Hiya!
I was busy today; I travelled out of the way for Annie Sloan paint, then went to a thrift shop, then went on a mini spree in Joann’s Fabric. I got quite a few things, but my first project was to repaint the plaques that the roosters are mounted to. I also threw in the mini-project of painting some little wooden picture frames while I had the paint out.
So I started out with all my stuff
Supplies:
Annie Sloan 1L Chalk Paint in Graphite
Rooster Pictures
Picture Frames
Tools:
Fine Grit Sandpaper
Painters’ Tape
Matte Mod Podge
Paintbrushes
So I know you’re not really supposed to prep your project when you use Annie Sloan paint, but the roosters were a little grimey, so I cleaned them and sanded the edges really lightly, just to get all the gunk off. I left the little frames as is.
Next I taped up the roosters with painters’ tape so I didn’t get any on the images. If you have a steady hand and patience, you can probably go without it, but I have no patience, so painters’ tape it was.
Next the fun part: PAINT!
I gave them each three thin coats. Two just seemed a little bit transparent in a couple little spots, and I wanted a nice, dark, solid color. Annie Sloan’s Graphite isn’t perfectly black, more of a very dark slate color, but a beautiful and dark enough color for my purposes. If you’re looking for a true black, I suggest seeing a sample of this paint in person before buying it. It’s rather expensive to buy and then find out it wasn’t the color you were looking for.
After peeling the tape off (I get the best results peeling the tape off while the paint is still wet)…
I noticed that I maybe didn’t do the very best taping job because the edges weren’t perfectly straight. They were straight enough to probably be okay and couldn’t be seen unless you were really looking for it, but I’m a perfectionist, so I had to touch it up.
I went in with a teeny tiny brush and painted all the way up to the edge of the image, again making sure I put enough paint on for that nice, solid color.
And voila! Nice solid colored painted frames!
After letting the paint fully set, I’m going to go back over it with matte Mod Podge. I love the chalky finish of the Chalk Paint, and I’d like to keep it as close to that as possible. I am hoping it will also protect the rooster images (as they are printed on a thick glossy paper and can easily be scratched or ruined) without giving them a shiny sheen. I don’t want to mess with the Annie Sloan wax quite yet, not on something that isn’t fully wood.
More thrift store makeovers to come!
-C&C
Chicks & Crafts 