Rusty, Old, Chalk Paint Bathroom Break! Who's coming?

I showed you my floor, now for another fun project in my studio that's finally finished up!

Once upon a time I imagined a bathroom in the right hand 
corner of the studio, see the pipes sticking up?...

After the plumbing was in and the barn enclosed, we thought some walls might be nice.

I walked you through my distressed floor in this post

I was finally able to get the stain and sealer on the floor, now it looks like this:

I'm pretty durn happy about how it turned out! I love old wood floors! This is as close as I'm gonna get! 

Now to show you what I really wanted to show you...

After the sheetrock was installed, I took some of the tin scraps from the outside of the barn and nailed  'em up to the outside walls of the bathroom...

Next I used a smattering of Modern Masters Metal Effects (our local hardware store has been selling it at 50% off, sadly I think they are clearing their inventory and won't be selling it anymore), mostly the Iron, but a little copper and bronze also...

After painting the whole thing and letting it dry completely, I sprayed Modern Masters rust activator fairly generously randomly and with a few spritz of blue patina spray as well. For the spray to activate you need to let it dry totally. After the first layer was dry I repeated it 2 more times which really allows the activator to do it's job and deepens the rust color. I finished it off with a water based clear coat and some old barn wood to trim the door. 

Oh, the door. That would be another chalk paint project, definately didn't want to mess with priming and painting with latex. 

Started with a random mess of blue and green. 

I know it doesn't look like it, but I had a plan.

This was obviously followed by a nice coat of red. I left areas of the blue and green peek through the red. I then sanded a few areas to show even more of the underlying colors as well as sanding down to the bare wood. A nice coat of wax (dark in the corners and crevices, with clear everywhere) and this is what I have now...

Up close detail, sorry it's a little blurry, just squint your eyes tiny and it clears right up!

Maybe not...

So there you have it.

My bathroom is now ready for the "essentials" to be installed.

I will be really "relieved" when that is done.

What?

I had to sneak in a little potty humor, I just had to.

What d'ya think?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

It makes my day when you take the time to comment,

and if you aren't a follower yet join the fun! I love a party!!

Next project... 

bathroom counter and chalk paint vanity... 

stay tuned!!

I died the other day....kinda...

I've been busy as a beaver. 

I mean, I've been burning the candle at both ends.

You know, as in...

 running around like a chicken with it's head cut off busy! 

Get the picture?! 

I have so many projects ALMOST ready for their big reveal...

like what I did with these UGLY chairs i got for $15 each...

 Can't wait to show you!

And then there is my office, which is the home of the chairs above, here is a few little tidbits on that....

Yes, it involves reclaimed wood, and a nail gun!!! 

Makes my heart race!!!

And these are part of the curtains I hung up...or did I??

BUT NOW FOR SOME FUN!!

I'm pretty sure I died the other day. My husband took me to this place. It was out in the middle of nowhere, ok it was somewhere, but nowhere I had been before. Imagine a stock yard with semi-covered storage areas on probably an acre of property. Scattered about were piles and stacks of old, rusty, unique STUFF!!

It took me 20 min just to get into the place 20 feet!

I'm tellin' ya it was sensory overload and my husband was laughing at me but I didn't care, I was in heaven, pickers heaven!!

It was mainly old military surplus along with other metal odds and ends. I'll show you what I found in the short, 

wayyyy too short time we had to wander.

Here's the whole group...

Don't you just love this old army helmet?! 

The guy told me that he usually sells them for $3, but since this one was ugly, he sold it to me for $1!! 

I mean really? Guess UGLY is in the eye of the beholder ;)

 Ok, so I actually picked this up at DI the other day, 

but it fits in so well with the rest.

Some sort of chemical sprayer...old...rusty...cool wooden handle and cute little glass jar.

I talked them down from $25 to $5! 

Yeah, I know how to get what I want!

 Notice my cute little rusty tin? 

Don't have a clue what it was for, but I likey!

DRUM ROLLLLLL!!!!!

Now for my favorite find!

That tall canister looking thing,

it's a mortar cartridge shell!

Like this thing was used in a real live cannon!

How cool is that?

Really cool.

Like frozen grapes and bowls of ice cream cool.

It's soo cool it's frozen.

(this is where my kids think I'm a dork. 

They may or may not be right.)

 It's got the most amazing patina and rust on it, 

makes me want to cradle it in my arms and sing to it.

(Did I really just say that?) 

(Now is when you begin to wonder about me)

Just for fun I have it sitting on one of the amazing pieces I picked up last summer...

This old radio has a great future ahead of it, just you wait and see...

So there you have it. 

Just a few of my most favorite little-non-living things for today. 

Off to finish my roll top desk...oh, I haven't mentioned that...

it's pretty darn amazing I must say.

Till then...

Do you like rusty strange things like me?

Would you find a place in your home like me?

Are you strange like me?

Maybe I'm not strange at all,

Please tell my family :)

Wanna Play?

I have always loved the game "I SPY"

We have book after book of I SPY pictures and I have spent many hours with a child on my lap seeking and finding treasures of all kinds. In the barn demolition I have had the opportunity to play I SPY in the flesh! I know that I have been bombarding you with pictures lately, but it's really the best way to take you along in this journey with me. So what do you say, wanna play I SPY?

I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE

Old rusty shutters

Weathered wood that will become amazing tables!

Worn and rusty metal pipes, brackets and jacks~destined to become legs to tables or a curtain rod, or one of many other things I've got in mind!

80-100 year old brackets that held up the

huge rolling doors that came off the

Granite Mill from the Salt Lake Temple construction

A close up of a Mill door bracket...drool..

Window frames from the Mill Doors..going to be the home of amazing pictures of artistic elements from the

Salt Lake L.D.S. Temple.

Any Takers? :)

Old wood, lots and lots of old wood!

3 really old yolks from a wagon, or horse or something like that.

LOVE the old wood and very worn metal.

Just think of all the work these were a part of!

Love love love.

A pile of junk that is actually junk.

There is a dead cat carcass in there as well :(

Old bricks. The top one says "SOAP"

There must've been some pretty tough folk livin'

here if this is what they used for soap!

Talk about exfoliating!

And last but not least... some really old welding goggles!

A neighbor remembers seeing the man who built the barn wear these while

riding his motorcycle around the neighborhood!

Wasn't that fun!? As you might assume, there is sooo much more, but that gives you a great sample. So thankful for the progress, thankful to have this building and thankful for the history behind it all! I am excited beyond words to have this amazing place to be able to create, and build, and showcase, and possibly even teach classes in! One day closer

Thanks for playing