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.

There are two that are similar.

I had sprayed them pink and yellow and white. I had daisies on my mind. And this one is a little simpler

As you can see, they have begun to rust and have seen much better days.

Alabama sun and weather are absolutely brutal on your garden decor. Inevitably, everything fades and rusts. This being the second time to refresh these flowers, they have just about run their course. That said, I’m not buying new fence decor at the beginning of the season. So, I grabbed the spray paint and gave these sad flowers a much needed refresh.

Welcome! I’m sharing this post today with some friend in the Creative Craft Hop. This fabulous group of creator’s share monthly posts to help feed your love of all things crafty. If you are joining from Modern on Monticello…I know you enjoyed Donna’s patriotic florals. You will find all of the other posts for this month at the end of this post. Be sure to check out all of the great projects!

Let’s Upcycle Some Metal Garden Decor

First step is to prep your piece by removing any debris like leaves and vines that tend to grow on our fence where these flowers hang. After removing the debris, I gave each flower a good wipe down. It is also a good idea to give the item a scrub with a wire brush. This will remove and surface rust. And for more advanced rust, use some sandpaper and give the piece a good spot sanding. Then I grabbed the spray paint.

My go to spray paint is Rustoleum 2X with primer. It constantly does the job quickly and effectively with great coverage. I have a collection of vibrant colors from previous projects so I grabbed those.

The backs of the flowers were rusty so I started there with a heavy coat to mitigate the rusting process. I suppose the last time I concentrated on the fronts of the flowers and may have failed to spray multiple coats on the backs. Not this time. I layered quite a bit so they should be good for a while.

I am going with a multicolor look on these flowers so I sprayed the first flower and allowed it to dry. Then I laid the second on top and sprayed that. I repeated this process with the third flower. I gave each a nice thick first coat.

When the first coat had dried, I started over again with a second color. I concentrated on any areas I had missed with the first coat. I simply sprayed a spot here and a spot there and created random color. I used the layering method again until all 3 flowers had a second coat. I used 2 primary colors (pink and yellow) during this process.

Time for the 3rd coat where I used two other colors (purple and teal) as a highlighting or tertiary color.

This was a super quick project. I recommend this quick refresh for any outdoor metal decor that is still quite sturdy and exhibits minimal rust. Rustoleum colors are fabulous and the 2X coverage is incredible.

I placed the flowers back on their screws on the fence.

And I added some flowers in colorful pots to the galvanized shelf that I made a few years ago. I need to touch it up again since the Alabama heat has cause some more surface rust.

Did you know that in Alabama, portaluca will often return the following spring/summer like perennials? They don’t return after an abnormally cold winter but most winters are not brutal so we can get several years out of our portaluca. And being in the succulent family, they thrive in the Alabama summer. I have several posts about succulent and fun containers I’ve used over the years.

Updating the colors on your metal garden decor is helpful in several ways:

• Provide a new look to your preferred decor by simply changing the colors.
• Protect and extend the life of your favorite metal garden decor with Rustoleum.
• Upcycle gently used and inexpensive finds at yard sales or thrift stores.
• Make your decor items into a lovely vignette of complimentary colors.
• It’s hard to not justify thrifty upcycles!

So grab your spray cans and get to work!

Here are the rest of this month’s projects! Head over to Cecilia at My Thrift Store Addiction for some fabulous homegrown gift ideas!

Patriotic Flower And Decor Arrangement For Wired Basket Table

Crochet Necklace

Terrain Style Taper Candle Cuffs

Rooted with Love – Crafted Homegrown Gifts

How to Refresh Metal Garden Decor – That’s ME! You are here!

The post Refresh Metal Garden Art – Part Two 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.

This sad dated rock planter needed a makeover desperately. I thought I had 2 of these but I can only find one. I wanted some unique planters for my newly re-stained deck (you can read about that below). But the deck is grey. I would rather the planter fit into the same color family so the old brown needed to go. So, you know me, if something doesn’t match…paint it! Let’s upcycle this planter with some realistic faux rock painting.

As I said, I just re-stained our deck. We had this deck rebuilt in July of 2022. I waited 6 months before applying the stain. Probably due to application error (ALL ME), we had some chipping and flaking after about two seasons. I was a bit upset because of the amount of time it took to initially stain the deck and the steps, with two landings. But, a refresh was well needed and I finished staining just yesterday.

The upside to a project like this is getting to switch up your decor once the deck is finished. I’m always looking for unique items in my decor. You know like different shapes and unexpected textures. I’m definitely no professional, but I do I love when a glance at my stuff makes me smile. I think this little rock planter will make me smile.

I bet you guessed that this project was completed for the Thrift Store Decor Team monthly project share. Join us every second Wednesday of each month for creative projects with a repurpose, restore, reuse, upcycle, or revitalize theme. You never know what skills we will be sharing so don’t miss a single Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! All of the projects are linked at then end of this post. Now, let’s get to this faux rock painted project!

Choosing a Color

As I said, the deck is a light grey so the plan was to use a similar color as a base for my planter. The finish would be rather easy because I could get the desired look from simply sponge painting. There are several methods to faux rock painting. Let’s see where this planter, hereafter known as Rockella, leads us.

Prep your Project Piece

First step in painting is always clean and prep your piece. So Rockella got a nice bath.

Rockella is made of ceramic. Her interior is glazed. She has a matte finish currently so the paint should adhere nicely. Regardless though, a critical prep step is to wipe your project piece down with TSP, a solvent available in the paint section of you local home store, which removes any residual dirt and preps the surface for better paint adhesion.

A Paint Plan for our Faux Rock Planter

Rockella has lots of groves and crevices just like a real rock. The plan was to base coat in a dark color, sponge paint over with a grey color, wipe off a good bit of the second coat, and finish off with some dry brushing in a third complimentary color either lighter of darker.

I gave Rockella one base coat of black thinking that this would settle into the deeper grooves of the planter and give a boost to the texture. I considered grey washing over the black which would dull the black substantially. I could then drybrush over the grey with a darker grey and some white. Creating a dimensional finish.

But that black scared me. It was very dramatic. I know, I know! You have to be very patient and trust the process.

So I started to add a second coat of grey planning to wipe it away essentially leaving a grey wash behind. But as I applied the grey, I thought this it too thick.

OOPS!

I tested an area by wiping away the grey. I didn’t like this effect. I think it was because this test area was the smoothest part of the faux rock and had less divets and crevices. I wanted more, believe it or not, of the dreaded black to be popping through like the edges of the photo above.

I went too heavy at first. Faux painting involves alot of practice to achieve the look that you like. But always remember that it is just paint and paint can be very forgiving especially if you are using rustic or shabby technique. You can always wipe the paint off before it dries or paint over it. Which is exactly what I did! I just grabbed a damp rag and wiped off the paint.

I was left with a flat white space so I dry brushed some grey just to mottle the surface a bit. Dry brushing is a technique, in which you remove most of the paint from the brush and drag the almost “dry brush” across the surface of your project piece.

Then I dabbed paint onto the area alternating white and grey for that faux rock finish. This gave my smooth surface a textured look just like the surface of a rock!

I continued with the dry brush technique around the rest of the planter. First with grey.

I allowed the grey to dry and then dabbed tones of grey and white.

It’s all about the LAYERS

In the “in process” photo above, I added the grey and then some white. Then I just used a tapping or pouncing motion of the brush to blend the colors. I added more black in spots, more white in others all the while being careful not to cover the underlying black. See how that give the piece dimension?

I thought about spicing things up with some green to play with a mossy look. But I decided to stay simple. A faux mossy look can be a whole other project for under the deck!

Anyway, a big part of faux painting is just playing around until you have achieved the desired look. If things get confusing or the colors are blending too well just allow the paint to dry and start again. It really is that easy. You can even practice before starting on your piece. I keep a piece of cardboard handy for removing the paint from my brush and for handy access to each color.

I just squeeze a little of each color onto the cardboard and use is as a makeshift painters palette. Just like the pros. A girl can dream, right?

Here are some of the other planter upcycles from the blog:

A Little Nostalgia

This project brought back some memories. I think it was the size and shape of my faux rock planter. These are rock from Manayunk, a neighborhood in Philadelphia where I grew up. I grabbed a few from the neighborhood when we moved away from the area.

We had these in our yard. There was a whole wall built from these. And down the street from my house is a whole cliffside of this mica rock. They were so magical with their normal rocky look but that glimmer and glitter that screamed “I’m special”!

It’s hard to see in these photos, but the white spots are actually tiny flecks of mica which are silver and catch the light so beautifully. I had to have some of these for my garden.

I don’t have any metallic silver paint to replicate this finish exactly right now. So that means, my friends, we have just added another project to the to do list…Manayunk Mica Rocks! I need to grab some photos the next time I’m in Manayunk. Are you weird like me and have a favorite type of rock that isn’t marble? Because everyone loves marble!

I came down with a stomach bug between the end of the deck re-stain and renewing this rock planter. So the beauty shots on the deck are yet to come.

I did place her in a few spots around the yard. Near the deck steps.

On the stair landing…

And we landed at the front door. For now, Rockella is enjoying a prime spot at the front entry to our house.

PS. I know my wreath is off center, the support post need painting, and the stoop needs sweeping. Sometimes you just gotta do what you can do. This is life! Keeping it real here at Blu.

Hopefully, I will feel 100% by the weekend and can restyle the deck. No promises, though, as temps here in Bama will be near 100 degrees. But, I can see myself getting out there at an obscenely early hour to beat the heat. I will be sure to drop some photos once Rockella has found her permanent spot on the deck.

Until then, STAY COOL, literally!

We have a few new team members this month so welcome to Michelle from Our Crafty Mom and Marianne from Songbird. I can’t wait for you to see all of their fabulous creativeness!

My Repurposed Life – Upycled Drapery Hooks

Petticoat Junktion – Paint A Plastic Cherub Statue

Our Southern Home – Gingerbread Village

Shop At Blu – Faux Rock Finish THAT’S ME! You are here!

Our Crafty Mom – Double Sided Decoupage Cutting Board

Songbird -Curtain Rings Candle Holders

The post How to Paint a Faux Rock for your Garden appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Just look at those legs!

They make me so happy!

And my favorite finish to paint over is a dark wood, like this gal with the walnut stained top. My plan is to make her bright and cheery and, of course, distressed.

A furniture makeover? That means, yes! It must be the second Wednesday of the month and time for the Thrift Store Decor Team projects! All of this month’s projects are linked at the end of this post for your DIYing, upcycling, repurposing, and thrift seeking pleasure!

Gameplan

She was pretty cruddy. So I decided to bring her up onto the deck to clean and prep her for her makeover. Rain was on the way so I would be able to bring her into the house quickly should the skies open up.

Of course, since this is one of my projects, it got a little more complicated right from the start. While carrying her up the stairs and opening the deck gate, her top separated.

You are in luck to day friends, because you will get a second tutorial on how to repair a split tabletop!

Repairing a Split Tabletop

This is actually quite an easy repair. Just grab some wood glue and a clamp or two to start.

Sounds simple, right? Until only one clamp is long enough the clamp the tabletop. I remembered I had one of my dad’s old clamps in the garage. I had never used it before so I grabbed it an it worked perfectly. Pop was a woodworker, refinisher, the ultimate DIYer, He could fix anything and I cannot every remember a repairman coming to our house to fix anything. Pop did it all!

Place a liberal bead of glue along the complete length of the broken edge.

Push the top together and clamp into place.

I used 2 clamps. Because I only had 2 big enough. If I had 3, I would have used all three.

I allowed this to set for about 30 minutes and then wiped the joint with a damp rag removing the excess glue.

I allowed the repair to dry overnight.

Before you remove the clamp, you can reinforce the damaged area from beneath with a few screws and a mending plate. This will strengthen the repair and reduce the chance of the split recurring. Smart step, but I did not do this because I don’t plan to use the table for anything heavy. It would still have been a good move but you know me…anxious to get to the paint! I offer you one of my mom’s favorite quips…do as I say, not as I do!

You could even leave the clamps in place to give the entire piece a bath followed by a gentle sanding. I removed the clamps and gave the table a good wipe down with TSP.

Trisodium phosphate helps prep the surface to remove residual dirt, oils, and debris and preps the surface to better receive paint. Read about my be pre-paint prep tips HERE.

Choosing a Paint Color…or NOT

Next step was to sand the table top. I decided that the legs were is great shape with no major mars, knicks or dings.

So I would dry brush over the legs. That was the plan. So no sanding needed there so I decided to go to the more substantial project of sanding the tabletop. The top had what appeared to be a relatively thick coat of either oil based paint or paint with a heavy sealer.

When you work on older furniture pieces, you never know:

• what type of paint is on the piece
• how many paint layers there are
• what type of wood is beneath the paint
• what is the quality or condition of the wood beneath the paint.

It really is a grab bag of surprises. So my #1 rule for reviving old pieces is NEVER EVER BE HARD AND FAST TO YOUR GAMEPLAN. It is critical for your sanity to be fluid and ready to switch lanes during the project. That said, I grabbed the sander to “gently sand the tabletop” so I could get an idea of how well the paint might adhere.

And…that’s where the plan changed.

UNEXPECTED PATINA

That phrase…UNEXPECTED PATINA…gets me everytime. Once see beautiful old wood or gorgeous unique patina, I stop in my tracks and the plan changes. EVERY.STINKIN.TIME.

To most people, that photo above, is a mess. Their first thought is…grab a brush and paint over that mess! Not me…my mind says…oooh…let’s make that better…more fabulous and more unique.

Change in Plans…Imagine that!

So at this point, I put away my favorite teal paint, General Finishes Milk Paint Patina Green. I was looking forward to using it as it had been a while. I used it on this stool pictures below. It’s a great color to use for transforming treasures as it really makes an impact.

So, this patina spoke to me and I had to see, or create, more.

She really was quite nice this way but, alas, I needed to see some wood beneath the patina.

So, I sanded the edges and all of the curves around the table top.

I could start to see some wood. The individual wood planks used to create this tabletop were becoming more defined.

But I knew there was MORE!

As second sanding revealed more of the joints of the boards and more texture from layers began to appear.

I wiped the top down to remove the dust so I could see the surface a little better.

The purpose of the last sanding was to even out the surface and try to unify the piece. Don’t worry though. The top will not be so visible and choppy when it is sealed. You will also be viewing the finished piece from an angle and not a direct over view…which is a little busy and unrefined, I will admit.

I used Polycrylic sealer on the top because it is a resilient and easy to use sealer. I do like the rustic look that is emerging.

Because those legs were in such great shape and so pretty, I decided to give them a coat of hemp oil to bring out the beauty in the wood. Hemp oil is applied with a rag and then buffed to a shine.

Look at how the hemp oil feeds the raw wood and makes the stain shine.

Hemp oil really feeds the wood and brings out those natural tannins.

And so, while my intended fabulous transformation of this antique radio table is not so spectacular a transformation, it is a revival of the wood and that makes my heart pretty darn happy. Who knows…maybe I will tire of the rustic shabby primitive worn look. Or maybe I will finally paint her and gift her to someone. But for now, I love her!

Can you picture her in the corner of the parlor holding the big ol’ radio with the family gathered around to catch the daily state of the nation or an update on the World War?

I think I have the perfect place for her in the house but for now, we will enjoy her for a while out here on the deck.

I have some other projects scheduled for out here, including restaining the deck and revamping this little white dump truck.

It was 85 degrees the other day and some of my perennials are starting to show off. Mia is excited for spring.

So are these snap dragons.

These planters were upcycled almost 3 years ago and the colors are still vibrant!

And here is a good before and after. Special thanks to the sisters who can’t be in the same room together but do love a good project with Mom.

Today is my youngers daughter, IV’s birthday. She is 26. I posted on IG and FB that there aren’t many people who know themselves better than my IV. I’m realizing that maybe she gets a little bit of that from me! I really wanted to paint this table with Patina Green. I really did. But one look at what was beneath 50 some years of paint and I was finished. It had to be natural. There was no fighting it.

So Happy Birthday IV…and you are welcome for this stubborn resistant yet unique streak that you are owning!

And here are the Thrift Store Decor Team’s projects for this month! Enjoy!!!

Petticoat Junktion-Rick Rack Home Decor

Our Southern Home-Spray Paint Wicker Table

Shop At Blu-Upcycled Thrift Store Antique Radio Table

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia- High-End Garden Planter Knockoff

My Repurposed Life-Upcycled Drawers | Wall Shelf

The post Upcycled Antique Thrift Store Radio Table appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I bet you already knew when I mentioned an upcycle project, that today is the 2nd Wednesday of the month and time for the Thrift Store Decor Team Projects! You will find them all at the very end of this post. I wonder what the team is revitalizing today? Let’s get on with our outdoor lantern upcycle!

Prep your Outdoor Lanterns

My plan is to sand off the rust and use some colorful Rustoleum Spray Paint to refresh these outdoor lanterns. The Rustoleum will have a dual purpose. First, it will stop any rust that is developing on the lanterns and second, it will bring a fabulous new finish to these aging lanterns.

A closer look reveal debris and rust that has accumulated from the lanterns sitting outdoors for so long. So, as with any project piece, lets start with a good cleaning.

First, I needed to remove any glass. These lanterns are aluminum and have tabs that hold the glass in place.

To remove the glass, I simply folded the tabs away from the glass and lifted the glass out.

I dusted off the debris and gave each lantern a once over with a stiff bristled brush to remove any surface rust. Next, I set the lanterns in my sink and added warm water and Dawn dish soap.

I used a bottle brush to scrub the inside and outside surface of each lantern.

I gave the glass a good bath as well so I can replace it to use the lanterns to hold candles in the future.

After a good rinse, I set the lanterns outside to dry. It was a windy day, so I laid the lanterns on their side. After about half an hour, I flipped them over to make sure they were drying thoroughly.

Time for Paint

Once dry, I took the into the yard and gave each a thin coat of Rustoleum I used fall colors that I had on hand from a previous fall project. I used the Cinnamon and the Warm Caramel.

Rustoleum 2X has fabulous coverage and I didn’t even need a second full coat. Also, I recommend the Rustoleum Comfort Grip to hold your can. It eliminates finger fatigue and overspray onto your hands. Great tool!

I gave each lantern a light coat. Rustoleum 2x coverage is so good that I only needed one light coat. I allowed this coat to dry for about 20 minutes.

Then I flipped the lanterns over to finish the insides, bottoms, and any angles that I could not reach previously.

Tips for Spray Painting

Like I said, light coats are preferred because that prevents drips and pooling of paint. If you miss a spot, wait for the coat to dry and flip the piece so you can hold the paint can at a better angle to hit those spots. If you see a drip, tap or dab it lightly with a rag. This usually removes the drip. Sometimes you can go over this area after the paint dries with another light spray, but, amazingly, sometimes the paint self levels and the touch up spritz is not needed.

I like to use this small vintage open wire shelf unit for spray painting because it can hold several small items at one. These lanterns were larger so I would spray one coat and move the lantern aside to allow it to dry. I would place the next lantern on the shelf, spray one coat and remove to dry. Repeat.

I didn’t want to touch the outside of the lantern as the paint was wet. So I cupped my hand, lifted the lantern from the inside, and set it aside to dry.

Once the lanterns were dry, I moved the to the table on our deck until I am ready to use them inside. So many possibilities.

As I said, these lanterns were outside for a few years. The two larger lanterns had rope handles. I will replace them eventually but that is a project for another day. For now, I used masking tape to cover the bases for the handles because I like the chrome metal look.

After painting, I removed the tape. You can see the handle bases in the photo below. Use painter’s tape to mask off any area that you don’t want painted. This is commonly used for hardware, glass, or to make designs.

And here are the outdoor lanterns after being painted.

I couldn’t just let them sit there all lonely and empty, could I?

Look at that dreary sky! For once I exhibited some patience and took some more photos the next day.

That sky is so much happier! My pilgrim is even smiling.

The lanterns look great on our front stoop at the entryway also!

Move the lanterns around to different positions. Use different combinations of mums, pumpkins, and gourds until you find the look that you like.

If it doesn’t look quite, right, move things around again.

Sit a mum inside of a lantern.

Add some small pumpkins or gourds. Use real or faux…whatever you have on hand.

How about using those lanterns inside! Grab some florals.

And some pumpkins.

I even added some feathers.

They make a great centerpiece for an empty table.

The larger lanterns might be a little tall to use for Thanksgiving dinner. You might have trouble looking through them to see your guests. But they would look nice before dinner. Just remove them and replace them with the entrees and the turkey!!

I can see some florals and candles sitting inside of these beauties on Thanksgiving Day.

And here are this month’s projects from my fabulous creative friends!

Refresh Thrift Store Artwork

Upcycled Brass Christmas Bell Decoration

Decorating with a Vintage Toolbox

Repurposed Santa Mug

Refresh Outdoor Lanterns for Indoor Decor – That’s ME! You’re HERE!

The post Refresh Outdoor Lanterns for Indoor Decor appeared first on Shop at Blu.

And how about that price!

Am I wrong or is this not the reason we keep returning to the thrift store?

If I am transforming a Thrift Store find, you can pretty much bet that it is the second Wednesday of the month. We call that day Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! Each of my fabulously creative friends on the Thrift Store Decor Team shares a new post once a month as part of our Thrift Store Decor Team collaboration. Each post had an upcycle or repurpose theme. Check out this month’s projects at the end of the post!

What’s the Plan?

I had so many ideas with this little unit. At first look, I thought I would paint her in a rainbow of bright colors. How fun!

But then, I thought I would refine her with a Mod Podge of floral papers or fabrics covering each drawer front.

But, alas, I decided to go with the easiest solution that would actually best fit my work area where she will be used…a vintage industrial theme!

I actually made this big cubby unit as part of a challenge a few years back. Click the photo below to read about this fun project.

And so, I grabbed my favorite stain, General Finished Java Gel, some sandpaper, and an old cotton rag. Let’s stain this baby and give her a vintage industrial look.

Supplies:

• cotton rags (one for dusting, one to apply stain
• sandpaper
• gloves
• small paint brush or sponge (for corners and tight spots)
• General Finishes Gel Stain in Java (or your choice of colors)

Prep for Stain

Anytime you are going to use a stain on a wooden surface, you should prep the piece as follows:

Clean the piece of any dirt or debris with a cotton rag or wipe with TSP.

• Lightly sand the surface that will be stained.
• Clean the piece again of any residual dust or dirt and follow up with a TSP bath if necessary

Apply the Stain

There are many many types of stains available. When I first started working on furniture back in the 90’s, I used MixWax stains. My favorite color was Special Walnut. It is a very dark brown.

MinWax is still a great brand. But I now prefer General Finishes Gel Stain because it is a thicker stain in gel form that is easier to apply. The classic stains are very watery thus harder to control the application. Gel stain is much thicker so it stays where you put it and does not run all over the surface of your piece. My go to is now General Finishes Gel Stain in the color Java.

Applying Stain

You can apply stain with a brush, a sponge, or a rag. I prefer to use a rag for the same reasons that I prefer gel stain. With a rag, the stain only goes where I want it to go and I have control over where it lands. Make sure you wear gloves! Stain loves to settle into your skin and it can take days to get the stain off!

I removed all of the drawers before starting. This gave me a chance to inspect the unit a little bit better.

Use a lint free cotton rag. Dip it into the stain. In a firm straight wiping motion, apply the stain in the direction of the grain of the wood. This motion helps the wood absorb the stain in a natural way. If you apply stain across the grain of the wood, it can appear blotchy, streaky, and unnatural. Applying your stain with the grain helps the wood better absorb the stain.

I continued around the entire unit until the whole outer surface was stained. Be careful to get into the corners and under the legs. In these areas, a small brush may come in handy.

I start with a heavier application on uneven surfaces. In this case, I started where the dovetail is at the corners of my piece. Then I pulled the stain across the smooth grain. It is always easier to apply the stain into the cracks and crevices initially rather than go back and fill spots that you missed. Whenever you reapply stain to an area a second time, you run the risk of that spot being darker than the single application areas. That said, the beauty of gel stain (being thicker) is that it takes a little longer to be absorbed into the wood. Consequently, if you apply too much gel stain, usually you can wipe it off thus correcting the over application.

I apply the stain section by section, ensure complete coverage, and then wipe away the excess. The final step is to buff with a fresh rag. This ensures that the stain has been absorbed into the wood and that there is not any residual stain sitting on the surface, which can be messy.

I didn’t stain the complete outsides of the drawers as the drawers will normally be closed. I only applied stain to the fronts of the drawers.

I didn’t think it was necessary but you most certainly can stain the entire drawer unit. This is totally your preference.

This little unit will be a convenient place in which to keep my most used craft and DIY tools like my favorite brushes, some sandpaper, screwdrivers, glue, gloves, etc. She is the perfect size to move onto a bookshelf or into the closet as needed. Who doesn’t love a mobile storage option?

Here are some of the items that are normally scattered around my workspace:

I use this little wire basket to carry supplies from the workspace out into the yard or driveway or wherever I am working on a project. I think my new desktop storage unit will be a visual upgrade to this area.

There are several drawers so I can keep my supplies segregated.

This was a quick little project. I’m thinking I might take it a step further and flip the drawers around, apply some of that beautiful blue floral paper, and add some copper industrial handles. We always have to improve right? And a girl must have options! Stay tuned!

DIY Pedestal Stand Petticoat Junktion

Goodwill Antique Coat Rack My Repurposed Life

Desktop Storage Vintage Upcycle Shop At Blu -That’s me! You’re HERE!

Eucalyptus Grapevine Wreath My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Milk Glass Vases as Halloween Ghosts Sadie Seasongoods

The post Add a Vintage Touch To A Desktop Storage Unit appeared first on Shop at Blu.

What better time to create decor that can be used anywhere in your home??!!! It’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!! If you are new to my blog, WELCOME! On the second Wednesday of every month, my incredibly creative and talents friends and I each post a project that is a thrifty upcycle, or a decor hack, or just a budget conscious decor idea. We love introducing you to new skills, tools, methods and products that we use in our thrifty decor oriented lives.

Check out all of the new posts from the team at the end of this post.

Vintage or New Wooden Crate

I started with these two wooden crates.

This is a vintage wooden oak crate that I’ve have for many years. I used it at Vintage Market Days and other antique shows when I used to do shows.

And this is a newer pin wooden crate that I bought from a vendor when I used to have my store, The Blue Building Antiques and Consignment.

I see wooden crates from time to time at the thrift store. They come in many sizes so you can adjust this project for size. Table top wooden crate pumpkins would be great! You can find them new in various sizes at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and Walmart!

Two Step Process to Upcycle a Wooden Crate

This really is a very simple and easy project. I’m almost embarrassed that it is so easy but every now and then we need a no brainer, super easy project. I basically painted each wooden crate with spray paint and glued on some embellishments. Easy peasy! My projects RARELY get any easier than this.

Supplies used for this Pumpkin themed wooden crate:

• Wooden crate(s) Walmart, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or thrift stores
• Rustoleum 2X spray paint, vary colors or paint them all the same
• Jute rope
• Dollar Tree florals (you can’t go wrong for $1.25 per bunch)
• Hot glue gun. I love my Ryobi

My go to spray paint is RustoIeum 2X, which has a fabulous selection of colors and finishes. I grabbed two cans of spray paint from the garage. I thought they were both shades of teal. But one had a teal cap and was actually white paint. So I went with a light teal and a white, ensuring a more neutral color palette. Just spray the wooden crates to your liking. As I like a more shabby rustic look, I only applied one coat.

I used the aqua on the oak wooden crate. Because it was older and a bit darker, it took 2 coats.

I used my Rust-Oleum Comfort Grip. This handy tool snaps onto the top of your spray can. The pistol grip trigger ensure paint free fingers and an even flow of paint. I sprayed 3 sides of the exterior and also the interior, allowed the paint to dry, flipped the wooden crate and sprayed the remaining sides.

Allow the paint to dry. Rust-Oleum 2X also dries very quickly. I think I waited just one hour and the paint was completely dry.

Decorate Your Wooden Crate

Next, select your embellishments for your crate. I wanted the crate to resemble a pumpkin so I grabbed a small branch from the yard. The circumference was about 1.5-2 inches. I used my Ryobi sliding miter saw to chop off a few pieces of the limb to use as my pumpkin stems.

You can glue the stem to the wooden crate before or after you add your other embellishments. I considered using raffia, burlap, bright ribbon, faux leaves, jute, and floral sprigs. You can go as simple or elaborate as you like. I went with simple.

First I glued two pieces of jute rope to each wooden crate. Then I added florals. Simply trim the wire stems and glue them into place.

Finally, I glued on my pumpkin stem. In retrospect, I probably should have glued the stem on first but I was excited about using the jute so I rushed. No harm though as the stems are secure.

Did you know that you can now buy pumpkin stems? I mean, why not!

I also considered drawing a jack-o-lantern eyes, nose and mouth to cut out and glue onto the backs of the wooden crates. This way, I can use these for fall and into Halloween. Here is a link to the stickers.

Do you like the blue or the white?

Of course, I added some faux pumpkins.

I can’t wait to add some small mums to the mix.

Here are the tutorials for the Hydro Dip Pumpkins:

And for the Mod Podge Custom Pumpkins:

Can you ever have too many pumpkins?

I am quite happy with my choice of colors for these wooden pumpkin crates as I can use them anywhere in the house afterwards without having to worry about bright orange clashing with any room decor.

Chandelier Repurpose Idea For Fall Petticoat Junktion

Solar Powered Water Planter Feature My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

 Fall Wooden Crate ProjectShop At Blu

Upcycling a Pair of Halloween Pillows Sadie Seasongoods 

DIY Cheese Box Wreath For Fall House of Hawthornes

Bathroom Wall Cabinet Makeover My Repurposed Life

Lamp Makeover with Rub ‘n Buff Our Southern Home

The post Fall Pumpkin Wooden Crate Project appeared first on Shop at Blu.

If I am upcycling, recycling, renewing, or refreshing….it must be time for this month’s THRIFT STORE DECOR TEAM projects!

At the end of this post are the links to every team member’s projects for this month. What new skills do you think we will see today?

Now, let’s get into our upcycled MCM china cabinet!

Where We Started

I’ve had this china cabinet in the garage for some time. I am drawn to the wooden design in the glass doors as well as the Queen Anne-like curves on the top of this classic beauty. Those wooden designs have a name. From Google:

Mullions / Muntins are moldings that divide the opening of a Cabinet Door Frame and either hold individual panes of glass (true divided lites) or more commonly serve as decorative accents over a single pane of glass.

While my love for mahogany is growing, this piece has some veneer damage…

and other issues…

And I can’t help wonder how beautiful she would be upcycled with a more contemporary flair. She’s been waiting for a fabulous makeover. Until today, I didn’t know how or where she would be used. But, I finally have a plan for this beauty. This will be fun.

Prep Your Furniture

I always start a furniture project by cleaning the piece, sanding (the whole piece or selective area, depending on the amount of damage and the condition of the wood), cleaning again, and wiping down with TSP to remove residual dirt and oils. Sometimes, like in this case, some repairs are necessary too.

In this case, part of the base had fallen off when the piece was exposed to a flood. I had the damaged parts so I just glued them back into place and secured with a few nails. I made the basic repairs so that I could continue but I will most likely return to this piece and reinforce the repairs.

I’m often torn between getting on with the project and completing a restorative repair that takes more time. Usually, my excitement gets the best of me and I do a quick but effective patch. What would you do? Sand, patch, restore? Or glue, paint, move on? Although I’m excited to have this piece in my home, I don’t know how long I will keep her as she is quite large. I suppose if I was going to keep her forever or if she was a family heirloom then I would spend the time for a flawless repair. This time, my impatience got the best of me and I did the basics. I’ll keep you posted on whether I polish her up.

You know I love me some blue. I mean, look at the dresser that’s already in the room. I’m trying to create a vibrant yet moody broody blue bordering on indigo. A rich velvety blue. Ah!

Creating Color with Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint

I consulted my friend Swooz, aka the paint recipe genius at Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. Swooz is the genius behind the BDSFP recipes and fabulous color combinations you will see on their website.

At Swooz’s recommendation, I went with Cadet Blue followed by a coat of black glaze. Swooz recommended General Finishes glaze in Pitch Black. So that’s what I used.

The recipe for Cadet Blue is a 1:1 ration of Blue Ridge to Appalachian Sunset.

Introducing a New Product

Before we begin with the Cadet Blue, let me to introduce you to a new product! This is Mask and Peel.

It cuts down on the time and effort and elbow grease needed to paint things like window panes and dividers and mullions or muntins. Congratulations to me on using our new terms in a complete sentence.

In theory, you paint on the mask and peel, allow it to dry, paint your mullions, allow to dry, score the straight edges, and peel the mask off of the glass.

I am sure that this product works. I just has beginner’s bad luck. I think I painted the mask on in too thin of a coat. Most of it did not peel very well. But some did.

I used a razor blade to scrape the portions that would not peel This took some time, but was till easier than painting each mullion and scraping the paint off of the glass. I would definitely use it again. It really made the paint come off of the glass quite easily.

Slap on that Color

After prepping, I applied 1 coat of Cadet Blue allowing at least 4 hours of dry time before the second coat.

These days, sometimes it’s a week between coats. At any rate, the paint is dry and ready for the next layer.

Time to Glaze

I painted on the black glaze and wiped it off. I wanted a dark and broody look so I left the glaze rather thick. For a lighter appearance, you can cut the glaze or remove more during the wipe off process.

Here are some photos of the process…

I painted the inside with two coats and opted not to apply glaze to the inside so the interior would be brighter.

Here she is after paint but before the finishing touches. Don’t mind the lighting. This is such a difficult spot to photograph with that window causing the light in the room to constantly change.

My choice of wallpaper did not arrive in time for this project.

So I made a trip to a local store that was having a clearance sale and grabbed a shower curtain for $5.00.

I suspected that the shower curtain would be too bright of a back ground for my jewelry so I wanted the option to easily switch it out for the wallpaper or a lighter background at some point.

My first thought was to paint the interior white and mod podge colorful paper. But that seems like alot of work. After a quick inspection of the china cabinet, I determined that the back panel of the china cabinet was easily removeable.

I decided to simply wrap the panel with the material. Later, I can apply the wallpaper to the backside of the panel. Thus I will have two options that easily switch out by flipping the panel. We will see how that works after the wallpaper finally arrives. So for now, we have the floral shower curtain fabric.

I laid the fabric onto the panel and hot glued the edges. Then I simply took a razor blade and trimmed the excess fabric.

Once all of the paint dried, I simply tacked the panel into place on the back of the upcycled china cabinet.

I did a few minor repairs to the bottom front of china cabinet where a piece of the molding had fallen off. I glued the pieces together and nailed them back into place. I toyed with the thought of using wood putty to fill in the mars but decided against that as dings and knicks over time will reveal the light putty under the dark paint. I also don’t think the bottom mars will be noticeable as the focal point will be the interior of the piece. It’s a little rough, I will admit. This is before the glaze.

And here is a close up of the final project…

Although it is not super noticeable, I should have filled it with wood putty, sanded, and painted. I guess I will go back and do that. Slow down!! Do it right!

My ultimate plan is to move all of my jewelry into this updated MCM china cabinet. I think I will store our family photos in the bottom! You know, keep all of my treasures together. However, I have ALOT of jewelry so sorting and moving it all is a project for another day.

But, I couldn’t resist adding a few…

Maybe I can start to fill her up one day at a time.

I’m already enjoying walking past my most sentimental pieces.

This might take a while!

Fondue Forks as Plant Labels or Herb Markers

Restoring an Outdoor Lantern

Candle for Mothers Day

Vintage Metal Lunchbox Planter

Thrift Store Lamp Refresh With Paint and Rub-on Transfer

Spray Paint Faux Succulents

Succulent Letter Planter Arrangement

Upcycled MCM China Cabinet That’s me! You are HERE!

The post Upcycled MCM China Cabinet appeared first on Shop at Blu.

History of the Cedar Chest

Aromatic cedar wood was highly prized for its natural insect-repelling properties and was used to store clothing, linens, and other fabric items. Such chests were commonly used for storing prized fabrics, the cedar protecting precious fabrics from insects and larvae. Throughout history, cedar chests were commonly gifted to young women. The chests were used to store items that they made or gathered for their future lives as wives. Commonly called hope chests, generations of young women lovingly stored gifts and heirlooms away for safekeeping. I have my great grandmother’s cedar chest. 

Nana was born in 1888. I’m not sure how old she was when she married, but I imagine this was a gift from her parents when she was a young girl. It seems this was a Christmas gift from the date written on the inside. My nana would have been 15 that Christmas, the perfect age to prepare for marriage. 

I have suspicion that my mother wrote over the original date that was probably written very lightly in pencil. Sharpies weren’t invented until 1964. And this is definitely mom’s handprinting. 

And here is my mom’s hope chest that sits at the foot of my bed.

Hope chests always had a makers mark or symbol inside. They were “guaranteed” again moth damage. And they always had a lock so your treasures were safe.

I have great memories at a young age of browsing through mom’s jewelry box in search of her hope chest key. I would carefully unlock the chest and lovingly inspect all of the items she kept locked away. It was like a treasure hunt. 

Mom’s hope chest matches the first bedroom suite my parents bought when they were first married in 1961. Here is photo of the suite today. My daughters and I gave it a refresh two years ago when my oldest daughter bought her first house. It’s in their guest bedroom so I get to enjoy it when I visit. 

Somehow that bugger ended up with the heirloom trunk and I have the one that matches the BRS. Things that make you go hmmm….

Here is the inside of my Nana’s hope chest still holding the items that my Mom deemed fit for safekeeping including several afghans lovingly made by friends, favorite linens, mementos and the original wooden wheels. She is loaded with precious memoirs as she should be. 

What better time to share a creative project than on Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! That’s right! It’s the second Wednesday of the month so the team has new thrifty decor projects for you. You will find them all at the end of this post.

SUPPLIES

• Murphy’s Oil Soap
• Sandpaper
• rags and a bucket of water
• Electric sander or Ryobi cordless sander
• tsp
• screwdriver
• General Finishes Halcyon Blue
• Homeright Paint Sprayer
• MinWax Polycrylic sealer Satin finish

What We Started With

The inside is pristine. The cedar still somewhat fragrant. This can be renewed by lightly sanding the wood. Notice the Maker’s mark for Lane, probably the most common cedar chest brand. The Lane factory closed in 2001. 

The loose piece of wood is actually a small shelf that is attached with hardware. Ladies used this shelf for small items like handkerchiefs, veils, etc. The hardware on the left side was missing a screw and would hang up when opening the lid. So I removed it to prevent damage and will easily reinstall when the trunk is finished.

Let’s get started with redressing this beauty with a more contemporary look. The finish, as you saw above, was scratched and marred. I will be quite easy to remove the paint and restore the original finish sometime in the future if desired.

First Step – Always Prep

The first step to working on furniture is always clean your project piece. I used a bath with Murphy’s Oil Soap to remove any grime and dirt that accumulated from years in storage. Her surface had seen better days.

I decided to paint the cedar chest one solid color because my plan was to paint some sort of landscape on the front. I needed to ensure that the front surface was flat. I removed the decorative studs and hardware. I removed the lid so that I wouldn’t have to worry about opening and closing it. Next, I sanded the entire exterior to prep the surface and wiped off the excess dust.

To ensure the surface was suitable for a hand painted design, I filled the vertical lines and stud holes with wood putty. Once dry, I sanded the surface smooth. 

The next step was to prime the cedar chest. I used my Homeright Finish Max spray gun. One coat was plenty.

It’s a good idea to lightly sand the primer once it dries. Then apply two light coats of your desired final color. Though I love a contrasting top to furniture, I didn’t want it to detract from the artwork so I decided to paint the lid of the cedar chest as well. Of course, I selected blue. I decided on General Finished Halcyon Blue. My European French loving soul decided for me. And I brushed it on. There is something uniquely satisfying about old fashioned painting with a brush. 

Here she is after two coats. I love the color. It was very beachy and fresh. And so, I decided to paint a beach scene!

Alternative to Painting a Design

I realize that not everyone feels comfortable in creating artwork. So other options are embellishing the front or top of your cedar chest with stencils, mod podge, or abstract designs. There are so many ways to decorate a flat surface. Stripes, polka dots, verses and script, even fabric…so many possibilities. But I wanted to try my hand at being super creative (not to mention bold) and create an original sea scape. I haven’t ever taken an art class but I’ve always had a slight ability to draw fairly well. And as I began this project, I realized that I could progress through this like any other project…in stages. This sea scape really was a series of creating small focal points and blending the paints to create the end product.

Preparing to Paint a Sea Scape

Of course I’ve drawn the beach and the sea before. But the results were very elementary and rather simple. For this project, I wanted to capture the waves. So, I googled wave tutorials. Here are a few that I watched and that seemed to demonstrate the skills I needed. I took tips and tricks from each video. They made it look so easy so I forged ahead.

How to Paint Waves – Acrylics    

PAINTING TUTORIAL Acrylic Ocean for Beginners

Easy Ocean Wave Painting Tutorial

How to Paint a Wave in Acrylics Windy Crashing Wave

I placed my “canvas” at eye level. grabbed some acrylic paints, and got to work.

NOTE: I actually videoed the process of painting the sea scape in stages. Stages 1, 2, 3.5, and 4 are fabulous. Stage 3 completely disappeared. Somehow, I must have deleted that video. So, I am sharing the other videos and I promise to recreate the process at some point in the future and post the update here. 

I started by taping off my “canvas” so I would stay within this area. I added some paint to a makeshift palette. And I started to paint.

I started with the sky, horizon and the water. I added the beach at the water’s edge.

And then I worked on those waves. Video Part 1 shows the beginning of the sea scape. Part 2, which is show how I added color blocks for the sky, horizon, water and sand. Then these colors were blended creating a smooth transition. Then waves are added and the paint is further blended. 

Though you can’t see the specific steps of Part 3, Part 3.5 shows all of the same techniques that I used. It was a literally series of adding color and blending the brush strokes. 

Practice makes it easier. You will learn how the paint flows when wet, over dried paint, and how your brush moves. It’s learning through repetition just like sports, music, etc. Practice makes it easier and practice makes it better. Find a great tutorial or 6, and just start!!

And this is the photo before I added those curling waves. I thought the waves were a little too wild so I just kept adding the curves of the white caps until I was happy. 

I literally added white “c’s” to create the rolling wave. Again, and again, and again I added “c’s” and lightly blended the “c’s” as I moved across the front of the cedar chest. Then I dabbled white paint here and there to make the sea spray and highlight the waves. It was so much easier than I had thought. My waves actually came to life! I promise to do a full tutorial again since this project was so satisfying.

Remember to add a coat of Polycrylic SEALER over the entire cedar chest to protect the paint and you art work.

I’m quite happy with this fun cedar chest. I think I will try some florals next!

As promised, here are the projects from the Thrift Store Decor Team for this month. We are off to a creative start this year. Thanks for visiting. We are looking forward to a fabulous year of incredibly thrifty and creative projects!

Eleven Washboard Upcycled Decor Projects Organized Clutter

Vintage Headboard Makeover My Repurposed Life 

Upcycled Boho Bamboo Decor  House of Hawthornes

DIY Vintage Aged Pottery Vessel My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

DIY Love Sign Petticoat Junktion 

Thrift Store Box Makeover Our Southern Home

Upcycled Cedar Chest Trunk Shop At Blu

Family Tradition

Here is my Great Grandmother, Bessie Mill. She’s on the far right in the front row. My Grandmother (Mom Mom) in the back row on the left. Center back row is Pop. Aunt Marion (Mom Mom’s sister) is on the right in the back row.

In Loving Memory of Aunt Mary

Front and center is my dear Aunt Mary. That’s me on her lap. I was 4. I can tell by the hair cut. It was 1969. Front row left is Uncle George. I call him Uncle. He’s the only uncle on that side of the family, my mom’s only sibling. He’s an incredibly loving person and so funny. I obviously had him wrapped around my finger as I’m sure you can tell. Uncle and Aunt Mary have left immeasurable impressions on our family. 

Thanks to all of you wonderful prayer warriors who prayed for Aunt Mary over the past 4 months. She fought long and hard and stayed with us a bit longer than she probably should have. Uncle and the entire family are all grateful for the power of your prayers. I just returned from a beautiful celebration of her life. I am inspired by her love for her family and her servant nature. 

I sure do miss you already, Aunt Mary. I am so honored to have been the recipient of your love for 58+ years. I am a better person because of you. And I will strive to make you proud. Love you!

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