How To Paint with Annie Sloan & Miss Mustard Seed

Chalk Paint®

Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint by Annie Sloan

Chalk Paint® decorative paint was created by Annie Sloan in Europe over 20 years ago. They are exclusive artisan paints that are water-based & eco-friendly with very low VOC’s. It is meant for furniture, but can also be used on walls & many other surfaces. Chalk Paint® is so easy to use and the results are fabulous. It requires no prep work (that’s right, no sanding or priming required, and yes, even on those glossy surfaces!) and will adhere to just about any surface.

Chalk Paint® is a dream to work with since its so versatile! You can add water to make it into a wash, or leave the lid off to thicken it up and create texture. Use a smooth brush for a smooth texture, or create texture with a bristle brush & uneven brush strokes. Layer it for a shabby look, or sand it down to create a super smooth surface. Endless possibilities! It’s a complete protective 2-step system when you finish with Annie Sloan soft wax, available in clear & dark. Clear wax gives a protective coat and dark wax adds a bit of an antiqued or aged look. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! This stuff is addictive!

Available in 32oz. & 4 oz. sample jars. In general, a quart will cover 2-3 medium to large pieces of furniture, the 4oz. container will cover a small side table. Of course it all depends on coverage.

Click HERE for a list of FAQ’s. To view some of Annie’s favorite techniques, click HERE.

Milk Paint

Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint

In 2011, Marian Parsons, aka Miss Mustard Seed, teamed up with Homestead House to create a line of Milk Paint and companion products. If you don’t know whom Miss Mustard Seed is, please visit her blog and see her amazing talents!

Milk Paint is an ancient all-natural paint containing basic ingredients including milk protein (casein), limestone, clay and natural pigments. When absorbed into the surface, Milk Paint will never chip or peel. It is suitable for both interior and exterior applications and is naturally mold resistant. Milk paint provides a completely breathable coating and is ideal for painting wood, plaster, drywall and a variety of other surfaces. It is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and contains no VOCs.

With the Milk Paint Bonding Agent you can use Milk Paint on even more surfaces such as previously painted walls, varnished surfaces, ceramic tiles, metal, glass etc. Without the bonding agent, Milk Paint will resist some prefinished or prepainted surfaces to achieve an authentic “chippy” look.

We love to share our knowledge and expertise with others. Every month we offer workshops catered to individual techniques using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Miss Mustard Seed Milk paint, and Artisan Enhancements. We teach everything from the basics all the way to advanced techniques and how to apply them on your own.

What is the difference between Chalk Paint® & Milk Paint?

Well, let’s put it this way, Milk Paint is like the “doesn’t always listen” sister to Chalk Paint®. Milk Paint can sometimes be a bit unpredictable, while Chalk Paint® is more obedient. Milk Paint will do many of the things Chalk Paint® will do…you can layer her, distress her, thin her, etc.,but sometimes you’ll get a fabulous chippiness with Milk Paint, which Chalk Paint® will not do. When you think of Chalk Paint®, think of Old World European, beautifully distressed & layered, whereas Milk Paint would be more rustic, chippy, Americana Folk Art. It’s Downton Abbey meets American Pickers.

You can achieve a smooth, solid finish with Milk Paint, but you’ll need to add the bonding agent, and you may also have to do some prep work. Chalk Paint® will be solid on its own without any prep work. Also, keep in mind, Milk Paint may or may not chip depending on the surface. It’s kind of like a mysterious, fun game with Milk Paint…is it or isn’t it going to chip & peel? When you work with Milk Paint, you sometimes need to be a little more flexible with the results you desire (unless you use the bonding agent), with Chalk Paint® you can pretty much guarantee your results.

Milk Paint comes in powder form and needs to be mixed with water; Chalk Paint® comes in a can pre-tinted & mixed. Since you mix Milk Paint and the pigments don’t always dissolve perfectly, you will sometimes get a varied look with the same color. You can create a lot of depth with Milk Paint, whereas Chalk Paint® will be consistently one color (unless you layer it of course!). They are both extremely fun & exciting to work with. We love them both, just like proud parents would!