Paint it RED for a Pop of Color

One of my favorite colors in the Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint collection is Tricycle Red. I have painted with this color more than any of the colors and I never get tired of it! This make over was a two drawer chest for the guest room. It was a dark mahogany two drawer chest that I sanded because I wanted very little resist. It turned out exactly how I wanted it. I love painting with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint because I can decide if I want it to be chippy or smooth or both. With this chest I wanted a little chippiness and I controlled that by sanding the areas that I wanted to paint to stick. But in the areas I didn't sand  that is where it chipped. I used MMSMP Furniture Wax and MMSMP Antiquing Wax to give a nice smooth finish. Here are the before and after pics of this painted chest. 

Phase Two of the Bedroom Make Over

A few weeks ago I started working on the guest bedroom redo. I had an antique iron bed with shabby chic accents and wanted a change. So the antique bed is getting a new home and the guest room is in phase two. I painted a two drawer chest in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. I chose the beautiful color Tricycle. I'll post a before and after of the chest later. I really love how the room is coming along. I will be adding more accents and maybe more furniture. If you need paint and want to order online check our website for all your needs: www.freshjaspertexas.com 

Enchanted Lilac Desk

I look at all of the Pottery Barn catalogs - PB for kids, PB for teens, PB bed and bath, and PB original catalog. Yes, I get them all in the mail and they are very inspirational for painting furniture and home decor. 

When I received the PB for kids catalog a few weeks ago I noticed that one of the most popular color combinations were lilac and gray. I have never been a real fan of the purples or lilacs for home decor but I really liked the look of what PB had put together in their catalog for little girls rooms.

CeCe Caldwell's Chalk and Clay paint has a color called Enchanted Lilac that looked like the exact same color in the PB book. So, I painted a small desk in this great color and stenciled the top in metallic silver with an Endurance finish. 

I think this is a perfect color for a little girls room and it's such a refreshing and happy color. I'm already searching for something else to paint in this fun color!  

Oh by the way, look for pictures on the bedroom makeover. I am almost finished with that project and it's looking good!

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint - Have you tried it?

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is quality milk paint that I love to use for painting furniture, picture frames, hardware, and almost anything that I think needs a face-lift. It comes in powder form and is mixed with water. All instructions on how to mix this paint and how to use it can be found on our website www.freshjaspertexas.com. We also sell online for your convenience, shop from your home and let the paint come to you. There are several finishes that can be used to complete your project - hemp oil, tung oil, furniture wax, antiquing wax, and white wax. Depending upon what you are painting depends on the type of finish you will want to choose. So many choices but after you've used them you will know which one best suits you! 
Do you want to have chippiness on your piece? This paint is the best for that look. But if you want a smooth (no chippiness) finish - no problem just add bonding agent. As you will find, this paint is very versatile and fun to use. Let me know if you try it and what you think. 

In Between - Ombre Four Drawer Side Table

I'm still working on the guest bedroom make over and it's getting there. But "in between" that project I've been painting a few pieces that I picked up at an estate sale. 
The four drawer pine side table seemed perfect to paint ombre. I have pinned several ombre painted desk, chest, tables, etc. and when I purchased this little table I knew that I would try my hand at ombre style painting. What color would I paint it? The newest color Thomasville Teal by CeCe Caldwell's Paints would be a good color to use in my opinion and I was itching to use this beautiful new color. 
I decided to paint the bottom drawer teal. The third drawer and the base of the table I painted a mixture of 8:1 of the Thomasville Teal with Dover White to get a shade lighter than the full strength Teal. The second drawer I added more Dover White until I got a shade lighter. And the top drawer was painted in Vintage White and then I finished the entire piece with Endurance. 
This was a fun painting project that I will definitely do again.
I apologize for the pictures but I had planned to take better ones in the shop but it didn't last very long. If you want to try this type painting technique stop in to purchase your paint or shop online with us at www.freshjaspertexas.com.

Part 2: Guest Bedroom Make Over

When you start a painting project or a room make over how do you begin? I am going to share today how I begin a project. I'm sure everyone has their own way of doing things but I think it's interesting to peek into others lives to get new ideas. I don't suppose I ever stop learning and in my opinion it's important to keep an open mind on learning. So today I am going to show part of the guest room and how it is decorated at this time. I like to start out with a blank slate if possible so I will remove all the furniture that it is in the room first. I will give the carpet, windows, base boards, etc. a good cleaning before placing the furniture back into the room. If I were going to paint the walls I would do that next but this room was painted not long ago and it's a neutral color that will work for what I am wanting to do. 

I have an inspiration picture that I am using from Pinterest. I have decided to add more color in this room with the bed linens and furniture. As you will see in the photos the room was more shabby chic with a pop of color in my pillows. 

I removed the ceiling fan several years ago with a new light fixture and you can see the reflection of the crystals on my wall behind the bed. This was my daughters room and she wanted one of those palm leaf type fans and it just didn't work with my decor when she left for college. It had to go! Take a look at these pictures of the decor as it looks now but soon to change. Come back in a few days for another update on this guest room make over. 

Part 1: Bedroom Make Over using Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Several months ago I posted a picture of a two drawer chest that I was going to paint but as I cleaned it, I had second thoughts. It had good bones and I liked it a lot! I decided to keep it in my foyer and opted not to paint it. 
Well now that several months have past and I saw a Pinterest post on a bedroom that I really liked, I've decided to paint it. I am a big fan of Pottery Barn bed linens and over the years I've bought plenty. The comforter shown in the pin looked very familiar. I had bought that same comforter many years ago and never really liked it. But I loved the way it looked in this picture and started thinking I may drag it out and try it again! 
My youngest daughter has always wanted the beautiful antique bed in my guest bedroom. Since she is getting married and will have a house of her own soon it will be hers and so the changes begin.
I will post "before" pictures of the room and I invite you to see "after" pictures of the room make-over as I complete this home project. 
If you follow my blog you know my favorite color is red and so there will be a little red mixed in with some blue. I will be using Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint for the chest. Take a look at the room that will be my inspiration and the chest that will be the bedside table. More pictures to come....

Two Drawer Chest will be my bedside table.

My room inspiration for the make-over!

How to Mix Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Today I am posting several different options for mixing Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint. After experimenting with the mixing you can decide which method is best for you. These instructions can also be found on our website www.freshjaspertexas.com under "paint instructions". 

How to Mix Milk Paint:
For solid/opaque coverage: mix 1 part water and 1 part paint
For wash/stain coverage: mix 3 parts water and 1 part paint

Different Ways to Mix Milk Paint:
Blender:  Add water first then paint;mix on low for 1-3 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the pigments and raw materials dissolve.
Pros: Will create a consistent smooth finish; easy to mix and easy to adjust for best consistency.
Cons:  Dedicating a paint mixing blender only, wash immediately. Dried paint can be hard to wash out. 

Mini electric mixer: Add water first, and then add paint. Place mixer directly to the bottom of the container and apply pressure, turn it on and pulse 5-6 times.
Pros:  Fast and easy to mix small batches, typically provides a nice consistency to work with.
Cons:  May over "froth" and have a thinner consistency with air bubbles. If this happens, skim the top and set aside until paint has time to settle. Do not continue to mix.

Mini Whisk:
Pros:  Easy for mixing small batches, ensures minimal clumps, and provides an excellent consistency.
Cons:  May be time consuming and labor intensive.

Shaking in a jar:
Pros:  Easy and convenient way to mix.
Cons:  May easily create clumps, paint will stick to the sides. 

No matter which way you mix, be sure to look for:

Consistency of coverage - Be sure to test. Too thick?  Add more water. Too thin? Add more paint.
No Clumps - When mixed properly clumps should not exist. If there are a lot of clumps, spend more time mixing thoroughly.
No Streaks -Sometimes if the paint is mixed quickly and not thoroughly enough pigments may not have dissolved yet. Be sure to thoroughly mix to avoid this.

Stir frequently throughout your project as pigments will settle to the bottom of the container. Typically 1-2 coats are required. Allow 30-40 minutes between coats.