Today’s reader feature is an absolutely gorgeous Milk Paint Dresser that was submitted by Annie Spackman! She found this dresser on Craigslist for just $50! Even though it was in horrible shape when she got it, she had a vision. She knew with a little love, it could be a beautiful piece once again!
Here are the steps that she took to transform her vintage furniture piece:
Step 1: The dresser was cleaned with Mineral Spirits
Step 2: She painted the dresser with Miss Mustard Seed’s (MMS) Milk Paint in Lucketts Green
Step 3: The dresser was distressed with sand paper, but a putty knife can also be used
Step 4: She Transferred the Graphic to the top of the dresser using a Heat Transfer Tool. (The graphic used was the Clothing Ad with Oval Frame) Make sure you reverse your image first, if you are use this tool!
Step 5: Finally, she sealed it with Annie Sloan Clear Wax.
Thank you so much for submitting your project Annie, this is honestly one of the most beautiful pieces I have seen! If you live in the Ocean Beach, CA area, or are planning a visit there, be sure and visit The Corner Store where Annie sells her pieces!
Also be sure and check out the How to Transfer Typography onto Furniture post HERE, to learn how to enlarge, and add, graphics to your own Painted Furniture Projects!
Do you have a project made with an image from The Graphics Fairy? If you do, I would love for you to submit it…I’m always looking for great projects to feature!!! You can submit them, HERE!
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Kashia H says
October 30, 2013 at 9:24 amAny tutorial or explaination on the graphic put on with a heat tool? what was the graphic printed on first?
Karen Watson says
October 30, 2013 at 10:44 amHi Kashia, The heat transfer tool, works in the same way that the Citra Solv method does. You must have a toner based copy of your graphic (mirror imaged) and then you transfer with the tool. The tool is sort of like a mini iron.
Kashia H says
October 30, 2013 at 9:35 pmTHANKS!! 🙂
Lynn says
October 30, 2013 at 9:44 amThis is beautiful!
How do you apply an image using a heat tool?
Karen Watson says
October 30, 2013 at 10:45 amHi Lynn, Read my response to Kashia above. 🙂
Sue Toomer says
October 30, 2013 at 1:33 pmI love your dresser Lynn it is simply gorgeous! Do you ave a name for the tool you used, souns wonderful!
Karen Watson says
October 30, 2013 at 3:40 pmHi Sue, The dresser was actually painted by Annie Spackman, Lynn was just asking a question about it. 🙂 The tool is called a Heat Transfer Tool. Walnut Hollow makes one, you can find it at Michael’s Crafts.
Lynn at Sweet Peas Charm says
October 30, 2013 at 1:51 pmThis dresser is absolutely stunning!!
Nancy says
October 30, 2013 at 2:42 pmWhat a beautiful dresser, A true treasure!
Leena Lanteigne says
October 30, 2013 at 4:38 pmThis is fabulous! I love the color and distressing and the use of the printing on the wood top is genius! What a pretty style this piece has too! Great job! Hugs, Leena
Jane says
October 30, 2013 at 6:22 pmI love too but in uk and cannot think how it’s done read the comments so you print out mirror image got that on paper ? Then with a iron you iron over it , think I got this totally wrong help from UK, also anyone know if I can buy on line from US , please explain in detail as cannot get my head around this one and you have done a truly beautiful job x thanks for sharing x
Faye Rainbolt @ The Shabby Cottage Home says
October 30, 2013 at 7:15 pmHi Karen, Thanks for sharing this beautiful dresser and all your wonderful transfers.
I have wanted to do something on a dresser for a while. I think this will inspire me to do it!!
Thanks, Faye
Cynthia says
October 30, 2013 at 7:22 pmAbsolutely beautiful! I will be using Annie Sloan products! Thank you, for the inspiration.
Patty says
October 30, 2013 at 9:42 pmI just love it! Hubby bought me a heat transfer tool, I think Im supposed to get a graphic done with a lazer printer, invert the image and use the tool to transfer the image. Im not 100% on the toner or inkjet. If anyone knows please let me know!
Sharron says
October 30, 2013 at 10:14 pmFirst off I want to tell you thank you for your emails I actually look forward to them. I’m so excited to start some projects once I get moved & settled definitely gonna use your graphics I’ve even picked out who’s chalk paints I’ll use. Ive got 6 or 7 pieces I’m going to be doing and needed this last information (transferring the graphics) sooo I’d like to thank you for that as well. Maybe I’ll take pictures.
Gratefully Sharron
Annie says
October 31, 2013 at 12:37 amThanks for featuring my dresser! It was so much fun to redo:) I took the image to Office Depot and had them enlarge and do a mirror image of the graphic. When using a heat transfer tool you have to have a laser copy not inkjet! When distressing I used both sandpaper and a metal scraper. The brand of my transfer tool is Wall Lenk. I ordered it online. Thanks again for all of your lovely images!!!! XO
Annie
Paula Kallinen says
October 31, 2013 at 2:25 amHi, I looked up the brand of your tool and there were a few different types offered. Could you tell me which tool you ordered, is there a model number? Is yours electric or does it use butane? Your furniture piece looks amazing. I just picked up a buffet today and would love to try doing something on the top.
Annie says
November 4, 2013 at 12:40 amPaula, the Wall Lenk heat tool I use is electric and the model # L16TT. Hope that helps:)
Kashia H says
October 31, 2013 at 10:56 amjust beautiful !!!….ive been wanting to do this however didnt like the other methods. Do you think a household iron wouldnt work because it wont get hot enough? Just thought that would work better for larger projects. Thoughts?
Karen Watson says
October 31, 2013 at 10:40 pmKashia, I wouldn’t recommend using an iron. That’s what I use to remove damaged wood veneer from furniture, since it melts the glue off of the veneer. If your piece is veneered it could ruin it!
Karen Watson says
October 31, 2013 at 10:38 pmYou’re welcome Annie, thanks for popping in with the extra info!
Kathy Weber says
November 1, 2013 at 6:23 amAnnie – did you stain the top of your dresser “before” the transfer? Or after?
I learned quickly that you can’t do this on latex paint! It worked great over chalk paint though.
Annie says
November 4, 2013 at 12:35 amKathy, I did not stain this piece before transferring the image. I transferred it on to the bare wood and then sealed it with Annie Sloan clear wax.
Carol Norwood says
November 2, 2013 at 12:46 pmI love this transformation! It’s so beautiful! Nice, nice job!
Kerry Meadows says
November 6, 2013 at 4:56 pmHi. I have just found this site.Love it. The dresser is beautiful. I have just picked up an old dresser for $5. I am very interested in trying this but i am in Australia and not sure what equivalent paint i can obtain to achieve the look.
Karen Watson says
November 7, 2013 at 10:07 amHi Kerry, Try asking at some Antique shops in your area. Around here we have several different brands, and they are often sold by antique dealers, since it’s a paint that has been used for centuries, and gives a great antique look. Also, Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is sold online, by many different shops, so you may try googling it to see if any of them ship to your area.
Kerry says
November 11, 2013 at 8:05 pmThank you. I hadn’t thought of that
Hannah says
November 27, 2013 at 3:33 pmCould you tell me what method you used to enlarge the transfer print. I am stumped on this.
Annie says
November 29, 2013 at 10:49 pmHi Hannah, I measured the top of my dresser and emailed the image to Office Depot with those measurements. That’s how I got the size I needed for this project. Hope that helps:)
NANCY MYERS says
August 13, 2016 at 1:54 pmThanks for the bit about Emailing the image to Office Depot, with the measurements. I didn’t know if you were copying it on paper or taking it on your phone??!? What type of paper do you ask them to print it on? Thank you so much for sharing this process with all of us…Nancy