So when I reclaimed this one from my daughter, I knew she needed a refresh and a special place in my garden to invoke those sweet Wildwood memories and brighten a corner in our yard.

She is in great shape for her age. Very little rust. And most of it is just surface rust.

I’ve heard that you can repair more serious damage with auto repair body filler. Good to note that for the future. But my project will just consist of sanding and painting, fortunately.

Let’s Get Started

As always, we start with a good cleaning followed by a good sanding to remove loose paint and smooth the surface for better paint adhesion.

After sanding, she got another wipedown to remove the dust.

Time for paint color selection. I just received a lovely yellow paint from Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. This paint was designed for use on salvaged, antique, and vintage items marked for restoration. So, BDSFP is perfect for this vintage metal yard or patio chair. Let me introduce you to Star City Sunshine!

I expected 3 coats would be needed since this yellow is covering the pinky mauve which covered the red.

Here is the chair after one coat.

As expected, I moved onto a second coat. The trick to better coverage is to ensure the first coat has completely dried before moving onto the next coat. This keeps the paint from streaking. Here is Sunshine during application of the second coat.

And finally, voila!

It’s that time of month where the Thrift Store Decor Team publishes new posts! On the second Wednesday of every month, the team shares new projects featuring upcycled, recycled, renewed or newly created items that you can use in your decor. Accompanying the transformation pieces are always new tips, skills and products to help you in your DIY and upcycling journey!

You will find all of this month’s projects at the end of this post. Be sure to visit everyone!

Now, to decide where this beauty should live.

For now, she is residing on the deck by the entryway. She is quite welcoming.

And she looks even better in the bright sun!

Ah! I just love vintage everywhere!

Here is another vintage garden post:

And apparently I do like vintage seating!

My Repurposed Life DIY Outdoor Fairy Light Lampshade

Shop At Blu Refreshed Vintage Metal Patio Chair

Our Crafty Mom Thrift Store Lampshade Makeover

Funky Junk Interiors DIY Upcycled Globe Light, Cloche, Pedestal Bowl and Paper Towel Stand

Redhead Can Decorate  Glass Rainbow Garden Tower 

Exquisitely Unremarkable Thrifted Botanical Print Makeover

The post A Timely Refresh for a Vintage Metal Yard Chair appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I think it’s the after affect of having a Dad with 7 siblings who grew up in working class Philadelphia just after the Depression…but I have trouble throwing things away. I see value in everything. So when Mr. Blu said it’s time for this old mantle to go…I just could not do it!

I do love old wood and I’ve restored enough of it to know that you can revive wood. I think rustic items in your outdoor space are fabulous. You may remember this mantle from years ago…my first deck decorating post.

She weathered the Alabama heat and storms well. But she shore doesn’t look like that anymore. Several years ago, we removed her to rebuild our deck and she has been sitting under the deck since…neglected and discarded.

I’ve decided to give her a last hurrah! If we are reviving something fabulous, you know it must Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday.

And I have the perfect spot for her!

I have wanted to start a lovely perennial garden right here. Why not build it around this ol’ gal? So I removed the planter and sign from the fence. Oh boy, this fence will need a good pressure washing to make a better backdrop for the antique mantle.

I dragged the mantle over for a visual.

She fit perfectly but I should have reinforced her wobbly joints before I moved her. She needs to be realigned. The rotted wood was worse than I had suspected. When I moved her out of the way to clean the fence she kinda sorta fell apart. So I laid her flat on the grass and put her in line for a bath.

The fence needed cleaning so I grabbed my Ryobi pressure washer to give the fence a refresh.

Wow! Already looking much better.

Since the fence cleaned up so well, I decided to pressure wash the mantle as well. I knew the chippy paint would probably all be removed but I knew the antique wood was under there and I thought that was a great trade off to restore/expose some of that antique woodgrain. Hopefully we will see an improvement.

I pressure washed the antique mantle and was pleasantly surprised to see some of the beauty of the wood appear from beneath the grime.

I moved her piece by piece into place against the fence.

One piece at a time until she stood tall.

The mantle shelf will need to be replaced as this one is beyond repair. But that is a project for another day. I also noticed, after seeing the old post picture above, that the supports for the mantle shelf are missing. So I will need to replace those. I leveled her and nailed her to the cross posts of the fence.

I am also considering to paint her as she is quite difficult to see next to the fence, even though the fence was cleaned. Wood on wood makes it a bit difficult to appreciate the antique mantle’s lines and the curves of the pillars. Normally, I would not paint an old mantle but this gal is definitely beyond her prime and I think I will need some help making her really shine again. That said, I might have some tricks up my sleeve to restore that wood a bit more. We will call that part two of this project! Stay tuned for that.

With the mantle in place and secured to the cross bars of the fence, I felt confident that the Alabama wind won’t send her back into pieces!

Planting a Garden around the Antique Mantle

This time of year, I usually have newly acquired plants sitting in the driveway waiting to be planted. Like these hydrangeas. $14.99 each? Yes, please and thank you Aldi!

And that is a butterfly bush behind the purple hydrangea. My old one did not survive this past winter. It was unusually cold. I had also grabbed a few perennials in vibrant yellow that caught my eye. Those will go into the garden here as well. I gathered some other plants from around the yard like this flapjack succulent. She weathered very well this winter in the garage and is ready to be thinned out so I will try her in the ground this season.

I added a few plant in pots to fill up the space like a strawberry pot filled with seedum and some succulents. I will fill in the spaces with more succulents. And there are some irises in in front of the mantle to be thinned and moved against the fence. I started by placing a basket of petunia like flowers (I’ll have to look up the name) on the shelf. I will eventually add some smaller pots but will need to replace that shelf first.

I placed my selection of plants in front of the mantle and started to put them into the ground.

The space filled up quickly. Mr. Blu took one look at the small section of fence and decided to pressure wash the entire fence. He was out there long after these plants went into the ground. And the entire fence is now clean!

Now to fill in the large fence back drop. I may install the mirror behind the shelf. Still deciding on that. And I’m thinking a unique trellis where the firebox would sit. There is already vinca planted to that should fill in nicely. But in the meantime, I popped my dragonflies here (fresh from their second makeover) and they are perfect!

I returned the garden sign to the area.

And added Lady.

And I think I will call it a day. I will let this little garden settle for a few weeks. Next, I will add some filler, like succulents. It needs some height behind the plants, too. And some character to the visible fence…maybe a lime wash on the mantle? I’m open for ideas here, friends! Because Mr. Blu will want those dragonflies back on his deck!

And here are all of the post from my other team members. Be sure to leave them each a comment!

Funky Junk Interiors  Upcycled Ceiling Fan Blade Flower Yard Art

Shop At Blu Antique Mantle in the Garden – Why Not??

My Repurposed Life Unique Upcycle for a $1 Thrift Store Frame

Our Southern Home Easy European Wall Art with Thrift Store Frames

Sadie Seasongoods Upcycling a Wooden Cafeteria Tray (Without Paint!)

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Rag Flag From Thrifted Clothes

Exquisitely Unremarkable Romantic Textured Vase Makeover

Our Crafty Mom Antique Steam Trunk Makeover

Redhead Can Decorate  How I Created a Beach House Guest Room Using Heirloom Furniture 

The post Antique Mantle in the Garden appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Mr. Blu likes a nice variety of whiskey. I’m not a big fan of the smokey Old standard unless it is sweetened and flavored and disguised like Apple Crown. And I’ve developed a liking to flavored brandy. There’s nothing quite so shocking as sitting down to sip some Apple Crown, taking that first relaxing sip, and grimacing because you’ve got your palette full of Woodford Reserve. So, I decided to avert future disasters by making liquor bottle labels or tags for our decanters.

We had developed a bit of a whiskey and bar selection during Covid. As a blogger who is constantly trying to improve the aesthetic in my home, those bottle lined up in the kitchen became an eyesore. Does your liquor shelf look like this?

So last year, I dug out the glass and crystal decanters that were stored in the buffet, boxes, and closets around the house. I had collected these when I had my antiques and consignment store, The Blue Building. The decanters were some of the items I decided not to part with so they were in boxes in the garage.

I decided to store the more commonly enjoyed liquors in the decanters. Specialty selections would stay in their original bottles on the shelf. As you can see, my first attempt at creating labels didn’t go so well.

I used adhesive backed labels that I had picked up some time ago. They were probably too old as they curled up a bit.

I even tried to label directly on the glass with a paint marker. Ugly!

The stickers didn’t work so well on the glass and some even fell off.

And the white marker that I used didn’t create crisp letters. What a mess! I needed something that would stay put and look like it was not created in a kindergarten class.

Liquor Bottle Label Examples

I checked out the price of actual tags on Amazon and found the average price to be around $20 for 6 tags. They had liquor tags made of metal, in silver, and gold, liquor sticker labels, a nice little variety. That could get pricey with the small but varied selection on our bar top. Isn’t that why we DIY? So, I will make some DIY liquor bottle tags.

I am sharing this little project as part of the monthly Creative Craft Hop. Thank you to Donna at Modern on Monticello for hosting this month. Give her some extra love by lingering on her pages for more fabulous inspiration. If you are visiting from Sarah’s over at Birds of a Feather, welcome! I know you enjoyed Sarah’s project. Who doesn’t love a little crochet activity? Let’s get on with creating some liquor bottle labels.

Creating a Liquor Bottle Label Design

I used the graphics option in Pic Monkey to select a few designs. I decided to start simple with just a basic design of simple fonts on white background with black lettering. I can always up my game later. In my DIY world, I always start simple, learn the process, and then elevate.

I started with the whiskey since there was a great variety and then I added the flavored vodkas.

I ordered these chains from Amazon. They are 4″ long and easily snap together to increase the chain length. I used 2 for each tab.

They had many option for color. I chose this brown because I thought it resembled copper. Turns out they really look like brown but I do like the unexpected color.

I printed the graphic design and cut out the tags.

I made a few blanks.

I bought this little laminator back when I had my store. I think I have used it once. It has a variety of laminating sheets to choose from…normal page size, 5X7 for photos, and a wallet size too.

After figuring out how the heck it operated, I was able to laminate my tags.

I poked two holes in each tag and threaded the chain through each tag. I didn’t want to spend $ on a new hole punch for a tiny hole so I just used some small pointy embroidery scissors.

The chains are the right size and slip over the decanter necks very easily.

I made tags for the brands that we normally enjoy but made a few blanks that I can write on with a Sharpie.

I used a decanter that belonged to my Mom. I remember this being in our dining room but always empty. I think it is from the 1970’s.

And now I see them all of the time. I had this one in storage from my shop.

This vintage duo came from my store.

As did this one.

And this was an anniversary gift to Mom and Dad on their 25th Wedding Anniversary. Don’t mind the wonky Peach brandy label. I tried to use the label from the original bottle but the pieces wanted to move position when the ran through the laminator. I will make another label to replace this one.

I even made a few label for the guys on the bench. It’s important to be ready when you are called up!

And I still have a decanter or two to fill but I need to make a stopper for this one.

And here is the gang all ready for the party.

Below are the 5 moreprojects for this month’s Creative Craft Hop. Next, on the tour is this month’s lovely host, Donna. Be sure to leave some comments and show the creators some love! Thanks for stopping by.

How to Make Liquor Bottle Tags

Painting Mini Chairs For Shelf Decor

How to Cover an Acrylic File Organizer with Decorative Paper

Crochet Leaf Earrings

Upcycle Picture Frames to Trays

How to Crochet a Cozy Tablet Case

The post How to Make Liquor Bottle Tags appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Once you find a great piece of curbside gold, your eye will forever scour the curb on trash day. This beauty was just sitting atop a pile of branches. I heard a very faint “SAVE ME” as I passed. So, I hit the brakes and loaded her into the van. A metal outdoor side table can last many many years. And when the base is constructed of wrought iron, she may just last a lifetime or two.

If I am upcycling, recycling, repurposing, or restyling dated decor, you know it it time for the Thrift Store Decor Team monthly posts. Join us here every second Wednesday of the month to see what we have restored/repurposed this month! You will find direct links to all TEN projects at the end of this post.

Each spring I upcycle some planters or table on our deck. I remain pretty consistent with the colors. Of course, my base color is almost always blue, usually a teal. And I will add a variety of accent colors depending on what flowers I have found so far at local nurseries.

I really wanted some fabulous color in this table so I decided to try the paint pour technique. This is my first time trying paint pour. I was quite surprised to discover that there are many different techniques, products, and styles. I started, appropriately, with simple. My plan was to add the paint, tilt the table and see what this created. Just the basics.

Prep Your Piece

As always, I started by cleaning my table. I gave the wrought iron base a good wiping to remove any dust and surface dirt. I just wiped with a work glove. It worked pretty well.

The base was in great shape with minimal surface rust so Rustoleum was a good choice.

The base has really great features.

Then I sprayed the base with my go to spray paint, Rustoleum. Their hammered metal comes in a nice variety of colors. I chose brown to blend with our deck furniture. I have a little wire shelf that I use for all of my spray paint projects. I just set the project piece on top and apply a coat of spray paint. I let it dry, rotate the piece, and repeat until the entire surface is painted.

I allowed this to dry overnight. I wanted to make sure that the paint had cured because I would be taping off the base to ensure that the table top paint would not pour onto the newly painted base.

Rustoleum does not disappoint.

The next day I used brown craft paper and frogtape to mask off the entire base and the rim of the table top.

I made certain that the FrogTape was secure and left no spaces through which paint could seep.

It was not pretty but it was efficient.

Next, I prepped the wooden surface of the table top with a base coat. I used Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint in Clean Canvas.

After this dried, it was time to pour on the white acrylic.

Commence the Paint Pour

I ordered the acrylic paint from Amazon. I decided on a background coat of white and found this larger 32 oz. volume white for the background color.

I grabbed this variety pack of 18 great colors. Bonus as it was from one of my favorite suppliers, DecoArt. If you need paint for any craft project…DecoArt is your source.

Aren’t these bold colors fabulous?

It was so difficult to narrow down the colors but I decided on:

• Ultra Blue Deep
• Ocean Blue
• Bahama Blue
• Purple Pizzazz
• Royal Fuschia
• Coral Blush
• Cadmium Yellow

I watched a few tutorials but tried to stay with the basic beginner projects. Some of the instructions recommended using Floetrol to keep the paint fluid and extend the drying time to manipulate the color across the surface. While I did have Floetrol on hand, I really wanted to start with the basics and try a simple approach on this first project. Yes, I was fairly certain going in that this would be the first of many paint pour projects.

So I did not use the Floetrol and I did not have a problem in applying the white.

Once I had all of the white added, I lifted the edge of the table closest to me and tilted it at a steep angle. The paint immediately began to run toward the opposite edge.

Once the paint ran over the edge, I set my side of the table down and grabbed the adjacent edge. I followed the same process until the top was covered with paint.

I did add a bit more white at one point to cover one of the edges. But the process was easy.

The paint did seem to be drying quickly so I was a little worried about adding the bright colors.

What I did not do, was photograph the process of adding the colors. I was a bit nervous that the paint would dry and I would be stuck with a bunch of wonky circles. It was also difficult to stop the process to grab the phone for phots since it was a quite messy. Next time I will try to set up video because even using the remote shutter gadget would entail messy fingers on my equipment and I was not going there.

My design was basically as follows:

• I put a large circle of blue in the center.
• Added smaller light blue around the large blue circle.
• Added more teal circles.
• Made a few squiggly lines randomly in
• Added some random small dots of purple, pink and yellow.

I used a skewer and pulled it through the circles to add dimension and disperse the colors across the table top. Then I started the tilt process.

I repeated the table tilt process until the color had dispersed to my liking.

I was careful to make sure the sides were covered completely as the paint ran over the edge of the table top.

There were six sides on this table so I checked them all.

I turned on the ceiling fan and left her in the room to dry overnight.

The Frogtape came off easily and there was minimal paint seepage.

And she looks great on the deck.

Another Mia approved project.

This technique has peaked my interest:

• I am interested to learn how to make different designs.
• One tutorial said to add rubbing alcohol to some of the colors to create a more dramatic effect (the paint would separate creating a different visual).
• Small projects would be really fun.
• I can see a resin finish for indoor projects.
• So many possibilities.

Cheers!

Shop at Blu Metal Outdoor Side Table Upcycle

Exquisitely Unremarkable DIY Decal Pitcher Makeover

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia Easy Decorative Moss Balls for Spring

Redhead Can Decorate How I Transformed Our Foyer with a Thrift Store Room Divider

Sadie Seasongoods Geometric Abstract Art from a Collage Frame

Our Southern Home Piano Bench Makeover with New Color and Fabric

My Repurposed Life Can This Become a Lamp?

Funky Junk Interiors Rustic TV Stand Dresser Makeover with Easy Wood Strip Drawers

Our Crafty Mom DIY Rope Vase Pottery Barn Dupe

Songbird Vintage Tool Decor Idea

The post Metal Outdoor Side Table Upcycle appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I have seen the most lovely vintage Christmas glitter ornaments. You know the ones with the little retro elf on a round paper ornament outlined by silver tinsel? Or the cute little festive pixie in the Santa skirt? I missed the window for Christmas. Let’s make some for Valentine’s Day!

This month, I am joining a new group of blogger friends on their monthly post of craft projects. I am thrilled to be joining the Creative Craft Hop.

This craft team posts on the second Tuesday of every month so be sure to check back here EVERY month for all of the fabulous new projects.

If you are joining me from BIRDZ OF A FEATHER, welcome! And if you are a returning friend, welcome back!! You will find all of this months newly created craft projects at the end of this post. We created these just for you!

A Proper Introduction!

HELLO!

Hello! I’m Suzanne. I owned an antique store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment, for 10 years, here in Alabama near Birmingham. We closed it in 2019. I have loved creating for as long as I can remember. I’m an only child and my oldest memories are of puttering beside my dad in his workshop in our Philadelphia home. I’m back to work full time now for a regional bank but I still dabble with this blog every chance I get. My passion is for furniture but really any kind of painting gets me going. I love a good challenge and transforming old items into beautiful focal points is one of my favorite things to do. Enough about me, let’s get on with today’s crat project – creating some fabulous Valentine ornaments.

Gather Some Valentines or Graphics

I started by gathering all of my favorite vintage love graphics. I suppose 50 ornaments will do but of course I will over plan.

I found some great graphics from the following sources:

The Graphics Fairy

And, honestly, I grabbed a bunch from Google. I carefully printed them to the size I needed on cardstock. This worked rather well

Since I planned on creating 50+ ornaments, I decided it was wise to purchase a circular paper cutter so I grabbed one from Amazon. It’s always nice for the menial tasks to move a little more quickly.

Supply List for Printable Valentine Ornaments:

• white cardstock paper
• home printer
• circle cutter
• thin craft brush
• medium stiff craft brush
• gold leaf/multi color foil
• gold leaf glue
• glue gun
• Christmas hooks
• glue sticks

Glitter can be kind of messy so I decided not to use the actual glitter. I decided to give gold leaf a try instead. So I ordered some gold leaf and glue. I grabbed a foil packet with multiple colors. My plan was to use the red, pink, silver and gold.

I saved a bunch of graphics from the internet and printed them on cardstock. Then I used my new circle cutter to cut them out.

I found so many great graphics!

This project would be fabulous using actual vintage greeting cards! I will have to try this with some of my parents’ old cards. Mom didn’t throw a card away!

There was a wonderful selection in colors for the gold leaf. Each piece of gold leaf was sandwiched between two pieces of wax paper. The leaf is very delicate. If you touch it with your fingers, it actually seems to almost disintegrate. So, I did practice a bit to gain confidence with the process. I followed the directions for apply the gold leaf (and the pink leaf, the red leaf, and the silver leaf).

I used a paint brush to paint the “gold leaf glue” along the edges of each circular ornament.

Then I laid the gold leaf onto the glue and patted it down with a firm bristled brush (actually a stencil brush).

After application, I used the brush to smooth out the leaf and distribute any excess leaf.

It went rather quickly once I got the hang of the process. I liked the way the gold leaf randomly stuck to the glue in some spots but not in others. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I like randomness and distressing. So this was right up my alley.

I varied the colors of the metallic leaf trim. I used mostly red and pink and gold. But I did use some purple and some silver just to add some variety.

It really was fun combining the colors with the various prints.

So many variations!

After the ornaments dried for about an hour, I hot glued a Christmas hook to the back of each one.

I also used some of the pipe cleaners to edge a few ornaments.

But the metallic leaf was my favorite.

When I had a good number of ornaments, I added them to the tree.

I had created a good variety!

Puppies and kittens and angels.

How cute would green glitter St. Patrick’s Day ornaments be on a tree? Or patriotic Red, White, and Blue! I had better get busy.

Now I just need to get the mantle finished before the 14th!!

As promised, here are the team’s craft projects! If you are following in order, head over to visit Carol next at BLUE SKY AT HOME. Carol has a great little decoupage project for you!

Be sure to visit everyone over the next week! We certainly appreciate your support. And be sure to leave some comments as we would LOVE to know what you want to see next!

Crochet a Mini Hanging Planter (with Dollar Store Supplies!

Adorable Decorative Pillows

Decorative Cord and Mesh Placemat

Eyeglass Holder

Valentine’s Glitter Ornaments

How To Decoupage A Wood Box For Home Decor

Here are a few past Valentine’s projects:

The post Valentine’s Glitter Ornaments appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Can you believe that Fourth of July is right around the corner? I know time goes faster as you age but how did we get to July in a blink? I am rounding up my past patriotic DIY projects to celebrate Fourth of July in today’s blog hop with some creative friends.

Carol at Blue Sky at Home is once again our gracious host!  Be sure to stop by her blog at Blue Sky at Home to show her some love!

If you are following along in order and just arrived from Libby’s incredible blog at A Life Unfolding, I know you have your patriotic drink in hand. We have some great DIY and decor projects, a tablescape, and refreshments for you today! So let’s get to some more patriotic DIY projects!

Shop at Blu Patriotic DIY Projects

My absolute favorite way to decorate for patriotic holidays is with Old Glory herself. Sprinkling red, white, and blue around your home is the easiest way to add some patriotism into your decor. Grab a few flags and get to work!

You can grab flags in so many different sizes. This post, Easy Ways to Decorate with Patriotic Red, White, and Blue Decor, gives you some great sources and ways to show off Old Glory!

My antique fetish began with a healthy obsession of my MIL’s rusty and primitive decor. Flo loved all things Primitive an Americana. She really was the queen of patriotic DIY projects. Back in the 80’s, Flo made a picnic table out of a giant industrial wire spool. She was amazing! I carry her influence with me along with her beautiful collection of vintage American flags. Here is one displayed on a blanket ladder.

And these are Flo’s flags by our shed in our yard.

That little American corner screams FLO!!! I upcycled that little red garden table with this corner in mind in my More Updated Metal Garden Decor post. Everyone needs a little tribute corner to provoke fond memories, don’t you think? And this is the perfect place for your patriotic DIY projects.

Barn Metal American Flag

Keeping with Flo’s Americana/Primitive influence, a friend gave me a pile of antique barn metal. I put it to great use and created this large Barn Metal American Flag.

This is one of my favorite projects. When she goes up on the deck, you know it is Fourth of July!

As always, remember to use all of your scrap materials. These smaller barn metal flags are about 4″ X 8″ as look just darling tucked into or in front of a plant. Just scatter them around the garden.

I have several pieces left and plan to pull them out this weekend for another flag project. Look for that one next week for Thrift Store Decor Team’s second Wednesday’s monthly post

We can’t forget our Fourth of July cookouts! We always need a sweet treat and I’ve got a few!

Who doesn’t love some refreshing jello? So many colors available these days but red, white, and blue is my favorite!

Of course my patriotic desserts revolve around the kids and our pool. So something icy and refreshing is a great treat for the barbeque.

And of course, the Thrift Store Decor Team has so many patriotic posts! Click on through for this round up of 60 projects!

Celebrate the Holiday Blog Hop

Which brings us to today’s special projects for today’s hop!  Be sure to comment on what you like about each post.  We love to know what you like to see.

I hope you have a wonderful Fourth of July this year.  Despite the political turmoil, we have much to be grateful for.  Here’s to patriotic holidays!  And an extra day off!

The post Patriotic DIY Projects appeared first on Shop at Blu.

She surely has seen better days.

She has lots of knicks and scrapes.

She is even missing one of her sweet little hands.

But, alas! I have a vision for her. I have a small collection of old clocks. I’d love to set up a little display area for them. I have so many little collections just sitting in boxes. It’s time to enjoy them by setting them out in my home.

Did someone say collections? And upcycles? And Thrift Store decor? That’s right! This is the perfect project to share for this month’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!

The plan is to either paint or decoupage this miniature grandfather clock with some sort of print, most likely a floral. And if I was a betting girl, I would say she will be blue and white…duh. I will see what I can find locally.

What’s the Plan?

First step is to find a pattern that I like. I considered using old magazine pages for a random but colorful look. Decoupaging magazine pages can be tricky, though, since the are often two sided. You never really know which side of the print will emerge. One option is to to browse the internet and find some floral patterns to print. I am fresh out of white paint so I decided to stop at Walmart to grab some white chalk paint. I will see if they have any decorative napkins or paper that call my name.

I found the paint!

I found these napkins! My next favorite color/pattern after all things blue would be gold and marble. Score! This is really my idea of the ultimate neutral. You can use inexpensive napkins for a variety of decoupage projects!

A Hidden Gem

This little beauty becomes more and more interesting as I move forward. I got excited when I saw this Made in Germany marking on the back. All of the best clocks are made in Germany!

I removed the back with a firm but gentle wiggle and pull. Yes, that’s a thing.

It is actually made of plastic.

It is also actually a working clock! Note the lever for a pendulum (arrow #1), though the pendulum is missing. Also note the chime mechanisms behind the pendulum. And last, see the actual clock manufacturer’s details (arrow #2).

I think this project will have a part two…restoring it to working order. I really only need to find the pendulum and a key for winding. How fun would that be??

But let’s get part one of the project finished first!

Prepping the Miniature Grandfather Clock

With painted plastic, you really have to be careful not to use petroleum based solvents because those will melt the plastic. You can see that the paint was both flaking and bubbling in many places.

In these areas, the paint just rubbed off. But there was much of the surface where the paint was still adhering.

So I opted to use a fine grade sandpaper of 100 grit to hand sand the clock.

[show_boutique_widget id="1296590"]

I stayed away from the face plate as it is metal and I did not want to scratch it.

A thorough gentle sanding over the entire surface removed all of the loose paint. I used a foam sanding block which is very pliable to get the curves around the arch and the crevices along the molded areas.

After a good rinse, she was ready for paint!

I used a small detail brush around the face plate.

I used a thicker brush around the rest of the miniature grandfather clock.

Here she is after one coat.

I gave her a second coat and allowed her to dry.

Up next, Mod Podge! I started adding the paper.

You can find my Mod Podge Tutorials in the following posts:

Lay the paper onto the Mod Podge.

Add another layer of Mod Podge and use the brush to smooth out the bubbles.

I used some white paint to cover the roses on the clock face. Then I mod podged some paper over the roses.

This will all be easily removeable should I wish to change the look of this beauty when I find the pendulum and key.

Fabricate A missing Part

I removed the remaining clock hand and made a copy on my printer. I used tiny scissors to cut it out. Then I coated it with Mod Podge several times to give it some thickness. I allowed my new hour hand to dry.

Then, I swiped the new minute hand with some more Mod Podge and set it into place. I popped the hour hand on and she looks pretty good!

Not bad, right?

The weights needed a touch up so I used some gold craft paint.

And here she is!

I found just a few of my clocks in the garage. Why not add them to the mantle?

I added my Mother’s Day flowers too!

I really was quite spoiled this year.

My boys really know that I love flowers. And Gbaby Blu had the most beautiful creation of succulents for me!

I will definitely give credit where credit is due…thank you to my beautifully thoughtful, creative, superstar DIL.

This personal touch simply melted my heart. Happy Mother’s Day, Hayden!

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The post Thrift Store Miniature Grandfather Clock Upcycle appeared first on Shop at Blu.

As always, if we are renewing, repurposing, reusing, or upcycling you know it is time for the Thrift Store Decor Team monthly projects. I am excited to see some spring projects this month. Be sure to check out the team projects that are each linked at the end of this post.

Step one, I gathered my supplies:

• Craft paint in vibrant colors
• White paint for base coat
• Various paint brushes
• cup of water (to rinse brushes0
• paper towels (for drying brushes and blotting paint when I make mistakes ’cause there will be mistakes)

PAINT!

I started with the easiest flower to refresh…the daisy. I traced the edges of the petals with some bright pink. I just continued around the flower until I had highlighted every petal.

Then, I filled in the lighter areas with a paler color to add freshen those areas. I went back with a few darker swipes of paint to mimic shading.

Next up was the roses. Same process…add color on the edges, refresh the centers, add shading.

I worked my way through the types of flowers and moved onto the leaves and stems, highlighting and adding dabs of vibrant colors.

LETTERING

The last part was the lettering. I selected a bright violet red, a bright purple color.

***And here is where I will pause and say…USE THE RIGHT TOOLS! I was rushing so I grabbed a few paintbrushes that were handy.

Midway through the lettering touch up process, I realized that better brushes suited for lettering were needed. Did I stop and rummage through the supply closet to find them? NO! Consequently, the lettering was a mess. The lines were too thick. They were not crisp and sharp. So I had to wait for the paint to dry to fix the mess.

The good thing about paint is that it is always easy to fix. My patience, or should I say my impatience…not so much. Take your time! Use the right tools! Reduce your frustration level! Do it right the first time. (The project is finished, sort of, but I will still need to touch up the lettering a bit when my temperament is better). LOL.

Slow and steady wins the race! Even veteran creators make mistakes and have to pay the consequences of rushing a project! So give me a few days…and check back for the “really finished” lettering.

Ok, enough side notes…back to the project.

Load your brush and simply follow the lines. There are brushes for lettering and I would highly suggest investing in a few. Some have very flat bristles that will ensure crisp straight edges on your letters. Some are skinny long that allow you to follow the curves of a letter. PRACTICE! The more comfortable you are with the process, the easier it will be. PRACTICE!

Another reason to practice? Dark purples and red paints tend to stain a white canvas. Such is difficult to wipe away and just as difficult to cover. So, if you make a mistake, allow the paint to dry completely and cover the mistake several times. Several times means apply the white over the purple mistake and allow the paint to dry. Only when the paint is completely dry should you repeat this process as many times as needed.

When the paint has dried, use a smaller brush to fill in the letters. I would also suggest tracing out the lines where you want them and slowly fill them in with small strokes to avoid more mistakes.

Good lettering takes lots of practice. So, don’t get discouraged. The answer is PRACTICE.

FILLING IN SPACE

When you are touching up an existing piece of art, it’s really a game of color matching. If I can’t match a color, I get as close as I can and I try to blend. In the photo above, I used a light grey wash and covered the entire canvas OVER the design. This brought coherency to the project. And a little white wash freshens everything.

FINALLY

So here is the final project with the disclaimer that I will go back and touch up those letters a little bit more. Sometimes you just have to walk away for a minute and then resume.

I hope you enjoyed my not so perfect project! Every now and then, the project doesn’t go as planned and you have to pause and regroup and sometimes step away. And that’s okay!

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The post Upcycle Thrift Store Art appeared first on Shop at Blu.

It all started with this Valentine’s Day Mantle Decor!

Today, I am joining some of my blogger friends from The Amazing Creators for a Valentine’s Day Blog Hop offering a variety of Valentine’s Day oriented projects! If you came over from visiting Linda at Bushel and a Pickle, welcome! And a warm special welcome to all of you who are new to us here at Blu. Next on the blog hop is Libby from A Life Unfolding. I hope you have time to visit everyone. This wonderfully creative group shares unique ideas to help make your home fabulous. From endless DIY and home decor tips to food and drink recipes, from product tips and crafting instructions to thrift store makeover…you are sure to find some inspiration here! It seems we are feeling the love and hearts this month. Check out all of the fabulous projects that are linked at the end of this post.

What Inspired the Creation

When the Dollar Store is stocked with new holiday decor, I grab any decorations that range from 8″ to 16″. So when I saw these fabulous hearts for Valentine’s Day at the Dollar Tree, I knew I could use them to add a great burst of love inspired color to my mantle. They are bigger than they appear, at about 14″ X 14″.

But how would I incorporate these hearts???

I didn’t want to glue or tape them to the mantle. If only I had something removeable that I could attach them to, and then attach the removeable whatever to the mantle. Where could I find such a gadget? I was trying to think of a source when I realized that I could build the removeable whatever that I had in mind. You can read all about how I fabricated this incredible hanger by clicking on the heart photo below.

Once I created my hanger, I started using it for just about every holiday,

Valentine Heart Decor Mantle Hanger

Such a simple idea that added such character to my mantle decor!

Here is another photo of that first Valentine’s Day mantle:

Here is a St. Patrick’s Day Mantle using the hanger:

And this is my fall mantle from this past October. I draped my pothos across the hanger.

I’ve used the hanger for winter decor as well.

And after this past fall, I moved the pothos to my kitchen.

Creating a Design

With a glue gun, some Dollar Store holiday decor, and creativity, you too can create a fabulous mantle for any holiday or occasion. Alternate colors and styles, size and textures to really make a statement. For added interest, add some smaller glittered or metallic items. Add some garland for fun. The process is very forgiving. If it doesn’t look right, remove the decor and start again. Very forgiving!

Now, I always grab holiday decorations from the Dollar Store and layer them together to create an expensive looking holiday mantle. You just can’t been the convenience and value of Dollar Store seasonal decor items. With $8 to $10 dollars, you can create expensive and high end looking mantle decor.

Here is a brief video of the process of attaching the Valentine’s Hearts.

This large heart swag is sure to be the focal point of your mantle. And the hanging tool will surely become a favorite for every holiday.

Show me your Valentine’s Mantle! Share with me on Social Media! Tell me what you have created lately!

The Amazing Creators

And here are the projects from my very talented friends in The Amazing Creators!

The post Build a Reusable Tool for your Mantle Decor in Time for Valentine’s Day appeared first on Shop at Blu.

If you are a regular visitor here, I know what you are thinking. And you are right! It’s time for:

If you are new to Blu or the TSDT, we are a group of 7 creative bloggers who focus on the upcycle, repurpose, and reuse of older or previously used items. At the end of this post, you will find all of the other team projects. We share our posts on the second Wednesday of the month. This is our first post of the NEW YEAR! What new skills will we share this year?? Tools, products, DIY skills and fabulous tips are just a few of our favorites. We hope to see you as a regular visitor. Sign up for an email reminder when new posts are shared. See the signup at the top right sidebar of this page! We would absolutely be thrilled for you to follow our projects! Let’s get to our kitchen utensil decor project!

Inspiration

Shout out to my friend, Daphne for passing these pot lids along.

Daphne has a beautiful lake house where all of her older kitchen utensils retire and bring joy to the family and to friends…like Mr. Blu and me! At the end of every trip to the lake, Daphne grabs items that are no longer needed or, in this case, mismatched. So, I brought them home but, alas, could find no matches. Rather than donate to the endless pot lid shelf at the thrift store, I opted to repurpose them. So here we go! You never know where you will find your inspiration. But the lake really is the perfect place!

Mia say let’s go!

Build a Snowman

Amazingly, the three pot lids are a perfect combination in size to create a snowman! I needed something to mount them on so I headed to the garage where I have a wood pile with a variety of excess wood from previous projects.

I narrowed the selection down to these two:

Always check the front, back, and sides when you are selecting wood. Sometimes there will be a surprise on the back that can eliminate a choice. Like too many knots or rot or oil stains. And sometime you will find a good surprise like unexpected texture or fabulous woodgrain. Such is the joy of wood!

The lighter piece measured 18″ x 27″. It’s always a great idea to dry fit your items before proceeding…to help visualize the finished product, if you will. I set the lids on the lighter wood.

They fit did fit. But I would not be able to put a hat on my snowman. So I tried the longer piece.

The darker piece of wood measured 13″ x 40″. I could fit the snowman and there was plenty of room for a hat. There was extra room above for additional embellishments like a catchy winter phrase or maybe some snowflakes. I will decide later. But this piece of wood was a better fit for the project. I decided to leave the wood as is for a rustic look.

Clean Your Project Pieces

Yes, this is the real first action step whenever I am using wood or re-creating from used objects. Give the components a nice bath with warm soapy water.

Who knows where the items to be rehomed have been? I really mean the wood because the lids were at Daphne’s home. But when you grab an items from a thrift store, flea mall, or even curbside, a good cleaning is always a must. Even the wood from my own garage needed a wipe down. Dust, dirt, and the occasional critter are always a possibility regardless of how clean you maintain your storage area. The chipmunks in our yard are fast little buggers and have been known to seek refuge from the Alabama heat and storms. I gave the lids a cleaning too. I figured why not?

Allow the pieces to dry completely. I just allowed them to air dry by the sink.

Assemble Your Snowman

I laid the lids down to create my snowman. You can lay them straight or off centered for a whimsical look.

Use a sharpie to outline each lid. I wanted us use E-6000 which is a great craft adhesive that dries clear. But, I could not find it in my garage so I grabbed some Liquid Nails instead. Follow the sharpie line and squeeze out your adhesive. If you have outdoor adhesive already on hand, that will work too. Use what you have.

Lay the lid onto the adhesive. Outline the next lid, apply the adhesive, and set the lid into place. Complete these steps again for the third lid. Allow the adhesive to dry. You are ready to dress your snowman.

Embellishments

As I said, I wanted a hat for my snowman. So I grabbed some plaid fabric I had on hand from another project.

Years before I started blogging, I would create primitive decor.

This snowman angel is one of my all time favorites. I made a snowman version with a simple primitive hat was super easy so I decided to follow that design.

I cut out the hat. Just a rough shape will do. And then I rolled some fabric to make a droopy brim. This also give the snowman some more dimension. Lastly, I cut a few strips for a scarf for my snowman’s neck. It’s chilly on the front stoop this week! It’s been 28 degrees the last two mornings!

Next I laid out the pieces where I wanted them and then I used hot glue to attach the hat to the wooden background.

I started with the hat and worked my way down the front of the snowman gluing the hat pieces and then the scarf pieces to the wood.

Continue until you have glued all down of the hat and scarf pieces.

The pot handle in the center of my snowman’s face made for a cute nose. So I just grabbed a black sharpie and drew on some eyes and a mouth. You could also use some black craft paint.

Final Touches

I was putting away my Christmas decor at the time of this project so I kept out a few snowflakes and glued them around my snowman.

I think he turned out great. This was a quick project that did not cost me one penny thanks to Daphne and a garage full of old wood and craft supplies.

What have YOU ever made out of kitchen utensils or gadgets? I’d love to see!

Here is my after Christmas outdoor entryway.

I moved Frosty to storage and added my new kitchen utensil decor snowman.

It’s so cold this week here in Alabama that I could not resist adding my childhood Yankee Clipper sled and Pop’s ice skate. Great memories sitting right here in this corner!

Yikes! I need a winter doormat! Headed out to get one!

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The post Kitchen Utensil Decor – Build a Snowman appeared first on Shop at Blu.