Karla Ritchey said she painted her first piece of furniture when she was 12 years old. Now she has turned the passion she developed as a child into a career near historic McKinney.

Karla and her husband, Steve, own Lady Butterbug, a dealer of Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan. They also sell the product at three other locations in Dallas/Fort Worth including Grapevine, Dallas and Plano.

“I heard about this paint and just followed my gut,” Karla said of opening her business. “You don’t have to prime, strip or sand; you just start painting. Annie Sloan has started a movement for small businesses in furniture refinishing.”

The paint gets is name, not from having chalk as an ingredient, but from the chalky appearance of the paint. Chalk Paint can be used to paint surfaces of all types. Karla said the paint sticks to plastic, concrete, metal, wood, fabric, stone and
cabinetry.

“It doesn’t have to be old furniture needing to be refurbished,” she said. “I have lots of customers who are trying to give a vintage look to their IKEA or Wal-Mart stuff. It sticks to laminate. It’s just decorative paint and you don’t need six layers of paint.”

Chalk Paint, though relatively new to the area, has been around for 25 years. Annie Sloan’s paint, which has only been in the U.S. for about five years, revolutionized furniture refinishing, Karla said.

“I came on board early in the company, so I have grown with the business,” Karla said. “I think Annie Sloan’s paint coming to America has changed our thinking. It’s evolving our tastes, and our eye is maturing for painted furniture. Chalk Paint has just made [refinishing a piece] so easy.”

Karla, who is retired after 29 years of teaching, said although Lady Butterbug is a relatively new venture, she is not new to the business world.

“I have had four other businesses, so I guess I’ve always had the entrepreneurial gene,” she said. “Now I’m combining that [experience] with my love to paint.”

Now a small-business owner, she is still using her teaching skills as Lady Butterbug offers workshops and classes, including beginning painting and techniques, cabinet painting and specialty sessions that teach specific, specialized techniques such as two-color painting and dry brushing.

“I like seeing the excitement on our customers’ faces when they come through the door at Lady Butterbug,” she said. “This product allows them to make a transformation within their homes with their cabinets, furniture and floors.”

The Ritcheys are not simply distributors of Chalk Paint; they are also users. Karla said she is now in her third historic home, a residence she said always requires a little sprucing up. Her backyard garden has been featured in three magazines because of its chalk-painted look, she said.

“Chalk Paint can be seen all over our garden because it so versatile and can be used on everything,” Karla said. “It does really well outside.”