Have you ever painted with chalk paint? If yes, then you’re my new BFF.

Joe and I recently moved into a house we had built in the modern farmhouse style—waving to you, Joanna Gaines—and now I find myself “hankering” (I love that word, it’s so good & Southern) to paint some of our furniture.

First, my parent’s king bed . . .

I love the bed but the brown finish just isn’t what I want for this house. So I’m channeling my inner Annie Sloan and am going to paint the bed a Graphite color, but with Jolie paint instead!

Ever heard of Jolie paint? Neither had I but it comes highly recommended by Pretty Distressed’s Christina Muscari so I’ve taken the plunge and am going to try it.

TRIVIA ALERT— See the mirrored piece of furniture in the background of the first pic above? That’s a chiffarofe and it was actually the very first piece of furniture Mom and Dad bought together after they married, which makes it even more special now that they’re both Home with Jesus.

The next item to be painted is a lighted etagere that was Mom’s. She actually had two of them, so my brother got one and I got the other.

I’m painting this piece in Annie Sloan’s Duck Egg Blue, which has long been a favorite color of mine.

These pieces of furniture (the etagere and bed) have been in storage for the last couple of years but I’ve cleaned them really well, am letting them dry, then will start painting—after I reach my daily word count goal, of course. Hey, incentives work for me, what can I say?!

I’ll be sure and post some “after” pics when I’m done. Hopefully in a couple of weeks. But in all seriousness, if you’ve chalk painted before and have any advice to give me, I’m all ears! This is my first chalk painting experience!

Finally, in the midst of this crazy pandemic and now in the painful shadow of last week’s killings and the subsequent rioting in cities across this nation, I find myself alternating between grief and mourning one minute, then anger and disgust in the next minute at the injustice of these killings. And at the injustice of the rioters looting and destroying and stealing. As a dear friend wrote yesterday, it’s “sad and scary and depressing. Come, Lord Jesus!”

I agree. Maranatha, indeed!

I’m so incredibly grateful, now more than ever, that God is in control, that all things hold together through Christ, and that the Holy Spirit is fully capable of leading us down the roads God chooses for us. Especially when they’re difficult roads we would never have chosen for ourselves or our friends and loved ones.

He is all powerful and sovereign. So we can rest in his peace, even though it may feel like the world is coming apart at the seams. He’s got you. And he’s got me!

Much love from my corner of Nashville,

Tamera

Have you seen this new video about the McGavock Cemetery at Carnton, the setting of my Carnton novels?