Time Flies-Life's Short-Take Notes

I finished the Chalkboard Countess - a grand dame of homemade blue chalk paint, silver highlights, and dark wax distressing.  Very fancy!  So I decided to do a chalkboard project that reflected more of the true Donna - short, squat, and distressed!

I fell in love with those clock faces over at The Graphics Fairy.  Karen had five or six different ones in gold, black, and cream.  I printed out two pages of thumbnail-sized clock faces.  As you can see they were about the size of a nickel.  Luckily I had plenty of time to sit and cut them out as I watched the Carolina Gamecocks advance through the College World Series.  Just a plug for our favorite team.  There might be dust monsters and dirt devils running amok in this house, but I have gotten a lot of cutting and tearing done during the games!

Here's what the frame of the message board looked like before.  It was missing its chalkboard or bulletin board insert and had many water rings on the shelf.  This baby had been used and abused!  I Kilzed it first and followed with a yellow ocher craft paint.  The edges were painted with black craft paint.

I decided on a free-form pattern and did not care if the clock faces were perfectly aligned or placed with the twelve at the top of the face.

I used about 36 of the clock faces so I have more to use later.  They were Mod Podged on using a thin coat to the back.  Waxed paper was placed over them, and I gently rubbed with a paper towel until there were no wrinkles or bubbles.  (This step is super-simple on small items like this!) I did not add a top coat of Mod Podge.

There is the nickel to show the scale of clock face to message board.

The message board is decked out with its yellow and black color scheme and its little tiny clock faces.  After seeing it at this stage, I thought to myself, "Should have went for bees instead of clocks!"

Oh, well, I like this design - it reminds me of an old pajama shirt my grandfather used to wear during breakfast!

Out it went to the patio to get a good sanding - heavy on the edges and natural wear patterns.

This is why I did not cover the clock faces with Mod Podge - I sanded them down to give them a distressed look.

Back inside the message board frame got a satin varnish finish.  I stamped using StazOn ink "Time Flies   Life's Short   Take Notes"  (You probably have already guessed that from the title of this post.)  A second coat of satin varnish was added over the the lettering to protect it from the next step.  

Those of you who decorative paint all the time know sometimes two finishes do not mix well.  I have put a wax over a painting only to have it dissolve what I had painted.  Know your products - save yourself grief!  

You can tell from the picture it is quite a bit darker because I waxed with my new best friend Howard Citrus shield Dark Oak Wax.  I had used this on the Countess and liked it.  (Actually I think I am addicted to the orange scent of this product.  There may have to be an intervention!)

This picture I now realize is before I put the dark wax on the piece.  I evidently deleted the other picture by mistake.  Just use your imagination!

Remember I finished the chalkboard for this when I did the Countess's. Just Masonite, Kilz, blackboard paint, and condition with chalk.

Finito! Finis! Over and done with - another item out of my living room!  Well, not quite.  This has not made it to the shop yet.  A bunch of stuff will leave tomorrow.    I really like this little guy.  The blanket chest under him wants him to stay and the Countess to go.  There will be blood over the battle of the fancies and the rustics!  If they get too rowdy, I'll throw them all out.

Update on my self-imposed buying ban:  This is like a confessional, but I did buy two old crib springs (yes, those of you on the list, they will be arriving at the booth on Tuesday!) and three huge French flower buckets with a beautiful green finish.  Oh, I forgot.  I bought two large wine bottles and you will see soon what I am doing to them.  I hope it works!  Karen, The Graphics Fairy, watch out I am running over to find labels!

See y'all!





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