DIY Chalk Painted Trumeau Mirror {weathered/whitewash look}

I am simply smitten with trumeau Mirrors. I always knew I could NEVER afford a real one,the ones you can find in BD etc.  so when I came across this one in the classifies for $20 bucks I was happy to say the least!

BEFORE

 I instantly knew what I had in mind for this baby. A total makeover. I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like, {an old Scandinavian/French country type weathered white wash look} does that make sense? but unfortunately I couldn't find any online tutorials on how to do it. So I made up my own.

I have wanted to try out chalk paint forever and so on a whim I decided to try and make my own. If i didnt like it, I would go ahead and buy the real stuff. No harm done:) and I would be out well... ALOt less money than if I bought the real stuff.

I used this recipe for my paint.

Although I didnt use hot water, I basically just dumped the ingredients into the paint ,closed the lid and gave it a good shake! lol....yup thats how i roll. 

Did I like it?

YeS!

Here are the paint colors I I used. They each cost under $3 bucks each. 

After prepping with some painters tape I wiped the frame down. Than I painted the first 3 coats or so with Valspars Universal Umber. 

Next with a dry brush I painted over the entire piece to give it a chalky effect. I used Valspars Thistle Seed.

Next I made a chalk paint wash out of V's Stone mason Grey. I thought this is self explanatory but I let each coat dry in between the next;-) haha!

lastly I used V English Tea Party as a type stain. I watered it way down and drenched it in some places to bring out the details. 

After it was all dry I went over with it with sand paper to distress it a bit. 

Lastly I went over it again with the Thistle Seed paint to tune it up a bit. 

AFTER

My mom was cute and while I was on vacation picked a fresh batch of lavender from her garden and placed ontop of it...love my mom:)

I am in love with the finished product! And I am so glad that I found a way to get the look I want. I WiLL be using this technique for many more furniture pieces in our New bUild. Hopefully it will bring in the look and style and design that I am going for in the overall house.

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Cat

at the party with http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

Mora Table Clock redo

A few years ago I was doing my regular houzz browsing when I saw a clock that was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! It looked like a grandfather clock of some sort...than after some research I discovered it was called a Mora clock. An old antique clock found in Scandinavia, Sweden to be exact. 

How on earth did I miss this in my Scandinavian upbringing?! 

I realize now that when I was little in Denmark and I drew grandfather clocks they were indeed very similar to the Mora clocks. With the beautiful rounded features... I guess I did know what they were;) so glad I opened up my subconscious mind to them again!:-) lol....

With the research that I did I quickly discovered that I would not be able to afford an authentic one until I would be old and retired (hopefully). I currently have started a Cats Mora clock fund for that dream to be fulfilled.;) I am taking donations too so feel free to contribute ;) hehehe. 

So I was searching the internet for replicas, diys etc. And than one day in my inbox I see this bit of lovely sent from a website that sends u deals each day. A Mora style table clock!! I snatched it up As FAst As I could! I knew the black finish wasn't really true Mora clock style, and upon receiving it in the mail I saw how much I truly disliked the distressing done to this. All good reasons in my mind to paint it. 

The black really wasn't That bad but...

...I HATED the red that was showing under the black....not my style. (If it wasn't for that I might have considered keeping it black).

Here were my diy chalk paint choices:

Valspar Stone Mason

Devine Colors Horizon by Target 

(love this new light/minty/cream color!!)

Valspar English Tea Party

Folk Art metallic gold craft paint

I started with 2 coats of the Stone Mason

Than one thin coat of Horizon.

I than painted and than wiped quickly off with a rag the gold. Only on some places to bring out the details.

Once I was done with that, I made a wash/glaze with the English Tea party. And did THIS so it leaked all over.

I quickly dabbed / wiped it all off/down over the entire thing.

A few touch ups here and there to get the effect I wanted ( I added one more thin dry brush coat of the horizon all over too.here and there...kind of felt like painting a picture;)

A close up...

I really love how it turned out. The gold only shows up at certain angles and that I love! I will have to finish up the inside of the clock another time.

But what do u think? Shall I keep it like this? 

Or perhaps paint it all a solid Horizon?

 The beauty of paint is that I can change it again when I get tired of this. I have even played with the idea of painting it that lovely ASCP Graphite if I want to go back to a dark color.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cat

at the party with 

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/