Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Look Book Sneak Peek

So, I'm super excited about a brand new item we'll be getting in the shop very soon. Miss Mustard Seed recently published the very first Look Book for the MMS Milk Paint line. This has been in the works for a long time and it's finally here!

If you need some inspiration, this is gonna be your go-to book. If you need a refresher on how to mix or the best uses for hemp oil, this is gonna be your guide! It contains 150 pages of inspiring pictures and informative content that will make you want to dive into milk painting! 

There's tons of great articles, including: .

• What is Milk Paint 
• It's all in the Mix 
• Raw Wood Painting Tutorial 
• All About the Bonding Agent 
• Ask Abbe 
• Chippy Goodness 
• Waxes 101 
• The Many Uses of Hemp Oil
• and more!

As always, MMS is including her amazing before & after pics, as well as spreads for all 18 colors in the line.

The best part, it's only $14! And, because we can't wait to get these books in, we're gonna give one away to one of our fans. There's several ways to enter:

• Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway
  
  
• for an extra chance, leave a comment below telling me about a current project you have waiting in the wings that you need help or inspiration with.

If you would like to pre-order a copy, send me an email at info@reddoorfurnitureco.com and I'll set a copy aside for you!

Marble Top Step Down Dresser in Kitchen Scale

Sometimes, you just get that feeling, ya know? I've been in major need of a new Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint display. I knew immediately that this old, marble top step down dresser was going to looove milk paint.

And it didn't disappoint!

Marble Top Step Down Dresser in MMSMP Kitchen Scale

Here's it is before. The marble tops come off and are HEAVY! Trust me. I almost broke my foot. (And, now I know why the bottom of the top drawer has a crack in it).

It's missing its mirror, but I love how there are two height levels on the top. Great for showing off all of our MMSMP products! And the marble is in beautiful condition!

I did no sanding and no prep (and no bonding agent). The drawers are painted in Kitchen Scale (one of my favorite colors). I mixed in a little Ironstone and used that for the outer frame. It gives is just a bit of contrast.

This dresser chipped up beautifully! I couldn't have asked for a better piece to demonstrate just what MMSMP can do. It got a light smoothing with sandpaper and a coat of furniture wax.

I didn't want the knobs to be a distraction, so I found these glass knobs at Hobby Lobby. Perfect!

Marble Top Step Down Dresser in MMSMP Kitchen Scale

Linking to:
Show Me What Ya Got
Anything Blue Friday
Creative Spark Link Party

Milk Paint Tip: Easy Chippy Technique

It's another rainy afternoon here in STL, so I thought I would post this sunny piece I just finished. Well, almost finished. I also wanted to share a chipping technique I accidently discovered {although, I'm sure I'm not the first to do this}.

So, here's the before. This dresser came with a taller "brother", but I've painted them differently and don't plan on them selling together. Both are unique pieces and I wanted them to have two different looks (I'll share the other piece in a later post).

Before

It was in pretty good shape when I got it. A little chipping veneer, but not bad. I loved the tall legs and old caster wheels.

I'm not typically a stencil/script person, but I wanted to try something new. I picked up the stencil below from a nearby shop, Dawn Lynz Surface Design. She does amazing work and has a great selection of stencils.

I used MMSMP in Mustard Seed Yellow and stenciled the writing in Ironstone {I carry both of these colors in the shop!}. It's finished with furniture wax.

After

I love how sunny and light it turned out. I think it would look cute in a nursery (as a changing table) or in a dining room as a buffet.

I had already painted the "brother" to this piece, so I knew I most likely wasn't going to get any chipping. Which I wanted. However, my laziness to just use hemp oil or a wax puck outweighed my desire for chippiness. But, decided to just let it go.

For the stencil, I had to tape it on with Scotch Tape to hold it in place. And, wouldn't you know, when I removed the stencil, a bit of paint came up here and there.

Almost like chipping!

So, I applied it in various places all over the piece. Any "chipping" you see actually came from where I applied the tape and then ripped it off! I did this before I waxed (the wax will seal the paint in and you most likely won't get this effect).

Miss Mustard Seed Yellow Dresser

Red Door Furniture Co. Dresser in Mustard Seed Yellow

 

While this method might be a bit unconventional --- it worked! I would love to know...what painting techniques have you accidentally discovered and now love?

Vintage Cabinet Reveal

It's what's on the inside that counts. Right?

This vintage glass-front cabinet was one of the first pieces I found for the shop. I painted it with Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Boxwood and finished it with hemp oil. It has just minor chipping and distressing.

He's a handsome fella...but, hasn't drawn much attention since we've opened. I decided to add a little surprise to the inside (it was a little dark and dreary). I enlisted the help of our Facebook fans and got great suggestions (lots of people wanted to see the inside orange or a bold pattern). I opted for a coat of MMSMP in Grain Sack to brighten it up. I painted over a selection of vinyl arrows (I'm loving arrows right now, aren't you?).

Vintage Cabinet by Red Door Furniture Co.

I love how it turned out! Just the right bit of personality to dress him up. I gave it a light sanding to distress the back and arrows a bit.

Vintage Cabinet by Red Door Furniture Co.

He blends in more with our style and has been getting more attention. We thought about taking him home. I've got the perfect spot and think it would make for a great display for cocktails, glasses and barware.

He's going to stay in the shop a bit longer...hopefully someone will walk in and fall in love with him like I have!

Vintage Cabinet by Red Door Furniture Co.

Milk Paint Makeover: Goodwill Dresser

During the week, I have two mornings I dedicate to picking, thrifting and stocking up on items for the shop. I usually make the same route, making about 5-7 stops. (Not counting picking up lunch at Starbucks). Some days I score big (today I was able to stock up on a ton of cute containers for a DIY event I'm planning).

A couple weeks ago, I made a last minute stop at a local thrift store and spotted this guy:

Some would say, "Yuck." Obviously that's what the previous owner thought. I, however, immediately grabbed the price tag and sprinted up to the cashier. (Keeping an eye on my dresser while I waited in line). "That's a good find you have there," said the guy behind me. Back off buddy. It's mine!

When possible, I like to leave some unpainted wood on a piece of furniture. All-over color is too much for me sometimes. If I'm able to show off the top, I prefer to leave it alone. Usually with cast-offs, the top has some sort of damage. Nothing a quick sanding and restaining can't cure.

I chose Miss Mustard Seed's Kitchen Scale milk paint for this piece. Because the front had more feminine curves, I didn't want it to be chippy. To be on the safe side, I added bonding agent and finished it with antiquing wax.

Dresser in Kitchen Scale Milk Paint

Dresser in Kitchen Scale Milk Paint

The top cleaned up beautifully! After I sanded and restained, I finished it with a coat of hemp oil. No traces of the scratches and water marks!

Dresser in Kitchen Scale Milk Paint

I scraped the paint out of the top carving a bit, to make it stand out more.

Edges were lightly distressed and new knobs from World Market were added.

Dresser in Kitchen Scale Milk Paint

What was someone's cast-off will make for a beautiful dresser, buffet or bar for someone else. It's what I love most about restyling furniture!

 This dresser is now available in the shop, as well as all the materials I used for this makeover. Stop in!

Linking to:

DIY: How to Get the Weathered Wood Look on New Wood

I'm excited to share this post today. About a week ago, we delivered a custom farmhouse table that Jeff handcrafted from an old door. The new owners, Stephan and Samantha, stopped by our shop back in February and just happened to be looking for a dining room table. Jeff talked with them at-length during their first visit and we were so happy when they emailed us soon after saying they wanted a table.

Picking the perfect door was easy...the hardest part was getting the color just right. We knew generally the finish they were looking for: the weathered Restoration Hardware look. I'm loving this look right now. Here's the inspiration:

To start off, we mocked up 6 different examples for S&S to choose from. We used a variety of techniques on a cast-off piece of their door. From milk paint stain to white wax to just orange wax.

Once they picked the finish, we then had to replicate it on the rest of the wood that was used on their table (Douglas Fir and Pine). Getting it all to match wasn't easy! We tested and/or used 6 different stains before we found the right mix. Here's what we did: 

Custom Farmhouse Table

For the door, we used Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Curio as a stain (we mixed the milk paint and water at a 3:1 ratio). It gave us the look we needed on the door, but didn't have the same effect on the newer wood. (you can see below what we were going for and what the trim around the table looked like).

For the base of the table, I needed a stain to knock down the yellow tone of the wood. Rust-Oleum makes some great weathered stains and we settled on the Weathered Gray (they also have a Driftwood that we tested out).

Next up, I put on a coat of Minwax's Provincial.

As you can see below, it was a pretty good match. However, it had just a very light purple tinge.

I went over all of it again with a coat of Minwax's Special Walnut and that did it...a nearly perfect match!

Here's a grainy iPhone shot before the glass was on:

And, here it is delivered!

It looks gorgeous in their new home and I can't wait to see the chairs S&S pair with it! (My photos don't do it justice!)

Miss Mustard Seed's Color of the Month: French Enamel

I've had this large buffet since before we opened our doors. It was one of the first pieces I purchased, but in the rush of getting the shop ready, I didn't have time to give it a facelift. I also wasn't quite ready to commit to a color and look. We put it out anyway, with a "pick your color" tag.

Before

I knew it would be the perfect piece to host our milk & cookies bar for our grand opening...but, I wanted it to shine for our special day. Two days before the big day, I decided to just go for it. I chose French Enamel. I didn't do any prep work. No sanding. No dusting. Here she is after the first coat.

And here she is in all of her milk & cookies bar glory. It chipped up beautifully -- I was so happy. I finished it with a coat of MMS Furniture Wax. It's my go-to to finish a painted piece. The wax is like butter and makes even the chippiest of pieces so smooth.

Miss Mustard Seed's French Enamel

Milk & Cookie Bar

For the grand opening, I covered the top with burlap to protect the finish. I did strip the top. It had a weird finish/varnish on it. I used a soy gel stripper on the top. I know you can't tell in this photo, but it is absolutely gorgeous! I finished with a coat of MMS Hemp Oil (my fave to use on wood surfaces).

If you love this color as much as I do, stop in our shop at 1105 N. Second Street in St. Charles. We're offering 10% off French Enamel during the month of March.

Much thanks to Meldt Vintage Love for the cookies. They were a huge hit!

Grand + opening Details

I can't believe how fast this month has flown by. One month ago, this is what we were working on:

And here we are today:

It's been an exciting month. We've met alot of great people. Neighboring shops in Frenchtown have been so supportive. We can't wait to team up with everyone to come up with great ideas and events to bring even more people to our little area.

But first, we must have our grand opening! It's just a week or so away -- if you are in the STL area, we would love to have you stop by!

Details
When: Saturday, March 8th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: 1105 N. Second Street in St. Charles

Highlights

11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Milk & Cookie Bar
We are teaming up with MeldT Sweets to offer a complimentary milk and cookies bar. It's going to be awesome. They were kind enough to drop off some treats last weekend at the shop. They lasted about an hour. And I was by myself.

MeldT Sweets

  
1 p.m.
Free Milk Paint Demo
Learn how to mix milk paint and what you can expect on your next project. We love this stuff and can't wait to show you all the ways you can use it.

1:30-2:30 p.m.
Milk Paint Happy Hour
Play around with the paint and practice making your own custom colors. We'll have all 18 out and ready for you to test. Make your own swatch to bring home!

11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Noonday Collection Trunk Show
This stuff is awesome...and it's an amazing company!  Here's a peek at what you can expect and the good work your purchase supports:

Giveaways
We have a ton of giveaways planned. Everyone in attendance will be entered to win two tickets to
St. Louis Vintage Market Days (it's right around the corner).

 And, every purchase gets you even more chances to win. We'll be giving away a Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint Starter Kit ($75 value), a pass to one of our Milk Paint & Mimosas workshops ($65 value) and a custom made sign ($40 value).

We'll also be giving away mini versions of our delicious goats milk handmade soaps. (While supplies last!)

Finally, we have some surprise discounts planned -- only good that day. So, you won't want to miss out! To RSVP, click here to head on over to our Facebook page. See you on the 8th!