Good morning! I’ve been busy. Wednesday I worked on parting out some cribs, and that lead to making a table. But it’s in the middle of an experimental phase at the moment. Ya’ll know that little boy in the Family Circus cartoon…how he runs all around the neighborhood to get next door? That’s sort of the way I work. I just hop all around, not really knowing where I’m going!
On with today’s post, cause that’s why you’re here! I have had this junky headboard for quite a while. It was curbed of course.
When I picked it up to start working on it, it came apart. I glued it, but I needed to clamp it. Look at the new way I’ve learned to clamp! My clamp was not long enough so I “hooked” two clamps together! voila! It worked like a charm.
When I clamp my wood pieces, I always try to use a scrap piece (in this case, a shutter slat) especially on the end that has the “screw” round part of the clamp. If you don’t, you will end up with a little dimple.
This baby has seen better days! You will notice farther down in this post that I ended up cutting off part of the finials. I felt that would be easier than sanding or reshaping them.
I did not want to fill all the holes where the bolts were, so I simply used the compound miter saw to cut some of the legs off.
Then I inverted the whole thing! I cut a piece of luan for a chalkboard.
I used Kilz primer before I started painting.
I also used Kilz on the chalkboard part. I think it helps the chalkboard paint “take” better.
This is some oops paint Jamie bought me for Christmas. Isn’t she the best?
I painted about 3 coats of the yellow. I know that’s overkill, but it just didn’t seem to be covering very well. It certainly wasn’t because it was too thin. This paint was very thick. In this picture you can see that I’ve cut the finials off.
Do you know what these are? Crib spindles, or maybe they were from a changing table. I can’t remember, but I have a whole bucket of them. I used the compound miter saw to cut a couple of inches off of each end of 3 spindles, which gave me 6 pegs.
It is very hard to get a straight cut on a round spindle. See that little raised part?
Here’s a tip for you. To sand this off, lay your sand paper down on a flat surface and move the spindle back and forth.
See how smooth it came out?
I used a paddle bit to drill some holes.
I used wood filler and wood glue to insert the pegs into the holes.
You like so far? You know I’m the repurpose queen! I did not want to buy hooks or pegs for this project. I wanted to use what I had, which took a little imagination!
I made a dado with my table saw on a small scrap (leftover from my media center) to insert the luan, and hold it in place.
Adding the small scrap for the luan to rest on, raised it above the end.
I made dado groove in another scrap piece for the top of the chalkboard to fit into.
It’s coming together. I had never used a dado groove before, and I thought this would be a great time to try this technique.
After a few touchups, here is the (almost) completed project! This would be great in a mudroom or laundry room, by the back door. It’s intended purpose is for backpacks with the chalkboard being the perfect place to write reminders about field trips or special events. It’s not totally complete yet. I still need to attach something to hold chalk and an eraser. I’m also wondering if some small hooks or something would be helpful. Do you moms have any suggestions? It’s been too long since I had to rush out the door to get any kiddos to school. What else would be helpful to organize your busy life?
Command Center
I would prefer it to be glazed, but for now it will remain this pale yellow color.
Edited to Add updated pictures:
This wonderful fabric was a gift from my daughter Jamie. I used it to cover a piece of a ceiling tile to be used as a memo board.
I added a shelf (also turned upside down) to become the tray to hold some accessories.
Every chalkboard needs an eraser, right?
The words on the eraser were showing through the material, so I used a big sticky label to cover them.
I cut some fabric and ironed down a hem . . .
. . . to fit these cans.
I used double stick tape to adhere the fabric to the cans.
I taped around the felt so that I could adhere the fabric to the top of the eraser with spray adhesive.
It IS finally completely done!
The chalk tray is a repurposed Scrabble game tile holder.
The little cans are to hold pens, pencils etc.
gail
See other great chalkboard ideas here:
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and more coat racks here:
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Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Love Of Quilts
Wow thats one heck of a brainstorm you had. Great!
Athena at Minerva's Garden
What a great repurpose idea, Gail. I love the crib spindles you turned into knobs to hold backpacks or purses or scarves--a fantastic idea!
BarbMed
Love this idea!!!
Nana's Fun Stuff
Wow! This is too cute!! I have been browsing your blog and just love it. You have so many creative ideas that I wouldn't have even imagined. Thanks for sharing and have a great day!! ~ Laura
Tumaini R.
I'm in LOVE with this project. I know what I'm doing this weekend.
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thedomesticfringe
You are creative! Never would have thought of something like this. It looks fabulous! You really did a nice job.
-FringeGirl
Traci@ Beneath My Heart
Okay, now that is creative! I cannot believe how cute that turned out. Just plain adorable!
Thanks so much for linking up to my party.
blessings,
Traci
Kimmy
I love this project! It turned out so cute!
handbags*n*pigtails
Looks great! Actually, my favorite part of this project is the shelf turned upside down:)
Sarah
Amber @ Two Nuts in a Shell
Geeze you repurposed everything for this project! Love the way the fabric adds a pop of color.
Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence
It turned out so well-was worth the hassle. I love the little details, the eraser is fun!
Miss Mustard Seed
Soooo clever. Oh my. You are too cute....making your eraser match everything else. Great job.
Chocolate Sundaes
wow that looks awesome! I love all the detail put into it. I'd love for you to link up here http://iheartnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/04/sundae-scoop-link-party_24.html
The DIY Show Off
Gail! I love your talent and creativity! This is just amazing - as usual! I'm including it in the DIY Project Parade highlights. Thanks so much for sharing. 😉
Roeshel
{All Thingz Related}
HOLY COW you have a great eye for seeing what could be! THis is GREAT! I am so glad you chose to link it up to our Anything Related Party! Hope to see more of you on Tuesdays! 🙂
~Bridgette
Marsha's Mpressions
WOW! You are so creative. This turned out awesome!
Stephanie Lynn
FANTASTIC! Love the creativity! Looks fabulous - great job!
Casual (dash) Cottage
Gail-
How in the world do you come up with these ideas?
Seriously... i can stare a HOLE through something, until my eyes are burning...and still...
NOTHING!
You've got a creative imagination.
This is spectacular.
Rose
You and I should do a feature where we take similar items and do our thing without talking to each other about it, then post them at the same time. It's scary how we think alike! I showed you the headboard last night that is so similar to this one that came out so much like this. Would that be fun, or would it be weird?
Do you still have that same birds eye maple TV cabinet that we both picked up last fall? We could start with that!
Rose
Margo
Clever idea. I used to have a head board like this for one of my boys but we got rid of it... Kicking myself for that now... Have a great weekend!!!!! :O)
Kelli
As I said before, this is SO clever, so please don't take this as criticism. What if you put a line of cork right below to chalkboard to hang time-sensitive papers you don't want to file and forget about (like I do)? Like I said, though, just a thought. I love the finished product!
michelle@somedaycrafts
I forgot to say I am featuring your candlestick lamp at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com!
michelle@somedaycrafts
you are a refinishing genius! This is beautiful!!!! You are just too talented!!!!
Brenda
Thanks for stopping by and spending some time at my site. I have saved the Christian music site you sent me and hope to have more time to look it over and listen over the next couple of days.
Nicole
I agree with Dawn that you could put a shelf between the chalkboard and spindles for the chalk and erasers. Maybe a small box for pens, I am always being told "Mom I need lunch money" as we are headed out the door and have had to write a check. But what a really cute idea. I have just found your site and can't wait to check out the rest!
Marie-Andrée
that's great. I love it. you make a good job.
Alicia@Thrifty And Chic
Wow, you have great imagination. I would have never ever had thought to turn a headboard into this. This is just simply amazing. Great job!
Lee Laurie
Wow! I love it. I need one of those! Perfect for the mudroom!
Kelli
This is SO clever! I never would have seen that potential, and I LOVE how it is turning out! Great job!
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper
you are so stinkin' clever, gail! you amaze me! 🙂
Cassie @ Primitive & Proper
you are so stinkin' clever, gail! you amaze me! 🙂
Laurie
That came out great! Love it
Suzanne
Wow -- you are amazing. Seriously. Amazing.
Pam
I bow down to you and your talents....as usual, fantastic job.
Kelly Howard
I LOVE this! I have NO entry areas in my house...all my doors cause you to just fall right into my rooms...and that is SAD! Oh, you are so crafty it stinks!
One Life Many Journeys
How creative! You are the bomb!
Dawn
I'm going to brainstorm with you all the way from Texas.... here are some of the ideas that just popped into my head - they could all be bad ideas, but might lead you to something useful.
- You could try some molding or trim of some sort above the chalkboard
- Put a strip of cork or metal on the little rectangular area between the chalk board and the spindles of the headboard. I'm forever signing papers for the boys to take to school, and then I could "hang" them there so they don't forget to take the next morning
- Or some cork or metal behind the spindles themselves
- Another idea for the rectangular shelf between the chalkboard and spindles would be a little tiny shelf with a raised lip for chalk and eraser - the lip would keep it all from falling off when kids are jiggling the board taking coats and backpacks off.
Ok, I'm shutting up now. Feel free to dump all those ideas, I do realize its 7am and having just woken up, i can have really bad ideas, LOL
Love your transformation though - it is such an awesome idea, cute and functional - we all need cute AND functional! Happy Thursday!
Brenda
Too cute! I love this make-over! I also like your new blog header. I guess I have not been by in a while.
angie
You just have a way with headboards. Another great idea, but I'm running out of space for all your great ideas.
Anonymous
I love your ideas....I've been keeping my eye peeled for free or extremely cheap head/foot boards! I check back often to see what you come up with! Thanks for sharing!
-Nicole