Good morning everyone!  I hope you are enjoying this March weather we’ve been having lately.  I am excited about this post today!  This is the first post in a series of posts that I am writing about chalk painting.  This was my first attempt at using chalk paint and I have to tell you – I absolutely LOVE IT!!  I enjoy painting and being creative, but I always get a little nervous trying something new out when paint is involved.  It can be so final when trying a new look on an item and if it doesn’t turn out, there’s not always an easy way to fix it.  Plus, since my nickname is Crash (don’t ask!!) I’m always afraid that I will make a big mess when chemicals like paint thinner are involved.

That is one of the reasons that I fell in love with chalk paint.  Working with chalk paint is very easy as there is very little prep work involved.  Plus, it cleans up with just soap and water so there’s very little risk of a mess that can’t be fixed.  The other reason I love working with chalk paint is because it dries so quickly – within 30 minutes to an hour for most projects!

I have several pieces that I am painting with chalk paint, but since this was my first time working with it, I decided to start out with a few smaller accessory-type items.  I will be showing you how to paint the lid for a ball jar and a metal trash can in this post.

Chalk Painting Series #1 – Painting Household Items

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Before you Begin-

If you’re anything like me and you jump right in and start a project without reading the whole article, here are a couple of helpful tips that I discovered while completing these projects:

1. Soak your wax brush in water to remove any loose bristles before you start working. This will prevent all of those pesky bristles getting stuck in your wax.
2. Wear old clothing. I know this might seem silly, but it’s always good to have a reminder.  Even though chalk paint cleans up super easy, this will save you time and effort later on.
3. When working with a mesh-like material like this trash can, it can be easy to have too much lumped into one spot and the little holes get plugged up which doesn’t look great. Try to use a very little bit and just take your time so that you won’t have this happen.
4. Use a little bit of wax. The more you use, the more you will be wiping off afterwards because you only need a little bit to cover a large area.  Start small to save you from wiping all of the excess off at the end.

Mason Jar Lid Project-

I bought this small Mason jar for my homemade taco seasoning.  I thought it would be a great idea to paint this lid as my first attempt at using chalk paint since it didn’t matter what the lid looked like when I put my taco seasoning into it.

Materials List:

• Chalk Paint – I am using Waverly brand in Agave color
• Clear Sealing Wax – I am using ArtMinds brand
• Chalk Paint Brush
• Wax Brush
• Paper Towels
• Paper Plate
• Plastic Spoon
• Clean Cloth
• Small Mason Jar

Steps to Follow:

1. Wipe down the surface being painted with a clean cloth
2. Place the lid from the mason jar on a paper towel for easy clean up
3. Shake your chalk paint well
4. Dip the tips of the chalk paint brush into the chalk paint
5. Dab the chalk paint brush onto the paper plate to remove the excess paint (you only need a little bit)
6. Paint the top of the lid and the sides (I decided not to paint the inside of the lid, but you can if you want)
7. Allow to dry for 30 minutes
8. Paint a second coat if desired and allow to dry for another 30 minutes if needed
9. Take the plastic spoon and scoop out a little clear wax and place it on a clean section of the paper plate
10. Dip the tips of the wax brush into the clear wax
11. Apply the wax to the top and sides of the lid in a circular motion
12. Allow to dry overnight
13. Buff with a clean cloth

Here’s my finished product – I think it turned out great and was a cinch to do!  I only painted one coat since this was purely decorative and won’t be on display.  Moving onto a harder item now – the trash can.

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Metal Trash Can Project-

Painting this metal trash can was actually the reason I bought the chalk paint.  I thought it would be fun to paint it and make it match the colors in my office.  The trash can itself is at least 10 years old but is in phenomenal shape – no rush or dings in it.

Materials List:

• Chalk Paint – I am using Waverly brand in Agave color
• Clear Sealing Wax – I am using ArtMinds brand
• Chalk Paint Brush
• Wax Brush
• Paper Towels
• Paper Plate
• Plastic Spoon
• Clean Cloth
• Metal Trash Can

Steps to Follow:

1. Wipe down the surface and inside of the trash can with a clean cloth (if needed, scrub clean with soap and water and dry thoroughly)
2. Place the trash can upside down on paper towels for easy clean up
3. Shake your chalk paint well
4. Dip the tips of the chalk paint brush into the chalk paint
5. Paint the sides and bottom of the trash can all the way around leaving the top rim unpainted for now
6. Allow to dry for 30 minutes
7. Paint a second and third coat if needed for coverage and allow to dry for another 30 minutes after each coat
8. Turn the trash can right side up on paper towels
9. Paint the inside of the trash can all the way around leaving the top rim unpainted for now
10. Allow to dry for 30 minutes
11. Paint a second and third coat if needed for coverage and allow to dry for another 30 minutes after each coat
12. Take the plastic spoon and scoop out a little clear wax and place it on a clean section of the paper plate
13. Dip the tips of the wax brush into the clear wax
14. Apply the wax to the trash can in a circular motion
15. Allow to dry overnight
16. Buff with a clean cloth

Here’s my finished product – I absolutely LOVE how it turned out!  Now I’m addicted to painting with chalk paint and I can’t wait to paint my next item!

Bonus Tip – Cleaning Your Brushes:

This is the part that I’m always so bad about (don’t tell my Dad, he’s a painting fanatic!!) – cleaning my brushes.  I try to clean them right away because I know how hard it is to get them really clean if I let them sit around and dry.  Thankfully, it is very easy to clean your chalk and wax brushes.  Soak them in soapy water and then wash with soap and water and dry thoroughly.  You can also use conditioner on the brushes to keep them soft.  That’s it, now you’re ready for your next chalk painting project!

I hope this inspired you to give chalk paint a try and I’d love to hear what you decided to paint so comment below with the details of your chalk painting projects!  Watch for my next post in the Chalk Painting Series in April where I paint our coffee table!  And don’t forget to share this post on social media so your friends and family can try working with chalk paint too!