Chalky Paint Recipe Using Calcium Carbonate

 If you follow me on social media, you know that I love to paint furniture! Chalk paint is one of my favorite kinds of paint. 

I love the matte finish that comes from chalk paint. It's so easy to use and in my opinion, it's hard to mess up. Seriously.

I have tried several different brands of paint that advertise a chalky finish. I've even done side by side comparisons for price, consistency, availability, etc. 

But that's not what this blog is about. 

At the request of one of my Youtube followers, I decided to try and make my own chalk paint using calcium carbonate. 

Calcium carbonate is a white powdery substance that can be purchased at your hardware store or online. I bought mine online.

Recipe for Calcium Carbonate Chalk Paint

My recipe is as follows:

2 tablespoons - Calcium Carbonate

8 ounces - Latex Paint

1 tablespoon - Water

Mix calcium carbonate and water together and stir well. Pour this mixture into the 8 oz paint and mix well.

Conclusion

The result is a chalky-like paint that can be applied in most cases without primer and dries to a matte finish. I love it! Bonus: this is much cheaper than paying retail!

Tip: Store your homemade chalky paint in a sealed glass container, unless you plan to use it right away. I used a recycled pasta sauce jar for storage.

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How to Use Napkins to Decoupage a Tray - Get The Look For Less

This tray was originally dark brown, dirty and had some kind of floral applique on it. It was a $3 thrift find. It was sturdy. It was so ugly, but I knew that a little elbow grease and paint could make a world of difference. 

My inspiration for this tray came from a Pinterest post showing similar trays for $186. Can you believe that price? 

After cleaning the tray, I painted it using Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint, Ultra Matte White. 

Once the paint dried, I used blue and white floral paper napkins to cover the inside of the tray. The process, called "decoupage" is simple.

The napkins were an Amazon purchase that I used previously on several other projects, including a decoupage pumpkin and Easter egg.

How to Decoupage

First, tear several strips of fabric or paper.  Apply glue or paste (I used Mod Podge), to the flat surface inside the tray. Cover the tray with those strips of paper.

Finally, give the napkin-covered surface a generous coating of Mod Podge. 

One of the great things about Mod Podge is that it dries clear, so it's very forgiving.  

Conclusion

I sealed the entire project with a coating of  Clear Enamel Spray Paint. This is what I call "the look for less"!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

 

No-Sew Spring Table Runner

With all the snow that we got over the last few weeks, I wanted to bring a touch of Spring into my home. I headed to Walmart and bought two yards of pre-cut duck fabric with the idea of making a runner or table cloth. 

I wanted something that would give my dining room a little Springtime flare. 

To me, the colors in this fabric scream Spring! 

I also bought a few yards of pink satin ribbon. With glue gun in hand, I was ready! 

The Process

I cut the fabric into a 2' x 6' strip, hot glued a strip of ribbon on each side, and fashioned a hem on each end using hot glue. 

For less than $10, I had beautiful Spring table runner! No sewing required!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

Homemade Chalky Paint Furniture Makeover

 After living with this chest for many years, I knew that I had to make a decision to keep it or let it go. The original dark color no longer fit in with my current aesthetic, but it was serving us well as a entryway table. 

I loved that it had drawers that we could drop our keys and sunglasses into as we walked into the house. It was the perfect height.

Decision made. I had to keep it! I decided to use some homemade chalky finish paint to make it pretty again.

Recipe

My paint recipe was simple: 1 part Plaster of Paris, 1 part water and parts latex paint.  Mix the water and Plaster of Paris together and then add this mixture to the paint. 

This paint dries quickly and no sanding is necessary.  The only sanding that I did was when I had to fill holes and sand when I replaced the drawer pulls. Easy!

Conclusion

Basically, this do-it-yourself project required two coats of  my homemade chalky finish paint and four new drawer pulls. The drawer pulls were about $2.00 each from my local big box hardware store. 

Another quick DIY in the books!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

Table Makeover Using Chalk Paint

 

I purchased my second-hand cherry wood dining room set online several years ago. I liked the deep, rich color, but I knew I would paint it white. I  eventually painted and upholstered the chairs, but I was hesitant to paint the table.

I really don't know why. 

Maybe it was its size or the fact that if I screwed up, I would  be stuck with a mess in my dining room. Any way, I eased into the project by painting just the table legs and sides. 

I lived with that for two years until I finally got the nerve to go all the way and paint the table top. 

How I Did It

I used the color Saw Mill Gravy. It's an off-white, but has grey undertones, in my opinion.  I watered down the paint just a little because it was so thick. 

I started the project with a paint brush and finished with a roller. To be honest, the paint roller should have been my go-to method from the jump. It was definitely the way to go for this flat surface. 

Conclusion

I love the results! The table has a nice chalky matte finish. What a difference! 

Now that the table top has a light color, it opens up so many decor possibilities for me. 

I've tried several different tablescapes since painting the table top, and each one is prettier than the one before it. I'm mixing and matching all kinds of plates and saucers. Flowers with checks.  Reds with browns. 

Now the colors in my plates and glassware really seem to pop! 

I can't believe I waited so long to do this!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

Flip This Thrift - Ginger Jar Makeover

I knew when I saw it that I had to have it! I walked into the thrift store and saw this beautiful brown ginger jar on the shelf just waiting for me. 

As an avid thrifter, I knew that I had to act fast or risk losing this beauty to another seasoned picker who could see its potential. 

The color brown was probably off-putting to some, but I could see beyond that.

What I Did

Paint has always been my friend and I knew exactly what I was going to do. In this case, I used a Gloss White Spray Paint, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

Stunning results! Thrifting is a  great way to uncover hidden treasures and give a second chance to home accessories and furniture. Go forth and thrift, my friends!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.