Barstools - distressed and personalized

After lots of hemming and hee hawing, I finally did it.  Finally painted my bar stools.  They were perfectly nice and new only a few years ago.  but I didn't think they matched since I gave my kitchen an overhaul last summer.   I had forgotten Tim didn't want me to paint them.  Until he came home from work and saw the first coat of paint on them.  Ooooops, sorry Honey.  Too late now!

Here is what they looked like.  Yup, probably a hundred a day go out of places like Meijer, Wal Mart, Target.... just like these.  We actually picked them up at Gordman's in Iowa one year.  

They were easier to stand on than grabbing a ladder many times, therefore had lots of paint speckles on them!

I made my own chalk paint.  Didn't even MEASURE it.  Seriously, I wasn't about to dirty up  a measuring cup and tablespoon with paint.  But if you're a perfectionist, the recipe is:
1 cup paint + 2 tablespoons Plaster of Paris.
I just poured some white paint in a can and dumped in some Plaster of Paris and stirred it up real good.  I don't think it's something you have to be real precise with.

After priming and giving it a good coat of white chalk paint, I stenciled the name of each of my three hoodlums kid's names on them, then got 100 grit sand paper and sanded the tops smooth, and sanded all the corners and edges for a distressed look.

They already had the slightly distressed wood look anyway, so it made for easy  "shabby chic'ing". :)  My Mother in Law walked in the other day and said "So is this what they call shabby chic?  To me, it looks like you just went out and pulled them out of the barn!" 

 Why yes, yes I did also stencil the side of the breakfast area!  Thanks to Cutting Edge Stencils who sent me an amazing product to review - not only to review but to host a giveaway as well!  Be ready to check them out, pick your favorite on up to $50 (how do you even pick a favorite?!  I had about 56!!), and tie up your winning shoes next week to try and win one of your own on Kammy's Korner!!!

Also, stay tuned for an update on how my painted kitchen countertops have held up over the last year!


Win the stencil I used on the breakfast bar!!  An amazing opportunity for you to win a FREE Cutting Edge Stencil up to $50 value is up and live now on Kammy's Korner!  Click HERE to get entered!  Giveaway ends on November 28th.