Category Archives: Missouri Limestone Paint Company Projects

A Chicken and Rooster Upcycle

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I found a chicken planter and a rooster that would hold a vase at two different thrift stores in the last few weeks. I decided they both needed updating using a concrete look technique.

The first thing I did with the chicken was spray him with Mod Podge pearlized glaze. Any sealer would work or even spray paint. I sprayed it to help the paint adhere well since the pottery was a bit shiny.

Next, I mixed chalk-style paint with baking soda and began daubing it on all over. This gives it a nice texture and no brush strokes. I gave it two coats, letting it dry in between.

After two coats of the baking soda and chalk paint mixture. I don’t have a photo, but I sprayed it with a coat of Mod Podge. This will help keep the antique look I’m giving it from soaking in which would make it hard to remove if needed.

Next, I did a little dry brushing with the gray paint. I would daub it on and use a baby wipe to blend where needed.

That’s it. I now have a chicken planter with a concrete look.

Now, for the rooster – I finished him much in the same way using the baking soda and white chalk- style paint mixture with a little different type of antiquing.

I learned the rooster was made of resin. I knew it wasn’t metal or wood. I had someone tell me to scratch off a bit of the bottom and if it was white underneath, it was resin…it was white!

I daubed the white chalk paint all over him. I only used one coat and wasn’t worried about full coverage because I liked the colors underneath and didn’t mind them coming through a bit.

Once dry, I used sprayed the rooster with this clear chalky spray. This will help me when I apply the glaze and will let me remove excess.

I applied the metallic green glaze to make it look like the rooster had been outside in the weather for years and had moss growing on it at one point.

I also applied a bit of turquoise paint for some patina.

The rooster was now ready to be added to a garden display.

Rub On Transfer Slippers

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I have been experimenting with adding designs on some rubber bath slippers I bought on the Temu app. These were a great buy, but I am also seeing these at Dollar Tree, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc. Today’s experiment is applying rub on transfers to them. This has become my favorite way to give bath slippers a unique look.

Today, I’m highlighting the rub on transfer technique because I love how they turned out and I believe this to be the most durable method. I did seven pairs this way, once I did the first pair using the rub on transfers. I used Dollar Tree rub on transfers and a set from Temu, but any brand should work just as well.

I know they are super durable because I applied one of the transfers where I didn’t want it on one pair and I couldn’t remove it. I tried scraping and picking it off with my fingernail and tried using soap and water. I couldn’t budge it. So, I ended up applying another transfer over it. I actually like the shadowed look it made. 🙂

These are really easy to apply, especially if you have used rub on transfers before. If you haven’t, they remind me of the type of stickers when I was young that you would lay down on a piece of paper and they rub over the top plastic piece with a pencil and the image would transfer to the paper. That’s it!

I like to keep all the bits and pieces of the rub on transfers I don’t use on a project and use them another time. Today was that time. I picked out the ones I wanted to use and a pair of pink slippers and then started applying them to the different sections on these slippers.

I cut the first piece I wanted away from the sheet. It has a white backing on it to protect the transfer. You don’t want to remove that white backing yet as you don’t want the transfer sticking to anything until you are ready to use it or you will ruin it.

Then I removed the white backing, placed the transfer where I wanted it and used a flat stick I had that came with another type of transfer and rubbed on the plastic until the image released. A popsicle stick or even your fingernail would work, After it releases, I then used the plastic sheet to “burnish” it into the rubber, meaning rubbing it in to make sure it adhered well.

That’s all there is to it! I continued adding transfers to each section. I applied a little Wise Owl Salve (or any clear wax would work) to protect the transfer, but I really don’t think it is needed.

Examples are below of my other experiments…. decoupaging napkins (I did another blog post on that technique) and using Dollar Tree Wall Art.

The first experiment was with decoupaging napkins. They were pretty and turned out nice and I wear the pairs I made myself around the house all the time. They were fun to make and fun to wear. They do not slip off your feet at all. Here’s a link to my blog post on them.

https://sharsumpaint.com/2023/05/18/decoupaged-slippers-wow/

The other experiment was using Dollar Tree Wall Art. I found a beautiful flower and foliage design and cut it to fit a different type of slipper. I love how it looked on this blue slipper. This Wall art is removable, so…. If it starts coming off after a bit, simple remove it and you’ll still have a neat pair of slippers or go to Dollar Tree and get another Wall Art for $1.25 and make another unique look. 🙂 I then used bits and pieces left over and made another Wall Art pair. I did not apply wax to these as they are removable anyway. Both turned out very cute.

But, as I mentioned earlier, the rub on transfers are my favorite!!!! Which te unique do you like best?

A Rustic Riser

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I’ve been seeing risers made from blocks of scrap wood so thought I’d make one, too. My 3.5” x 1.5” square block of scrap wood had one end that was painted green. I didn’t want to cut it off so I just made it the front of my project.

I did sand the block well, including the green part and that lightened it up a bit.

I like to work on this lazy susan. I bought 100 disposable shower caps on Amazon and stretched one over the lazy susan to protect it. These work great and I just throw them away when finished.

I gathered up my supplies and got started.

Step 1: I used black ink and stamped flowers and bees on the green side of my block. I put it aside to dry.

Step 2: I purchased wood peg dolls from Amazon to use as feet. I watered down a bit of our Missouri Limestone Paint Company chalk-style paint (Coal Shovel) and covered the feet I would be attaching to the block. This will give them a rustic look similar to the block. I wiped the excess away and put them aside to dry.

Step 3: I wrapped the block with a paper towel only leaving the green inked part exposed. I sprayed that part with the Krylon spray matte sealer. I believe I got it at Lowes. This sealed the ink to make sure it wouldn’t smear when I applied wax to it later.

Step 4: It was time to glue on the legs. I used a combination of E6000 for permanent hold and hot glue for immediate hold.

Step 5: Once the hot glue set up, I applied Wise Owl Salve (ordered from a retailer) to the whole piece.

My rustic riser was now complete. I added a small painted terra cotta pot I had applied Dollar Tree rub on transfers to, added faux flowers, and displayed it on my rustic wood block riser.

I love how it now looks like the whole riser has been outside in the weather for years!

A Framed Redesign with Prima Transfer

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For today’s project I am up-cycling an old gold frame and adding a Redesign with Prima transfer from the Floral Collection. The transfer is applied to a unique background – a piece of one of Dollar Tree’s storage bins.

Cutting apart a Dollar Tree storage bin

The material is kind of a paper/fabric with cardboard in between layers. I cut off a piece to use as background for the transfer.

I cut the cardboard to fit the frame.

I used a glue stick to glue the material onto the cardboard.

I then trimmed the material to the size of the cardboard.

It was time to paint the frame. I mixed a little baking soda with a littler chalk paint to achieve the texture of stone.

It took two coats. On the first coat I used a brush to pounce the paint/baking soda mixture on so I didn’t get brush strokes. For the second coat I used a foam dauber. I love the distressed shading this technique produced. I set it aside to dry well.

Once dry, I gave it two coats of Mod Podge Pearlized Glaze Spray to seal it.

It was then time to apply the transfer to the material I had adhered to the piece of cardboard. I didn’t seal it as it is a decor piece and will not be handled much.

The sheet underneath is a silicone baking sheet I use to work on. Paint does not adhere well to silicone, so it is easy to clean after I finish a project.

I added the transfer to the frame. You could add the glass back in but I did not use the glass.

The final reveal – The material under the transfer looks almost like a piece of linen. It makes a very nice background.

Plant Stands from Lampshades? Yes, please!

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We have a problem. I see an idea. I ask Danny if he can make it. He says he can. So….. here we are again with another project and putting off other things we need to do.

Would you believe these plant stands are all upcycled lampshades? Danny took off the fabric on each and spray painted the metal black.

We then bought 3 wood rounds. He sanded them and added a dowel on the bottom of each to fit down into the shades.

I used a driftwood weathering compound on each round that brings out the grain and weathers it a bit. I still need to seal them with a matte top coat.

They are lightweight but very sturdy. The cut crystal vase filled with glass beads and faux tulips is quite heavy.

These plant stands (minus the decor) will be going to The Gray Wall soon, so if you are local and wanting one or all for porch pickup, now’s your chance.

Available: Sizes and $ amounts on each pic.

Largest : $18

The other two: $14 each

I created a little bit of Spring with Redesign by Prima Transfers

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I had this piece of barn wood. My husband cut it into two pieces for me.

I painted them with a heavy dry brush of white pretty much where I was going to apply the transfers.

Then I applied the transfers.

It was a very rough surface and slow going. It wasn’t easy to apply but in the end it all applied and adhered perfectly. I sealed everything with Wise Owl Salve.

In hindsight, it would have helped to seal the painted area first, but I just took my time and at times actually used my finger underneath the plastic sheet to get over a particularly rough spot and it worked out fine.

So beautiful!

4 Awesome Projects from Thrifting Finds This Week

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#1 – I have a French Country look going on in this first thrifted find – a bird cage item which needed some repair and a metal basket. I painted a Dollar Tree peat pot and decoupaged with tissue paper.

The metal finial on the birdcage was just hot glued on and popped right off after I got it home. Not only was hot glue alone not good idea but there was hardly any surface area for gluing. I used E6000 and hot glue to attach a small wood round to the birdcage and I painted it white. Then I used E6000 and hot glue to attach the finial. I added jute around the wood round where I had glued it together. I also stuck my hot glue inside and upside down dropped some hot glue along the inside. It is on for good now.

The birch round came from a fallen branch and that cute bird I found in a thrift store. The faux flowers came with the birdcage.

I love putting this kind of thrifting together.

#2 – Next up is this awesome cutting board/serving board. I love cutting and charcuterie boards. When I found this wine bottle shaped bamboo cutting board, I knew immediately that I wanted to add a stencil to one side for decor purposes. The other side could still be used as a cutting board or both sides could be a specialty charcuterie tray that would make a beautiful cheese and fruit spread serving board.

I stenciled just a part of the board and then seasoned both sides with food safe Howard Cutting Board 0il.

Dimensions approx. 21″ x 7″ x 1/2”

#3 – I like thrifting, but I really like it when I find something just for me. I don’t have a lot of storage space in my pantry so things like cereal and crackers and chips, etc. always seem to end up on top of the refrigerator.

I found these awesome Harry and David copper colored metal baskets at Goodwill yesterday for $7.87 each. I knew they would go perfectly with the copper colored tin on the wall behind them. The one on the left holds snacks and the one on the right, cereal and crackers.

I saw them listed online anywhere from $14 – $46 each so these were a pretty good price. Yay!

#4 My final thrifted item project for the week came about because of the stalk of dried wheat I found at Goodwill. They had just put out several bunches of these. I only bought one bunch but now wish I had gotten more. I used several pieces in this beautiful tall vase a friend gave me. It will be going on the floor next to my fireplace. I do have enough left over for several future projects. so that’s good.

That’s all for now. I thrifted more things, but haven’t decided yet how I will use them. So keep checking back. I will be sharing when the inspiration comes.

Valentine Display

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I took down my winter display this morning (I’m so over winter here in Missouri) and put up a Valentine one. I don’t decorate a lot for Valentine’s Day and since this is across from my recliner, I get to enjoy it quite a bit. 😁

I don’t remember where I got those faux tulips, but I love the color and the quality. I’ve had the cut glass vase forever. I made the wired rope heart earlier this week and love it so much I’m keeping it. Lol

The fireplace garland I made last year. I leave the greenery and the yarn hearts and pom pom garland up all year and just add to it each season.

I found the Valentine screensaver on YouTube. So many cool TV art screensavers on YouTube. Just do a search for TV art and you will find all kinds. Since my mantle is so close to my TV, I found the screensavers do a good job of decorating my mantle area.

Simple, but inviting. This screensaver plays relaxing music and several different images. So relaxing! But not for long. We are headed to a couple of our booths for some makeovers in a few minutes.

Working on an Art Deco Dresser

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We’ve been working on an Art Deco dresser. Danny has taken it all apart and is rebuilding it. It is going to be beautiful! The detail is so pretty! But the drawer pulls are spectacular! They were so worn and discolored but still all in one piece. The red Bakelite inserts are in perfect shape and by themselves are valuable. I cleaned them, scrubbed them with Bar Keepers Friend, then waxed them and applied gold leaf RubnBuff. They are amazing!

The dresser had been painted in an earlier life. The only thing now is to decide what color to paint it. My thought right now is to paint it a bluish green color with our Missouri Limestone Paint Company chalk paint color we named “Something Blue”. Then highlight the details on the front, the trim on the back of the top, and the feet with gold leaf RubnBuff.