Resene Paints

Best Ever Chalk Paint Recipe

I think this is the best ever Chalk Paint recipe, that’s what I desperately needed due to my Annie  Sloan Chalk Paint Shop closing down in my village… a very sad day. Fortunately a friend gave me her recipe for chalk paint and it is very similar.

This week my daughter is busy working on a business project for her school and I am helping her make different coloured Resene Paint testpots into chalk paint. So I thought it would be a great opportunity to share the recipe.

Ok, so first the recipe I use for painting furniture.

Chalk Paint Recipe

Supplies needed:

  • 1 Cup (8fl oz/236 mls) Paint
  • Empty Container
  • Calcium Carbonate Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon
  • Water

Method:

  • Step 1: Put 1 cup of paint into your container.
  • Step 2: Add 2 Tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate Powder into the container.
  • Step 3: Add 1 Tablespoon of water.
  • Step 4: Mix it up thoroughly! Try and make it as smooth as possible. If you feel it is too thick just add a bit more water.

For my daughter’s project we are just using little testpots, so I emptied the pots into the containers added about a half a Tablespoon of Calcium  Carbonate Powder and half a Tablespoon of water. Mixing it (with plastic spoons) in a container is easier than in the testpot.

Look how cute the jars are she painted

Another great paint colour was this metallic copper. With chalk paint it sticks to the jar easily.



Finally, for the succulents we put small pebbles in the bottom of the jar to help drainage. Next special succulent potting mix brought from the store, and lastly some more small pebbles on top of the soil.  The succulents were from my garden.

I am hoping my daughter has lots of buyers of her succulents in the jars.  I do think they are so cute, what do you think?

Thanks for reading my post!

   Andi

Easy to make pallet Christmas tree…New Zealand

This easy to make pallet Christmas tree took me around 2 hours to make. It is a simple project that you can get the children to help you with and it is fun!

I found this on Pinterest here. And immediate decided it would be perfect hanging on our wall this Christmas.

Supplies needed:

Pallet

Hack saw

Paint (60ml)

Water

Nails (tacks)

Hammer

Christmas Lights (I used battery operated 24 LED string lights)

Christmas decorations

Tree log

If you read my previous post on pallet coffee tables, here, you will know I have pallets stacked in the yard just waiting to be used.

The pallet I picked was easy to dismantle.

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First, I used a hack saw to saw through the nails on the back of the pallet. Removing the two sections of wood. The nails that were sticking out I just sawed them off to tidy them up.

Hack saw

Hack saw

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Next, I washed down the pallet with a hose, and started painting the front only. I used Resene paints, test pot colour Bianca (only because I already had this colour at home). I watered it down in the paint tray. Only a light cover was needed as I wanted the wood showing through to give it a rustic look.

Painted pallet front

Painted pallet front

Once it was dry I placed the nails (tacks) in the wood. I made a zig zag pattern. Placing the nails out more each time to widen the tree.

Christmas decorations

There were some great decorations at Kmart, very cheap and cheerful! Some gold beading at a Thrift store and gold balls I already at home, which I brought at Kmart last year, but they are still available.

Kmart Christmas decorations

Kmart Christmas decorations

Attaching the gold beads I strung them around the nails. Doing this gives you a good idea how your tree design looks and whether you need to make any alterations. I attached the lights in the same pattern. The cookie cutter copper lights are so cute!

Beads put on in zig zag pattern

Beads put on in zig zag pattern

Check out the star and hearts I made of burlap, see my post on how to make these here. And, then all the decorations I wanted.

Christmas decorations on pallet

Christmas decorations on pallet

Pallet Christmas tree decorations

Finally, I attached with twine a piece of a tree log I grabbed from a wood pile.

Tree log

Tree log

We hung this on a wall for the holiday season…the family love it!

Pallet Christmas Tree

Pallet Christmas Tree

Pallet Christmas Tree

Thanks for reading my post! Hope you get to make a pallet Christmas tree!

Andi 

 

SIMPLE, BUT CUTE BURLAP CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT…

Simple, but cute burlap Christmas ornaments to make these holidays…

These simple, but cute burlap Christmas ornaments don’t take long to make at all. I saw them in a store for $9.00 and thought “hey I can make that for a lot less”, so here is my take on them, for a lot less!!

Supplies needed:

Burlap fabric

Stuffing

Tracing paper or baking paper

Cardboard

Twine

Paint

Brush

Scissors

Needle and thread

Instructions:

First make a star and heart pattern. To do this trace using tracing paper or as I did use baking a star and heart. If you have a stencil use this.

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I trace the patterns on to cardboard just to make it easier.

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Next, trace the pattern onto your burlap fabric, you will need 2, for front and back.

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Then, use the pattern to trace and cut out the stuffing. I just used polyester filling as I already had some at home. I found it easier to have a flat piece of stuffing and cut it to a little bit smaller that the pattern. It then fits in nicely inside.

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I then sewed with needle and thread the about 1 cm in around the star and heart, finishing at the top. You could use a sewing machine or even use fabric glue, the choice is yours. At the top at attached a small loop of twine for hanging up the ornament.

At this stage I gently fray the edges to get a frayed look.

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Finally, paint the top left or right side of the ornament. I used Resene paints (a test pot) colour Copper Fire, because I already had this at home. It is copper colour with glitter. You can use any colour!

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I made various sizes for my Christmas tree. I imagine there a lot of other shapes you could use to make these ornaments.

Hearts and Stars Ornaments

Hearts and Stars Ornaments

 

Burlap Christmas Ornaments

 

Thanks for reading my post! I hope you get to make these simple, but cute ornaments!

Andi

LATEST PALLET COFFEE TABLES FROM NEW ZEALAND

I wanted to show you my latest pallet coffee tables I have made here in New Zealand…

Are any of you like me, love pallets and have them stacked around the place waiting for the next project?

Wood pile

Wood pallet stack

Wood pallet stack

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The pallets have been there so long the nasturtiums are growing through them.

Rodeo has to get in the shots as well!

Rodeo has to get in the shots as well!

The tables were two completely different designs, mainly due to the size and designs of the pallets and what inspired me at the time.

Farmhouse Style Pallet Coffee Table

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Pallet Coffee Table

Unfortunately,  I only took this photo of the finished unpainted coffee table. What was I thinking?

I painted the sides and legs Annie Sloan Chalk paint Old Ochre. I love this colour! It is a very neutral and goes well in any room.

Farmhouse Style Pallet Coffee Table

Finally, I used Annie Sloan Clear Wax and Dark Wax on the table. First I rubbed on clear wax, then dark wax. It is always a good idea to put clear wax on first, because if you put on too much dark wax on it comes off easier. Dark wax is really hard to get off if you put it on first, it is like a stain! I put on alot of wax, rubbed it in well and buffed it with a soft cloth. I tend to rip up old flannelette sheets, as they are lovely and soft.

Pallet Coffee Table

Pallet Coffee Table leg was cut off two headboards

Pallet Coffee Table

I love how well the table top came up so well with the wax!

Pallet Coffee Table with shelf

Pallet Coffee Table

The next table was totally different with a shelf. You can see the pallet was smaller than the first and a different design.

Once I nailed all the boards on the table I covered the nails with wood filler before painting it.

Stripped Pallet Coffee Table

Pallet Coffee Table with shelf

Stripped Pallet Coffee Table with shelf

This pallet coffee table I painted with Resene Paints (acrylic paint), white grey and black. Then sanded down to give a rougher look and showing some of the natural wood underneath.

I managed to get the pile down by making these two pallet coffee tables and quickly sold them. That is another thing having the space to store the projects made!

Check out my previous post; Pallet coffee table easy to make post here 

Thanks so much for reading my post!

  Andi

EASY STEPS TO SHABBY CHIC A HEADBOARD

Shabby Chic Headboard…

My daughter and I are working on redecorating her bedroom. Our next project was to shabby chic a headboard for her bed. I want to show you the easy steps to shabby chic a headboard with everyday interior house paints. We were looking at a Thrift Store on Saturday and found a great headboard and baseboard for free.

They were in reasonable condition and made of solid wood. Because headboard and base had been painted white previously we decided to use paint from our local Resene paint shop. The colour picked was, Wild Thing, which was really quite a bright yellow, but  we decided to give it a go. I just brought four test pots (60 ml each) and used two coupons (buy one get one free) off the back of grocery store receipts. The cost was $9.00.

This was a great project for my daughter, Serah, as it was easy to do. Also, a good chance to practice her painting on something where mistakes where easy to fix.

Serah painting a headboard

Serah painting a headboard

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Once the first coat was done Serah found the colour too bright or too “perky yellow” as she called it. So I mixed one test pot I had brought previously of Half Bianca (60 ml) with one pot of Wild Thing.Serah much preferred the lighter yellow.

Distressing

Once the paint had dried overnight I lightly sanded down areas of the paint. The thing I love about shabby chicing a piece of furniture is it is wonderful for getting rid of mistakes, drips etc. So I just sanded off areas at random, places where in time it might get worn away anyway. The underneath layer of white paint came through in places to make it a bit more interesting.

Clear Wax and Dark Wax

Finally after sanding I used Annie Sloan Clear Wax and Dark Wax over the sanded areas. I just like this look, but you can leave it without wax if you like.

Distressed Headboard

Distressed Headboard

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Shabby Chic Headboard and Baseboard

Shabby Chic Headboard and Baseboard

Thanks for reading my post! Serah’s bedroom reveal coming soon!

  Andi

 

 

 

 

 

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