DIY: Shabby Chic Dry Erase Memo Board

Home with sickly Dear Daughter yesterday so I worked on this fun little project... It started out with an old cheap wood frame that had once housed this lovely vintage pen and ink bird drawing.  I found this at a thrift store and bought it for the drawing, which will be nesting in a different frame...

Ok, this is just a BORING frame... but it is wood, and has good glass.  Thinking, thinking, thinking... digging in my stash and decide to use some vintage fabric that I also found at the thrift store.  It's a pretty blue and cream and reminds me of my great grandmother's dresses.  I grabbed my trusty off-white spray paint and gave the frame a good coating.  Rub the edges with an old candle before you paint and it will be easy to "shabby" when the paint dries...

To keep it flat and in place, use some spray adhesive (and yes, I always end up sticky from head to toe when I use this stuff, as I am a supremely messy crafter) to adhere the fabric to the cardboard frame backing.

Once the paint dries, take a rag and RUB the paint in the areas that you applied the candle wax... the paint will come right off, and the black frame peeks through giving it that old worn look (that we all pay too much money to Pottery Barn to achieve).  Put the entire thing back together and back it with a sheet of sticky magnet... I LOVE this stuff!  I had it left over from another project...

Just cut it to the size you need, peel off the backing and stick it right on... I covered the entire back to make sure it would hold the weight of the frame and glass.

All finished and this is the end result...

Shabby Chic Dry Erase Memo Board

I LOVE it... if I do say so myself.  A dry erase marker works like a charm on the glass.  It's great on a fridge or file cabinet... or make a bright fun version for a student's locker or dorm room.  If you really LOVE this one like I do, visit Orangies Attic, and it's all yours!  Here's our little birdy friend in HIS new nest...

Framed Shabby Vintage Bird Drawing

Drab to Fab

Every home has things we've had for years that are functional, but no longer "work" with our decor or just look TIRED... kind of like me.  HA!  My mom says we should all get to have another wedding shower after 20 years to replace all the stuff that doesn't work or is just outdated.  I think some men call that a mid-life crisis... but I DIGRESS.  Since I haven't talked any of my friends into hosting that shower, I've found there are some quick ways to spruce up things around the house.  Here's an easy little project I just finished for my etsy store to give you an idea...

This is a CUTCO Kitchen Tool Holder... these retail for $39, have lifetime guarantee,  are made of sturdy oak and there is NO reason to get rid of it except the oak color is kind of drab and doesn't have much POP.   What it looked like to me was an awesome blank canvas...

One coat of spray primer, and 2 coats of black satin spray paint got me started... digging in my stash I found this scrap of toile scrapbook paper and a leftover "jewel" I had from another project.

Trimmed a piece of the toile to fit one side and whipped out my trusty Mod Podge to apply... one coat of Mod Podge, then lay down the paper, smooth it out, wait 15 minutes and apply a second coat on top.  The smell of Mod Podge always makes me feel like I am in 3rd grade doing a paper mache pinata out of a blown-up ballon... remember?  Here's a cute Easter Egg Version with a link to the EASY How-To:

Easter Egg Pinata How-To

There I go digressing again!  Back to our project...

I attached the "jewel" to the front with this Super Glue Gel, which I love because it has a very controlled dispenser and doesn't run everywhere (thus gluing your fingers together)...

I finished the entire thing off with a coat of satin varnish and here is the finished product...

Upcycled Cutco Kitchen Tool Holder

So fun, and so many uses... pencil holder, craft supplies, q-tips... you name it.  I'm sure there is something in your home just waiting for a facelift, or a new "purpose"... have fun with it!  If you're just not feeling so crafty, this and other "upcycled" and repurposed items are available in my store... Orangie's Attic  Come see me!

Everything old is new again...

Good morning!  I wanted to share a project my hubs and I completed recently... having a TWEEN daughter (her word, not mine!) who wanted a big girl room we tackled a room re-do over the holiday break.  Her little girl pepto pink walls were transformed to a cool blue and her entire room was given a beach, vintage, PBTeen vibe.  At 11 she already loves an eclectic mix of old and new, just like her mama.  That said, she needed a small desk... first I searched etsy, but no luck finding something that was both JUST RIGHT and affordable to ship.  So, off to the thrift stores I went... first I found this chair:

Great bones, sturdy and only $6... SCORE.

But, no desk... on to another thrift store... WAY in the back, hidden in a hard to find room I stumbled across this little desk, which was clearly a shadow of it's former self:

Ok, this definitely needed some work... LOVED the shape, perfect size, but it had chunks and splits in the wood, and of course there are those gang signs spray painted on the side.  NICE.  But, only $15 and I had faith my handy husband could do something about the other ailments.  Took this home and hubby set to work with some wood glue, clamps and wood putty while dear daughter and I hit Hobby Lobby for lavender and apple green spray paint, Hard Coat Mod Podge (Hard Coat is best for furniture), new orange porcelain drawer pull and  5 different coordinating scrapbook papers... 2 days, several coats of spray paint, Mod Podge, and sealer later THIS is the finished product...

Seriously... I am in LOVE with this desk set!  So is Dear Daughter... The entire project cost about $35 and I didn't find a single desk remotely close to this perfect for her room anywhere else for less then $200.  If you have never attempted Mod Podge, it is a wonderful EASY way to transform something great into something spectacular.  There are tons of youtube videos with instruction, but I got most of my inspiration from this great  blog:  http://www.modpodgerocksblog.com/  Since we had some paper left over, we mod podged a few other things in her room to match, and she is thrilled with the results.  The really great thing about Mod Podge is it is non-toxic and so harmless, you can let your kids jump in and help... they LOVE it.  So, go get creative and find something to jazz up with some pretty scrapbook papers or great wrapping paper... have fun!

More GREAT projects here: