CeCe Caldwell’s Chalk Paint & Wax…

Hi y’all!  Today I want to share a painting project with you.  I’m pretty sure this is one of my most favorite projects ever.  I would say the results were spectacular considering the amount of work that went into it. 

I’ve painted furniture a handful of times and rarely gotten the results I was hoping for.  So when I came across a paint that promised NO prep work and had a cult following, I knew I had to try it.  Enter Annie Sloan’s chalk paint.  This paint has been touted by furniture refinishers the world over from Country Living to House Beautiful, in the US and UK. 

While doing my research on this miracle paint I came across it’s seemingly American twin, CeCe Caldwell’s chalk paint.  hmmmm…. interesting.  CeCe Caldwell’s paint is made in the US and is all natural.  What’s this?  NO VOCs, you say?  NO latex, you say?  I can paint, distress, and finish a piece inside my home around children and pregnant women without wearing a respirator?  Where do I sign up???

Two weeks later with paint and wax in hand I set out to transform a lingerie chest I had used for years in my own bedroom but had most recently been using in my laundry room.  My laundry room has never had a cohesive design and is definitely in need of a major overhaul.  Maybe this project will inspire me to start that project.

 

 

First things first, I took off all the hardware and removed the drawers, wiped down the piece to make sure it was clean, and setup shop on the front lawn.  It was a beautiful day out and farther away from roaming two-year-old hands. 

Like my high tech set-up there?  I propped it up on a couple rounds of tree trunk.  

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to use CeCe’s Vermont Slate on this piece.  After a good stir I painted the drawers first.  The paint itself is a little thick and I quickly saw that a second coat would not be needed.  It also dries fairly quickly. 

This was sped up even more by the warm sunshine and I didn’t have to wait long for the drawers to be completely dry.  The end result is a very lightened, chalky version of the beginning color.  Don’t worry, it won’t stay like this.

 

 

 

 

 

By the time I finished the body of the chest, the drawers were ready to be distressed.  I went over them with a light grit sandpaper, then moved them up onto the porch and out of the way. You can also distress this paint with a damp rag, completely avoiding the mess of sanding.  A very handy feature on a rainy day.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2, I took the party inside.  Thanks to the fact that CeCe’s paints and waxes are non-toxic, fumes were not an issue.  I waxed the entire piece with clear wax then went over it with a light application of dark wax.    On applying the wax, you see the paint begin to regain it’s color.  Here you can see the difference between waxed (on the left) and non-waxed (on the right.) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I let the wax cure for a few days and gave it another buffing to harden up the finish even more.  Here’s the finished piece after reassembly. …With and without the terrible flash. 

Pretty good, huh?  I was thoroughly pleased with the results.  I love the color of the Vermont Slate.  It has a bluish tint that gives it a nautical feel.  I think I’ve just decided on a theme for the laundry room. 

 

I ended up doing a few more projects with my paints.

 I transformed these canisters for my crafting supplies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My craft table stools got a new finish using the Johnston Daffodil paint and CeCe’s amazing Satin Finish.  The satin finish gives a more durable seal than wax – perfect for my heavily used craft stools.

 

I will definitely be ordering more of this paint.  I’ve got my heart set on Santa Fe Turquoise, Destin Gulf Green, Simply White, Virginia Chestnut, and Traverse City Cherry.  Okay, so I should probably pace myself. 

I’m curious to know others’ experiences with chalk paint.  If you wanna see it in action, you should check out some of my favorite YouTube refinishers, Debi Beard and BeachBumLivin.  They make beautiful things. 

– knittingprose