Magpie Monday - Chalking it up to experience

I'm very excited to bring you a 'make-over' as my Magpie Monday today.  Are you ready for the big 'Ta-da'?

What I love most about buying things second-hand, it re-purposing them or renovating them from something that is almost useless, to an individually styled item.

I bought this very manky coffee table from my favourite house clearance shop, specifically with a purpose in mind.  I cannot tell you how filthy it was - the old man wouldn't have it in the house until I'd washed it down!  I imagine some Bert Baxter character had had it in his living room for the past 30 years, eating his beetroot sandwiches and smoking 40 Capstan Full Strength a day.

It cost me the princely sum of £5 though, and I was pleased as punch with it.

The table, together with 2 old wooden school chairs were destined for other things.  Stupidly, I forgot to take a 'before' photo of the chairs, but they too were encrusted in grime - as I was scrubbing them I kept telling myself it was just dried play-doh and tomato sauce, and that's what I intend to carry on believing!  The chairs cost me only £2 each from the local auction house.

With the help of some Rustoleum spray paints, I set about the make-over.  I love spray painting (considerably more than my new neighbour, it turns out), but normally I just give things a quick blast.

This time however, I did a proper job.  I prepped and primed, I filled and sanded then sanded some more. I masked and re-coated, and this is the result: a chalkboard play table with matching chairs.

I'm really pleased with the glossy sheen on the chairs in particular. I used Rustoleum Cherry Red gloss.

Ruby loves her new table, and wasted no time christening it with a picture of Daddy (aww just look at him, you can see why I've stayed with him for so long!)

I have a whole heap of other things in the garage waiting to be introduced to the spray can. I can't wait to get cracking on the next project!

What have you been saving from the land-fill this week?  Please grab the badge and link-up your second-hand finds.



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