The Morning Stitch: Rapid Fire DIY Projects Part 1

Welcome friends to my rapid fire DIY project recap. I've had the pleasure of having the last four days off and I've been knocking off my HUGE to do list as fast as I can. The weather has been pretty cooperative here, at least during the best part of the day. So, let me show you what quick and easy stuff I've been having fun with.

Project #1

First up is a super simple and functional clipboard chalkboard. I've seen this pinned on Pinterest
many different ways, but this version has a little bit of vintage appeal. You will need a generic clipboard (mine had a natural look to it), old ruler or yardstick, black spray paint, chalkboard paint, foam brush, and stain. Although, in my case I didn't have any stain so I just used what I had on hand with the brown shoe polish to age my clipboard top and ruler.

Cover about 4" of the top edge of the clipboard with the brown shoe polish (or stain); also apply shoe polish to the ruler. This gives the wood a bit of an aged look. When it has dried, mask off the board with masking tape and paper and spray the metal clip with the black spray paint.

After a couple of coats of the black spray paint, remove the paper and draw a horizontal pencil line about 4" down from the top of the clipboard. This is where you will start your chalkboard painting.

When the chalkboard paint dried, I cut the ruler to the width of the board and applied it to the clipboard at the division line between the paint and the brown upper portion. I used Liquid Nails to adhere the ruler. Super Easy Peasy! Done in no time at all. I think I may "age" a Scrabble tile holder and adhere it to the bottom edge of the clipboard to hold a piece of chalk.Here's the finished project.

Now all I have to do is wait 3 days to condition the board with chalk and then I'll have a cool new "To Do" clipboard. Yay!! I love chalkboard paint!

Project #2

Here's what I did while waiting for paint to dry.

I found this cute plant holder at TJMaxx the other day and figured the front yard needed another boost of color. The French looking clay pots came from the place that I work at.

BOOM!! Instant color with those adorable clay pots and irresistible Pansy faces!

Since I still had 2 more of the Frenchy clay pots left over, I planted a couple of extra Pansies and put them on my old wooden bench to keep company with the cast metal kettle.

Pansies seem to have JOY written all over

their faces!!

Project #3
On to the next super quick instant gratification job.

Here's one of those things that has been around for maybe the ...say....(gulp) last 12 years.

Now, doesn't everybody have a nekked birdbath/fountain thing sitting in their front yard for over a decade?? Time to remedy that folks!! And it only took minutes to create.

Well, that is, after I found this beauty at a local antique shop in their back shed. It had a small hole rusted through so I fixed that right up with non-toxic caulking.