Lime Green Dresser (project number 60)

I'm way behind on my posts! We did finally finish the addition for the baby's room. BUT... I haven't posted any pictures yet because:

a. I was waiting for my new camera lens to arrive. My husband forgot to order it for my birthday... but it did get here for Mother's Day.

b. I wanted to finished the curtains first.

c. I wanted to finish the dresser  first.

d. I wanted to hang stuff on the walls.

e. None of the above got done because I was cleaning messes like this

SO... a. got done.

b. is half done.

c. IS DONE!!!

Here is the Before:

 I got this dresser from my in-laws basement about 10 years ago. It was being used to hold sports equipment by the basement door. I got it for my daughter (who is now 12) and have been planning on painting it... for 10 years!! It had kinda this white wash on it.
My in-laws have several of these exact same dressers. I think the story is that they were bought by my mother-n-laws parents after WWII from the US Army. They look like they are from that era.

 This government stamp on the back seems to confirm that too... I really should ask what they story was...

 It was solid wood and in pretty decent shape.

 I decided to just be bold and paint it LIME GREEN!!

 I've also decided- since doing a few dresser now- that I like to paint the inside of the drawers, the sides, and anything else that might show. It looks so much nicer. I also paint the bottom and the back.

 I mixed my own paint from the leftover paint from the Lockers, and some sage green I had. It was a teeny tiny bit more yellow than I wanted, but close enough for me!

 (can you see that Chevron fabric on my hutch? That's for the curtains!)

Well, I was afraid I would never get this done! My garage is a disaster, and every time I clean it up so I can work on something, another disaster mess project takes over. So, I decided that the only way I was ever going to get it done was to bring it inside. 

To my kitchen!

A friend helped me move it.

And then my husband justifiably complained that it was going to sit in our kitchen for a month! 

So I HAD to prove him wrong!!!

I ignored my children all my household jobs and the laundry, and pulled out frozen dinners, and got it done in 2 days!!!

Of course, I did have lots of help from my 3 year old

 And the baby kept wanting to help as well... I think there were several whiny texts sent to my husband about how hard it is to get projects done with baby's pulling on your leg. He was only sympathetic because I had left him with all 5 kids the previous Saturday afternoon.

And, I need to add, that I tried something new:

Chalk Paint

Homemade, of course. And now I'm going to share my thoughts on chalk paint (just skip down if you want to see the "after" pictures)

Besides having a chalky finish (not chalkboard paint- just Chalk paint- please don't try to write and draw on my dresser!) Chalk paint is touted as a paint that requires no prep work, like sanding and priming. It's also supposed to cover well and not require multiple coats of paint!!

Hey, sounds great to a girl trying to get something done and fast!!

Well... not so much. 

After the first coat, I saw how badly it needed nail holes filled, and just how dinged up it really was. I filled it in a little bit and sanded before the next coat, but it probably wasn't enough.

So, I still think that even if you use chalk paint, you still need to prep. (insert frowny face)

And, it needed 3 coats of paint.

I finished it with minwax furniture wax in natural, which is what I have used on stained pieces and I loved it on those. 

But, I actually wish I had use a poly finish on the dresser. But I don't wish that enough to sand it off and put on poly. I just wish it enough to use poly the first time on the next piece I paint.

Also: rinse out your brushes immediately after you use them. Soaking them in a cup of vinegar water doesn't work with all that gritty grout. 

Also, I was going to sand and stain it. I tried it on the back of the dresser to see how I liked it. 

I didn't. 

Maybe the stain was too dark, but I didn't want to load the babies in the car and head to Lowe's and buy more and delay it getting finished, so I didn't distress and stain it. I can do that later if I really decide I want to.

I probably will use chalk paint again... but I will prep first (although next I want to try milk paint...)

But, despite all of that, I LOVE how it turned out! I'm thrilled with it. And it doesn't have to be perfect, because it is just a fun piece of furniture to hold my sons clothes in! And, it didn't cost me anything!!