My Love of Annie Sloan Paint

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share with you a tutorial on using some of Annie Sloan Chalk paint on a very rough, shabby wooden caddy over the weekend.  This is what it looked like before I started:

Very weathered and worn

As I start to paint

With This!

This was a fairly easy re-do.  I love using ASCP as it is virtually odorless, and can be used over any surface WITHOUT any prepping.  Glass, metal, wood...without any work before!!!  This is important because it can take many hours of sanding and smoothing before painting with a regular semi-gloss or matte paint.

The color I am using is called Old Violet and it is beautiful!  But nothing can prepare you for the way this color changes after it has been used.  I put on two coats, letting each coat dry throughly before adding the second coat.  This is what it looks like after you paint your two coats:

It has a deep color and looks a bit chalky

After the paint has dried, I sand lightly with 0000 sandpaper to smooth the wood and the paint.  I also sanded a bit harder on areas that I wanted to have the wood show through some.  With my brush I then used Annie Sloan clear wax and brushed it into the wood.  I let it dry some and then hand rubbed it until the most gorgeous sheen appeared...nothing looks the same after that!  Here is what it looked like after I brushed the wax on and removed the excess:

After sanding and wax was added and removed

Finished and filled with handmade items from my shop

Another view

I just love the way it came out and I am always amazed at how the color changes when it is sanded and the wax is put on.  Annie says not to sand before you paint and she is most definitely right! So that's my tutorial for my caddy.  I hope if you aren't familiar with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and want to totally transform any piece give this a try.  I can't say enough about it.