Homemade Chalked Paint- Painted Pumpkins

I’m pretty sure I’m the only one left in blog-land that hasn’t used chalk paint yet…well until today, that is…

Today I made my very first batch of chalked paint and I can tell you it will not be my last! If you’re a lazy painter like me and are always looking for short cuts or ways to get around the prep work then chalky paint is going to be your new best friend! No sanding, no priming…Just slap on some of this ooey gooey thick magic paint and you can transform anything from furniture to dishes to glass jars.

What took me so long to use this stuff?! Mainly the price and exclusive retailers being too far away to justify getting it. That was, until I stumbled across this post on Houzz, and in 3 simple steps I was able to make my own paint for a smidgen of the price it usually costs to buy it.

Materials:

• Non-sanded grout
• Paint (your choice)
• Something to mix up your paint i.e. spoon, wisk etc…
• Paint brush
• Bowl or bucket

I needed to go to Home Depot this morning for a few things, so as always I stopped in the paint department to check out their “oops” area. “Oops” paints, for those that don’t know, are paints that have been already mixed up, but the customer changed their mind for whatever reason and decided to not get the paint.Most times the colors are hideous and can’t be saved, but other times (like today) you hit the mother-load! I was able to pick up 3 gallons (2 blue-aqua shades, and 1 greyish green) for $7.00 a piece! That’s the beautiful thing about these mistake paints. They’re cheap! Dirt CHEAP!

You just can’t be picky…and I’m not for this project at least…

I made this particular batch THICK. Way thicker than you’re supposed to, but there’s a method to my madness so just stay with me. My version calls for 1/2 cup of non-sanded grout to 2 cups of paint. It should look like heavy, creamy peanut butter after you mix it well. DO NOT use my version for furniture, ONLY for pumpkins! Okay? Okay…

I am using the same mini pumpkins from the Dollar Tree that I used in my Glittered Pumpkins Tutorial, only this time I’m painting them chalky bluish grey to resemble the very beautiful Blue Hubbard Gourds that you see this time of year.

Before:

After one coat of homemade chalk paint…

After the second coat of ridiculously way too thick chalk paint -that is no good for furniture -only for this particular project…

See how it’s all bumpy and wartalicious? Just like a Blue Hubbard!

Now you could just leave it like this and call it a day, but I needed it be a little more realistic so I decided to do a glazing effect on it to make all those bumps and crevices really pop! With the help of some black and silver craft paint and a sponge, that turned into this…

And that’s where I’ll leave you, because these now sit on our make shift mantle that is getting all decked out for it’s fall reveal! I can’t give too much away in one post, ya know?

Linking up to: