Adventures in PaintLand...

Some weeks ago, I painted two hefty end-tables. 

I love this color and I use it on just about everything. It distresses prettily, contrasts with just about any color you can set your heart on, and a coat of wax makes it just perfect. 

BUT! these are end tables. So they needed something a bit more durable, right? Something that could withstand a bit of use and the occasional toy car race. 

Or, you know, invasion. *teehee*

Unfortunately, my trusty water-based polycrylic turned on me and I ended up with a table that looked like it had been the sole repository for a chain smoker's exhalation for about 20 years. Yikes! It was awful. Terrible. It was a terrible, no-good, very bad result. 

Yup. I had to drag the table outside and sand the daylights out of it to get all that yellow, nasty funk off. At least the girls had a good time running around in the driveway, playing 'go to sleep, kitten!'

Re-finished table finale coming soon. Once I get the wax out...

Dresser in French Enamel

Ignore the messy kitchen and the *ahem* beer kit in the background. This dresser came from my husband's grandmother via his mother. It looks so melancholy, does it not? 

Nothing a nice coat of Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint in French Enamel can't fix! I originally thought I would paint the whole top surface as well but... I do like a stain/paint contrast. So I'm going to haul it back outside tomorrow and sand the dickens out of it, making it ready for some red mahogany stain. I <3 that color so much.

Now, here's the only thing I don't care for when it comes to milk paint. When you sand it to give it that baby-bottom finish, it smells like soured milk. I don't know anyone who's a fan of that. But at least it doesn't retain it for long and it's definitely worth putting up with for the end result. 

Update:

It needs new hardware on the top drawers. I'm thinking something funky from Anthropologie would be a good touch.