Stripping ain't easy...and other things I learned while furloughed:

I kid, the only stripping I did was of the painted furniture kind. ;) I did, however, learn some very valuable lessons while working on multiple pieces of furniture and trying different techniques during my time off so I thought I would share them. I stress...these are MY opinions, not everyone will agree.

1. I despise chalk paint of any kind. I have tried Annie Sloan, Maison Blanche and even mixed my own following Pinterest directions. What I found was I paid $40 for a quart of paint and still needed more than 2 coats on most things. I thought I was paying for convenience but it didn't work that way for me. The chalk paints dry too fast for me to work with.

2. The wax. I don't understand how all of you fabulous furniture refinishers deal with that stuff? It seems to add more time and elbow grease to each project with an icky sticky feeling that you will never get from the Poly brothers (acrylic and urethane). For example; if you want to add an antique finish to a piece of furniture you must first go over it with 2-3 coats of your paint color, then you wax it with your clear wax, buff that off so you can then go over the entire thing again with the dark wax and buff that off. WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT?? *side note: of the waxes that I tried Maison Blanche was the easiest to work with.

3. I am a Benjamin Moore girl, through and through. I love their sample cans and will use their paints from now on.

4. I was not born to be a stripper. No seriously, it took me one entire day to strip the black paint off of a dining table. My dad originally painted it and all I can say is...he does phenomenal work. I hate to change anything my dad has done but the black was no longer working for me.

5. Never buy a black dining table again! They are impossible to keep looking nice.

6. I have a girl crush on Nicole Curtis. That chick could kick both of the Property Brothers butts and look beautiful doing it. Yes, I watched A LOT of DIY network during my time off.

7. I have a passion for woodgrain. I try to find a way to always keep a little. If I'm not careful all of my pieces are going to look the same.

8. Working at a computer all day has murdered my hand strength. I had to get weekly manis just for the hand massage. I know...the struggle. ;)

9. I'd be a really awesome stay at home mom. Except no bills would be paid because there is no "go to work dad."

10. The most important thing I've learned is that I have taken the easy road, for the most part, in life. I got a comfortable job that paid the bills at 20 years old and just got stuck there. I never had a passion for anything except being a good mother until I built my first headboard. Getting the time off to devote to my passion was an amazing gift and blessing. It was exactly what I needed to see that in order for me to expect my daughter to follow her dreams and passions when growing up I must first follow mine. Our children do as we do, not as we say. I want to lead by example. Big changes coming soon. 😘