Emperor’s Silk and Dark Wax Buffet

Posted on 12/13/2016 by Tricia

When cleaning out a storage space in our Macedon store, we found an old buffet that had been neglected and was in desperate need of refinishing!

Previously it had just been used for storage, in the sense that things were stored in the drawers, forgotten about, and never seen again…we all have pieces like that.

The first thing we did to this piece was clean it with Mineral Spirits, then we gave it a fresh water rinse (as you should before painting any piece).

With the holidays approaching, we were feeling festive, so we began painting the piece with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan in the color Emperor’s Silk – a bright, fun red, reminiscent of holly berries used for Christmas decorating!

The whole piece got 2 coats of Emperor’s Silk – everywhere except the top, that is. The top of the piece was left unpainted and would eventually be stained with General Finishes Gel Stain in the color Java.

GEL STAIN:

Unlike the CHALK PAINT, the stains require a bit of prep-work (other than just cleaning). In order to achieve a finish that is true to the intended color on the quart, you have to sand the piece down to raw wood (we love using Annie Sloan’s reusable Sanding Pads for this). If you stain right over the existing finish, the color will be altered.

When applying the gel stain, you brush the stain on liberally (I like to use a foam brush) and then wipe of the excess with any kind of lint free rag…Scott’s Shop Towels work great! On this piece we chose to do the entire surface at once, rather than breaking it up into sections since it isn’t an overwhelmingly large piece.

Meanwhile, the rest of the piece that was painted was sealed in Clear Wax, then we added Dark Wax to give the Emperor’s Silk a nice, rich tone.

Sometimes using Dark Wax can be intimidating, so if you’re feeling apprehensive, read our post that gives some tips and tricks for using Dark Wax HERE.

So what do you think of our festive transformation?

Come visit one of our TWO locations:

EAST SIDE OF ROCHESTER (Our MAIN store!)

77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

OPEN Mon – Wed 10– 4, Thurs 11–7, Fri 10 –5 & Sat 10-4.…CLOSED SUNDAY

WEST SIDE OF ROCHESTER

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

OPEN Thurs – Sunday 11–6 ……CLOSED MON, TUES, WEDNESDAY

Table Set in Chalk Paint® and Java Gel

Posted on 06/29/2015 by Tricia

The Purple Painted Lady loves sharing a great “before & after” story!

This one is by Anne French…she is the woman smiling below at you!

Anne did a table set using Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and products by General Finishes. And personally, I think she did a fabulous job!

PRODUCTS USED: (Click on the item below to visit it in the shopping cart)

Graphite Chalk Paint®

General Finishes Java Gel Stain

General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin

Steel Wool

Annie Sloan SMALL Paint Brush (to create texture)

Chip Brush

Anne wrote that this table and chairs set was a big job, but I love the way it turned out! My client wanted something rustic, yet sophisticated so we went with kind of a faux zinc finish.

PREPPED FOR GENERAL FINISHES:
I started by removing each of the seats so they could be sanded down and prepped for staining. The chair backs were also sanded and taped off since part of the chair would be painted and part would be stained.

Chair Sanded

The table top was also completely sanded and prepped for staining. For the stained sections I used my favorite – General Finishes Java Gel.

The General Finishes in the color Java is a rich mocha brown

I find it is very forgiving and easy to work with. I did one coat of stain and then wiped off the excess using an old cotton t-shirt.Once the stain had dried thoroughly I applied about 5 coats of General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Satin for added durability.

The Purple Painted Lady Java Gel Chairs Seats in a Row Anne French

General Finishes Satin The purple painted Lady

I used a fine steel wool (grade 0000) in between each coat of sealer for a nice smooth finish. I like to use extra coats of sealer on seats and table tops since they will get lots of use. (From The Purple Painted Lady- make sure to respect drying times between coats)

Next, I started in on the painting portion. (I disassembled the table first, which made it much easier to work with since I knew I would be doing multiple steps).

FAUX ZINC FINISH (Random Brush Strokes):
To create the faux zinc finish I started off by applying two coats of Annie Sloan Graphite, using brush strokes in all different directions. Remember that Graphite is a dark slate color with purple/blue undertones. This is NOT a pure black. Can you see the brush strokes in the image below?

The Purple Painted Lady Color Wash Anne French Chalk Paint Graphite

The Purple Painted Lady small Annie sloan Chalk Paint brush domed top

The Purple Painted Lady Graphite Chalk Paint open lid

COLOR WASH:

This created some really nice texture to “catch” the color wash. I did a color wash using Annie Sloan Paris Gray, using about five parts water to three parts Paris Gray.

I applied the wash with a chip brush and then rubbed off the excess using an old cloth.

The Purple Painted Lady 2 inch chip brush

Finally, I applied about 3 coats of the General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Satin, fine sanding with the steel wool in between the coats.My client was thrilled with the finished product! I have since used this faux zinc finish on multiple other projects and it is always a winner.

The Purple Painted Lady Graphite Chair Close Up Java Chalk Paint Anne French

PROJECT TIP FROM ANNE:

When applying a color wash, be careful not to use too much pressure when wiping off the excess as it can pull off some of the base color and potentially create an unwanted distressed look to your piece.

If you are interested in staying touch with The Purple Painted Lady- visit our Facebook page HERE – we would LOVE to hear from you and see your before & after photos!

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

First- if you have a local stockist- go visit them and build a relationship with them. Go to them with your questions and project issues. BUT- if you do not have a local stockist- we invite you to try our customer service!

As for buying any of the products we mentioned earlier in this post- I hope that you select The Purple Painted Lady™ to be your one stop resource! We have two locations in western NY. Check out our Information tab and come and meet us! Otherwise- if you are not located near me- the following information may apply to you. This information is directed to those who do NOT have a local stockist. Because if you do – go and meet them, shop from them and build a relationship with them. The guidance, information and knowledge they share with you – will be invaluable. But, if you are in a location where there is no one selling paint products- and you must buy on-line- consider us. With that said, visit www.anniesloan.com to find a stockist near you.

We are here to help you, our customers! We want you to be successful! And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:

SOME OF THE REASONS WE THINK OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST:

* We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95

* If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.

* We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.

* We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.

* We have awesome follow up customer service, too!

And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you. (my shameless but honest plug) Here is a link to our on-line shop=> http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/

: ) And I will be here to help you as you progress through your future project! And if I do say so myself- we offer the BEST customer service that you will ever experience!Lastly- if I was helpful to you- ….please consider leaving a positive review on my Facebook business page sharing your positive experience or thoughts about The Purple Painted Lady. Here is a link to my Facebook page=> http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Purple-Painted-Lady/291882785710 This really helps me! (wink, wink!)
XO

Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

PLEASE VISIT OUR LOCATIONS!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

Paris Grey, Graphite and Coco Chalk Paint® Buffet

Posted on 06/14/2015 by Tricia

The Purple Painted Lady loves to share pieces that have been completed by her customers. One customer in particular, is Nikki Counahan. She is also know as The Grateful Painter.

Nikki, “The Grateful Painter” has both a Facebook page HERE and an Instagram account HERE for you to check out.

I asked Nikki to share some information about this buffet that she recently completed because I think it is helpful to understand how others use products and to learn from one another.

Here is the fantastic information Nikki shared with me:

I bought this piece from an online auction. I spent more than I normally would on this buffet but I have always wanted to paint something like this so it was worth it!

I am always so excited to start painting a piece as soon as I get it home but this one needed just a bit of prep work before I could dive in. Luckily it was in near perfect condition when I picked it up.

One of the cabinet doors was a bit tough to close– the top of the door just seemed to not fit into its space. I tried to adjust the screws in the hinges but it wasn’t budging. I have this handy dandy tool called a “surform plane” that I use in these situations. It basically shaves down the wood making it easier for doors and drawers to fit. Make sure to smooth the surface out with sand paper after using the surform plane otherwise it will be left a bit uneven.

SHELLAC:

This piece was a very bright mahogany wood and I knew it was going to have MAJOR bleed through. Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac is the quickest and easiest way to make sure you have NO bleed through.

Read this post HERE on The Purple Painted Lady website’s to learn more about using Shellac.

I ran sand paper over the entire piece just to rough up the surface, wiped it down with water and bit of mineral spirits, then let it dry before starting. I did two thin coats (of shellac) just to make sure the piece was completely covered. I lightly sanded with 120 grit sand paper before I applied the second coat. Let each coat dry for about an hour and make sure to dust off the piece after sanding! This is definitely an “extra” step but it is VERY important!! (per The Purple Painted Lady ~ sanding between coats of shellac will help prevent paint from crackling)

PAINT:

Once the shellac was dry I started by painting the body in two quick coats of Annie Sloan Coco and the top in two coats of Graphite.

I ordered Annie Sloan Paris Grey from The Purple Painted Lady and I knew the color would compliment Coco perfectly!

If you’re like me as soon as you get a new piece of furniture you want to paint it IMMEDIATELY and the best part about ordering from The Purple Painted Lady is her fast shipping. The paint was at my front door as soon as I was ready to paint!!

VERY HELPFUL HINT FROM THE GRATEFUL PAINTER ON HER PAINTING TECHNIQUE:

I poured a bit of Coco, Paris Grey and a mix of Graphite + Paris Grey on separate plates.

I lightly dipped each side of my brush in each color and then started painting. The technique I used was so simple!!!

I messily painted the colors on in every direction, blending them just enough that they didn’t look obvious. One coat of this technique did the trick.

DRY BRUSH:

I wanted to highlight all of the pretty details on this piece so I dry brushed just a bit of Annie Sloan Old White. Barely dip the edge of the brush just on the surface on the paint and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. You hardy want ANY paint at all on the brush! I lightly feathered the brush over the details until I was happy with the look.

APPLYING A WASH:

I decided that I wanted to add some dimension to the top of the piece as well so I mixed a wash with 50% Paris Grey and 50% water. I painted the wash over the top and let it sit for a minute or two before wiping it back. It was subtle but enough to add a bit of character.

TOP COAT USED ON THIS PROJECT:

Next, I applied General Finishes High Performance Top Coat over the entire piece. I used a foam brush on the bottom half of the buffet to make sure I could get into the small grooves of the details. Its easy to see brush strokes in a sealant with any kind of sheen so I used a small foam roller for the top. I was able to achieve a smooth and seamless finish with this type of application. I applied two coats, sanding in between with steel wool.

Once the top coat was dry I used General Finishes Glaze Effects in Van Dyke Brown. I chose brown glaze over black because I wanted to compliment/bring out more of the Coco rather than both of the grays. I applied the glaze with a foam brush just along the edges and in the details of the drawer pulls and appliqués.

Only glaze small sections at a time as it can get VERY messy! I painted it on and quickly wiped it off using an old t-shirt. This leaves the glaze only in the grooves and gives an aged look!

HELPFUL GLAZE SUGGESTION:

When using any type of glaze or wax to make a piece look antique I always use a bit over the entire piece, including the top.

I painted on a thick coat of the glaze and let it sit for about 30 seconds before wiping it back. It left behind a very subtle look (hardly noticeable at all) but made the piece look more uniform. I let the glaze dry for about two hours before applying one final coat of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat in Satin.

Nikki did a beautiful job on this buffet! And you can too.

If you are interested in staying touch with The Purple Painted Lady- visit our Facebook page HERE – we would LOVE to hear from you and see your before & after photos!

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

We are here to help you, our customers! We want you to be successful! And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:

SOME OF THE REASONS OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE BEST:

* We sell Chalk Paint® for $34.95

* If you order before 3 pm EASTERN TIME any day Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that SAME day.

* We ship orders out every since week day all over the US.

* We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.

* We have awesome follow up customer service, too!

And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you. (my shameless but honest plug) Here is a link to our on-line shop=> http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/

Trish

The Purple Painted Lady™ ~ the serial no. is 86/641,416 with the US Trademark Office

VISIT our locations too!

our MAIN STORE at 77 West Main Street in Macedon, NY 14502

3200 West Ridge Road in Rochester, NY 14626 (The Shops On West Ridge)

Chalk Paint® and General Finishes Products- Stunning Piece by Nicki!

Posted on 04/29/2015 by Tricia

The Purlple Painted Lady loves a good “Before & After” story.

Here is one worth the time to check out that was done by Nicki. Nicki has a Facebook page called The Grateful Painter. Hop on over to her Facebook page and show her some LOVE by LIKING it- it will be worth your time because she is very talented and puts a new spin on using Chalk Paint®.

The Purple Painted Lady General Finishes Glaze High Performance Chalk Paint Nicki whole dresser

Nicki wrote me saying one of her favorite Annie Sloan colors is Duck Egg. And The Purple Painted Lady totally agrees because it is a universal pretty color.

CHALK PAINT® COLORS USED:

Nicki wanted to try a “faux finish” with Duck Egg– so this is what she wrote me:

I chose Annie Sloan Old White and French Linen to compliment it.

Duck Egg Blue Sample Board Annie Sloan Chalk Paint The Purple Painted Lady

French Linen with both Clear and Dark Wax Sample Board - Copy

PAINT BRUSH USED AND PROCESS:

Annie Sloan’s paint brush works well for this technique because it has a bit of a “domed” flat top.

First, I poured a small amount of each color onto separate paper plates.

(Paper plates, wet wipes, plastic spoons- have lots of these in your “painter’s tool box.”)

This is important because you only need a small amount of paint on your brush (and clean up is a breeze… just toss the plates in the garbage when you’re done!).

I dabbed a bit of each color on my brush at the same time and kind of stippled it into the wood. Rather than brushing it on where you use the sides of the brush in a swiping motion- instead I used the top of the brush and a stabbing motion (that sounds kind of scary!). (think of stipplingor pouncing like when you are stenciling)

It took about two “coats” of this technique to cover the piece. I even painted right over the drawer pulls!

Once it was dry I used steel wool to slightly soften the paint. I didn’t use sand paper because it was important for me to keep the texture created from stippling.

TOPCOAT:

I sealed the piece with three coats of General Finishes High Performance Top Coat using a Foam Brush. I like using a foam brush because there are literally NO brush stokes!!!

GLAZE: (BUY THEM ONLINE HERE)

Once the top coat was dry- I added the glaze. I chose General Finishes Glaze Effects in Pitch Black. (ps The Purple Painted Lady sells this)

Run a foam brush along the edges (only do small sections at a time.. NOTE!!! This can get messy!) and then wipe away the excess using an old t-shirt.

The Purple Painted Lady Foam Brush General Finishes

This product spreads easy so a little goes a long way! After wiping most of the extra glaze off I buffed the rest into the surface. The small crevices created while painting grab a hold of the glaze giving it an “antique” look. This product is quite fool proof! It may look intimidating but if you feel like there is too much on your piece just wipe it off with a wet rag (I did this a lot with this piece!) Make sure to put the glaze into every corner, along each line and in every little crevice!

INSPIRATION:

I had seen a dresser that Tricia, The Purple Painted Lady had posted with big gorgeous lettering on it. (HERE IT IS)

In fact- if you want to read on how The Purple Painted Lady created the dresser immediately above- click HERE.

When I say it was gorgeous, i mean GORGEOUS!! She inspired me to try a bit of stenciling. I ordered mine on Etsy from a shop named Drexart for only $35!

Not only are her designs beautiful, she changed the wording for me and emailed me samples before sending it out!

Finishing the GLAZE PROCESS & STENCILING:

Let your glaze dry overnight before using your stencil. I applied stencil adhesive that I bought from a craft store— this made it so much easier! I taped the edges (use blue painter’s tape, NOT masking) onto the piece just to make sure it was extra secure.

Next, use a flat top sponge and dap it into your paint (I used Annie Sloan Graphite). It is important to have VERY LITTLE paint on the sponge (bleed through happens when there is too much paint!). I lightly dabbed the sponge onto my stencil and then removed the it promptly after. This gave me time to clean up the bit of bleed through I had while the paint was still wet. I found these amazing little Qtips in the beauty aisle that have a pointed end and they were PERFECT for evening out the lettering. This piece had a lot of wood detailing between the drawers so the scrolls from the stencil were definitely not perfect! I used a tiny paint brush to fill in the details where the stencil couldn’t reach. Once I was happy with the finished product I let the piece dry overnight and then added one last coat the General Finishes High Performance Top Coat to seal in the glaze and Chalk Paint from the stencil.

LESSON LEARNED:

If I share any advice on Chalk Paint with a new painter it would be to JUST GO FOR IT! One of the things I love most about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is that it is so easy to wipe away or paint over. Using simple techniques like distressing, waxing and glazing has camouflaged so many of my screw ups and made them look intentional! Don’t be afraid to ask questions! There are a ton of experiences painter like Tricia, The Purple Painted Lady on Facebook forums that love to help newbies! Be confident, have fun, and enjoy what you are doing! The most beautiful pieces I’ve seen are from people that genuinely love what they do!!

Here are some additional STENCIL TIPS from The Purple Painted Lady:

Get paint on the brush and then blot some off…remember we are stenciling and do not want to have that much paint on our brush that it squirts under the stencil. Then with a vertical up and down motion- I blot the stencil. When it comes to stenciling- here are some tips to help you:

Stenciling Tip 1: Use a Professional Tool
Stenciling brushes are round with short, stiff bristles. Use it in a quick up-and-down movement to dab paint onto your stencil. This helps prevent paint getting under the edges. Never apply in a circular motion. A sponge or small roller works well too, but I prefer the brush. As Nicki stated above, Annie Sloan’s domed top brushes are ideal also.

Stenciling Tip 2: Work from The Outside In

Start panting on the edges of the stencil, working into the center, rather than from the center outwards. Again this helps prevent paint getting under the edges as you’re less likely to accidentally bump the brush against an edge.

Stenciling Tip 3: Less is More
Don’t overload a brush with paint as it will bleed under the edge of the stencil. Load the brush lightly, so that the ends of the bristles are covered evenly- blot or wipe off any excess on a piece of paper or cloth.

Stenciling Tip 4: Think Thin
You will get better results by applying two thin coats rather than one thick one. Wait for the first to dry before applying the second. Do not remove your stencil until you are absolutely sure you are done.

Stenciling Tip 5: Get Sticky
Keep a stencil in place by taping it at the top and bottom with a piece of tape. Painter’s Tape works best as it’s very easy to remove and should not pull off any paint from the surface.

Stenciling Tip 6: Go Multi-Colored
To use more than one color in a stencil, use tape to mask off areas of the stencil you don’t want in a particular color so you do not forget and get carried away with the wrong color.

Stenciling Tip 7: Practice Makes Perfect
If you’re using various stencils together, first try it out on a piece of paper. It’s far easier to find out that something isn’t working at this stage versus having to try to correct it when you’re painting on your final surface.

Stenciling Tip 8: X-rated Stencils
Old x-rays are great for cutting stencils, so if you were unfortunate and have some – put them to good use.

Stenciling Tip 9: Wash Regularly
If you’re doing a repeat design, wash your stencil regularly in warm water to keep the edges free of paint. If there’s some paint on an edge, you won’t get a crisp edge to your painted stencil. As paper stencils don’t lend themselves to washing, acetate stencils are better for repeat designs. With a paper or card stencil, wipe off the excess paint, then leave the stencil for a bit so the paint on it dries, before using it again.

Stenciling Tip 10: Store stencils Flat
A stencil, obviously, needs to be flat to be usable. To stop it from buckling, put it between two pieces of cardboard and store it somewhere flat.

The Purple Painted Lady is so proud of Nicki (The Grateful Painter) and what she accomplished! I am also honored that she shared with me that a piece I did inspired her.

When her and I started to correspond- it made me think about a video I saw on how sometimes- there are things we do, say or an event we participate in- that in general – is something we process in our history and just an ordinary moment. But, to someone else- that “moment” could have impacted them in a great way. Hopefully- the way we impact people is always for the better. I watched a quick video the other day about basically just this. It was called a “Lollipop Moment.” If you have a second and want to see it – check it out HERE.

BUY PRODUCT FROM THE PURPLE PAINTED LADY™:

We are here to help you, our customers! We want you to be successful! And, just so you know, when you place an order with The Purple Painted Lady:

SOME OF THE REASONS ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS BEST:

* If you order before 3pm EASTERN TIME anyday Monday thru Friday – we will ship out your package that same day.

* We ship orders out every sincle week day all over the US.

* We offer the lowest flat rate UPS shipping cost so if you are one town away or 10 states away- the shipping cost is the same.

* We have awesome follow up customer service, too!

And- it is my paint sales that keep me in business and allow me to be here to help you. (my shameless but honest plug) Here is a link to our on-line shop=> http://shop.thepurplepaintedlady.com/

Trish

Facebook Give-a-Way! WIN a quart of General Finishes Gel Stain! (2/13/15)

Posted on 02/10/2015 by Tricia

Are you on Facebook?

The Purple Painted Lady often has giveaways on her Facebook.

In fact- this week you could WIN a quart of General Finishes Gel Stain in the color of your choice!

I love the look of a stained top and a painted base. It is a style that is very “in” right now! And it is the best of both world’s…wood and painted furniture.

It does not matter if we are talking about a table or a dresser. I love this look on both, and buffets, or chairs!

Check out the dresser above that Anna from Seattle did using Java Gel on the top, and then Paris Grey Chalk Paint® on the base with highlighted details using Old White. Then Anna applied Clear Wax, finishing with a Dark Wax glaze (mixed with mineral spirits.)

If you share your painted and stained combo pieces on our Facebook Page HERE – and include a brief description of the colors you used and the process that you followed- The photo with the MOST LIKES on Friday, February 13th at noon eastern time (my Birthday by the way) – that person will win a quart of General Finishes Gel Stain.

Also if you LIKE the post announcing this giveaway on our Facebook page – you will also get an opportunity to be a winner!

Winners must live in the continental USA.

Interested in General Finish Gel Stains? Just click HERE to see them in our on-line shop.

The Purple Painted Lady

YES! We sell Chalk Paint® ON-LINE! Click "BUY PAINT ONLINE HERE!" below!! 585.750.6056 OR visit our shop between Macedon and Palmyra!!

Tag Archives: general finishes

Emperor’s Silk and Dark Wax Buffet

Table Set in Chalk Paint® and Java Gel

Paris Grey, Graphite and Coco Chalk Paint® Buffet

Chalk Paint® and General Finishes Products- Stunning Piece by Nicki!

Facebook Give-a-Way! WIN a quart of General Finishes Gel Stain! (2/13/15)