12 June 2008

I've Reached a New Low

Or maybe I've been set free. You decide. Today's post was inspired by my friend Heathalee at Butterfly Genes.

If you read my blog. You know that I likey the spray paint. I'll spray paint anything that doesn't run away from me like this and this and this. A couple of weeks ago, I posted some silliness about a little ceramic bird that I got at the Dollar Store and painted white. You can read all about that tomfoolery here.

Heathalee commented that she never thought to spray paint something ceramic and maybe she would paint some plates to hang on her walls. I think her exact words were, "What on earth were you thinking! Why don't you just paint some kitchen plates and hang those up." ;-)

I chuckled when I read her comment. Then I thought, "Hey, maybe she's onto something." So I set out to find some really ugly plates that I could try and paint. One trip to Goodwill gave me what I was looking for.



If you know something about china and know that those are St. Glampaminly (made that up) plates from the early 1920's and their worth a gazillion dollars...Don't tell me. I don't want to know. I'm about to ruin them.

Here is my craft room. I primed them because I didn't think the paint would stick to the shiny surface.



Then I gave them a couple of coats of Heirloom White paint. I used satin, but I wish I had used glossy. If I hadn't been so distracted in Lowe's - translation: If my kids hadn't been melting down - I would have bought the right paint.

I already had some plates that were a very similar color so I put them all together and hung them on the wall.

TA DA! I guess you could say that it worked. The plate in the middle is an ironstone platter. The ones at the top and the bottom are the painted plates and the ones down the sides were 10 cent finds at Goodwill.

Now that it's done, I wish that I had done them in a different color just to see how they would look. This would be great for a pop of color on a wall. Just paint them whatever color works for your room.

Updated because someone said it better than I did. My friend Gina from Lattes & Lipstick commented right away and said, "Well, darlin', take them back down and hit them again!!! I love this idea- just look for the sizes and shapes you want- and make them be anything you want them to be!! FREEEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!"

51 comments {Click here to leave a comment}:

Angie's Spot said...

Ok seriously Kimba, will you come decorate my house?! Man, I am seriously in awe of your craftiness! Keep the great ideas coming. I love the photos that show before/after. :-)

Gina said...

Well, darlin', take them back down and hit them again!!!
I love this idea- just look for the sizes and shapes you want- and make them be anything you want them to be!!
FREEEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!!
:-D
How fun!!
I lovey spray paint, too!!

Shannon said...

Wow! What a great idea! If you read my post today you will see that I've spent like 6 months at flea markets finding white plates and platters. I could have just done this!!!! It looks really great!

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

No, no, no...you must not move in next to Angie. I keep tellin' ya the house next door is for sale. Because you are not going to convert me to this crafty side of life. No, you are not. :-)

Deanna said...

Awesome Idea!!!! I so want to do this now!

Marie said...

I'm totally sitting here with my mouth open. Like DUUUUUUH! Why didn't I think of that??? I'm always scouring the thrift stores for white plates. It NEVER occured to me to MAKE them white. They look GORGEOUS! Thanks for the wonderful idea!

After you are done decorating Angie's house, wanna come over and help me out? Thanks!

Amanda Jo said...

This is a GREAT idea!!!! Finally, I can stop looking for white plates and just make my own!!!

I'm so glad you were brave enough to try this.

Kudos!

Anonymous said...

Spray paint is my best friend too. These look fabulous.

Blanca

Unknown said...

OMG I can't believe how inspirational you are...I sooo have a problem seeing what someting can be...and you have given me hope to set forth and grab the junk...I have boring boring walls...thank you...BTW if I send you a picture of something, would you give your advice??

Cindy said...

You have the best ideas - I love checking in everyday to see what you are up to.

My Three Girls (The A girls) said...

love it!!!! Great idea, I like the idea of painting them any colored you want. You make me seem sooo lazy. Everyday you posy great little projects in your spotless house. When do you have time to clean your house??

I think I must just have messy kids and a messy husband. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it.

My Three Girls (The A girls) said...

I just read my comment to you. Sorry there are so many typos. I am trying to type while holding my sleeping baby. She has decided that she prefers to sleep while I am holding her.

Sarah Mae said...

You are a genius.

I love it!

Tiffany said...

Brilliant! I bow to your craft superiority.

lol

Julie said...

that is a really fun idea... thanks for sharing. I love painting too, but is hard to translate all the things I want from Hungarian. I am so funny in the paint store trying to figure out what i am buying!

And to answer your question on my blog, I lived in Doylestown working with Student Venture, the high school ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ International. It was for two years before we moved to Hungary. :)

Oh and I just referred to you in my latest blog entry... to look at your post about friends. I had an interesting (not good) experience today with a real life friend :(

Susan of Pink Portuguese Roses said...

They do make a spray paint for the ceramic items...at least I remember seeing one. I maybe wrong. So cool! I am going on a teasure hunt...to find ugly plates to put on my walls! LOL! Is that really a treasure hunt? HAHAHA!

Talk to you soon!

Susan
Pink Portuguese Roses

Kat said...

Beautiful, as always!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I came on over from SITS, but you have an amazing eye.

I need you too....I never know what to hang on my walls!

Amy Jo said...

That display looks amazing! AMAZING! I totally love that you are trying to sell your house, but still decorating it and changing things up.

Deb said...

Kimba, you are soooo talented, soon I'm planning to sit down and read your entire blog. There have been a few that have peeked my interest that way, and I want you to know that you're next. Deb

Chris said...

Well, your new low is my new high! Goodwill here I come!! Thanks!

Gretchen said...

Hey, we have the SAME craft room!

How did that happen?

life in red shoes said...

Such a great idea! I have so much to learn from you younguns.

scargosun said...

Do you know how many people came into Lottery Yarn this spring and begged me to tell them how our Visual Coordinator got the salad plates to look so cool on the wall? I am not sure I would have the patience to get them all in the right spot (especially after the photo gallery debaucle) but yours look really great!

Gina said...

ha!!! Of course I don't mind! I am completely quotable! I am, after all, putting it out there for the WHOLE WORLD to read!!
;-)
Thanks!! :-D

Mrs. B said...

Kimba, that is not a "low"! That is a stroke of genius! A low is when you have a dryer parked in your driveway (which I don't anymore, I'm happy to say). Those look fabulous! I love how they're all arranged on the wall!

Children + hardware stores= grumpy moms! So true!

I've haven't been around the last couple days and look what I missed. You were features on SITS! That's so cool! Congratulations!

Claremont First Ward said...

Totally amazing. I would have never thought it possible

Tam said...

YOU are so much braver than I! I have to say though that those plates where really really pretty before you painted them and yes being that I love antiques...I could never have sprayed over them! YOU are really brave! They turned out wonderful! Brave BRAVE decorator!

Anonymous said...

Kimba, You rock girl! I love that idea painting plates. That makes my hunt for stuff easy.. Find a piece you like but not the color. No problem.. do the Kimba way.. paint it. Love it! About the stuff holding my grass in.. it's was the packing that my cabinet came in. Free. cant wait to find some stuff to paint now. Susie H

Anonymous said...

Kimba, just went to my blog and saw that you bought all nestled in. Thank you so much! I will have your little nest in the mail first thing in the morning. Thanks again! Susie H

Nicole said...

Wow, I love them. I need to go to the local thrift show now. I have a wall that totally needs something new too. What I really love is that dresser right beneath it. It's beautiful, tell me you didn't get that at a thrift store!

Nancy Hood said...

love the look!!! thanks for the idea!!!!!!

Heathahlee said...

I cannot believe I have not read your post until now! Busy day!

Tuesday I got so much great stuff at thrift stores...you're not going to believe this, but even a white ironstone platter just a little smaller than your middle one on the wall. I did have to paint it, though, because it had some glazing issues and a large chip, but some primer has already fixed that and I'm just waiting to throw some glossy on it! Gettin' ready to hang on my wall! So glad I could be inspiration to you...you always are to me!

aimee said...

I love them! Never in a million gazillion years would I have thought to spray paint ugly plates. You, my dear are a genius.

AJ said...

Me Likey:)

katylinvw said...

this is awesome! (spray paint rocks!)

Anonymous said...

Kimba, Your little sweetie is in the mail. Cant wait till you get her. Thanks again, Susie H

Anonymous said...

Hmm - just gave me a good idea - I've been searching for a mixture of pots/jars that I could use in one of my spaces. Seeing this was a serious DUH moment for me - I've been looking at really pricey stuff and it's all the wrong color...I'll just make my own! You're fabulous!

KatBouska said...

This is a really cool idea! I bet the person who left the comment is patting themselves on the back right about now...who was it??

Finding Normal said...

That is amazing!

Trixi said...

I came over here to see your imperfectly beautiful post, which by the way was great, and saw this post. Oh, my, I did not realize you could paint glass. What a revelation?!?! I will have to try this. Great job!
Trixi

Anonymous said...

Such a great idea! Love your blog. You sound like too much fun!

Free Art Printables said...

This is great. What a great a creative idea! Jen R

Kitty Scraps said...

My jaw just dropped, I can't believe that worked and worked so great! Oh I've got to find me some spray paint RIGHT NOW, lol Looks amazing!

Rue said...

I can't believe you painted those Kimba! Do you have any idea what they're worth???


Just kidding ;)

Looks really cute!

hugs,
rue

Jenny said...

I love this idea. I'm always trying to find plates that match to hang on the wall. I can just match them myself. What a great idea!!

ashley d! said...

i'm glad i'm not the only gal obsessed with spray paint! i'm bookmarking... i will be back!

Sandy said...

another great kimba brilliant idea!

Rachel Lundy said...

Fabulous idea! I love it!

I'm over at your blog trying to find an old post about pillows ( through this link: http://www.blueridgemountainmama.com/2009/02/ten-minutes-to-room-house-you-love-my.html) and I got distracted!

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to let you know that I tried this and I love my plate! You can see it here:
http://creationsbykara.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-spray-paint-finger-was-itchin.html

I do have a dumb question though. How the heck do you hang plates on the wall? I think it looks mighty purdy but I have no idea how to do it. I know, I'm a dork.

Michelle said...

Ha! I just finished scrolling through all the comments to see if anyone asks how to hang them, and then if anyone answers. And lo, and behold, the commenter just before me finally asked.
I'm with Kara--how do you hang them without those funny bracket things?