Recently I asked the lovely people at Homestead House if they would consider sending me some more of their milk paint. Although I have a good supply of blues and greens, I was completely out of pale neutrals like greys, creams and greiges. In exchange for the paint I offered to help spread the word about Homestead House milk paint colors.
You see, I find it very hard to judge their milk paint colors by looking at their website. I think it takes seeing a photo of something actually painted in the color to get a good feel for it. Of course, photos and computer screens can still be misleading but it’s better than those squares of color that look nothing like the paint itself.
As it turns out, Homestead House is currently in the process of setting up a new website for their milk paint. If you want to read more about that, check out Mary’s post over at Orphans with Makeup. Mary’s photography is gorgeous, and I’m super excited to see how their new site turns out. I can tell just from looking at Mary’s post that it’s going to be a vast improvement and you’ll be much better able to judge how the milk paint colors will look on whatever it is you plan to paint.
But in the meantime, not only did Homestead House send me some lovely neutral milk paints to play around with, they also sent me quite a few more colorful options and one of those is a shade called Maritime Blue.
Since I was dying to dive right in and get painting, I went out in the carriage house to look for something I could paint up quickly and I remembered this galvanized watering can that nnK gave me recently. Her mom was going to toss it, and I think you can see why …
Who remembers the days of cows and sunflowers, and when people used to slap them on just about everything?
The first thing I did was wash the can with dish soap and water, and next I pounded out the dents by hitting them with a hammer from the inside which actually worked remarkably well.
Then I pulled out the Maritime Blue and mixed some up. I gotta be honest here folks, that little dot of color on the paint bag didn’t really look like the paint color that I was mixing.
Here’s how the watering can looked with two quick coats of milk paint, but before any distressing or waxing. I did not use any bonding agent. My only prep was the washing.
As you can see, I did not get any chipping at all. That definitely is not always the case when painting metal with milk paint, but this time I think the very flat black paint that was already on the can helped the milk paint to adhere.
The Maritime Blue looks very much like a powder blue without a top coat, but don’t forget, adding a top coat is always going to change up the color of your milk paint. Sometimes by just a little, and sometimes by quite a lot.
I next sanded the edges and raised areas of the can for a distressed look, and then added a coat of Homestead House furniture wax which did indeed deepen the color a bit.
When my sister and I were out running around last Saturday we stopped into our local Bachman’s so that I could pick up some fresh flowers to fill the watering can. The blue hydrangeas immediately jumped out at me, along with some white peonies and pink snapdragons.
As it turns out Maritime Blue is the perfect color to go with blue hydrangeas, don’t you agree?
Since Homestead House was so very generous in supplying me with milk paint, I decided to pay it forward with a giveaway.
I’m giving away three bags of Homestead House milk paint to one lucky winner, a Laurentien (my favorite color, here’s how it looks), a Cartier (which is the color I used as a base coat on the spoon carved cupboard) and a Coal Black (you can see that here).
If you’d like a chance to win simply leave a comment on this post telling me what you would do with these three colors. Be sure that you have used a valid email address when leaving your comment so that I can contact you if you win (no need to include your email address in the comment itself, just in the spot for it on the comment form, you’ll be sharing it with just me and not everyone else). A winner will be chosen at random by Thursday at 5 pm and announced here on Friday (May 5, 2017). Best of luck to you!
q is for quandie 
I have a couple of dressers and an end table that need to be painted. I’d love to try out these colors on those!
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Sounds like you have plenty of pieces waiting in the wings to be painted Alison! Best of luck in the drawing 🙂
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I’ve watched you paint so many beautiful pieces in Laurentian so I have the perfect China cabinet to paint with that color-and probably the coal-black paint in areas of the cabinet too. The blue would definitely go on one of my many assorted kitchen chairs with parts of an image transfer design or rub on. I’ve fallen in love with the IOD image transfers since you’ve been sharing your projects. Your blog is simply beautiful and one of the first things I open in my email.
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Thanks so much Wendy! And I’m so glad to hear that others are loving those IOD transfers as much as I do!
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Ooooo I would love some milk paint!!! I’ve got the cutest old drop leaf table with two chairs in desperate need of a makeover so I would start there and then go to my thrifted spoon carved dresser.
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Those sound like some great potential candidates for milk paint!
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I have been dying to try milk paint on some of my older furniture pieces, like a side board that I painted with just regular interior paint, but have been scared to try on my own (wonder if I pick the wrong color, etc.). I recently moved states and live in a 106 year old converted farmhouse. I think the milk paint would really meld my regular furniture with the flavor and style of the house. I also have an amoire that holds my tv that is painted green (original color) but now it anchors a living room I think it needs some TLC with the milk paint colors you’ve displayed. Love the Blue Hydrangea!
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I think you’ve hit on a great plan, to use milk paint to help your furniture feel at home in your 106 year old farmhouse. Use caution when using milk paint over other paint (especially the regular latex). You need to either be prepared to get some chipping that will reveal the original color, or use bonding agent, or paint a new base coat color in Fusion paint or chalk paint, and then use the milk paint. The banana yellow door I painted is a good example of that (see that here).
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I have a stash of old furniture in my garage waiting for new color. Love that Cartier.
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Good luck in the drawing Kristy!
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I love your give away! I believe I’d use the black on a pig shaped cuttting board along with a old cabinet I used as an islan. The Laurentian would be beautiful on an old oak dresser I bought years ago at an estate sale – it was in their bathroom as a storage piece! And the Cartier I would use on an old spindle bed that I want to make into a bench. So, I am crossing my fingers! And I love the watering can and the beautiful flowers you purchased for it.
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I love all of those ideas Laura, and you described them so well I feel like I can picture each one in my head. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
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I’ve never tried milk paint but would love to — and could give it a whirl on plenty of projects waiting for me in my shed!
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This would be a great way to try a few different colors!
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I’d love to use the paint on several projects (now that the weather is getting better and I can paint outside). One of the projects is a decorative spinning wheel that I have big plans for. It would be awesome with this milk paint. I love the watering can! No stenciling or anything? That’s not like you! Also, since you’re choosing random, I’ve changed my name to random. 😉
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Ruth Random. I like it. It has a ring to it.
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Oh my…lots of goodies being hoarded in my garage that need some new life.
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This is a great time of year to get some of those hoarded goodies painted!
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That blue looks amazing paired with those flowers. I have a book shelf, a dresser and some old wood boxes that need a makeover. I’m also thinking about painting the legs on my kitchen table and Cartier looks like it would be a great choice. Thanks for the chance at a giveaway.
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I can totally see the Cartier on table legs, I think that would be a great choice!
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Thank you for offering to share! The blue would go on a small mid-century cabinet that was found in a basement. The other 2 colors would be layered on a highly carved modern day trunk. Thank you again.
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Sounds like some fun projects to work on Becky!
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I have an antique armoire that’s been waiting for paint…maybe in the Laurentien, similar look to your aqua chippy farmhouse cupboard.
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The Laurentien would be perfect on that!
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That’s a nice selection of colors.
I think I would paint some vintage frames and maybe some small wood stools for starters. I also have a great old wood box that needs some paint.
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I love little projects like that. I went to some garage sales and thrift shops on Saturday hoping to find some small projects to paint, but came home empty handed 😦
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Oh, gosh.Cows and sunflowers. Sort of like Days of Wine and Roses, but Days of Cows and Sunflowers. Am I the only one cracking up here?. 😉 I’d love to win the paint. I have a coffee table that’s been hanging around here waiting for its turn to be painted. Thanks for your generosity!
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LOL, I wondered if anyone else would catch that! You and I might be the only ones who remember days of wine and roses 😉
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You’re so generous to pay it forward. Love that! I have a twin bed frame that I’ve been meaning to turn into a bench for over a year. I think Laurentain would look amazing on it. My furniture stash is slim pickins at the moment, but garage sale season is just starting in Seattle. Yay!
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I hear that! This past Saturday was the first big neighborhood sale here in the Twin Cities. Unfortunately it was a total bust. I came home empty handed except for a set of casters and a Minnesota trivia card game. Hopefully things will improve next weekend and I’ll find some stuff to paint myself!
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The flowers look very pretty in the watering can. Love the colors.
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The worked perfectly! I love the blue hydrangeas with the blue can. We made some good choices 😉
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Your posts always inspire me to want to paint something! I have an old nightstand with a waterfall front that would be perfect to experiment on. I also have a cute hutch at our cabin thats crying for a makeover. My imigination is going wild with possibilities right now!
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Those sounds like some great ideas Mary! I always feel like painting waterfall pieces gives them a whole new, fresh look.
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Thank you for the hydrangeas, so needing Spring right now with all this rain and colder weather.
The Laurentian I would use on my kitchen island.
The Cartier I would use on a dresser.
The coal black I would use on a child’s rocking chair.
Thank you!
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Hi Nikkii! I was just thinking about you, when I posted the trio of blue kid’s chairs 😉 I agree, we are needing some spring. Today is my sister’s birthday and yesterday we were joking with her about moving to Minnesota just so she could get snow on her birthday. Hopefully the ‘wintry mix’ that is forecast will just be rain instead of snow!
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Update: the snow is coming down! It’s my sister’s first snowy birthday!
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Happy Birthday! This year snow – next year pestilence and locusts for you! The Midwest is full of surprises.
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I love your blog! Great tips and pictures to help us follow! I have a child ‘s hutch that would be a perfect candidate!
Smiles, and thanks
Alice
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Oooo, I bet it’s adorable! It would be the perfect project for milk paint!
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Hi,
I love your site! I look forward to reading it each morning. I have 2 armoires and a dining table waiting for paint. Would love to try milk paint. Thank you.
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Thanks Laura! It’s sounds like you have some major painting ahead of you! You do need a good quantity of paint for those!
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Love this time of year! Your watering can and flowers are inspiring. First let me say that I have never used Milk paint and would love to try it out! I just picked up an old country cupboard that needs work (glass replacement and a reinforced base) and I would love to paint Cartier. I would definitely find pieces in my stash for Laurentian and Coal Black!
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That cupboard sounds like the perfect project for milk paint!
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I’ve been a hankerin’ to try the Homestead milk paints-hope I’m the lucky one. My pie safe is crying out for some Laurentian with a lighter mix inside. If there is any left over I will paint my niece’s beach wedding cabinet. Cartier will be the perfect color for an old oak desk I inherited with a hand painted Red Cross logo on top. I can picture the Coal Black on an over-sized linen cabinet that’s been shouting, “i’m next.” I would like to white stencil over-top it. There are grey and rainy skies here in the Cleveland-ish area. The blue hydrangeas were what I needed to over-ride the blues and grab a brush. Thanks for all you do to vitalize the creative world.
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I pictured a Swiss Army Blanket sort of design when you described your oak desk, in which case I can totally see the Cartier working perfectly for that!
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I am a newby to painting, I am 71 years young & am taking my first class on painting. I am excited and a gift of “Milk Paint” would be a welcome encourager. Congrats to whom ever!!!!!!
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That’s awesome Sharon! I hope I’m still taking on new skills at 71 😉
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Sharon! I withdraw my bid for the prize in favor of you. I’m sooooooo impressed with you.
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My girlfriend once was being polite to her mother-in-law by saying she liked something with a cow on it (she didn’t actually, but you know….in-laws) Anyhow, her entire bridal shower was not just cow themed, but her MIL solicited all kinds of cow items from the guests. This can would’ve fit right in! Then she felt she had to display it for years. OMG it still cracks me up. I guess I’m not that polite. Well I’m tackling my hoard, so there is a corner desk with matching chair, a sewing table, a music cabinet, an oak cabinet, shelves, a wooden box, doors…I could go on for days. This would be wonderful timing! Thanks for spreading the wealth! 😉
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That’s so funny. I’ve fallen into the whole ‘saying you loved it to be nice’ trap myself. Yikes! Cows everywhere!
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Love your watering can and agree your flower choice is perfect! I have two spool clocks I will be making for gifts and would use the milk paint for those.
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I had to google spool clocks because somehow in my head I was picturing little spools of thread made into clocks somehow. But now that I think I know what you are referring to, I agree that milk paint would be perfect for them!
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I have a coffee table waiting for a makeover. This would be my first delve into milk paint, but it looks so much smoother than chalk paint. I am guilty of having a cow collection in my kitchen about 10 years ago. Then it morphed into roosters and chickens. The house we live in now doesn’t have a lot of counter space, so no kitschy animals needed. Thank you for the giveaway!
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Funny … no kitschy animals needed … love that. As for the milk paint being smoother, it is definitely thinner which allows for a less textured looking finish. You pretty much don’t have to worry about brush strokes with milk paint because the paint is too thin for that.
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Oooh, would I love your milk paint! I have some items in my house that need an update, namely, my beautiful semi circle table at the top of my stairs (it has beautiful carved wood detailing), my wine cabinet that I found for $10 but has an awful orange wood and a wicker like wood on the door cover (this item, in particular, is crying out for your milk paint!) I also have the most adorable VERY vintage wood children’s kitchen and refrigerator that I also snagged for $10 that needs a makeover. The offer of this wonderful paint couldn’t be at a better time, painting outside!!
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Sounds like lots of fun projects Cathy!
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Popped over to check out Mary’s blog. Love what she has done so far for Homestead’s new site.
I cannot believe how much better that watering can looks now. Amazing the difference that one step of distressing adds. Your last photo should be on a magazine cover.
I am still considering painting my armoire in my sunroom – hmmm.
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I’m glad you pointed out the difference that distressing makes. I am a firm believer in doing some distressing to bring out the personality in pieces. Thanks Victoria!
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Wow this would be so wonderful to have for projects for sure. I have almost all of my stored pieces painted, but… I do have a vintage bed that would be nicely done with milk paint, And I do work for an estate sale company, so that being said, I will just have to drag home a few more wonderful finds to use these colors on!!!
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Kudos to you Paula for being up to date on your projects! And lucky you working for an estate sale company. I bet that is fun, and a great way to get dibs on cool pieces.
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What a sweet watering can now with its transformation!! I would love to win the paint I am just beginning to experiment with milk paint!!
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I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you Wendy!
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I would love the chance JUST to use this milk paint. AND this one indeed!! I LOVE the Fusion paint!! And if the milk paint is anything like the Fusion paint…..Well, all kind of things to paint!! I have a lockable cabinet that would look great painted with the light color, then black and distressed!! I ts between my two Victorian chairs, His and Hers, upholstered in drop cloth, and the frames are painted a dark grey!! I need these colors!!!
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Well … milk paint is very different from Fusion paint, even though they are made by the same manufacturer. I think you’ll just have to give it a try and see what you think!
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Don’t include me in the drawing, as I won’t be able to use the paint for quite some time. But holy cow! The photos for this project are stunning! The first picture for this post is one of the most beautiful floral photos I’ve ever seen. Thanks for brightening my day!
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Well, maybe sometime down the road you can join me for some hands-on milk painting! As for the photo, thank you so much. That means a lot coming from you because I know you have a discerning eye when it comes to photography. I used a new prime lens for today’s photos (I’ll be blogging more about that later in the week), so the fact that you noticed tells me that it did indeed make a difference 🙂
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Ooooooohhh, I like these colors! I would use the Laurentien for a cute little stool/mini bench I have been avoiding. The Cartier would make my nightstand look beautiful. The black….TBD. I haven’t used milk paint, so this could be fun if I won.
Thanks for all your stories and project updates. I love your blog.
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Thanks so much Jessi! Laurentien would be fab on a little mini bench!
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That is lovely! I would love some milk paint for a wooden outdoor bench and some nighrstanda for my first room! You inspire me with each post Quandie!
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Thanks Sheri!
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Laurentien is my favorite color from that brand. I can see painting a small table for the living room with it — maybe the legs of a piano bench and make a cushion for the top. I would paint a small stool for another room with Cartier. And, Coal Black would be used for a project in the craft room. I have a large jewelry box that I want to make over. I would have fun!!! Thank you for the opportunity to win!
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Laurentien is one of my favorites as well, it’s such a fresh color!
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I love you Quandie! I’ve got a pine armoire and a pine toy chest that are on my list to pretty up! And these are pretty colors!
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Awwwww! I love you too 😉 Those both sound like fun projects to work on.
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I always get so excited when I see the transformation of something that was going to be tossed out into something beautiful and useful. I just inherited a pair of old chairs from my aunt which I would LOVE to paint with Laurentien milk paint. I have the fabric to upholster the seats all ready to go! Your spoon carved cupboard in Cartier gave me goose bumps. I would love to use it on an old headboard and footboard I have been hanging on to from when I was a kid. It would look phenomenal. And lastly, I would use the coal black on my son’s dresser. It is screaming for a makeover. I have been holding off on buying more paint and haven’t started using milk paint for that reason. I’d love the chance to try it. Thank you for offering this opportunity.
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I think all three of the colors I’m giving away are great options for a beginner, but the black especially. You won’t have any mixing issues with the black (pigments that don’t dissolve, or that sink to the bottom). I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you Mabel so you can give milk paint a try.
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I bought a beautiful little buffet that I would love to try the milkmpaint on. Thank you for the opportunity to win. Have always wanted to try milk paint, but no place to purchase it. This would give me a great opportunity to try it!
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I can’t even picture a buffet that wouldn’t look good in milk paint, so I’m betting that yours is a perfect candidate Elizabeth!
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I would love to win!!!
I plan to clean/organize my garage and have some small furniture pieces that I would love to paint!
I am new at this so it would give me an incentive to get going…
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We all can use a little extra incentive every now and then!
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Oh my goodness!! Where would I start? I just helped move my folks into an assisted living facility and am revamping some old and new treasures for my mom to make their place more homey. These colors would work very well. Thanks for the opportunity!
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That’s so thoughtful of you! You have some lucky parents!
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So glad you featured this today! I have several old galvanized buckets which I am tired of and over the weekend decided to paint…not that I did (paint them)…I just came up with the notion of painting them. Since your watering can came out so terrific looking I will definitely paint them with milk paint. I would paint them Laurentian. I love that color! I painted an old commode (cabinet, not a portable potty chair) in that color of Fusion. Do others call those old chests commodes? When my daughter did a year of service in Montana a few years ago, her roommates from the west coast thought it was hilarious that we call dressers… bureaus…they had no idea what she was talking about. Anyway…I would also paint a metal legged/wooden seat stool and 3 step ladder that I picked off the side of the road yesterday.
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Laurentien would be gorgeous on some old galvanized buckets! And love that you’re going to paint some roadside discards! As for commodes, so funny, check out the comments on the post about the washstand I rescued from its 80’s makeover a while back (click here). There was a bit of a conversation about ‘commodes’, are they toilets or are they furniture?
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I love milk paint. If I truly want an old weathered look, milk paint is my go to. I would paint a small china hutch I have in my stash right now. Thanks for the opportunity!
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I’m with you 100% on that Teresa!
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What a generous company! I would have to search my stash for something to paint or maybe hop on CL for something needing a new look. I haven’t painted much this winter but this might get me excited to get going again! Thanks!!
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I bet you could find something to paint Teri!
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Many thanks to you and Homestead House for paying it forward in such a fun way! As a chalk paint gal, I have been thinking I need to broaden my palette to include milk paint, and your testimonial has pointed me to a winning company…I just know that Cartier and I would become great friends 🙂
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Yep, you definitely should try some milk paint! I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you 🙂
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Oh I’d love to win some milk paint! I have 3 dressers that need painted, so I could really use it. Thanks for all your inspiring posts!
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You’re welcome Kelli!
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After you distressed and top coated it, I fell hard for that blue! I have been painting everything white, so if I had the black I would paint my bed with it to make a statement with white walls. I would do small pieces with the two other colors to splash those happy colors around my rooms. Thanks for the chance to join the giveaway. And thank you for all your inspiration.
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Same here. I didn’t really love the Maritime blue until after it was distressed and waxed. Those last steps really brought out a richness in the color.
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Well you got me hooked! I have been experimenting with milk paint on a few pieces of furniture. I have also purchased and used a couple of Iron orchid transfers. You are such an inspiration! I have a few more pieces of furniture and a couple of old tool caddies that I would love to paint. I love the blue watering can! I have a couple of those as well. The list goes on and on! Thanks again for sharing😀
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I’m always happy to hear that I’ve inspired people! Sounds like you have plenty of things to paint if you win Monica 🙂
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Oh I have a few things that I could paint, been dying to try milk paint but I’ve been too nervous about what the end result would look like, so nervous that I would ruin the piece
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I always advise people to start small with milk paint. Paint something like an old picture frame, a shelf or a small stool. Or even just some planks of old wood. Just get a feel for the process before starting in on a big piece of furniture. You can read about the first thing I ever painted in milk paint here. And always remember, if all else fails you can always sand it down some and paint over it again.
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Hi I just picked up a small sideboard, ladies desk and small cabinet at a yard sale ($20 each!) that would look great in these colors, I have been wanting to use milk paint for a while and this would give me a great reason to try it, There are so many brands out there now it’s hard to choose. I hope I win 🙂
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Awesome garage sale finds! Now that garage sale season is back in full swing, I’m hoping I find some fun things this coming weekend myself 🙂
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I love Laurentien, it is a beautiful color. I have an all wood bread box and a mail holder that would look fantastic in his color.
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Both of those would make fab milk paint projects!
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