Chairs In The Making

I've been having quite a painting party

here in the cottage. Nothing finished, but

lots of starts.

My main effort has been painting this table

and four chairs that I bought for $20 at a garage

sale when we visited middle daughter last June.

$20...Who could resist?

Do you think Wild Bill was thrilled to learn

we had to haul them home? ...yeah, right!

The seat covers were pretty good, just a few

water stains. Painting them seemed easier than

removing and recovering them.

You can see the type stain they had in the upper

right corner of the chair seat in this picture.

I used an old can of Behr paint in a white color

called Popcorn and a quart of Ben Moore's paint (in

a buttery yellow color) to make an off-white color.

I added a 50/50 mix of Plaster of Paris and water

to make the paint chalky, using about 3 tablespoons

of each and mixing it up in a disposable paper bowl

before pouring it into the paint in the pint jar.

To paint the chair seats, first I wet the material

with the water I cleaned off my brush in.

I'm nothing if not lazy thrifty!

Next I dipped the wet brush in a little paint and

kind of water-washed the paint on.

You need to let the thin coats dry between

coats, and it helps to use a piece of fine-grade

sandpaper every couple of coats to make the

material smoother and less stiff.

If you try this, be sure to paint the seat's material

first, as the watery paint will drip onto the legs

and you can then just spread that out in a

thin first coat on the legs as you go.

When the seats are completely coated and dry,

I'll smooth them with a little more sandpaper

and finish them with Annie Sloan's soft wax.

Hope you'll join the "progress party" at...



http://oldworldpatina.blogspot.com/2014/09/pictures-of-my-messy-studio.html

Monday party here:

http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com/2014/09/welcome-to-amaze-me-monday-blog-linky-party.html

and also at Distressed Donna's

http://distresseddonnadownhome.blogspot.com/2014/09/make-it-monday-3-link-party-and.html