Here's my favorite Craigslist find to date!  This dresser / end table / night stand / hall table (whatever you want it to be, really) is something I picked up off craigslist from someone who was moving.  The straps and handles are real, high-quality leather, and the piece is covered in a burlap-like (shellacked burlap maybe?) finish.  It was a little beat up and dirty, but the drawers (yes those are drawers!) were in beautiful condition.  So nice, my family screamed in protest when I threatened to paint the insides.  So I left the drawers alone.

I wanted the piece to have a slightly cleaner, more elegant look.  Like suitcases from the QE2, not a Carnival Cruise.  After debating extensively over what color to paint it, I decided on Chalk Paint® in Old Ochre and mixed in a teeny tiny bit of Burnt Sienna (acrylic paint) to warm it up a little bit.  I really wanted to show off the leather straps and handles since they were in such fine shape, and this color combination would make them "pop."


Painting this was not easy!  I didn't mask all the leather, instead chose to paint around it very carefully, and wipe off any paint that might get on it.  This actually worked well, but was a little tricky, and destroyed a few finger nails.  Also, the textured surface was hungry for paint and took 1.5 good coats to cover.

After letting the paint dry, I mixed up some Annie Sloan Clear Wax with a little bit of dark wax (about 5:1), and waxed and buffed all the painted areas.  A little wax on the leather didn't hurt it at all, and actually helped clean it up nicely.  The results?  Stunning!

Here's an old chair I picked up at the Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale.  I decided to use it as a "demo" chair, to show what can be done with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®, so only painted half.  Some of you might think this is a cool new style - if so, I can help!

Do you want to change the color of your chair cushions, but don't want to re-upholster them?  Guess what - you can paint them with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®!  Seriously!

I took the chair cushion off this chair, taped it in half, painted the fabric (2 coats of Old White) and applied clear wax and buffed it.  Viola - it feels like pleather, and looks fantastic!  And it took less than 10 minutes to do.  E.Z.

The wooden part of the chair was quick and easy too.  I just brushed on 1.5 coats of Graphite, let it dry, then just for fun waxed it with a tiny bit of Old White mixed into the clear wax.  Wiped off the excess and buffed it, and gave the chair a whole new look!

I've been looking for a new coffee table for my living room.  Something that matches the console that our tv sits on (pictured here).  This "console" is actually a dresser that my husband and I purchased when we were dinks* (*dual income no kids), along with a matching armoire.  Both pieces are solid wood, with that shabby-chic-mexican-distressed look, only a little bit nicer.  At least we like to think so, since we paid a pretty price for them.

It just so happens my neighbor was getting rid of her old coffee table, which was the perfect size and shape, but the wrong finish!  So I thought I'd take it and try to match the finish to my existing furniture.

Here's the coffee table before.

I decided to apply some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® in Old Ochre, with a lot of brush strokes showing.  It only took 2 ounces of paint to cover the whole table - no kidding!  After I let it dry, I took equal parts of Annie Sloan clear wax and dark wax, and randomly dipped my brush in little bits of each before rubbing it on the table, so it would look uneven (like my furniture).  Kept doing this, rubbing off the excess with a paper towel, and buffing the table with a clean cloth.  The color matched my furniture perfectly!

Between cleaning off the table, painting and waxing it, I spent about an hour and a half on this project.  Not bad at all!