The Frame That Became

I think as I’ve entered the blog world, I have felt this internal pressure to want to post the amazing things.  The room make-over reveals, the furniture makeovers, amazing costumes or original design.  And while those things are fun and amazing and get the wow effect, I never want to belittle the small things that come together and make the whole.  Because, life is made of a puzzle of little things, and only when they come together do they make that beautiful picture.

So with that being said, I am going to share with you one thing I have hanging on my wall.  Just one.  Not an entire kitchen makeover, or an amazing photo wall gallery, just one thing on a busy wall in the kitchen where I tend to spend a lot of my time.  The kitchen seems to be a main event several times daily at our house; our four boys have an appetite to out-eat me on any given day and they’re not even teenagers!

I’m one of these people that use technology because it’s a means of life these days.  I don’t love it.  I use it, and like many probably spend too much time interacting with it.  But one thing that remains old fashioned in my house is my calendar.  I like my calendar on my wall to see what a month looks like as it plays out.

A couple of years ago I found this all wood frame at a thrift store for $7.  I snatched it up, because nearly anything not involving pressboard is a modern day miracle.  I brought it home, not knowing what I was going to do with it.  But then at some point I put it up on our kitchen wall around my calendar.  Being long and skinny, it frames most any calendar well.  It was originally a reddish stain and that gold.  So I took a latex paint sample (yes it was in the days before I had become well acquainted with milk paint) and made over the red-stain.  I may eventually paint over the gold too, but for now I like the contrast.

At the beginning of this year, I had the brilliant idea of rather than searching for a calendar I actually like, (which is this tortuous event for me each December/January), I would make the frame into a trendy chalkboard and buy a $1 (that’s right folks, $1) plain jane calendar from Target.

I had a vision, but before my husband got around to cutting a piece of plywood for me to paint with chalkboard paint (I painted three layers), I used two pieces of chalkboard paper I had bought several years ago from JoAnns for about six months.  And I’m telling you, I get more compliments on that silly thrifted frame being around my calendar!  It’s the little things…

So, I do love the chalkboard look too.  I remember in high school, when chalkboards weren’t cool (in the 90s), I bought one at a little store, because they looked “old fashioned”.  So it may be a trend, but I’ve been a vintage, chalkboard lover since I can remember.

I have a verse up on the chalkboard now, I’m not amazing at chalkboard art yet, but it is fun, even for a non-artist.  We also have a point reward system going on the board for our boys so they can see and hopefully stay motivated.

May you find the one thing on the wall inspiring.  What can you do with a thrifted frame?

P.S. I know all you detailed oriented people are bothered because my calendar says December.  Yes, I know it’s not December.  It was the only month that didn’t have writing on it, and it just felt a little weird to share my personal calendar with the world.

Thanks again for stopping by!

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