Rubber Door Mat Wall Art {DIY}

As the new year began I

posted about one of the most inexpensive

wall decor IDEAS I created tailored

for that vintage feel...

While at the flea market back in 2009

I came across a beautiful vintage iron piece

that I wanted to use as wall art.

Sadly enough the sticker

 price sent me home leaving it behind.

A few weeks later I stopped in at

 a local dollar store

that had a pile of rubber door mats

as I stared at them

 I realized I could get a similar look.

I would create my own vintage looking iron piece

for a fraction of the cost!

I have received many emails over the past months

asking various questions

so I thought it

would be helpful with a quick {DIY} post.

I used spray paint from Home Depot 

in Heirloom White that has a matte finish...

You can prime with any light color as I did here

just to get a base coat on the black.

Then I used two coats of the Heirloom White, also

I allowed a few days of airing the mat outside

to rid of the strong rubber smell.

After a few days

using 120 grit sand paper on a small hand sander

you can distress the areas you wish to add

an aged feel to your mat...

I really removed areas of paint where I wanted to

create a worn over time affect...

Next I measured the area on the wall

and placed a two and a half

 inch finishing nail to center the mat.

Using a small hand level

make sure the mat is straight across the top

before adding either screws or finishing nails

on each side of the mat to secure on your wall.

I love how simple and easy this project is.

{no muscle needed from the Mr.}

As you can see from This Post

you can group a few together and use

various shaped mats.

If you have any further questions regarding

this {DIY} project

please email me using my link.

I will be linking up this week

with my favorite gals

in blogland!

Kathleen's White Wednesday # 165

Jann's Share Your Cup Thursday # 21

Have a beautiful and blessed week!

XOXO

Rustic Tranquility

I love the rural style that happens when

you add a rustic element to your home.

When I found an old discarded wood gate

 I decided to create a bit of rustic charm

by adding a few vintage pieces.

Vintage Chair

{The Tarnished Crown}

I gray washed the wood gate

and added a few grass plants wrapped in burlap

inside of a vintage tool box...

One of my adored vintage clocks

and my mother's gardening scissors

that we used every summer in the garden

since I was a little girl...

The old wood frame

and muted feel brings about the look

that I truly love...

The warmth it creates

feels so restful to my eyes...

I placed driftwood in my

favorite vintage bottles to change

up the look on top of my old trunk...

Nothing suits my taste

more than using nature in a display...

 A few simple collected

items can make you feel so wonderful

when you look at them...

Thank you to my newest followers

and the sweet comments that you have left...

I am looking forward to

sharing this journey together as we

continue to encourage and inspire each other...

Joining in this week with

Jann's Share your cup Thursday

Much love to all of you

XOXO

Weathered Whites {DIY}

Another week of summer is upon us

and this week I am sharing

 my dry brush painting { DIY } using

the Dior home staple colors of white and grays!

I love neutral colors on vintage furniture

Every room is filled with whites and grays

Since the Dior home is based in neutrals

 washing the white and grays with dry brushing

 is one of my favorite furniture treatments

for our coastal styled home.

I love to paint the old fashioned way so each piece

is sanded first completely by Mr. Dior.

This technique works so well

since at this point I am working with bare wood.

I pour a small amount of any shade of white paint {flat}

on a paper plate, then a small amount of {flat} gray

on another. I usually have two or three

inexpensive paint brushes to work with.

{I use the wood handled brushes from the Dollar tree}

If you wash and clean them properly you can get a months

worth of painting out of them.

Without placing too much paint on to the brush

I start covering the surface. Sometimes depending on the

look I want to achieve I will do one or two coats.

I know this is more of a labor involved way than

if I were using Anne Sloan Chalk paint.

I have been painting like this for fifteen years

and it is still the way I love to paint.

I then start dry brushing the gray over the surface

immediately. That way it is still a bit damp when applying

the gray color. I still use minimal paint on my brush at all times.

Now half way through I start to wipe the gray off

with a clean dry {WHITE} wash cloth {Not a rag}. The effect is

much different than what a rag will create.

After finishing the bottom half and wiping off the gray I am

almost to the end of the process.

When the furniture is completely dry you can repeat

the steps if you feel you want more white or gray color.

Using 120 grit sandpaper on my hand sander I

will then distress the piece accordingly.

The last part is to rub a clear wax over the entire painted

surface. I use clear Min Wax from the hardware store.

{Any brand of clear wax will work}

With our head board I went heavier with the gray

than the white paint. Then finished with a clear wax.

With this shutter I did a bit more

of the white. Then added another coat of gray

to the center and the sides.

Its easy to play with it till

you reach the look you want for your piece.

This table is done in the white only

then wiped off and

finished with the clear wax.

I never dilute my paint with water

I only wipe off to thin it out

and by using the paint in small amounts

it helps me control how much goes on to the brush.

The light gray used in all of these

projects is from Benjamin Moore

called { Pigeon Gray }

My newest gray love is also

from the Benjamin Moore line

called none other than

{ Dior Gray }

Pictured here the {Dior Gray}

 color has a deep gray tone that gives

this vintage table a great strong look!

I will be linking up this week with

some fabulous and amazing gals!

Kathleen's White Wednesday

Jann's Share your cup Thursday

Debra's Vintage Inspiration #99

Please email me using my link if you have any

further questions. I am always happy to answer!

Have a beautiful week!!

XOXO