Covering Country Clutter with Chalkboards

I love using chalkboard paint to cover 1980's country motifs for a simpler look! Not only does it cut down on the visual clutter, it also creates an ever-changeable message board. The flat black color goes with anything ~ even if the chalkboard is left blank it'll look good.
I picked this little kitchen shelf up at a thrift store. Using a small screwdriver, I lifted the plastic sign out from the center and sanded off most of the engraved country motif. After washing & drying it, I sprayed 2 light coats of Rustoleum Chalkboard Paint onto the surface & set it aside to dry.
I painted the shelf using 1 red coat of Plaid's new DecoArt Chalky Finish Paint  (Romance) which has great adhesion coverage! Since it dries so quickly, I was able to sand/distress the same day, just around the edges to add an aged look. After dusting the sanded edges with a clean paint brush, I rubbed an even coat of oil-based Walnut furniture stain over the surface & allowed a couple of days drying time. Using wood glue, I reattached the plastic chalkboard  in it's spot ~ and now have a cute garden room shelf with drawers to hold my seeds.  

redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014

 

 

 

Sew~So To Star~Spangled Apothecary

After several years of painting/distressing/antiquing vintage finds for others, it's nice to have some time to recycle some junque finds for myself lately! This week I scored this cute little sewing notions apothecary at a local thrift shop.

After removing the notions & motifs adorning the drawers with fine grit sandpaper, I applied a thin even basecoat of Vintage color Americana Décor Chalky Finish paint (available at Home Depot and Michael's).

Then I mixed equal parts Cobalt & Admiral Blue acrylic craft paint (.50 cents per bottle, Walmart) for a second coat, followed by a final dry-brush coat of Admiral to darken the color up a bit.

The next day, I used fine grit sandpaper to distress & age just around the edges, followed by wiping a light even coat of oil-based wood stain (Walnut) over the painted surface with a dry cotton rag, allowing a couple of days drying time.

I'm going to use the updated little cabinet to stash the patriotic & military odds & ends I've picked up through the years. 
Have a great week!
~Donna at Red Shed Vintage 

redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014 

Trash Talk Thursday: Media Apothecary

This makeover of mine was featured in the Winter 2012 issue of A Primitive Place Magazine!


This unfinished Pine media storage chest was a $5.00 Goodwill find, with handy removable drawers for storing various media discs.
I like to think of unpainted wood as the primitive décor lover’s canvas; it’s ready to be stained or painted to fit in with your own personal style. I chose a two-toned finish, with red drawers in a black chest.
Using interior flat wall paint, I applied two coats of flat black to the chest and drawer fronts. When dry, I added one coat of flat Candy Apple to the drawer fronts. I used my electric palm sander with fine grit sandpaper to gently distress just the edges & knobs, then rubbed water based wood stain over the entire surface with a cotton rag.
Media storage racks are also great for stashing craft supplies, garden seeds, photographs, fragile ornaments, or small toys in kid’s rooms. redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014

 

Putting Up A Faux Front

Apothecary cabinets provide lots of little drawers for stashing stuff, but here's another way to utilize the space behind a 'cabinet' ~ go faux! Woodcrafters and unfinished wooden furniture stores often carry faux-front appliance covers of various sizes ~ made to look like an apothecary cabinet in the front but open from the back ~ for placing over toaster ovens or other small countertop appliances.
I picked a used one up @ a thrift shop, and decided to give it a more primitive finish.

First, I removed the fake button drawer pulls. Then I sprayed a light base-coat primer of generic flat Black spray paint across the front & sides. Next, I applied a coat of flat latex To Die For Red (Better Homes & Gardens wall paint, Walmart) and allowed proper drying time before lightly sanding the edges with extra fine sandpaper, for a distressed aged look. Last, I rubbed an even coat of Walnut wood stain across the surface with a clean cotton rag. 
After 24 hours drying time, I  drilled larger knob holes to insert the more realistic looking peg pulls (from the unpainted wood crafts section @ Hobby Lobby) adding a dab of wood glue in each hole before twisting the knobs in.
Faux-front cabinets are also great for hiding bathroom supplies, counter clutter, cookbooks, and of course ~ handy kitchen appliances & gadgets you'd rather not leave hanging out. redshedvintage.com© copyright 2014

 

 

 

 

Trash Talk Thursday: Spice Box from a Nut House

 

	Spice boxes and apothecary cabinets conjure up warm thoughts of colonial hearth cooking. Once used as compartmentalized storage of herbs & spices or apothecary needs and often made of wood or tin with many drawers, these storage units served a valuable purpose and are still very popular today. They can also be very expensive. To make-do without making wallet empty, look no further than the garage nut house for a wonderful alternative spice box/apothecary cabinet! ~ Check it out! This makeover of mine was featured in the Winter 2011 issue of A Primitive Place Magazine, page 104 ~ After making sure that the sturdy little house of many drawers won’t be sorely missed, empty & clean the plastic or metal bin drawers in a dishpan of soapy warm water & dry completely, then wipe the cabinet unit with a damp rag. When dry, apply a liberal coat of flat spray paint on the drawer fronts & cabinet. Paint desired color, using interior flat or matte, then when dry rub on stain & sealer to desired antique finish. If extra durability is desired, follow with a protective coat of clear acrylic spray. Spice names can easily be painted or stamped using acrylic arts and crafts paint. I purchased a tiny set of alphabet letters for $1.00 at Michaels recently, and dipped the ends in black paint to stamp on the finished drawers. © copyright 2011 redshedvintage.com

 

 

 

 

 

Trash Talk Thursday: Mint It in Minutes

Minty shades of green are so cheerful. Whether you like primitives, farmhouse, cottage, shabby chic or whatever your home decor style preference, minty greens always look right at home. Right up there with the color red, shades of jade are some of my favorite colors to work with.
This inexpensive newer apothecary/bathroom cabinet ~ made of white coated particle board ~ was quickly transformed with just 2 quick coats of flat Jadeite wall paint, some fine grit sandpaper, and a hand-rubbed coat of walnut wood stain. copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com



Before ~ inexpensive Salvation Army Thrift Store bathroom cabinet find
Here's another minty do-over (photos below) and a link to directions for painting/distressing on: my painting tutorial on youtube ~ which also featured a minty makeover. Have a great week, fellow junquers!

Before
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trash Talk Tuesdays: Radio Cabinet Redeux

I’d been searching for a shelf to house the assortment of little storage drawers I’d accumulated, when I spotted this grand old radio cabinet in a neighbor’s trash! The 1920’s era radio guts had been stripped, making it even better. Radios were often housed in elaborate wooden cabinets, to fit in as part of the living room furnishings where families would gather to listen to their favorite show or music.
Some of the veneer was missing & the top had been damaged, so I peeled the rest of the veneer off the top and used some wood putty to fill in the jagged edges ~ lightly sanding to round the corners once the putty dried. 
After applying 2 coats of flat Red Delicious interior wall paint inside and out, I opted not to distress the paint but lightly rubbed walnut wood stain over the exterior with a cotton rag, concentrating on darkening the grooved decorative designs.
When dry, I was able to use the existing shelving to stack some drawers between, and added make-do shelves with scrap wood planks & attached basic metal shelf brackets w/screws. 
I covered the speaker & knob holes with burlap, and added ball bearing wheel casters to the feet for easy rolling, and now have a hallway apothecary chest to organize craft supplies! I later added the DIY pie safe doors I invented, as posted for last week's Trash Talk Tuesdays Tutorial: Pie Safes Rule.
copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com

Scraped the loose veneer off, then filled in the rough spots with wood putty.

2 coats of Red Delicious flat wall paint, followed by rag-rubbed coat of walnut wood stain

Later added homemade pie safe doors on the back