Things I LOVE about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint:
1. No sanding or priming! Except in unique cases, this paint sticks without the tedious prepwork that other paints require. I hate priming. I hate sanding.
2. The smell! ...as in, there is no smell. I feel completely comfortable using this paint a couple of feet from my little baby. There is no toxic smell to this paint! Oh, and it's safe to use on cribs and such, according to Annie Sloan herself.
3. The versatility combined with simplicity. I love that there are not a million paint chips to pick colors from, and that makes picking a color a lot more simple. The palette with Chalk Paint is simple and no-fuss. At the same time, you can get hundreds--maybe thousands?--of different looks by using different waxes and combining colors. Creating texture with paint has also never been easier, Chalk Paint builds up fantastically.
4. It goes far. The Chalk Paint cans are small, and they run about $40 around here. That seems like a lot, yes, at first. But I've been shocked at how far each can has gone! My first can is still half-full and I've painted several pieces of small furniture and also many small items such as frames. Plus, no sanding and no priming cuts down on other costs. I actually figure that I spend no more on Chalk Paint than I would another paint choice, such as latex, after all the supplies needed.
5. It distresses so well. I've always used latex paint in the past but I've hated how latex distresses so poorly, it stretches and pulls and rubs off too easily. Chalk Paint is matte {before waxing} and distresses, well, beautifully.
Have I sold you yet?
I first heard of Chalk Paint {not to be confused with chalkboard paint, this stuff is in a class of its own} when I moved into ReNew a few months ago. ReNew sells a lot of furniture, and much of it is refinished or painted before being sold. My friends at ReNew talked this paint up so much that I finally had to try it for myself.
Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint is nothing new, this stuff has been around for 20 some years. For some reason it's really caught on lately, and I'm probably the most recent enthusiast.
I tried out Florence as my first color. What do you think?
All these items went into my booth at ReNew. All of these sold very quickly!
I've since also bought Antoinette (pale pink) and Graphite (charcoal) to try out on other pieces. As I said earlier, this paint goes a long way. It covers so well, I'm not sure how or why, it just lasts!
The final step with Chalk Paint is to apply a wax, and Annie Sloan Soft Wax is ideal. It comes in clear or dark--and you can get so many results mixing and matching different combinations. Look, I've merely scratched the surface as to what can be done with this stuff so far. My understanding is that you don't have to apply the wax, but you really should on most pieces of furniture. The wax protects and seals the Chalk Paint, and it makes the Chalk Paint shine with a nice sheen. A special type of brush is ideal, but I'm still saving up for supplies so I currently use cheesecloth, but any lint-free cloth would be okay.
I bought these adorable end tables for $15 each at a thrift store, intending to sell them in my booth. Now that I've finished them (in Antoinette Chalk Paint) I'm thinking they would make adorable matching night stands in the girls' room at our new house. Well, shoot.
Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can not be purchased at Home Depot or just any craft store. This special paint is sold at special stores. My local retailer is Simpler Times Design in Parker.
They are so friendly over at Simpler Times and allowed me to be a creeper take a bunch of photos of their cute shop the last time I dropped in. This store is adorable. They carry tons of Annie Sloan products and then some. The shop is filled with painted furniture to drool over; and the owners/employees are very friendly and have tons of knowledge to share. Every time I've stopped in, there is someone working on a new project in the rear of the store.
Their wall features all the colors that Annie Sloan Chalk Paint comes in. From there...
...you can browse all their samples of different colors with difference techniques and effects applied. I tell you, the possibilities are endless. One of my favorite techniques, which I have yet to try but have admired at Simpler Times, is the way you can build up Chalk Paint and give it texture. You can really get the texture going and create a nice, chippy, patina look. Blah furniture takes on a new life when Chalk Paint is applied. And it's fun to work with. What more could we want?
They teach classes too. I might just have to sign up for one.
Inspiration is everywhere.
They also carry a bit of the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint line. I have followed Miss Mustard Seed's blog for years! I never paid much attention to her products though. Miss Mustard Seed makes a white wax which applies nicely to Chalk Paint for even more possibilities.
In addition to their awesome paint products, Simpler Times Designs also carries a handful of other unique products. I was SO happy to find German glass glitter there! I use this stuff a lot in my craft projects but until now I had no local supplier, I always relied on eBay or Etsy to purchase it.
I love the rows and stacks of the nondescript Annie Sloan Chalk Paint cans.
The Soft Wax also goes a long way, just like the Chalk Paint does. I'm thrilled to have discovered an alternative, beautiful paint like this. I'm sick of latex paint! I never liked the stuff. And oil based paint? Don't even get me started...
If you know me, you know virtually every piece of furniture in my house is painted. I don't do wood finish. I only wish I'd discovered Annie Sloan and Simpler Times Designs earlier.
As I said, I've barely scratched the surface of possibilities with Chalk Paint. I'm really looking forward to new projects.
If painting furniture yourself is not your thing, you can just shop their unique stock.
I haven't bothered with the tester sizes because I make easy decisions on paint colors, but these would be perfect for small projects.
You can check out Annie Sloan's website for local Chalk Paint retailers near you. If you're in Colorado, definitely check out Simpler Times Designs.
Don't mind me, I'll just be here painting some more. Because I enjoy it more now than ever, since discovering Chalk Paint. I've seen "recipes" online for "chalk paint". I'm fairly certain that Chalk Paint is created with some sort of plaster or plaster of Paris base. Either way, I've discovered how far a $40 can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint goes, and I feel like it's well worth the price for this stuff.
Simply put: I'm in love with Chalk Paint. Really. I can't wait to attack the cabinets in our new home with my friend, Annie Sloan!
Cheers,
Heather
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P.S. I can't THANK YOU all enough for the amazing support I received after my recent post about IKEA. I've added an update on my family blog which includes details on my chat with their store manager {finally!}, my feelings towards supporters and Anonymous comments, and finally, how I feel about my friends shopping at/boycotting IKEA. Overall, I was truly touched by the response, thank you. Don't forget to make sure that all your furniture is secured to the walls!