Posts Tagged: "wax"

Let Them Drive a Clean & Shiny Car | Car Wash Gift Card

Princess Diana - February 2, 2016 - Anniversary, Birthday, Business, Christmas, Father's Day, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Teacher Gifts, Thank You, Valentine's Day

No one wants to own that filthy car in the parking lot that just begs people to draw “Wash Me” on it. Whether someone’s a car enthusiast or not, we all like to drive a clean and shiny car.

For me, I’m good about keeping the outside of my car clean during the summer when I don’t mind washing it in my driveway or at the self-service car wash.

But in the winter, fuhgeddaboudit. It’s too cold for me to care!

Then there’s my husband, who practically washes his car once every week. If he goes longer than two weeks, it really starts to bug him.

Even though we don’t have the exact same cleanliness standards when it comes to our cars, my husband and I would both enjoy receiving the same gift – a gift card to use for things like car washes, auto detailing and car waxes. (Psst… don’t tell my husband but he’s getting one for Valentine’s Day!)

It’s the perfect gift for him and the perfect gift for her!

Hands-On Furniture Painting Class for the DIYer

Princess Diana - April 28, 2015 - Birthday, Christmas, Experiences, Father's Day, Mother's Day

Some things are harder than they look. Case in point – those BEFORE & AFTER photos on Pinterest where people take hideous, dull brown furniture they find at a garage sale and with a few coats of paint transform them into colorful, vintage chic furniture.

It’s amazing how distressed furniture can look so beautiful and modern! See the photo on the right for a perfect example.

You can spend hours reading or watching the tutorials online to learn how to do it yourself. But that approach can sometimes leave your more confused because you realize just how many options you have when it comes to paint, materials, and techniques. Arrgh!

What type of paint should I use? What’s chalk paint? What’s milk paint? Which is better for my project?
Do I need to sand my furniture first? How much sanding is even necessary?
What should I use for my topcoat? How do I apply antiquing wax?
What’s the best method for re-creating the gorgeous, distressed looks I see in online photos?

furniture-painting-class-diy-thoughtful-gift

A furniture painting class allows you to learn by doing with help from an expert.

After reading about milk paint, I really wanted to try it because it’s completely free of any harmful chemicals. In fact, it’s made with only five all-natural ingredients. Milk paint also has the reputation of being easy peasy to use to get a chippy, antiqued or distressed look.

BUT… because milk paint comes in powder form, I was intimidated to try it myself. Plus, what a strange name!

So I decided to take a local Milk Paint 101 workshop. In the furniture painting class, we painted our own step stool using milk paint. I learned how to mix it and the different methods for applying it to get various distressed “looks.”