Wooden Boxes Before and After

You know how you go into an antique shop and spot something and think, "I want that but I have no idea why." Then you go home without it and it haunts you. So weeks later you go back and hope it's still there. Well, it was my lucky day because this set of three wooden boxes that I just had to have was still there. Here's my set of wooden boxes -- okay, truth be told, they are an old canister set. But they are solid wood and have such potential!

 

I brought them home and sanded them down. Mixed up a batch of chalk paint and gave them a few coats. Distressed them and applied a coat of wax that I then buffed out. I topped them with beach glass for knobs, and wow, what a transformation! When I get out to Seattle later this spring I'm going to search for the perfect sea glass chunks to become the official toppers for these fun boxes.

Turquoise and Orange Part 2 - Frames

My little beach cabanas, which I originally attached to a piece of driftwood, just weren't going over as well as I'd hoped. I decided to try something a bit different. I searched antique and thrift shops for frames with good character features, then repurposed them into these funky frames to give my beach cabanas new life! I think they turned out very fun!

Turquoise and Orange -- Love it! Part 1

As usual, my posts start with -- so, I found this piece of wood...Again, I had no idea what it was or what I was going to do with it, but it was interesting and I had to have it. So I brought it home and sanded and painted it a new great turquoise color that I mixed up.

I then decided I need to apply fish. It just seemed like the thing to do. So, I drew a few different shapes and my friend cut them out for me. I really thought a blue and butter yellow might work, but when I painted them up and laid them on the turquoise wood, it wasn't doin' it for me.

I decided to go bold with a bright orange. I painted them up and sanded them down and ...

Am really glad I made the switch as I just love this color combination. I arranged them into a 'school' and attached to the wood. Then, finished each fish off by adding an eye with a tiny Leland Blue stone from my treasure jar full of things like this that I collect on the beaches.  I'm not really sure what to call it, but I think it looks really great leaning against something or hung on a wall. You decide!

 

 

 

 

Vintage Nautical Reclaimed Wood Tray with Rope Handles

This project begins with -- so, I found this old wooden crate....some things you just have to buy even though you have no idea what you will do with it (my husband does not understand this concept!). But I've been playing around with chalk painting and thought this might be a good 'project.'

 

I sanded the heck out of the thing then mixed up a batch of chalk paint in this really great denim blue color and painted it.

 

I then sanded the heck out of it again to give it that distressed look, had my wonderful assistant drill some holes in each side for handles, applied a couple coats of wax and buffed it out.

 I then created the rope handles out of some dock line and here's the finished product!