While I am always drawn to blues and greens, I felt that the pastel colors would be better and less likely to overwhelm the blanket, and the butter yellow of the crib. I took the blanket with me to Lowe's thinking that I would pick up small pots of paint that they normally have made up, but they didn't have any. I was probably able to pick out colors that better matched the blanket by having them custom mix it anyway.
The dresser was painted brown with black handles. I felt that the best method to remove the paint would be to strip it, as some of the corners and edges were rounded from previous sanding. In the end I had quite a bit of trouble removing some of the paint with the different strippers that I used and eventually did some sanding too. I chose the yellow with green accents for the outside and the light lavender on the inside for a bit of a surprise. I felt that painting the hardware white would give it a really fresh look.
I feel like I learn something every time I do a new project. I was prepared to have to do extra coats of paint to cover with such light colors. Despite always waiting at least a day and sometimes many, between coats, I had some problems with blocking. Occasionally paint will become a bit sticky, from moisture between layers and this is called blocking. I have heard people say the pieces they paint never dry and after placing something on a painted piece, when they lift the object, small pieces of paint come off. In reading about it some painters said that they sand and start over, and some said putting some talc on it will sometimes absorb the moisture. For most of my pieces I custom mix non-sanded grout, or plaster of paris into the paint for a chalk-type paint. Occasionally, I don't. With this dresser I didn't, and I reasoned that wiping the places down with a small amount of unsanded grout would make more sense than talc. I found it worked wonderfully, although I did sand a few places also. I added a back to it, and will put in a tension bar for hanging little dresses on.
I love how this turned out, I hope the owners are going to be happy with it!
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