Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

When I got back from my trip to Las Vegas, I had an email waiting for me from my friend, Karen.

I’ve mentioned Karen before when I showed you the blessing gown I made for her first child. Karen and I have been friends since we were teenagers and I count myself very lucky to be numbered amongst her friends. She is a truly amazing woman.

The subject line of her email got me very intrigued. While you were on your trip with your sisters, I was home channeling my inner Suesan!

I have to admit to being more than just a little flattered. See, Karen is super accomplished. She graduated in less time with TWO majors than most people take to get one. She taught grade school for a number of years and then got her Master’s degree. She was also a principal of a school or two, if memory serves. After her Master’s degree, she went on to get a doctorate from Oxford University. THE Oxford. Not some fake one. So the fact that this amazing woman is channeling me is very, very humbling and flattering.

What follows is Karen telling me how she did the project. My comments are in blue, as if I’m talking back to her because you should know by now that I can’t keep my mouth shut for long.

While you were away, I spied a project that was inspired by your spoon shadow box of several months ago.  It still surprises me that this project went viral on Pinterest, considering my really crappy cell phone pictures of it. Here’s a better one, although still not great because I insist on putting this frame in the darkest corner of my house.

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I stole the idea directly from you.  I really smiled the whole time I was working on it thinking…Suesan would do this (only Suesan wouldn’t cut so many corners when she did it). Yea, Suesan would. And has. 

When I was in Utah last, I did what any reasonable woman would do and I headed straight for Tai Pan Trading. The only choice of reasonable women. I, apparently, was lacking in all reason when I was in Utah a few weeks ago and failed to go to Tai Pan. Sad face.

I hadn’t been there in more than a year, so, I OWED it to myself to shop and spend. Cha! I did it with only a slight amount of guilt. Whilst there, I spied a vase that I had to have and knew that it would be the basis of many a decorating idea (I can justify with the best of them…this should read…that didn’t fit in any way into what I already had…). The vase became my inspiration for color and style. A vase this cute deserves demands the right to be the basis for future décor decisions.

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I had a shadow box type frame that I have had and used over the years but I am now SICK of it.  It is a faux wood frame, so, I thought I would try the chalk paint thing.

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I painted the frame with white chalk paint, then waited (not easy for me– but, I even waited until the next day and sanded in between– such a good and patient girl I am!) and painted with turquoise and then WAITED again and then painted it white. This gave me the option of sanding down to the wood and just enough to get the turquoise showing. Wow! I’m impressed. That’s a lot of waiting for you. Kudos to you. I hate the waiting game, but have screwed up many a project by not following the rules. Stupid rules.

I kept seeing pieces refinished with chalk paint and I wanted to give it a try. Me, too! I’m so glad you’re willing to be the Guinea Pig on this one. When I read that it required NO SANDING or prep, I was in. Word. I used a link that I found on your blog that eventually led me to No Minimalist Here blog.

She (the author of No Minimalist Here) gave a few different options for products to use (Calcium Carbonate, whiting power, Plaster of Paris) but, basically, its a 2/3 to 1/3 ratio of paint (2/3) to product (1/3) and then add a bit of water if it seems too thick.

I used Plaster of Paris, (mostly because I knew what it was and I knew where to get it). “There are no exact measurements here, more powder means a more chalky look” was the line that caught my eye since I tend to gravitate to anything that doesn’t require me to be exact. I was willing to try making chalk paint with some of the paints that I already had.

I went out and bought a $6.00 bag of Plaster of Paris from JoAnn’s Fabric (and now that they have their coupons available by download on my phone, I was actually at the store WITH a coupon to use which NEVER happens when I have to have a paper coupon in my hand), with my 40% of coupon, it cost me just $3.60 for the bag and I believe I used about $0.20 worth of it thus far. I love that app, too! Did you know that you can use coupons from the app and the paper ones at the same time? I’ve been using them together and getting some great savings lately.

The frame I used had a finish on it that I thought I wouldn’t be able to paint over. I was DELIGHTED to find that the paint adhered nicely to it and I was able to sand, add layers and put a wax finish on it without any problem.

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I was given some silver from my mother-in-law, but it wasn’t a complete set, so, this is where my inner Suesan kicked in…its destiny is not for eating, but for hanging on the wall in some fun/cool fashion! Ah, the ol’ “what to do with the items inherited from the mother-in-law?” syndrome. I know it well, my friend.

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I read that I could put the silver in a zip lock bag with three freshly boiled eggs (still warm) and it would “age” the silver. Well, what do you know, in an hour, I had “aged” silver. I like how it turned out– though my girls thought I ruined the beautiful shiny silver. I believe my fondness for aged silver is well documented. I’ll have to remember this trick.

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I mounted a chevron remnant onto a piece of high quality (cardboard) backing with tape and then I decided to age the silver. Cardboard is a crafter’s friend.

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I decided that the frame looked too white, so, I wiped on some thinned out “burnt umber” paint (not sure what unburnt umber looks like I know, right?) and then quickly wiped it back off again.  I finished the whole piece with some furniture wax. 

I used a glue gun to mount the silver on the board and mount the board to the frame. 

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I am pretty happy with my finished product.  (I am not, however happy with my pictures.  There was some funky spot on all of my pictures, and I tipped up the finished product so It’s hard to get a perspective of the depth of the box… it is clear photography is not my forte…) Something I continue to practice myself. Even with a good camera, I found I can still take bad pictures.

I love that Karen tried some new things from making her own chalk paint to aging her silver. She managed to save a piece of her family’s history and make something cute that will look good in her home for years to come.

Speaking of homes, Karen is about to embark on an adventure. Her family is moving to England for two years while her husband is on assignment. She’ll be living the life in the English countryside.

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She tells me that she would love to start a furniture and housewares consignment shop. Lucky Girl! She’s invited Hubs and I over to visit and we are saving our pennies and hoping next Spring we will be able to play with her across the pond!

Do you have a project you’ve done that was inspired by one of mine? I’d love to see it. If  you send me pictures, I’ll even share it with my readers!

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Thank you for reading Frou-FruGal. For more projects, please click to my site, http://froufrugal.blogspot.com