My Upcycling Project: Refinishing Vintage Glassware

This project was a hard project to complete.  I had to obliterate the beautiful red tint that existed on the 1950's Ruby Red  Teardrop Compote in order to upcycle the glass and fix it's unfortunate flaws created by time's passage.  I'm all for keeping vintage and antiques as is flaws and all, but not when I'm attempting to sell them.  Let's face it, the scratches and blemishes that give a piece character also make them unsellable and less valuable to the consumer.  So though I loved this Ruby Red Teardrop Compote, I began a project to make it a perfect upcycled piece sellable and desirable by all.

I began my project by removing the red tint that had become scratched over the years. My first attempt utilized finger nail polish remover and a cotton ball.   That would have taken a while . . .






















I then decided to try out the copper scrubber that my husband told me is great for scrubbing glass without scratching the glass itself.  Here's the product in case you were interested:  Chore Boy Copper Scrubber.  This really took me a lot of time and muscle power to scrub each teardrop on the compote and remove every single grain of red paint.  However, it was thankfully quicker than the nail polish remover.

Finally after much scrubbing, scraping, and rubbing, I had a clear surface.  A starting place for a new compote . . . a brightly colored refinished compote.

Now I needed my color to make this piece pop.  I searched all over the craft store for the right product.  I checked the paint section, the glass painting section, the beading section, the glassware section, then finally I found my product of choice in the spray paint section.  Basically, it is a translucent paint for glassware, metal, tile, and other like surfaces.  And it was the PERFECT color.

So I set up a plastic sheet on my sidewalk outside my house, shook the can for two minutes, popped off the top, and slowly began working over the surface with the paint.  I didn't want the color too deep, so I really took my time.  It looked stunning!  I even was able to lightly coat the stem just like the Ruby Red color had been previously on the stem.  I'm in love.

Here is a close up on the teardrop sides:

I am so pleased with the color and the look of this piece.  Unfortunately, today's forecast is rain, rain, rain, so I really couldn't get enough light to make these pictures perfect.  I'll take what I can get!

Here is my Before and After shot!

 I'll be sure to post when I put this up on Etsy!  Right now I'm still trying to figure out how much to charge with all the time I spent on the project and the price of the paint.  Now I know how to upcycle and refinish glass items, so fun!

Comment suggestion:

Let me know if you've ever refinished glassware.  What's your favorite paint?  Do you use stencils?  Maybe the etching product?

Upcycling with Blackboard Paint

Let's face it, blackboard paint rocks. There is something about a matte surface that can be changed at the whim of a chalk tip that is mesmerizing. I love that blackboard paint can be any color not just black. Just like an empty sheet of paper beckons me, anything covered in blackboard paint calls to me, "Create!"

Tonight, I am talking about some amazing examples of items that were upcycled using blackboard paint.

Blackboard with Frame - Miss Mustard Seed

upcycled paintings

Whether you have a painting that belonged to your great uncle or a random painting from a yard sale, that tacky painting has more potential than you might think.  If the painting is acrylic, a print, or on board, simply paint over the painting with blackboard paint!  As simple as that you have a framed blackboard.

If you do not have any unseemly paintings, you can actually buy a frame that when the glass is removed has MDF board behind it.  Paint the MDF with blackboard paint and you have a framed blackboard surface on which to plan your days.

Last option for an upcycled framed blackboard.  You can actually paint over glass with blackboard paint!  If you know that no one is going to come along and try to scratch your blackboard with their fingernails . . . *screeeeeeecccchhhh* . . . then take any frame with glass and upcycle it into a blackboard!  Note:  Scratching may remove blackboard paint from glass.

Upcycled Blackboard Wine Bottles - No Place Lyke Home

upcycled wine bottles

Some wine bottles are so pretty.  It feels shameful to throw away the pretty glass shapes and now you don't have to, upcycle them instead!  Simply prime the glass bottles with Rustoleum primer, then paint the wine bottles with the blackboard paint!  Simple as that you have an excellent way to remark on your days, label your flowers, or even remind yourself what vintage the wine was.

This concept works with bottles of all shapes and sizes.  Consider upcycling old canisters, spaghetti jars, baby food jars, and older plates.  Think about a wall plate display with all blackboard painted plates!  Beautiful and resourceful!

Cabinet Door Chalkboard - The Door Stop

upcycled cabinet doors

If you know a friend who is redoing their kitchen, stand in line for their cabinet doors.  Treasures in disguise these doors make great blackboards!  Sand down the middle portion, sand the rest if you'd like to change the color, then lay down the color.  Remember, you can make blackboard paint in any color you want, so get creative!  Match a blue board with green chalkboard paint.  Paint a purple and pink polka dot border with a hot pink center.  Are their boundaries with chalkboard paint?  I see no lines!

Silver plated Blackboard Platter - Pumpernickel and Wry

upcycled platter

When is a platter not a just a glorified tray?  When it's a blackboard!  Find a vintage platter from a yard sale or a tray from a thrift store and you are in business.  Rough up the surface of the tray, then apply a primer.  Apply your blackboard paint and ta da!  You have a beautiful trimmed blackboard.  Classy and environmentally conscious!  Saving the world one platter at a time!

Consider that can be applied to other metallic items.  Old watering cans, canisters, even cans from canned food can be upcycled with blackboard paint.  My suggestion, search Pinterest, Google, or Etsy to find ideas about other possible metal blackboard projects.

Antique Furniture Blackboard - Marley and Lockyer

upcycled furniture

Granted I wouldn't paint just any piece of furniture with blackboard paint.  Like this beautiful antique to the left.  It would have to be mighty dinged up for me to take away an antiques natural beauty for the sake of a blackboard project.  However, I know of lots of furniture that is dinged up, has paint chipping off, or never looked good to begin with that would benefit greatly from being upcycled.

An old chair that needs some TLC is a great candidate.  A child's dresser can be painted with blackboard paint and then you can label the drawers.  A bookshelf can be painted on the sides with blackboard paint and a contrasting color can go inside each shelf.  The options are endless and furniture supplies so much wonderful surface area for creativity.  Be sure to chalk it up after painting it.  Think polka dots, stripes, flowers, beautiful quotes, and even miniature pieces of artwork.  Never leave your blackboard empty, chalk it up!






Last but not least, no discussion about chalk board paint is complete without a Blackboard Paint Recipe!  Since I first learned about the recipe from Martha Stewart, I will always give credit to my original source.  Here she goes:

Blackboard Paint Recipe
1 cup of flat latex paint in your desired color
2 tablespoons of unsanded tile grout

Where to Buy
Lowes
Home Depot
Amazon.com

Repurposed Home Decor

Examples of Repurposed Home Decor from Etsy

We all have them.  Home decor items that no longer serve their purpose, think Ariel with a drinking glass.  The desk that was supposed to help the family pay the bills that instead is a host to papers of all sorts in assorted stacks and piles.  The wreath that looked wonderful for a few months and then lost a few shades to the sun.  The question isn't whether we have them, but what to do with all these items that take up space and no longer serve their original purpose.

Repurposing means taking an item and redefining what it is used for either by using it in a different manner or giving it an overhaul.  This either takes loads of creativity or a nudge in the right direction.  These days repurposed items are hot commodities.  Why have the same old objects when you can have new products created with the old ones?!  Let your mind expand and your imagination run wild while we look through some creatively repurposed items found on Etsy.


repurposed spigot towel rack

Here before you is a work of art, a towel rack composed of spigots.  Since I personally cannot resist placing my towels on dresser knobs, what could possibly be better than instead placing my towel on a wonderful spigot?

Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElijahsAttic



map wreath

You see an old atlas where another might see a stash of charm.  Why throw away what you can use?  This wreath was made with old maps, and you can do the same with an old atlas or even a book that has outlived its usefulness.  Rather than seeing these things as one more item taking up room, consider repurposing them as craft materials!

Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Houseof3

repurposed spice rack vanity organizer

If you upgrade your spice rack, don't get rid of the old one.  You can use it in your bedroom or bathroom!  Repurpose your spice rack as a vanity organizer.  Hang earrings on the front for easy access and place nail polish, perfume bottles, and make up in the spice holder.  Excellent way to store your beauty items and an excellent reuse of old home decor!

Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/packratdiva

suitcase nightstand

When is a suitcase no longer a suitcase?  When it's a table!  This vintage suitcase has been repurposed as a nightstand.  Not only can you dream of traveling beside such a classy piece of furniture, but you can also pack your bags . . . or your nightstand with plenty of books.  Storage and style!

Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MrsRekamepip

Repurposed Home Decor = endless options

The options are endless for repurposing home decor.  An old coffee table can be painted to serve as a children's train table.  An old vanity can be sawed in half to create to seperate bedside tables.  Now, before you get ready to throw an household item away ask yourself if you can reinvent the item through repurposing!