed over the spots I wanted the teal (Provence) to show through. This way of distressing was dust free! It also allowed some of the original dark paint color to show though.
The tricky part is remembering where I painted the Provence since I didn't cover the cabinet in that color completely.

When all of the paint is dry, you will need to wax your piece. ASCP goes on easy but is very dull when it is dry. I purchased a clear wax from my local hardware store instead of buying the Anne Sloan Wax.
I used a clean, soft cloth and applied the wax evenly over the entire jewelry cabinet.
The wax will protect and it also gave the cabinet a finished look.

And it's back in the closet, but I'm not hating the color anymore!!!