Easy DIY Wooden Lantern

Lanterns have become popular in modern farmhouse decor. I believe lanterns can add interest to any decor style. 

When the invitation came to participate in a recent Youtube decor challenge using lanterns, I was hesitant to join because I did not have the type of lantern that I thought was worthy of sharing. 

So I decided to make my own.

I searched the internet for examples of simple do-it-yourself lanterns and soon gained enough knowledge where I felt confident that I could produce a decent-looking lantern.

Honestly, I was looking for something easy to make. This was not going to be my life's work, right?

Materials Used

The materials used:

Wood Strips for Sides - 18" (4 )

Wood for Top and Base - 6"x 7" (2 )

Wood for 2nd Top Layer  4"x 5" (1)

Wood Glue

Wood Filler

1" Nails (or wood screws)

Wooden Finial (with pre-fitted screw)

The Process

I used scrap wood from my garage to fashion the top, bottom and sides. Hubby helped me make the cuts. 

I used wood glue to hold the sides and base together while I nailed the pieces together. The finial was pre-fitted with a screw which made it very easy to screw into the top of the lantern. Wood filler was applied around gaps, followed by light sanding over the entire lantern. 

I made two lanterns: 18" and a smaller 12" lantern. Now that I've finished, I'm definitely thinking about making a third lantern to complete the set. You will not believe how easy this was!

Conclusion

I finished the project with white a Chalky Finish Paint. The results were stunning! 

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Comparing 6 Popular Chalk Paints

I love chalk paint! I bought my first quart of chalk paint from Home Depot in the color Linen White. I painted everything! Then I discovered chalk paint at other hardware and retail stores. That's when I decided to do a comparison. 

I had heard about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and seen the paint demonstrations online, but I knew that this paint was only available through distributors. I didn't have time for that!

How I Conducted My Demo

I bought six different chalk-style brands from various retail stores. Using popsicle sticks, I performed a very un-scientific paint demonstration. Basically, I dipped a popsicle in each container and recorded the paint's consistency--thick or runny. 

I'm not saying that runny paint is a bad thing! In fact, some users routinely add water to their chalky paint. I rarely do. I like the thickness of chalky paint.

The beauty of chalk paint is that it covers most surfaces without sanding. And it's very forgiving. 

                                              

Most chalk paints brands make claims that they will cover in one coat.  It has been my experience that two or more coats are always required to get the desired coverage. 

The paint dries so quickly and smoothly that it makes most defects almost disappear. The end result will be a chalk-like matte finish.

During my comparison, I documented the price of each brand and where brands might be purchased. I was surprised to discover that a higher price does not guarantee a more superior product. 

I compared brands that ranged in price from $9 - $30. One of the best brands, surprisingly, was the $9 paint. The consistency was great! Check! Drying time was great! Check! The color was solid, as advertised. Meaning, it was advertised as white and it turned out to be white. Not off-white. Check! The best thing was that I could find this paint at my local store. No ordering or distributors involved. This inexpensive paint checked off all the boxes!

I created a little cheat-sheet that contains price, where to buy the paints that I tested and my own rating system. These opinions are my own and are by no means scientific. It's a great reference tool for chalk paint novices.

For a FREE copy of my cheat-sheet, email me at lifeongreenwood@gmail.com or use the CONTACT US tab to reach out.

Paint Comparison Video: 

https://youtu.be/PNBirCHvITU

Things to Consider Before You Start Painting

Some tips: 

1.  Determine the type of surface you will be painting

2.  Determine if the location will be high traffic

3.  Set a budget. If cost is not an issue, there are plenty of options

4.  Decide if you have time to shop online or find an authorized distributor or if you want to shop your local hardware or retail store

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

Chalky Paint Recipe Using Calcium Carbonate

 If you follow me on social media, you know that I love to paint furniture! Chalk paint is one of my favorite kinds of paint. 

I love the matte finish that comes from chalk paint. It's so easy to use and in my opinion, it's hard to mess up. Seriously.

I have tried several different brands of paint that advertise a chalky finish. I've even done side by side comparisons for price, consistency, availability, etc. 

But that's not what this blog is about. 

At the request of one of my Youtube followers, I decided to try and make my own chalk paint using calcium carbonate. 

Calcium carbonate is a white powdery substance that can be purchased at your hardware store or online. I bought mine online.

Recipe for Calcium Carbonate Chalk Paint

My recipe is as follows:

2 tablespoons - Calcium Carbonate

8 ounces - Latex Paint

1 tablespoon - Water

Mix calcium carbonate and water together and stir well. Pour this mixture into the 8 oz paint and mix well.

Conclusion

The result is a chalky-like paint that can be applied in most cases without primer and dries to a matte finish. I love it! Bonus: this is much cheaper than paying retail!

Tip: Store your homemade chalky paint in a sealed glass container, unless you plan to use it right away. I used a recycled pasta sauce jar for storage.

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

How to Use Napkins to Decoupage a Tray - Get The Look For Less

This tray was originally dark brown, dirty and had some kind of floral applique on it. It was a $3 thrift find. It was sturdy. It was so ugly, but I knew that a little elbow grease and paint could make a world of difference. 

My inspiration for this tray came from a Pinterest post showing similar trays for $186. Can you believe that price? 

After cleaning the tray, I painted it using Waverly Inspirations Chalk Paint, Ultra Matte White. 

Once the paint dried, I used blue and white floral paper napkins to cover the inside of the tray. The process, called "decoupage" is simple.

The napkins were an Amazon purchase that I used previously on several other projects, including a decoupage pumpkin and Easter egg.

How to Decoupage

First, tear several strips of fabric or paper.  Apply glue or paste (I used Mod Podge), to the flat surface inside the tray. Cover the tray with those strips of paper.

Finally, give the napkin-covered surface a generous coating of Mod Podge. 

One of the great things about Mod Podge is that it dries clear, so it's very forgiving.  

Conclusion

I sealed the entire project with a coating of  Clear Enamel Spray Paint. This is what I call "the look for less"!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

 

No-Sew Spring Table Runner

With all the snow that we got over the last few weeks, I wanted to bring a touch of Spring into my home. I headed to Walmart and bought two yards of pre-cut duck fabric with the idea of making a runner or table cloth. 

I wanted something that would give my dining room a little Springtime flare. 

To me, the colors in this fabric scream Spring! 

I also bought a few yards of pink satin ribbon. With glue gun in hand, I was ready! 

The Process

I cut the fabric into a 2' x 6' strip, hot glued a strip of ribbon on each side, and fashioned a hem on each end using hot glue. 

For less than $10, I had beautiful Spring table runner! No sewing required!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.

Homemade Chalky Paint Furniture Makeover

 After living with this chest for many years, I knew that I had to make a decision to keep it or let it go. The original dark color no longer fit in with my current aesthetic, but it was serving us well as a entryway table. 

I loved that it had drawers that we could drop our keys and sunglasses into as we walked into the house. It was the perfect height.

Decision made. I had to keep it! I decided to use some homemade chalky finish paint to make it pretty again.

Recipe

My paint recipe was simple: 1 part Plaster of Paris, 1 part water and parts latex paint.  Mix the water and Plaster of Paris together and then add this mixture to the paint. 

This paint dries quickly and no sanding is necessary.  The only sanding that I did was when I had to fill holes and sand when I replaced the drawer pulls. Easy!

Conclusion

Basically, this do-it-yourself project required two coats of  my homemade chalky finish paint and four new drawer pulls. The drawer pulls were about $2.00 each from my local big box hardware store. 

Another quick DIY in the books!

Disclosure: Links may contain affiliates. When you buy through one of our links we will receive a commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Life on Greenwood and allowing me to continue to bring you valuable content.