Dining Room Cha-Changes

I mentioned the other day that we made some changes to the dining room.  There was a great blue/green color on the wall when we moved in, but I decided I wanted something that went a little better with the colors in the living room.  Well for a moment I thought I was over chalkboard paint....and then I guess we decided to make the entire wall a chalkboard....I'm still not sure how that happened, but I think it worked out just fine.

 

 Here's how the dining room looked when we moved it. 

 

And here it is after the new paint.  I used the same paint on the three frames that I used on the cabinet, to create some contrast on the wall. 

 

Here's a little closer shot of the cabinet with the chalkboard paint peeking through the back.

 

 linking up to Our Fifth House

From Blah to Oooh La La

Alright, maybe I went a little overboard with that title, but I did finish up something I've been wanting to do for awhile.  We bought this cabinet to fit a specific space in our last house.  It's been a great little piece because it holds many of our serving dishes, but it doesn't take up too much space. 

I'm slowly but surely trying to un-espresso brown (I might make up a lot of new words in this post) some of our furniture and this was a great one to get going on.  I mixed myself up a little chalk paint from this recipe I talked about a few weeks ago and painted away.  I have to say, I absolutely love painting with chalk paint.  Its so easy and I love the results.  I chose a light gray with a touch of blue.  I thought it would contrast the new wall well.  (more to come on that!)

It wasn't the sturdiest of pieces because we kept the back off when we put it together.  In our previous house, we had an outlet we needed to access behind one of the shelves, so I used the back for a different project.  I wanted to do something a little more unique than just find another solid back for it, so I attached a couple pieces of reclaimed barn wood from the hutch to the cabinet.  Now its sturdified and uniquified. 

 

 

hooking up to that DIY party

Painted Bookshelves

I picked up this free Billy bookcase off of craigslist last week and finally got one of my painting projects done.  I'd been looking to fill in the nook on the other side of the mantel from this one....

It was kind of a tricky space because it was only 26" wide, but the billy fit just perfect.  He started out like this...

This was one the gray I tried first.  I had a hard time taking a picture of it so you could see the actual color, but this was the best one. 

Way. Too, Blue. for what I wanted.  I had already painted the back a teal, so I wanted something very neutral for the sides.  I picked up a lighter shade of gray and it ended up like this

Bread Board Tutorial

A while ago I did a tutorial on my bread boards over Infarrantly Creative, but I realized I never shared it over here!  So, I'm just sharing this tutorial with you today.  This has become a fun little project for me.  I started just making them for myself so I could use them when we're entertaining, but I love coming up with different shapes and sizes, so I ended up making quite a few.
Anyway, here you go!

Here’s the short and sweet list of what you’ll need. 

Wood (I used a 1x12 of pine)

Jig Saw

Sandpaper

Tung Oil (may also use mineral oil)

Cloth

Step 1 – Cut your board to the any size you choose.  You can also ask the hardware store to cut your pieces for you. 

Step 2 - Decide on what shape you would like your handle to have.  I wanted each of my smaller boards to take on a unique look so I chose to do a rounded, straight and a curved handle.  Take a piece of paper the width of your board, and fold it in half.  Draw your shape and cut it out to form a mirrored image.  Trace directly onto your board. 

Step 3 - Use a jigsaw to cut along the traced line. 

Step 4 - Sand your wood with 100 grit sandpaper.  I find it easiest to use a palm sander in order to round the edges and corners.  Finish off your sanding with 220 grit sandpaper, making sure your entire board is very smooth.  Wipe it down with a tack cloth or a damp paper towel.

The next step is to seal your wood. I did a little research to try and find the best product to both stain and seal the wood while also being FDA approved for food contact.  I found a great product from The Real Milk Paint Company called Dark Raw Tung Oil.  One of my favorite features is that it forms a waterproof matte finish.  It is also very easy to apply. 

Step 5 - Pour the tung oil directly onto the wood and rub it in using a cotton cloth.  After covering your entire piece, use a clean cloth to remove any excess oil.  Repeat as many layers as you would like to enhance the color.

Step 6 – Let dry completely for 48 hours.  You may want to lay it on a towel as it dries to soak up any any left over oil.

There you have it!  Beautiful bread boards for any occasion! Try using a large one as a centerpiece or the smaller sizes at each table setting. 

Oh, and I've had a couple of people ask.....I usually don't wear loose clothing while I'm working with my table saw, but I was heading out the door just a few minutes after the pictures were taken.  I wouldn't try that at home, ha!

All things new - Sherry Muchira Music

"I used to be a child
Before I came to know the ways of man
I used to sit at your feet, hang on your words, drink of your love
Yes, I used to be a child"
-Sherry Muchira



Aren't these amazing lyrics?  I've never been the best with words....saying things in the best way or explaining truly how I feel.  So when I listen to these lyrics by Sherry Muchira, I am simply amazed.  She writes the most incredible music and lyrics and she has come out with a new album.  I simply adore it.  In fact, she has a concert THIS Saturday!  You can check out more about her here and here. You can sample some of her music here.  And purchase a copy here!

Recovering chairs in contrasting fabric

Well, I'm still working on my chalk paint projects (and its quite possible I started another one right in the middle of my first one).  I have paint, rollers, brushes and drop cloths all over the place.  But as I sit here and watch paint dry, my mind has already moved on to the next project. 
It's probably no surprise I love a good mix of patterns and textures, and right now I'm loving them on chairs.  I think it gives them such a unique and dramatic look.  I'm itching to find the right fabrics so I can get started on a recovering a couple chairs with a mix of prints.   Here's what I'm talking about...

 

 

 

 

sources {1,2,3,4)

 

I hope you have a great weekend!

Chalk Paint Recipe

I've been seeing projects all over the place using chalk paint (not chalk board paint, just chalk paint) and I'm not only loving the results, I'm also loving how simple it seems to use because there isn't much preparation.  No sanding, no primer...right up my alley.  Chalk paint can be used if you want to easily distress your furniture or to give it that slightly aged feel.  I looked up Annie Sloan's chalk paint, but it's a little hard to get your hands on so I searched to find a recipe and came up with one that I'm hoping will do the trick.

Here's what you need
: paint
: plaster of paris
: water

		Chalk Paint Recipe
		1 Cup Paint
		2 Tablespoons Plaster of Paris
		1 Tablespoons water
		hosannamade5.blogspot.com

Now I'm off to try it out!  I hope it's as easy as it seems...but then I might paint all the furniture in th house.  Wish me luck!