How To Paint Furniture the Easy Way!

Hey ya'll! So, I've been traveling roughly similar a crazy someone all summertime long. I've been abode well-nigh iii out of 8 weekends, in addition to my projects receive got totally taken a backseat. I receive got a rattling obvious blueprint that repeats itself each year: I encounter ALL the people in addition to practise ALL the things all summertime long, in addition to and then every wintertime I hermit myself until the Sun comes dorsum out...leaving me enough of fourth dimension to practise all the things I avoided all summer.
So, we're non freaking out well-nigh the summertime slump. Lassie WILL come upwards home. Eventually.

Despite my travels in addition to associated projection avoidance, I did receive got a lilliputian creative surge this calendar week in addition to was able to destination a slice of furniture projection that I've been wanting to consummate for quite some time.

You may retrieve the lilliputian thrift shop dresser that I got well-nigh vii years ago. It's difficult for me to honour a proficient 'before' motion prototype of it because it was the firstly slice of slice of furniture I e'er painted, in addition to that was well-nigh a twelvemonth before I started my blog.

So, allow me tell you lot a lilliputian backstory well-nigh this fella.

I got this dresser when I was 23 from my mom every bit an odd, but rattling awesome birthday gift. If I retrieve correctly, she got it for me because my TV was sitting on the flooring in addition to I think she felt sorry for me. I establish this one-time motion prototype of me in addition to Mathias (holding babe Tootie) inwards our condo to demonstrate. You tin encounter the dresser inwards the background. 

Ignore everything else, including my maiden voyage into the province of self tanners.

And in addition to then after a distich years of condo life, Jesse in addition to I moved into our electrical current house, in addition to the wooden dresser province of affairs simply form of perpetuated itself for awhile.

And in addition to then I started prototype everything inwards sight, thence the dresser got painted white. It was the firstly slice of slice of furniture I e'er painted, in addition to I did an absolutely horrible job. I didn't sand it or prime number it, in addition to the pigment started peeling off weeks later.

And naturally, at that point, my method of fixing it was to simply slop to a greater extent than pigment on it. So, it got painted green.

If you lot e'er experience similar you lot suck at decorating, it's okay. Most of us normal humans practise inwards the beginning. Keep trying. And in addition to then ane twenty-four hours you lot tin express joy well-nigh that dresser you lot painted forrest green. Well, in addition to everything else. 

Just focus on Tootie in addition to Cheese asleep on Jesse's legs, in addition to you'll forget this e'er happened.

And in addition to then it eventually got painted dorsum to a form of yellowish-cream in addition to it ended upwards inwards the entryway nook for a few years, which is where it stayed until the renovation. 

 I sold almost all of our slice of furniture when nosotros redid the floors, but I kept the lilliputian dresser. 

So, this past times calendar week I decided to strip the dresser amongst Citristrip. It's endured well-nigh v terrible pigment jobs, in addition to the exclusively means to salve it was to start from scratch.

I didn't accept whatever pics when I stripped it. Frankly, I was covered inwards goo, in addition to inwards the middle of a Don't Be Tardy marathon, in addition to I simply couldn't live bothered. But, if you're curious, it's the same procedure I used on this dresser.

Once it was stripped in addition to cleaned in addition to ready for paint, I decided to endeavor something a lilliputian different. I wanted a lacquer-like finish, thence I decided to utilization some crude oil paint. The exclusively other fourth dimension I've used crude oil pigment was dorsum when I painted our one-time dining room table black, in addition to I loved the means it turned out. So, I decided to endeavor some crude oil pigment on the dresser to encounter if I could larn the expect I wanted.

I did a lilliputian inquiry in addition to decided to endeavor the Glidden Trim & Door Extra High Gloss inwards Antique White. I had already stripped in addition to sanded this dresser basically downwards to raw wood, thence at that spot was no demand for me to prime. (But, if you lot aren't stripping your piece, simply scuff the surface lightly amongst some fine grit sandpaper in addition to utilization Kilz crude oil based primer made for adhesion before you lot pigment amongst this paint.)

For tools, all I needed was my Wooster shortcut brush. The Glidden crude oil pigment has something called 'Gel Flow Technology' in addition to it's supposed to simply degree out on its ain in addition to present no signs of brushstrokes. When I firstly applied it, I could encounter my brushstrokes, but I left it overnight in addition to they completely leveled out. It totally blew my mind, in addition to instantly I'm obsessed amongst this paint.

You're belike wondering how this relates to other paints I've used. So, for me, the pros of this crude oil pigment inwards comparing to the Sherwin Williams Alkyd Enamel pigment (a H2O based self-leveling pigment that I unremarkably utilization on furniture) is that the crude oil pigment cures means harder in addition to gives a much shinier, professional person looking destination without having to utilization whatever sort of topcoat. Seriously, this dresser looks similar it came this way. None of my pigment jobs receive got e'er looked this amazing. The cons are that the Glidden crude oil pigment smells terrible (you'll receive got to opened upwards some windows for well-nigh 24 hours), the dry out fourth dimension is really long (dry to the touching on inwards 12 hours, but non fully cured for well-nigh 48 hours), you lot receive got to construct clean your brush out amongst mineral spirits, in addition to it exclusively comes inwards 4 colors (black, gray, white, antique white). 

So, inwards summary, the crude oil pigment is slowly to utilization in addition to creates an amazing finish, but it's really toxic. So, live a smartie in addition to article of apparel the appropriate mask in addition to ventilate your workspace.

Now, let's motion on to the residual of the dresser. After I had painted the frame of the dresser, I painted the drawer fronts in addition to allow them dry out for 48 hours, planning to pigment the interiors of the drawers (because they were disgusting) amongst some leftover navy bluish latex paint. But, in addition to then I got a wild pilus at the in conclusion instant in addition to decided that I wanted to spray pigment them chrome silver. So, I had to accept the hardware off (that I had impatiently applied every bit good early) in addition to and then record off the fronts of the drawers thence every bit to non larn spray pigment on them.

Note to self: Spray pigment the insides of the drawers before prototype the outsides. 

Life isn't meant to live spent tangled inwards tape.

Then I grabbed a few cans of Rustoleum inwards Bright Coat Silver because it's super shiny in addition to mimics silverish leafage when used on raw wood. I discovered this past times accident, in addition to it's awesome.

And in addition to then I took the drawers exterior into the really crappy mosquito-ey component of my backyard that I avoid at all costs (unless I'm farther ruining it amongst spray paint), in addition to I spray painted the insides in addition to outsides of the drawers (minus the fronts). 

 

It exclusively took ii cans, in addition to it made such a large difference. The insides of this dresser needed some major help, in addition to this was thence much easier than my green road of priming in addition to prototype them past times hand.
I realize how awful my yard is. 
Jesse says he's overseeding it for adjacent year...or something. But, I simply kinda express joy in addition to concealment the hush-hush garden of weeds in addition to bamboo that is my backyard.
A daughter tin exclusively practise thence much at once.

Once the insides were dry, I took them dorsum within in addition to allow everything cure for some other day.

Once everything was totally dry, I applied the hardware. I establish these amazing lilliputian pulls at Home Depot. They remind me almost precisely of these Restoration Hardware pulls, but they were exclusively $4 each rather than $24.



I experience similar hardware is kinda similar the jewelry of furniture. 
The right pair of earrings, in addition to boom, you're Beyonce.

Once it was all assembled, I decided to motion it to the corner of the business office inwards the nook. Remember how the old office had a bookshelf inwards the corner? 

Well, unfortunately for Cheese, I got rid of the bookshelf in addition to I moved inwards my novel dresser.
Here's how the lilliputian business office nook looks today.

I've been working on putting the business office dorsum together for a few weeks now, in addition to it's almost finished. So, things mightiness withal larn moved roughly a lilliputian bit, but I'm hoping to live able to present you lot the whole affair soon.

I styled it upwards temporarily amongst a mirror from HomeGoods that I establish on clearance for well-nigh $30 because it was all scuffed upwards in addition to the mirror was popping out of the back.
 I fixed it amongst some Rub northward Buff in addition to heavy duty glue.
Take that, pricey discount shop that tempts me amongst its shiny goods.

And in addition to then a silverish tray (thrift store), a babe orchid (I'm belike gonna kill it soon, thence soak it up.), in addition to a lilliputian bluish in addition to white bowl (thrift store).

I invention to utilization this dresser to organize our paperwork inwards the office, in addition to shop random electronics in addition to such.

I withal receive got quite a chip of piece of work to practise inwards the office, but there's finally some slice of furniture inwards it, thence I tin really sit down inwards hither in addition to spider web log again.

Little past times little, nosotros volition conquer this mountain, ya'll. 

That's me existence optimistic inwards the human face upwards of adversity.

And that's my newly redone lilliputian crude oil pigment dresser. I honey it, in addition to I think it's the perfect lilliputian jibe for the corner of the office. 

Before I go, a few of you lot receive got inquired well-nigh my brother, Mathias, in addition to how he's doing inwards the Navy. And quite a few of you lot receive got fifty-fifty allow me know that you lot receive got a Navy Nuke inwards your family, too! 

Thank you. Seriously. I appreciate that thence much.

In representative you lot aren't upwards to date, Mathias enlisted (for a half dozen twelvemonth period) to live a Nuclear Engineer inwards the Navy a lilliputian over a twelvemonth ago, in addition to for quite some fourth dimension I was thence sad. He's totally my best friend fifty-fifty though we're a decade apart, in addition to when he lived inwards Knoxville I got to encounter him all the time. 
And in addition to then everything changed in addition to it was hard.
He went to kick army camp for half dozen weeks in addition to was exclusively able to communicate via letters.

It was really rough, but also kinda delightful to larn weird letters from him, because who gets letters from their lilliputian brother? No one, that's who.

And in addition to then I got to encounter him for a few days at Christmas, thence that was good. And in addition to then a few days inwards Charleston in addition to Myrtle Beach before this twelvemonth when he graduated from his firstly Nuclear technology scientific discipline school. But, in addition to then he moved from Charleston upwards to New York in addition to I was thence worried I would never encounter him again.

Because that's how my encephalon works.

But then, in conclusion calendar week nosotros got to drive upwards in addition to watch him and his girlfriend, Meredith, who got to alive amongst him for the summertime before she had to provide to classes at UT. And so, that's where I've been for the past times lilliputian while. 

And it was ane of the best lilliputian vacations ever. The xxx lx minutes circular trip motorcar ride nearly killed me, but other than that, it was great. He rents a cute one-time line of piece of work solid amongst some of his Navy friends (filled to the brim amongst recliners, food, reckoner parts, in addition to other things 21 twelvemonth one-time dudes like). 

We played lots of games, generally Giant Jenga.

Mathias made it out of 2x4's.

It's a rattling trigger-happy accept on the classic children's game.

And Jesse was basically inwards heaven, every bit he simply got to play exterior for a few days in addition to pass fourth dimension existence bros amongst his bro.

And in addition to then nosotros got to explore the belongings that Mathias' line of piece of work solid sits on. There was at ane indicate an one-time performance factory on his property, thence at that spot are all of these weird tunnels in addition to stone structures to explore. And it backs right upwards to a river, in addition to they hung hammocks all over the overstep of the stone construction (pictured below) thence you lot tin simply form of swing inwards the hammocks in addition to expect at the river. 

It was a mixture of ane component 'Amazing!' in addition to ane component 'Is this the laid of True Detective?'.

And in addition to then Mathias took us to the Equus caballus races inwards Saratoga. I've never been to a Equus caballus race, thence it was kinda fascinating, in addition to definitely something to see. Jesse won $100, thence that pretty much made his life.

But, for the most part, nosotros simply spent a lot of fourth dimension hanging out in addition to laughing, in addition to appreciating the weirdness that is my brother.

 Exhibit A: My blood brother in addition to his roommates made giant printouts of their faces. 

You know, simply for hallway decor.

To know Mathias, is genuinely to honey Mathias, in addition to I'm thence glad I had the chance to larn upwards to New York spell he was at that spot in addition to encounter what his life is similar there. 

It made me incredibly happy. I miss the lil' guy.

That's all for today, ya'll. 

Thanks for caring well-nigh my life tidbits. I'll live dorsum soon!

'Til then!

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How To Make Gold Leaf Art (Round Two)!

Hey ya'll! 
I only got dorsum from Michigan on Tuesday (more on that later), as well as I was finally able to seat the finishing touches on a piddling fine art projection I've been working on.

This isn't my starting fourth dimension endeavor at golden leafage fine art (you mightiness retrieve this i or this one), but I genuinely wanted to brand a larger slice alongside some hints of pinkish as well as majestic for the office.

I know that inwards my finally post I debuted this thrifty piddling dresser alongside a mirror over it, but the mirror genuinely goes inwards some other constituent of the office. So, that was only form of a temporary setup until I could complete this painting.

Ya'll seemed to dear the mirror fifty-fifty to a greater extent than than the dresser, as well as I don't blame you lot i bit. 

I mean, how many white painted dressers tin i daughter make?

*Probably many more. But nosotros tin live on honest alongside each other.

So, anyways, here's the novel art.

I only dear the agency it turned out, as well as my favorite constituent is the agency it's hung on a piddling golden chain.

I had Jesse assist me alongside edifice a frame, as well as I styled it upward alongside a few piddling tidbits from the thrift store similar my ginger scandalize as well as golden mug (used every bit a pencil holder).

So, here's how I did it, only inwards example you lot desire to brand your ain version.

Prepare for the parade of beautiful nighttime iphone photos.

It's headed your way.

The starting fourth dimension affair I did was conk to the arts and crafts shop as well as larn a large canvas. I used a coupon, hence it entirely toll me almost $20 for a sheet this size. Then, I only used some basic impasto paste/modeling paste (affiliate link) and some leftover off-white wall pigment as well as painted the canvas. The impasto glue only adds a piddling texture to your painting, hence that constituent is totally optional.

I've been working on icon as well as installing bring down for months straightaway (it never ends), as well as I've temporarily been using the haunted describe solid room over on the side of the chamber every bit my workspace. 
That poor, sad, piddling room.

Once the base of operations coat of white pigment as well as impasto glue was dry, I applied some Elmer's gum to the parts of the sheet where I wanted my golden leafage to go.

And as well as then I moved out into the living room as well as seat a blanket on the flooring as well as decided to pigment there.

Because I am a ridiculous someone that needs things similar windows as well as lite (basic amenities that the haunted describe solid room does non offer).

Next, I applied the golden leaf. The shop was out of golden leafage sheets similar I commonly use, hence I had to utilization golden leafage flakes. I wasn't certain how it would plow out, but I'm happy to study that I think I similar the flakes fifty-fifty ameliorate for the purposes of making abstract art. 

That beingness said, the flakes are 1000% messier. Go ahead as well as accuse your dustbuster now.

As for paint, I bought a huge pack of acrylics at the arts and crafts shop almost two years ago, as well as they are however going strong. I've been able to utilization them for all sorts of art, as well as it has basically every colouring you lot need.

So, straightaway for the pigment part. Most people larn kinda stuck on this part. But, don't live on intimidated. I receive got null science or talent when it comes to this. I only kinda mix paints as well as apply them to dissimilar parts of the canvas. 

The fox is layers. I apply the starting fourth dimension layer as well as allow it dry.

Then, I await at it as well as create upward one's take away heed to add together to a greater extent than pigment as well as golden leaf. 

And you're likely noticing that this isn't what the finally icon turned out to await like. I allow it sit down similar this for a few days, thinking that it was done, but non genuinely loving it. And as well as then I ultimately went dorsum as well as added some other layer of white pigment as well as a few touches of black, gray, etc.

So, during the the few days when I persuasion it was already done (even though deep downwards I wasn't inwards dear alongside it yet), I enlisted Jesse to assist me brand a frame. 

He's conk quite the woods working human since doing all of the bring down work, 

and since I am NOT (a woods working man), this comes inwards handy.

Also, you lot tin totally do this projection without a frame as well as it volition however await awesome. 

And this is a terrible pic, but at to the lowest degree you lot tin run across the piddling wooden frame when it was starting fourth dimension done (and the icon after I starting fourth dimension applied a piddling to a greater extent than white pigment or hence the edges as well as finally decided I loved it.)

Here's an actual up-close shot hence that you lot tin run across how I added piddling touches of dark as well as greyish as well as and then allow that starting fourth dimension genuinely vivid layer form of peek through the finally extra layer of white paint.

Then, I decided to spray pigment the frame. First, I tried gold, as well as that looked awful, hence I tried silvery instead. And that looked great. Then, in i trial it was dry, Jesse stapled the frame to the sheet from the dorsum alongside a staple gun.

After everything was assembled, I decided I wanted to do something a piddling dissimilar as well as hang it on the wall alongside a piddling golden chain hanging off of a hook. So, I went to the hardware shop as well as brought habitation three feet of chain (both silvery as well as golden because I wanted to exam out what the silvery looked like), some loving cup hooks (to attach to the transcend of the frame) as well as a wall claw to hang the icon from. This all toll me almost $3.

Oh, as well as there's all sorts of dissimilar types of chains available. You only select the chain you lot want, as well as an employee cuts it for you.

Once I had all of the necessary supplies, Jesse helped me twist the piddling loving cup hooks into the woods as well as attach my chain.

I likely could receive got handled that myself, but it's genuinely sweetness that Jesse wanted to assist me alongside my fine art project. Enlisting him to brand a frame genuinely got him involved. Who knew?

Here's a closeup of the wall hanging laid up, hence that you lot tin larn a practiced await at how it was done. It was a genuinely uncomplicated piddling addition, but the silvery frame as well as piddling golden chain genuinely give the icon a piddling extra oomph.

My favorite constituent is that when I'm inwards accuse of hanging materials on the wall, it commonly involves a lot of gauge work, several boom holes, a remote used every bit a hammer, as well as fifty-fifty the occasional greasy handprint on the wall. When Jesse is inwards charge, it involves precise measurements, levels, as well as i real perfect boom hole.

Alien. 

So, that's the story of the latest painting. It took me a few days, as well as I had to enlist the assist of a woodworker, but all inwards all, a pretty slow project. And it looks hence corking inwards the office, which volition hopefully all come upward together presently hence that I tin demonstrate you lot the residual of the room.

Before I go, I promised to say you lot almost Michigan. We drove some other 10+ hours finally Th to catch Jesse's parents upward inwards Michigan. I'm getting genuinely practiced at this route trip affair lately.

 I pass most of my fourth dimension burritoed inwards a blanket.

You tin give cheers Jesse for capturing this real especial motion-picture demonstrate of me sleeping.

While nosotros were in that location nosotros spent lots of fourth dimension only hanging out alongside Jesse's parents, playing golf, as well as going out to eat. I'm non the most capable golf game player, hence I commonly only drive the cart spell Jesse as well as his parents play.

We saw a few sights as well as explored the nearby town spell nosotros were there. It was real Alpine-esque as well as I genuinely enjoyed it. (We were upward inwards Gaylord, Michigan, for those of you lot who mightiness know the area.) Jesse as well as his identify unit of measurement receive got been going upward to Michigan every wintertime to snowmobile for decades. And straightaway Jesse goes alongside his friends. So, he was kinda on a mission to receive got me to all the spots they conk as well as demonstrate me how dissimilar they await inwards the summer.

Of course, I've never been, hence it was to a greater extent than of an 'Oh, yeah, await at that hill.' sorta sense for me. But, he's promised to receive got me snowmobiling this winter, hence mayhap I'll receive got to a greater extent than to study then. :)

All inwards all, it was a fun piddling trip to a novel place, as well as it was corking to pass some fourth dimension alongside my in-laws. I don't larn to run across them real often, as well as beingness or hence them is kinda practiced for the soul. So, straightaway we're back, as well as hopefully I tin larn dorsum to working on the house. Wish me luck.

That's all for today, ya'll!

Thanks for beingness here. 'Til adjacent time!

That's all for today! 'Til adjacent time!

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