Upcycled: Thrift Store Picture Frames to Chalkboards

For most people, school is out for the summer...

  

...but chalkboards are always "in."

You know I love anything chalkboard, and I've just finished these for a project.

These are thrift store picture frames that I painted and distressed.

I added driftwood to this one like the picture frames I made a couple weeks ago.

  

We're going to the Outer Banks in a couple weeks, and I can't wait.

It'll be our first vacation since we had kids, and their first time to the ocean. 

It will also be our first road trip with them that will take longer than a couple hours. 

We think this trip should take 10-12 hours. 

We're going to try driving through the night, so hopefully, they'll sleep most of the time.

hopefully.

  

Any traveling with toddlers suggestions are welcome.

You know, in case they don't sleep.

We use to go to Nags Head, NC when I was little, and every child must experience the fun and potential humiliation of running down the sand dunes and landing on their face.

Not that I'd know anything about that...

We are staying in a beach house with my parents, so ideas for ways to entertain toddlers (other than the beach and sand dune fun) or adults (other than the beach and sand dune fun) are greatly appreciated.

In other news, I just started a series of posts about things I've learned in my first 8 months of selling on Etsy. 

It's from a newbie point-of-view and the tips are simple ones that can be easily implemented.

Haven't been to a good party lately, so I'm heading over to some of these for a little fun:

MONDAY:  Sumo's Sweet Stuff, The Girl Creative, Boogieboard Cottage, C.R.A.F.T., Thrifty Decor Chick

TUESDAY: Home Stories A2Z, Tip Junkie, Coastal Charm, At Home With K, Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)

WEDNESDAY:  The Brambleberry Cottage, Restore Interiors, Savvy Southern Style, Very Merry Vintage Style, It's Overflowing

THURSDAY: No Minimalist Here, the shabby creek cottage

FRIDAY: The Charm of Home, The Shabby Nest, Miss Mustard Seed, Redoux, French Country Cottage

SATURDAY: I Can't Stop Crafting, Lolly Jane Boutique, Be Different, Act Normal, {nifty thrifty things}

take care -
 

Whimsical Wednesday: Purposeful Plates

When looking for inspiration for this week's Whimsical Wednesday, I came across this beautiful China plate-turned-mirror on Etsy:

Victoria & Charlotte Treasures

and it made me think....hmmm, I wonder what other things have been made and repurposed using plates....

Tuuni

...chalkboards, of course.

Prettyville

But, I hadn't thought of jewelry like this pendant made from recycled china or

VBelleJewelry

a pretty silver ring.

Thrifty Decor Chick

I love this little table made from a chunky candlestick and wooden plate.

Bees Knees Bungalow

What a beautiful way to display a favorite quote...this one is in a potting shed.

mmmcrafts

Or, forget the words, and choose a vibrant color palate to create a plate art gallery.  I love the asymmetrical look of this one.  

houzz

Simple, white, and symmetrical - this look also makes a statement.

NapaStyle

Or, how about giving your plate gallery a little functionality by adding some hooks?

Kitchen Clock by Capricci

During my search, I came across several clocks, but this one was my favorite.

Bees Knees Bungalow

What about using it to display your house numbers?  I hadn't thought of that before.

{ARTful} Salvage

Apparently, garden art made from stacked plates is pretty popular right now - or at least they are on Etsy.

33 Barefoot Lane

But, I've never thought to use it as a garden border. 

A Cultivated Nest

 Using different patterns would be a beautiful and whimsical way to spotlight your landscaping. (Unless, like ours, your "landscaping" consists mainly of weeds...at least the plates would be pretty.)

But, the final idea I came across is not only lovely, but it can serve as a life-saving device in an emergency...

China Knuckles by ibreakplates.com

I mean, if you're going to pack a weapon, might as well be fashionable about it.

Right?

Happy Wednesday...

take care -



Tutorial: Hanging Chalkboard Sign

Did everyone make it to Monday safely?  I hope so, after the horrible storms over the weekend.

If you know me, you know I love chalkboard paint...maybe a little too much.

I think half the stuff in my booth may be chalkboard-ed.

and that's just half my booth...there's more on the other side.

Seriously. I made chalkboard coasters. Go ahead, make fun of me. 

Ahem...

A couple weeks ago, I decided to chalkboard paint an old window, and was on a search for other things to paint when I came across some scrap wood of my husband's...

He already had it cut into nice little pieces for me. I drilled a couple holes.  

After drilling through one side of the board, my husband suggested running the drill through the hole from the other side to reduce the of splintered wood.  (You may want to sand over the holes too.)

Then, slap on a couple coats of chalkboard paint on all sides of the wood. 

 Once the paint dried, I sanded the  edges of mine for a distressed / worn look.

Finally, add string, ribbon, wire hanger of your length and choice...

Front - CLEAN

Back - DIRTY

Front -MAX

Back - Birthday

These are just a few options - but you could also do:

- Store - Open / Closed

- Office door - In / Out

- Kid's bedroom door

- Front door - "Welcome" or "We're in the backyard" or "Shhh, Baby's Sleeping"

- "Just Married"

- "Mr. / Mrs." or New last name

- "Feed the Dog" or "Walk the Dog"

-"Take your pills" or "Taken"

You're more imaginative than I am, so I'm sure you could thing of a million more uses...please comment if you think of something else.

I thought they'd also be pretty if you edged them in ribbon or trim - and they'd be pretty hung from a wide satin ribbon too.  The day I made them, I was working on about 5 different things at once, so I just used twine for them.

Have any of you tried making your own chalkboard paint using unsanded grout and paint?  Does it erase and work as well as the kind you buy at the store?  

The thought of endless color options makes me giddy with excitement!

If you're too busy to make one yourself, I have these chalkboards in my Etsy Shop and can customize them to your specifications.z

MONDAY:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

The Girl Creative

Boogieboard Cottage

C.R.A.F.T.

Kristen's Junk Drawer

DIY Home Sweet Home

Thrifty Decor Chick (1st Monday of Each Month)

The Gunny Sack

Ask Anna

TUESDAY: 

Home Stories A2Z

Tip Junkie

Sugar Bee Crafts

Coastal Charm

Rook No. 17

Homework

At Home With K

My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia

Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)

Cherished Bliss

Ruby Jean

The Farmhouse Porch

WEDNESDAY:

Restore Interiors

Blue Cricket Design

Savvy Southern Style

Very Merry Vintage Style

{primp}

It's Overflowing

Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)

Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

The Brambleberry Cottage

No Minimalist Here

the shabby creek cottage

House of Hepworths

Momnivore's Dilemma

From My Front Porch to Yours

FRIDAY:

Five Days...Five Ways

Remodelaholic

The Charm of Home

The Shabby Nest

Serenity Now

Release Me Creations

Miss Mustard Seed (Furniture Only)

Redoux

French Country Cottage

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

Too Much Time on My Hands

SATURDAY:

I Can't Stop Crafting

Lolly Jane Boutique

Funky Junk

Be Different, Act Normal

{nifty thrifty things}

Marvelously Messy

Space 46

SUNDAY:

I Heart Naptime

LambAround

Petite Hermine

take care -



Pink Chalkboard Frames - With a Little Valentine Flavor

When the chalkboard paint comes out, I tend to go a little overboard.  Nothing is safe from being chalkboard-ified. 

Old gold frames - ahem, maybe I should say FREE old gold frames....what's with all the old gold frames in this world?  They had some pretty needlepoint flowers in them, but they're not really my style, so the gold and the needlepoint needed to go.

I made this heart garland from magazine pages and fishing line.

Check out the back below - I covered it with vintage flower wallpaper...poppies or anemones maybe? Not sure.

My mom bought it at a barn sale to use in her bathroom, but I don't think my dad was too thrilled with it. Wonder why.

I was having so much with the pink paint, that I found another frame to paint...

The button was SUPPOSED to be on the bottom of the frame, but someone got a little over-excited with the glue gun and didn't check the back of the frame to see which side was the top.  Luckily, it worked with it on the top.

Everything Etsy

Love this paper.  See my little tag - something is wrong with my "spooler" so I can't print...so I had to get creative for my booth price tags. 

Hope you're having a great week! I've been working on all kinds of furniture (since it was so nice and warm outside today)...so I should have some new, non-chalkboard or wreath projects in the next couple days.  Promise!

 Sharing at these parties:

MONDAY:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

The Girl Creative

Boogieboard Cottage

C.R.A.F.T.

Kristen's Junk Drawer

DIY Home Sweet Home

Thrifty Decor Chick (1st Monday of Each Month)

The Gunny Sack

Ask Anna

TUESDAY: 

Home Stories A2Z

Tip Junkie

Sugar Bee Crafts

Coastal Charm

Rook No. 17

Homework

At Home With K

My UnCommon Slice of Suburbia

Kammy's Korner (Trash to Treasure)

Cherished Bliss

Ruby Jean

WEDNESDAY:

Restore Interiors

Blue Cricket Design

Savvy Southern Style

Very Merry Vintage Style

{primp}

It's Overflowing

Domestically Speaking (Paint Projects)

Faded Charm (White Projects)

THURSDAY:

The Brambleberry Cottage

No Minimalist Here

the shabby creek cottage

House of Hepworths

Momnivore's Dilemma

From My Front Porch to Yours

FRIDAY:

Remodelaholic

The Charm of Home

The Shabby Nest

Serenity Now

Release Me Creations

Miss Mustard Seed (Furniture Only)

Redoux

French Country Cottage

LaurieAnna's Vintage Home

SATURDAY:

I Can't Stop Crafting

Lolly Jane Boutique

Funky Junk

Be Different, Act Normal

{nifty thrifty things}

Marvelously Messy

Space 46

SUNDAY:

I Heart Naptime

LambAround

Petite Hermine

take care -

erin