Annie Sloane chalk paint - cheaper alternatives?

[reup]

I've seen some in b&q I think - has anyone used them? Are they any good? I want to paint some old furniture with minimal effor/cost. I'm not after the distressed look and will need some sort of wax/varnish on top.

Any suggestions?

I've always just used emulsion then finished off with line wax.

My mum adds plaster of Paris to paint for the same effect.

Annie Sloane is very expensive for what it is!

Thanks for that idea. Did you sand before? My lazy side (that's pretty much all of me) loves the idea of no prep.

I tried an alternative, drawn by the no prep, and it's crap- even after waxing I could scrape through to the original finish with a thumbnail. Gloomily resigned to sand, prime, blah blah blah...

I sand but really just a token sand down , takes minutes, nothing too strenuous.

Thanks, my friend has done a dresser with Annie Sloane. She didn't wax so next time I visit I might try a surreptious wipe - to see if it comes off easily. On a hidden bit!