A present for your presents! Have fun with these free printable tags to use on your gifts now… or anytime! This is my way of thanking you for a great year! And I’m patting myself on the back for making that glittery bow too! Download here.
Category Archives: DIY
4 SepChalk Paint Coffee Table
If you’ve seen my recent post on the before and after chalk paint mirror you know I’m a big fan of the stuff. I decided to try to paint our old living room coffee table, which was in need of a facelift. What’s important to know is that this table is from Ikea. Can you say laminate, anyone? My point is, chalk paint has no problem sticking to that kind of surface and my prep included wiping down the top with a little cleaner just to get the dust off of it. So, I’ll walk you through this project step by step. Here is the living room before with the fake wood table.
I knew you’d want a better look at that owl pillow! Adorable, huh?
So my next move was to choose a color and get painting. A normal person might choose a neutral considering there is a lot of artwork in this room and there’s already a bright green wall. But, I’m not normal so I chose to go with red, green’s compliment.
With the paint in hand, I lugged the coffee table outside onto a tarp and got right to painting!
Chalk paint takes about a half hour to dry. To completely cover the wood surface, this project took about three coats. But the paint dries so fast, it really takes no time at all. Here’s the painted piece!
After painting furniture with chalk paint, it’s super important to seal it with soft wax. It’s easy to do. Just rub a bit on the surface with an old t-shirt and you’re done!
Speaking of done… Here’s the finished coffee table in the living room! I love the way it spices up the room. Chalk paint is a fantastic way to give new life to old furniture in a super easy and inexpensive way! Ta-da!
For more info on chalk paint and where to find it. Go here.
8 AugChalk Paint Project
Okay folks! I found some gems and I want to share them with you. And if you stick around long enough this post ends with a super cute project. Gem #1: Winsome Cottage in Waynesville, OH. I discovered this shop a couple of weekends ago. While I am a super modern, city girl, there was still something about this “shabby-chic” place that struck me. I mean look… super cute right? Party bonus… the owner is a sweetheart!
So, what was it that I liked? Drum roll please… Gem #2: Chalk Paint! Okay, so take a close look at those photos. Pretty much every piece of furniture you see there has been redone simply by applying chalk paint! Pardon my french, but this shit is like magic. It can coat just about every surface (fake wood veneer, yes!) goes on nice and thick and dries in 30 minutes to a lovely, buttery matte texture. You can paint on metal, glass, dark wood… you name it! So are your wheels spinning yet? Got something in your house that’s a little outdated and drab? Chalk paint it, baby! That chest of drawers that you neighbor left on the curb… swipe it at night ’cause you got chalk paint, and the neighbor doesn’t have a clue!
Alright! Are you ready for my first attempt at chalk paint madness? I swiped this mirror from my late grandmother’s house. It’s Gem #3 in my book. A gem because it belonged to my Grandma G. who I loved very much. And, frankly, it was the only thing in the whole house that was worth taking in my opinion. The mere fact that I found it was a feat in and of itself.
So, I’m going to walk you through my first attempt at using chalk paint. I chose 3 colors of paint at Winsome Cottage (yes, they sell it) seen here. It took me FOREVER to decide.
For the mirror, I chose to use “Florence,” a lovely, bright, turquoise. Then I got to work!
Looks like I need another coat!
Much better! I’m still keeping a bit of the weathered look.
That’s a shot of me through the Windex on the mirror… kinda neat! Had to clean it up!
So, here’s the final piece in all of its glory! Complete with a reflection of my beloved Shepard Fairey limited edition print of Cincinnati’s Contemporary Art Museum. Ta-da!
I’ll keep you posted on my chalk paint projects! Next up: Antique sewing cabinet!