31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Chalkboard Cabinet Doors and Presents

Here we are, the last of the 31 days. Thank you so much for coming by and supporting me. I truly hope you will consider signing up for my blog and stick around. We writers love to know someone reads what we do.

I received this present yesterday and you will love it. It is simply a cabinet door, painted with chalkboard paint. You have purchased a small can by now? (wink, wink) There is a simple frame hook mounted on the backside. While there are many ideas for using this, I am choosing for now to leave it on my wall by my computer.  This is something to keep in the back of your creative mind, Christmas is coming and there are countless potential variations.

And now, the grand 31 day finale………… Decorating with the love of your children. My precious teens went on Pintrest and chose projects and cakes that appealed to me. One daughter surprised me and created this:

This is truly decorating with purpose. She took something I love, books, and created me a piece that I will always treasure.

My other sweetie remembered I had asked her to draw a caricature of us together. This too will adorn the walls in my creative space soon:

And when I came down yesterday on my birthday my family had decorated the table with purpose as well, using little wooden easels (a pack of 10 is about $5 at Michaels) to display fun family photos. Memories. A supreme gift. Happy Birthday to me? Precious everyday I’d say.

A special thank you to The Nester for hosting and creating this 31 Days concept

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Tutorial For Covering Old Lampshades

Lamps can go out of style yet still be functional. This one isn’t that bad, but after 10 years, it is drab.

It resides on our nightstand, and I wanted to create a softer look. There are lots of angles and I couldn’t afford to change out the whole lamp, so I bought a yard of fabric. This is soft, stretchy and flouncy. Perfect.

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Picture Frames

Only a few more days left in the 31 days series, I hope you are enjoying it. It has been a lot of emails if you are a regular subscriber, thanks for hanging in there.

Today we are going to look at a way to reuse picture frames. I had several frames, in different colors. In an attempt to make them look unified, I painted them all white. The look was a bit stark, so I experimented with adding minimal amounts of contrast.

In the first photo set, a white frame is textured using basic acrylic craft paint and rubber stamps. Using a paint brush to apply a thin coat onto the stamp, I tried it out on the backside first. I didn’t want it to be too thick. Then random prints are made in varying pressures to have a casual feel.  (Not sure why the pics are uploading upside down and sideways. They aren’t that way on my computer! Sorry about that)

      

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Using Old Appliances For Storage

My friend, Julie, has offered us a peek into her home for a repurposed project that is truly original. I love this great idea for using old appliances. She shares more about it so that we can try it too~

“This antique “icebox” is one of my most favorite items in my home. It was left behind in the garage of the first house my husband and I purchased. Needless to say, it was in awful shape! After a good clean up and a new paint job, it was ready to make its way into our kitchen, and it has been a conversation piece in our home ever since! It also serves the useful dual purpose of storing plastic bags for reuse/recycling and housing my cookbook collection. This piece really proves that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”!

Julie Campbell is one of over 1,000 writers blogging for the 31 Days challenge. Check out her site as she shares 31 Days Of Hope.

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Chalkboard Frame, Part Two

If you missed the first part of creating our chalkboard frame, click here.  You can see where we picked up by simply painting the pressed board (what the print was adhered to) with 2 coats of chalkboard paint. Make sure to let it dry completely before putting this piece back in the frame to avoid scratches.

Now the fun part…where to use this? A few ideas: in the kitchen with the day’s menu, or a welcome sign for company out on the porch. A friend does this beautifully with a display board and it is warm and inviting. I was inspired by a book we are reading, Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World by Joanna Weaver, to create a quiet space for prayer. Here is my interpretation using a quiet bedroom corner I included this with a few frames holding old calendar prints to help me focus.

I set it up right next to my “chair”. I bought it used from a friend over a decade ago, and it has travelled many places with us. This is my go to place.  Scripture can be changed frequently to draw my eye upward. This chalkboard has now become an important focal point, it has purpose.

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Creating A Framed Chalkboard

This week I’ll share a few projects, I hope you will try to join me. I promise I will make it simple.

Remember those frames and pictures I suggested buying at Goodwill? Do you have framed picture you don’t like anymore? Today is transition day!

I wanted to created a chalkboard that I could write new things on each week. I also didn’t want to spend any money. We had leftover chalkboard paint (buy a small can, you will find many uses) and a picture I had grown tired of. It was nice enough, but something I’d bought to fill a space several years ago from a garage sale.

Now, this might be hard for some people. We are going to seemingly destroy perfectly good stuff. Think of it this way, “Do I feel any sense of joy in an item?” If decorating includes purpose, then feel free to change things to suit THAT end goal. It is really okay, I promise.

Did you find something to start with? I took the print out of the frame and was pleasantly surprised to find that the print peeled off easily, leaving a hard surface below.

Did you find a picture? If not head over to a thrift store. I challenge you though to use something you have. Change is good.Get your paint and tomorrow we’ll finish the project. Let me know what YOU are working on…

In the meantime, go to The Nester and check out those other great 31 day participants.

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Antique Printer’s Drawer For Wall Display

Here is another drawer idea. How about for wall display? These types of drawers are popping up around antique stores for about $20+.  This was my splurge, if you will.

Loving words and history, this becomes meaningful before the compartments even hold a single item. These are heavy, find studs before attaching to walls. I had a few ideas, this could become a seasonal display of miniature things like shells or acorns. It could become a multi level shadow box, with dollhouse miniatures. For the ambitious, an oversized photo or poster could be cut and inserted into each space for a large mural.

Notice this detail:

What I really hope to do, that would make it truly special to me, is to find the type set pieces that might have originally occupied the spaces. To display the letters. I sigh with delight just imagining how it could be. So, empty it hangs. For now.

Join me next week, we are going to do some projects. Step by step. We’ll be recovering a lampshade, creating a chalkboard, and doing a large mixed media project.

As always, I encourage you to check out the vast array of subjects offered to you in this 31 series by over 1,000 bloggers. Here is the link, see you there. Thank you to The Nester for hosting this event!

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Making An Inexpensive Headboard

I’ve been waiting for this post. THE most special repurposed decorating project in my whole house. Made entirely by friends. I posted about this a few years ago when 4 friends surprised me by coming to visit for my 40th birthday. I mean s.u.r.p.r.i.s.e.d. me.  Let me share with you what they left behind as a remembrance.

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose – Paint And Cover Ugly Chairs

Another favorite item is this chair. Bought at the same sale mentioned yesterday for $5, I lament the fact there is no “before” picture.  It was, hmmm, ugly. Dark brown stain and gold fabric. But we needed a chair.

Another dear friend loved me in her own way during that difficult time. She took this chair home and tackled it. She won. Tiffany spent time repainting it white. She made a cover, and even a matching one for my ugly stool ($1) that was bright and colorful. I don’t sew, and having a seamstress friend proved a valuable score on this project.

 

Here is the chair without the cover. I wanted to show that even without a cover, the gold fabric looks “fall-ish”. Like I meant to do that.

 

 

 

31 Days Of Decorating With (Re) Purpose- Painting Old Metal Desks

This week I am going to focus on a few projects that came about with the help of friends. Today I will share my desk. Many years ago I found this old, heavy, silver monstrosity at a rummage sale for $10. It is very sturdy, typical for its time.