It's Pallet Time!

When I saw that Funky Junk's SNS 138 was featuring Pallets and Reclaimed Wood projects I had to repost this project, it's one of my favs to date and I'm looking forward to doing more like it.  I think it was a post that Donna did a while back on how to select the right pallet for a project that started my obsession.  I'm very luck to have a good friend in the printing business and he now sets aside pallets that he thinks will work for my projects.

Here is the post on my pallet project ...

I have been obsessing over pallets and distressed wood lately.  Pinterest has just been adding fuel to the fire.  Initially I wanted to cover one complete wall in the living room with pallet boards, or Piet Hein Eek scrapwood wallpaper which is totally out of my budget!

I love this wallpaper!

Anyho, I recently asked my favourite Printer, Jim, what he does with all the Pallets that come into his building.  He told me he either returns them or trashes them ... WHAT????  They're treasure I told him, I must look at them.  So Frank came with me and the first beauty we set our eyes on was this one ...

I love her!  I must have her! 

She stayed in the back of my car for a few days, while I pondered what her future would be.

Then I received this image in an email from Joss & Main.

There's another image at their site with this clock resting against a skid/pallet and I loved the look.

I shared the image with Frank and told him I was going to make this clock and rest it against the pallet we brought home.  He said "why don't you just paint the clock right on the pallet".  Hmmmm.

OK!

Above is my "plan" for the project and our living room wall, can you visualize it?  Isn't it Cool?

So we got to work, Frank got to play with his Sawzall.

He removed the lower part of the skid for me.  While he was doing that I was prepping my masks to make the painting easier.

Here is the part 1, the background colours.

I used Annie Sloan Chalk paint as the base colours, the center is Old White and the outer section is mainly Louis Blue with some Paris Grey. I didn't go for complete coverage since I wanted the distressed look to come through.   Once the paint was down I slowly peeled back the mask.

Here she is, what do you think so far?  I do not know what I was thinking from here on as I do not have any photo's of the steps.  So next I painted the border, and numbers with black acrylic craft paint.  I used my Silhouette to cut my masks.  It was a little tricky, since I had to tile the image to get the size.

Once the painting was complete we drilled a hole in the center of the board for the clock motor to come through.  The hands are a little small but they were the best I could get without ordering online and waiting for them to arrive.  I'm on a roll and I'm not waiting baby!

This is her first reveal, we had a problem with the hands so I purchased a better set and movement from Lee Valley.   Next I painted the boards to mount the hangers and lanterns to.

Frank painted over a sign we had already to fit our colour scheme and we decided it looked so good we would put it over the clock on the sofa wall.

Today Frank put it all together on the wall, I am so happy with it.

Cool eh?

Here's an evening shot with the candles lit.

I really like the shadows these lanterns cast.

I wish I had a before photo but I hated the wall so much I didn't want any evidence.

This is the print that was on the wall, it looked lost on the wall and just did not suit our decor anymore (I'm not certain it ever really did).  I sold it on Kijiji to a nice couple who picked it up last week.  Yay!

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Coffee Table/Bench Makeover is finally complete!

The end of last year we picked up this coffee table for $16 at our local thrift store.  It's really sturdy, I had a vision of it becoming the perfect entrance bench.   It's so darn pretty I was torn when it came to painting it (not!)

After sanding the top,  the top was painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, Louis Blue then I added this phrase that was cut using my Silhouette Cameo.  The navy blue is vinyl that is being used as a mask that will be peeled off after the next layer of paint...

We also removed the doors.  Relax ... it's going to look great!

Here is it after being completely painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Graphite, then I peeled off the vinyl so the Louis Blue could show through.

Then I distressed the whole table/bench, and waxed it with Annie Sloan Clear wax,  I also used a small amount of dark wax over the exposed wood areas to give them a richer look.

Here she is in her final glory!  As you can see it was made for this area, there isn't an inch to spare.

I added the baskets which we are using for Buddy's leash, our gloves, mitts and other items that used to end up on the shelf above.


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Jennifer Rizzo: Thrift Store Makeover

Picture Perfect Room, progress report #2

Nope, not done yet but she's coming along!  Wanna see a before shot?  Are you sure, it's scary.

Isn't it welcoming?  I have been following so many amazing blogs,  many that have these gorgeous entrances that are white and bright.  I yearn for that fresh, white, beachy entrance way!

Here's the stage we are at now ...

It's taking a little longer, there is tons of caulking to be done and another coat of paint.  The entrance bench that I have been working on needs a little more distressing and a coat of wax.  We have hooks to go up under the shelf and also there are blinds that need to be installed.

Previously the windows looked like this ...

I had "shopped the house" and reused these white sheer panels to cover the windows, you know, to get that breezy tropical look.  Can't you just feel the warm tropical breezes ummm, cold wind now?
I picked up some very cheap reasonably priced blinds on Friday, they are just white vinyl slats that I will eventually replace with white wood blinds.  I don't like the look of the tops of most cheap lower priced blinds so I made valances with fabric I picked up a while ago.  Geez, talk about being resourceful since I don't have a sewing machine.  I used fabric glue ... I was high on fumes yesterday!

I ironed the edges

Then glued and stuck down, I do love how fast this works, so much faster then fabric tape.

I added dimes to the bottom corners to add a little weight.

Then I attached the rings to the tops.  The final reveal will have to wait til completion of the room.
I also made one pillow cover in the same fabric and using fabric glue, I have one more to make.

Here is the beginning of a painted sign, this is a cabinet door from Habitat which I am painting 

with ASCP Louis Blue.

It will be going up on the shelf and the arrow is actually facing in the direction

of the nearest beach.

So here are the components that have been worked on, stay tuned for final room reveal.

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Progress Report on my Picture Perfect Room ...

Confession, I really hoped to have this done by now.  Boy life gets in the way!  I took a week vacation and got sick so didn't accomplish much that week.  Then I'd  hoped we could tackle the project this weekend but then Frank got sick.  I just could not go back to work tomorrow and have another weekend with nothing done so I'll show you what I did get done.

The project is our entrance porch.  I believe the entrance of a home reflects the energy of it.  Given the current condition of our entrance it's no wonder I feel scattered, confused and unorganized!

There is an open coat rack in the entrance which I have disliked since we moved in.  The goal is to paint the paneling, remove the hanging rack, replace with hooks, create a bench to sit and put shoes on, declutter and accessorize.

Last year we picked up this sturdy coffee table at our local 2nd hand store, it's going to make the perfect entrance bench.

Isn't it pretty - NOT!  but I have a vision.   I cropped this photo so you wouldn't see ALL the mess but I think you get the idea.

Last week Frankie took the doors off for me and filled the holes where the hinges were.  Yesterday I gave her a quick sand to remove some raised areas I'm assuming were caused by slight water damage.
Then the painting and personalization began ...

That's it for the progress report, the bench needs to be distressed, waxed and toned still.  I'm also really hoping we can get the paneling painted this week and put the hooks up.  Have a great week!

JoJo

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It's New Years Eve and time to reflect on the Christmas Season

I'll start with our tree - It took a little tweaking this year but I loved the final result of the tree.  We made the change to a smaller tree last year and since we were changing we went White!  The biggest addition this year was the Galvanized tub that we set the tree in.  I was inspired by Donna @ Funky Junk last year and spent the year looking for one.  I was so happy when one showed up at the local Antique Store right before Christmas.  I didn't get a good picture of the finished tree at night but I have a "work in process shot"

We place the tree on an end table between our sofa's in the living room.  I put Burlap tree wrap on the end table then inside the bin I place white twinkle lights over silver fabric then top them with white gauze to give the illusion of bright white snow at the base of the tree.

The original star was too heavy for the tree and it kept drooping forward.  I tried everything to enforce it, I doubled up the top branch, put a rod up into it but it still kept leaning forward to I replaced it with a large silver bow, and also added some more ornaments, I think the little white and blue bows just finished the tree off.

I didn't do any baking this Christmas Season since I am on a journey to improve my health and sugar is not my friend.  I will admit to breaking down and having a couple of sweets over the holidays and I swear when I eat sugar I am more susceptible to picking up germs or bugs from those around me.  I know, it may sound kooky but it's my story and I'm sticking to it <grin>.

In lieu of baking I made a Christmas Present for my Sister Kim and her husband David.  It's a family sign with their anniversary date on it.  The base colour is Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Aubusson Blue, I love ASCP but I was not happy with the way this darker blue sanded, it left streaks.

The wax finish took away some of the streaky blue but not all, it just adds to the character of the sign ... ya ya that's right.  Notice the little dog paw lower right side, I added that for all Kim and Dave's fur babies, those that are still with us and those that are in doggy heaven.  When I go I hope I go to Doggy Heaven, I think it would be a very nice place.

Speaking of Fur Babies, our holidays were blessed with many.  First there was the frisbee obsessed Aneeka at the Car dealership ... she is stylin quite the wardrobe!

Then in the same day we visited the Pet store ...

Where we saw these cute Westie Pups, you would have to take both of them home!

There were also these Dutch Shepherd Pups that slept the whole time I was there.  Dutch Shepherd is the breed of Clark Griswold Dog from the Ultimate Dog Tease You tube Fame. (I love him)

I look forward to Christmas Day every year when we get to see my nephews Jake and Jed!  This is a great photo with Frankie and my nephews (Jake is the handsome one posing against Frank).  Of course I look forward to seeing family too.

Then on Boxing Day I came to spend two weeks with my fur friends Chance and Ruby, this photo is of Chance before the snow arrived.

Ruby seems to be sleeping in all the photos I have of her so far.

 I can't have doggies in the blog and not add our precious Buddy, in this photo he is looking at Frank with love in his eyes as Frank prepares a special dinner for him (Ground Beef was most likely involved)


But (drum roll) .... the biggest event of the holiday season was the gift we purchased for us and will allow us to do more DIY projects and I'll be able to Blog so much more next year (drum still rolling)  I said Buh Bye to my beloved little Punch Buggy, aka Zippy ...

She's looking a little dirty and frosty here ... I think she was giving me the Cold Shoulder!

We said HELLO to this sexy diva!  She is such a comfortable car to drive and so solid! She's a Volvo XC70 with all wheel drive so we can blast through the snow on our way to all the Kijiji deals out there & with all the space we can pick up a few deals!  I love her.

We have had such a blessed Holiday and look forward to 2012.

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