3 Reasons Why Chalky Finish is Great for Holiday Crafting

3 Reasons Why Chalky Finish is Great for Holiday Crafting

Posted by DecoArt on Oct 20th 2015

I, Carrie, admittedly have very little patience when it comes to craft projects—or, really, when it comes to just about anything in life! I like to get in, get out, and get it done in record time, and tend to prefer working on projects in my craft studio that allow me to finish up in under an hour. Take my DIY Pumpkin, Ghost, and Black Cat Halloween Garland for example. This simple holiday decoration took me less than 30 minutes of hands-on time to put together, but still packs lots of high impact personality. 
 
How did I get it done so quickly, you might ask? Well, this time around I used paint from my supply of DecoArt chalky finish paint, and while doing so, realized just how practical these specialized pigments are. As we all head into the 2015 holiday season, I wanted to share a trio of tips for trying chalky finish paint, and why you should consider adding it as a key supply to your holiday crafting lineup.



 
1. IT DRIES FAST
 
When it comes to the holidays, it's no secret that time is often of the essence. We have all sorts of things running through our brains this time of year (holiday party invitations, Thanksgiving menus, gift planning and shopping, etc.), and the last thing we want to do is sit around waiting on our craft projects to wrap up so that we can get to the fun decorating phase. With chalky finish paint though, you don't have to do much waiting at all! The pigments dry much quicker than standard latex and oil-based paints, so your craft projects have the potential to fly by in the blink of an eye.
 
 
2. A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY
 
Because of the thicker consistency of chalk paint, you may only need one or two coats, which means that your holiday painting projects finish up quickly and you don't have to use nearly as much paint as you would with cheaper quality paints. One can of chalk paint has the potential to last through years of holiday projects, so your investment is sure to stand the test of time. You'll be using your chalk paint from New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day, all the way through Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 
 
 
3. NO SANDING OR PRIMING
 
Another time-saving detail of chalk paint versus other types of paint is the fact that you don't have to prime or sand the surface beforehand. Imagine not having to break out your hand sander and respirator, and a bulky can of years-old, stinky primer. With DecoArt's line of chalk paint, these tools become obsolete and you can go straight to the fun part: the decorative painting of your grand holiday-themed idea.
 
Have you given chalky finish paint a try? Have you used it on your holiday projects? If not, consider this my personal challenge to you to give it a try on your next fall time project—be prepared to be wowed! To see the full how-to tutorial for this simple-but-chic DIY Pumpkin, Ghost, and Black Cat Halloween Garland, hop over to my blog, Dream Green DIY
 
Words and photography by Carrie Waller