Chalkboard Table

Hope everyone had a great 4^th of July Weekend.

 I’m still working on the downloads – thank you all for your kind comments about the canisters and such.

 OK, since everyone in the blogosphere seems to have days like “Thrifty Thursday” or Furniture Friday” I had hoped, today, to initiate Tuesday Tips  wherein I share, and encourage you to share, helpful tips for furniture repair, painting or crafts in general (I contemplated calling it “Tipsy Tuesday” but thought that might draw the wrong crowd). 

 However my first “tip” is that, if you’re planning to initiate a Tuesday Tips post you need to actually come up with some tips in advance.  So……

 Stay tuned next week for my new series Tuesday Tips! 

 You’re all going to think I have a thing for making children’s furniture but let me explain.

 I seem to acquire a lot of short furniture.  It all used to be tall furniture, mind you, but at some point the previous owners appear to have made a “correction.”  I’m not sure what goes on in these households but apparently their problems are solved by cutting the legs off their furniture.  This strikes me as a little drastic but who am I to judge?

 Anyway, such was the case with a little, square topped table I acquired.  It had a nice solid top that actually rotated but it was waaaay to short to be of much use to anyone.  However, the price was right and grabbed it before thinking it through. 

 And at this point I need to confess that I can’t for the life of me find the “before” pic of it.  But trust me, it was beat-up, short, and in need of a serious makeover.  (Insert your own “sounds like my ex” or, “enough about you David what about the table” joke here)

 So, it just sat around being short and ugly for quite a while until I came across this terrific idea for a kids table from one of my favorite blogs Maple and Magnolia

 and my brain started percolating.  (click the picture for the link to her full post – she does terrific, inspiring work)

 I thought it would be fun to do something similar with my too-little table but with a chalkboard twist.  So I sanded (a lot) and painted it white and then painted chalkboard paint on the top.  I was pleased but thought it needed a little something else.  Perhaps a place to put the chalk?

 That’s when I came across some fluted molding at Home Depot.  It’s very affordable and it’s supposed to go this way

but if you flip it over

the perfect chalk resting spot!

 So I cut each corner at 45 degrees and framed out the top of the table.

 And the result was this

Do you like my imitation “child-like” drawing?  I was going to make up a story about how I had my niece come over but A) my youngest niece is 16 and sooo over chalk drawing and B) I realized my own drawing skills are perfectly in keeping with what an 7 year old would do! How convenient!

Now I just need some little, tiny people chairs to complete the display!

Linking to:

And featured on the terrific:

Sofa Table Makeover – and petty crime

“It’s $1.99.”

 “Are you sure it’s not supposed to be $19.99?”

 “The tag says $1.99 – do you want it or not?” said the understandably fatigued, slightly belligerent, Salvation Army lady.

 The store was crowded.  The line was long.  There was no air conditioning and she clearly wasn’t in the mood for a pricing debate with some overgrown Boy Scout who wanted to pay extra.

 So, although technically it wasn’t my fault and I tried to do the right thing, I feel like I stole something from the Salvation Army (which seems like a really bad move Karma-wise).   

Because I got this for $1.99

The top was in seriously bad shape and, as you can see it was, um,… missing something there in the front.  But look at those awesome legs!  And I was convinced I could create a replacement part for that front piece.  Or maybe replace the entire front with a useful drawer!

 So I forked over my $2.00 (I put the penny change in the “need a penny?” basket which didn’t make me feel as unguilty as I’d hoped it would) stuffed it in my Honda Civic and took it home – - -

where it sat for quite a while because, unfortunately, my imaginary carpentry skills far outpace my actual carpentry skills. 

 I lack that key element of patience (“measure twice?!! But that would slow me down!!!). 

 After a couple of tries I had to admit that I couldn’t duplicate the missing part and that I would just need to create a whole new front.

 I decided to make this piece my homage to Miss Mustard Seed  and her amazing and awesome work.  So, after cutting a new front out, I painted the bottom, did a little distressing, stained the top and added a couple of doo-dads to make it fancy.

I’m totally pleased with how it came out. 

I do still wish it had a drawer but…..  Patience….patience…..