I pinned a website a while back that I though made painting furniture look easy. I was sold on the title: How to Paint Furniture without Sanding. No sanding, a novel concept!
I had been holding on to a night stand in my garage for over a year. (I had every intention of painting it the weekend I brought it home.) Handy Man was growing more and more impatient with it occupying space in the garage. With the completion of our guest room and Grandpop & Grandma Joan's approaching visit, I knew the time was coming near. I just lacked motivation and the courage to jump feet first into this DIY adventure.
Killing time between appointments one afternoon, I found myself wondering about the local thrift shop. I came around the corner and found this super cute antique toy box. Angels were singing and birds were chirping and something deep down inside me was screaming "Buy it! Buy it! Paaaaaint it!" I grabbed the tag and had a gentleman load her up in the car.
I frantically found my Pin and marched full steam ahead to the home improvement store to buy supplies. Shabby Chic or Bust!
My supply list was as follows:
Zinsser Cover Stain oil-based primer
Floetrol paint conditioner
paint thinner
Elmer’s wood filler
good quality two-inch angled brush
fine-grit sanding block, medium-grit sanding block, coarse-grit sanding block
paint of your choice
Minwax water-based Polycrylic (Varathane water-based polyurethane was also an acceptable choice)
screw driver
tack cloth or lint free rag for wiping and dusting
I skipped the Floetrol paint conditioner. I had paint thinner, sanding blocks, screw drivers and cloths. I picked a gray-blue color for the night stand that would hopefully go well with the handmade quilt on our quest bed. And a gray-teal color for the toy box.
The next day I was ready to rock in roll. This painting project was just the stress reliever I was in need of. After the first week of back to school and the sudden, insane hustle and bustle life we were living, I needed a little craft therapy.
Step One: Strip it down.
I removed hinges, hardware, and did end up sanding a few little imperfections.
I got right down to priming. I decided to paint both projects simultaneously. Not because I am an over achiever. Not because I was really THAT excited to paint. But simply because I was too lazy to want to clean my paint brush after using an oil based primer. Yep. I just picked and old paint brush, primed both pieces and threw the brush away. (If only all of Life's projects were that simple!)
I elected not to paint the inside of the two pieces.
The blog gal said she painted two coats of primer... I again am lazy and was in search of instant gratification and only painted one coat. I was so excited to work with the colors I had picked.
I did paint two coats of color on both pieces.
These spinals were one of the features that intrigued me about the toy box. Painting them.... sucked.
Once everything was shiny and new looking...
I had to take the leap with my sanding block and distress the pieces.
The perfectionist in me had a VERY hard time making that first swipe against the perfectly painted surface. Panic started to set in the more I
Having never done this before, I was getting heartburn. Was I distressing enough? Too much? Was I doing this in the right places? Should I add a little here or there? What should I avoid? Oh good gravy what did I get myself into?!?!
I had to keep taking a few steps back to critique my work. I was not convinced I was a Shabby Chic chick quite yet.
I moved over to the toy box and decided to be a little less aggressive with the distressing. I kept internally chanting, "be subtle. Gentle... GENTLE! Easy does it..."
This piece I started to have fun with. I felt creative and artistic. I really started to like it more and more and it's simplistic distressing.
Once everything was distressed, I added two coats of the water based poly finish.
Then I put all of the old hardware back on. I really loved the antique toy box's hinges. They looked amazing with the natural wood popping through the distress marks. The original screws were ancient and beautiful. Unfortunately as I gently turned the last antique screw into place, the head broke right off! Nooooooo!!!!!
I had a mild heart attack.
I immediately sent a text message to Handy Man asking if he had or I could purchase screw glue.
He text me back, "What???"
"You know... screw glue. For when the head off your screw breaks. Like metal glue."
He didn't reply right away but then said, "You are kidding - right?"
"No. I am very much in need of screw glue."
I did not get a return text...
Where was I going to find a single antique screw?? Ebay? How would I get the rest of the existing screw out if I did find one? Soooo close to perfection! I stewed all day about this damn broken screw. And that night I pulled out my
My beautiful Shabby Chic Toy Box!
And my Country Shabby Chic Night Stand!
(shoot... I need to take a picture!)
