The Marigold Cupboard

A few weeks ago, I bought a vintage cupboard.  My first instinct, not always right, was to put it in my booth at Rockin' B.  It would look wonderful there.  I changed my mind on that rather quickly.  There was a spot in our dining room that needed something tall.  Would it fit?  Yes - barely!

Most would probably describe the color as mustard yellow.  I don't like mustard, so I'm calling it marigold.  A few years back, I wouldn't have cared for this color.  Those 70's colors - harvest gold, avocado green and whatever it was they called that brown were never my favorites.  For some reason, I seem to be liking them more when paired with colors I love, like turquoise or red.  I'm surprising myself.

Hubby felt sure I intended on painting the cupboard.  I gasped in horror.  The chippy paint gives it character!  Hubby doesn't appreciate an abundance of character, but thankfully, he doesn't care about such things enough to let it bother him.

I love the old red handles.  Bakelite, maybe?  The drawer handle was missing.  I plan to try to find something similar at a vintage hardware store a little south of me.  Til then, the glass knobs will do.

I brought home the Ball sign I painted and put it on top of the cabinet.  I decided I'd be heartbroken if the thing sold.  I love the apple tree branches in the granite pitcher.  Both of those are purchases from the same place as the cabinet.  I added a couple of my ball jars.  The arrangement works, but... I really think I need some red up there.  That whole corner needs some red.  It's very likely this arrangement is temporary.

The top doors have a chalkboard finish.  I had fun playing around with quotes and settled on a Dr. Seuss one to start with -

The inside has a backboard of red. It's basic plywood, which I never like, but the color is good.  The doors will stay closed.  Should I ever decide to keep them open and use the spot for display, I'll replace that backing. The shelves gave me extra storage for some things I'd had in high up cabinets before.  I especially like having the trifle bowls more easily accessible.  I love using trifle bowls!  And now I don't have to pull out a step stool to get to them.  Confession - Who knows when I'll use those bowls next.  I haven't exactly been Suzy Homemaker in the kitchen lately.

A side note about leaving the doors open - since I spend so much time on displays and vignettes for my booth, I find myself less eager for displays at home. I don't see myself opening those doors anytime soon.  I'm curious.  Do other booth vendors feel that way, too?

Another side note - I bought this cabinet and a number of other things from a couple in Senoia who were moving further out.  They had a wonderful old house and had even been part of the Senoia tour of homes in the past.  The pieces they were selling were ones they couldn't fit into their newer home.  I can't imagine what pieces they took with them.  The wife seemed rather sad or maybe just tired from moving.  I hope it was tired.  I keep thinking about them and hoping they are happy in their new home.

Screen Door Chalkboard

Finally, I finished (well, almost) a project that I have had in the works for ages. The Screened Door Project.  AND I must say -  it's fabulous!

I have a screen door that belonged to my grandmother.   I intended to turn it into a giant bulletin board.  That didn't work out - I never could find cork large enough to work.  I gave that idea up and decided a chalkboard would be nice.  

My work had been finished for a week or so.  I'd painted both the door and the chalboard backing.

The chalkboard was made from Eucaboard - the front has a smooth surface.

I rolled on Rustoleum chalkboard paint - two coats.

Today, my DH cut out the hole for the electrical outlet and hung the door on the wall.  It's up in my loft.  It's the first thing you see as you come up the stairs. 

 Then I conditioned the board by rubbing the flat side of a piece of chalk all over.

Then I erased.  In the photo above, the top is conditioned, the bottom is not.

Then, I drew a vine on it because I couldn't think of anything profound to write.

I still need to do some paint touch-ups, but it's pretty much good to go.
Yep - I love it!


Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties:

• Chalkboard Party at The Stories of A to Z (Thursday)
• Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch
• Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T.
• DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff
• Show off Your Cottage Monday at The House in Roses
• Monday Show Me How at It's a Blog Party
• Made by You Monday at Skip to My Lou
• Anything Related at All Thingz Related 
• All Things Domestic at Crazy Domestic
• Tuesdays Talent Show at My House of Giggles ~ first Tuesday of the month
• Lucky Linky Tuesday at Lucky Star Lane
• Trash to Treasure Tuesday at Reinvented 
• Take a Look Tuesday - Sugar Bee - Craft Edition  
• Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog

Chalk It Up to Hoosier Fever

I almost called this post Hoosier Mama - to sound like Who's Your Mama.   I can entertain myself for hours with silly things like this.  But, I'll try to show a little self control and get on with the post - a small, but wonderful improvement to one of my Hoosiers.

I painted the cabinet doors with chalkboard paint.  It was cheap.  It was fast.  It was easy. 

This brilliant idea has been around a while and it's caught on because it's really useful.  Most women are list-makers and note-writers because they juggle more than they can handle.  When you add hormone issues and/or lack of sleep, those lists and notes may be all that stands between you and complete chaos. 

I have little notes all over and I try to organize them.  I have a reputation for being organized, but I think maybe I'm losing my touch.  I can't seem to get a good system for all my notes.  I'm going to give chalkboards a go.  I'd like to add chalkboard surfaces in several key areas.  This is my first.

I used painters tape, which turned out to be a mistake.  The paint leaked even though I thought I'd been careful to smooth it down around the edges. Luckily, I was able to easily scrape the paint leaks off with a knife.

The Hoosier doors before were some type of stained particle board.  I guess that was someone's idea of a makeover.  It wasn't very attractive.  The bottom doors are still stained.  I'd love to cover them up as well, but I think chalkboard paint down low would be overkill.

 I put three coats of chalkboard paint on each door.  Once I took the painters tape off, the door color seemed a bit harsh. 

one door in the process of being conditioned

The directions on the can said to wait three days before using it.  That was the hardest part of the whole project.  Finally, today I conditioned the board for use - you just lay a piece of chalk on its side and rub all over the door.  Erase and then it's ready to use.  Once the doors were conditioned, the color is more of a charcoal gray and looks much better.

The Hoosier was moved to the nook in my foyer several days back during part of the Furniture Shuffle.  It had been in the pantry.  I am now using it as a station for organizing and pricing things for my booth.  I like that the foyer now has a purpose other than a pass-through area.

Here's a view inside the main organizing area - where I get things listed and priced.  Please pardon the wallpaper.  It's at least 15 years old and I thought it was nice at the time.  It's days are numbered.   The metal counter slides out when you need more room - very convenient.

I need chalkboards in at least 3 other places - the office, the kitchen and the loft (my project area).  I already know how I'm going to make that happen in my loft.  I think it will be fabulous, but I'm not even giving a hint about it yet.

Want more chalkboard inspiration?  Check out this chalkboard party at The Stories of A to Z.

Take a look at this post from My Repurposed Life showing how to make your own chalkboard paint.  She made a chalkboard out of a chair bottom!

It's So Very Cheri made a menu chalkboard that's fabulous.

Be sure to check out my Porch and Garden Party.  It's not too late to join in!

I've joined in with the following parties  -

Idid a lot of partying today!!!

Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden
Show and Tell at Blue Cricket Designs
Look What I Made at Creations by Kara
Power of Paint at Domestically Speaking
Spotlight Yourself at It's So Very Cheri 
Show Us What You're Workin' With at Me and My Bucket
We're Organized Wednesday at Organize and Decorate Everything
100 Ideas Under $100 at Beyond the Picket Fence
Strut your Stuff at Fireflies and Jelly Beans
Hooking Up With HOH at House of Hepworths
Transformation Thursdays at The Shabby Chic Cottage
Strut Your Stuff Thursday at Somewhat Simple
Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville   

More Holiday Decorating

Over the past week I've been putting out Christmas kitsch around the house. I have a few favorite places to display things. Several spots are up high so our mischievous kitties won't be able to wreak havoc on them.

First up, is a cabinet in the kitchen. I changed the quote on my chalkboard to the one from The Grinch. I didn't want a serious quote. I am feeling the need to surround myself with all things happy and light these days. Dr. Seuss is a genius at combining happy with profound.

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

My most favorite spot to decorate at Christmas is under the glass on our table. Every Christmas we get special cards with Christmas photos of people we love. I used to put them in my photo albums but I now I keep them together to put at our table. It's such fun to look through them each year. I now have so many that editing is a must. Some years I have put out so many photos that the table doesn't even show. I edited like crazy this year. I mixed old and recent photos.

Another favorite spot to decorate is atop the wardrobe in my foyer. I have a box of toys from when I was around 4 or 5. They are all in pretty good shape. I also have a few favorite childhood books and some of my Barbies. I put the toys around the tree and instantly feel like a kid again.
I might even pull down a few books to read again... as if they aren't already memorized from reading them over and over long ago.

I switched out my autumn wreath. This wreath is a yard sale find. I didn't change it a bit. It's simple and the colors are nice and I knew it suited me the minute I laid eyes on it. In this photo, it looks rather small, but it's not. Maybe I've just gotten used to my autumn wreath, which was humongous.
Last, but not least, the spot in my house that I seem to look at more than any other - the window sill by my kitchen sink. I am not satisfied with this area. I remember being more pleased with it last year. I really need to see if I took photos of it then to see what I did then. Maybe last year I didn't keep out things that were useful. I'm afraid I've gotten rather settled about having functional pieces there, too.

There's lots of room for improvement, which is nice. I really enjoy the process of making things better. I especially like finding my improvements at yard sales or thrift stores or making them myself. Buying something new feels like cheating somehow.

Haulin' Pumpkins in a Tonka

My DH collects old trucks, mostly Tonka's from the 50"s and early 60's. We've had those packed up since the move. I've been trying to pull out a few to use in the house.

A few days ago, I pulled out this orange Tonka and added a few mini pumpkins. It turned out pretty darned cute and it's one decoration that my DH truly enjoys. I've used the red trucks for Christmas decorating, but for some reason have never thought to pull in trucks for Fall.

I put it on top of a cabinet in the kitchen and added a basket and a fall arrangement. If I had more money and more time, I could go seriously crazy with this seasonal decorating!

I thought my truck idea was totally unique until today. This morning I browsed through Rhoda's blog, Southern Hospitality. She has a wonderful, It's Fall, Y'all theme going on one of her posts. I've been browsing every chance I get.

One of her links is to Rabbit Run Cottage by Sue (aka Susie Q). How have I missed that blog? It's wonderful. On Susie Q's Autumn at Rabbit Run post, she has the cutest truck with candy corn in it!

I love it! I love it better than the mini pumpkins I used. Unfortunately, I can't borrow her candy idea. First of all, the top of the cabinet is high up and I wouldn't be able to see the candy. If I moved the truck to a lower location, the cats would scatter the candy everywhere. It can be a real challenge to decorate with curious felines roaming about!

Side note - the photo above has the Susan Branch book, Autumn From the Heart of the Home, beside it. I keep running into blogs raving about that book. I might need to make a stop by the bookstore and see what all the fuss is about.

Update! I added an old, old chalkboard with an Autumn quote -