Big Big Chalkboard



Before I show you the BIG BIG CHALKBOARD let me tell you how it all came about. For about a year now I have been wanting to make a chalkboard but just never got around to it. Then one day I found the perfect frame. It was a mirror from an old dresser, probably from the 1940s. I easily transformed the frame. First I primed it, then painted it, then color washed it and finally I distressed it. My husband cut a piece of masonite that we purchased at Home Depot. Then came the hard part. I had never painted a chalkboard and wasn't quite sure how to go about it. So I called my friend Paula. She has painted chalkboards before so I wanted to get her expert advice. She recommended I use Rustoleum chalkboard paint and apply at least 3 coats, letting each coat dry overnight. She says she likes to apply it with a foam brush. Then you should wait about a week before you use it. So this is what I did and this is how it turned out.
After I show you mine I will show you the Big Big one she had just purchased.

I love how it turned out.



Shortly after I finished the chalkboard I found the perfect easel to display it.

This is the frame before I painted it.



I think I could have painted the mirror but it was just too heavy. Masonite is much lighter weight.

This is the frame primed. I also found another frame to work on.



The top of the frame is what sold me.

Then the frames kept coming :)

Okay. Enough about me. Let me show you the BIG BIG CHALKBOARD.

The day I called Paula for advice she told me she had just been to an auction and bought a huge sign originally made and used by artists.
Paula's plan was to turn it into a chalkboard.

Paula lives in a neighboring town from me so by the time I got around to going to her house, she had it all finished.

I love knowing artistic people. You never know what they will come up with next.

This would be so perfect in a restaurant or a little girl's bedroom.  

    Linking to:



 

                                

Am I A Hoarder?

Every now and then I have a tendency to let things pile up and I have to ask myself "Am I a hoarder"? Today my cleaning lady came and before she could dust the buffet I decided it was time to clean it off.
She does a real good job of cleaning but there's no way she could sort through what had piled up.

People who know me know I like a nice, clean house.
My big problem is my house was built in 1916, probably before they invented big closets.
I have very little storage but probably if I had lots of storage space I still wouldn't have enough.

I thought if I turned this cleaning project into a blog post it might be more fun.
I found some dishes and a beautiful powder box with pretty flowers.

This is a George Washington platter.

The little anniversary clock doesn't work but I can't decide what I want to do with it.
The forks are made by Wm Rogers in the grape pattern.

I bought this pretty set of vintage dishes and have never used them.
On the buffet they went.

A pretty shabby chicc platter, a Coca Cola bell and some wheat pennies.

Two vintage figural perfume bottles, an old cup and some sterling silver salt shakers.

A slag glass vase and an old oil lamp.
The two elephants are "Made In Occupied Japan".

Most of this was on the corner but covered up with "stuff".
Some of this is my everyday jewelry.
I see two peach colored prisms.

 



I found a 1937 Rand McNally World Atlas.
It only has sixteen pages.
And a booklet about "Dear Old London", circa 1928.

A couple of reference books, some small oil cans and a granite ware colander.







I use the compote on the left to serve cranberry sauce at holiday dinners.

Now it is all cleaned off and dusted.
I now have a clean slate to decorate.
So you might be wondering where did all that stuff go?

Well, I put it all on my dining room table, of course. lol
Now that I know for sure what I have to work with, I can find places to put it.
Some I will sell, some I will keep.
Some will get pitched, some will go to recycle.
It all has to go somewhere because it for sure isn't going back on the buffet.

P.S. I know I'm not a hoarder. I know a "Real McCoy" hoarder and she can't throw anything away.
Not even trash.

Linking up with:

 http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/     and     and   http://shabbyartboutique.blogspot.com/2012/09/shabbilicious-friday-link-party_14.html      

 

Antique Primitive Dough Trencher

When I bought this primitive trencher dough trough about a month ago I knew it was big and I knew it was heavy. But when I sat it on my dining room table today I realized just how big and heavy it really is. It almost takes up my whole table.

I don't usually buy things quite this primitive but this one spoke to me.



These must have been very popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s because there seems to be a lot of them.

Whoever used this one must have had a large family or perhaps it was used for commercial purposes.

One thing I know for certain, I have to find some more fall decorations to fill it with.

See how big it is? It measures about 41", counting the handles.

Think how hard it was "way back when" just to get a loaf of bread.
They even had to carve out their own bread trough.
We've really got it easy today, that's for sure.  

  I'm going to party:

 

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/2012/09/nifty-thrifty-tuesday-no130.html