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How to mix ANY color of Milk Paint

Hey Y'all! I am back and I've got some exciting news to share with ya!
Have you ever wanted to use milk paint but just couldn't find the right color? Well, I have the solution to your color hunting problems!
As many of you know I use our W&P milk paint on everything and I'm always playing around with the colors to create new ones. But, sometimes I am unable to achieve the color I was going for. Which brought me to this exciting discovery! Now I can create ANY color of milk paint that my little heart desires.. and so can YOU!!
Here's what you need to create ANY color of milk paint -
You will need Wildflowers & Pistols Milk Paint Base and any color of acrylic paint.
Let me start by explaining what milk paint base is. It's simply milk paint just with no pigment added. This stuff gives you the opportunity to really make any color you choose while still getting all of the awesome characteristics of milk paint!
As you can see in the picture above I decided to use a metallic aqua color. Now, after many different attempts I've found that the milk paint kind of cancels out the metallic-ness of any color (that's totally a word by the way). So, in the end the color ended up just being a fun aqua color instead of a metallic aqua color. I was still happy with the outcome nonetheless. :)
Here's how to mix it up -
First you will need to mix up your W&P milk paint base. This is the same as if you were mixing up normal milk paint. So, mix equal parts of milk paint base powder with warm water. I used about 3 tablespoons of milk paint base powder and 3 tablespoons of warm water to start with. Start by mixing smaller amounts or only as much as you think you will need. Milk paint does spoil - So, don't mix the whole package at one time!
The picture above shows you what the milk paint base looks like after you've mixed it with your warm water. Now, you're ready to add your acrylic paint!
Isn't this blue awesome!? So, to get the milk paint base this color all I did was add a couple of squirts of my metallic acrylic paint into the mixed milk paint base. Then I just stirred it up until it was all mixed together. And VIOLA!
It's time to get painting! :)
I decided that this little night stand was the perfect candidate and would look adorable in this bright, fun color!
Here is the table after the first coat of paint. It's a bit streaky so a second coat of paint is needed.
And after the second coat! Much better!
After my second coat of paint was dry I used 180 grit sand paper and sanded the entire piece. I was worried that by adding the acrylic paint to the milk paint that it would take away some of the milk paint characteristics like the chipping and 'self-distressing' but it doesn't!!
Isn't this totally adorable!? The color is SO fun! And I LOVE that I was still able to get the naturally aged look that milk paint provides while creating a bright, fun color!
I got these drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby and they match perfectly! I LOVE them!
And one more picture just for good measure ;)
I think this little table turned out so fun! It sold within minutes of listing it!
I will be adding Wildflowers & Pistols Milk Paint Base to our online shop very soon! So keep an eye out!
So, now if you can't find the right milk paint color you know how to create you very own and it's super simple! Just imagine all those acrylic paint colors... the options are endless!!
Let's paint something pretty! :)
Heather
 
April 15, 2015 by Heather Long

Kitchen Table turned Sofa Table

Hey y'all! As promised, I have made this blog showing how I took an ordinary kitchen table and turned it into a sofa table. This was SO much fun to make!

Here is what the table looked like before -

It wasn't anything fancy. The table top was laminate and it slid apart to make the table bigger but it was missing the extra leaf. I had this table for over a year and I didn't really like it and I was lacking motivation and inspiration to redo it. Then, it just hit me! (you know.. about a year after picking it up ;) ) I decided I wanted to make this into a sofa table. So, here's what I did...

First, I removed the top. I just flipped it upside down and removed all of the screws that attached the table top to the base. Once I did that this is what it looked like..

This is obviously just a picture of one side of the tables base. But, this was now going to be the base for my sofa table. I just had to make a few modifications :)

I decided how deep I wanted the sofa table to be and I cut out the excess. In the picture above you can see that I just cut out a piece in the middle between both table legs. I repeated this same step on the other side of the tables base cutting and removing the same size of piece. I just used a hand saw to cut the wood.

Now, it was time to put each side back together!

I removed the excess piece. I held onto it because I was going to use it for the next step. I never waste any wood scraps ;) - I grabbed my wood glue and glued it back together. To hold it in place I clamped it together tightly. I let the glue dry. By this point it was getting late so I just left it like this over night.

The next morning I grabbed those two pieces of excess wood and...

I used the excess wood to help stabilize each side that I had cut and glued. I screwed it onto each new side of the tables base in the middle between each leg.

To cover the seem..

I used wood filler to help give each side a seamless look. Once the wood filler was dry I sanded it until it was completely smooth.

Now, I needed to attach the two base pieces together as one..

I cut two pieces of 1"x2"s and then screwed them to either side of the base to help stabilize and connect the base back together. (Also- I glued each base piece before attaching the 1"x2" boards then to cover the seem I applied wood filler. Then sanded smooth once dry.) The table was very sturdy!

Now, it needed a new top!

I screwed down 3 boards of reclaimed wood. I ended up not having to cut or modify any of the 3 boards (amazingly enough!) After screwing each board down attaching it to the base I sanded each board until it was smooth. Then I stained them using a dark walnut color. I decided I wanted the wood to resemble barn wood so I grabbed some W&P Milk Paint- Pearl and I dry brushed it onto each board. Next, I painted the base! I decided to use a custom mix of W&P Milk Paint to create a unique color. This new paint color will be released very soon!!! :D

Here's what the final product looks like!

Isn't this color awesome!? It's kind of like a sea foam color with a hint of gray. I wish everyone could see this piece and color in person! These pics just don't do it justice!

I am SO happy with how the new table top turned out! (I'll be writing a blog tutorial on how I did it sometime soon!)

And just for good measure here's a side by side before and after pic :)

I hope y'all love this as much as I do! But, what I hope even more is that this will inspire you to create something beautiful and help give you the confidence to get started! :)

~Heather

 

 

February 09, 2015 by Heather Long

How to use Mod Podge & Napkins on Furniture

Alrighty, so I know most of you saw my night stand that I painted in one of our new colors, Annaleigh. I also added floral detailing to the drawers using new hardware and NAPKINS!! Yep, napkins!! I love this trick.. it can help give so much charm and character to an otherwise ordinary piece. And now, I'm gonna tell you how I did it! :)
Here is what the night stand looked like before...
First, I painted the entire thing (besides the drawers) using our NEW Wildflowers & Pistols Milk Paint - Annaleigh.
Then I grabbed my paint brush, mod podge and my pretty paper napkins.
Now, here's the real trick! You will definitely want to be sure to do this next step.. otherwise mod podeging the napkins wont work so well..
Before you start gluing down your napkins you will want to separate the napkin. Just remove the top, decorative layer. Be careful not to rip it.
Next, you are going to brush on your mod podge then lay your napkin down over it. Carefully press down the napkin. I wasn't worried about wrinkles because once it dried I was going to distress it. If you aren't wanting the distressed look you can use saran wrap to rub out all of the wrinkles. (don't use your bare hands.. the napkins rip easily while the glue is still wet)
This is what the drawer looked like after I applied two napkins...
Once it dried I tore off the excess (again, it didn't need to be perfect since I was going to distress it) and took my electric sander to distress the napkins. I used 150 grit sand paper.. nothing too coarse. I sanded enough to let some of the wood to be exposed. Once I was done distressing I drilled a new hole for the new drawer knobs. Then I sealed the napkins with 2 coats of mod podge. Do NOT apply the top coat of mod podge until AFTER you have already distressed the napkins. If you apply the top coat before distressing.. it makes it super difficult to distress the napkins at all.
Here you can see some of wood being exposed through the napkin. I LOVE it!!!
Also - I sealed the W&P Milk Paint with two coats of shellac.
Don't those new knobs look AWESOME with those napkins?! I picked those up at Hobby Lobby :)
The colors in the napkins worked pretty perfectly with our new purple/plum milk paint color, Annaleigh!
And there you have it! A super simple way to add charm and character to any piece of furniture! Give it a try and post pictures on our facebook page! I'd love to see your creations! :)

 

Heather

 

October 29, 2014 by Heather Long

That's not my name!


Why did I change the names of my paint colors? Well, honestly most of the old paint names had no meaning to me…I didn't really connect with them. And I figured if I couldn't connect to them then other people probably didn't either. I wanted each color to take on its own life and to have a personality, if you will. My business’s new direction is based on being true to yourself, taking risks, embracing your free spirit. I wanted my paints to have names that are named after some of my favorite women, but I also wanted them to remind you of someone that you might know to give them their own spirit and personality.


Let me help you to get to know some of these fine women. :)


Regina and Joy


 


Regina was my great grandmother. Regina was the older sister to Veronica. Their mother passed away when they were very young. Regina was 9 and Veronica was only 4-5. Her cause of death was lead poisoning that she received from an operation she had done. After that their father refused to see any doctors of any kind and he never remarried. Later in life Regina married my great grandfather and had 8 children. One of those children were named Jerry. He was sent to the Vietnam War where he lost his life at the young age of 21. This was very hard for Regina, as it would be for any mom. Before his passing, she always had this light about her and a sense of humor (or so I've been told), but after Jerry died that light had dimmed and the humor was replaced with sadness. This isn't to say that she was never happy, because she was. She had many blessings, but, she had been broken. One of those blessings was their youngest child, their only daughter, who would later become my grandmother. Her name is Joyce. She is a beautiful woman inside and out. She is ornery like her father and her light shines wherever she goes like her mother. She's also an amazing baker! Her dinner rolls and cinnamon rolls are famous in my hometown! My grandma is another strong woman in my life and so I’ve named a color after her, just as I’ve named colors in honor of my great grandma, Regina. My grandpa, John, has always called her "Joy.” Her favorite color also happens to be yellow so it couldn't have been more fitting for me to name one of my yellows, a color of light and happiness, Joy.


 Pearl


Pearl is the middle name of my paternal grandmother. Linda Pearl - she might just be the most stubborn, strong willed, kind hearted woman I know. I can remember listening to her stories and opinions as she and my sisters would wash dishes in her kitchen. She would give us her ideas on everything from how best to keep sponges clean to the competence of the United States president. She has taught me that even women, and maybe especially women, ought to think for themselves. Pearls are admired for their natural beauty and I can’t help but admire my granny for the same reason. Also - the picture that is placed inside of the frame that represents this color is a picture of my granny and grandad. It's one of my favorites!

 

 Zora May

Zora May's real name was Missouri but everyone always called her Zora May. Which is kind of a fun insight at their accent.. One can assume that they pronounced Missouri as Missoura and that's why they called her Zora for short. Zora was my great great aunt. Unfortunately, I never met her and there aren't too many stories about her.. However, there is one story that was passed down by another aunt. She claimed that Zora was poisoned and killed by her second husband. Zora passed away at the young age of 44 and had only been married to her second husband for 2 years. This was never proven but it's a story of speculation that has been handed down from generation to generation. I wish I knew her true story. But, sadly all I know is that she had 12 children, died too young and carried a beautifully unique name.

 

 Lottie

Lottie's real name was Charlotte but everyone called her Lottie. This color was originally called 'Grandma's Quilt' because she made the quilt that hangs in my mothers living room. And one of the colors in the quilt is this one. The quilt was made from her old dresses. She would get a new dress each Christmas but wouldn't wear it until the one she wore everyday was worn out. She'd then put the old, worn out dress away and use it for quilts. She was a very small woman. Short and petite. She was said to be very sweet and caring but if you crossed her you'd definitely hear about it! With that being said, she didn't anger easily. She was like a volcano. It usually took you several mess ups before she exploded ;) One of my all time favorite family legends is about this tiny gal. There was what we call the Range Wars of the West. Family legend has it that these boys came riding in on their property. She stepped out of their sod house with her rifle and shot one of the man's hats clean off his head and threatened to go lower if they didn't leave. The men decided to go ahead and ride on out of there. She had this quiet independence about her and she was very feisty. She was tough and stubborn until the day she died. She passed away at 98 years old and outlived 5 of her children.


 Annie


Annie is named after Annie Oakley, one of my favorite women of all time! I'm a gun enthusiast myself. Unfortunately, I don't have as good a shot as her but I'm still pretty good if I do say so myself. ;) I have always been drawn to Annie Oakley because she was a feminist but would never admit to it. She was a woman of conviction but never had to shout it out. She lived her life without fear. She wasn't afraid to live by her beliefs, she wasn't afraid of what people thought of her, she wasn't afraid to shoot someone, she wasn't afraid to be herself, and she also wasn't afraid to love. Here is my favorite quote of hers.. "I ain't afraid to love a man, but I ain't afraid to shoot him either."


And now onto our NEW colors!


 Esmeralda


Esmeralda was chosen because this color reminds me of a gypsy and what gypsy did I grow up with and love? You guessed it! Esmeralda from The Hunch Back of Notre Dame. (the disney version) This color immediately made me think of a gypsy because it's the color of Esmeralda's eyes and her corset in the movie. Gypsy life can be very appealing. Living by your own terms and a life full of wanderlust.


 Lucile


Lucile was my aunt. She was actually my great aunt, but we always called her Aunt Cile. She passed away a couple of years ago and I miss her dearly. It wasn't until her passing that we learned her first name was actually Emma, so she was a bit mysterious. She was a teacher in a small one-room school house for awhile, and although she never had any kids of her own, all of her nieces and nephews (everyone from my grandpa to my own daughter) were her children. She was vibrant and fun and she made THE best strawberry pie! She was very involved in her community and was the best kind of friend that you could ever ask for. When she became older and moved into the assisted living home she knew everyone's name within a few weeks and when her eyesight went she knew everyone by their voice. I can remember when she held my sister’s son for the first time, she cried because she felt so blessed to be holding a great-great nephew. She was amazing like that. There was never any doubt how much she loved her family and friends.


 Annaleigh


Annaleigh Joy is my daughter. My brown-eyed girl was named for my granddad’s mother, Anna, and my maternal grandmother, Joyce. As you can see, I’ve made a habit of honoring the strong women in my life. Annaleigh’s favorite color is purple. Well, she says all colors are her favorite, except white! She is my mini me which is both a blessing and a curse. She has the MOST beautiful imagination and I pray she never loses it! She's my barefoot, free spirited, sensitive, sassy little girl. I wouldn’t be doing my girl justice if I didn’t also mention a trait of hers that's been passed down from generation to generation. The girl is stubborn, not unlike her mama or our other female relations. What can I say? We come by it honestly!


I will continue to introduce you to some pretty great women as time goes on, especially as we release new paint colors!! But for now, I wanted to share a few of my favorite and most influential ones. We are in very good company here! These women were each the original Wildflowers & Pistols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

October 23, 2014 by Heather Long

Real Talk

But, this isn't all about me. I created this for you, too. For the women who are adventurers, believers, dreamers, hard workin' ain't afraid to get your hands dirty, free spirited all American girls.
October 20, 2014 by Heather Long