Fall Crafts // Wooden Autumn Blessings Sign

Sunday I sat down to edit and schedule this week's blog posts... only to discover that I had lost my laptop charger! Ack! Thankfully, I finally found it--left behind when I left work last weekend. Poor innocent little charger, left abandoned to its own devices all weekend. (Pun intended.)  I'm so glad I found it! But hence the lack of posts this week so far. Thankfully, we're all plugged in and back on track now! 

Today I thought I'd share this little "Autumn Blessings" sign I made a few weeks ago. It's relatively simple and fun. If you ask me, SIMPLE and FUN are two major necessities of any craft or DIY. I can paint, but when it comes to power tools or complex procedures... I'm lost. If you fit into this category too, then this DIY is for you. 

Last month, I completed a commissioned art project for a local couple. They wanted some cutesy wooden signs for their Harpers Ferry cottage. When finished with their project, I had some left over scrap wood. Rather than let it go to waste, I thought "Why not make a cute fall sign?" I got out my chalkpaint, brushes, and sandpaper and got to work. 

What You'll Need:

- Scrap wood, sanded (mine measured 18x6, cut to size by the hubs)

- chalkpaint (I used FolkArt chalky paint)

- acrylic paint

- assorted brushes

- paint markers

- sand paper or sanding block

- paper towels

What You'll Do:

- Cut the wood to size. 

Because this was a scrap piece of wood, I went with the size it already was. It measures about 18 inches by 6 inches. Mark did the cutting for me since I have a silly fear of saws and blades!

- Prep the wood. 

I bought pre-sanded wood when I made the commissioned signs. It's easier to paint and saves you the trouble of sanding down the entire piece. However, I did have to sand the edges after Mark cut the wood to size. You don't have to do this step, but I think it makes the end result look a little nicer.

- Apply your background color. 

I used two FolkArt chalky home decor paints: Sage and Savannah. First, I applied the Savannah color, a dusky tan. I let it dry almost completely. Then, I applied a second coat of paint in the pale turquoise Sage color. I intentionally applied it when the base coat was still slightly tacky, resulting in a somewhat streaky, blended color. I just liked the shabby-chic look it gave the piece. 

Note: If you're using treated wood, you should only paint one side. Treated wood needs to "breathe." 

- Once the base coats are dry, use the paint markers to write your quotation. I chose the phrase "Autumn Blessings" because it seemed like it would continue to be applicable into the Thanksgiving holiday season. 

- Add decorative touches. I went with two shabby-chic style pumpkins. I drew the design with the paint markers and then filled them in with acrylic paint from my studio stash. 

These final two steps are optional. 

- Seal the sign using a spray lacquer or polyacrylic.

I prefer the spray kind because it doesn't streak like the other kind. Just follow the directions on the spray can. I bought mine from Home Depot. 

-Add hanging hardware to the back of the finished sign if you plan to display it somewhere. 

See? Simple and fun, just like I promised. The whole project took me about 30 minutes. I plan to display the little sign in our dining room until it sells from my Etsy shop. 

Happy painting! 

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Fall Crafts // Chalkpaint Pumpkin Pillow DIY

 A few weeks ago, I came across Stone Gable blog, a beautiful blog with farmhouse decor galore. Its writer Yvonne shares several adorable farmhouse-style decor tips, including this post on fall pillows. I quickly subscribed to the blog (and you should too!) and since have loved reading her recommendations and tips for home decor. I decided to try my own farmhouse fall DIY, inspired by Stone Gable. And what better way to achieve farmhouse style than with chalkpaint?

This fall DIY was both cheap and easy. I found this cream pillow in the clearance section at HomeGoods. At only $10, the pillow was much cheaper than a pillow cover and insert! It's kind of hard to tell in the photos, but it has a slight shimmery thread running through it. I was a little nervous about using chalkpaint on the fabric, but I had always heard that it was possible. So why not give it a try?

For this project, I didn't use Annie Sloan, my usual chalkpaint go-to. Instead, I used another brand: FolkArt Home Decor paint. You can actually purchase it online from JoAnne craft stores, although I ordered mine through Zulilly. 

What You'll Need:

- a neutral pillow or pillow cover

- chalk paint in colors of your choice

- assorted brushes

If you can draw a basic pumpkin, you can do this DIY. For my pillow, I used Folk Art's colors Sage and Savannah. I traced the round pumpkin body in the pale turquoise Sage color and then added the stem in Savannah brown. The next step was to simply fill in the lines! The chalk paint adhered to the fabric in kind of a "streaky" way-- which totally worked for the shabby-chic vibe I was going for. I added a streak of creamy white acrylic paint (pulled out of my paint box) just to add a bit of "highlighting." 

And that easily... the pillow was done! Like all chalkpaint, the pillow dried quickly. Wondering how it "feels" to the touch? Kind of like an applique or like outdoor fabric. It's not as smooth as the original feel, but it seems like it will hold up well. For cleaning, I would probably recommend just spot-cleaning with a warm cloth. 

If you're into chalkpainting, I highly recommend trying it out on fabric like this. I love the way the pillow looks on our couch. It's the perfect touch of fall! Not over the top, but just a little festive.

Do you like decorating for fall? Or are you one of those people who dreads the holiday/seasonal decor posts like this? Haha! Well, I hate to break it to you, but I'm all about pumpkins and fall, so you might want to bear with me over the next few weeks.

This post shared at:
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Fall Crafts // Wheat + Berries Table Arrangement

This year, I've really gotten into decorating for fall. I don't know if it's a side effect of being around so many inspiring creatives at the Frederick chalkpaint and antique stores, but I've found myself brimming with ideas for fall decor and crafts.

One super-easy fall craft that I really enjoyed was this Wheat and Berries Table Arrangement. It's incredibly easy and required a few simple materials and just a few minutes of my time. Which, as you all know, easy DIY's are what it's all about.

When picking out my centerpiece look, I decided to go with wheat and berries because I wanted to get volume without a lot of effort. I'm no florist, so my flower arranging skills are somewhat limited. I had the turquoise glass container on hand, an old find at HomeGoods.

What You'll Need:
a cute container
faux wheat (varying sizes)
faux berry stems
tiny pumpkins
table runner

What You'll Do:
- Arrange the wheat steams around the perimeter of the container.
- Building upwards, insert the berry stems and then the tallest wheat stems.
- You want the arrangement to build upwards, almost in a triangle shape.
- Fluff to create volume and a "messy" look. You may not go for this look, but I wanted it to look kind of haphazard, as if we just grabbed some twigs and wheat and tossed them in the pitcher.  There's probably a florist out there cringing at my ineptitude right now. My apologies, Anonymous Florist.
- Arrange the pumpkins at the base of the container. Again, try to go for a jumbled look.

This simple design is one of my favorite fall tables so far. I really love the natural feel it has. The rustic table runner paired with the smooth glass and white pumpkins creates an eclectic vibe that perfectly suits our home's decor. Also, an arrangement I don't have to water? Well that's even more of a plus.

Our chalkboard statement wall is the perfect seasonal backdrop. An eraser and a bit of chalk are the only tools needed to create a cute holiday banner. As a white girl, I of course had to represent my species with a pumpkin spice themed design.

Stay tuned for more fall crafts and ideas. I'll be posting several more over the next few days as we decorate for fall.

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Stovetop Apple Simmer

Painted Pumpkins (Kid Friendly)

This post shared at the A Little Bird Told Me Link Party and featured at Mama's Happy Hive. 

Fall Crafts // Stovetop Apple Simmer

Over the weekend, Mark and I both came down with vicious summer colds. Our house since has been a cacophony of sniffs, sneezes, coughs, and moans. We both agreed that during the seasonal shifts--from summer to fall and from winter to spring--we always get sick... and it's always much worse than anything we get during the winter. Usually, I'm way more prepared, stuffing our gills with vitamin C and elderberry. But with all this beautiful 70 degree weather, the word "cold" just didn't enter my mind. So here we are, sick all weekend and still sick on Monday.

Naturally, I thought that a fall craft made all the sense while I'm cooped up in the house. And what other fall craft than a stovetop simmer? 

^ that's sarcasm, my friends.

As I'm chopping apples and gently stirring the pot of water, Mark groggily looked up from his post on the couch and croaked, "Honey what on earth are you doing?" 

Equally snotty, I croaked back: "Making an apple and orange peel simmer." 

"Babe. Why? Neither one of us can smell anything."

Oh. 

According to Mark, my shoulder's literally slumped. Great planning on my part, right?! I go and make a fall stovetop simmer while I have a cold. So, friends, here I am today sharing a fall craft recipe... and I can't even gush over how lovely and homey it smells. For all I know, it could smell like the inside of Mark's rugby boot.

In all honesty, I do know how it smells. Common sense dictates that anything involving apple, cinnamon, and orange peel has to be happy on the nose. Plus, there was this one glorious moment when I sniffed really, really hard and the teeniest whiff of apple pie reached me. This occurred while I was upstairs-- which leads me to believe that the aroma had permeated the entire house... which is a much further reach than a candle!

Tired of this poor-little-me rant about my cold? I don't blame you. Read on for the recipe below.

What You'll Need:

- a large apple

- the peel from one orange

- 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks

- 2 cups of water

- 1 tsp of vanilla extract

- small pot

What You'll Do:

- Chop the apple, and peel the orange. This is a great way to use up the last fruits from your trip to the farmer's market. That is, if you're like me and overestimate how much fruit your family can eat before it all goes soft. 

- Optional: At this point, if you're a blogger, you should carefully arrange you fruit and precariously stand on a stool to take an aftsy-fartsy photo of it. Sorry, y'all. Colds apparently make me sarcastic and grumpy. 

- Toss the fruit into the pot of water. 

- Add your cinnamon sticks. 

- Pour 1 tsp of vanilla extract on top

- Turn eye on low and allow to simmer throughout the day

Experiment with other scents and flavors as well. I chose these fruits and spices because I associate their scents with fall. However, I'm sure you can experiment with other citrus-y scents-- like lime or lemon--and mix in some herbs. Maybe even lavender? 

This stovetop simmer is a great way to give your whole house a fresh smell. It's a great idea if you're expecting guests-- who doesn't love walking into a house that smells like apple pie? The only hazard may be your guests actually expecting there to be an apple pie. 

I let the pot simmer for a few hours and then put it in the fridge. You can reuse the same fruit for 2 or 3 days. Just drain the water and, when you're ready for fresh fall scents again, pour in some fresh. If you allow the pot to simmer for a few hours, you may have to add water periodically as it evaporates away.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

What scents do you associate with fall? 

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20 Fall Date Ideas

Fall Crafts // Painted Pumpkins

Fall Crafts // Painted Pumpkins (Kid Friendly!)

Pumpkins and mums-- they're fall staples that I just can't imagine not including on the front porch. Each year, picking out the perfect, round pumpkins and the fluffiest mums gives me those happy tummy bubbles. The same ones that come with the first sip of cider and the first crunch of leaves underfoot.

When I was a little girl, I loved picking out the perfect jack'o'lantern pumpkin with my dad. We always went for one with that unique, squatty shape. Perfect for carving a goofy grin. Mark and I don't have kids of our own yet, but picking out pumpkins with my two little nephews proved how special this little childhood act really is. It's a great way to spend a fall weekend with your kiddos: roving through the pumpkin patch or wandering through your local farmers market. There's just something about the way their little faces light up about something so simple. It really just warms your own heart, and you can't help but smile too. It's nice when the biggest worry of the day is whether this fat pumpkin or that funny long one is better suited for a jack o'lantern.

But maybe you don't want your littles playing with knives? No worries. Have them paint their pumpkin instead. In fact, you can pick the smaller "pumpkin pie" pumpkins especially for this purpose. After all, what kid doesn't love getting their hands good and dirty with paint?

Get as creative as you want! You can use finger paint, puffy paint, or even glittery paint. Try out interesting designs with stencils, lace, or doilies to create unique effects. You can collaborate on a pumpkin as a family or give your kids their own little project. Best of all, this project gives your kids the opportunity to be completely creative, to just unleash whatever their little minds have imagined.

 I mean, how often do we get the chance to get good and messy?

And this project isn't exclusively for kids. It's a fun project for a ladies (or guys!) craft night. One of my favorite fall memories is painting pumpkins with my good friend Amber. I had this random idea to use pumpkins in my and Mark's October wedding, but didn't like the fact that bright orange would clash with our color scheme. So, I painted them white and added decorative swirls in puffy paint matching our wedding colors of plum and champagne. Check out our wedding post series to see how my "wedding pumpkins" turned out.

The best part of this fall craft? It's so brainlessly easy. All you need is paint and a pumpkin. You can't really go wrong. The finished product will add a little whimsy to your front porch decor, and your kiddos will be proud of their little contribution. Don't you just love the crazy-green pumpkin my nephew and I painted? Also, I'm pretty impressed with our collaborative effort on this one:

I know, I know. He's a little baby genius. I mean, I may be biased but come on... how could you not just be head over heels for that adorable grin and those grey-blue peepers? We had so much fun! Definitely give this a try.

Some themes to get you started:

- show your team spirit with football themed pumpkins

- use glitter spray paint and lace to get a glam effect

- paint your house numbers on them

- stencil your initials

- go crazy with pattern like these found on Pinterest

Comment below or tag me on Instagram with pics of your painted pumpkins! I'd love to see how they turn out!

Happy punkin pickin'!

Warm Industrial- Inspired Vintage Desk

Before getting married, I had a very eclectic approach to design. If I attempted to give the style a name, it would be some some hybridized concept like "eclectic-vintage-global-glam," a trail of adjectives that leave you blinking and thinking "Wait. What the what?" Then I married this blue-eyed Virginian who loved all things sleek and modern. Sheesh. How does that work?  Over time, however, we've come to realize that our mutual favorite style, while still eclectic, fits more into the category of New Traditional, with the occasional industrial twist.

This design style certainly inspired my most recent Furniture Makeover project. A vintage typewriter desk revitalized with a good scrubbing, a fresh coat of paint, and a new design. Here's what it looked like once we purchased it:

Good bones, am I right? My favorite feature (other than the hidden typewriter drawer) was the marble drawer pulls. They really set this piece apart. I couldn't wait to get at them with a scrub rag and some warm soapy water.

Here's what I used: 
-soapy water
-rags
- painter's tape
-sanding blocks (200-1000 grit)
-mineral spirits
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint in Graphite and Paris Grey
-Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax
-paint brushes
- paper towels

Voila! Like most of my Furniture Makeovers, the process of painting this behemoth desk was simple. I simply gave it a good cleaning and sanding in any damaged areas. Once the piece was wiped clean of any grit and grime, I taped off my desktop design. I decided to go for a feedsack stripe design, to augment this warm industrial theme.

The body is painted in two coats of Annie Sloan Graphite, while the stripe design is both Graphite and Paris Grey. After the paint dried, I heavily distressed the piece using sanding blocks, hammer and nails, and even a small chain. (Yes, I slapped a chain on the desk. Yes, it made me feel a little mean. But whatever-- it turned out pretty! Yes, I know it's an inanimate object.) Finally, I applied a topcoat of Soft Clear Wax and thoroughly buffed for a high sheen.

I am so pleased with how it turned out. The white marble drawer pulls cleaned up perfectly and truly set this piece over the top. While cleaning the piece, I found its manufacturer's label inside one of the drawers. Believe it or not, this desk is also a little piece of Maryland history. It was made in Baltimore by Lucas Brothers--once one of the nation's oldest office supply and furniture distributors. I like to imagine that this desk belonged to some mid-century teacher... but who knows.

The desk will be placed  for sale in Repurposed & Refined's downtown Frederick brick + mortar. So, if you're in totally in love with it, you're more than welcome to stop by their shop at see it in person. Or, if you can't wait, you can always message me here or on Instagram for more information.

Ahhh. I wish I could just keep it! But if I kept every project, I would definitely show up on that show Hoarders someday.  Want more furniture makeovers, here are a few more I've done recently! Also, if you're in the Frederick area this weekend, head over to Sweet Clover Barn. The ladies of Repurposed & Refined have a booth there, and Cassie of Primitive & Proper-- whose projects and home tours you know I love--has stocked the place full of vintage goodness.

Happy weekend!

Project shared at Nifty Thrifty Things link party.

Old World Style Dresser

Hello everyone. It's been a while since I've written for the blog. My days have been super  busy lately with painting, writing, and adventuring with the hubs and the pup. Unfortunately, this good-kind-of-busy left me with little time to sit down and actually jot down some blog posts. Rest assured though-- I'm still out there crafting and writing. If you ever wonder what's become of us, give us a follow on Instagram @ampnabi for proof that we're still alive.

A recent Craigslist find had me whipping out my paintbrushes and paint cans for a quick furniture makeover. Last week, I spotted this old dresser for sale. I immediately knew that I wanted it, so a quick email chat ensued and I headed to the owner's home to pick it up. She informed me that the rickety old (and I mean old) dresser actually had belonged to her great-grandfather. She hated to part with it, but just truly didn't have any use for it. So, home it came with me!

My favorite thing about it? It still had all its hardware. So often I find beautiful pieces with beautiful hardware... just not all of it. When I saw that this dresser still possessed its knobs, I was super excited. Already, a vision was unfolding of what it be with a little elbow grease and a lot of chalkpaint.

Here's a glimpse of the "before"...

Beautiful, am I right?

I knew I wanted this antique piece to have an Old-World style. The words dark wax, dark wax, dark wax kept repeating like a mantra in my mind. But what color?

I kept it simple and went with colors I already owned: Old Violet (from our kitchen renovation) and Paris Grey (from my bedroom dresser makeover). The end result was awesome--even better than I anticipated--and surprisingly not that difficult.

Materials used:
Annie Sloan Chalkpaint- Old Violet
Annie Sloan Chalkpaint- Paris Grey
Annie Sloan Soft Dark Wax
mineral spirits
paper towels
paint brushes
old rags (for buffing and waxing)

Because the dresser was pretty scratched up, I had to give it a pretty thorough sanding. Now, typically. with Annie Sloan products you don't have to sand or prep the piece. That general rule is still very true. The sanding step served only to create a smooth surface. Over the years, the dresser had sustained some dings, nicks, and scratches. I simply wanted a smooth surface on top.

After sanding the dresser top, I cleaned and dusted the entire piece. Now it was finally ready to begin layering my paint. First, a base coat of Old Violet and then a top coat of Paris Grey. To get the peek-through of dusky-blue, I utilized a wet-rag distressing technique, simply rubbing away the still damp grey chalkpaint. Then,  I distressed the entire dresser using a high-grit sandpaper. A final coat of Dark Wax served as the topcoat-- and gave the piece its "Old World" patina.

And viola!

I have to say-- I'm thrilled with the way it turned out. True to the power of chalkpaint, this dresser went from shabby and neglected to stylish and unique in just two days.

Have a chalkpaint or furniture DIY you want to share? Link in the comments below!

Dill House Diary // Kitchen Progress

As most of you know, Mark and I have been working tirelessly for the past month on our kitchen renovation. In this post, I shared some images of kitchens that inspired our project. Today, I thought I would share a bit of the progress we have made thus far on the renovation. We're not quite finished-- there are a few details left to be concluded-- but we are getting so close. And I just couldn't wait to share a little of our progress on the blog!

When we bought the house, the kitchen was Dreadful-with-a-capital-D. Everything was white-- and not in a sleek, modern kind of way. More in an institutional, someone-had-no-eye-for-design kind of way. The cabinets were the stock white type... the sort of thing you'd find in any basic apartment anywhere. The walls were off-white, a dreadful pale color that the previous owners bought in giant five-gallon barrels and painted on everything. The original hardwood floor? Ripped up and replaced with a oak-leaf print linoleum that had stained and weathered poorly over the years. Ugh, my heart. Aside from functionality, this kitchen had nothing going for it.  Here's a blurry iPhone 4 photo to prove it. Its so white it almost glows. Or maybe that's just the grainy photo quality.

The profusion of white in the house must have triggered some kind of color-alarm in my brain, because I went out and bought a gallon of apple green paint, thinking it would liven up the space. My mother's kitchen was painted a lovely spring green color, a shade which totally worked in her space. Thinking longingly of home, I decided to copy the color as closely as I could.

And got this result...

Wop, wop, wop-- sad music sound, am I right? Thank goodness that this bloop was rectified!

Here's a lesson: green is a very finicky paint color. Without the right light, the color will not work in your home. My lovely apple green turned highlighter bright during the day and tinged yellow in the evening. Again, dreadful. I put up with it for several months--gritting my teeth and insisting I loved it--before I finally caved and bought a gallon of pale grey paint, with just the slightest lavender hint. The transformation was truly a testament to the necessity of buying paint that works in your space's lighting. Even if you love that Pinterest photo, the colors may not work for you.

Even once painted grey, I knew the kitchen was still not what I wanted. I fantasized about ripping out cabinetry and totally redoing the room. But the reality of a newly-wed budget settled in. Plus, since we don't plan for this to be our forever-home, there was really no point in busting the bank for the renovation. I knew that between the two of us, Mark and I could achieve style and functionality on a budget.

The Kitchen Goals:

- install new flooring

- paint the cabinets

- rip out upper cabinets and add open shelves

- replace ceiling fan with a stylish light

-replace cabinet hardware

- add a tile backsplash

- swap out outlet sockets (almond --> white)

- extend cabinets to the ceiling

So far, we've made some serious progress, checking off most of the goals on our list. Here are a few shots of what we've managed to achieve so far.

The first step was to remove the cabinet hardware (gold and outdated) with sleek oil rubbed bronze hardware that coordinated with our faucet. Next, we painted the lower cabinets using Annie Sloan Chalkpaint in the color Old Violet. If you're local to Frederick, you can pick up a can at Repurposed & Refined on West Patrick Street.

Then, we removed the bulky white upper cabinets, an act which instantly opened up the space. Our galley-style kitchen is very small so anything that opens up the space is a plus for me!

Next, my amazingly talented husband installed a white subway tile backsplash from the counter to the ceiling! Needless to say, that project took a while-- almost an entire week. You can only lay so many rows of tile at a time. Each row has to set; otherwise, the the whole backsplash could come sliding off your wall. Now that would be a disaster! 

Finally the backsplash was completed! At this point, we removed the wobbly old ceiling fan and replaced it with this simple light from Home Dept. Together, the tile and new light visually raised the ceiling about a foot! I still can't believe how much airier and open it feels in this room. 

Also: notice my pretty hardwood floors! Bye bye, ugly leaf-print linoleum! My heart still aches for the original hardwood the previous owners ripped out and threw away... but we work with what we've got, right? 

Next step? The open shelving! My sweet parents had some basic white shelves left over from their restaurant in Georgia. With just enough for us to complete the project, Dad kindly gifted them to us. It definitely helped us keep costs down! 

So now we're at some of the final stages: extending the cabinets, swapping out the outlet sockets, touching up paint. To extend the cabinets, we had to remove the top shelf to give Mark some wiggle-room to work. What's next on the agenda? Painting the new tops and moulding. Don't worry, they're not going to stay cardboard-box brown! 

I'm thankful to have a functional kitchen once again! I don't think I could have stood any more nights of take-out food. We're not quite finished... but the end is in sight! Stay tuned for the full renovation reveal-- this one with real camera photos, not iPhone photos. Haha!

Have you ever tackled a big renovation project? 

If so, how long did it take you? Was it worth it in the end?

Let me know in the comments below! 

Console Table Makeover

Happy Monday, everyone!

How was your Fourth of July celebration? Did you come through the other side, retaining all your fingers and toes? I hope so! Mark and I kept it simple this year. We stayed in Frederick to enjoy a cookout with friends and fireworks in the Baker Park. Which, by the way, if you're a local Marylander, you should definitely make the trip to Frederick for our Fourth celebration. This little town can put on a lightshow. Complete with a rousing soundtrack of patriotic songs, the firework show dazzles you with light and color before concluding with the national anthem played on the park's belltower. I shared a few images on my Instagram which you can find here.

Of course, holiday weekends always end, and Monday inevitably returns. Today at the Frederick shop, I've been working on a console table makeover. This piece is not vintage, but even newer pieces can benefit from an Annie Sloan chalkpaint makeover.

Originally, the piece was a butternut yellow color. Not bad-- but again, not great. Slightly one-dimensional. Here's a look at what the piece looked like beforehand.

To give the piece a more French Country feel, we decided to paint it in Annie Sloan Chalkpaint Graphite, the closest shade to black that Annie Sloan carries. Graphite is a really lovely color: a dusky chalkboard black. However, painting and waxing with Graphite can be a little more difficult than with other Annie Sloan colors, solely because the dark shade sometimes betrays any lint or dust that becomes trapped in the wax topcoat. Recently, I found myself in a vicious circle of painting, sanding, waxing, buffing on a custom Graphite bedroom set. The seemingly unending task would definitely be my version of Dante's hell. The problem turned out to be the buffing rags: somehow this ragbag had unreasonable amounts of lint that kept ruining the wax topcoat. Ugh!

Anyway, the console table project turned out to be much easier. No lint escapade anyway!

Materials used:
-Annie Sloan Chalkpaint in Graphite
-Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax
-brushes
-rags (waxing and buffing)
-paper towels


As with any Annie Sloan project, this was ridiculously simple. We simply painted a few coats of Graphite onto the console table, distressed, and then added a topcoat of Soft Clear Wax. After buffing the topcoat to a nice sheen, we were done!

The end result is a piece that certainly is no longer one-dimensional. The charcoal grey color gives the table a more dramatic flair, while the original pale wood stain still peeks through. It would work well as an entryway table or console table behind a sofa.

If you have any chalkpaint or furniture DIY questions,

please don't hesitate to ask in the comments below!

Repurposed & Refined

217 W Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 

Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored, nor did I received any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are truly my own. I just really love Annie Sloan chalkpaint and think you should try it out too!