Lady in Red

We have been so busy lately I haven't had time to breathe. Hence the reason I have not posted in a while. I was not really looking for a desk. I had a make shift thing going on with my computer and it was doing the job. Well Dave and I were out and about and checked in with a local thrift shop the Bibles for Mission. We found a beautiful desk with lots of potential for 25.00. And I immediately saw red. Here is the before.

My son had a nightstand he redid in black with cherry red stripes. So I used the rest of the red for the desk. It is Dutch Boy Cherry Red. First I sanded down the top and stained it with Minwax Ebony. Yep it is dark but I had a method behind my madness. Once it dried I sanded it down again leaving some of it in certain areas. Then I restained it with Minwax Early American, This gives it a rustic older appearance. I mixed up chalk paint with the Cherry Red and gave it 2 coats. Then I used a foam brush and brushed the Minwax Ebony over the top of the paint. Working in small areas at a time as soon as I put the stain on I used a damp cloth and wiped it off. You have to make sure you don't wipe too hard or too much or it will take it all off. Along with the paint. I painted the knobs with Rustoleum Hammered in Dark Brown. Finished it with the paste wax and here she is. I am absolutely in love with this desk. 

Can you see on the edge of the top just what that did with the staining method I used? I was scared once I started painting. That red went on almost pink. Yikes! But the stain darkened it up to the perfect red.