Chalkboard Pedestal Table Makeover

Chalkboard Pedestal Table Makeover

So about 2 weeks ago I was driving to the dollar store and as I drove past the thrift store in the same strip mall, they had this octagon pedestal table out on the sidewalk.  I decided we hadn't looked there in a while so we stopped and I walked up to the pedestal table and saw that it was marked down from $10 to FREE.  Suddenly I hear Jordan squealing because she found a princess scooter parked out front too and has been wanting one for a long time.  It was a whopping $2.98.  So we got the princess scooter and I heaved that pedestal table quickly into the trunk of the minivan (yes I love having a minivan now...never say never!!!)  I didn't look at it more than a few seconds, long enough to see it was free and so I just grabbed it, we were in a hurry.  Later, I realized the table was pretty gross looking, but kept it in the back of the van for the rest of the week (I couldn't get it out myself this thing is SOLID and HEAVY!)

When My husband finally saw it, he was like what in the world!?!? Why is my wife driving around with this nasty disgusting table in the back of her van all week?  We were all together in the van that weekend and I didn't know what to do with it and we are already busy trying to sell our house...so I said "fine lets just drop it back off at the curb on the way home...but when we got close...I couldn't do it and said "give me a week to figure out what to do with it and if I don't know we'll dump it back off".

When I FINALLY took the pedestal table out of the minivan, I knew even LESS what to do with it at first...I had originally thought it could go in the dining room with a vase of flowers since we have no table and it's pretty empty, I was thinking to paint it with the dark espresso paint we used on the cabinetry in the bathroom.  But once I stood next to this octagonal pedestal table, I realized it was not only disgusting and filthy, it was a really weird height...too tall for a coffee table...too short for any adult to sit at.  I also realized the top swivels around.  What in the world was this table EVER used for?  I thought okay, well I have to take it back, no wonder it was free....it's the weirdest table ever!  And went inside.

Let's spin it around to a new spot

Later, when I was in the garage with my daughter riding her scooter, I realized the table was a great height for kids and decided to keep it and make it into a fun activity table.  I've been wanting to try a chalkboard paint project for a long time so this was my chance.  A gave the table a good soapy wash down and lightly sanded the table top but not the base.  I let my daughter pick out the spray paint for the base of the pedestal table ( After I told her no pink or purple...)  I even let her help roll the chalkboard paint on the top!  It was a pretty simple project, did a quick coat of spray primer BIN 123 (i think it's called) all over.  Then spray painted the base turquoise which took no time at all.  And got a good enough covering in 1 coat with 1 can.  The next day I taped around the edges of the table top and we just rolled on our Rustoleum Chalkboard Paint and repeated 2-3 times throughout the day...but each coat only took 5 minutes to roll on with a foam roller.  So, I'd say the most effort put into this free pedestal table was getting the heavy ol' thing into the back of my car MYSELF!  I noticed people driving by slowly, watching me struggle probably either laughing or contemplating helping me before I broke my back but I managed.

The kids L-O-V-E their new pedestal chalkboard table!  We put it in the den in our basement so the lighting isn't great in the pictures but it's a good spot for it.  The kids love drawing in one spot, then spinning the top around to get to a fresh spot and then wiping it down with rags when they want to start fresh.  I put some sidewalk chalk in these cute little metal buckets I had picked up at the $1 section at Target for them to use.

J was drawing Caillou and his family for B...he kept asking someone to draw Caillou...Rosie, Cat...Caillou mommy and Caillou Daddy and J was more than happy to meet his request.

Land of Nod Floor Pillow Knock Off

Floor Pillows

I saw these floor pillows on land of nod or pottery barn a long time ago and wanted to make a knock off version...as it sat on my long list of things I wished to do, I stumbled across a great tutorial from Susan at Living with Punks who saw them and had the same idea but actually did it!  So I bookmarked her tutorial and have been wanting to make these ever since and tonight was the night!!! If this gives you any idea of how long things may be on my wish list of things to make and do...Her tutorial was posted two years ago and that's about the same time I bookmarked it.  Since then it's been pinned 27K times!  That is incredible!  One of those great things about pinterest....I can go look at my boards and see the things I want to do verses having them become lost in a bookmark folder like this did for a long time....so now I have her tutorial lost somewhere in my bookmarks and on pinterest.

Anyways, I was so glad she made a tutorial because it is really easy to follow. I got to make the floor pillows AND got to skip the trial and error part!  So these are my floor pillows....and here is the link to the great tutorial Land of Nod Inspired Floor Pillow.

 awww...these floor pillows brought them together...look at them so happy holding hands!!! I didn't even tell them to do this I promise!

this didn't last long...once they noticed the handles on the floor pillows, they made a great handle for holding on while having a pillow fight...

Anyways, these were not hard to make so if you are still pretty new to sewing my suggestion would be GO FOR IT! The Tutorial by Susan is really easy and simple to follow!

I am linking this up to the Pinterest Challenge! 

another pin bites the dust...

Milk & Cream for Play Kitchen - Upcycling

Let's Make a Cake!

we'll need some milk for the cake...some cream for the frosting...

I'm such a dork sometimes...I get compelled to save all kinds of packages and containers because they could potentially be used to make something cool.  Before our move, I was sorting through everything and found quite a bit a "trash" that I had saved around our apartment...and forgotten about...just adding clutter and I tossed it rather than packing it...albeit it wasn't easy....so when my husband was about to throw these two honey containers in the recycle, I stopped him and said "I could use those for something!" and he put them back on the counter...but I promised myself I wasn't going to let the junk sit around this time so without any further ado...I quickly used them for something...TADA...gotta love those projects that provide instant gratification!

Milk & Cream 

for the play kitchen!

Those green baskets were also rescued from the recycle bin, our local grocery store sells strawberries in them.

soak the container in some soapy water so the label is easy to remove...

 Get your stuff...
modgepodge and brush
white paper
scissors
stick on craft letters (or use a marker to write the letters, or cut them out with construction paper or use your cricut or silhouette if you are a spoiled crafter! :P)

I trimmed a long strip of paper to fit the container to make a new label.

Brush modgepodge on container

Apply paper and press

stick on your craft letters...I had these stick on craft felt letters lying around, i bought them to make my halloween banner, but they were too small and I ended up cutting my own.

That's it! :)

I love when my daughter gets excited over stuff like this...a kid sized milk jug...I mean it was free and recycled and she gets new stuff to play with without being spoiled! lol!  WIN!

Click here to see post about the homemade Cake, Strawberries and Cake Stand pictured