2.17.2014

::Goodwill Caddy Do-Over::

Greetings from the frozen tundra of NE Indiana.....
After a glorious week in Florida with perfect weather, coming home to this slop has been quite a splash of ice water in the face.  Literally.  Ick.


Anyway, just before leaving, I played around with more of my products from Country Chic Paints.


Remember the desk I did using their shade called 'Elegance'?


Well, this time I decided layer some colors, distress and dark wax.  I picked up this unfinished wood caddy thingy at Goodwill a few weeks back, and got busy.



I used one coat of Burgundy first....just sorta slopped it on.  Slop and it's various versions are my word of the day.


It reminds me of a terra cotta color.  Reddish/brownish/orange-ish.  Perfect for an undercoat.


When that dried, I slopped on a coat of Elegance, distressed it with 180 grit sand paper to show the Burgundy beneath, waxed with their clear wax first, then lightly brushed on their dark wax here and there, immediately wiping it in and off with a rag.
The whole ding dang project took like 45 minutes of 'work'....the rest was just waiting for paint to dry. Great little project for a snowy afternoon.





I wanted to mention that I still don't feel confident using waxes, especially dark wax.  I'm still waffling on what products I'll use to finish projects.  There really is no substitute for the way a waxed piece looks and feels, but the cost and effort on large pieces still gives me hives.  I'll be trying a couple other paints that require no top coat in the next month, so stayed tuned for those.

As far as the actual chalk-style paints, though, Country Chic Paints are right up there in my top picks for ease, cost, color palette, and coverage.  Just beautiful paints.


2.07.2014

::Chalkboard Wall Valentine::





Ever since I looked at the floorplan and model for our new house, I knew I'd have me a chalkboard wall.


Even though everyone on Pinterest has one.....I still feel like they're awesomesauce.


Mine just happens to be right at the bottom of my stairs in the dining room/kitchen, so I can leave squishy love notes for my boys.


Here's the wall before:


I'll be leaving for Florida soaking up as much Vitamin D as possible before returning to the frozen tundra of NE Indiana.  I hope you spend your Valentine's Day with the ones you love.


(Quote is from Mumford and Sons "Sigh No More",  Love me some Mumford!)



2.05.2014

::Chalky Paint Review....Country Chic Paints::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!
You can now find me at



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So you guys know I love me some chalky paint.  Especially when I get to try it for free in exchange for an honest review.  So here we go!


Today I'm reviewing a newcomer on the scene....Country Chic Paints.  Their packaging is gorg.  And though I picked out two colors and some wax to review, they sent all of the above!  Very generous :)

 Here are the sah-weet colors I chose: Elegance on the left, Rustic Charm on the right.


Their clear wax is at the top, and they sent their dark Antiquing Wax and Gold Wax as well.


Annnnd....some sample pots: Vanilla Frosting (hello), Burgundy and Dark Roast.
I love the names of their paints :)  Just don't eat or drink them.  *snicker*  BTW, there's no odor at all to the paints or waxes. They are no-VOC, and get this: they'll color match a favorite shade!


I pinched this 80's roll-top desk off craigslist for a song.  It's partly oak and partly laminate, so I thought it'd make a good candidate for a makeover using Country Chic's paints.


I'd already taken out the lower drawer, and I also removed the cubby piece inside to paint separately.


I like to turn my can upside down for a bit before stirring well and painting.  (those are some of the drawers that go with the inside cubby in the background)


I wiped the piece down with some Simple Green before painting, but didn't sand.
Country Chic Paint is nice and thick.  I almost got away with one coat!  See how thick?


This is after the first coat.....really great coverage.



After the (light) second coat dried, I prepared to wax.  Country Chic's wax is a bit more solid then most of the others I've used, but it went on easily.  One thing I appreciate about their wax is that after you wipe or brush it on, you go back and wipe off excess AND buff at the same time.  I just used an old wash cloth.


I kept the original hardware from the piece, and used my sample pot of Dark Roast to paint them up, then waxed and buffed.  It buffs to a pretty, matte finish. Nice and smooth.    


And here's the 'after'!



I love how the Dark Roast hardware pops off the Elegance blue.






Just a lovely chalky paint!
Now, get on over to their cutie-patootie page and sign up for their contest...winner gets $250 in free Country Chic products!  AND, while you're over there, sign up for a free sample of paint and wax.  You can find Country Chic on facebook HERE, Pinterest HERE,  and You Tube Tutorials HERE.

I'll be painting up another piece with the Rustic Charm Green when I return from vaca to Florida, as well as show off a smaller piece I did using the Antiquing Wax over Elegance.

Partying at: Green Willow Pond, Domestically Speaking, Elizabeth and Co., Beyond the Picket Fence, Common Ground, Shabby Art Boutique, Craftberry Bush, Redoux Interiors, French Country Cottage








2.01.2014

::The Master (Bedroom) Plan::

Wow.  I mean, seriously, wow.

You guys gave me super awesome advice on my last post!  Many, many ideas confirmed the direction I figgered I needed to go to rid myself of the Minecraft face.  And many of you gave me other ideas that I hadn't even thought of!  What great readers I have...THANK YOU for your input!  It's that kind of give and take that makes me love blogging....

So, because I'm a weirdo, I started painting my bedroom yesterday.  While I was in the midst of 3 other projects.  Yeah. Here's after the first coat:



Then I ran outta paint.  Of course I did.


But it gives you an idea of the difference in color, which is called 'Reed' by Martha Stewart (at Home Depot).  She has this nifty symbol system to coordinate colors.  The original color was 'Brown Alpaca' which has a flower symbol, and since I'm keeping the bathroom that color, I wanted something lighter in the bedroom that would still coordinate....'Reed' also has a flower.  Martha is on my *#&^  list right now, but dang she has awesome colors.



A few suggested I use a pale aqua, and I seriously considered it.  In the end, I decided to stick with a warm, creamy beige because most of the rest of my house is already pale aqua (Martha Stewart's Spring Rain), plus my previous bedroom was aqua and I wanted something different.....although there will be plenty of aqua in this room.  For instance...

My beloved, faded, chippy shutter....delicious against the new wall color:


Fabrics I'm hoping to utilize....and more shutters:


And get this....a friend who does renovations was installing our water filter yesterday and brought me 2 circa 1904 windows for free that just happen to be exactly the right size to hang below those Minecraft eyes windows! The glass needs removed, and they need cleaned up and sealed, but really?  How perfect.  Serendipity, I tell ya.


ANNNDDDD...hubster and I made a trip to the ReStore today and found 3 old wooden louvered closet doors to make a headboard.  We paid a whooping $14 with tax.  If y'all are lucky, I'll try to remember to take pics as we build it if you'd like to try your hand at constructing a $14 king size headboard.


So....I have my work cut out for me over the next week before we take off for a 10 trip to warmer climes (Orlando, FL).  I'll try to get as much painting, building, sewing, frouffing done as I can. I usually don't mess with the master bedroom till all the other areas are done, but since it's right off the main living area where God and everyone can see it, I wanted to make it awesome from the get go. Again, thanks SO much for your input!  I am excited for how the room will take shape.

PS: I also painted my entryway and a chalkboard wall, I'm painting my soon-to-make-an-appearance grandbaby #2's room next door, and I'm preparing another chalky paint brand review, so ::cottage instincts:: is back on the playing field :)



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