"I didn't order a couch with birds on it!"I still remember the hot 1974 summer day that aviary of a couch arrived in my parents house. It looked itchy & had tons of birds in the pattern.My mom was adamant that she did not order a couch with birds on it!Turns out she did, unknowingly, as the swatch she was shown was sans winged creatures, but when that swatch showed up as a full blown couch it had flocks.I re-lived this memory when a stool I ordered came with a creepy dragon on it..."I didn't order a stool with a creepy dragon on it!"Oh, but "you did" said the sales rep on the phone. "Yes, you are correct, the photo in the catalogue didn't show the dragon"…"Pay to ship it back? Ugh!"I know you are thinking…"What does this have to do with an easy & inexpensive vintage paint finish?"Well, while my mom couldn't paint over her birds (we came to like them after all, although the couch was itchy) but I could paint over my dragon.So that's what I did today.I used my favorite easy & inexpensive paint technique for the time worn vintage look we love.MATERIALS:

• left over flat paint  you have stored someplace

• Approx 2" x 3" piece of nubby towel

• water & stirrer

STEPS:

• mix 1 part water to 2 parts flat paint (I did .5 cup to 1 cup paint & there was plenty)

• stir water & paint well

• dip rag in paint

• apply paint like you would stain

• apply a light coat

• as paint is drying rub with the damp paint rag

• alternate rubbing here & there with the damp rag & a dry one

• rubbing with the damp paint rag will remove some paint

• rub the rags gently around the edges & corners to achieve a worn look

• experiment with removing & adding layers of paint until you achieve the look you want

In less than an hour, I had slayed the dragon and was vignetting the stool in my entry.…and looking around for more things I could wash with a vintage vibe.I bet you have a few "dragons" that could benefit from a vintage paint finish like this.  All you need for the transformation from UGH! to AHH! is probably sitting in your garage right now ~flat paint & a small rag.Get to it!** Kelly **p.s. Pin to share this easy technique with your Pinterest followers ~ they will love you for it!Linking up at the Scoop & Savvy Southern Style