Repurposed Table..... Fab Clock!!

Before....

I got this tabletop off Craigslist, I actually had to pay for it. I had been looking for awhile so I went ahead and purchased it for $15. It was really beat up!!! I got the idea for this project on Pinterest. I pinned a photo of a really large clock, I am not sure what materials were used on the Pinterest clock, but it inspired me to try it out with a table top when I saw the photo. I got to work right away, I filled in the big scratches with some spackling I decided to leave some scratches because I am trying to achieve a worn and distressed look. I like this spackling product better then wood filler. It dries really fast and if you apply properly you do not need to do any sanding. The next step was to apply a coat of paint. I chose Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan in Versailles.

The next step was measuring. I am not the greatest when it comes to this task,  but I have this amazing carpenter BF he is so smart and makes everything look so easy and I am learning a lot from him. He marked the center point where we will later install clock mechanism. We also measured and marked 12, 3, 6 and 9 first, once these were marked it was easier to measure out the location for the other numbers using a square. I needed the numbers next....really BIG numbers....

I used my Cricut to cut out numbers for tracing I chose to use 8" numbers. I cut all the numbers 1-12 so that I could arrange them on clock before tracing to get the layout just perfect. I couldn't find a level in my hurricane garage so i just used a board to make sure numbers were lining up correctly on both sides of clock.

I used a pencil for tracing so that I would be able to erase lines later if needed. Then I painted in between the lines with Chalk Paint in Greek Blue. My friend Monica who lives around the corner came for a visit while I was painting and she took this pic of me. This part took a while to complete but we chatted  and it was done before I knew it. Once complete I decided that I really needed something in the center. I went back to my Cricut for a decorative element that I could add to the center. It looked great!!

I lightly sanded the entire clock and distressed many areas of the clock to reveal wood. There is no method to choosing where to distress, I just randomly sand away. Once sanding was complete I got a good ol' pink eraser the kind we used in school and I erased any exposed pencil lines from the measuring and tracing. The it was time for waxing! I decided to add some dark wax to this piece to follow through with the distressed aged look I was trying to achieve. The dark wax works like magic when it comes to adding an aged look to a piece. 

Once wax was dried we attached the clock mechanism. I bought the this kit from a craft store. I wanted really big hands I called around to many craft stores in our area, Hobby Lobby was the only store that had hands over 10" the largest hand on this kit was a total of 16" the cost was just $19.99. 

We just followed instructions on the packaging for installation. For the back of clock we installed a heavy duty wire for hanging. The lucky owner of this clock will have to be sure they hang clock from a stud to ensure the safety and security of this magnificent piece. I am loving the Finished Product!!! It is displayed and ready for purchase at Mandarin Valley one of my favorite little shops in Loomis, CA. I loved this project and I already have my next one planned!!

AFTER ....

Repurposed Table top into a Magnificent Clock!!!

Chalk Paint Upholstery? Why not?

So I came across this victorian chair at a local flea market and the price was great! I decided I could do something wonderful with this chair, as I started planning it out I knew reupholstering would not be an easy project, due to the springs and what seemed to be old grass or straw that was used for stuffing this antique chair. I just did not want to mess with it!!! Although the fabric was very stained, there were no rips and fabric seemed to be pretty sturdy. I had read a few blogs about painting fabric so I thought I would give it a try. I went ahead and replaced the burlap covering on the bottom side of the seat to prevent the stuffing from falling out and to give it a nice clean appearance. Old bean sacks are great for this, they are much sturdier than the burlap at the fabric store and can usually be found at Flea Markets for very low cost. 

My favorite product is Chalk Paint, made by Annie Sloan. I used Old White for the upholstery and Graphite for the frame. I started applying the paint and it was pretty thick which can be typical with Chalk Paint as it is exposed to air, I added some water and it covered easily. As it dried there were quite a few uneven areas. I continued to touch up but finally realized I would not get a perfectly covered finish on this piece. After chair was completely painted I waxed both the frame and applied two coats to the upholstery it had the feeling of soft leather to the touch. The uneven areas were still visible and if I had to do it again I think I would do a darker color or apply a stencil pattern to hide imperfections. However, imperfections are part of the charm in shabby furnishings. Overall it was a great project and definitely one I will do again in the future. I love the color combo of the two colors I chose.

I brought this little cutie to a local Antique Fair and it received quite a bit of attention and compliments. I ended up selling it to one of my best customers and friend the AMAZING Winnie Bruce of Winnie Bruce Photoraphy she will use it as a photo prop for her business. She said it will also grace her bedroom when it is not adding charm to her wonderful photographs. Hope to see some pics soon Winnie!