More home dec projects

I finally have a few more home decorating projects completed and ready to share. First up, I bought a white wicker frame at Goodwill last month for about $2. I knew immediately that I wanted to transform it into a chalkboard for my kitchen. Below you can see how it looked when I started. And may I add that my grass looks amazingly lush and green in this photo? Wow!

I went to Home Depot and had a very nice guy in the lumber department cut me a piece of thin MDF for the backing of the chalkboard. Did you know they will cut wood to measure for free? I asked the guy if he charged anything per cut and he said, "Just a smile." Well, that was easy. He told me he had waited on a really grumpy lady earlier that day. So I was really nice to him. Although I would have been nice anyway cuz I'm just like that. :0) Anyway, I spray painted the frame Colonial Red and the piece of wood with chalkboard spray paint. I used only 2 coats of the chalkboard paint, I think. I cured the chalkboard as recommended by rubbing a piece of chalk all over it prior to first writing on it. It doesn't erase quite as well as I would like. If I use a damp cloth, it cleans up pretty well, however. Below you can see it on my kitchen wall next to two framed chicken prints. DH just hung these for me last night. I have more plans for this area and big plans for the outdated heart shelf. Hopefully I'll get those done soon so I can share.

See how it's kind of smudgy? Maybe I should have sprayed more coats of the chalkboard paint. If you've used it and have suggestions, please comment.

I printed the chicken prints on white cardstock on my computer. The images are from The Vintage Moth. This is a really cool blog that has tons of public domain images that you can download and print for FREE! I bought 2 frames at my fave thrift store. One was already black and I sprayed the other one. Voila! Nearly free artwork!

I bought this plant holder for around $8 or less (I can't remember exactly) at my favorite local thrift store. I've been wanting to spray paint something with Rustoleum Green Apple and this was the perfect project.

Below is my finished planter sprayed with Green Apple. I bought a coconut liner at Home Depot and added the flowers. This is now hanging on the wall of our home just outside one of our entry doors. I love it! I think it looks so fun and fresh with the apple green paint.

Now, on to the bathroom. The next two photos are the "before" pictures. My bathroom has been pretty much the same and pretty much boring for several years.

My laundry is in the main bathroom. You can see my clothes drying rack and laundry basket complete with clothes............just keeping it real!!



I posted a while back about this "hairy" little nightlight lamp that I bought at my fave thrift store. Now it is at home on my bathroom counter.

I decided to continue my "French country" decor into the main bathroom since it is in the hallway right off the living room/dining room/kitchen. Keeping the same color scheme and using the same fabrics will provide continuity throughout my home. So, I used leftover fabric from my living room/dining room/kitchen transformation to make a custom shower curtain for our bathroom.

Below the window where I previously had a basket of rolled towels on the floor and my clothes drying rack, I added a little shelf that I scammed off my parents. My dad actually made it himself MANY years ago. It was just sitting in their garage and my mom let me have it when I asked. She's nice like that. I was thinking about painting it, but I think I actually like it as is for now at least. I bought some new towels to go with the new decor. I actually really needed them because my old ones were starting to fray. I also bought a new clothes hamper. My old white plastic one was torn and cracked and really needed to go. I placed the clothes rack in the space between the wall and the washing machine. It's amazing how these little changes have completely transformed my bathroom.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this little white basket that I found to put rolled washcloths in. I bought it at...........my favorite local thrift store for about $3. LOVE. IT. The fact that it has chicken wire is really awesome since I'm going to soon be a CHICKEN FARMER!! ha

I have several more projects in mind for the bathroom/laundry room. Hopefully those will get done soon too so I can post.

I made a little trip to Goodwill tonight while DH took my boys to a high school baseball game. I haven't taken photos of my "treasures" yet, but I'll try to do a post about them soon. When I go without the boys, I like to take time to clothes shop. I found 3 new tops, a new skirt, a totally cute new pair of sandals, a little white apple and a fall tray for my baker's rack this fall. SCORE!

Gosh I love thrifting!! You never know what you'll find.