Fun Chalkboard Paint Project

I had the best time at the Raleigh Flea Market this past Saturday! One of the treasures I found was this beautiful old picnic basket! I have been searching for several years for just the right picnic basket, and was so excited to find this one and for a great price, too!

I have had this project in mind for years, just waiting for the right picnic basket to come along:

It involves the picnic basket &...you guessed it!....Chalkboard paint!!!!!!

I painted a couple of coats on the inside of the lid. This way when you lift the lid to get out your goodies everyone can see your fun message!

I used Chalk Ink markers made just for chalkboards (found @ Michael's or on Amazon) to write about the fun things you do on a picnic! This would also be cute for writing your picnic menu, or a quote or love note!

The cool thing about these Chalk Ink markers is they don't smudge, so the writing doesn't come off till you clean it with water or a little ammonia based cleaner! Perfect for this project....your message won't be erased by the yummies in your basket!

No lid on your picnic basket???

Just get a small chalkboard, drill 2 holes in the top of the wood (or just use your trusty hot glue gun!) and tie it with ribbon to the front of your basket!

Easy-peasy lemon-squeezey!!!

Tuck in some pretty fabric to line your picnic basket, and fill with:

mouth-waterin' yummy goodies
pretty vintage little plates you found thriftin'
some binoculars for bird watching
a frisbee or bubbles or deck of cards
a good book or magazine to gaze at
a couple of plastic grocery bags to hold dirty dishes on the way home
and your camera to capture the memories!

My girls are home on track-out (they go to a year-round school....9 weeks tracked in school, then 3 weeks tracked out...all year round....yes, they get additional holiday breaks, and yes we LOVE it!) so I'm heading to the kitchen now to pack a yummy picnic lunch for the family!

Isn't this project fun?!!
Let me know if you try this too!

ps--Thank you SO much to everyone for the dear birthday messages y'all left me yesterday! It totally made my day :)!!!

Birdcage, Industrial Style!

I love to go to flea markets and fun antiques shops! And, I'll admit, I also "dumpster dive" or nab "curbside castoffs" from time to time! Any junker worth her stuff will do what is necessary to get the good junk!!

One of the things that I find when out flea-ing are these old industrial light covers. They would cover a lightbulb to protect it from breakage. Well, I am drawn to these little guys for several reasons.....neutral color, great form and lines, and fun stuff you can do with them!!

Like turn one into a "birdcage"!! That's what they remind me of sometimes! :)
I have this cutie-patootie on my sunroom "potting bench".
Isn't this fun??!!!

Don't you just wish you had one too?!! :)

Window Frame T2T

Well, better late than never, right? Sorry this wasn't ready for you this morning, but my family & my health (another post for another time) takes precedence! :) Well, faithful readers, here's the promised T2T (trash to treasure) project!!!

It started as a chance meeting by the curb. Just my hubby & the old window frame with all the glass still intact! He was a trouper, and brought it home for me. And the poor window proceeded to sit with my other projects-to-do in the garage for, oh, just 3-ish years!!

Yay! Inspiration struck last week. I finally got that old window out, cleaned 'er up real good, and painted 2 coats of white paint on it in the driveway.

Then the window sat some more. Just a few days this time!

I printed some words off the computer to reverse paint-pen on the glass, had a few candids of the fam printed in black & white 5x7's, and went to town!

And here's the finished (almost!) project!!! The words say "our family est. 1997", and has pics of my hubs and me on our 10th anniversary trip, and our 2 little girls. I still might antique it a little, and obviously have to cover up the picture hangers at the top with something cool, but it's mainly done.

I love family photos mainly because I love my family so much! A lot of decorators say not to put family pics in the main rooms of your home, but I say I'd like to see these lovely, smiling faces I adore in the rooms in which I actually spend time in! And a family room should be just that--for family.

:)

This pic above is a closer look at the painted words, it's also a truer version of the color difference between frame and wall color.

Below are a couple pics of the darling gifts that my new blogging friend Cheryl sent me for playing her "Paying It Forward" game! Thank You, Cheryl--I love it!!!

I really had fun doing the window t2t project! I know window picture frames have been done before, but I thought you might get a kick out of this anyway! :) I love how it turned out!! Have any of you done any window projects you'd want to share? If so, put a link in the comments for this post.

Blessings to Your Families tonight,

Stacey

White Paint, Thrift Store Treasures & Saying Hello

It's the little things in life that are so wonderful!

Like taking a curbside castoff and (FINALLY!) transforming it into something useful and beautiful! I spent a bit this morning doing the first coat of white paint on an old window my husband picked up for me off the curb in our old city. Yes, I DID say my hubby did it! He was mortified the first few times I did it myself, but then he realized that trashpile treasures fit in nicely with his frugal nature! :D

While I was painting on a tarp in the driveway, a woman and her kids came by, walking their dog. I looked up and said, "Hello!", and a lovely conversation followed! Their family is new to the neighborhood and lives 1 street over. She asked about my fence, we talked about the elementary school, and how wonderfully friendly our neighborhood is!

I just love little conversations like this! I always choose to do projects in the front yard vs. the back yard, and love to spend more gardening/yard sprucing time out front than tucked away in back. And all for the simple reason of getting to know my neighbors! It's amazing how relationships form from being in the front garden and chatting with neighbors who are taking a walk or also working outside. I grew up in the country with no neighbors, and so I really cherish the opportunity to get to know the ones I have now!

I went running errands this afternoon, and decided to stop by the thrift store. I had seen a beautiful silverplate tray there last week and couldn't stop thinking about it. They still had it! I was really excited, especially when I saw this fun old baby bassinet for only $3!!

I think I'm going to use it to hold my girls' stuffed animals and doll babies!

I'm surrounded now by giggles, homework, and the jingle-jangle of Sadie's dog collar. Crazy noise to some, but to me, tonight, it's...wonderful!!!

Have a blessed evening,
Stacey