A Message Board

I have been working in my Kitchen.….
Updating cabinets, art work and now an ‘old’ message board for my soon to be farmhouse kitchen.

I found this frame at a thrift store for $4!

NO sanding or priming!
I gave it 2 coats of Annie Sloan’s Old White.

Using my Silhouette I cut out the word MESSAGES with scrap vinyl .
I used the negative from the cut out and stuck it on the frame.

Then I dry brushed some of ASCP in Primer Red.
I used the same technique on the sides with a shape.

then I peeled off the vinyl……
Do you see how the sticky vinyl pulled off some of the white paint??
I LOVED the distressed look.

So I used masking tape to distress the whole frame.

This was a FUN distressing technique with some great results.

It almost has a chipy look to it….

See how well masking tape will distress?
Make sure you don’t use painter’s tape like Frog Tape….true to it’s word it’s made to NOT pull up paint and it doesn’t

The hubby cut a piece of scrap wainscoting and
I painted the back of it with chalkboard paint.

Before writing on your new chalkboard…
You MUST prep it by rubbing chalk on the whole area and erasing it.
This step makes it easy to erase future messages.

The FINAL step I placed the chalkboard in the frame
and stapled in place.

And there you have it…..a $4 frame repurposed into a
‘old’ farmhouse message board.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
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Thift Store Finds!

My local Salvation Army was having a HUGE garage sale the day I happened to stop in.....Woot! Lucky me!
I got these lovely chairs for $5 each! Just wait til you see what I'm doing with them using some pretty fabric I won and some opps paint.

$5 for this projector!! I have an old school projector but this one is so lightweight and easier to handle
I LOVE to project images trace and paint....for me it's some much faster, easier and cheaper than vinyl wording

Lamps $4 each! I think I will stencil the shades and put them on a sofa table behind my couch;-)

$5!
Doesn't this look like hours of FUN for the family!

I LOVE thrifting!! 
We are getting ready to move and I'm gathering items for a new home.  I hope to share our 'new' home soon....ok back to packing:-)

Thrift Store Furniture Pieces Re-Done with Chalk Paint!

Do you remember these pieces from my post last week when I introduced my 
New Annie Sloan Stockist?? 

I think re-finishing furniture just might be my NEW calling....
I can't get over how wonderful these pieces turned out...


I did these all in ONE afternoon! and I couldn't stop saying..OMG OMG OMG...that the hubby banned me from saying OMG! 

I wish I was a better photographer or that YOU all could come over and SEE and FEEL for yourself how amazing this paint and wax is.....


When Shades of Amber contacted me to review their paint...
I must  admit and I was thinking.... 
"Yea I've heard of it...but it can't be THAT special...I'm CHEAP...NO way would I pay for expensive paint when I have a closet FULL of Opps paint!" 

Well boy was I EVER WRONG!! After using the paint and getting the amazing fast results...I will be buying a can of EVERY color!!

Little did I know this package was about to CHANGE MY LIFE:-) 
Just look how wonderful and careful they pack their paint! 
This stuff ain't spilling on the way to Wyoming!! 
I got 2 cans of waxes Clear and Dark 
and 2 cans of chalk paint Old White and Duck Egg...
See the Color Chart HERE
There are sooo many ways to use just 2 colors! 
All three pieces in the top are with Duck Egg but all look sooo different! 

Here's what I did with the rocker:

 First I unscrewed the seat....very simple!

 NO SANDING OR PRIMING!!
I gave the rocker one coat of duck egg. There were only a couple of areas that the wood showed through but since I was planning on distressing I didn't feel the need for a second coat.
This paint dries fast by the time I had one side done the other side was dry:-)

Before distressing with a sanding block, I applied a coat of clear wax. I just used an old t-shirt rag and wiped wax on the whole chair.....

 The suggestion is to distress AFTER a coat of clear wax...but that is really just preference...some distress before... 

Then I wiped some dark wax over the whole chair....you could wipe the dark just on the distressed areas but I liked the look of it on the whole chair....

One more coat of clear wax and I was ready to screw the seat back on.....

 and here is my $7 rocker transformed in less than an hour! 

This is what I LOVE about this paint and think $36 a quart is worth every penny: 

1. NO sanding or priming
2. One coat
3. No drying time
4. The feel of the wax
5. Time saving!  
6. Stockiest are available to answer any and all questions 

 I've never been able to call a place I bought my paint and get suggestions or help with what I was painting! 

On one piece I got too much dark wax and got tons of advice via twitter, my stockist's blog and a personal phone call! 

Shades of Amber went to a training class and shared ALL their advice and suggestions with me! 

All that just adds value to my paint purchase..

Here's what I did with the end table: 

 I'm loving the look of a stained top and color on bottom....so I sanded the top and used a walnut stain

 Painted the drawer Old White

and the button with Duck Egg

Next to the rocker you can see how the same color takes on a different look when waxed...
This table is BEAUTIFUL without distressing but I am lovin the distressing process and outcome...so..

 After a clear coat of wax...I sanded a few areas

 then applied a coat of dark wax

 I wasn't crazy about the drawer. Two ways to remove too much dark wax 
1. Before it dries rub clear wax on the area and some of the dark will come off
2. Sand the area then use clear wax

 I used some clear wax to remove the overly dark areas on the drawer....
much BETTER!
Another $5 piece transformed!


Here's what I did with the Hall Tree:

 First I removed the pegs....
I couldn't remove the hinges but the chalk paint just scraped right off.

 I gave it 2 coats of Old White chalk paint.

 I cut in the Duck Egg in the center of the Hall Tree....
I must say a PURDY brush sure does make painting a piece of cake!

I gave the center 2 coats and NO wax because I plan on using it has a chalk board.

I sanded a few areas and gave it a coat of clear wax...

 Ok....this was almost a project FAIL!
 I do live in Wyoming and was going for a more rustic look with the dark wax instead of the Shabby Chic look.......
Over kill with the dark wax! It's hideous! Even the hubby didn't like it....
So I tried to rub clear wax to remove the dark but it just wasn't getting enough of it off....
then I tried sanding it off but my sander just got clogged with the wax....SO.......

 the BEST thing about this paint is that you can paint OVER anything!!
Even 4 coats of WAX!
I gave this piece another quick coat of Old White....re sanded in a few areas and applied a coat of clear wax....

 So after a quick re do ...it's Beautiful again!

and I replaced the pegs with some hooks:-)

For the Desk I had it stained and painted with another color...but when my Chalk Paint arrived I added some letters and numbers with a stencil and the Old White paint and distressed to desk with a sander and used clear wax on the top and dark wax on the bottom.

So there you have it.....How 2 cans of paint and the 2 different waxes can transform 4 pieces of furniture! 

After finishing 4 pieces....I still have a lot of paint and wax left! 

I can't wait to purchase other colors and do some more projects including stenciling and waxing my bathroom walls! 


If you want to see the look and feel for yourself you can purchase a sample deck

The Sample Deck is perfect to help you chose the right color for your project and get the feel of the wax....
One side is the color with clear wax and the other side is the color with dark wax....
You can purchase a sample deck the HERE 



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