Make it Monday // Chalkboard Painted Wooden Dish

I think I'm obsessed with this chalkboard paint!  Last week I shared a recycled Birchbox box DIY using the chalkboard paint to create a fun, functional storage box.  This week I'm sharing how to make a cool chalkboard storage dish for your jewelry, keys, change, etc!  This is an affordable DIY too because the dishes are wooden dishes from the thrift store.  I've had these dishes for ages not knowing what to do with them but knowing I wanted to paint them.  I just could never commit to a color but once I fell in love with chalkboard paint it was a match made in DIY heaven.

Supplies: chalkboard paint (I used this one), wooden dishes (I found these at the thrift store, seriously you can find them by the dozen!), sandpaper, paint brushes, 24hours+ in time

First you'll need to step outside & do a little sanding.  It doesn't matter if your sandpaper is new or if you pulled it from a used sheet in the garage (that's what I did) you just need something with a little grit to take off that top layer of varnish on your wooden bowl.

After you've done that you'll want to rinse & dry your bowl or wipe it off with a damp paper towel to get all the dust particles off the surface.  Using your brush paint an even layer of chalkboard paint all over your bowl.  I did this in two steps: painted the inside first & let it dry for a bit.  Then flipped it over & painted the bottom.

The bottle recommends two coats, but you may need more (I found I did).  Make sure you wait an hour between each coat.  Once you have an even coated surface wait for 24 hours before conditioning your surface.  The paint needs this time to cure. Once you've waited 24 hours take a piece of chalk & condition your surface by rubbing the chalk (on it's side) all over the painted bowl.  Wipe it off & you're ready to start labeling!

Now this dish lives in the planter box/catch all tray at the entry way.  There's also a second, divided bowl, that I've written his & hers on!  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

Anything else that can be covered in chalkboard paint? I want to know!

xoxo, Moe

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Sum Up Sunday #73

This weekend went by super fast but we got a lot of things done.  I'm actually excited to sort of just sit & enjoy Sunday.  I've got a crochet project to work on, a good cup of coffee, & a cuddly dog.  I also have another plant I need to put in a pot - pretty much I can only keep alive those really vine-y plants (I don't remember what they are called!) - but now I'll have two plants in the tray/catch all/planter box by the window.  Speaking of cuddly puppy, let's take a look at him through this week:

Yesterday I got my craft on & make a really pretty fall wreath for our door.  I went into Hobby Lobby to look at their selection of spray paint & came out with supplies to make a wreath.  All of their fall stuff was 40% off & when I looked at their wreaths, which were also 40% off, I still didn't want to pay $75 for one!  So I grabbed up all the fall things I liked then sat on the floor at home & made one - for around $30.  I think it came out really nicely.  Instead of using all individual springs of leaves I bought a giant garland like thing, maybe you call them like swags? Do you know what I'm talking about?  So anyway, I finished that.

Then we sanded & painted some mirrors for the living room.  But we left them over night to dry outside & it started raining.  I didn't even check the weather report....so I need to take a look at them & see if they are ruined!  Oh well, if we have to start over we will.

Finally, to sum up the projects for Saturday I melted down an old candle to make a new one out of a vessel I threw in one of my first pottery classes.  It's sort of conical shaped but not really good for anything - too deep to be a catch all bowl, too wide to hold pens - it's just sort of there.  So I didn't want to waste the wax of this candle (there was so much left over!) so I melted it down, grabbed a wick from a tapered candle from the thrift store & now I have another candle.  I like this vessel so much I think I'll just keep making my own candles in it.  It came out kind of poorly because I didn't do it properly & I didn't wait for all the wax to melt and the pretty purple & yellow wax melted together to create this sort of murky brown color - but anyway, it's a candle!!

So a lot of things got done this weekend - along with cleaning the bathroom, our room, the living room, & the office area.  Laundry is still left but it will get done!

xoxo, Moe

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What's in my Queue? // Recent Netflix Faves

I don't know if you know but we don't have cable.  I've personally been without cable for about 2 years - since graduating from college.  And when Zach & I moved to Indiana we both agreed there was really no need for cable between Netflix & Hulu.  If you're thinking of giving up cable or thinking of signing up for one (or for both, that's what I recommend) let me tell you how we use it: generally Netflix is for movies & Hulu is for TV shows.  Now, Netflix does have a lot of old seasons of shows and I recommend sitting & binge watching a few shows because it's good for the soul.  But if you want to catch a lot of the new seasons of things or you're really into network shows Hulu is your best bet.  Honestly at around $20 bucks a month total for both, I'm down.  (disclaimer - I'm not being paid to say this I'm just letting you into a little part of my sad, sad TV watching life)

So anyway, the point of this post is to share with you some fave movies/tv shows I've been watching over the past few weeks.  All of these I'm obsessed with!

Fringe 

This show I discovered through my old roomie Katie.  It plays into all my X Files & paranormal love.  At first it was completely unbelievable.  There wasn't enough suspension of reality for me.  But if JJ Abrams is involved, I'll give it a few episodes.  I think it gets better (and weirder) towards the end of the first season.  I didn't even know the show was still on until I saw new episodes were added to Netflix the other day!  My favorite characters are the Observers.  

Super 8

Speaking of JJ Abrams, this is an amazing movie written & directed by JJ Abrams.  I love the crazy plot & if I hadn't have said 'yeah, I guess we can watch that' I would have never fallen in love.  From the little description on Netflix it seems like nothing extraordinary - but if you're into JJ Abrams & LOST, I think you'll love it.  I think it's neat that the main characters are a group of middle schoolers making a movie.  Spoilers - it's sort of Signs meets LOST meets Coming of Age Movie (like the Goonies on serious steroids!) - have I intrigued you yet?  Watch it!

Longmire

We actually finished watching this one a while ago - only one season on Netflix.  I don't even remember hearing about this show existing but it's really great.  A small town sheriff solves crimes all while haunted by a terrible/weird past that we only get glimpses of.  I think my favorite part of the show is that we don't really get to know the main character - we think we know him but then something else comes to light.  If you like small town crime dramas with a twist, this is for you.  You can blow through the season in no time.

Pompeii: The Last Day

This one is also one we finished a while ago as well but I still think about it every now & then.  It's actually a really interesting documentary on the last day of the city of Pompeii.  They talk about new things you may not know & share a new discovery - two groups of bodies in an underground cellar who's bones are preserved.  There's even one skeleton dubbed the green lady.  If you're into documentaries & getting your knowledge one this one is for you.

Zach & I love finding new, interesting shows, movies, & documentaries.  Sometimes you can get lost in the amount of options available on Netflix!

What are some of your most recently watched shows?  Gimme suggestions!

xoxo, Moe

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