Painting Furniture with Deco Art Chalky Finish Paint

I thought I would share a little peek at the process of painting this gray desk using Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint available at Michales and Home Depot.

This is what we started with.  A nice mid century desk set with all the original hardware.  SCORE! 

The Chalky Finish Paint does not require sanding or prep work.  You can just start painting and It will stick to just about any surface like a dream.  But I still like to sand my pieces before I paint.  I feel like it just gives a more smooth and professional finish.  After I sand, I may or may not have blown all of the dust off with my leaf blower. Don't judge, it is really effective and your neighbors think you are crazy.

I decided to use the color RELIC because you know how I love a good gray.  I added a little water to the paint in a bowl and stirred well.  This is not really required or necessary, but I really like my paint to be thinner.  I feel like it helps the paint go on more even and smooth.  Just a personal preference. The first coat covered really well and I only had to go back and touch up some little areas I missed with a second coat.

The Chalky Finish Paint dries very quickly, which means you can transform your furniture in no time.  Once it was dry, I lightly sanded the entire piece with an extra fine sanding sponge, adding a little distressing on the edges as I went along.  

After I was done sanding, I was loving how everything looked and especially liked the distressed matte look it had taken on.  The problem was I needed a top coat, but did not want to change the appearance of the paint.  So many times waxes or top coats can deepen, darken or add a sheen to a piece, which is good in some cases, but I wanted this piece to stay just as it was...

Enter my new favorite top coat - ULTRA MATTE VARNISH!  I love this stuff.  It provided a top coat finish to the paint, but did not change the look or feel.  There was absolutely no sheen or darkening of the original paint color after I applied it, which is EXACTLY what I wanted.  I simply applied 2 thin coats with a bristle brush.

Here is a close up of that beautiful Matte finish.

Be sure to Visit the DecoArt Chalky Finish website for more chalk paint ideas and inspiration. 

      And if you end up trying Deco Art Chalky Finish Paint for yourself, be sure to submit pictures of your second chance piece for the contest with some pretty awesome prizes - DETAILS HERE

DIY Paper Fans

Without a doubt, the most asked questions for Funky Junk in 2014 were about the paper fans I used in so many of my furniture staging photos.  Every time I posted pictures of furniture, I would get comments and messages about where I got the fans and how I hang them on the wall.  I realize there are tutorials on how to make these all over blog land, but I thought I would go ahead and share the details for mine here.

Paper fans are such an inexpensive way to decorate blank spaces and so easy to change out.  So lets start with the details for the paper.  I find that the lightweight paper is much easier to work with than the thicker card stock.  I also like to just buy a big paper ack since they are already coordinated with colors and patterns.  

This is the pack I got at Michaels. 

Recollections - The Sweetest Thing

 To make a large fan, start with 3 sheets of matching 12x12 paper.  

Take one sheet and fold one side down a little less than a inch.

Continue to accordion fold the paper until you get to the end and it looks like this.

Pinch the folded paper in the center and fold it in half.

Put a piece of double sided tape or hot glue where the 2 folds meet.  I like to use hot glue and clots pins to hold it in place while the glue cools.

Repeat the sakes steps with the other 2 pieces of paper and you will have 3 wedges.

Use glue or tape to secure the wedges where they meet each other and you have now made a paper fan!

To make different size fans, just cut your 12 x12 paper a little shorter.

The small fans only need 2 wedges instead of 3. 

 Hot glue some of the smaller ones on top of the larger ones for a layered look.

I like to attach my fans to the wall with this removable poster putty.  I move mine around alot and this makes it super simple without damaging my walls.

I wanted to do a little giveaway so you can make a set of your own.  I just fell in love with this paper pack, the colors and designs are so fun.  Just leave a comment here on the blog post letting me know what kind of projects you would like to see from Funky Junk in 2015 to be entered to win this fun paper pack.  This will ship to the lucky winner anywhere in the US.  Giveaway closed January 5th.

Miss Mustard Seed Artissimo - LOVE

I am just falling more and more in love with Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, so I thought I would share some of my recent MMS Milk Paint pieces with the details.

First up is the color Artissimo.  The perfect color for this vanity.  The mirror was missing, but i think the fabric garland made up for it.

MMS Milk Paint in Artissimo with bonding agent & finished with hemp oil.

This sweet pair of end tables wanted to be painted in Kitchen Scale, so I obliged. :) Love how they turned out.

MMS Milm Paint in Kitchen Scale with bonding agent and finished with hemp oil.

This collection was painted in Trophy.  Trophy is literally the PERFECT shade of gray!  Love it!

Annnddddd...I just love this pretty little lady finished in MMS Milk Paint in Typewriter!

finished with bonding agent and hemp oil...of course! 

Now, go get some Miss Mustard Seed and get painting!

Grays

 Want to know how far one bag of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint will go?  All these pieces were painted with one bag of Trophy and I still have about 1/4 of the bag left. (ironstone was used for the stripes)

The products used - Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in Trophy and Ironstone, Bonding Agent & Hemp Oil to finish. 

All these pieces are listed on the facebook page for sale with dimensions and prices.

https://www.facebook.com/TheFunkyJunkShop

Black Buffet

Beautiful black buffet.  Would also be great as an TV console.  Tons of great storage and has a completely refinished wood top. This one is extra long at 76"!

$365

Gray Dresser

This pretty lady sold before I could list it, but I thought I would share some pictures anyway.  

She was painted with Behr in the color Mined Coal and  mixed with Blue Minerals Paint Powder.

Don't forget...there is still time to order your Blue Minerals and use this 20% off coupon!