The Milk Paint Girl
I have two fun pieces of news to share with all of you today, and I'm so darn excited! First, let's start off with my latest furniture makeover - this gorgeous depression era dresser!
I bought this piece off of Facebook Marketplace. It was solid and had really beautiful details. When I picked it up, I found that it had four or five different types of wood on it. While the wood by itself was really pretty, it was way too busy all on the same piece. I felt like my eyes didn't know where to look, so I decided to paint it and give it a more cohesive look.
Plus, one of my followers was interested in having me custom paint it for her, so it was a win-win! She's a real sweetheart and she's one of my followers who gives a "like" on just about everything I post. That means a lot in the social media world!
She really loved this Mustard Seed Yellow dresser I painted and sold at Painted Table Designs back in the summer.
This piece was also a horizontal depression era dresser with a large vanity mirror on top. It had beautiful scroll work, but not nearly as much as the one that I was going to paint for my customer.
I started off by painting the body in a lovely light blue color. When I went to highlight the scroll work in white, it started to get too busy again. I felt that it was beginning to look like a jester's outfit.
Photo via Pinterest
That was definitely NOT the look I wanted to create, so I used a white glaze instead and let it settle into the nooks and crannies of the scrollwork.
The effect was more subtle but it gave the piece a bit more interest and it highlighted the scrollwork without being too loud.
My favorite section is the horizontal "braid" along the bottom of the mirror. It turned out so pretty!
The top was in good condition, but I still stripped and refinished it using an Antique Walnut stain.
It almost looked like two dresser tops were stacked on one another and put on top. It makes a lovely statement, don't you think?
The drawers were all dovetailed and I stopped the paint right at the edge to preserve that beautiful joinery.
Now, have you picked up on the fact that I haven't said what kind of paint I used yet? Well, it's General Finishes Milk Paint in the color "Persian Blue" along with the "Winter White" Glaze Effects on the body. The top was refinished with Antique Walnut Gel Stain and sealed with Satin High Performance Topcoat. That leads me to my second piece of big news.
I am now an official retailer of General Finishes Products!
Oh my goodness, where do I begin?
Well, let's start with what I'll be carrying and then go from there. I've been a user and lover of General Finishes' stains and water-based topcoats for years. Just about every piece of furniture that has a refinished top has been completed using General Finishes' products.
You get the idea!
I've wanted to bring their gel stains and topcoats to my booth space at Morgantown Market for over a year now, but I haven't had the money to invest in an opening order. Bringing on a new line of products is not cheap, and I needed time for my business to grow and mature so I could afford to support a second line of product. I felt that General Finishes stains and topcoats would be the perfect compliment to my existing line of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint products.
With that said, I'm also planning on carrying General Finishes' version of Milk Paint.
Now you may be wondering why I'll be carrying two different types of Milk Paint in my booth at Morgantown Market. Let me explain the differences between the two.
General Finishes' Milk Paint is not the same as Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint (or MMSMP for short). MMSMP is a casein-based powdered paint that is not pre-mixed. It has five simple ingredients - chalk, clay, limestone, powdered milk protein (casein), and pigments.
It comes in pouches and is mixed with water to turn into liquid paint.
It's a very simple and primitive form of paint that randomly chips and resists surfaces with a pre-existing finish.
General Finishes' Milk Paint is not a true casein-based powdered Milk Paint. It's a modern pre-mixed version with a strong mineral base that can be used straight from the can. It comes in liquid form and was given the name "Milk Paint" because it has a low-luster sheen that mimics the look of old world style paints, like MMS Milk Paint. It does not need a topcoat if it will be used on a piece that will receive low to medium wear and use. A water-based topcoat can be applied if more protection is needed (such as on a table top or the top of a nightstand), and I'll be carrying an exterior grade sealer for outdoor use!
Here's an example of a piece I did in General Finishes' "Antique White". It was sealed with their High Performance Topcoat in Satin. I used an extra topcoat on this piece because it's white and because it's a nightstand.
(By the way, I'm noticing that my photography has come a loooong way since I first started painting furniture! You have to start somewhere, so please excuse the obvious yellow tone to these photos. They're from the beginning of my career!)
I know as well as anyone else that MMSMP is not an all-purpose product. While 90% of the furniture that I work on is perfectly suited for a MMS Milk Paint makeover, there are those pieces that would be a nightmare to paint with such a simple product. Having the adhesive properties and the convenience of a modern pre-mixed paint is a nice option to have! I want to be able to offer a liquid and a powder paint to my customers at Morgantown Market. That way, there is a paint available that is suitable for any piece the customer wants to update.
Plus, the products are interchangeable! You can use General Finishes' Topcoats over MMSMP. You can compliment a MMSMP piece of furniture with a refinished wood top using General Finishes. You can paint the body of a dresser with MMSMP and do the finer details with General Finishes Milk Paint. By having two options to pick from, it opens up more possibilities for the consumer.
I feel like I'm officially becoming "The Milk Paint Girl" if I'm not already! I've been a lover and user of Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint for years, so my loyalty and affinity for this true Milk Paint won't be changing anytime soon! I have also used General Finishes stains and topcoats for years, so I'm 100% confident that I'm bringing on a high quality product that creates beautiful finishes. I've also used their Milk Paint products for commissioned pieces that MMS Milk Paint simply isn't suited for. This kitchen table is a good example.
Between these two product lines, I'll have just about everything I'll need for any furniture makeover that comes my way.
As time goes by, I'll explain more about the differences and similarities between Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint and General Finishes Milk Paint. I'll be sure to help you know which product to choose and the benefits of each. I'll also continue to offer workshops and demonstrations at Morgantown Market, and now I can expand to include General Finishes products!
As far as colors go, I don't plan on carrying every single option in the GF Milk Paint line. You can find their full range of colors below, and I've placed x's on those I don't plan on having in my inventory right away.
As you can see, there are plenty of grays and neutrals to choose from. Perhaps I'll bring more colors into the fold as time goes by, but the palette will definitely lean towards the conservative side. I don't foresee myself carrying Coral Crush or Lime Green.
My opening order was just placed this afternoon, and I anticipate the General Finishes products will be ready to go at Morgantown Market sometime next week. In the meantime, you can pop over to their YouTube channel and start dreaming of the piece you'll work on first!
