I am lucky enough to be a part of one of the best gift and home decor stores in the Pacific Northwest. Nest Home & Gifts has been my home away from home for over six years and when I heard Susan, (my very good friend and owner of Nest), was bringing in Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, I was tickled pink! It arrived just last week and I rushed down to buy my three favorite colors: Typewriter (black), Shutter Gray and Ironstone (white). Since I am also a dealer at Faded Elegance, a fabulous antique store in Snohomish, I always have old furniture on hand awaiting a new transformation. For over a year now, I have been using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to make-over my furniture pieces. It is a wonderful product and I really do love it. However, like many of you, I am always on the lookout for something new and different.
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I am lucky enough to be a part of one of the best gift and home decor stores in the Pacific Northwest. Nest Home & Gifts has been my home away from home for over six years and when I heard Susan, (my very good friend and owner of Nest), was bringing in Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint, I was tickled pink! It arrived just last week and I rushed down to buy my three favorite colors: Typewriter (black), Shutter Gray and Ironstone (white). Since I am also a dealer at Faded Elegance, a fabulous antique store in Snohomish, I always have old furniture on hand awaiting a new transformation. For over a year now, I have been using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to make-over my furniture pieces. It is a wonderful product and I really do love it. However, like many of you, I am always on the lookout for something new and different.
Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint
(in a nut shell)
The major differences I found between milk paint and chalk paint are 1) The milk paint comes in a powder form. Mix the powder with warm water, using the recommended measurements. 2) Milk paint is a bit more temperamental than chalk paint. This is a great characteristic if you ask me! If you desire a more consistent coverage, mix MMS Bonding Agent directly into your paint. If you don't mind the chippy look, apply the paint without the bonding agent. Pay close attention to the surface you are painting. For example, you are more likely to have a chippy result if you are painting a piece with a high-gloss finish, or a previously painted or waxed surface. As the paint dries, you will see it start to lift away from the surface, allowing the paint to chip away. You can use a putty knife to lightly scrape away the chipping pieces of paint. Once the loose pieces are scraped away, waxing is required to protect the piece.
There are other products in the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint line: Hemp Oil - for surfaces that need protection from liquids; Antique Wax - tinted wax used to seal and age the piece at the same time; Crackle - to assure you get that chippy finish; and as I mentioned before...Bonding Agent - used as a primer to help your paint adhere to your surface, resulting in a more consistent solid coverage.
The key is to have fun with the milk paint and just let it happen as it may! Stress doesn't have a place in painting..it should be a creative release!
It's not brain surgery, it's just paint :)
(in a nut shell)
The major differences I found between milk paint and chalk paint are 1) The milk paint comes in a powder form. Mix the powder with warm water, using the recommended measurements. 2) Milk paint is a bit more temperamental than chalk paint. This is a great characteristic if you ask me! If you desire a more consistent coverage, mix MMS Bonding Agent directly into your paint. If you don't mind the chippy look, apply the paint without the bonding agent. Pay close attention to the surface you are painting. For example, you are more likely to have a chippy result if you are painting a piece with a high-gloss finish, or a previously painted or waxed surface. As the paint dries, you will see it start to lift away from the surface, allowing the paint to chip away. You can use a putty knife to lightly scrape away the chipping pieces of paint. Once the loose pieces are scraped away, waxing is required to protect the piece.
There are other products in the Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint line: Hemp Oil - for surfaces that need protection from liquids; Antique Wax - tinted wax used to seal and age the piece at the same time; Crackle - to assure you get that chippy finish; and as I mentioned before...Bonding Agent - used as a primer to help your paint adhere to your surface, resulting in a more consistent solid coverage.
The key is to have fun with the milk paint and just let it happen as it may! Stress doesn't have a place in painting..it should be a creative release!
It's not brain surgery, it's just paint :)
My first go at using MMSMP
The piece I started out with was a plain oak hutch that had been stained and lightly varnished. Like chalk paint, there is no prepping needed for the wood when using milk paint, so I mixed up 1 tablespoon of powder to 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons warm water. I just used my paint brush to mix it up, and used a plastic drinking cup as my "vessel". In just a few minutes I was ready to paint.
I really loved the way MMSMP adhered to the wood. It appeared to soak into the piece and really became part of the wood. It has been my experience that chalk paint seems to "sit" on top of the surface. I painted a second coat that gave me the coverage that I was looking for. As it dried, I noticed that the coverage was smooth and there was no crackling or chipping at all (which was disappointing because I wanted this piece to be chippy). So, I waited for it to dry completely and then took a 200 grit sanding block to the areas where I wanted heavy distressing. Like chalk paint, it sanded beautifully! After sanding, I used an old sock to apply a thin coat of MMS Clear Wax. I love this wax! It really seals the paint and goes on perfectly smooth and even. I waited approximately 15 minutes and took a "new" old sock and buffed away. There were no fingerprints or spotty areas, yeah!
The results were awesome...
Gabrielle Chicken Wire Hutch
Available at
Nest Home & Gifts
Once I started playing around with MMSMP, I figured why stop?
I was on a roll...
Here is a chair I found down in Oregon while on a trip with friends, Katie and Kimberly.
I chose Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint
Shutter Gray and also replaced they shotty fabric.
Because this was a really old piece (horse hair was the base under the padding),
I was excited to see how the milk paint would adhere to the wood.
I painted a single coat and noticed chipping...
a lot of chipping!
It sounds cheesy, but I was squealing with delight!
I took a putty knife and scraped away the excess.
I also did some light sanding to create a silky-smooth surface.
I also did some light sanding to create a silky-smooth surface.
I used clear wax to seal it all and...
TAH-DAH!
My official review:
I am so impressed with Miss Mustard Seed Chalk Paint!
Luv, luv, luv!
If you are wanting to get your toes wet and play around
with user friendly paint, you can come visit or call in your order at
Who knows, I might even be the one who takes your order!
Happy painting!
Cheers,
Cheree
