Simply Country Life

Thrift Store Rocking Horse Shabby Makeover

2016-03-09T18:28:00.001-05:00

I've had babies on the brain lately. So many friends are expecting right now.
I guess that is why this sweet little rocking horse caught my eye while I was at a thrift store recently.

While the pink and purple were a cute color combination,

the dirt and crayon scribbles had to go.

I cleaned off the rocking horse before giving it a good sanding.

I cleaned it again to make sure it was free from the dust from sanding it

and to make sure all of the crayon marks were removed.

Then I primed it with white spray primer by Rustoleum

and painted it in Blossom White by Rustoleum.

Once the rocking horse was dry,

I hand sanded the edges to allow some of the pink and purple to show through.

I also hand waxed the rocking horse with a furniture wax

to help protect it before adding a lavender wreath around her neck.

The wreath is made from a few pieces of faux lavender that I had

leftover from making this wreath.

The wreath and the rocking horse are both available in my Etsy shop here and here.

Wouldn't this rocking horse look darling on top of an armoire in a shabby nursery or little girls room?
I think so.
Have you found any fun items at a thrift store lately that you've given new life to? 'til next time, Linking to: Talk of the Town

Bead Board Heart Vase Valentine Wreath Door Hanger

2016-01-26T20:43:00.001-05:00

I have a fun project to share with you that involves two of my favorite decorating items, mason jars and bead board!
A heart shaped, bead board, mason jar wall vase or door hanger.

I started out by drawing a heart on paper and cutting it out

to use as a pattern on a piece of bead board.

I traced the heart pattern onto my bead board twice

and cut out two heart shapes.

I sanded the rough edges and painted one of the hearts red

and the other one white.

Then I drilled two small holes into the top of each heart

to be able to put a wire through them to create hangers for them.

I also gave both hearts a light sanding to distress them.

Next, I screwed the metal clasp, that holds the mason jar,

onto the bead board with a wood screw.

These are pipe clamps that can be found

in the plumbing department at any home improvement store.

I slid the mason jar into the pipe clamp and tightened

the clamp around the jar with a screwdriver.

Lastly, add flowers or a small plant or whatever you would like.

I decided to add a key to each heart as just a little extra.

That's it!

Perfect to use as a Valentine Door Hanger

or even as a decor piece for a wedding.

I'm going to take these to my booth

and I've also added them to my Etsy shop here.

(Just in case you love them, but do not want to make one yourself.)

Thank you so much for stopping by.

'til next time,

Linking to: Talk of the Town

Thrifted Cutting Boards Turned into Farmhouse Decor

2016-01-18T10:14:00.002-05:00

Whenever I'm out at thrift stores, estate sales or flea markets I always seem to gravitate toward cutting boards.
There are so many ways that you can update or repurpose them. I've either painted or just updated them in the past, but kept the original shape of the cutting board.
This time I decided to change the shape.

I started out with two chunky cutting boards that I picked up at a thrift store.

I removed the feet and the metal handles.

Then I measured and drew a design on the boards

so that I could cut them into a different shape.

I used a band saw to cut out the new shape and

then used a drill press to drill a hole in the top of each board.

I sanded the cut edges to smooth them out and give them a slightly rounded over feel

and then gave them a good scrubbing.

Lastly, I added a piece of jute twine to each board.

I love the new look.

They have a timeworn, aged feel already because they are used

and have plenty of cut marks in them.

The possibilities are endless with the shapes that you can make.

Here's another cutting board that I cut into a new shape.

This board became a little piggy.

To create a pig pattern,

I found a picture of a pig cutting board online

and then drew it larger onto a piece of paper.

I cut out my pattern and traced the pig shape onto the cutting board.

Again, using a band saw, I cut out the little pig

and used the drill press to drill a hole in his tail.

I love this one too.

If you'd like to see a couple of the other cutting board projects that I've done

that do not require power tools click here and here.

These fun cutting boards are available in my Etsy shop here.

Have you repurposed a cutting board or

do you have a collection of them on display in your home?

I have a few that I use and a few that I have for display on a counter in our cabin.

'til next time,

Linking to:

Talk of the Town

Monday Funday Party

Rustic Valentines Heart Shaped Topiary

2016-01-05T20:04:00.002-05:00

Christmas is over and the cabin feels a little plain right now, so I decided to add some life to it by making a Valentines topiary.
I like to incorporate fresh plants and flowers in my decor all year long, but especially during the winter months when things are bare outside.

Here are the items that I used to make this Valentines topiary.

1. pot

2. small gravel

3. potting soil

4. grapevine heart wreath

5. ivy plant

6. floral wire

I was originally thinking that I would dry brush white paint onto a terra cotta pot,

but when I looked through my pots I found this red one.

Red just happens to be the main accent color in the cabin

and it works perfectly for Valentines Day!

I started off by putting a layer of small gravel in the bottom of my pot,

because the pot does not have a drainage hole.

This should help the soil and roots of the plant to not get too wet.

Then I grabbed a stick from the yard and attached it to the base

of my grapevine wreath with floral wire.

Most craft stores carry heart shaped grapevine wreaths.

I had picked this one up at a thrift store a couple years ago.

Next I added a layer of potting soil over the gravel in my pot

before transplanting the ivy plant into it.

I purchased the ivy plant at my local grocery store.

Then I pushed the stick, with the heart shaped wreath attached to it,

into the middle of the ivy plant, through the soil all the way into the gravel.

Then I took a few of the longer ivy vines and

began to wrap them around the grapevine wreath.

I wrapped a couple vines around each side of the heart

until I liked the way it looked.

That's it.

It was quick and easy and the only purchase I made was the plant.

I had everything else on hand already.

Once I placed it inside on my table, I trimmed some of the longer vines.

Those trimmings are in little bottles of water.

They will grow roots quickly and then I can plant the rooted trimmings

into a pot with soil and have another ivy plant!

I love the pop of green and red on the table

and it makes a nice Valentines decoration for the cabin.

I also think this topiary would look very pretty in a silver champagne ice bucket.

It would give it a more sophisticated, chic look.

What do you think?

Do you decorate for Valentines Day ?

'til next time,

Linking to: Talk of the Town Monday Funday Party

Vintage Dresser gets a Shabby Chalk Paint Makeover

2015-09-07T16:45:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday, while I was running errands, I stopped into a Goodwill and purchased this vintage dresser. It was in decent enough shape, but it is not the best quality dresser. The top and the sides are laminate over compressed board. The curvy accents on the top three drawers and the front legs are made from composite plastic. The drawers are wood, except for the bottoms and they have plastic drawer guides. The dresser was inexpensive and because it is constructed from so many different types of building materials I decided that it would make a good chalk paint practice candidate. I haven't used chalk paint a lot on larger projects and wanted to try a "new to me" brand of chalk paint. It is made by Valspar and you can purchase it at Lowes. It can be tinted to just about any color that Valspar offers.

I decided on Ultra White because I thought the curves on this dresser

would be pretty with a shabby chic look.

To prep this dresser for paint,

I removed the hardware, reattached some of the loose drawer guides

and filled in a little chipped area on a back leg with wood filler.

I decided to sand the top and sides because they had a little sheen.

Then I wiped the entire piece down with glass cleaner, because it has ammonia in it.

Then I started painting. I painted one coat a day, allowing it to dry overnight between coats.

This piece has 3 coats of chalk paint.

I have found that painting white over a darker piece requires more coats than normal.

After the third coat dried overnight, I used 220 sandpaper to hand distress the dresser.

Then I hand rubbed clear wax over the entire piece.

This gives the paint some sheen and a nice smooth finish.

I also painted the original hardware with Krylon satin white spray paint with primer.

I sprayed numerous very light coats over each drawer pull until they were solid white.

Then I distressed the pulls with the sandpaper too.

After reattaching the drawer pulls my practice candidate was finished!

Now this piece can live on as a flat screen TV stand, buffet in a dining room or as a dresser.

I'm super pleased with how it turned out.

So tell me, have you used chalk paint before and if so,

what have you found to be the pros and cons?

'til next time,

Linking to: Lets Talk Vintage Vintage Inspiration Party

Ugly Vanity Turned into Gorgeous Night Stands

2015-08-31T19:53:00.001-04:00

Early this year I picked up an old vanity that had been converted into a desk from a Habitat Restore.
I brought it home with high expectations, but once I began taking it apart and got a closer look it intimidated me and I set it aside.
Until now.

The vanity/desk was dirty. The veneer was peeling and I would need to fill in some areas with thin pieces of wood in order to turn it into the night stands that I was envisioning. (I apologize that I do not have a before picture)

It took a few months to work up the nerve to tackle this project,

but boy am I glad I did.

I started off this makeover by removing all of the pieces of wood

that were connecting these two stands.

When I took off the top board, which was the desk top,

what I found underneath was worse than I had expected.

There was a layer of contact paper covering peeling veneer.

I was disappointed because I wanted to leave the tops natural wood and

I wasn't sure if that would be possible if I removed the bad veneer,

but it had to go.

I used a tip from Larissa's blog Prodigal Pieces to remove the veneer

and it worked like a charm.

I removed the veneer from the top of both pieces and from one side of one piece.

The remaining veneer was in good condition.

I was super thrilled that the wood under the veneer on the tops

was in good condition and took stain well and looked nice.

I rubbed on two coats of Minwax wood stain.

I also added the curvy piece of wood on the back of the top

to fill in the space where the mirror used to sit when this was a vanity.

Before I could paint the bodies of these night stands

I had to glue some of the dovetail joints on the drawers and

also had to fill in some places on the front of the drawers and the sides with wood filler.

Once the glue and wood filler were dry I sanded both pieces and primed them.

Then they received two coats of paint.

I lightly distressed the nights stands and hand waxed them with a clear matte wax

which will help protect them and gives a light sheen to them.

The finishing touches included replacing two matching casters that were missing.

I totally lucked out on that part because I had recently purchased a bowl

full of vintage casters at a flea market and two of them were the right size!

I also added new glass drawer pulls from Hobby Lobby...

...and painted the inside of the drawers and lined them,

so everything is nice and clean now.

I am so glad I tackled this project!

I love how the night stands turned out.

and I'm a little more confident going into the next furniture makeover.

I took these to my booth this past weekend and I think they have already sold.

I'll admit I was sad to let these go, but we just don't have the space for them.

Have you tackled a daunting project lately?

If so, how did it turn out? I'd love to hear about it.

'til next time,

Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party

Wood Slat Star Mason Jar Wall Vase

2015-08-26T11:47:00.006-04:00

I hope you are having a fabulous day so far!
I want to share this fun project that I've been working on.

These star mason jar wall vases have kind of evolved.

Originally I made three stars, using wood paint stir sticks.

(these stir sticks are sold at Wal-mart and are about as thick as a yard stick)

You can see details on how I made the stars here.

I used these stars as part of a display in my booth from Memorial Day through July 4th.

They worked well hanging in the window at the antique store,

but once the summer holidays were over I brought them home and tucked them away for next year.

Even though they were tucked away, I had been thinking about them.

So I pulled them out and decided to wrap natural jute twine around the five points.

I liked that look, it added a nautical feel, which definitely works for the summer months...

but, I wanted to add something more.

Something that might make them appealing year round.

I decided on a vintage mason jar.

I used a heavy gauge wire, that I wrapped around the mouth of the jar,

to attach the jars to the stars.

I also used the wire to make a loop for hanging the stars.

Now the stars can hold fresh flowers or fresh herbs.

They would also look pretty holding a votive candle.

The red one would work well at Christmastime holding greenery and berries.

I'm thinking about making a couple more red ones and hanging three of them

on the front porch of our cabin.

We have a red front door and I think they would be a different way to freshen up the porch

and make it feel welcoming.

Here's our humble home.

My husband and I built this cabin. It took almost three years to complete.

You can read more about that story here.

Here is the red front door.

You could even use one as an alternative to a traditional wreath.

What would you use them for? I'm curious to hear your thoughts. They are available for sale in my Etsy shop here. 'til next time, Adina Linking to:

Framed Burlap BLESS OUR HOME Sign

2015-08-07T14:19:00.001-04:00

This sign started off as a plain, chunky wood frame that I purchased at a thrift store. I decided to paint it a creamy, off-white color and distress it to allow the natural wood to show through in places.

I created a stencil with my Silhouette Cameo to use to make the design.

Using the stencil, I painted the design onto a piece of burlap

with black acrylic craft paint.

Then I cut a piece of luann board to fit the frame.

( this board is similar to plywood but much thinner)

I glued my painted burlap sign onto the luann board with craft spray adhesive glue.

Then secured the sign into the frame with a bead of clear silicone around the edges

and a few small nails.

Lastly, I added a saw tooth hanger to the back.

The sign is finished.

I like how the black laurel wreath design adds a classic look

to the rustic feel of the burlap and the distressed wood frame.

There are so many projects you can make with frames,

I seldom pass up an old frame if it has a nice design and it is a good price.

You can check out a couple projects that I made with thifted frames here and here.

Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes of your day here!

P.S. - this sign is available in my shop here.

'til next time,

Linking to:

Cutting Board EAT Kitchen Sign

2015-08-04T20:54:00.001-04:00

This fun project is quickly becoming one of my favorites!
While my husband and I were looking for treasures along the 100 mile roadside market on HWY 21 through North Carolina and Virginia a couple weekends ago, we kept finding old cutting boards.
I picked up three of them on that trip and I knew they would work perfectly for a project that I had pinned quite a while back.

This project was inspired by Anderson + Grant. She has such great style, photography skills and project ideas. You can visit her blog here. I started off by cleaning the cutting boards. I had to sand a painted image off of one of them.

Then I wrapped natural twine around the handles.

I purchased wood letters from Michaels.

Painted them black and distressed them.

The letters are glued to the cutting boards with wood glue

Like I said, this is definitely one of my favorite projects.

I love old cutting boards and this is a fun way to display them.

Have you made anything from an old cutting board?

There are so many creative ways to repurpose them. You can see another project I made using a cutting board here. Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed day. 'til next time, Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party

Vintage Jello Mold Candle Holders

2015-07-21T15:25:00.002-04:00

Vintage jello molds and thrift store candle holders were a perfect combination to create a set of farmhouse candle holders.

We've all seen them at thrift stores - outdated wood candle holders.

I normally buy them, when I find them for a really good price

and just put them in my stash until inspiration strikes.

When I ran across these vintage jello molds at a garage sale

I, kindof, had a plan for them.

It involved some of the candle holders from my stash.

You can click here to see another project using thrifted candle holders.

I chose three candle holders from my stash to use as pedestal bases for each tin.

I sanded, painted, distressed and waxed each candle holder.

Then I found the center of each tin, marked it and drilled a small hole into each one.

Then, using long wood screws, I screwed the tins onto the bases.

The two larger tins are jello molds that were Made in Germany

and the smaller tin is a fluted tart tin, I believe.

Last year I made a similar project using smaller jello molds that you can see here.

I'm really liking the patina on the tins matched with the shabby bases.

They make perfect candle holders.

Of course, they can be used to display other things too,

like seasonal items - pumpkins, vintage ornaments, nests and eggs.

What would you use them for?

(P.S. - they are available in the shop here.)

'til next time,

Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party Lets Talk Vintage Shabbilicious Friday Link Party Your Turn to Shine

Farmhouse Caddy Built Around a Salvaged Spindle

2015-07-16T14:49:00.001-04:00

It all started with a trip to a really cool architectural salvage place in Otto, NC called Culpepper Architectural Salvage.

I wandered and wandered, overwhelmed by all of the wonderful pieces, but the only thing I purchased was a salvaged spindle. I chose the spindle because I knew exactly what I wanted to use it for and I knew it wouldn't sit in my project pile for months. It was going to be a handle.

After seeing one of my favorite bloggers, Larissa, from Prodigal Pieces build a caddy

it motivated me to build one too.

You've got to check her caddy out.

Of course, I started with the spindle and a scrap piece of cedar.

I measured the length of the spindle and cut a piece of cedar to that length for the bottom.

Then I cut two 12" long pieces to be the ends.

I cut the corners off of the top of each of these pieces to give the caddy a little shape.

Then I cut two sides pieces.

I used wood glue and a nail gun to put all of the pieces together,

except for the spindle handle.

I drilled small holes in the ends of the caddy where I was going to place the spindle

and then screwed the spindle into place.

I used wood filler to smooth out the holes from the nails and the screws

before painting the outside of the caddy.

I decided to leave the inside natural because I love how rustic the cedar looks

and I like the contrast between the white outside and the natural inside.

Lastly, I lightly distressed the caddy and hand waxed it with a clear wax.

I love how it turned out.

Thanks Larissa for the inspiration!

It's heading to my Etsy shop right now.

I hope you are having a wonderful day and tell me what you think,

do you like the natural inside with the white outside?

'til next time,

Linking to:

Vintage Inspiration Party

Garage Sale Frame Chalkboard Makeover

2015-06-29T18:11:00.003-04:00

A vintage garage sale picture got a makeover and now it's a large chalkboard.

See the large picture in the back?

That's it, before the makeover.

I removed the original artwork and the 1000s of staples holding it in.

That was actually the most tedious part of the whole makeover.

After cleaning the empty frame, I brushed a few coats of

Amy Howard chalk paint on it.

Then I distressed it, which allowed some of the gold color underneath to show,

and hand rubbed a clear wax on it.

Now comes the easy part, turning it into a chalkboard.

Did you know that Home Depot sells 2'x4' sheets of chalkboard?

Guess what size the opening of this frame is?

Yep, you guessed it, 2'x4'.

How's that for easy.

The chalkboard fit perfectly into the frame.

I used clear silicone around the back edges of the chalkboard to

hold it securely to the frame.

(just like you would use caulk around a sink)

I attached a few D-ring hangers to the back

so that the chalkboard can be hung vertically or horizontally.

This chalkboard is in my booth at a local antique store

and I wanted it to match the patriotic theme I have going on there,

so I drew this little saying on it.

I think it would be perfect as a menu board on a vertical wall near a kitchen or even as a directional board at a wedding. What do you think?
Do you use chalkboards in your decor?
Enjoy the upcoming July 4th holiday!

'til next time,

Linking to:

Lazy Susan Grain Sack Makeover

2015-06-20T19:34:00.000-04:00

A plain, wood lazy susan made its way home with me earlier in the year. I didn't really have any idea what I was going to do with it, but I knew it had potential. Finally, inspiration struck!

First, the lazy susan received a few coats of Amy Howard chalk paint.

Once it was dry, I taped off the areas I wanted to paint red,

to create stripes that would look like a grain sack.

Then, I painted those areas red.

Once the red paint dried, I removed the tape and distressed the entire piece

before adding the grain sack image.

The image is from a wonderful website called The Graphics Fairy.

There are a ton of cool images that you can use for free.

I chose the image I wanted to use, then downloaded it.

I used the reverse image so that the words would be going the right direction

once I transferred them onto the lazy susan.

I used wax paper and my printer to transfer the image.

You can see more details on how to use this image transfer method here.

The image was a little light and I wanted to darken it some,

so I used a black colored pencil and just traced over the image.

I finished the lazy susan with a coat of clear matte protective finish.

I think it turned out great.

I have used this image transfer method on a few projects here and here

and each time I've been pleased with the results.

Have you used any other methods to transfer images onto painted surfaces?

I'd be curious to know.

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy your day!

'til next time,

linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party

Antique Singer Sewing Machine Table Makeover

2015-06-16T20:06:00.001-04:00

Who knew? My neighbor had it all along. I've been looking for an antique sewing machine with a cast iron base for months now. Not a pretty one. One that needed some work. I happened to stop by a small, local flea market a couple weeks back and there it was, in the back of a trailer.

I figured it was already sold because it was in the trailer, but I asked anyways. Much to my delight, it was not sold yet. To make things even better, it was a great price and the trailer it was in belonged to one of my neighbors. He even offered to drop it by my house on his way home. Score! I didn't have to try to load it into my vehicle. Here she is before...

Here she is after her makeover.

I started her makeover by removing everything from the base.

Then I scrubbed the base to remove all of the years of dirt,

mud dauber nests, loose paint, rust

and a lot of thread that was wrapped around the wheels.

Once the base was all cleaned and the wheels were rolling smoothly,

I painted it with a fresh coat of black primer and paint.

I chose a piece of reclaimed walnut that we had in our lumber stash

to make a new table top for it.

My husband actually made the top.

He took the reclaimed board and cut it into two pieces,

glued them long edge to long edge, then worked his magic on it.

He builds mandolins and guitars by trade

and has been blessed with a talent when it comes to working with wood.

If you're interested in checking out some of his instrument builds

you can visit his website here or his facebook page here.

I call him the wood whisperer.

I love the dark grain in the walnut and how it works with the black base.

Lastly, we attached the new top to the base.

I absolutely love how the whole piece turned out,

but I do not have room for her, so if you love her too, she's available here.

I still have the drawers and the original sewing machine

that I can do something with!

I have a few projects in mind for the drawers.

Any suggestions for the sewing machine?

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a wonderful day!

'til next time,

Linking to:

Handmade Patriotic Red White and Blue Decor

2015-06-10T10:30:00.000-04:00

I wanted to make a few patriotic projects to take to my booth, so I decided to revisit some of my previous projects and look at my July 4th Pinterest board for inspiration. The first project was inspired by a sign I pinned a while back. You can check out my Pinterest board here.

I started off with an unfinished wood sign piece that I picked up at a thrift store months ago.

I painted the entire sign board white first.

Once it was dry, I taped off sections to create stripes and painted them red.

Once the red paint was dry and the tape was removed,

I used a sticky vinyl stencil to paint the OLD GLORY letters and the red stars.

I created the vinyl stencil with my Silhouette machine,

but you can also paint your own design with a chalk tracing method that I used here.

Once all of the paint was dry, I lightly distressed the entire piece

and used a hand rubbed antiquing glaze to give the sign an aged look.

Lastly, I added a saw tooth hanger to the back and this sign was completed.

I also made a bead board flag to use as an example for a class I will be hosting next week.

The other projects I worked on for my booth are a few stars

made from paint stir sticks and another framed bead board flag.

Here are the paint stir stick stars

These stars were inspired by another star wreath project I did a couple years ago.

You can see that project and how the stars are made here.

Here is the framed bead board flag.

Last year I made a couple of these bead board flags with barn wood frames.

You can see them here.

This year, I used a frame I already had in my stash

and made a bead board flag to fit it.

Working on these projects and the hotter temps we've had the last few days

are definitely making it feel like summer!

I hope your summer is off to a great start.

Do you have any fun plans or traditions for the 4th?

'til next time,

Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party Farmhouse Friday-10-Patriotic Decor

Antique Vanity Mirror Turned Wall Shelf

2015-05-18T17:19:00.003-04:00

Of course I can not find the before pictures anywhere. Just imagine a dirty, old, dark wood vanity mirror without a vanity. I picked this piece up at a garage sale a few weeks ago with the intention of giving it a makeover.

I started off by removing the wood detail accent pieces,

so that I could remove the three mirror sections.

Then I glued and nailed a board to the bottom lip to create a shelf.

This lip would've originally rested the mirror on the top of a vanity.

I stained the new shelf board with a dark stain and let it dry overnight

before painting the entire piece with Amy Howard chalk paint in Bauhaus Buff.

I stained the shelf dark because the entire piece was dark wood and I wanted the exposed

wood areas to match when I distressed the white paint.

It took a few coats of white paint to get good coverage everywhere.

Once it was dry, I distressed the edges lightly and used a clear wax to seal and protect it.

Lastly, I put the three mirror sections back by attaching the wood accent pieces back on.

I added a heavy duty wire hanger to the back and now this mirror is ready to hang and enjoy it's new life as a wall shelf displaying beautiful things.

I love how it turned out. I especially love the curvy details, don't you?

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a blessed day.

'til next time,

Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party Lets Talk Vintage 48

Rustic Barnwood Mason Jar Welcome Sign

2015-03-24T12:14:00.001-04:00

I have seen quite a few versions of these mason jar welcome signs and decided to make one.

I started off with a piece of reclaimed barn wood that we had left over from building our log cabin.

(If you'd like to read about that experience, I have a series of posts about it. You can start here.)

I cut the board to the size I wanted and gave it a light sanding to remove any loose pieces and sharp edges.

Then I brushed it off with an old toothbrush to remove any loose particles and dust before painting it.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to make a vinyl stencil to help me paint the word WELCOME onto the board.

Don't worry if you do not have a Silhouette. There are plenty of ways to do this by hand.

Of course if you are really good, you can freehand paint it or if you are like me and freehand isn't your specialty, you can try the method I used here.

After the paint was dry, I lightly sanded over it to give it a worn, distressed look.

Then I added two eyelet rings to the top of the board and a rusty wire to hang it with.

I also sprayed the sign with a clear matte protective finish before adding the mason jar clamp.

I used a pipe clamp, that you can purchase at any home improvement store to attach the mason jar.

Just screw the clamp to the wood, then insert your jar of choice and tighten the clamp onto the jar.

The jar can be easily removed and replaced when you want to freshen up your flowers.

That's it. Now it's time to find pretty spring blooms to add to the jar.

I'm seriously wanting to steal some forsythia from one of my neighbors yards, but I'm a chicken.

I think the bright yellow blooms would look so pretty against the rustic wood.

Hopefully I'll see one of them outside later today and I can ask if I can have a few sprigs.

Last summer I did another fun project using these pipe clamps. You can see it here.

I hope you have a wonderful day and thank you so much for spending part of it here.

'til next time,

Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party Catch as Catch Can

Jewelry Box Chalk Paint Makeover

2015-03-21T14:25:00.000-04:00

A lot of preparations for the Spring Vintage Market at the Park have been going on around here lately. It is on April 18th and it is approaching quickly. We are going to stick with a shabby theme and use white, light pinks and light greens at this show. One of the projects I finished up recently was a vintage musical jewelry box makeover. If it doesn't sell before the show, it will be available at the show. I used Amy Howard chalk paint to give this dated jewelry box a makeover.

Here's the before

To start, I removed the handles and feet before painting it with a few coats of Amy Howard chalk

paint, allowing each coat to dry in between coats.

I lightly distressed the edges once the paint was dry.

Then applied a clear wax to protect the finish.

Lastly, the handles and feet were put back on to finish up this makeover.

The deciding factor for me to purchase this jewelry box was the lining in the drawers.

It is a beautiful teal color and it is in great condition.

Isn't it such a pretty color?

I just love it.

Oh and did I mention, it has a working music box!

Another piece rescued from a garage sale and given new life.

It is available in my Etsy shop here.

If you love to makeover thrift store and garage sale finds,

you might want to look at some of my other makeovers here, here and here.

What are some of the items that you love to makeover and you always buy them when you see them?

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I hope you were inspired by a project or two and I hope you have a blessed day.

'til next time,

Linking to:

Let's Talk Vintage

Wood Pig Chalkboard Makeover

2015-03-04T10:18:00.002-05:00

I noticed a vintage wood pig wall hanging at an estate sale and I immediately thought it would make a cute chalkboard, so I bought it.

This is what he looked like when I found him. Cute enough, for sure, but I thought a chalkboard would be even cuter.

I painted him with chalkboard paint according to the directions on the paint.

I love the way the details show on his face and tail.

I wanted him to be able to hang, so I drilled two small holes in his back and added a piece of old wire.

Here he is - ready to hang in a kitchen or even in a BBQ restaurant!

While I'm on the subject of kitchen chalkboard makeovers,

here's another one.

A thrifted pizza cutting board chalkboard.

and here it is painted with chalkboard paint .

What do you think?

They make cute kitchen signs don't they?

They're both available here and here in my Etsy shop too!

Thank you for stopping by.

'til next time,

Linking to:

Catch as Catch Can

Vintage Inspiration Party

Repurposed Bed Spring Projects

2015-02-05T20:29:00.003-05:00

Recently I decided to tackle taking apart the springs of an old mattress. If you've never done this before, take my word, it is quite a bit of work. The springs were rusty, so in addition to taking them apart, I also wire brushed them to clean off the surface rust before making a few projects with them.

The first project I'm sharing today is a wreath made from bed springs. Wouldn't it look cute with tiny clothespins holding pictures, notes or a pennant banner on the wreath?

I also made one with a burlap bow

and then added peonies

The next project I want to share combines a piece of reclaimed barn wood,

three bed springs and three thrifted glass pieces.

All of these components came together to create a rustic votive candle holder.

You can use it to display a variety of things, like the dried hydrangeas in the photo

or even little nests made from moss with robins eggs in them.

The last project I'm going to share is a set of bed spring wall candle sconces.

They also combine reclaimed wood, bed springs and thrifted glass pieces.

The wood for this project was reclaimed from fence boards.

The boards have the original chippy red paint.

These work great as sconces holding candles,

and I think they would also look cute holding succulents too.

These were the last couple pieces of the fence boards.

I made fruit stand inspired signs from the rest of the fence boards.

You can see the signs here.

Maybe you have another idea on what these candle holders can be used for?

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

'til next time,

Linking to: Knick of Time My Repurposed Life Sadie Seasongoods

Thrift Store Finds turned into Kitchen Farm Table

2015-01-24T13:40:00.001-05:00

It all started when I found two rush seat chairs at a thrift store. They were in great condition and really didn't need any work. However, I couldn't leave well enough alone. I thought they would look cute painted white with a wood top table with white legs.

The chairs were green to start with.

I removed the rush seats, sanded the chairs, primed, painted and lightly distressed them.

The table legs were found outside of a different thrift store in another state.

They are wood, but had a compressed wood top that had been out in the wet weather too long.

The gentleman at the store kindly let us remove the top and only purchase the base of the table.

The original table had a leaf. To allow the table to slide open to fit the leaf,

the pieces connecting the legs on two sides were not connected.

To prepare the base for a table top I connected the two side pieces by screwing pieces of wood along the inside of each half. This gave me a solid square base to work with.

The base of the table was also sanded, primed, painted and lightly distressed.

The top of the table is made from two 6 foot pieces of pine.

One piece was 10 inches wide and the other piece was 8 inches wide.

Each board was cut in half to create four 3 foot boards.

They were glued together along each edge and braced underneath with two boards

creating a 3 foot by 3 foot table top.

Once the table top was attached to the base, I sanded it smooth and sanded the edges and corners so they are rounded just a little. I also distressed it some, by beating it with a large chain and a bag full of rocks. This was just to give the wood an aged look. The wood table top received two coats of stain and two coats of protective varnish.

I really like how the set looks together and I love the rustic, natural touches of the wood top and rush seats.

This set is heading to my booth and hopefully it will find the perfect home in someones farmhouse kitchen.

'til next time,

Linking to: Knick of Time

NOEL Letters from Scrap Wood and a Grapevine Wreath

2014-12-02T12:52:00.001-05:00

A friend asked me if I could use a few small grapevine wreaths that she was getting rid of. They had some decorations on them and I figured I could make something out of them, so I said yes. They've been hanging out in my craft stash for a while now and I finally decided what I could use them for. They would be perfect as the "O" in a word. I decided to make the word NOEL. I was thinking about JOY, but wasn't sure if I could cut the curve in the J very well. I found a scrap 1"x6" pine board and drew the letters N, E and L onto the board. The wreaths are 8" in diameter, so I made the letters 8" tall.

I cut the letters out using a band saw.

I actually made 3 sets of the letters because I had 3 grapevine wreaths and enough scrap wood.

I sanded the rough edges and gave the letters a few coats of red paint.

After the paint was dry, I sanded the edges again to give the letters a distressed look.

Then I removed the decorations from the grapevine wreaths, added them to the wood letters

and the word NOEL was complete.

I was thinking that in February I could make a "V" and use the L, E and wreath

to spell the word LOVE for a Valentines vignette.

What do you think?

I have a set on my mantle. I took a set to my booth and I have a set available in my Etsy shop here.

I hope your Christmas season is off to a great start so far. 'til next time, Linking to: Prodigal Pieces Knick of Time

Cutting Board Repurposed into Ipad Stand

2014-11-21T10:42:00.004-05:00

When I ran across two cutting boards at a thrift store recently, Susan came to mind. Susan from Homeroad. She has a fun blog with a ton of great inspiration. This project is a copycat. It is an Ipad stand made from a cutting board and a Scrabble game tile holder. You have to check Susans versions out here. I just love them.

Here's the before

I started out by sanding the cutting boards really well to remove most of the cut marks from them.

Then cut pieces of scrap wood to make stands and glued them onto the back of each cutting board

with wood glue and glued the Scrabble tile holders onto the fronts.

I also nailed the pieces on, with a nail gun and small nails, to make sure they would be secure.

I filled in the nail holes with wood filler and sanded them again.

Then I painted them with a couple coats of white paint and lightly distressed the edges.

That's it.

These went to the vintage market with us a couple weeks ago and one of them sold,

which is why I do not have a picture of it completed.

If you want to check out the booth we had there, click here.

You can see some of the other repurposed projects we made for the booth here and here.

I have been thinking about adding a graphic to this one to make it more fun,

what do you think?

I don't have an Ipad yet, but I can see where this would be super handy to look at a recipe while cooking.

I still lug my laptop onto the dining table and run back and forth to check the recipe.

Have a great day!

'til next time,

Linking to: My Repurposed Life

Old Porch Post Repurposed into Coat Rack

2014-11-17T11:58:00.001-05:00

Last year, while visiting my parents, I noticed that they had a few salvaged porch posts in their barn. I immediately had a vision for one of them, but it took me a while to act on it. I pictured it with iron shelf brackets added to the bottom, so that it would stand upright and iron hooks added to the top to create a coat rack. I also pictured the coat rack being painted white. The vintage market that we did earlier this month had a shabby white, turquoise and pink theme to it and this coat rack that I had been thinking about for quite some time was going to fit our theme perfectly!

I started off with the salvaged porch post.

A portion of the bottom had to be cut off to make the post 6' tall.

The portion that was cut off was the part that was attached to the porch and it had a lot of old nails in it.

The post also needed a good cleaning. It was quite dirty.

I purchased a couple fence pieces from Lowes, to attach to the top of the post,

to give it a more finished look.

The iron brackets and hooks are from Hobby Lobby. (1/2 price)

I primed and painted all of the pieces, including the post, before putting it together.

Then my husband helped me screw a bracket to each side of the post, while I held the post up straight.

Then we screwed the finial piece onto the top of the post and screwed the hooks to each side of the post.

I placed the hooks at two different heights because I thought it looked better than at the same height.

Two of the hooks are higher and two of the hooks are lower.

Lastly, I painted the entire piece with two coats of white paint.

I really love how it turned out.

My mom did too. She is planning to make one herself with another salvaged post she has. Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful day! 'til next time, Linking to: My Repurposed Life - catch-as-catch-can-189 All Things Heart and Home The DIY Dreamer Whats Your Prodigal Piece Vintage Inspiration Party

Vintage Jello Tins and Molding Candle Holder

2014-11-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

I'm still working on getting unpacked and organized from the Vintage Market that my mom and I shared a booth at this past Saturday. It was such a beautiful day and a lot of people came out to enjoy it and do some shopping. We were super busy all day and very thankful for each person who took time to browse our booth. Click here to see our booth. We worked on numerous projects to get ready for the market and this is one of them.

It is a candle holder made from a piece of salvaged wood molding and vintage jello tins. The inspiration for this project came from Angie at Knick of Time. You can see her version here along with a lot of other great ideas.

I picked up a dozen jello tins at an estate sale and found the piece of molding at Habitat Restore. The molding was perfect. It was shaped the same on both sides and it was already painted white.

I decided to make three candle holders. One holds 3 candles, one holds 4 candles and the other one holds 5 candles. This uses all 12 of the tins.

I started out by measuring the molding and cutting it into three pieces at the appropriate lengths to hold the tins. I sanded and distressed the edges of the molding and then lined up my tins on them. I drilled small holes through the center of the tins and into the molding just a little and then screwed the tins onto the molding.

I found some greenery and red pip berries in my craft stash and made a small garland strand to weave between the tins to add a festive touch.

Lastly, I added votive candles to each tin.

The greenery and candles can be changed out to hold a small nest with eggs in the spring, Easter eggs, small pumpkins or gourds, even a little beach sand with shells in the summer or just use it as an organizer for small bits on a desk. I think they turned out super cute. Have you made anything with jello tins? I always run across them and am looking for clever uses for them. I hope you have a super week and thanks for stopping by. 'til next time, Linking to: Vintage Inspiration Party Prodigal Pieces Catch as Catch Can Snickerdoodle Sunday All Things Heart and Home The DIY Dreamer