Chalk Painting my Lone Star Chairs

Several weeks ago I found these chairs at Restore for $5 each.  

The local Lone Star restaurant was in the process of re-modelling so they graciously donated pretty much everything (chairs, booths, tables, pictures, dishes and more!)  By the time I got to Restore somebody had already bought 30 of these chairs - most likely for another restaurant.   I can't wait to see where they show up.  :)

Anyway, I decided to try out Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Old White and use the pink elephant fabric by Dwell I found on sale at Jo Ann's.  Well, you can see by the can I have already tried it out but that story will come later!

I've heard a lot about this chalk paint and decided to splurge and try it - because it is pricey.   The deal is that you usually don't have to prime or prepare your piece before painting.  These restaurant chairs would be a real test of that!

Just look at the bottom of the seat after I removed it.  Ewww.  You can imagine what the chairs were like.

Seat had tons of staples.  Starting to think I'm too impatient for this!

Yep - not dealing with this greasy stuff... So I pitched that (after using the board as a pattern for the new seat.

I forgot to mention that there is a wooden seat to this chair in addition to the covered seat that sits on top of this.

Loving some elephants here :)

As for the paint, I painted outside on a warm day and this stuff dried fast, very fast.  Too fast for my messy self!   I will be painting my next chalk paint project (Graphite) indoors!  But I do love the feel of it and the Annie Sloan colors.  Really beautiful colors.  For these chairs, one coat was not enough.  I am going to try priming or sanding the other chair to see what happens.  I mean, they did come out of a steakhouse restaurant after all.

Here she is - not quite finished yet.  Still need to add a coat of wax, especially if I decide to give it a distressed look.  I might distress it, might not.  I do think I will add some piping and more stuffing.  And maybe try some iron on vinyl?
Testing this paint again with another project soon  :)

Link Parties!  Love them 

MONDAY

DebbieDoos - DebbieDoos Newbie Party

Skip to my Lou-Made by You Mondays

Keeping it Simple - Motivate Me Monday

The Girl Creative - Just Something I whipped Up

DIY Home Sweet Home Project -  More the Merrier Monday

Dittle Dattle - Amaze Me Monday

Making the World Cuter-Making the World Cuter Monday

The Girl Creative - Just Something I whipped Up

Embellishing Life - Craft Catwalk

Homemaker on a Dime - Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop

TUESDAY

Ladybug Blessings - Handmade Tuesdays

Nothing But Country - Creative Creations

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

Sassy Sites - Trash to Treasure Tuesday

Today's Creative Blog - Get Your Craft On 

Rook No.17 -  A Little Birdie Told Me

Domestically Speaking - Power of Paint

WEDNESDAY

Night Owl Crafting - Hoo's Got Talent?

Primitive & Proper - Piece of Work Wednesday

Elements Interiors -  Whassup Wednesday

Sew Much Ado - We Did It Wednesday

Handy Man, Crafty Woman-Wicked Awesome Wednesday

Sisters Stuff - Link Up Wednesday

Blue Cricket Design - Show and Tell Wednesday

Pink Postcard - Transformations and Treasures

Lil Luna - Link Partay

Sew Woodsy - What's up Wednesdays

THURSDAY

Momnivore's Dilemma - Creative Juice Thursday

Somewhat Simple - Strut Your Stuff

The Shabby Chic Cottage - Transformation Thursday

House of Hepworths - Hookin Up with HoH

Fireflies and Jellybeans - Show off Your Stuff

Paisley Passions - Thrilling Thursday

FRIDAY

At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Fridays

Finding Fabulous - Frugalicious Friday

Serenity Now - Weekend Bloggy Reading

My Romantic Home- Show and Tell Friday 

Remodelaholic - Remodelaholic Friday

Miss Mustard Seed - Furniture Feature Friday

Spunky Junky -  Feature Friday

Chic on a Shoestring-Flaunt It Friday

Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday

The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday 

Sassy Sites - Free For All Friday

504 Main -Tickled Pink Friday

Mommaskindacrafty   - Fantabulous Friday 

delicate CONSTRUCTION - Delicately Constructed Fridays

The Thrifty Groove - Thrifty Things Friday

It's a Hodge Podge Life - Friday

Just a Girl - SAS Day

SATURDAY

Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Nite Special

Tatertots & Jello - Weekend Wrap Up
Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo - Party Mindie Style

SUNDAY
I Heart Naptime - Sundae Scoop

The DIY Showoff - DIY Project Parade

Under the Table and Dreaming - Sunday Showcase

Homemaker on a Dime-Creative Bloggers Party & Hop

Flamingo Toes - Think Pink Sundays

Loving some succulents. Overlooked for so long and now all the rage!

More Power to You!
My favorite succulent wreath  :)

Prudent Baby

Beautiful Wedding Bouquet by Hearts and Flowers Wedding

Loving the Random Wire and Eggshell Planter

 
Sweet Valentine byThe Knotty Bride

Love this Composition from Sparkle Pants Girl

How lovely in a vintage suitcase?  

From Beachcomber26

A Desert Retro Tablescape 

Before

And After Sunset

Dreamy

From JL Designs

Love and Lavender Groomsmen Boutineers!

Seriously? - Typewriter planter at sfgirlbybay


silver and succulents - so adore this
Ok last one for now... 

from style me pretty
burlap and succulents?
priceless
Loving some Pinterest!

More burlap - and a Lot of Frustration!

Okay, I'm ready to RANT and ROLL!  Get that Frustration OUT   Here goes...

Have you ever just overworked yourself on a project? Gotten so frustrated that you wanted to just freaking pitch it?  Grrrr  This was one for me (it's a pillow for goodness sakes -I don't think I could ever handle redoing a room.)   So in awe of you guys redoing bathroom tile, kitchen cabinets etc :)   Ain't happening here any time soon.

My newest burlap pillow project with cream colored burlap, turquoise monogram and scalloped edge border was {in my MIND} a really nice pillow.  I was making it for my sweet sister Nancy, that made the awesome Messy Mimi bench for me. 

 She lives near the coast {Wilmington} and I wanted to make a beachy (turquoise and scallops) but natural (creamy burlap) pillow for her adorable home. 

I made several things in middle school with scalloped edges.  No problem.  But, four kids and many many years later, I just can't make it happen like I so want.  But that's okay.  

 I'm leaving out most pictures of my first attempt.  (I used a small jar - 3") for the scallops.)  Measured and checked to be sure the scallops were evenly spaced.  They were but I think I should have made them taller because they came out looking more like curves.

So I scratched that pillow {because I had more creamy burlap left}  Made a pattern out of poster board this time.  Because if it DID work, I wanted a pattern in case I ever did this again.  Sure.

Feeling the frustration mounting I just sketched the N onto the fabric fusion.  Ironed it onto the pillow.  And, of course, I had forgotten to stitch this onto the pillow BEFORE it was sewn all up.   

Unstuffed pillow on left - my first attempt.

The second effort is on the right.  A little better but not what I had hoped.

Well, at this point I WAS DRIVEN.  Don't know why I didn't quit.  Cause I was totally sick of it by now  The stubborn Taurus in me came out BIG time  =:)

This is when I realized maybe, just maybe, I ought to plan ahead.  But what fun is that?

So..I will try again to make the beautiful beachy burlap pillow in my mind but to make me happy, after being SO annoyed, this is what I did   

Went to my stash of burlap, grabbed my double wide Sharpie and sketched an M for Mimi or Mom.  Really didn't matter at that point.  :)  With the "M" in the middle, I cut out an 11" x 11" square for the front.

For the back (this will be an envelope pillow) I cut out 2 more pieces 7" x 7"

Folded over the edges 1/4 inch twice on the ends of the pillow that would be the opening at the back.   Stitched the edges .  No pix of that but here is how it looks finished- hope it makes sense. 

I am NOT good at tutorials so, look here at Freshly Picked for much better instructions!

Ric Rac makes me happy so that's what I'm using to pipe my pillow!

Placed both backs on the pillow front right sides facing with the ric rac between  them.   Stitched them together all around. 

.

I'm feeling a little better.

Here it is sitting pretty on my next project.  Lone Star chairs donated to Habitat for Humanity Restore.  $5!

Working on this now!  Lone Star chairs (yea one had gum stuck under it  eww)  Dwell fabric from Jo Anns (I love the pink elephants) and testing trying out Annie Sloan Old White Chalk paint.

Let's see what happens!  And I will let you know what I think of this paint!

Happy Tuesday to all!  

Link Parties - Priceless!

MONDAY

DebbieDoos - DebbieDoos Newbie Party

Skip to my Lou-Made by You Mondays

Keeping it Simple - Motivate Me Monday

The Girl Creative - Just Something I whipped Up

TUESDAY

The Thrifty Home - Penny Pinching Tuesday

Ladybug Blessings - Handmade Tuesdays

Today's Creative Blog - Get Your Craft On

WEDNESDAY

Night Owl Crafting - Hoo's Got Talent?

Elements Interiors -  Whassup Wednesday

Handy Man, Crafty Woman-Wicked Awesome Wednesday

Blue Cricket Design - Show and Tell Wednesday

Sew Woodsy - What's up Wednesdays

A Little Tipsy - DIY Under $5

THURSDAY 

Momnivore's Dilemma - Creative Juice Thursday

Somewhat Simple - Strut Your Stuff

No Minimalist Here -  Open House Thursday

The Frugal Girls - Chic and Crafty

The Shabby Chic Cottage - Transformation Thursday

House of Hepworths - Hookin Up with HoH

Fireflies and Jellybeans - Show off Your Stuff

Paisley Passions - Thrilling Thursday

FRIDAY

At the Picket Fence - Inspiration Friday

French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Fridays

delicate CONSTRUCTION - Delicately Constructed Fridays

My Romantic Home- Show and Tell Friday  

Chic on a Shoestring-Flaunt It Friday

Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday

The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday 

Sassy Sites - Free For All Friday

Mommaskindacrafty   - Fantabulous Friday 

Todays Creative Blog - Get Your Craft On

It's a Hodge Podge Life - Friday

SATURDAY

Funky Junk Interiors - Saturday Nite Special

Wildflowers & Whimsy - Sew Crafty Saturday