Earlier this summer I told you about a new obsession of mine… Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. My mom gave me a hands-on tutorial and sent me home with all the necessary materials and a huge amount of inspiration. I’ve used Annie Sloan paint on two big projects since then: our dining room table and our kitchen cupboards.
The dining room table was fairly straight forward. I only painted the top surface, leaving the legs original wood. The kitchen cupboards were more time intensive. Between the two projects, I had many hours of nothing but paint, blue tape, brushes, and drop cloths. I learned a lot about chalk painting technique completing those projects, but I also learned some valuable life lessons.
3 Life Lessons I Learned From Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
- Brush Marks are okay. Unless you use a roller (and I find them a bit finicky), chalk paint shows your brush strokes. Initially, I was a bit frustrated by the imperfection (see #2) of those little grooves. I wanted to the surface to be smooth and professional looking. Then I realized the brush strokes were evidence of my handiwork. They showed I had painted those pieces by hand, putting in care and time to the finished product. The brush strokes in our lives point towards a Creator who crafted us with intention and love. Our unique histories and traits make us special, not factory direct.
- It’s not meant to be perfect. The chalk paint look is inherently imperfect. Pieces are meant to be distressed, waxed, and aged. I absolutely love that look in furniture so why do I have a hard time with the rough edges in my own life? We can’t be perfect and because of God’s grace we don’t have to be perfect.
- Wait for the paint to dry before adding a second coat. I painted our table outside so the second coat went on almost immediately after having finished the first. Our cupboards were a different story. I got impatient and the results were semi disastrous. Think glumpy and uneven. The same result happens in my life when I don’t slow down and wait for God. When I move forward with my plans without waiting to consult God or his timing, I end up with a disaster. It’s much better to be patient before proceeding with gusto. The results will be much more pleasing.
Emily C Gardner 