Thank you so much for your sweet and thoughtful comments on my previous post. I’m so happy to connect with you and I’m grateful for comments other than giveaway comments, you are all too sweet.

xox

Last weekend, at Selina Lake’s book launch party, I was gifted a box full of pastel coloured spray paints by the lovely Karina and Philippa of PlastiKote.

Even though I need to paint the living room doors and sort out boxes, I couldn’t resist to spray paint something as the cans were luring at me softly whispering: "use me, use me". Now who can resist the soft whispers of spray paint? So I went for it, something I wanted to do ever since I read this post.

What do you need:

PlastiKote Colour & Twist Spray
Jam Jars
Schleich Farm Life animals
Glue gun
Sanding paper

What do you need to do:

Start by sanding the jam lids, just to roughen them up a bit for better fixation.
Apply glue to the bottom of the animal. Stick, press and hold the animal to the lid.

Take them outside, cover a table with a cloth, place the lid on top of a empty toilet roll and use the spary paint according to the instructions on the can.

That’s it!

I can’t stop, I want to spray paint everything as it’s so easy and quick to dry and the result is just so fabulous.

Don’t panic when you think you’ve put too much of the good stuff on making your Schleich animal look drowned in paint, it will dry up evenly and bring back the details.

Thank you PlastiKote for bringing so much happiness into my life.

Two years ago I bought a lot of old, damaged paintings at a flea market. I thought they would be perfect to frame new paintings in as the frames were still in good condition. The frames also work well as chalkboard or pin board frames so I’ve made one for the kitchen.

This is what it looked like before. I took the oil painting out of the frame and replaced it with 2 cm thick MDF plate that I first gave a coat of primer and next painted with black chalkboard paint. The cool thing about chalkboard paint is that you can get it mixed in whatever colour. I’ve used black as chalkboards, in my head, are either black or green.

After painting the frame in my favourite pink, I distressed it a bit by sanding it roughly around the edges.

The “welcome” decal is by Shanna Murray. Shanna is spring cleaning so hurry up and get a 10% discount on all of her wonderful goodies.

I thought there would be a higher response to my previous post but apparently there are just a few of you who care about paint instead of the hundreds I thought. So I’ll keep this post, and subject, short.

The Pinks

Wall
Colour number: S 1010-Y90R Natural Colour System 2nd Edition
Paint used: Histor wall paint Satin

Chest of drawers
Colour number: S 1030-R10B Violier Histor Collection 2
Paint used: Sigma Coatings S2U Nova Satin

The Outdoors

All walls and woodwork

Colour number: FB approx 2004 / PPG: FB approx (Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin 2004)
Paint used: Sigma Coatings Torno Semi-Gloss

The Whites

For all interior woodwork (windows, closets etc.)
Colour number: FB approx 2005 / PPG: FB approx (Farrow & Ball All White 2005)
Paint used: Sigma Coatings S2U Nova Satin

For all interior walls (that are white)
Colour number: RAL 9010 Pure White
Paint used: Histor wall paint Satin

As by public demand the first chapter of my paint guide.

Bare in mind that what you are about to read is how I like to work, I can’t claim it’s the best way to do it. I’m convinced you should always ask information and guidance at your local paint/D.I.Y. shop. I write this post as I’m often asked what my routine is and as I like to share that with you I’ll dedicate this post to the subject. I hope it will satisfy your needs ;o)

I know that the following contents applies for Europe but I’m not sure if it will work elsewhere. WILL YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

The image below shows a chart of the tools I use. Each tool is numbered so if I write; “use 1 and 8″, it will refer to this chart.

If I use acrylic paint (water based) I use felt paint rollers if I use turpentine paint (oil based) I use foam paint rollers.

For surface cleaning I use hot water with a drop of ammonium.

I use disposable paint brushes as I can’t be bothered to clean them (the only really bad thing I do for the environment beside being human)

Water Based vs Oil Based

I have a really simple rule for that: use water based paint for everything that you don’t walk on and use oil based paint for everything you do walk on. Water based paint is perfect for furniture, woodwork etc.. as it dries super fast. It’s also much better to use indoors as itdoesn’t smell and it’s not so toxic. Oil based paint is much more durable and hard wearing. Experts say that it should be used to paint outdoors but I don’t agree. If you get a good water based paint it will last outdoors.

So water based paint wins.

Paint

Don’t go for cheap – DO NOT EVER! Cheap paint will take many, many coats and will be in the long run very expensive. Settle with a quality paint brand and good tools as it will make your life easier. I only use paint from SIGMA COATINGS – not worldwide available. I’ll get it mixed in any colour I fancy.

The Magic of Colour Numbers

If you go to your local D.I.Y. shop, where they have a paint mixing station, they can mix any colour you desire using any brand of paint you desire. I use SIGMA paint but I want a Farrow & Ball colour, it’s possible as all colours carry a colour number. For example; Farrow & Ball All White 2005 carries universal number: FB approx 2005. If my paint guy exactly types this in his mixing station computer he’ll get All White by Farrow & Ball and can mix it with anything, even wall paint.

So you need to know colour numbers and you need to know brands.

RAL Numbers

There’s another way to get the right colour and that’s using RAL numbers. RAL numbers are brandless set colours. RAL number 9010 is the most used RAL number for white, I use it a lot. The same counts for RAL numbers, you can take them to your mixing guy and tell him you want RAL number …. mixed in your desired paint.

Brandless Mysterious Numbers

Take them to your mixing guy and let him find it, he will, he’ll only needs a bit of encouraging.

Trust me, every colour is mixable as long as you have a colour number.

Stages of Painting

There are 4 stages (phases) in painting:

1. sanding
2. priming
3. sanding
4. painting

This is my pantry/broom closet in 4 stages.

Sometimes you need two or even three coats of paint and you’ll have to repeat the sanding/painting stages for as long as it will do the trick. In the end I painted my closet two times.

Paint Technique

I apply the paint with a paint brush (5/6) on to the object that needs painting and roll the paint out with a paint roller (7/8). I never dip the paint roller in a bucket of paint I just use it to even the paint out.

When I paint floors I do the same thing only I put the paint roller on a broomstick (1) and even the paint out like I’m mopping the floor.

Next post will be about the numbers I use in my home, hopefully online tomorrow. Please ask me anything so I can answer your questions in my second paint guide.