Finally!  It seems that I have been working on Allen forever.  Though not being able to do it consistently,  has been a big part of the issue.  

Allen has been sitting in my garage for a few months.  He came from Mississauga, Ontario from an auction.  I don’t think anyone wanted him because he is so cumbersome.  At the time the Mayor and I wondered how we were going to get him home but I found it difficult not to bid on him.  I won him and the Mayor squeezed him into the Mayor-mobile.   At that time we did not have the Mayor-truck-mobile.  Having him home I was presented with another problem.   He is very daunting and I didn’t know how to paint him.  After many months of changing my mind this is how he ended up.

First, I lightly sanded inside and out.  I know they say you don’t have to with chalk paint but I have had some problems in the past when I didn’t soooo, I find it’s always a good thing to do especially on such a large piece of furniture.

I decided to completely paint and seal the inside first.  It had so many hard to reach places that I wanted to get it out of the way first.  I painted the inside with Rustoleum Chalk Paint -Sensible Sage – 2 coats.  Then applied 3 coats of General Finishes Gel Top Coat, on most of the surfaces but the ones that would have more wear received 5 or 6 coats.

Now came the outside.  I knew I wanted something that was shaded but a bit rustic without distressing.  Not wanting everything straight and even was a challenge.  What I did was I took some AS Black Wax on a styrofoam plate along with ASCP Paris Grey, in two separate spots, then I would bring the two together and mix as I went along.  It was a process like using a pallet with all the different colours placed on it. Not using any particular colour formula, I just would mix the paint and the wax until I liked the colour.  It worked out rather well.  Using a chip brush made it quite a different application method then what I was use to but it achieved the look I wanted. Allen seems  to have different shading and colour, depending on how the light hits.  When I see the pictures, they don’t do him justice.  He looks so much nicer in person.  It was quite the process but I finally finished.

Now he is nestled into his little corner, where we can and do enjoy him.

BEFORE

AFTER