Hi Friends! Here are the answers to some of your recent questions. I’m sorry I am not able to always answer individual emails, but I will always try to post your Q&As!
Does your house always look a great as it does in the photos??! How do you keep everything looking beautiful and tidy with small kids? I can’t seem to escape clutter!
It is for sure not always clean, but I do feel better and more organized when my house is tidy. I get such joy out of my home that I like it to look it’s best. However, my kid’s rooms are theirs and they are allowed to play & make a mess. I want them to feel creative in their own spaces and have ownership of their corner of the house.
When do you find time to do your work? How do you and your husband balance giving you time to work (and do other things you want to do) and giving him time for himself AND having time left over for family time?
It’s not easy. I find pockets of time here & there. I still have 2 kids in preschool so they are home most of the time. I try to accomplish business stuff during naps and when it’s warm outside we all go out to the driveway. Kids play in the sprinkler & I paint. I want them to see & be a part of Blue Egg because I want them to participate fully when they are older. I feel most proud that I can hand them a creative business that, if they choose, they can make into what they want it to be – interior design, painting, storefront, marketing, etc. It’s a great learning tool for all of us. DH and I are total homebodies. We call ourselves a team and when we run errands the family goes together. We’ve always been that way. DH and I try to do date night once a month. It’s not always easy to spend time just us with tiny kids, but it is managable when you marry your best friend.
I have recently painted my oak kithchen cabinet’s in the Coco. What would be your advice on weather to wax them or put a clear poly coat on them?
I would experiment to be honest. It really depends on the type of cabinet you have painted. I peronsally would stick with the clear wax and really let it dry fully. Poly would be fine, but I personally don’t love a shiny finish on my kitchen cabinets.
Do you use a roller with ASCP on table tops?
No. I use a good brush, though. It is painted furniture & you will have brush strokes.
Can you put poly over dining tables or other pieces that would get heavy use?
Sure, you can. I will say that the chalk paint look is not a laquered/shiny look however. It lends itself to a more shabby/European/distressed look.
I am also painting a table I got at goodwill for my screen porch. I have read not to use wax. How do you finish it?
It’s really your choice if you want to clear wax a piece. It will not be as likely to scratch and will stand up to more wear if you do clear wax, however.
In the tutorial about white, you said the table was a blonde and to cover it well. 4 coats i think. That is just like the table that I am getting ready to do. Do you have a picture of the finished table? How do you distress it to give it the vintage look. Also my wainscoting in the room it is going in is bright white. Suggestion for color?
My question is …do you mix the paint with anything? I want the paint to have a solid look…not vintage. I want to paint the cabinets all one color with no marks or missed spots.
Yes, this is certainly a technique that Annie Sloan has discusssed. I personally will only work on a piece if I am allowed to distress it. I have turned away clients because the “clean” look is not what my aesthetic. Truth be told, if you would like a new look a can of colored spray paint for wood surfaces is an easy, inexpensive & effortless way to go.
The cheapest wax brushes I’ve found are on Ebay for the large ones. I know I can use a rag, but about to take on my entire bedroom furniture and head/foot boards.
Honestly, I have retired my wax brushes for a bit and have been using scraps from my DH’s old t-shirts. I think they almost work better and are certainly a bit easier to use than a big brush. I’m going to do a post on this soon.
When painting a dresser, do you take out the drawers and if so do you paint the hole that the drawer goes into?
Ha! I get this question alot because of my tutorials. I got in the habit of not taking the drawers because of the Union Jack dressers I paint. If I take them out then the pattern is completely off. It really depends on the piece and the way the drawers are postioned. I find it easier to leave them in, but if I find that the paint is not going into the spaces between the drawers then I certainly take them out and make sure everything is coated appropriatley.
I was wondering if you have ever tried a product called New Beginnings? It is a chalk powder that you add to any matte or satin latex and it is supposed to make chalk paint??? If you have used it what are your thoughts?
No, I haven’t. I must say that I do have a loyalty to Annie Sloan. She has an amazing product with the colors that I gravitate towards more than some of the other brands out there. She has also been extremely supportive of Blue Egg Brown Nest!
Do you use the same brush for clear and dark wax?
No! You need 2 separate brushes for each purpose. I guarantee you will not get all the dark wax off your brush in order to use it in the clear. You will get upset & frustrated. Don’t do it.
Can you paint a dinner table with the chalk paint will it hold up and be safe ?
Yes! I paint kitchen & dining tables all the time. You will want to make sure that the clear wax dries completely and it really will hold up. Keep in mind that when you chalk paint, you distress so any marks that come with use are just characteristics of the look.
Christen,
Thanks for the Q and A’s. There is always something to learn from you and the answers to other people’s questions. I enjoy seeing your family photos!
Pam
Thanks for your answers, you are an inspiration to me;)
Hi Christen,
I have been reading your blog for a couple of months now and i get so excited every day to see what you have posted (great post today). You have inspired not only my interior decor but my whole way of thinking i know it sounds cheesy ! but you have, my husband and i are from and live in England and are saving for a mortgage I got a storage unit to start putting furniture and other nice things in ready for the move so far you have inspired me to do a sideboard, a bureau, console table, dresser, coffee table and a night stand, all very shabby!! It’s kinda become an addiction !!! 🙂 also I did mix my own chalk paint it was ok but then I watched your tutorials on you tube and bought Annie Sloan i will not go back (please do some more you tube posts i really enjoy them they are so helpful) I really admire how you juggle your home and work life, Keep up the good work thanks for all your daily inspiration. Best Wishes in everything you do – Rose x
I so agree. So many holes filled in my questions on using chalk paint. Thank You..
Sunny days are here and I am ready to start working on all the pieces I bought over winter. Plus gain the room back they are taking up….Congrat’s on your graduate. We have the second on graduating from college this weekend. One left!!
Thanks so much for this very useful Q&A 🙂
Hello. My mom and I have been having a great time together watching your videos and running outside to do our pieces. She is 65 and I 42. It has been wonderful working together. Being very literal we both get nervous of order. We believe it goes paint paint sand wax wax? However , if we paint then sand can we repaint and sand again? I hope this makes sence. Again thank you for your videos.