Trash .2. Treasure Tuesday

When my Mom gave me these paper sorters I assumed I would.. you know, use them for paper- but as time went on they just set in my garage collecting dust. It was then I decided they had to have a better use. They were hand-made and I couldn't bear to part with them, but they are light-wood so I decided to paint them.

 

~Here is a picture of the BEFORE~

During the painting process- I first gave them I light sanding and cleaned off all of the dust. I chose to use Rust-oleum in a gloss navy blue. I would recommend wearing gloves- that paint does NOT like to come off skin, I had blue skin for days! This project took three light coats of paint and a lot of drying time.

~After- Perfect for Puzzles!



 

If you have read any of my previous blogs you probably know that my son is a puzzle master.... well, my dog is a puzzle-piece chewing master- you see how this is a problem.

 

I love that there is room for all of his puzzles (this is not all of them) and they are off of the floor and away from our puzzle-loving coon hound.

 

I couldn't be more happy with the way the puzzle rack looks... we are one step closer to completing Emmett's "Big Boy" room. =)

*Thrifty Thursday*

I have an unnatural aversion to light-colored wood.... everything in my childhood home was either pine or maple. So after years of staring at a maple knife block, it was time to party.

That you'll need:
~ An ugly knife block
~ Acrylic Paint and Paint brush
~ 3D Paint
~ Pencil or Pen
~ You can either free-hand a design or print one from the computer.

First, you want to make sure the knife block is completely clean. Since its home is near the stove, I used a spray cleaner to make sure it was not only free of dust, but grease as well.

 

After cleaning your knife block and assembling your supplies, draw your design or use a pencil or pen to trace your design- make sure to press hard to leave an indention in the wood to help guide your paint. I used a white 3D paint.

 

I chose a "B" monogram for our last name.

 

  



After this step is it very important that you let the paint dry completely. Then, use a paint brush to paint the entire knife block the color of your choice... I chose my favorite, green =)

*The Finished Product*

 

 

"Ta-Da"!!! I absolutely love the finished product, it is subtle and adds color. A few other ideas include: adding the puffy paint last so it contrasts with your base color, using a decal instead of puffy paint, using decoupage or adding pattern. You may also chose to add a clear coat; however, it is not necessary. I hope you leave this post inspired to spice up your boring knife block =)