Tag Archives: chalk-based paint

An Upcycled Mantle Clock

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I thrifted a mantle clock awhile back, thinking I would paint it and update it a bit. The clock mechanism was broken and I didn’t want to buy a new one, so I decided to turn it into a somewhat neutral winter decoration. Mine looked similar to this one.

The first thing I did was remove the plastic clock face. I cleaned it well, then decoupaged printed tissue paper onto the back instead of the front. This will help keep the tissue nice and make the front easy to keep clean.

Once the tissue paper was dry, I sealed the back with Mod Podge and let that dry. Then I painted over the tissue with white chalk paint to give a white background that would make the design stand out. I let that dry. I missed getting a picture of that and I was afraid to try to pop it back out of its frame after decoupaging. I thought it might tear the paper. But just know that one coat of paint over the dry tissue is all you need.

I then cleaned the clock with Windex and my idea was to dry brush white chalk paint over it. That looked terrible as the base was way too dark. So I let that dry, then drybrushed over the white with a green called “Cupboard Green”.

To drybrush you get a little paint on a brush (I use a chip brush you can get at Dollar Tree, Walmart, etc.)

Then using a paper towel, I dabbed most of the paint off, then I went over the piece, a little thicker than I did the white. This allowed some of the white and the original dark brown to show through for a beautiful distressed result.

I placed it on top of my china cabinet with some vintage looking snowmen and the “book vase” I made from 3 of my childhood story books. They are just tied together so they aren’t damaged at all. It is now holding a small Christmas tree. I love changing what it holds for the different seasons and to be able to see these books on display.

A Vintage Spice Rack Gets a Modern Look

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I thrifted a vintage spice rack at an estate sale awhile ago. It was in great shape and I don’t think the jars had ever been used. I knew I could update it and make it work for today’s kitchen decor and be functional as well.

I also ordered some spice jar labels from Temu for it. They arrived, so it was time for this makeover.

Today, I cleaned the spice rack well, took off the eagle and stars and painted the spice rack with black chalk paint (3 coats), then distressed it. A friend from one of my groups collects eagles, so I am sending the little eagle to her for her collection.

The secret for no brush strokes with the chalk paint I use is thin coats.
Even an emery board will lightly distress wood.

I then sealed it with Wise Owl Salve.

I took the old labels off the jars. They all, except for two of them easily slid off by soaking them in hot, soapy water. Only two required a little scrubbing. I then applied the labels I thought people would use most often.

This spice rack now has an updated modern look.

Eureka! It’s Purple!!

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The purple chalk style paint we created to paint a vintage wooden chair is such a pretty color, we decided to name it MO Eureka Purple.

I decided after seeing a similar chair painted purple by Junk Chick, I knew I had to paint one, too. I sold it even before it was finished to a customer whose favorite color is purple!

This is your Missouri History lesson for today. George Hearst was born in Franklin County, Missouri … some say near what was to become Sullivan, Missouri. His wife, Phoebe, was born in Anaconda, near St. Clair. George named his copper mine, Anaconda. I’m not sure but would like to think he yelled “Eureka” when his mines would produce. I haven’t found out if this is true or not but since that is the city where one of our sons lived in and still is close by and our grandson still goes to elementary school there, and the school color is purple…. MO Eureka Purple is the perfect name. I wonder if that is why the city is named Eureka.

Painting this chair reminds me that the second thing I ever painted with chalk paint was in January 2014. My best friend had been painting some furniture and gave me some left over Annie Sloan gray paint in 2013. It took me a year to try it. After that, I was hooked.

You can click on this link: Annie Sloan and Me to see my first experiences with chalk paint.

We purchased Missouri Limestone Paint Company in 2019 and continue producing the brand to this day.

I liked Annie Sloan paint but after trying Missouri Limestone Paint Company’s chalk-style paint in 2015, produced in Ozark, Missouri, I was hooked and SharSum Paint company was born. I love how smoothly it goes on with no brush strokes at all as long as you apply a very thin coat for the first coat. This is the gripping coat. The second coat usually does full coverage. It dries so fast (usually 15-20 minutes), by the time you have finished the first coat, it is ready for the second.

Introducing MO Eureka Purple – a vintage chair painted purple and displaying my favorite faux purple flowers!

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!

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.

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.

Mini Jute Rope Christmas Tree

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I had such fun making my 8” tall jute tree https://sharsumpaint.com/2022/10/17/spiral-jute-rope-christmas-tree/, I had to make a smaller one this morning.

I changed it up a little. This one is 5” tall. I used a small 2 1/4” wood slice for the base and cut down the size of the skewer some. It still has a point on it for piercing each strand of jute. I just cut it off at the end.

The jute pieces I used:

12 – 4”
12 – 3”
12 – 2”
2 – 1”
And a half inch piece. For this one I used more glue and pressed and molded it to round off the top.

I cut off the skewer and left enough to glue the greenery and the star to the skewer and glued some jute to the back of it to cover.

This one got caught in a snow storm so has a bit of snow (paint) on the branches.

Stenciled Cutting But add Book Stand

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Another morning project. I paid more than I usually do for a thrifted item, but this piece was in perfect condition.

This book stand is perfect for propping your phone, your iPad, the book you are reading, or an old fashioned cookbook.

I added the Dollar Tree stencil, using a light gray chalk paint. One trick for getting crisp lines with no bleeding is to use a clear sealer first. Let that dry and then paint over the stencil with your color of choice. The front is sealed with Wise Owl Salve.

Dollar Tree Napkin Two Ways

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Played with the super pretty Dollar Tree napkins today. I made a riser from a pumpkin cut out. For this I painted the board white with slight distressing on the edges. It creates a completely different look than when applying it to raw wood. The other items were on the raw wood, with some distressing done using antique wax.

Love the colors. And they have a dish towel to match! Not to mention glasses, paper plates, and a dish drying pad.