Get Your Chalk Paint® on at Carter's Cottage

It has been almost a month since I have painted. I am starting to lose my mind a little, but it was a much needed break. I am ready to jump into my new projects with a fresh perspective. 

In preparation for getting back into the swing of things, I was able to attend a painting class offered at my local stockist of Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan, Carter's Cottage. I have been using Chalk Paint since last November and have finished dozens of pieces for myself and clients, so I didn't really know what I was going to learn at the class. Let me tell you, it was definitely worth my time. 

The class is taught by the store's owner, Christie Carter. Christie has an art and interior design background and has been selling Chalk Paint in her store since it opened a couple of years ago. Annie personally called her to sell her paint, and Christie has also served as the Chalk Paint trainer for the entire midwest. If you aren't impressed with that resume, you would be impressed by seeing her pieces in person. People drive and fly from all over to purchase her work. She has really mastered achieving a silky smooth touch on her furniture that you won't find anywhere else.

Christie is a teacher at heart who believes that knowledge is power. She could hoard her technique to herself, but she shares it with every person who sits in on one of her classes. What a blessing, right? 

Class Details:

In our class, we learned about three different finishes: modern, two color distressing, and rustic. All the paint, wax, brushes, and other materials were supplied for us. We got to practice the three techniques above, and Christie covered all the basics of working with Chalk Paint® including the makeup of the paint, how to clean your piece and tools, troubleshooting bleed through issues and anything else we had questions on. 

We each got to leave with our practice boards and decorative hooks that we tried out some enhancements on like gold and pearl finishes. She also gave us a tour of the store and talked about the different techniques and finishes used on the pieces that were for sale in the store.

Christie holds a class once a month on Tuesdays, the day the store isn't open to the public. For pricing and the class schedule, check out the Carter's Cottage site.

Do you like the idea of test driving the paint and techniques before you commit to painting a piece? If you are thinking of getting into painting furniture or have been painting for a while, I think everyone can benefit from this class. If you want to learn more about my local stockist, you can read about my first magical visit to Carter's Cottage.