From Geek to Chic: Easy Tray Makeover

Pssst . . . have you entered my current giveaway for a chance to makeover some of your furniture?

Right now, probably because it's yard sale season and I've been yard saling my little heart out, I've been rocking the $1.00 projects.   It started with the $1.00 railing makeover, then yesterday's $1.00 necklace-to-key-chain project and today . . . you guessed it . . . a $1.00 tray re-furbish.

I found this tray at a church rummage sale and loved the shape but not the ugly shiny blue with the 80s shiny gold and the odd little red rubber feet.  What an ugly duckling!

After I spray painted our knife block with Krylon chalkboard spray paint, we forgot to store it inside for the winter (along with the remnants of a couple other cans).  While the Tremclad spray paint cans bit the dust, the Krylon seemed fine so I thought I'd experiment on the tray.  I'd rather use the paint than waste it, but was hesitant about using it on something "good".  Happily, the little tray was a success!

We're using the newly-cute tray in the hall, on the useless table, but I haven't actually finished the chalkboard process (rubbing it with the side of chalk and wiping it off).  While I think it would be a great place to write reminders we'd see before leaving the house ("take the garbage out"), Hubby thinks we'll just coat our stuff with chalk dust.  I think he might be right (AGAIN) because, although no one ever mentions how dusty chalk is, it sure does create a mess.  I don't doodle as much as I thought I would on the knife block for this reason.

But I have the option.  Chalkboard or not, I love the matte black look.

For now, it's chic and the little rubber feet look cute, not weird.  They actually connect the red accents from the kitchen and I love the punch of black in the hallway.  Another $1.00 well spent!

I have found the Krylon chalkboard paint to be durable: no scuffs or dings.  It creates a "tough, slate-like surface" so I didn't prime first.  I'll let you know how it stands up to wear and tear.  But I can say, after 9 months, the knife block (despite being stabbed repeatedly when I miss the slots, and being washed often because I am a neat-freak) looks exactly like it did when I first painted.  NO wear!  Sweet.

P.S. I'm linking up here: Lesley's Super Sweet Thursday Par-tay, Polly Want a Crafter? Craft Party

DIY Chalkboard Knife Block

Want a knife block you can doodle on?  Here's how you can easily re-paint your knife block, using chalkboard paint.

Our knife block, a cheap-o Winner's purchase from four years ago, was looking a bit worse for wear.  Due to my excessive cleaning, I had managed to scrub most of the varnish off and I wasn't a fan of the light wood in our kitchen.

Before

Before - Sans Varnish

I had a can of chalkboard spray paint lying around because I opted not to paint the magnetic memo board I made.  But that meant I hadn't actually tried super trendy chalkboard paint.  And all the cool kids are doing it.  So I thought the lonely can of paint + an ugly worn-out knife block = fun kitchen accessory, without spending any money!

Supplies:

• Sandpaper
• Old rag or paper towel
• Painter's tape
• Chalkboard spray paint
• Wood knife block 

Steps:

• Lightly sanded the surface of the knife block
• Wipe it down with a damp rag to remove any residue, let dry
• Tape off the feet - especially if they are rubber
• Spray in light, even coast in well ventilated area
• Let dry
• Rub the side of a piece of chalk all over the surface, wipe off with a damp rag

One coat of paint resulted in this: 

Here's what it looked like after I rubbed the whole thing in chalk using the side of a piece of chalk (as per the manufacturer's instructions):

Then I wiped the chalk off using a damp cloth.  Apparently this "conditions" the chalkboard surface.  Can you imagine doing this for an entire chalkboard wall?!?
 

Now I can doodle:

No doodle.

To save you some scrolling . . . the "before" again.

Before

I love the look!  Even as a plain black knife block I think it looks better: crisper, more modern and it fits with the other black accessories in the kitchen.  Check out these other knife block makeovers - I promise you'll be inspired!

After

Troubleshooting tips for using chalkboard spray paint:

• Use a very fine sandpaper because any scrapes or scratches in the wood will be made more visible by the matte paint.
• Don't paint rubber feet - the paint would NOT dry on the rubber feet so I had to spend a few minutes scrubbing them clean with paint remover.
• Be a bit more generous with the "conditioning" process.  The amount of chalk I used was insufficient and sometimes what I draw won't erase easily, but I still love it.

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DIY Magnetic Memo Board Created with Magnetic Paint

I recently shared photos of my new silhouette gallery wall.  I'm so excited, it is hard to turn my chair around and actually do work because I just keep ogling my silhouette collection, which is finally on display.  I'm also pretty excited about the magnetic board I made that hangs, very discretely, among my silhouettes - much better than my ratty old bulletin board!

Here's how to turn any smooth into a magnetic memo board, using paint!

I started with a great vintage frame, which wasn't easy to find!  (The frame also has a mirror, which is what I applied the paint to).

"Before"

I love the ornate details:

I took the mirror and frame apart, and set up a place to paint in my basement, covering the floor with some cardboard.  I cleaned the mirror thoroughly to remove any dust or grime.

In my basement (but you should use a well-ventilated area), I applied the Rust-Oleum magnetic paint to my mirror with a small roller.  As suggested on the can, I applied numerous, very thin coats.  The manufacturer claims three coats will work, but that is a lie.  I literally used almost the whole can before it would hold a magnet.  After using almost all of the paint, I could finally get a magnet to stick & hold up some paper.  

Then I roughed up the frame with sand paper, cleaned it, and applied some leftover magnetic paint with a paintbrush - it took two coats for even coverage.  I wanted the frame and magnetic surface to be the same colour.

Although it took a few days to finally get all of the paint on, the results are impressive - I created a magnetic surface from a mirror and a can of paint! 

Some tips for using magnetic paint:

• Allow more than the recommended drying time in between coats for a smooth surface
• Mix the paint really well each time you use it
• Buy a nice smooth, low pile roller that won't create "dimpling"
• Keep a magnet handy to test the magnetism after each coat dries
• Don't fool yourself into thinking this can be done in an afternoon

I didn't let it dry enough in between coats, so I don't have the smoothest
surface ever, but it works!

Proof of magnetism

Now it is time to rock the magnetic poetry.  Have you tried using magnetic paint for any projects?  I have to admit, this stuff is pretty cool!  Here's a tour of my vintage/modern home office, so you can see how this new DIY magnetic memo board add some function without sacrificing a modern style.

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