Holiday Hours at The Painted Chest

Greetings everyone!

The holiday hours for The Painted Chest are Open today, December 23rd from 10am to 5pm.  We will be closed December 24th through January 1st.  We will re-open on January 2nd.

We can't thank everyone enough for the patronage and support during this new endeavor of a brick and mortar store!!  It has been amazing!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

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December Newsletter

What's new at The Painted Chest?

Workshops have finally been scheduled!  I know many of you have been eagerly awaiting this announcement.

The following dates for Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint 101 classes are:

December 13th
5:30 to 9:30
Cost:  $65
Last day to sign up for this class is December 5th!

This will be a Christmas themed Milk Paint 101 Workshop.  We will be making a Christmas themed sign at the end of class. 

****IMPORTANT**** In the "Notes to Seller", please choose which word you would like to have on your sign:  Joy, Believe, Noel, Love, HoHoHo, or Santa.

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December 17th
6:00 to 8:00
Cost:  $35
This is a Christmas Sign Workshop for those of you who have already taken Milk Paint 101.  You've been through 4 hours of instruction and you have a good grasp on how to mix and use Milk Paint.  So come for a relaxing evening with your friends and make a Christmas sign to enhance your holiday decor or to use as a Christmas gift!   

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January 10th
5:30 to 9:30
Cost:  $65

January 24th
5:30 to 9:30
Cost:  $65

The Milk Paint 101 furniture refinishing class is a hands-on learning experience in the world of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint.  You will learn how to mix milk paint, painting techniques and explore the different top coats. You will leave this class with a fun project that you can take home.

Classes will be held at The Painted Chest, 1340 Walnut Street, Murphysboro, Illinois.  The cost is $65 and this includes 4 hours of instruction and all paint, supplies, and materials needed in class as well as a sign you will make to take home.  There is a limit of 8 people per class. 

***Pre-registration is required to reserve your seat!***

You can sign up in-store or online at: http://www.thepaintedchest.com/p/workshops.html

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Fusion Mineral Paint kitchen cabinet makeover classes will begin after the new year.

December 6th is also the Deer Hunting Widows Shopping Event for the Unique Shops of Murphysboro.

The Event will take place from 10am to 3pm.  Shoppers can participate in a Scavenger Hunt that will take them from store to store trying "hunt" down the items that match their clues.  They will then be entered for a Grand Buck prize!

Stores will have light refreshments and when you are ready to take a short break, Jack's Meat Market and Deli will have a lunch special available sure to cure your hungry appetite.

We have a new Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Color of the Month!  Boxwood is the new color for the month of December.  During the month of December you will receive 10% off of every quart of Boxwood Milk Paint.

Boxwood

Boxwood is our rich, dark grassy green.  Depending on the finish used on the piece, it can look bright and bold or subtle - more like a muted olive.

Boxwood is named for the preserved boxwood wreaths and topiaries Marian uses in her interiors.

Boxwood mixes well with Grain Sack to create a pale aqua.  Layer under Lucketts Green for a two-toned monochromatic look.

Thank you all for you support and encouragement as I begin this new adventure!  I hope to you in the store soon!

~Tricia

The Painted Chest Featured in the Murphysboro American!

The Painted Chest was featured in our hometown newspaper, the Murphysboro American.

Click the link below to read all about it!

http://www.murphysboroamerican.com/article/20141107/NEWS/141109534/2025/NEWS

The Painted Chest Grand Opening

It's the announcement that many of you have been waiting for...

Exciting Changes Happening!!!

The Painted Chest is MOVING!!!  That's right, I am moving into my very own store!!!  My new location will be at 1340 Walnut Street in Murphysboro, Illinois.  It's right on the corner of 14th and Walnut streets.  I can't tell you how excited I am to see my dreams coming true!

Another paint line is also coming to The Painted Chest!  Fusion™ Mineral Paint is an amazing new furniture paint made by Homestead House Paint Company, also the manufacturer of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint.

You can learn more at Fusion™ Mineral Paint HERE.

I have also been asked to be a part of the Fusion™ Mineral Paint Leadership Team as the new Midwest Regional Merchant Trainer!!!

What does that mean?  That means that I will be teaching all of the new Midwest Fusion™ Merchants (retailers) how to use Fusion™ and its companion products as well as how to teach workshops to their own customers.

My region covers the following 11 Midwest states:  Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.

This is also the reason why I am opening my own store, because all of those retailers will be coming to Murphysboro, Illinois for their training!!!

 Be sure to follow The Painted Chest on all of your favorite social media sites!

How to Achieve a Chippy Finish with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is known for its natural ability to chip and give an aged, worn, well-loved feel to a piece.  But did you know that sometimes it is actually hard to achieve that look?

On raw wood, Milk Paint actually absorbs into the wood like a stain instead of sitting on top like typical paint.  If you want that chippy look on raw wood, you will need to use a resist like Hemp Oil.  That's right, Hemp Oil is not only a finishing top coat on your painted piece, it can be used to create that chippy look that we all love.

Enter this 1912 Lane cedar chest.  It was still as sturdy as the day it was made but the finish on top was a little too loved over the years.  It had water rings from cups sitting on it, chipping and peeling veneer and even a few gouges to the top.  Cigarette burns too!

My client wanted this piece painted in Mustard Seed Yellow and really wanted to see a lot of chipping on this piece.  However, the veneer on the top needed to be removed and the deep gouges needed to be filled.  That left me with raw wood on the top.  

Raw wood top with wood filler applied to the damaged spots.

After giving it a coat of stain, I sporadically applied Hemp Oil to the top and immediately started painting.  You do not want to give the Hemp Oil a chance to soak in.  You also do not want to over-work your brush or you will end up with Hemp Oiled stripes on your piece and the chipping will not look natural.

The front of the cedar chest actually still had some old varnish on it.  I lightly scuffed it will a medium grit sanding sponge, wiped it down and started painting.  Much to my surprise and excitement, I received all kinds of chipping!  I was actually a little nervous that it would be too much chipping for my client, but she loved it.

This is what Milk Paint looks like as it dries and begins to chip.  You can use a fine grit sanding sponge or a putty knife to gently remove the flaking paint.

I finished the piece with Miss Mustard Seed's Furniture Wax and lightly buffed it.  I really love how this piece turned out.  Mustard Seed Yellow is such a fun color without being too bold.  It's vintage but modern.  I think it suits this piece well.

Do you like the chippy look?  Do you want to learn how to achieve the chippy look on raw wood?  Sign up for my next Milk Paint 101 workshop HERE and I will teach you how! 

Linking up to the following parties:

  

http://www.myrepurposedlife.com/

Domestically-speaking.com

 Be sure to follow The Painted Chest on all of your favorite social media sites!

Tricycle Red Wardrobe Makeover

Time flies when you are having fun, right?  Well, I must be having a blast. ;)

I'm going to do a little catching up on pieces that I've painted the last couple of months that I've yet to post about.  So let's start with this antique wardrobe.

It had good bones, but the finish was less than stellar.  The veneer was starting to bubble and lift in several places and that had to be removed.  We have tried many of the tricks out there to remove veneer, and we find that using a heat gun with a scraper is the easiest way.

The client wanted this piece painted with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Tricycle red with lots of chippiness and some of the natural wood showing.

This piece is so old and the wood was so dry, that even with a Hemp Oil resist, I got very little chipping.

I did a light distressing on all the places that would receive the usual wear and tear from daily use.

I finished the piece in Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Furniture Wax and Antiquing Wax.  The drawers and the tops are stained in Minwax Dark Walnut and sealed with Wipe-On Poly.

The bright red really make this a statement piece in a room.  I also love that it still has the original key.  

Are you a fan of a two-toned finish or do you prefer a solid color?

Linking up to the following parties:

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