Spring spray paint projects

Winter continues... and my spray paint projects are piling up. Can't spray paint in below zero temps! When spring finally comes, I want to tackle these spray paint projects:

• Two frames for my office
• The metal trashcan in my office
• The metal register grate in the bathroom
• A plant pot for my office
• Finishing the guest room night stand I started last year
• Another guest room night stand

       

 I'm sure I'll be adding to this list!

Quick Fix - Whiteout

Not too long ago I told you about my quick fix for nicks and scratches on black painted items. My favorite fix for white painted items is whiteout. It even comes with it's own little brush!

Auction shelf redo

When a couple of schools closed in our area I discovered online auctions. I love them! I bid on furniture or other items from the comfort of my home, get emails when I've been outbid so I can decide if I want to up my bid, and then pick up my prizes after the auction is over. This shelf is one of my finds. I thought I had some pix of the whole shelf before, but apparently I don't. Sorry : ( I paid $1 for it! And a 20% auction surcharge - so really $1.20. And I bought bread sticks for my daughter and her friend - they picked it up for me because I was out-of-town on pick up day. Totally worth it! But it needed some love. It was bright yellow and blue and the shelves and top were covered in contact paper.

 

(This piece came from another school closing.) To my delight, the contact paper peeled off the shelves easily! The top was a little tougher, but not bad.

 

The top was really rough under the contact paper, though. So I sanded it really well.

I primed it and then painted it white. Though I've been embracing color lately, this pieces is large and I didn't want to paint it again any time soon. So I wanted neutral paint for it, and since I knew it was going in my light and airy office, I went with white, and I'm glad I did. I'm considering a design for the back of the shelves, though - maybe using stick on vinyl. And I might paint the chunky little legs a bright color. I'd also like to put some decorative molding on the edges. I'll keep you posted.

 

(Yes, I have quite the collection on the shelves. lol They house my camera collection, as well as signed books, photos, and an assortment of items that have good memories attached. ) This post is linked to:

Would I use chalk paint again?

 

So, after reading my homemade chalk paint post, a reader asked me if I'd use it again.

I think I would. But probably for smaller projects than a dresser. And maybe only for projects I plan to distress. But it was easy and inexpensive to make, and a little did go a long way. I think I owe it to chalk paint to try again! lol And, I have to admit, I'd like to try some "real" chalk paint. I just wish it wasn't so expensive!

Transforming a wall hanging

My parents have been packing up nearly 45 years of living in preparation for moving to a new home.

They've purged tons, and offered me some things. This was one of them:

 

I really liked the cats on it - they're fun! - and I thought they would look nice in the room I'm slowly turning into a guest room. But the yellow checked border made it look too "country" for my tastes. Paint is the simple solution, of course ; ) I just used 50 cent craft paint from Walmart, a small brush, and a sponge brush to paint black over the yellow checked border. So cute!  I think the black really makes the cats pop more, too. And now it works with my decor.

    

This post is linked to:

I finally tried homemade chalk paint

We recently purchased a new (to us) dresser for our youngest daughter. (We went to Restore - if you've never been to one, check them out! They sell used household items that have been donated and the proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity.)

 

 I knew I would be distressing the dresser to match her other furniture, and this seemed the perfect chance to finally try homemade chalk paint. I used this recipe. I found plaster of Paris at a local craft store. A large carton was very reasonable - under $6. And the recipe was very easy to make. The paint went on easy, though it didn't work well (for me, at least) with a roller. I ended up using a sponge applicator. I'm a roller girl so this was a little disappointing. It did seem to go really far, like promised. But I didn't seem to get great coverage. I had to do multiple coats. In the end, the dresser came out great, though. After painting it, I used my sander to rough it up a bit. I sprayed the hardware with Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint. I've been hearing about this on blogs for ages and was excited to have a chance to try it out. I loved it! And it was the perfect touch for this dresser.

Krylon MAXX?

I was in Walmart yesterday. I was NOT shopping for paint. Really. But as I passed the paint aisle to get to the light bulbs, I saw these:

Looks like Krylon has come out with an ultimate coverage paint. As you know, I love Krylon spray paint. I can't wait to try out this new type!