Let It Snow Winter Plaque

A few weeks back I showed off my winter mantle but never gave y'all the detail on my Let It Snow Sign...

A rescued thrift store find became a cute little winter sign.

Ready to see the before??  Ah yes...circa 1970s!

I wanted something sort of dark and snowy.  So I started off with black paint.  Then layered on white in thin thin coats...

So that there is still black peaking through in areas....

I then painted the edges in white plus the trees and two hills...

I used my PSA Essentials stamps with blue ink to add snowflakes and "let it snow". 

I was going for something rustic...

Like a snowy wintery night...

The perfect winter accessory...

Even though I really don't wish it would snow! :)

Posted on Met Monday on Between Naps on the Porch.

Posted at Just Something I Whipped up on The Girl Creative.
Posted at the Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.
~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~

The Country Chic Cottage

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Recovering a Memo Board

Do your kid's love memo boards?  Or maybe you do?  You can easily recover them with a different fabric.  Ready to see how?

This was the memo board before...

Um...yea...needs recovered right?  

Materials

• about a 1/2 yard of fabric depending on the size of your board
• contrasting or matching fabric to cover buttons (a scrap is enough)
• covered buttons kit
• spool of ribbon (will take almost entire spool)
• glue gun and hot glue
• upholstery tacks
• needle and thread

Begin by stripping your entire board.  Remove all old fabric and buttons.  I left the sawtooth hangers on the back.  I cut the old fabric off around them.  Then cut around the new fabric so I could reuse them.

Lay out your fabric and cut to allow for at least 2 inches of overhang.  Begin wrapping fabric around board and using hot glue to secure.  Lots of hot glue all around.  You could use a staple gun but this one I tore apart had been up for years.  All it had was hot glue securing the fabric.

Hold up your ribbon corner to corner and cut to size leaving enough to wrap around.  Secure with hot glue.  

Then use one upholstery tack on each ribbon end to further secure.  Don't leave these out!

Continue with ribbon.  Corner to corner first to create an "x".  Then the middle of each side to the middle of the adjoining side.  Cover your buttons according to instructions in kit.  I had never used a kit like that to make covered buttons.  It was sooo easy!  Don't be scared of fancy covered buttons! 

Secure buttons where ribbons cross with needle and thread.  Either go all the way through your board (should be holes already there) or at least grab the fabric.  That way when you add your pictures and momentos they will not slide down.

After you buttons are secure, you are ready to hang.  

It really was simple!  I have already completed a second one and have a third one in process!

 Posted at Transformation Thursday on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Posted at Show off your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

Posted at the under $100 party on Beyond the Picket Fence.

Posted at the Open House Party on No Minimalist Here.
Posted at SNS on Funky Junk Interiors.
Posted at the Weekend Wrapup on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

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Striped Curtains with Decoart

I am about to show y'all a room that has never before been seen on this blog.  The kid's bathroom has really been the same old, same old for years.  I have decided to give it a little makeover with some new accessories.  First up was curtains.  I may be the only human being you know with 5 windows in her bathroom....FIVE!  One hint:  if you are looking at building a house with five windows in the bathroom...don't.  It is cold!  I had valances up on those windows.  I have been dreaming of floor length curtains for sometime.  My hope is that they will keep some of that cold air out this winter.  But five windows with floor length curtains is a BUNCH of fabric.  I finally had a brainstorm...sheets.  I had enough white sheets to make curtains for the windows for FREE!  But plain white sheets for curtains??  So I decided to paint on some stripes....

I am going a little bit bold in here.  So I went with a dark charcoal grey on the bottom with a couple of shades of green on the top.  And yes...great big clawfoot tub and 5 huge windows...in a bathroom people...on the second floor!  That view so could have been better used with a different room!  But that is a topic for another time -- aka "How I would layout my house in a dream world".  Now for my before and after....

Oh so lovely!  I literally laid out my stripes with a ruler and paint brush...marking the lines.  They are all different sizes.  I went with 3 inches on the bottom, 4 inches in the middle, and about 2 inches on top.  I used Decoart paint with their fabric medium.

 The fabric medium really made the paint thin and oh so easy to apply to the curtains.  I was going for 6 stripes.  But gosh...after sitting on the floor for 4 to 5 hours doing three on each of the five curtains....I was done!

Partway through I was not entirely sure I liked the look.  Yes after 3 hours on the floor, I was unsure.  Aack!  I decided to finish them all, hang them, and then decide.  Once they were all up there I was smitten!  Hooray for perseverance!

Stay tuned as I have BIG plans for this room!  You won't want to miss this one.  {Well as long as it turns out as well as it looks in my head.}  The jury is still out on whether or not this is going to make this room any warmer.  But heck, for the cost of a little paint and a little backache, I am willing to chance it!

 Posted at Transformation Thursday on The Shabby Chic Cottage.

Posted at Show off your Stuff Party at Fireflies and Jellybeans.

Posted at the under $100 party on Beyond the Picket Fence.

Posted at the Open House Party on No Minimalist Here.
Posted at SNS on Funky Junk Interiors.
Posted at the Weekend Wrapup on Tatertots and Jello.
Posted at Sunday Showcase on Under the Table and Dreaming.


~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

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Crackle Finish Table Top -- $1 table!

My crackle paint obsession continues...this time on furniture!  Check out my crackle finish on this tray table top plus learn how to do your own.

What about a little before and after first??  Here is the after....

And the before...this tray table was $1 at a yard sale...but boy oh boy did it need some love!  I started with Krylon Dual in gray...cause I am in love with that paint... 

But this table is all about the faux finish!  For that I used the DecoArt designer series in white, DecoArt one step crackle, and the Americana sealer to finish it off... 

First I painted two white stripes across my new gray table.  Two coats on each one... 

Let that dry, then spread on the one step crackle.  Watch the magic over the next hour. I seriously heart this one step crackle medium.  Amazing stuff...seriously amazing!     

I then used some stain I had one hand to age over the crackle.  I just put on some stain then wiped it right back off.  I did each area 2-3 times.  Until it looked just right... 

I used some stencils to paint on "1st".  I want 3 of these eventually.  And this "1st" belongs to my first born.  :)  See what I did there.  It has not yet made them stop fighting over this one though... 

Two coats of spray sealer over the top will keep it looking great for a long time!  This was my first time trying out the spray sealer and it is great.  I applied two coats and had absolutely no issues. 

Here is the final product!   

Loving all that crackled paint goodness... 

How about some up close beauty shots?   

I did the crackle around the edges of the table also... 

Lovely dark cracks that are the perfect addition to my home... 

Seriously wondering what else I can spread this crackle medium on... 

I have to find some more of these to redo.  Do y'all think I can find two more for $1 each??  Don't think I will be that lucky...do you? 

Lovely gray and white chippy goodness... 

So what would you crackle?  Give me some ideas! 

Tomorrow starts our handmade gifts event!!  Stay tuned!

Posted on Met Monday on Between Naps on the Porch.

Posted at Just Something I Whipped up on The Girl Creative.

~Thanks for stopping by!~
~Angie~
The Country Chic Cottage

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Aging with Paint Terracotta Clay Pots -- with @decoart_inc

I love my terracotta clay pots to be aged looking and worn.  Are you ready to learn how to get that look with paint?  All crackled with what looks just like crazing on vintage dishes...swoon worthy for sure...

To get started, you will need some terracotta clay pots.  I had a few around the house so I picked out two in different sizes.

Next up is my supplies from Decoart.  The folks at Decoart were kind enough to send me some supplies to play around with.  I used their Americana paint in warm white, one step crackle, and elegant finish metallic glaze in old world patina.

These products together will turn your pots from terra cotta to wonderful, crackled goodness...

Start with about 2 coats of the white paint.  Enough to cover the clay color.

Let that dry to the touch.  Then add a good coat of the One Step Crackle.  Let that sit for at least an hour and watch the magic happen...

The One Step Crackle is so easy to use and is my new fave product.  I love that crackled finish!  After at least an hour, break our your sponge and metallic glaze.  Dab it on with your sponge is small areas.

Then wipe it right back off.  The following picture is a section on the left where I have just applied the glaze and a section on the right where I have already wiped it off.

Continue around your entire pot.  Sing to yourself the entire time cause you are so in love with the finish...

I also did a little way down on the inside of each pot.  That way when I plant something in it, the inside will look crackled also.

See all planted...and they look gorgeous inside and out...

Some tips on planting...if you cover your dirt with smooth rocks and moss, the plants look oh so much better...

I grab my moss off of an old tree outside, so it is free.  :)

The finish totally looks like an old plate or cup that has crazing under the glaze.  Love, love, love...

Here is a beauty shot of the little plants.  I had started these off of some pieces of plants I already had.

I will be using my one step crackle on another project next week so y'all stay tuned!  Told ya I was in love with it!

Posted at Show and Tell on Romantic Home.

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Posted at Frugalicious Friday on Finding Fabulous.

Posted at Feature Yourself Friday on Fingerprints on the Fridge.

~Thanks for stopping by!~

~Angie~.
The Country Chic Cottage

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