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: Ring of Love Wreath

Wedding season is approaching, so I'll feature some uniquely inexpensive wedding décor and gift ideas in the next few weeks!
(Last week was our big moving day, so I skipped Trash Talk Thursday due to all the extreme activity going on)


I found a couple of large unpainted 1980's wooden heart wreaths at a thrift store last year for $2.00 each ~ what a great score if only for the cost of the chunky wooden hearts! Since it wasn't near Valentines Day at the time, I painted & sold them in my Etsy shop as wedding décor. Each heart wreath was lovingly handcrafted, constructed of layered thick & solid wooden hearts overlapping each other and nailed together to form a ring of love. They measured 21" round x about 2" deep and weighed over 5 lbs. each!

To create your own circle of hearts, simply overlap heart shaped wooden or cardboard cut outs to form a circle (use a round object to make a circle template, if needed) and attach the hearts with glue or nails. I painted mine with red craft paint over black, but you could also paint each heart different colors for a patchwork effect. I also rubbed glossy walnut wood stain sealer over the hearts with a dry cotton rag once the paint had dried, for indoor or outdoor use.
Heart wreaths are great décor for engagement parties, weddings, or year around décor. They can hang on the wall or door, or can be used flat as a table centerpiece or with a floral/candle arrangement. You can also add assorted photos of the bride & groom on each heart for a personalized gift! 
copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com

 

 

Trash Talk Thursday: Wedding Love Notes

Wedding season is approaching, so I'll feature some uniquely inexpensive wedding décor and gift ideas in the next few weeks!
A great wedding décor or bridal shower gift idea is a simple mailbox for holding cards and/or gift cards on that special day. 
You can place the 1st card inside to demonstrate, so guests will follow.

While thrift stores are a great source for cheap vintage mail boxes, you can still find them new & Made in U.S.A. at local hardware stores such as Ace Hardware.
I found this slightly rusted & dented vintage metal mailbox for $1.00 at a thrift store, and gave it a good soap and water cleaning before covering with 2 coats of flat red wall paint (To Die For Red, Better Homes & Gardens paint from Walmart)  which I later sealed with a hand-rubbed coat of Walnut wood stain. copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com

 

 

Patriotic Colors

Here are some vintage items I painted in patriotic colors and sold in the past!

copyright 2013 www.redshedvintage.com 

 

Red paint is my favorite!

 

Before ~ plain 1960's spice cupboard

 

Before ~ Styrofoam/plastic mirror

After ~ painted red, white, blue, and gold