PRIMITIVE Checkerboard COASTERS from Tile Squares

DIY Primitive Tile Coasters from leftover tiles

Sorry for the week of hiatus. I have been away on vacation in Tampa Bay.

 Thanks to all ya'll who kept ordering from my ebay store, even though it was on vaca mode. I will be processing those right after this post. I really didn't expect it to do good while I was gone. Thanks again! I appreciate every order!

Today, I want to share how I made some cute Primitive Checkerboard Coasters out of tile blocks like this.

Tiles BEFORE

If you don't have this exact kind, I'm sure about any type of tile will work. These are just what I had on hand.

First off, you want to get a checkerboard stencil with small squares.  I had one that I bought from ebay years ago.  It does not have to be a tiny one, just as long as you can center some squares on this.  You don't have to use all the checkerboard blocks.

And I choose a black color for the checkerboard. And I use a makeup sponge to dab it on.

And after you stencil on the main checkerboard pattern, it's time to add a personalized touch.

I took out my lettering stencils and ink,

and stamped on my last name like this.

I love how these are going to be personalized and perfect to give as gifts in sets of four!

Then here is an optional step. I took the makeup sponge and dry sponged on some black to the edges. It kind of gives it a worn and older, prim look.  Not all people will like this, but I did it. 

I even added a dab of red on some, to the edges too, after the black dried.

And then it was sealing time. I used an indoor/outdoor varnish for sealing.

This pic was just when I was trying the sealer out on top of just the checkerboard pattern to test it for streaks. And it did good. It dried a satin look that wasn't as shiny as the pic shows.

And I did two coats of the sealer.

Here is an assortment of names I've been doing for friends and family.

And here is one all dried. I even use the broken ones as you see. I like them too!

And I set one up by my entry, with my Halloween decorations. I really like these little, primitive, checkerboard coasters.  Even if you don't use them to save your table tops, you can use them as cute little decorating props.

 

Hope ya'll liked these Checkerboard Coasters from tiles. It was really easy and they are a great, personalized gift to give in sets of four!

If you like the burlap, pumpkin bags in the background, here's a link to them and here's the pumpkin spoons link.

See ya'll next time,

~Lisa

Primitive Wooden Spoon Magnets

I recently posted about how to make primitive, wooden spoons here: PRIMITIVE WOODEN SPOONS with step by step detail. It was a great project! And got lots of interest from many of you.

I have since revisited this idea and turned the crafting up just a notch by making them more interesting.

Here's how I did it:

I started off with plain, simple wood spoons found at Walmart in packs of 4 for around a dollar in the kitchen supply section.

I use a few of the same photos from previous posts when it is plain wood spoons so I don't have to take them for each craft post. lol. Just in case you are tired of seeing this same pic I use in my spoon posts.

Very cheap!

I bout about 10 packs of these. And then I paint them in a variety of colors. Here's a group of mine being painted in ivory white. I used spray paint this time because it was faster.

Just mix and match sizes and paint them in groups. Let dry for a few hours. Don't forget to paint the backs!

Sometimes though, for certain colors, you will need to hand paint on some craft paint for the base coats. This takes more time, but you have many great colors to choose from. I tend to stick to basic black, navy blue, wine red, okra yellow and sage green as base colors.

And then after you have a ton of all these colors ready, you're set for the next step.

You will need to paint over them with a second coat in another totally different color. Yes, I know sounds like a lot of work, but trust me, IT IS WORTH IT. It makes them look so much better.

And after that second coat, you will be ready to start some light to medium sanding. I use a light sand paper, nothing real heavy.

LOOK CLOSE at the REDish color one in the middle. Do you see how the black is the second coat? See when I took sandpaper and brushed off some of the second coat, it allowed the red underneath to show. And it makes it look older. I love it!

When I ran out of black spray paint, I brushed on some of that in the can too. I was worried it wouldn't sand off easy, but it did.

And after the sanding, I was ready to start hand painting some detail. I just looked around in magazines and online clipart for ideas in the primitive them and free handed them below.

Some I did a willow tree on, and old crow that I tried to paint, sitting on a crock. A simple bowl with a star and a window scene with shutters. And oh, a cute plate sitting on a shelf with a star in it. These took some time, about an hour to just do this part and lots of patience.

And then I was ready to add the magnet. I got the round ones from Walmart craft section cause they are stronger to hold notes and papers.

Just simply hot glue them on. The hold is super strong! And it dries fast!

And here's some that I have all finished and in my Peddlers Mall Booth #555:

I priced these for $2.49 each. I'm not sure if that is good or bad because I have none to compare them to. So far, I'm the only one that has made them in my area for sale. With such a strong magnet, I think it is worth it.

What do you think?


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Note: In case you don't want to do magnets on these: For the previous Primitive Style Wooden Spoons that I made and didn't turn into magnets, I grouped them in groups of 3 for sale, like this:

PRIMITIVE Style WOODEN SPOONS

PRIMITIVE WOODEN SPOONS

I am in love with making primitive themed wooden spoons!

 And this here is about my fourth batch of them so far. I'm addicted! lol. They have been really steady sellers at my Booth #555 at the Morehead Peddlers Mall. 

I've been bundling them in groups of 3 and pricing them for only $2.95. 

I do have more detailed ones that I've turned into magnets for sale as well, for $1.99 each.

I start out with the plain ole' wooden ones you find at WalMart for a pack of 4 for $ .88.

I lay them out on some chicken wire (best ever thing to spray paint on!) with the sides bent just enough to keep the spoons off the ground. Spray them a base color of whatever I have on hand. I like black, dark red and yellow as base colors.

Then after spraying both sides, I let them dry a few good hours. Then I bring them all in and do another color with craft paint. Whichever color you want. 

As you see from my finished pics, I make a wide variety of primitive colors. And the reason I spray paint a first, base coat, is so that when I do my finish sanding, the base color kind of seeps through and makes them appear a bit older. Kind of rugged looking or aged.

And another thing. To give it a sealed, finished look, I always like to take some Satin Varnish from the craft paint section and give each spoon a quick coat.

And here's some more I've just finished up today. 

These say various kitchen words like, coffee, sugar, flour ect.

And some black and off white ones with the theme of eggs, checkerboard and stars:

And some reddish brown colored ones that say Old Crow and have the star and checkerboard on them.

And some more various colored ones in cinnamon, yellow and colonial green:

Those old crow hang tags are some I also made by using a simple stencil purchased from eBay.

I hope I've given you a crafting bug for those plain old wooden spoons you probably have already laying around! I have to go get some more done, because I am restocking my shelves tomorrow at the Morehead Peddlers Mall. And also putting some in my eBay shop at

CraftBooth555.

And if you'd like to see more, here's the link to my other Primitive "Kitchen" Themed Wooden Spoons

And here's my holiday themed wooden spoons in Snowmen

 

and Ghosts:

 

Happy Crafting Ya'll!

And see ya next time!

~Lisa

Old PIANO BENCH Repurposed

This is a photo of my finished piano bench. 

I'm still searching my camera for the before, which I do have somewhere in the 10 million photos.lol.

I basically took the old, dry looking, plain wood piano bench and started off with a good thick coat of black, outdoor paint. Brush on type, not spray paint.I wanted to give it a coating that will stand for some time. Even though it's an indoor item, I do that very often.

Then I waited an entire day for it to dry outside.

 Then I hunted through my stencil drawer to see what would look cute. 

I went with the theme of, "Old Crow Game Board Co." And threw in the miniature checkerboard.

Then I ruffed up the edges with sand paper on almost every edge. Then lastly, after all was dusted with a dry rag, to remove the sanding dust. I coated the entire top with a matte sealer.

I was happy to see this item fly from my Booth #555 within just a few days. 

Price was $24.99

Sold

THANK YOU!

It makes me super happy when someone buys my hand painted items that quick. Keeps me in the mood for painting more.

~Happy Crafting!

PS: 

CLICK Here
 another piano bench that I did in basically the exact same way with just a different look: 

PRIMITIVE CHECKERBOARD from old Cabinet Door

 PRIMITIVE CHECKERBOARD

This is a solid oak cabinet door that I made into a checkerboard with a saw tooth hanger on the back. 

I painted it in a flat Black and used Delta Stencil paints for the checkerboard.

I chose the Heritage color themes of the ones they sell. And the yellow color is called EGGNOG YELLOW. 

 I use a makeup sponge to stencil with all of these paints. I don't like the stencil brushes and such.

They just look so prim.

 O' how I love these two colors together. They are my absolute favorite. And that's why I do so many items in these colors. I also like red and black for the old time feel as well.

After stenciling on the checkerboard that I bought from ebay, I used a makeup sponge and touched up the edges of the board also. Just to give it a more worn look.

Price: $9.99 SOLD in my Peddlers Mall Booth.

Thank You.

For other things smaller, I can offer them to you online in my ebay shop here.

If you want to see another checkerboard I recently made in the colors of black and red, here it is.

Happy Crafting ya'll,

~Lisa