My Ode to Milk Paint.....

Let me tell you about the little affair I have been having for the better part of a year now......with milk paint. I have cheated on my milk paint, with chalk paint, and, with much regret, I must say that the chalk paint, to me, was just not worth it. Now, maybe it is that I just don't have that much experience with chalk paint....perhaps if I got to know it as intimately as I have gotten to know my milk paint, I would feel differently, but, for now.....milk paint is the only one for me.
Let me tell you a little bit about why I love this paint so much...I originally bought my first bag of milk paint because in the Pinterest world, it was all the rage. Because I primarily paint furniture intended for children, I was immediately attracted to the fact that there were no chemicals in it. No chemicals is a very good thing. Milk paint is mostly made of milk proteins, clay, limestone and natural pigments. So, not that you should eat your milk paint, but, if your teething child decides to chew on his dresser, I think he will pull through...
Now, my love was not immediate....when I got that fist bag (yes, it comes in a bag) of paint, I thought well, what the heck am I supposed to do with this? So, I watched a few You Tube tutorials on how to mix it....and, frankly, none of the videos made it seem like it was particularly precise...you know, kind of like the difference between cooking (where you just toss some spices and herbs in the pot) and baking (where every measurement has to be exact). So, I got out a styrofoam cup, a measuring spoon, warmed up my water and mixed it up. And, it was a clumpy mess. So, I added a bit more water....and, it became a watery clumpy mess. The paint just didn't have the consistency that I would associate with paint. It wasn't smooth. It was grainy looking. It looked....wrong!! But, impatient as I tend to be with these things, I dipped my paint brush in and painted my little rocking chair that I had. The paint moved easily over the wood. It dried quickly. But, the magic didn't happen until I sanded that first coat. After sanding, this little chair started to look pretty good. So, I painted another coat, sanded  again and.....it was so pretty!! The sanding is a lot of work, I'll be honest, but, you can sand milk paint down to the point that it feels like glass!! Here is my first little chair....

Now, lets talk about that "chippy" look. Here is another one of my 9000 reasons I love this paint so much. Who doesn't love an authentically aged piece of furniture. I think it looks so much more authentic when the paint just chips where it feels like it. I have no control--well, I have a little control over where the piece, but, it sure is awesome to see what it is going to do all on its own....and, the better sealed a piece is before painting, the more chipping it will do!! Take a look at this chippy love!!

So, you don't love how chippy this is? Or, you have a piece that you think that a more even color would be better? Well, here is what I have found. Sanding a piece before painting is key. Milk paint will penetrate into naked wood much better than a finished surface. So, yes, you are going to have to sand that baby down. They do have a bonding agent that you can also add to the paint that helps the paint to adhere to the surface and minimizes 'chipping' factor. Here is a piece that I did with the help of a lot of sanding and a bonding agent....

And, finally, for today, one more reason why I adore this paint.....well, its kind of cold outside and I am kind of a wimp. And, with no chemicals there is no smell....so, my kids are now sharing their play room with me so that I can continue to paint these beautiful pieces indoors all winter long!!

Thank goodness that I found a paint that works for me!! Have you tried milk paint yet?  Tell me what your thoughts are....do you love it or are you a chalk paint lover? I'd love to hear what you have to say!!

Thanks for reading:)
Rachael