Wet Distressing with Chalk Paint

So, although I use chalk paint all the time for my signs, most of the time I have made it myself with Valspar samples mixed with a tablespoon of plaster of paris. For me, that has always been the most cost effect and simple way to use chalk paint without having to buy a whole quart at a time. 

BUT, when it comes to refurbishing furniture, I highly suggest just buying some high quality chalk paint and waxes. I prefer American Paint Company, because the paints and waxes are chemical free and they go on extremely smooth! It dries quickly, adheres great, and it doesn't smell like most paints. (I'm a fan as you can tell)

This weekend was a hot one in Central Oregon, but it was still a perfect time to get all of our painting tasks completed. We started with the dining room table, preceded to the window table, and towards the end of the day we decided to finish up with the small nightstand in our room. 

Because we had been on a chalk painting mission all day, I decided to try a new technique on our last piece. Ya know, spice things up! 

Knowing that I wanted to incorporate the blues and creams from the bedroom, the wet distress method seemed perfect for this layering idea. I didn't simply want to do two separate colors like on the other projects, I wanted to blend them in an old, western antiquey sort of vibe. This method was PERFECT for that! 

Heres the before picture of the nightstand

This little nightstand has belonged to my boyfriend since he was a kid. Keeping it around provides a nostalgic value, but he wasn't opposed to giving it a little facelift. We decided on the prettiest blue, called Beach Glass by APC, to be our main color component. As I've stated, I LOVE using this brand of chalk paint. Two coats and you're good to go. I add in a tablespoon of water to thin it out just a bit, but it still dries completely in 20 minutes, so this definitely was not an all day project. 

It'd it pretty? ;)

Here was my little oops. If I could do this again, I would have painted the whole drawer in blue. I thought at first I would just be distressing the edges, so thats why I just gave them a few coats around the sides. After loving the way it came out, I wished I could have wet distressed the whole drawer. But, you live and learn. I will be applying this to future projects. (*stay tuned for the head board project happening next weekend*)

After the edges dried completely, I gave the middle a good few coats of Rushmore (also an APC favorite) and then went around the edges with that color a few times. I knew I would be taking it off eventually, so I wasn't too heavy handed around the outsides. 

 Here's what it was looking like after the 2-3 coats of Beach Glass dried completely. 

Annnnnd, what the top looks like with a healthy spread of Rushmore. 

Here is where the fun begins! Grab yourself an old rag and get it nice and wet. I recommend keeping water handy, you'll need quite a bit to get the distressed look accomplished. 

Start in small circles working wherever your little heart desires. I knew I wanted to buff the edges down, so I started on the corners and worked my way towards the center.

I was okay with getting down to the wood, I think it adds another layer of color, but it is completely up to you on that. 

On future projects where I want to avoid the wood coming through, I will probably seal the bottom color and let it cure over night before applying the second layer. 

If you're happy with the amount of distressing like I was, I went ahead and added a layer of clear wax, waited an hour or two, and went back over with a dark wax. Both are from APC, I just didn't capture a picture of them. 

Swirl, swirl, swirl! I waited for quite a while before wiping off the excess wax, I was going for a deep stain to compliment the muted blue. 

I couldn't be happier with the finished product! Here is the image pre-knob addition. I ended up doing a layer of dark wax over the entire nightstand so everything blended well together. 

What do you guys think?

Is wet distressing in your future?

Valentines Day is around the corner!

When thinking about Valentine's Day, most consider a box of chocolates and a dozen roses to be the go-to. Well, guys, I am here to help you break out of the same old, same old. 

Here is a step by step tutorial on how I created this adorable decoration or gift for your special someone. Create one for yourself with someones favorite quote! 

What you'll need:

Piece of wood

Sander

Silhouette Cameo

Contact Paper

Chalk paint 

(one for backing, one for lettering)

Clear Gloss

Burlap for hanging (optional)

Start by prepping a blank piece of pallet wood. I sanded it down and gave it a nice coating of my homemade chalk paint (recipe coming soon).

I love using the Valspar samples because they have such a wide range of colors and are so easy to store! I selected the Raspberry color for the perfect Valentines Red.

Chalk paint dries pretty quickly and I only used one coat, I still like to see the wood coming through. Next, grab your handy dandy Silhouette Cameo and design the script you favor the most. 

I love my little monogram customization!

After you have the perfect quote designed, cut it out and peel out the inside of the letters. 

Contact Paper is the easiest thing to use for stenciling in my opinion. Its light weight, easy to peel off and doesn't get stuck to itself to badly. Plus, it's only $5 at the store and one roll will last a long time.

After its all weeded out, gently peel it backwards and apply to your piece of wood. 

Now here comes the fun part, the painting!

When I first started making my signs, I was using acrylic paint and a square sponge to apply the lettering. I couldn't figure out for the life of me why the letters were bleeding under the vinyl and why you could see brush strokes in the letters. Well, with the help of a friend (who is a sign making expert) and a few Pinterest searches later, I found the answer to my problem.

 I needed a round tipped sponge to spread out the paint more evenly, and because the chalk paint is so much thicker, it has a hard time escaping under the stencil.

If there's one thing I can stress, its: don't use too much paint! Apply a light coating and step back. If you notice some lighter areas, it's going to be okay! The paint will look more authentic if it has some variances to it. The more paint you add, the greater the chance of it bleeding and ruining those perfectly crisp lines that are desired. 

Thing coverage is key

Once the chalk paint has dried completely, add a healthy coating of your favorite clear gloss. 

I have seen posts where people apply a wax or a wet glaze, and feel free to do so if that is your thing! I have always like the simplicity of the clear gloss, and the fact it doesn't leave a residue behind. 

I ended up running the sander over it one more time before applying the gloss, I am a sucker for the weathered look!

All finished! 

I hope you found this post helpful, feel free to contact me with any inquiries or orders!

Study Board

My dear friend Kaylin came to me seeking some creative advice. With initiation around the corner, she needed help designing a study board for her Little. Knowing that her Little is an avid barrel racer and agriculture enthusiast, she wanted to keep the theme simple and rustic with a little sparkle.

Instead of painting the board like most are done, I opted to do a light stain in MiniWax Dark Walnut, and wiped off the excess so the natural wood could show through.

Next, we prepped my Sihouette Cameo (I will post about this awesome machine soon) to cut out her selected picture of the girl on horseback, using glitter scrapbook paper, and aligned it on the board using a light coat of ModgePodge.

Once everything was sized out, we found the perfect scripture to match the theme along with her Little's personality.

Then painted it in sage green chalk paint. (I promise, the next post will be ALL about lettering and how it comes out so clean)

"'The Lord will fight for you; You need only be still" Exodus 14:14

Then, after getting the wooden base layer poured in glass (she had that professionally done) we had to adhere the backing. Unfortunatly, we were too busy trying not to burn ourselves with the hot glue gun to get a picture of the stuffing process. We stuffed the adorable fabric and glued a small rope embellishment around the edges to seal it all in.


We were SO happy with the outcome of the study board. I would love to make more for anyone who needs help!

KayKay and her Lovely Little

Hi There!

Hello! And welcome to my long awaited first blog post. My name is Katy Holdener, owner of What Wood Katy Do? , a handmade wooden sign shop located in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

I take reclaimed wood from old barns, sheds and pallets and create one of a kind signs that are completley customizable.

Here is where I will be posting my latest work and tutorials on how I create my signs and other pieces!

I hope you enjoy. Thank you for stopping by, and remember to keep checking in!

xoxo, Katy