Have you discovered Annie Sloan chalk paint yet? If not, you’re in for a treat.
I was very kindly invited to an Annie Sloan paint workshop, run by Rigby and Mac, to learn how to use the paint and create some of the effects it is capable of. Lucy, who ran the workshop, was totally wonderful, warm and knowledgable and there was a lovely group of other people there too, including the 2 Lovely Gays – love them. Located in Dulwich, South East London, in a beautiful light filled industrial building (with a wondrous cafe called Volcano for lunch) the workshop was a very happy way to spend a Saturday morning.
The key things I learnt and love about the paint:
– No need to prime or sand your surface (AMAZING!)
– Can be applied to a variety of surfaces including: glass, metal, varnished wood, laminate (oh yes!)
– It does not smell and dries very quickly so no need to paint outside
– It can be watered down or mixed with other colours easily.
My mind is still reeling from the fact that I now have the potential to paint dark, varnished wood with no preparation whatsoever. I also feel a bit aggrieved that I spent two days of my life painting internal doors with five coats of primer and gloss paint when I could have used a couple of coats of this and some wax. Gutted.
The Annie Sloan paints come in a really beautiful range of colours that are stocked at Rigby and Mac and sold online.
One of my favourite colours that we worked with: Aubusson.
We were able to try lots of the paints, waxes and get inspiration from the Annie Sloan books.
We worked on strips of wood to learn the different effects. I think everyone enjoyed learning how to use the gold leaf the most – here it has been applied over English Yellow.
Using the paint at home…
So, when I got home I was very excited to give it a go. I haven’t currently got any furniture that I want to paint so I decided to give a little set of Ikea Moppe drawers a makeover. I bought Antoinette pink, brass leaf (that actually looks gold in most lights), gold size and soft wax from Rigby and Mac. You will also need a paint brush, scissors and a j-cloth.
1. Paint the surface – if you find the paint too thick you can water it down. You may need two coats, depending on what you are painting.
2. Cut circles of the brass leaf (that looks gold) with scissors – a little tricky so you need to be careful.
3. Paint some gold size on to where you want to stick your brass leaf. Allow it to dry a little until it is tacky.
4. Very carefully, place your brass leaf dot onto the gold size once it is tacky and with a dry brush ensure it has adhered to the surface.
5. Use a j-cloth to apply a coat of the soft wax. The more you buff the wax, the more glossy it will become. The wax also protects the paints and brass leaf from scuffing and stains.
The transformation is complete! It was hard to catch the reflective dots from this angle but in real life it’s so pretty!
These little drawers are perfect for lots of crafty bits and bobs.
The perfect addition to my craft room.
I can not wait to try the paint out on something more substantial. Thank you again to Rigby and Mac for the great workshop; is it too much to say this paint is life changing?!
Katy x
