Painted Mason Jars

I love jars.  Even my husband knows that we never throw away clear glass jars.  They get added to a shelf in my office for future flower arrangements.  But who really needs 30 clear glass jars?

Last week I got out my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and painted two coats of pure white over my mason jars.  A little distressing on all the raised edges and some random spots and I have cool vintage-y vases.

I filled them with Trader Joe's flowers and set them all over the house.

Some on our mantel, a couple in the bedroom and one on our kitchen table.  Flowers make every room so cheery.

The jars did not get a coat of wax since they will inevitably get water all over them.  I wasn't sure how the paint would hold up without wax, but they are holding up great.  I even had a hard time distressing some parts of the jars.  After a few days, that paint is set.  

Linking to:

Finding Fabulous, The Girl Creative, The Shabby Nest

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

So, it's been long time.  Anyone still out there? 

I recently discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and I've been painting like crazy.  I love this paint so much.  It makes everything look so good and it is so easy to use!  After I purchased my first can, I drove back to my local stockist (The Vintage Bricoleur) and bought more 3 more cans of paint, clear wax, a wax brush and two paint brushes.

We've been looking for a buffet since we moved into our house two years ago.  It couldn't be just any buffet, it had to be the one I pictured in my head.  And, it had to be cheap.  We found this buffet at an antique store in Sacramento and when I spotted it at the other end of the store, I knew it would be coming home with me.

It was completely scratched up and had dings all over the top, but the drawers worked great and it was solid. 

I sanded the top and took off all the original stain.  I restained the top using Minwax in Ebony.  Then three coats of polyurethane to get a streak free finish.

Next I filled all the scratches and dings with wood filler, then sanded it down after it dried.

The great thing about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is that it the furniture does not have to be primed before you start painting.  However, I wanted a little bit of white showing after I distressed the buffet, so I did prime this piece before I started painting.

I came home from work one afternoon and thought I would be able to paint the drawers before I had to go pick up my girls.  I had about 45 minutes.  I ended up painting the drawers and the buffet while I was waiting to pick them up.  I picked them up, painted my second coat, waxed the entire thing then distressed it a little bit.  I had done almost the entire thing in one night.  I only had one more coat of wax and I did that the next day.

I could not believe how easy it was and it turned out exactly the way I wanted it.  My husband is always pretty skeptical when I start something, especially something this big, and he loved it.

I used Annie Sloan's Louis Blue paint and the hardware was spray painted with Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Linking to:

Keeping It Simple, The DIY Showoff, Mod Vintage Life,

Between Naps on the Porch, Elizabeth & Co.

Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Sugar Bee Crafts, Miss Mustard Seed, One Project Closer

Thrifty Decor Chic