1950s Chalkboard Gets a Chalk Paint Makeover

Seems somehow appropriate that this well-used 1950s chalkboard be made over with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. This nice-sized board was an estate sale find.

The actual black chalkboard looked a bit like a spider web. It had hairline cracks all over.  As I often do, I forgot to take a before picture. This is a "semi before" shot after I had painted the chalkboard section with three coats of chalkboard paint.

The wooden frame was in good structural shape, but had lost its lustre. The chalkboard was well-worn. The bottom of the frame has a nice chalk-holder ledge.

My daughter-in-law has wanted a chalkboard for her kitchen for some time, so I thought I'd give this one a makeover for Meg.

I left the original sticker on the back to preserve its vintage character.

My son had refinished a vintage hotel mailbox unit I found at a local thrift store in ASCP Chateau Gray, which they repurposed for use as a sideboard in their dining room. I decided to stick with that color for the chalkboard frame. The colors of the two pieces are much closer in person than my photos show.

First I applied a coat of ASCP Graphite. Then I applied a coat of Chateau Gray over the Graphite. I used a sponge brush, but because I felt lazy and was on a tight timeline to finish this project before the kids came to visit, I used it almost like a dry brush. It's easy to do--just wipe most of the paint off the sponge on the side of the paint container.

I was going for a heavily distressed look, which I think it created. Best of all, there was no need to sand. Basically my lazy technique saved a whole step.

Finally, I applied a coat of ASCP clear wax.

I added a pretty canvas ribbon with a coordinating stripe and a vintage mini tart tin as an embellishment.

I finished it in time for the kids' visit. And, she liked it!

Make it a great day!

Links to:

Saturday Sparks
Inspiration Monday
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things

Bring a Hankie to the Wedding--Or Picnic

When is a handful of handkerchiefs not just a handful of hankies? When they're a stylish runner fit for the most colorful, casual picnic or the prettiest, most elegant wedding.

Hubby and I are starting to think about retirement and whether to stay in our current home. That means I'm beginning to take stock of all the things I've collected over the years and am starting to thin things out.

I have a large stack of vintage handkerchiefs that I've always wanted to put to good use. This week, I got them all out, gave them a good washing, starched and ironed them and made a couple of runners out of the white ones. I still have dozens in other colors to use on future projects.

Making a handkerchief runner is simple. Lay out the hankies in a pattern you like, using as many as you need for your table, buffet or piano top.

Sew them together by machine or hand, iron and you're set to go!

This runner looks great layered over my grandmother's 60-year-old picnic blanket and an antique French linen table runner I made for my son's wedding. My casual vintage kitchenware is a nice contrast to the elegant simplicity of the pretty hankies.

Either of the runners I made could be used for a dinner party table or a wedding cake table. The simple shades of white and off-white and the pretty embellishments can dress up a country, rustic or cottage chic setting.

I layered this one over a crinkle fabric semi-sheer repurposed window curtain and a different runner from my son's wedding (this one made of antique Belgian linen).

If you want something a little more whimsical, you can string the runners like a banner on a length of pretty ribbon or twine using mini clothespins (available at any craft store).

If you have a nose for vintage hankies, think about these versatile accessories in a new way next time you run across a pile of pretty ones at a sale.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Saturday Sparks

Bouquet of Talent
Share It Sunday
Nifty Thrifty Sunday

Share It One More Time
Knick of Time Tuesday
Cottage Style Party
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things

Repurposed Wine Rack Is DIY Fabric Organizer

Let me set the stage:

I don't have a fancy schmancy craft room. What I have is the unfinished side of our basement where, for the original owner of our 50-year-old quasi cottage-style home, the wood and metal shop resided.

After we became empty nesters, I was determined to take up creative endeavors that I had abandoned more than 25 years ago, when the kids were young.

I know my way around a sewing machine and other artsy crafty tools, but neither hubby nor I are handy around the home. So, I made do with a simple facelift to the workshop. I pulled the doors off the cabinetry above the workbench, painted the cabinetry and bench and have called this crude space crafting home ever since.

I have an overabundance of fabric. The bigger pieces are stacked by color inside those cabinets I painted, visible at a glance without the cabinet doors. Organizing the remnants after I cut into the yardage has been more of a challenge.

Enter this odd-looking and probably homemade wine rack.

Standing more than four feet high, it's probably no surprise that it hadn't been snatched up by the second day of the rummage sale where I found it. For me, it was repurpose love at first sight. I knew instantly it would be the answer to my snarl of fabric remnants.

Even though it looks as if it were made of Tinker Toys, it is rock-solid sturdy.

Gave it a nice wash of Annie Sloan chalk paint. I liked the dark wood peeking through, so I only gave it a light coat, not worrying if it covered completely. And, frankly, the design of the piece made painting tedious.  Now it just looks distressed--without the extra effort to distress.

At first, I set the rack up vertically, which is the way it was designed.

After moving it around the workshop, I decided to place it horizontally on an old steamer trunk, which made it more accessible. No stooping all the way to the floor to reach the low rows.

So nice not to have to dig through piles to find just the perfect scrap.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday

What's It Wednesday

Whatever Goes Wednesday

Swing Into Spring
Work It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things
Share Your Cup Thursday
City of Links
Creativity Unleashed

Springtime at the Garden Gate

Many years ago I picked up a vintage garden gate at a garage sale.

Then, a few years ago, I found what looked like architectural salvage at Hobby Lobby--in the clearance aisle. There were three big pieces and I bought them all. They're probably not meant for outdoor use, as they appear to be made of plaster.

When I moved the garden gate to the front of the house a couple of years ago, I positioned one of the architectural pieces behind it to add interest. The gate sits up against the house and under the eaves, so the piece is protected from the elements. I took in over the winter the first year, but have since left it behind the gate year-round and it still looks to be in good condition.

Over the years I decorated it with different wreaths for the changing seasons.

Frankly, though, I'm not a wreath person. I've tried. I really have. Different sizes, shapes, materials. They just don't do anything for me. So, this year I decided to look for something different for spring/summer.

Saturday, when my hubby and I were at one of my favorite church sales of the year, I found what I thought could be the answer. This vintage aluminum pitcher caught my eye and I instantly visualized it full of pretty plants and hanging from the garden gate. The church lady told me this pitcher had actually come from the very old church's kitchen and had been used countless times to serve ice water at church events. How sweet.

A small digression . . . 

This church sale is one of my favorites because it's also a plant sale. Members of the congregation offer up plants from their own gardens every year. The most expensive plants are $3 each. Many are less than that. Some are smallish, but, as you can see from the photo below, many are quite large. Here are the plants I took home this year--all for only $16.

Back to the garden gate . . .

The pitcher is now filled with pretty color that stands out nicely against our house. For my taste, a more interesting solution than a wreath.

Now, for a cool drink of seasonal color . . .

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Things

Inspiration Monday

Inspire Me Monday
Make It Pretty Monday
May Garden Party
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Knick of Time Tuesday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Cottage Style Garden Party
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things
Time Travel Thursday
Fishtail Cottage 2014 Garden Party
From the Farm Blog Hop

A Trip to France--Without Leaving Town

Do you have a favorite neighborhood for estate sales in your community? A location that generally means you'll score something great? I do. In our city, a handful of neighborhoods hold special excitement for me. They always seem to harbor some of the vintage tresures I love.

Recently, I noticed a sale advertised in one of my least favorite neighborhoods. Uber large, high-end (and often very weird) homes built in the late 1960s and 1970s. Having lived through that period, I just can't get too excited about most of what is offered at sales that feature an abundance of items from that era. I almost didn't attend this particular sale. But, at the last minute, my trusty Subaru steered me in that direction.

I felt certain my suspicions would be confirmed and that I would be disappointed. From the outside, the home looked to be the typical weird '60s monstrosity that is so prevalent in this neighborhood. Walking in the front door, I took a quick visual survey. Yep. The standard period pieces that generally leave me unimpressed and uninspired. I came close to walking out the door until I heard someone talking about an awesome wine cellar in the basement.

Curiosity got the best of me. I checked it out and I'm glad I did.

The wine cellar inventory was pretty picked over, but in the corner was a stack of disassembled wine crates that had held wines from the early 1960s to the late 1970s. Coincidental to the age of the home, perhaps? Yes. Pure coincidence, I'm sure.

I picked through the pile of wood and selected 13 of the best looking panels.

When I got home, I added one to the shelf in the foyer. It coordinates nicely with the Eiffel Tower wall hanging. At least temporarily.

The wood panels are various sizes. Some have shipping stamps on them, others have shippers' writing. I think that just adds to the charm. These will be great for a repurpose or upcycle project. Some will likely end up in my Etsy store for someone else to play with.

When I was in the wine cellar at the estate sale, I noticed a man with an armful of nice vintage books. Most of them were in English, but a couple were written in French. So, I went in search of the books. I hadn't seen any on the main floor or in the basement.

The upstairs had a nice little nook with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and a big beautiful window with a window seat. I've never seen so many French books in one estate sale here.

I found some nice ones that I'll use for display, as well as some that were in rough condition. I'll take those apart and add bits and pieces to my ephemera journals.

On my way to check out, I came across a box of maps of France. All regions and towns. Jackpot! Snapped those up for my journals, too.

Now I'm reconsidering my attitude toward estate sales in this neighborhood. Never know if the next one will take me on a trip to Italy or Russia.

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
The Scoop
Knick of Time Tuesday
Thursday Favorite Things

Where the Rubber Meets the (Garden) Road

{reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim, repurpose, 

respect}

Recycling and reusing tires has been around probably as long as tires have. 

Before sitting down to begin this week's feature on earth-friendly ideas, I went searching for an early 1960s photo that was taken of me flying high, standing, on a tire swing in my grandmother's back yard. 

Probably better I didn't find it. I seem to recall blue cat glasses and peddle-pushers (what we now call capris) with sneakers and white socks. What a dork!

I also hoped to find pictures of my grandparents' flower gardens ringed by giant tractor tires. No luck, there either. Not in the box I thought they were in.

My grandparents used both tractor and truck tires to create flower beds. Some were painted white, some  au naturale. Some were cut around the top edge to look like flower petals.

The tire swing of today makes my modest model of yesterday seem awfully mundane. What kid wouldn't want one of these?

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Recycled tire planters have come a long way since the '60s, too. 

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Rochelle at Studio G features a super tutorial for making your own whimsical planter from tires that no longer tread on asphalt.

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A few other recycled tire projects I love:

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You wouldn't know by looking, but Apartment Therapy's beautiful ottoman indeed started out as a plain ole tire.

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Not for everyone, but I like these innovative tables and chairs.

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Next time your tread wears thin, consider making your tires a part of your landscape (or living room).

Make it a great day!

Linking to:

Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Tuesday's Treasures
Outdoor Wednesday
Farmgirl Friday