Chair Makeover & Front Porch Sign (with Chalk Paint and a Wood Pallet)

The weather was perfect and it was a holiday so while my son played with his friends outside, I worked in the garage on my projects today.  I am so very thankful for days like these! 

Remember those two old chairs and pallet I "rescued" from the junk pile last week?  Well, they got pushed aside when I found my buffet piece...until now!  I had planned on using chalk paint on my buffet, but figured I had better experiment with it before using it on such a big piece.  So, I mixed up my own chalk paint (using the recipe from liz marie blog).  If you haven't used it before, it is definitely different...think thick and....well.....chalky.  ;^)  I tinted it a pale blue and painted it on the solid wood chair.  Then, let it dry overnight. 

BEFORE: Wood "rescued" chair...just starting to paint with DIY Chalk Paint

After using the chalk paint, I decided that (while I liked it) it was not the look I wanted for the buffet (so glad I tried it first).  So, while I was waiting on the buffet to dry (I'll tell you what I did to it later!), I started playing with the chair.  It was kinda cool looking with the paint alone, but I wanted a little more "aging" so I sanded some of the edges to let the wood show through.  Loved it!

With the pale blue chalk paint...still needs something.....

Then, I worked on the buffet some more, and while that was drying.....I got bored. 
So......I started taking apart that old pallet. 

My new sign...using an old wood pallet and puff paint.
(You can kinda see in this pic where I roughed-up the edges on the chair.)

I decided to use a few of the boards to make a sign for my front porch (which is where the blue chair was going).  I cut some scrap wood (with my very own jigsaw that my Dad gave me yesterday!) to hold the three pieces together.  Then, I lightly sprayed the boards with white spray paint...just to soften the look.  Then, I got out my handy-dandy puff paint and wrote the verse on the boards.  I really like how it shows-up on the porch.  I want to add some plants and other decor to the porch too, but I think it is off to a good start.

I have been so inspired this week while working on these projects.  I just want to do more and more, but, alas, I do have to go to work sometime!


This post is linked to these great parties: http://craftyimaginings.blogspot.com/p/linky-parties.html

Dresser Detective: The Big Buffet Project In Progress

I am in the middle of my "Big Buffet Project" and am loving it so far.....it looks better each day I work on it!  As I was cleaning it up (it was quite dirty inside and apparently home to a mouse at one point!), I was happy to find the manufacturer's stamp on it: Thomasville.  The only date I could find on the piece was the copyright "1968".  I don't know if copyright dates coincide with build dates at all....it doesn't really matter, just interesting.

As I was working on the cleanup, I got to thinking about it's story.  It was obviously well-used, but not totally abused.   The top had a lot of watermarks from glasses or bottles and what looked like a big spill. 

If I were a detective, what would these clues mean to me?  I found some interesting items inside:  a top to a lingerie set, a green fluffy sock, a little girl's "Hello Kitty" jewelry, 5 pennies, a battery, a "Happy Meal" toy, and the weirdest item....a glass vial containing a bowel suture!

I remember finding a toy and a dead mouse behind the wall at my parents house during a wall re-build, and HGTV has an entire television show dedicated to "If Walls Could Talk".....so, what is the weirdest thing you have found during a project?  Please, share it in the comments section (Keep it family friendly, please!).