Creative Therapy And The New Black

I have a fairly stressful Day Job.

And I’ve had it for 28 years.

So at the end of that work day or week I need to recharge for the next work day or week otherwise I’m not doing my patients ( or my coworkers, for that matter) any favors.

Let alone myself.

I used to carry this home with me.  

Like almost every day.  That’s when I made the switch from a hospital to private practice.  That’s when I got my life back. Now a days I love nothing more on a work night than to hit the door at my house, pet my cats, kiss my husband,  make my bed and turn it back, change in to my jommie pants and pick up a paint brush.

In that exact order:)

I can almost instantly feel my neck and shoulders relax and my over- filled brain begins to soften and liquify.

In a very good way.

Most of the time from Monday to Thursday I work on smaller, quicker projects.  Tonight it was a chalkboard.  I picked up a nice big frame at a church rummage sale last weekend for a whopping $3. With the thought in mind of using it in a kitchen as a meal planning of grocery list chalkboard.  The problem was I needed a solid piece of something wood for the ‘board’ part of the chalkboard.  So as I often do, I went out to The Hell Hole ( our garage ) and dug around like a chipmunk till I found something useable.

We’ve been tripping over a big piece of paneling out there for almost a year.  I bought a whole sheet of the stuff to replace a missing back on a buffet I painted and sold LAST SUMMER!  Now I actually knew this paneling would some day come in handy for something. 

Big Daddy?  

Not so much.

I usually keep a quart of Rustoleum chalkboard paint in my arsenal.  But lately I’ve become just the slightest bit disenchanted with this product. I wanted a super smooth finish and the last time I used the Rustoleum I ended up with a lot of brushstrokes.  So for this project I opted for a another product:

Americana Decor Chalk Paint 

in Carbon.

I have to tell you that as a furniture painter a good black is not just a staple, it is a luxury.  This one is as close to pure and perfect (without being too black or too soft) as they come.  By board turned out perfectly.

I love this frame! 

 I’m not sure if you can tell but it’s made of oak with a driftwood finish.

Next I went to work on my lettering.  I use the ‘Print, rub with chalk and trace’ method and it work great every time.  

So in an evening I’ve got a nice large piece to take center stage on the back wall of my little shop.

This is just a fun little addition to any home.  Personally, I think every kitchen needs a chalkboard.  

My husband brought me the sweetest gift yesterday.  This great bunny tureen to add to my collection!

He really knows his girl !

Big Daddy and I started our lives together with a handful of furniture.  This chest was one of them.  And I still love it to this day.

Easy project.

Big impact 🙂

Try one!

Paige

Blogs I love!

http://www.findingsilverpennies.com

http://www.stonegableblog.com

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/?m=1

http://www.thededicatedhouse.com

http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/?m=1

http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/?m=1

http://seekinglavenderlane.com

http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net

http://www.findingsilverpennies.com

https://craftystaci.com