First ASCP Piece

So, being new to the blogging world and all, I felt it necessary to "research" the products I wanted to try. Most importantly because I want to open my own shop someday. With this being said, I've tried various paints and whatnot prior to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and haven't really had a BAD outcome with any if them. BUT ASCP is my preferred medium.


My favorite part of ASCP is there isn't a need to sand and prime before you paint! This is wonderful if you have a fair amount to spend on the pieces you refinish, thus picking them up in "paint me now" condition. I however, do not. Needless to say, 95% of the time sanding is involved for my pieces anyway because they are typically in "please rescue me" condition. I have stumbled across the occasional steal, but when I do, it's almost like winning the lottery.
The down side to ASCP is of course the price. It'll run you about 80 some dollars for two quarts (who can order just one color at a time?) once you account for shipping. There aren't any stockist near me, so the closest is a state away and shipping (the lowest I've found is 13$) hurts your wallet as well.  I order mine from Michelle at Di Lucca Designs. She ships it UPS, and talk about customer service!  She's on it!  So, yes, the price is high but I will say it's worth it. The way it distresses is amazing and another benefit (at least for those of us who live in the Midwest or any place with winter) is you can paint indoors. This comes in handy since I can't afford a paint sprayer or a workshop yet.

I started with this dry erase board, knowing it was a practice piece before "grandma's bench" more on that later. I picked it up at a salvage place for $0.75. Yes only three quarters. I figured if I ruined it, no big deal. Plus, we can use it if it turns out. First, the Old White, then the Arbusion Blue. Beautiful colors! After it dried, I used a combination of Fiddles & Son's wax in clear and Jacobean. I didn't purchase Annie Sloan's wax because honestly, I really couldn't afford it. If you call John Miller Hardware store, you can get the wax for $14/can (thanks to Miss Mustard Seed) be sure to tell them you're one of her readers. I couldn't have been happier with how my first project turned out.

My next piece was a vanity I spotted on my way to the Vet. I wanted to stop as soon as I looked over and saw all of these beautiful pieces on this man's front yard, but couldn't risk being late to Rookie's appointment. Plus, I spent $85 the night before on three pieces I spotted on my way home from 9-5. I'll post about that later. So on my way home from the bank breaker vet, while talking to my mom on the phone (yes I know, talking + driving = bad) I decided "why not?!?" let's pull over in front of the "yard sale".  I saw a hutch, armoire, two dressers, and a vanity. There was a lot of some woman's belongings scattered all over the place. More on that in a sec. So I saw this beautiful vanity. Yes people...perfect condition. (minus a little girl's name artistically written on the side with a black permanent Sharpie). I asked the nice man how much he wanted and wham-o! 5$!!!!!!!!!!! Here's the before pic...(oh wait, I cant show it because it was on my phone which has a new owner!!! Because it went missing during our trip!!! Awesomeness!!!) ...Doesn't matter because you wouldn't believe me anyway.  It was like a "honey color". Oh yeah...yes, it also had the hardware to attach the mirror. It was hiding in the pink velvet lined drawer. I immediately asked if he was kidding (prolly thought I was a crazy person) and he said, "yeah, shouldda been here earlier, I sold a bigger one just like that for $10"...so I offered to give him something to hold onto while I ran by an ATM and emptied the back of my truck (ferocious overweight Blacklab occupying the back)...he said it was okay, he'd hold it. So this whole time my mom is on the phone with me like freaking out because she just heard this conversation and wanted to know what I just found. So I told her I just found something for Allison. (yes, I have a 6 yr old sister. That's what happens when you're a senior in college and your mom and dad go camping and it rains!) anyway I rushed home, stole borrowed 2$ from husband (I did have 3$ cash on me) and went back and picked up the beauty! Mom knew how much I paid for it, but I said, well you can buy it from me after I paint it for 50$! She laughed and said no you just got it for 5$! And I said, yes mother but chalk paint isn't free and my time is invaluable. So she said yes. 

And I know what you're thinking...she just ripped off her mom!! NO, I didn't. Actually...scroll down and you'll see she got a really great deal. Allison is a big girlie girl so I knew it was going to be "princessed-out". (I love argyle because it reminds me of Grandma, so I went with that on top.) Mom said I didn't need to paint it (because it matched her bedroom suit...that was mine) and I said, well, yes I am going to paint it because all furniture doesn't need to match. (I'm learning all about that as I read all of your Blogs...thank you for that!). So, to the ASCP in Old White.  And Minwax stain (1/2 Redwood and 1/2 Walnut)...

I distressed the entire piece a little.  (It's not really Mom's style and I was worried that the little princess would think it was scratched or something)...and it just wasn't "princessed out enough.  SO, rather than finishing it with wax, I went with Ovation Opulence pearl. I wanted it to sparkle because Allie Cat is my little Princess and a Princess should sparkle! So it does...all the white has 3 coats of OP over it to give it a little depth, and the big "A" on top was a mixture of Acryllic and Op with a final coat of Op for extra sparkles. I LOVE it. I'll admit... I was thinking to myself...for a long while... "A" for Allison OR Ashley!?! It was done before our trip, but I needed to have a photo shoot with her so I made mom wait to pick her up! Don't you just love her!? PERFECT for a princess!! Oh yeah, and for the purple on the argyle top I used paint markers, lightly distressed and yes...4 coats of wipe-on polly.  And, yes, all of these photos were taken in my workshop garage, so excuse the crap all over the place.  I'm new to blogging, furniture painting, photography, and most of this stuff so the goal is to improve as I go along.  Hey, gotta start somewhere.  And, hmmm...right about here looks good!  She's a beauty!

So about the guy....and the situation; I'm petty sure the guy's wife had no idea he was selling all of her belongings. I'm thinking someone was unhappy and decided to sell all of his wife's stuff in the front yard one Saturday morning. I'm guessing that because he was talking to a buddy of his while I was opening the back of my truck and I heard him saying something along the lines of... "yep, I don't give a $hit, she left it all 'ere n' I'm sellin' the $hit!"...(me) Ok, thank you sir, bye! Get me outta here! Before she comes back! (thoughts on the way home...is this stealing?). Unless her name starts with an "A" she's screwed and wouldn't want it back anyway. I imagine she has bigger fish than me to fry!!

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