Try, Try Again--The Tale of Painting a Table

I found this table at a garage sale this summer for $5.

 

(For the table redo on the left, click HERE.  For the wall hanging redo, click HERE)

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it, so started by sanding it down.

I decided to try homemade chalk paint.  I mixed together 3 parts black paint,  1 part Plaster of Paris and a little bit of water.  I only did one coat, but decided that I did not like the look of it at all.  It was much more grey than I wanted.  Of course, this was after only one coat, so I'm guessing that it would've improved with more painting...

But, it wasn't the look I was going for, so back to sanding it down again.... 

 

I then sprayed it with Rustoleum 2x Flat Black paint.  After the first coat, I sanded it lightly on the top with 220 grit sandpaper.  I applied another coat of black and it looked pretty good.  After that dried, I finished by spraying the whole thing with Rustoleum's 2x Clear Gloss.  

I added this cute knob I found (I may have found it at Hobby Lobby, but it's been a long time and now I'm not sure.)

I put this old candy machine on it, along with some billiard balls in a jar and a plant.  I'm not sure that I'll keep this stuff on there, but it's a start. 

I would love to try redoing another piece with chalkpaint at some point, and I know that painting it all black might seem boring, but it works with the other furniture and accessories in the room.  And it looks a whole lot better than when I found it.  :)

Thanks for coming by!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

 

Beachy Clock

My husband made some tops for the wine barrel tables that I posted about last week. You can see that post HERE.   As neat as the tops were, they just didn't look right on the bases.  I stained them the same, but because the wood was different in some way, it didn't stain the same color. 

I used Minwax Provincial, then sanded it all down a little.  I kept trying to match the barrels, but it wasn't going to work...

 So I used the wine barrels without the tops and set his project off to the side....

The other night it came to me that the top would make a neat clock.  I had purchased a lot of 3" starfish on ebay a couple of years ago and thought it would be fun to use them instead of  numbers on the clock.

 

My biggest problem was finding clock hands that were big enough.  I bought some at Michael's, but they were sooo tiny that you could hardly see them.  After searching online and finding some possibilities, but not being thrilled with paying $3 for the hands and $6 for shipping (and then waiting several days for them to arrive!), I remembered that I had some clocks I wasn't using, and luckily, one of them had hands that were pretty big.  

Because the wood was stained such a dark color, I needed light clock hands.  I spray painted them a sand color.

 

My husband routed out a spot in the back for the movement (so it wouldn't stick out from the wall too far) and attached hooks and a wire for easy hanging.  We did all of this before attaching the starfish to the front.

I then laid out the starfish around the edge.  The starfish are somewhat uniform in size, but some are flat and some aren't, some have all five "fingers" (legs?) the same size and some don't...  I just tried to evenly space them around the board and realized that they wouldn't be 100% perfect, but that was ok.

I used Tacky Glue to attach them.  I like it because it dries clear and doesn't burn the skin off of my fingers like a hot glue gun.  :)

We then attached the clock hands to the movement and hung it on the wall.  It was a really fun and easy project.  (The light spot that shows up in the pictures pointing to the "6" on the clockface doesn't show up like that in person.)  

 

Thanks for your visit!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays 

My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday 

 

Another Closet is Always a Welcome Addition

My husband wanted to add a closet to the 'man cave'.  I was all for it!  I love to have things organized and was thrilled when he said I could put whatever I wanted to put in there.  :)

Here is the 'before'.  We added that flooring when we first moved in and stored our bikes right there.  There had to be a better use for that space!

 The view from downstairs.

The mess from sanding drywall... This was after cleaning for quite awhile!  That drywall dust gets EVERYWHERE!

Prior to adding shelves.

Nice deep shelves to hold everything.

I am so happy to have a place to hang my vacuum hose. It's big and bulky and fits perfectly in here!

 Here's a view of the room while standing at the new closet.  







He had to make special concessions on the size and the way the door fit in due to the slope of the ceiling.  He really maximized the space.  I think it looks great! 

Thanks for your visit!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

 

A Barrel of Possibilities

A few weeks ago I was out garage-saling and found these two barrels for $1 each.  Of course I snatched them up!  The girl asked what I had planned for them?   I told her I wasn't sure, but figured that I could use them out in my yard to hold plants, or turn them over to set plants on top...  I then realized that they could work as little end tables in the house.

I started by sanding them.

 

I applied a coat of Pre-Stain.

 

I stained them with Minwax Provincial.

I'm very happy with the dark color.

 I put this wire cloche and birds' nest on top of one of them and it's done.  Not a bad table for $1.    Now I have to find a place for the other one.

Thanks for your visit!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

French Country Cottage's Feathered Nest Friday 

At The Picket Fence's Inspiration Friday 

My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday 

Chic on a Shoestring's Flaunt it Friday 

I Had a BALL Making These Towels

I've made many of these towels for myself and friends using other graphics, but was so excited when The Graphics Fairy posted these canning jars recently. (and in two colors!!)   I love this graphic!

I started with Jolee's Image Transfer Paper (purchased at Michael's)

I printed off the graphics on my  INKJET  printer (laser copies will not work with the transfer paper)   Be sure to ROTATE in Picnik to get the mirror image. 

 

 Cut around the graphic, but on this one don't cut too close.  It's a big transfer and it's best to leave a little extra edge so it adheres correctly.  Once it's washed a time or two, the edge will not show at all.

Heat up your iron on the cotton setting with NO steam.  I used a board underneath it.  I used Ikea towels.

  

Iron the towel where the graphic will be going, then set it on where you want it.  I generally keep it on the bottom half of the towel and centered between the red stripes.  It then will hang on my dishwasher handle and show up well.  (just my preference)  :)

Set the iron on each area for 20 seconds, making sure you get everything ironed really well.  (set the iron on the spot, hold for 20 seconds, pick the iron up and move it to another spot--don't move the iron around during those 20 seconds)  You can go over everything several times if you want. 

Let it cool completely and carefully remove the paper backing.  Make sure you don't launder the towels for at least 72 hours (per the directions on the transfer paper) so the image will adhere properly.

And you end up with these great towels.  The iron on transfer will fade some when you wash them, which will make them even more vintage looking!

Thanks for your visit!

Pam


 I am linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays 
Potpourri Party at 2805