Well I did it! I painted my KitchenAid Mixer! I've wanted to do this for several years and when I saw this new strawberry design transfer..... I was instantly inspired! I'll be honest and say that Matt was not thrilled with this idea..... which is weird... he doesn't even use the thing! He is our cook..... but I am the baker. I usually take his feelings into consideration but this time I was determined! Now it is the retro kitchenAid mixer, AND I LOVE IT!!!!
Here's the whole story:
I was gifted this gorgeous red mixer about 20 years ago and I just treasured it! It's a work-horse and has been used A LOT!!! My kitchen at the time was red... everything was red.... but that has since changed. I've seen many custom painted versions of this mixer on Pinterest and I've been dying to do the same. I wanted to do a retro vibe..... with the pale turquoise appliance look..... and the touch of red strawberries was just perfect!
Clean and tape off..
I cleaned the mixer well using White Lightning followed by a good water rinse. I then taped off any chrome on the mixer as I didn't want to paint over that. I used my painters tape do this is and it only took a few minutes!
Prime with Slick Stick
Slick Stick is a must for this project. There is not another product on the market that will allow you to paint over slick surfaces like metal (without it being a factory type heat set finish) and have the paint stick and be hardy. I use a premium chip brush (NOT a thin cheap one) from Dixie Belle. It is the perfect brush to use when applying Slick Stick with a stipple action. I applied Slick Stick per the instructions.... one coat... dry overnight.... a second coat and dry a few hours before painting.
and... PAINT!
The Gulf is the perfect "retro-appliance-turquoise-green" color. I have versions of this color in almost every room in my house.... so this was the perfect opportunity to bring it into my black and white kitchen. (Have you seen my kitchen backsplash that I painted? You can see that HERE.). I applied two coats of the gulf..... and painted right over the painters tape. I used the same premium chip brush and the same stippling technique. The stippling technique will leave me with more of an eggshell finish vs. a sleek smooth finish which is what I want. I believe it is much more of a hardy finish for hand painted objects. Once dry..... I removed all the painters tape.
Apply Transfer
This Fresh Picked Fifties transfer was so fun to use! It comes with four sheets.... two of each design. I chose the single strawberries.... but I cut each strawberry from the original apricot colored background since I really didn't want the apricot color! This Fresh Picked Fifties transfer was designed by my good friend Meleah of Mustard Tree Market.... and she is VERY into the retro vibe! I actually did a LIVE broadcast with her while applying the strawberries and I failed to get actual photos of the process to share with you here. But the entire YouTube video does show the "how to apply" and can be found at the bottom of this blog. But check this out!!!!!
Isn't it adorable????
I mean..... I love to bake..... but this will make me even MORE excited to create yummy goodies for my family! It's just so fresh and unique and I could not be happier with it!!! And look up close at the pic below.... you can see how beautifully each strawberry blends right into the paint! No one would ever believe this was applied as a transfer!! And ALSO...... check out that "eggshell" textured finish! I LOVE a textured finish.... and I really do believe this holds up better over time!
Make sure there is protection!
The last part of the process is so important. Each strawberry needs to be lightly sanded. The ones you see here in the photo were sanded.... or what I refer to as "burnished". This assures that all air bubbles have been released and that the very thin transfer is adhered well to the paint below it..... I call it "marrying" the two products. I then applied Top Coat in Satin over the entire piece..... anywhere that the paint or transfers were. I applied two thin coats. Transfers NEED a top coat for protection. I also followed with a single coat of Gator Hide which will allow my mixer to stand up to good wipe downs with a damp cloth! The top coat in satin will allow this as well..... the Gator Hide is just an added dose of protection!
I hope you love it and will feel inspired to create something unique for your home too!!! XOXO, Tracey
YouTube video coming soon!
https://youtu.be/Av7B1esF4tA
Let's go shopping...
For your convenience, the products listed here are what I used for this blog! Dixie Belle Paint Company offers amazing products that will make all of your projects successful no matter what your skill level! Just click on the product's photo. It will take you to the page for purchasing! You can also find my favorite products and tools in my Amazon influencer list HERE.
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