Tuesday, January 3, 2012

~~~COTTAGE CHALKBOARD MAKEOVER~~~ Romantic Transformation Underway

~TELEPHONE CHALKBOARD SIGN~
Ready For Her Makeover

As hard as it is for me to believe on January 1st I began my FOURTH year of blogging.  It seems like it was just a few days ago I jumped into the world of on-line posting and honestly it's been quite a ride.  I love sharing with you my gathered thoughts and the decorating ideas that have worked for me over the past few years.
 ~CHERRY RED PAINT~
A No-Can-Do For My Home

Lots of things are planned this year for my La Chaumière de Briarwood and my A Gathering Place Shoppe and I'm happy to have you follow along.  I hope I can keep you interested.  If not the Blogger World is growing exponentially so I'm quite sure someone else out there will!  So much inspiration to be found...and talent...and beauty...and grace...  I'm so encouraged and blessed by what I see and read...
~TELEPHONE LABEL HAS GOT TO GO~

Over the Christmas/New Year Break I did just a little shopping even though I didn't purchase a single Christmas related thing (I already have too much).  I don't know what it is, but when Christmas is over I just can't make myself buy anything holiday related no matter how fabulous the price.  There is the rare exception of course (like LED Lights deeply discounted), but for the most part I pass on what I see.  Our local Hobby Lobby had aisles filled with leftover Christmas product and I don't remember this particular store ever being so jam-packed.
~LIGHTLY SANDED~

However, this charming vintage style Telephone Chalkboard Sign was a great discounted find!  It was originally created like an old English/London phone booth and I just fell in love with it's simple lines.  The chalkboard was propped up on one of Hob-Lob's back shelves and was 80% off the original price.  Good thing because I would NEVER have paid the $80 asking price for it!  PA-LEEZE!
~OLD ENGLISH PHONE BOOTHS~

Even with a 40% coupon (or their 50% off sales) I would have passed on it!  But for $16 it was more than a fabulous deal!  I decided to purchase it and redo it for my kitchen or maybe for my breakfast room...
~ALL PRIMED UP~

This particular piece was pretty distressed and parts of it were a bit 'bubbled'.  First thing I did was remove the paper TELEPHONE label and lightly sand off the overly distressed areas.  After wiping it clean I applied a coat of ZINSSER PRIMER.  The pictures you see were taken after the first coat.  After about a hour I applied another coat and then another one after that for a total of three primer coats.  I did this to cut down on the paint-bleed-thru you sometimes get with red pigment from China...
~CLOSE-UP VIEW~
(Primer Applied With A Sponge Brush)

After the first coat of primer dried I went back and masked off the chalkboard with painter's tape.  I should have done this first but I got in a hurry (imagine that!).
~ZINSSER PRIMER~
(Bulls-Eye Water Based)
~TOO MUCH FOR ME~
(A Simply Ridiculous Price)

This morning I applied the first coat of paint (Cottage White from Behr/Home Depot) and later this afternoon I'll give it another once-over.  If it looks good then I'll let it cure for a day or so before I begin the next step.  I haven't decided what I'm going to paint where the word TELEPHONE was but I do believe I'll hand paint some pink roses where the crown once was...

I'm excited about showing you the final results of the chalkboard this coming weekend.  I think it's going to look charming hanging in my cottage style home once it's finished.  I love snagging things at a great price, don't you?

Now that our old ceramic tile is up my guy has plans to remove part of a wall in our family room so it will flow nicely into our formal dining room.  He also must reposition the entryway into our kitchen and that is going to take some time.  Both things must be done before our new wood floors can be installed so here we are doing the  'waiting thing' again.

I'll be back to work restocking my website very soon.  Thank you so much for writing and for your interest!  2011 was a great year for me and as always I've been blessed by your friendship and business.

More soon!

Love to you...

17 comments:

NanaNor's said...

Dear Rebecca, Happy New Year to you; what a great find. This year the allure of items on sale after Christmas hasn't pulled me but I imagine next spring when I'm hunting at garage sales I will find plenty.
I always love visiting and seeing what new project you are working on; I love this chalkboard and look forward to how you are going to finish it.
Hugs, Noreen

NanaDiana said...

I can only imagine how beautiful that piece will be once you have your way with it, Rebecca. I am anxious, too, for your remodeling to move forward. I know that you are like me and like orderly spaces...so I know it is a challenge to deal with the wait for it to be done.

I hope you are having a blessed week-xo Diana

Stitches said...

I can't wait to see the transformation that you are doing on this piece. I know it will be lovely and you will love it..

Anonymous said...

How about "Billet-doux"? It would fit nicely, feed your all things french soul and be gorgeous no matter where you place it. :) Happy New Year Rebecca and boy, do I feel like i've rapidly aged when you said FOUR YEARS.. goodness. Hugs ~ Tammy

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Rebecca,

You savvy shopper! That was a steal and I can picture your mind, when you held that chalk board into your hands.
Good luck with the construction + study of your dear one.
Love to you,

Mariette

Linda Breedlove said...

Hi Rebecca, Happy New Year dear friend! A fabulous find... I love doing that with card making supplies. Looking forward to seeing how you finish it... will be another winner, I'm sure!
Hugs!

Debbie B said...

Even though red is my favorite color, I can't wait to see the finished product! I think your pink roses will be beautiful. Behr's Cottage White is one of my favorite paint colors. All (well, most of)the woodwork in our house is Cottage White. Love it!

Christine said...

Can't wait to see the finished chalkboard. I know it will be beautiful.

Heather's Blog-o-rama said...

That's a great deal on the chalkboard. I've always wanted to find a traditional chalkboard with a wood frame that I could use in my home. It adds some real vintage appeal to the house :) :) I'm looking forward to seeing what the finished product looks like :) :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather ;)

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Congratulations on 4 years!! Wow that is quite an accomplishment! Can't believe you left us hanging on the chalk board! I just know it will be gorgeous!!

Carol

Maryellen said...

WOW so neat, I can hardly wait to see the end result. It's like a great cliff-hanger !

Dolores said...

Can't wait to see this wonderful piece when you do your magic.
Happy new year!

{Bellamere Cottage} said...

Hi Sweet Rebecca....

Oh.........can't wait to see what your "touch" does to this little piece... I just know it's going to be yummy. :-)

Isn't your fella just the bestestest? He's one hard worker, isn't he? I'll bet you just can't wait to see what everything looks like when it's all finished and those floors are down. I swear God gave both of you an extra measure of "get up and go"....

Big huggies!

Spence

PS... Happy New Year too!

Primitive Echoes said...

Oh just great. We have to wait for it to cure lol. Give it an antibiotic I can hardly wait to see it finished.
Kat

Jen said...

Happy New Year Rebecca! Can't wait to see this piece completed. I'm sure it wil be gorgeous as always.

Jeannette

Theresa said...

Can't wait to see the final result of your chalkboard makeover:) I know it will be gorgeous! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!

Pink Roses and Teacups said...

Happy New Year sweet Rebecca!! Can't wait to see your new floors, and what you paint on this new piece!


Love,
Debbie xxoo

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