Easy Thrift Store Chalkboard

At Christmas (I know, this is a little late!) we exchange names among my siblings for gifts. I drew my sisters name, and we both have a passion for all things Jane Austen!  So I was searching up ideas, and came across this book which I never got to read but I heard from her that it's a fun book:

The Jane Austen Guide to Life: Thoughtful Lessons for the Modern Woman

See, she just moved out on her own, so who couldn't use a little Jane Austen advice on life?!  

I also thought I wanted to make her a chalkboard (there, I finally got around to my point!) for her new place.  Who doesn't need a chalkboard.  They have cute ones out there on sale, but I was on a budget for this Christmas gift so I had to work magic to stay within that budget.  

I searched the thrift store and came across this old calendar box for $3.99!

Have you ever had one of these calendar boxes in your house?  Or do you still??

I picked out a pretty blue acrylic paint that I already had on hand, and coated the entire board except in the middle where I was going to put the chalkboard paint.

Next I found this recipe to make chalkboard paint on pinterest:

I cup of acrylic paint + 2 Tbsp grout.

I cut this recipe in half for my project and had lots!

Did you know that you can buy chalkboard paint in the store. $8 for a tiny can, or you can make it with a few supplies on hand!

After painting the chalkboard paint on I waited for it to dry, and rubbed chalk all over it to break it in.

Here it is:

I did my best at making fancy chalk letters.  Not as easy as others make it look!

Does this quote make anyone else smile?!  

I think it is such a funny line especially the way Tom Hollander says it!

What a cheap project to make:

Calendar Board: $3.99 (thrift store)

Acrylic Paint: Free (on hand small craft paint tube)

Grout: Free (on hand)

TOTAL = $3.99

So, will chalkboards go out of style soon?  It seems like they are everywhere!

And yet, I still don't have one in my house...

Magnetic Memo Board

Long time, No see!!

I finally found a cord that will upload my pictures to my computer.  Why I didn't buy one, don't ask, it's what I do apparently.  

So I finished a long forgotten project and I am so happy with the outcome.  Shall we dive in?!!

Once upon a time... there was this frame... my Mom owned it, gave it to me, I gave it to my brother, he put it out near the trash bin, my Mom called me saying he was throwing it out, I said I didn't want it.  A few days later I had an idea for it, and frantically (doesn't it always have to be frantically) called my brother to grab it from the garbage for me, and from there it became .... my precious!! (did you do the voice for "my precious too?)  My 3 year old has been watching The Chipmunks Chipwrecked, and the cute little chipmunk says that phrase and so my cute daughter has been gargling her raspiest voice and repeating it.  It's hilarious!  

Woah!  Way off topic.

...So I got the frame.

Yes, this is it.  love it or hate it, it works for what I wanted it for.

However after obtaining the frame, I primed it white (forgot to take pictures), and it sat in my garage for over a year.  Why did it sit in my garage...?  Well because I was waiting to find a piece of sheet metal to fill it.  When I couldn't find one, i gave in and bought one at Home Depot for $25.  Yes, that was a lot for me to dish out on a project, but again, so worth it!

By the way this is a large frame.  3x4 feet.

Does that make the sheet metal a better price now....?  Am I trying to fool myself...?

I (as in my sister) stained it for me with leftover stain she had called Minwax Early American Stain.  We added about 4 coats to get the right shade I wanted.

This is how it turned out:

We used a rag along the sides, and an old toothbrush to get in all the detailing.

 Love this quote.  I found it on pinterest.

Done.  Worth it?  

I love it!

Frame: free

Sheet metal: Home Depot $25 (3x4 ft.)

Cute magnets: Micheals (3 pack) 27 cents

Total: $25.54

Brick Wallpaper

I know, what happened to me for a whole month hey?!!  Sheesh.

So I have to say I have so many different projects on the go that I haven't finished one, but are in the middle of all of them.  If it weren't for my sister coming over and randomly suggesting she help me put the wallpaper up in my sons room, who knows when I would have gotten to this project.  I DID however have the supplies for it because I did want to do this.  It was a great 2 man job anyways!

Here is the wall in my sons room which I wanted to add wallpaper.  Why wallpaper...?  Because I found a cool brick-like one, and it was perfect for my boyish room.

We cut one strip at a time to make sure it all fit, and the bricks lined up properly.  I bought this roll at Home Depot for $24.99.  I have to say, that even though my sister and I were meticulous in our measuring and cutting, when it came time to hang, we had two short pieces!!! 

What went wrong?  I have no idea, but I had enough wallpaper to fill in the shorter spots.  Problem solved.

p.s. if you were wondering why I am wearing a CAPE in the picture below, it's because I was also having my sister dye my hair at the same time (hence the cropped photo!)

This is my sister hiding from the camera as we measure and hang the wallpaper.

We (okay it was she) soaked the wallpaper in the bathtub and counted 30 seconds.

Then we folded the wallpaper in onto itself to activate the glue.  

We did not press the sides down, we just let them bubble over (make sense?  haha)

Finally we hung the paper on the wall, and used a squeegee to press out the large bubbles.  It worked out great.  We did have to put towels at the baseboards from the water dripping.  I waited until the wall paper was all dry before cutting it on the top and bottom to measure up perfectly.

Here is what it looks like now.  Fun hey?!

It doesn't look like it in the picture, but there is a ledge where I stopped the wallpaper.  That's why I only did half of the wall.

It was much easier having two people to hang the wallpaper and keep company, so consider that when you decide to hang wallpaper.  Although I have to say I think I would much rather stencil my walls than hang wallpaper ever again.  Personal choice.

Now I just have to finish decorating his room.

But for now, he loves the brick!

Any new wallpaper projects for you?

25 Cent Skirt Redo

So I officially started my garage saleing this last weekend, and I will start by showing you this skirt that I picked up for 25 cents!! 

 I thought it was a cute colour combination and didn't even hesitate about the size of it.  I just bought it.  

I did try it on, and the colours were just not me, but they were perfect for my daughter.

So I put it around my daughter and cut the extra fabric off.

Then I took the extra fabric and made sleeves with it.

I am skipping all the steps because you could probably figure it out it's so easy, rather than going through a boring sewing tutorial with me!

Here is the back:

And a few shots of the front:

I am glad I was able to make a dress for my daughter because she is growing out of everything and this was VERY THRIFTY!!

Also today my sisters and I made some ties for our boys for my brothers upcoming wedding.  They were so easy I had to share them with you, and the link of where to find them to make your own:

Cute, easy fast ties...

(sister in law Meg, sister Chelsea, sister Angela, Me!)

And hey, I know I have been away lately, but I have been up to my ears in projects!  I can't wait to show you!!

A Stenciled Wall (or two)!

First off, let me just say I came across this photo while perusing google for an idea to stencil, and I fell in love.

Good Girl Gone Glad did a fantastic job on her wall!!  I wanted the SAME.

So, after finding my inspiration from Good Girl Gone Glad, I had to find a trellis stencil which I found on this lovely blog Jones Design Company.  She did her office (picture below) with this trellis stencil and she provides a stencil printout HERE.

I moved my daughter into her own room, and the paint colour was driving me crazy!!!  I had to do something about it right away!!  It's not a terrible colour, but very boring for a fun, hip room makeover!

So I took some paint that I had left over from a project last year (they told me to get way too much!)  as I had enough leftover paint to do my whole daughter's room!  

Okay so I printed the stencil out on the computer, and traced it onto a cardboard cereal box. 

Then I drew the chalk onto the wall in the pattern I wanted.

After many hours of painting I came away with this...

And this...

And this...

It was worth the time!  I am so pleased and my daughter even says she LOVES it!  Ya, she better after how long it took me!

I will have more posts with progress from her room later.  

This took a long time, I need a break now.  

I may just go lay on her floor to stare at it for awhile (wink).

Paper Banner

I went to a Bridal shower for my soon to be sister-in-law (remember the pillows I made), and at my sisters house she had this cute banner up all around her house... 

So I copied it!

I even called to have her send me a photo of the paper she used because I have the same pack, and I wanted to do this the easy way, and not think about it!

I added more blue to it so I could use it for different occasions.  I have it up because it was my husbands birthday.  And yes I decorate for his birthday!!  My kids love it! and secretly my hubby likes it too!!

I found a pattern online, and just enlarged it (a pattern of a triangle??!  I know, but remember I wanted to make something fast and not think about it).

I copied my sister and used twine, because I had some, and I do like how simple it makes the banner look.

I made three banners.  One for my fireplace, and one for my entry (across the photos),...

...and a mini one for my new table.  But before I show you the table, I have to show you the before of this perfect wall.

Perfect in the sense that it is an open canvas.  I have been looking for a table to go here for a long time, and was looking to fix one up, but when I found this one in my favourite store (Homesense) I just bought it, and I love it!

And decorated it...

Anyways, the banners are put away again now, but will come out again for Easter soon!

I know you probably see these banners around everywhere, but there is a reason why... they are so CUTE!

Sweater Pillow

So the sweater that I posted earlier to make these cuffs, also gave me the pleasure of becoming my new pillow!

Let's start at the beginning.

This old thing...

Has seen the end of the line.  But it's being reincarnated.

First she needed a good pilling.  (I don't know what you call these, but if you ever buy clothes second hand you need one!  All those furry balls on your sweaters get eaten up by this little do-dad.)

A pillow lining I just had lying around is finally coming in handy.

Scary, but invigorating!  I tried not to wiggle it too much so she wouldn't start fraying on me.

I had to pull her pockets off so as to not obstruct the final product.  Plus do I really want pockets on my pillow?  Weird. (I'm guessing someone out there has a pocket on their pillow for a tv remote though!  Because people are just so weird about things like that - please don't say you have one)

While taking away her pockets, I cut a small hole (OOPS!)  But anyone who has ever used nail polish to stop a run in their nylons would think like me and use a glue gun to stop the sweater from fraying, right?  Don't worry, it's not that noticeable.

Then I stitched the heck out of it because I didn't know what stitch I should do to stop it from fraying, so I used 3 different stitches and went over it again and again!  This baby isn't going to give me trouble, no sir-eee.  If you're thinking it looks all bunchy, it does! But it's not noticeable when I flip it right side out.

I loosely hand stitched in between the buttons to keep the rumples down.

Now that is one classy lady!

Go ahead grab that old sweater and give her a little snip, snip.  I have to say I like her a lot better now.  This has become my new favourite couch napping pillow!

I'm sure I have seen these around, but I just came across them on the Pottery Barn website for $59 each!!!

I have to say, that I prefer free!  

Don't you?