Peony Lane Designs

Rust-Oleum Imagine Color Shift Review

January 30, 2021

Oh I love trying new products that’s why I was so excited to do a Rust-Oleum Imagine Color Shift Review!

I was shopping at my local home improvement store and I always head to the paint aisle to see what the oops paint rack has to offer me. On my way past the spray paint rack I saw an end cap that had a bunch of craft paints I had not seen before.

Rust-Oleum Imagine craft paints had bright and fun colors. I ended up buying the Imagine Chrome Paint and Imagine Color Shift. And then I didn’t do anything with them.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what I would use these paints on. I had no plan for them, but whenever I buy a new product, I’m always sure I’ll find something to use it on.

The Table!

Then I saw it. The Demi Lune table that I have been moving in and out of my shop for the past four years.

Does anyone remember the Cafe Paris stencil? Everyone HAD to use it. It filled my Pinterest feed every day. It was on cabinets, chairs, and tables. So of course, I HAD to use it too.

The only problem was, no one wanted to buy it. I have dragged that table from pop up sale to pop up sale. I have moved it in and out of my shop over and over.

You can tell that it has suffered over the years, so it was in need of a redo. I took it out of the shop this time with the intention of repainting it (probably white) and getting right back onto the sales floor.

Then I had an epiphany! The table was already black except the stenciled area and the Rust-Oleum Imagine Color Shift paint needed to be used over a black basecoat.

Eureka!

I only needed to cover the stencil and spray it to be off to the races.

Rust-Oleum Imagine Color Shift Paint Review

The first thing I noticed about the Rust-Oleum color shift paint was that instead of the comfort spray nozzle this has the old fashioned spray nozzle which I’m not a fan of because it hurts my fingers when I spray for a long time. The list of things I don’t like about this paint ends there.

The smell is different from your typical spray paint but not any more noxious. As you can see in the photo below I wore a respirator but I would wear one with regular spray paint as well.

Imagine Color Shift spray paint goes one like a regular spray paint. I feel like the nozzle does make even coverage difficult and after the first coat you could see lines from each pass of the can.

That was easily dealt with by spraying the second coat across the piece in the opposite direction. so if the first coat goes the long way across the piece, then the second coat should go the short way.

You can see in the photo above the second pass fills in the lines nicely.

The results are stunning!

In person it reminds me of a peacock feather. It shifts from green to blue to purple.

Imagine is the perfect name for this product because I can imagine it on frames, trays, and for some reason I am seeing it on a large piece like a hutch. Imagine that!

I’m looking forward to getting my hands one some of the other colors in the Imagine line. I will be painting a lot with Imagine Color Shifting Paint and I can’t wait!

Do Me A Favor

If you’ve made it this far in the post do me a favor and save this post to Pinterest using the pin-able image below. I would be so grateful if you did!

Rust-Oleum Imagine Color Shift Paint Review // furniture makeover // rust oleum glitter // rust oleum// furniture redo before and after // before and after painted furniture

Don’t miss my other painting posts! You can read them all by clicking HERE.

Will You Be Color Shifting?

I would love to hear if you will be trying Rust-Oleum Color Shifting spray paint. Let me know in the comments below.

If you want to see a detailed video of who the painting process went, the video is below!

Many Blessings to You!

If you haven’t yet seen my post on Imagine’s Intense Glitter paint click the picture below!

How to Layer Paint Colors on Furniture – Four Techniques for a Distressed Finish

January 23, 2021

Is there anything better than the look of a piece of furniture that’s been painted repeatedly and weathered over time? It’s one of my favorite distressed looks. Here’s how to layer paint colors on furniture for a distressed look!

Layered paint is so beautiful and it gives you an opportunity to add colors to your furniture and accessories that you normally might not have tried. Using contrasting or bright colors for your base layers can add excitement to an otherwise boring paint finish.

Layers of paint are a fast and easy way to get a distressed vintage type look on your furniture and home accessories. Here are a few tricks that can help you get the distressed look your want.

How Do You Paint Furniture In Layers?

First start by deciding on your colors and what order you want them to appear. For my project I knew the color that was on this little tote was going to be the base layer.

The next step is deciding what kind of distressing you want on your project. This will determine the order in which you want to apply the distressing techniques.

Wax Distressing for the Deepest Distress

Using candle wax to coat the edges works to distress any type of paint including spray paint. On my YouTube channel I did a full wax distressing tutorial if you want the full procedure.

Essentially, you coat with wax in places that you would normally see wear like the handles and edges. The wax will resist the paint (for that reason some people call this technique “resist distressing”) and in the places where the wax was you can easily flake the paint away. This gives a chipped paint look that will go all the way to the base paint.

When you’re finished painting you use a straight edge and scrape away the wax.

Paint Your Second Coat

Once you’ve waxed the projects (if that’s the effect you’re going for you can add your next layer of color.

I went with a yellow chalk paint which if you look at a color wheel is a mid range contrast from the red base coat. You can read more about contrasting colors here.

Once the piece was completely covered in the yellow I let it dry overnight before adding my next distressing technique and layer of paint.

Crackling Your Paint

Whenever I say crackle paint someone in the group I’m talking to will have a visceral reaction. That’s because crackle paint was WAAAYYYYYY overdone in the late 80′,s early 90’s and unfortunately it wasn’t done well. It didn’t feel authentic to have a piece completely covered in crackle.

Chill.

I’m not suggesting you cover the whole piece with a crackle finish. I am suggesting a more natural crackle that come in from the sides but doesn’t go across the whole project.

To do this you need a highly specialized craft tool . . . Elmers School Glue.

I know! Who would have thought your could use school glue to make really cool distressed finishes.

All you need to do is brush it on in an uneven way. I used the phrase intentionally random. You want the glue to be thicker in some areas and thinner in others. Where the glue is thick the cracks will be wider and where it’s thinner the cracks will be thinner.

Let the glue partially dry. You want it to still be tacky. Then brush on your next color of paint. I decided on a turquoise blue because it falls the same distance from the red as it does from the yellow on the contrast scale, so they should work well together.

Cracks will begin to form as the top layer of paint dries.

Distressing with Sandpaper

Distressing with sandpaper should be done with a LIGHT touch. I see so many “distressed” pieces of furniture where it looks like the person used a palm sander and went after it like a hyperactive beaver gnawing wood.

Don’t do that.

If you use a light touch when sanding you can feather the edges of chips and take the paint back layer by layer. You can go all the way down to the wood if you want but do so slowly and intentionally.

If it’s done right it can be a natural looking way to distress paint.

Water Distressing for Chalk Paint

All of the distressing techniques above can be used on any kind of paint including latex, spray paint and chalk paint.

Water distressing, however can only be done with chalk and clay type paints.

Water distressing is similar to sanding where you can rub away layers of chalk paint but instead of the scratch “sanded” look you get a rubbed finish that looks like paint that’s been worn away after years of being handled.

To water distress all you need is a piece of cloth and some water. You don’t want the cloth to be soaked just a little damp and then wipe away the layers of paint.

Bonus Layering Paint Technique for a Distressed Look

The last layer I used on this piece to give it an aged look was a glaze. I have an aversion to glazes. I feel like I just spent hours painting and loving up a piece only to put glaze on and it looks dirty.

For this tote though I wanted it to have a dirty look. Because I envision this piece as a flower tote it makes sense to me for it to look a little grungy.

I’m no expert of glazing so follow the directions on the glaze you purchase. For my piece I brushed the copper glaze on and wiped it away.

The glaze darkened all the colors which gives the piece an aged look right away.

Finished!

You can always use coordinating colors for a subtle look but I love bright colors. I might paint another piece is more muted tones for the shop. We’ll see.

If you want to see how the whole process came together step by step click the video below!

For more paint techniques check out my other painting posts HERE!

If you’ve made it this far in the post do me a favor and save this post to Pinterest using the pin-able image below. I would be so grateful if you did!

Unicorn Spit Project Thrift Store Frame Makeover

January 16, 2021

Unicorn Spit has so many beautiful bright colors that I’ve wanted a project to use it on. Time for a thrift store makeover on this frame!

This is not my first attempt at using unicorn spit. I initially bought the Unicorn Spit to try on my YouTube Channel. That was almost two years ago now.

And since that project these three bottle have been sitting my shelf. Languishing, I think would be the correct term for what they’ve been doing.

I love the colors that the Unicorn Spit gel stain comes in. They are rich and vibrant, so that means as someone who is creating piece primarily for resale, I can’t use it. People don’t come to my shop looking for anything with a ton of color on it. I know because I tried. Believe me. My first unsuccessful year was because I had a die hart love of color and my customers do not.

But because I’m in the 100 Projects 100 Days challenge and I have also secretly challenged myself to use all my supplies before buying new (this doesn’t include things like staples, glue, and the things I routinely run out of only paints and specialty art supplies) I decided to see if one of my 100 projects could use Unicorn Spit.

This frame was purchased to use my IOD Moulds on and make it look fancy but a vibrant coat of paint might be just what tis project needs.

Let’s Start the Unicorn Spit Project

If you haven’t used Unicorn Spit before you want to make sure you have a plastic drop cloth to cover any surface you’re working on because Unicorn Spit is messy. It’s a gel stain but not really. So I’m advocating that even if you think you’re a neat painter, just put a plastic table cloth down, because why risk it?

After that, remove or protect anything from your project that you’re not intending to paint.

In my case, that means removing the frame back, the mat and the glass.

As you can see I’ve protected my surface with a pink plastic table cloth and this is a work surface that is covered in paint. That’s how messy this can get. Just so you don’t think I don’t practice what I preach.

Now, I decided to go for the whole swirling, tie-dye-esque finish that Unicorn Spit is known for.

If you’re not familiar with Unicorn Spit you can do a quick search on Pinterest and see all sorts of amazing pieces that people have created with different techniques. That vibrant swirls and the smell is what this product is known for. Though for me the smell is the worst part of the product. To me it smells like scented panty liners. I mean . . . why?

Anyway, for this technique you drop paint all around whatever project you’re working on.

Then to keep the product wet while working the paint around you use a spray bottle and give the whole project a light mist.

The next step is where it get messy folks! You need a piece of plastic that will cover your entire project.

Lucky for me, a sheet of kitchen plastic wrap that has also been languishing only in my kitchen cupboard for the last 26 years. It finally has a job since the one is was invented for, protecting my food, it’s can’t handle.

Then you use you fingers to press and move the Unicorn Spit around until it spreads out to cover the entire project.

When you’ve filled all the blank spots of your project with Unicorn Spit you then get to reveal your creation!

And it’s so pretty! The bright blues and purple is so amazing.

I tried and found a better way to move the paint around on a second project I haven’t yet completed. I want to share it with you because I feel like it was more effective.

On the project below I used a brush to spread the paint while holding the plastic in place. I think the paint moved easier and holding the plastic in place kept the Unicorn Spit from smearing and blended instead. Maybe that’s in my head but to my eye it’s better.

Take a look and decide for yourself. Going forward though I will be using the brush.

Either method that you choose one thing is for sure, the colors are really pretty.

Once the Unicorn Spit dries it will lose its luster. Don’t panic once you put a clear coat on to protect your project (which you absolutely must do) the bright colors will return.

And do they ever POP! When people talk about wanting a “pop” of color this is what they’re talking about.

Unicorn Spit Project Thrift store makeover after

I am still hoping to find a project that I can use Unicorn Spit on for the shop. I really like the colors and I keep thinking there has to be someone like me out there who would love to find a table in bold color.

If you’ve made it this far in the post do me a favor and save this post to Pinterest using the pin-able image below. I would be so grateful if you did!

Unicorn Spit Project // unicorn spit paint // unicorn spit stain // unicorn spit ideas // unicorn spit projects

Do you think you’re going to try Unicorn Spit? Should I try a table? Just be brave and do it? Comment down below and let me know!

Many Blessings to You!

Best Paint for Wood Furniture

December 12, 2020

You’ve had that piece sitting in that same spot for years. Maybe even decades. Now it’s time for an update. So what is the best paint for wood furniture?

Oh boy! That question is likely to cause a lively debate if you’re among dedicated furniture painters. I know that where I sell my painted pieces there are several others who paint furniture and we all have strong opinions. If you toss in someone who sells paint then the situation becomes explosive FAST.

It’s a touchy subject.

I’m going to assume if you’re googling, or searching out this topic in some other way, that you’re not already a furniture painter and you’re not selling a certain paint brand. If you are then you might want to click away and read something else that won’t trigger you.

I Promise to Tell You The Truth

When I started my YouTube channel and blog I promised myself I would always be honest with readers and viewers. I have never liked putting my trust in someone who was only trying to sell me something. Worse yet, trying to sell me something they knew wasn’t the best thing for my situation.

I won’t do that to you. Never. I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight if I did.

I Once Sold Paint

A few years ago I jumped on the sell chalk paint bandwagon. I thought you should know that up front. There’s still a bunch of paint that I haven’t sold in boxes in my basement. I was one of those stock-ist who said only my paint was any good. The truth was it was the same as all the other chalk paint. There was no difference at all that I could tell.

For some reason, I felt like I needed to make that statement just to get it off my chest. I’ve never felt right about it. Telling people our paint was better when I couldn’t tell the difference really bothered me. It made me feel like a complete liar, because I was.

Like so many others, I sold chalk paints that had a tendency to scratch easily. Chalk paint takes forever to cure so any bump would make the paint chip or scratch. Especially when you didn’t sand the piece. That’s supposed to be a selling point, the no sanding, but try to explain to a customer that they have to treat the piece with kid gloves for two weeks while the paint actually stuck down. The only time I felt comfortable saying they would like the paint is if they wanted a chipped look because of how easy the paint was to scrape away.

It was difficult to work with because it dried too quickly. You would think that drying fast is a good thing but it can dry TOO fast and cause a gumming problem.

The second coat of paint always reactivated the first coat causing other problems for people I sold to. To be honest most people using chalk paint for the first time almost required a class before using it.

The party line was to tell people they would love this paint, when the truth was I felt like most of them would be frustrated with the paint.

I am reformed now.

My days of selling paint are behind me. I am not sponsored by a paint company. In other words I have no dog in this fight, so the advice I’m going to give you on which paint to use on wood furniture isn’t driven by an inherent bias.

What Paint Do You Use on Wood Furniture?

I use them all to be perfectly frank. I keep trying all the paints that come out to see how they work. I’m trying to use up all the paints I have on hand before I buy anymore paints. Which means I am currently painting with chalk paint, milk paint, spray paint, and latex paints.

Some of My Paint

So What is the Best Paint for Wood Furniture

In 99.9% of the cases the answer to what is the best paint for wood furniture is latex.

I just triggered a bunch of people.

Here’s why I’m suggesting latex paint:

First, it’s available everywhere and I do mean anywhere. You don’t have to find a boutique or specialty dealer in your area to find it. Your local hardware store has latex and I can almost guarantee it. They can tint it any color you want.

Second, it’s less expensive that other “specialty” paints that report to be furniture paints. You buy a quart of latex paint for under $20 and if you look through their oops paints you can pick up a whole gallon for less than $10. As someone who is selling furniture every penny counts so paying $40 for a “specialty paint” is just too much.

Third, there are no special tools or a learning curve for use. Let’s be honest, some of the “specialty paints” are fussy. They can be difficult to work with and at times just downright frustrating. And don’t get me started on the $20 brushes you just HAVE to have to paint them (no you don’t by the way). Latex is easy to use. Shake. Paint. Done.

Last, when it’s done right it’s more durable than other paints without a top coat. Most of the special furniture paints on the markets need some kind of top coat. Latex does not. You can get it in different sheens and none of them require a topcoat.

What is the Best Brand of Paint for Furniture

Again, this is one of those triggering questions.

People love their brand of paint and they will defend them to the end. Rust-Oleum paints are a brand I like a lot but they are not the only brand I use. I like Ace Hardware’s Clark & Kensington which I got on the oops paint rack. Valspar paints have been fantastic. So far I have not tried a latex brand that I put on my don’t use list.

Again, the truth is I have not found that much difference in the paints that I have use, and because I’m always collecting new paints, I have tried almost all of them. They all behave just as expected so whatever brand you find in the color and price you like that’s the one you should buy.

Any Paint Will Work

Here’s the truth, if you’re looking at that piece in the corner and feeling like it needs an update, grab whatever paint you have on hand. People get too caught up in believing there is only one way

Best Paint for Wood Furniture // sanding and painting furniture // painting vaneer furniture // furniture refinishing // wood paint // best way to paint furniture // paint for wood furniture // painting furniture diy

to do things or there really is a “best” of something. I can tell you after years and years of painting furniture there is very little difference in paints. They all cover the surface and they can all be distressed.

I know I’m going to catch some heat for saying this. There are paint dealers right now who are hiding in the bushes outside my house waiting to shout at me and tell me how their product is different. Who am I to say that it’s just paint!

Well, I’m the person writing this post and if they don’t like it they can write their own post.

If someone tells you something is THE BEST! Ask yourself if they have a reason for saying that. Are they selling you paint?

Don’t forget to sign up for my email list so you don’t miss any of my easy DIY tips!

Enter your email address and you’ll receive an amazing series of tips and tricks, plus one amazing bonus. Every week you’ll receive emails packed with great tips to help you make your home gorgeous on a budget! You can DIY (if I can do it anyone can)!

Stencil with Spray Paint

November 21, 2020

So a few months ago I uploaded a video on

how to stencil without paint bleed and in it I mentioned stenciling with spray paint. Maria asked if I would do a video on how to stencil with spray paint.

Of course I will!

I’m always happy to hear what viewers and readers want to see. If I can, I will be happy to create a new video to show my processes. Unfortunately for Maria right after she asked we had high winds for weeks and then it snowed in the middle of October. My window for spraying outside had closed. Then in November there was one Goldie Locks day where it was warm enough to paint outside and the wind was still.

At last!

Why Stencil with Spray Paint

So why would you want to spray paint stencils? Well, if you’re trying to produce a large number of signs in a short amount of time like I do it’s a great way to do sign fast. It’s also easier than traditional stenciling.

In my no paint bleed stencil method then you know the trick is to paint the base coat over the stencil before stenciling to fill the gaps. With spray paint you don’t need to use the base coat.

I Recommend Self Adhesive Stencils you can find them on Amazon and Etsy Or if you own a Cricut machine you can cut your own using vinyl. Either way the self adhesive stencils will make this task easier and cleaner. Because stencil spray adhesive is notorious for leaving residue behind. For a few dollars save yourself some aggravation.

How to Spray a Stencil

First pick your project. For me it’s a quick little sign on a Dollar Tree wood cuts they are a fun inexpensive way to create some custom signs.

Apply your stencil and mask off anything you don’t want to get paint on, because when you spray paint it will get everywhere so make sure it’s covered. You want to make sure you press down all around the stencil and ensure you have glued in place.

Hold the spray paint 2 to 3 feet above your project.

2 to 3 feet away — Hold Can 2 to 3 Feet Away

Then release a light mist of paint.

Let the paint fall in a light coat over the stencil. Do not saturate your stencil! That’s how you get paint bleed. Wait a few minutes between coats. Add as many light mist coats as you need to cover the whole stencil.

Light Coats — Add light coats until your completely covered.

When the paint has dried to the touch but not completely dry it’s time to peel the stencil off!

Ta dah! You are now a spray paint stencil pro! I told you it was easy.

Now if you’re like me and have to spray paint outside you will have to wait for a near windless day. Otherwise the wind will carry all the paint away when you’re spraying from such a distance. The trick to the whole thing is to let the paint fall on the stencil and not saturate the stencil. If you keep that in mind while working you should have no troubles.

You can watch the full video below and see the process from start to finish.

Don’t forget to sign up for my email list so you don’t miss any of my easy DIY tips!

Many blessings to you all!

Links in post are affiliate.