Well, first of all, it’s been around for hundreds of years and has even been discovered in cave paintings and Egyptian tombs. It’s made of milk powder, lime, and pigment, so it’s all natural and behaves very different from its more modern counterparts like latex and acrylics. It comes in a powder form and you mix it with warm water prior to use. It provides a beautiful matte finish that shows amazing variances in the color.

On certain finished surfaces, it will flake away in some areas, giving a piece an “authentic chippy finish” you can’t get with any other paints. The way it will chip is unpredictable, so as Miss Mustard Seed says, you have to be willing to go with it; (there is an option to add a bonding agent to avoid the chipping, but we personally love that characteristic of Milk Paint!)

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is water based and 100% Natural, featuring:

• No Harmful Chemicals
• Virtually Odorless
• Mold and Mildew Resistant
• Breathable
• Biodegradeable
• Water-based & Easy Clean Up
• Environmentally Safe
• Extremely low VOC’s, (Volatile Organic Compounds)
• Suitable for Interior or Exterior Use
• Durable on Floors / Decks / Furniture & Walls

It is a wonderful paint for raw/new or unfinished wood furniture or wooded projects. It penetrates the wood like a stain, but looks like a paint. Since it penetrates the wood, it is breathable, it won’t chip off and it’s super durable. (It can adhere to previously painted, varnished or non-porous surfaces as noted below.*)

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint “Chippy” Antique / Naturally Aged or Distressed Finish – Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint will resist some (not all) prepainted or pre-varnished existing finishes in some places and will naturally self-distress randomly, creating it’s authentic “chippy” antique look. The way it will chip is unpredictable, so you have to be willing to go with it.

*By adding the Milk Paint Bonding Agent to the “pre-mixed” Milk Paint, you can you paint over previously painted or varnished surfaces, including furniture, walls, ceramic tile, glass and metal for even coverage.

Please Note: You only need to add the Bonding Agent to the first coat applied. Subsequent layers of Milk Paint will naturally adhere to itself.

Mustard Seed Interiors LLC is a small business that was born out of a love for antiques, decorating on a budget, and giving old pieces of furniture new life. In the fall of 2012, MSI launched Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint made by Homestead House Paint Company. The paint line and companion products are now sold at over 100 retail locations in the US, Canada and Europe. Marian, aka Miss Mustard Seed is a youth pastor’s wife, mother of two little boys and a lover of all things home. She is a business owner and describes herself as an uneducated designer, amateur photographer and a writer. She started a business in the hopes of contributing to the family income which has now blossomed into more than she ever imagined or even hoped for. She is very passionate about sharing what she has learned in the hopes of encouraging others.

She shares that she is always in paint splattered clothes with a sweet family that tolerates her constant furniture rearranging. She admits she has never worked harder in her life and she loves every minute of it. In addition to running a business and authoring a blog, she is also a freelance writer for HGTV.com, CountryLiving.com and a contributor to Cottages and Bungalows magazine (DIY Essentials Column.) She feels honored to have her work featured in Romantic Homes (January 2011), Flea Market Style (Spring 2011), Flea Market Finds with Matthew Mead (Spring 2012), Flea Market Style (Winter 2012), Women’s Day (Nov 2012), Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Ideas (Winter 2012), Cabin Life (Dec 2012)  and online at Houzz, Apartment Therapy, Design Sponge, About.com and many DIY/Home Decorating blogs.

Her first book, “Inspired You,” published by Thomas Nelson (Nov 2012), is currently available at BrushStrokes By Mary Anne, Click here for more information…

Most surfaces do not need to be stripped or primed – however, some projects may require light sanding depending on the finished look you desire.
Milk Paint used alone, will resist some (not all) existing finishes (pre-printed or pre-varnished) in some places and will naturally self-distress randomly, creating it’s distinctive “chippy”  antique or aged look.

If you want the paint to grip to non-porous surfaces, then you have to add the Milk Paint Bonding Agent as noted above.*

By adding the Bonding Agent to the first coat of paint. it will make the paint adhere to existing finishes, other types of paint, metal, glass, and other slick surfaces for a smooth finish. It does help to rough up the surface with sand paper a bit prior to painting, but it’s not necessary. The bonding agent is added to the paint, so it does not require a separate application.

As far as preparation goes the process is simple, clean the piece that you plan to paint, no need to sand or scuff before applying paint.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Requires Mixing with Water and Optional Bonding Agent:

• Milk Paint is a concentrated, powdered paint that must be mixed with water.

• It comes in an easy to store “Brown Bag” that makes a full quart of Milk paint that can cover approximately 70 sq ft. Increase the ratio of water to create a colored stain or wash, or decrease the water for a more opaque finish. (Blend by hand or with a blender, excess paint can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.)

• Add the MMS Milk Paint Bonding Agent (100% Natural) to the pre-mixed Milk Paint when painting non-porous surfaces to achieve a smooth, even and durable finish. Please Note: You only need to add the Bonding Agent to the first coat applied. Subsequent layers of Milk Paint will naturally adhere to itself.

• Darker colors like Tricycle & Typewriter can be especially tricky to mix, since they are so highly pigmented. When painting a surface that is in high contrast with the paint color (like painting dark wood with a light paint color) multiple coats will be required for an opaque finish.

• Milk paint should be sealed with a top coat like the Furniture Wax or Hemp Oil.

Slight shade and color variations may occur between batches. Purchase enough paint to test and finish your entire project. Be sure to save some for future touch ups.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint includes the following popular products and supplies:

• Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Bonding Agent
• Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Antiquing Wax
• Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Hemp Oil Wood Finish
• Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Furniture Wax
• Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint Crackle Medium

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

• Water based, extremely low VOC’s, one quart covers approximately 70 sf
• Powder form
• More translucent finish
• Adheres to porous surfaces. Can adhere to other surfaces with the addition of a bonding agent
• Will resist some (not all) painted or varnished surfaces and will naturally self distress (chip or peel)
• Seal with Miss Mustard Seed furniture wax or hemp oil

Chalk Paint® Decorative Paint

• Water based, extremely low VOC’s, one quart covers approximately 150 sf

• Premixed

• Opaque finish when applied full strength

• Adheres to many surfaces without priming, sanding or stripping
• Adheres to wood, stone, concrete, metal, fabric, or varnish
• Can be sanded easily to create a distressed finish
• Seal with Annie Sloan soft wax
• Seal floors with Annie Sloan lacquer