Chalk it up!

Although I usually post about quilting or knitting, I don't think there's any harm in occasionally going off piste, and delving into other crafty areas. Especially since, at the moment, I can't get enough of chalk paint, and, seem to be applying it to anything I can get my hands on. The brand I'm using is Annie Sloan's, but there are plenty of others on the market, that might be almost as good.

Chalk paint is fantastic stuff, comes in an array of different colours that mix well with each other to provide even more hues–so the possibilities are endless! Best of all, while they can be applied to almost any surface, no priming is necessary, and, they still give fantastic coverage. You might therefore think that chalk paint would be death to your paintbrushes, but no–it simply rinses off with a little soap and water.Would that Miss Sloan might one day turn her attention to cosmetics and, come up with an equally miraculous anti-wrinkle cream!

It's amazing how a few microns of paint can transform a humble jar into a bespoke container, perfect for storing and displaying favourite bits of sewing stash. I used a corkscrew to drill a hole at the lid's centre, painted the lid, then decorated it by adding a button to the top. I secured the button by adding a smaller one to the underside of the lid. Don't forget to wear an oven glove when making the hole to protect yourself against skids (especially if you've already been using the corkscrew for its intended purpose!).

Chalk paint lids are ideal for perishables such as nuts & homemade chutneys too, since there's no need for labels that have to be peeled off or crossed out. Just wipe clean and relabel the lid each time you refill the container. Particularly useful, if like me, you store jars in drawers. Or, if every variety of chutney and jam you make looks like the same muddy mess, regardless of their differing ingredients (which is why I'm not showing any photos of that!).

Simples!

Elizabeth,
x.