The North End Loft: chalk paint

Showing posts with label chalk paint. Show all posts

Jan 21, 2014

Family Room Writing Table

When I replaced a huge old ugly desk in our family room with my vintage dresser-turned media stand last year, my husband no longer had a place downstairs to work on the paperwork he often brings home from the office.

I'm pretty sure he didn't mind being moved upstairs where he could work while watching football and hockey on his big TV, but I missed having him in the family room with me on those evenings.

Even though I was kind of loving the new uncluttered space in our family room, I decided I loved my husband even more and started looking for a desk to surprise him with for his Father's Day gift.

The available space was pretty tiny, and I didn't want to make it look even smaller with another bulky desk. I also didn't want to block the light and view out the back window. I thought about making a pallet wood table, but I didn't know how I could keep that a secret. So I hunted high and low at thrift stores and consignment stores and just regular old stores for something small enough.

I finally found this little wood writing table with metal legs for under a hundred dollars at Target. It had a rustic industrial vintage vibe going on that I liked, and it fit in the corner perfectly. There wasn't one on display in our store, so I had to go by the photo on the box and the online description which said it was composite and veneer.

When I opened the box at home I didn't find a wood veneer top at all, though. At least not any wood veneer I'm familiar with. It looked more like a picture of wood.

You know the saying? If it sounds too good to be true... ?

Yup.

I liked everything else about the table, though. I liked the fairly heavy metal legs and the size, and the directions sounded easy to put it together. I don't like shopping, and I like returning things even less, so I did what any self respecting DIY-er would do.

I painted it with chalk paint, distressed it, and waxed it.

Then I bought a shiny new lamp at Pottery Barn to go on it.

I hung the girls' portraits above and put an extra dining room chair below.

My husband loved it, and I do too.

It's just the right size to jot down notes or make a shopping list during the day, and in the evenings my husband is back downstairs where he belongs, watching Rehab Addict with me while he works.

How about a party today?!

Elizabeth & Co.
Our Home Away From Home
The Scoop
From My Front Porch To Yours

May 6, 2013

Little Tiered Stand Redo

I hope your week is starting off well.

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Idaho, and the lilacs are finally blooming in my yard.

Over the weekend I discovered a new thrift store near my home, which is always a happy occasion. I also found some new curtains for my family room with a 25% off coupon at World Market. Score! And I celebrated Cinco de Mayo at my daughter's house with the best fajitas I've ever tasted.

It was a great weekend!

Today I have one of my little craft room projects to share.

Shortly after I finished redoing my new craftroom I came across this little three tiered stand at a thrift store.

It looked like it might have been a high school wood shop project. Do you ever ponder the backgrounds of your thrift store finds? I do, especially when it's something handmade like this little stand.

I wasn't sure what I'd do with it, but I bought it for a few dollars, brought it home, and plopped it on my desk for a few weeks. (It seems I just can't pass up something with graduated tiers. I love 'em.)

One day, while rummaging in the bottom of a drawer for a paperclip while I was paying bills, I glanced up at the stand and had an "aha" moment.

Of course, it included some homemade white chalk paint. Most of my "aha" moments do!

No more rummaging in drawers. My paperclips and rubber bands are now prettily close at hand on my desktop.

I wonder what the wood shop boy or girl who made this little stand would think of its transformation. I hope they would approve!

Feel like a party? Come join me at

Coastal Charm
Cozy Little House
Cedar Hill Ranch
Elizabeth & Co.
Our Home Away From Home
Shabby Art Boutique
French Country Cottage
Timewashed

Jul 16, 2012

DIY Menu Blackboard

Last month I found a wooden pig at the thrift store that had been painted white and black and had dried moss and straw flowers hot glued to it. Someone had once loved it, but it was sad and worn out.

So of course I bought it.

I had to use a screw driver and some elbow grease to scrape the hot glued mess off, then I sanded it a little and painted it with homemade chalk paint.

I dissolved a couple tablespoons of un-sanded grout in water, then mixed some of that into a cup or so of flat black paint in another container until I liked the consistency. For chalkboards I find foam brushes leave a nice smooth finish.

I don't actually know if conditioning the chalkboard is necessary, but I read it somewhere, so I did it. That's just covering the entire surface with chalk

and then wiping it all off again.

My piggy blackboard travels around the house as needed.

First he wished everyone a Happy 4th of July on the front porch.

And now he's announcing the menu in the kitchen.

Somewhere along the line "it" became a "he."

He's sort-of part of the family now.

I mean, he talks to us.

Thanks for stopping by to see my piggy blackboard, and

I hope you have a great day!

You may also like

My Roaming Rooster

My pig is traveling around to some fun link parties this week. C'mon along!

Between Naps on the Porch
The Farmhouse Porch
Elizabeth & Co.
Savvy Southern Style
Brambleberry Cottage
Stone Gable
French Country Cottage
My Repurposed Life
At the Picket Fence

May 14, 2012

French Label Tray

I have a thing for little wooden trays. For me, they are a perfect blank canvas waiting to be transformed into something special. I find them at yard sales, thrift shops, and craft stores in all sizes and usually for less than $5. They're either stained, painted, or unfinished and vary in the quality of craftsmanship and the kind of wood used.

This little white tray is propped on a shelf in the corner of my loft craft room.

I bought it at a thrift store already painted yellow and repainted it with 2 coats of white homemade chalk paint (1 cup of flat latex paint mixed well with 1 tablespoon of un-sanded grout.)

When the paint was dry, I used matte Mod Podge to decoupage on a French label from The Graphics Fairy.

When dry again, I used a rag to wipe on a tiny bit of Minwax Dark Finishing Wax and sealed everything with light wax. After letting it dry once more overnight, I buffed the tray to a light sheen.

Wooden trays, an inexpensive canvas for all kinds of creative fun.

Thanks for visiting today, and I hope you have a great week!

You may also like

French Label Pillow

Craft Room Color

I'm linking up to parties at some great blogs this week.

Please join me!

The Graphics Fairy
Between Naps on the Porch
Nifty Thrifty Things
DIY Showoff
Coastal Charm
Elizabeth & Co.
Savvy Southern Style
From My Front Porch to Yours
The Shabby Creek Cottage
aka Design
French Country Cottage
At the Picket Fence
Common Ground
Rooted in Thyme
My Repurposed Life
The Shabby Nest
My Romantic Home

Apr 1, 2012

Bunny Tray

This little tray was my very first thrift store purchase with crafting in mind. I don't have a before photo, but it was a small brown scuffed-up tray, and I thought it would be good for holding small items on my craft table. I was surprised how two coats of homemade white chalk paint brought out curvy lines and pretty proportions that I hadn't even noticed before. I liked it so much more after painting it, that I paired it with my favorite vintage bunny drawing from Dream Digital Designs.

Now, it's one of my favorite possessions, and I wouldn't think of parting with it!

You just never know how something from a thrift store can be transformed into something special.

One man's junk really can be another man's treasure!

You may also like

Vintage Printable Easter Tags

Vintage Craft Chest

Shabby Chic(k) Egg #2

I'm linking up with these great parties

Monday Wednesday

The Bunny Blog Hop at                                     Faded Charm
DIY by Design      Ivy and Elephants
At the Picket Fence

French Country Cottage
On Sutton Place
and
Nifty Thrifty Things
DIY Showoff
The Girl Creative
Dear Lillie

Tuesday
Elizabeth & Co
Tip Junky
Coastal Charm

Thursday
The Shabby Creek Cottage
From My Front Porch to Yours
aka Design

Friday
French Country Cottage
Common Ground
At the Picket Fence
The Shabby Nest

Mar 25, 2012

Vintage Craft Chest

I love little wooden chests of all kinds for storing supplies around my craft table.

I found this yellow flowered one at the thrift store and thought it would be perfect for my first chalk paint project.

Before

I painted it white using homemade chalk paint and then decoupaged an old French label and some vintage scissors onto it (from The Graphics Fairy.) To seal and age it, I used Minwax dark and light finishing waxes.

After

I have another little chest waiting to be painted, but the garden won't wait to be planted. There just aren't enough hours in the day! Hopefully, I'll be sharing it soon.