Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Old Books

Here it is TtT-Tuesday again so why not talk about those trash books I was on the hunt for a few weeks ago.  I love the old books in my home just as they are and I have quite a few of them.  I buy them for their shape, color, illustrations, embossing titles and sometimes their titles themselves call me to them.  

I have been asked to do a home painting party this spring and I needed something to duplicate.  I'm not a very good duplicator I like the challenge of painting something different and nothing ever looking the same. 

As much as I'd like to duplicate I can't, there will never be two books that look alike.

 These little gems might just be a favorite so far.  

Hard to pass up a little detail on the front cover.

This binding almost being torn off was what attracted me to this book.  Love the worn look that means someone loved this book.

Do you want to remember what they started out as..... here they are.

And here they are - Painted Photographer Treasures

Later.....

Weekly Finds Painted + New Chalk Paint Review

Last week a local hardware store got in their new spray can chalk paint.  Yep Spray Can.... I am not a spray can lover.  Back in the day I sprayed just about everything and since the finding of chalk paint I have no tolerance for spray paint.  So when my hardware store got their shipment in and were very excited about it I was curious so I tried it.

Krylon Chalky Finish Paint  link here  and can be bought at Fourmans Farm Home in Medford.  

This stuff was amazing, the coverage was beyond perfect, no runs, no drips, 1 coat coverage and best of all chalk paint look and feel.  I tried a couple different surfaces to see if was amazing with all of them.  The tray is a hard to brush paint bamboo and wicker surface.... PASS.  The container I shared on my weekly finds a few days back was ceramic with a bold design on all 4 sides... PASS.  

Yes I need a new couch...... I've been saying that for 2 or 4 years already but there is always one excuse after another from my mouth or John's, and then the kids come over and they all run to the couch cuz it feels like HOME and it's so comfortable and they want to sit and lay on it for hours.  One day Lynn was sick and sent me a text asking if she could come over and lay on the couch while Dad watched Nascar.... she needed comfort of HOME to make her feel better and take a nap (kids could nap all day if the race was on).  Now how am I suppose to get rid of this ugly, beat up, well loved, saggy, fabric worn off, ragged looking couch with children that need it to come HOME to.  

Some day it will happen I just don't know when.

1 coat coverage.... perfect for both surfaces.

This Copper and metal basket, plant holder thing was bought before my weekly finds.  It sat in the garage for weeks....... okay months.... and was on the back burner because it was going to be a pain to brush paint.  Well it sprayed in minutes.

The bowl/plant stand is going to be mine for awhile, it's to unique to let go yet.  

shhhhhhhh....... little sneak peek at my book project (more on them later)

 A look at the copper inserts with a bit of distressing.  With this spray chalk paint you can distress and wax just like the brush on chalk paint.  It's finish is so touchable.

Metal/copper.... PASS

I was loving this spray paint and just had to keep going with it.  

A milk white vase...... PASS

A plastic gold mirror....... PASS

The plastic gold tray I shared in my weekly finds.  

The distressing brought back all the details in the vase and the gold frame.

This can of spray paint is still going strong, it is still like 1/2 full and I did a lot of projects with it.  My review is A+ and I hate dislike spray paint.  I will certainly be back for more with those hard to paint projects.  And for those that want the smooth finish on your chalk paint projects this is the ticket, the finish is Smoooooooth.

And of course there is a wide range of colors but aqua is my GO-TO color when I'm trying something out.     What color will you try?      Later......

Weekly Finds 2/5/16

Only 1 weekly find this year.  A bolt of lace trim....... with a outdoor wedding coming up you never know where you're going to need a little vintage lace.

Weekly finds painted 2/3/16

I have a few small items that I finished lately and are ready for the store.  If you want to see or touch these items head on down to Medford's Main Street and visit Tease Tanning and Gifts.  Jackie is a pretty amazing store owner and has many talented gals selling their crafts.  Mine included.

This item I don't think I showed you the before since I can't find it but here it is all painted up.  A cell phone station that will be looking all pretty on your cupboard.  

I'm becoming a podcast listener lately and when you put your cell phone in here it's much louder and stays out of the way while cooking.  I have one of these modified cell phone holders up north and at home, it's a must in our house.  And yes mine aren't as pretty as this one.  Actually the one I have at home isn't even painted yet.  

My sister-in-law gave me a couple boxes just for fun and I don't have a before picture of it.  

Will be a nice item to add some height to your decorating.

I have a new paint that I tried and had some really good thoughts about it that I'll share in the next day or two.     Later......

Trash to Treasure Tuesday - Silverware Box

I'm going to try a Trash to Treasure Tuesday every week vs once a month.  I'm not sure how it will go but I'm up for the challenge right now, we will see what happens when it gets nice outside and I don't want to be in the house behind a computer screen.  Until then meet me here every Tuesday.  

A few weeks back I shared a silverware box find.  I've actually found two lately and this is the first one I found.  Here she is all dressed up in orange.  

The box started out like this.

And quickly went into demolition mode.  

I chose Annie Sloan Coco for the outside of the box and Annie Sloan Barcelona Orange for the inside of the box.  When I was done I liked the orange so I gave it a sloppy paint job of orange on the outside.  

I didn't cover up the Coco totally and then distressed it to expose the dark wood on the edges.  

The top has a carved detail giving the look of embossed leather.  It's so pretty I hated to cover it up.

It's a nice place to store magazines, daily junkmail on the top and bills needing to be paid in the drawer... so many possibilities all in one pretty little box.  

As much as I love this orange silverware box it is headed to the store.  

I already have one in my Florence color but it's not a double decker like this one and has detail on the top cover but not quite as cool as this one. 

Later.....

Weekly Finds 1/30/16

Last week it was all about feet.  I found this gem with his fancy feet and the fancy handle on the cover.  I forgot to take his before picture because I was so excited to try a new chalk paint product.  I will come back and tell you all about it this week.  Imagine his before without the blue on it.

I found another silverware box.  I felt a bit guilty since the gal who works there was upset with the last one I bought because she has silverware that she wants one of these boxes for..... and then this one she didn't see either.  I didn't have the heart to tell her I rip all that stuff out of the box, I just smiled.

I have a new product that I'm trying to find a use for so this small milkglass vase came home with me.  I'm running out of options so hopefully this is something I like.

My girlfriend sent me a text of this pile.  I noticed the table base and thought I needed to go check it out.  

The base looked in good condition and it had claw feet with the ball inside the claw.  Super fun so I checked it over good to see if it was broken anywhere..... all was good in my Edge it went..... but the top I couldn't get in without scuffing up the inside and if you don't know my hubby then I'll tell you that wouldn't be a good idea.  So since the base was gone someone else wasn't going to notice the top laying in the pile.  The top has a bad case of YUCK stuck to it but other than that it's not broken and it has cravings around the edge.  

I headed back to work to find someone to pick up the top for me and I got a text from Shannon and Elly.  "Mom did you get the junk from that pile?"  I texted back that I couldn't fit the top in the Edge.  Two minutes passed and Shannon called me.  "I'm here and it will fit in my van"  Sweet!!!  I spun around and we loaded it up.    

Everything fits well and there is no major damage, I can't believe people just throw this stuff away.  Like I said earlier the top had a bad case of YUCK and I hated to touch it so I sprayed it all down and scrubbed with a putty knife until it was all clean.  I think they tried to stain the top and only got half done but they didn't stain it correctly and everything they set on top of it stuck to the stain.  Nothing I can't clean up and make pretty again.

His beautiful feet.

The carving on the edge.

Just in case you wanted to see the nasty top again....

This was beautiful in it's day and will be beautiful again but the cleaning of it is extremely gross, I almost lost my lunch at one point.   One time I found a stuffed chair that was really unique but when I stopped it was full, I mean FULL of cat hair...... I called my sister-in-law and told her if she wanted it come get it.  I can't do cat hair, but she turned that cat covered chair into an amazing piece of furniture.  

Later....