Clock Case Re-Do

Well another trip to my favorite thrift store and 5 more projects added to the list!

My wonderful, patient husband cringes every time I come back from the thrift store, but I just can't help myself!

I know that I already have lots and lots of projects just waiting in the wings to be rescued or re-purposed, but I see these things sitting forlornly on the shelves just hoping that someone will take them home and appreciate them again.
I can resist anything but temptation.
And when I see these things, ideas for their transformation start flying around in my head and before you know it I am out the door with a bag (or two or three) of goodies.
I see now how hoarders get started.

Anyways, my latest project was this sad looking little clock cabinet that was missing the clock!
Only $7.99!

 I could just add a new clock face, hands and motor, but that would be too easy and too obvious. 

And if you know me then you know that I don't like to do the expected. 

Soooo... I decided to turn it into a key cabinet.

And here is how it happened:

First, I took the door off and the backing. Painted it with milk paint. "Miss Mustard Seed's" of course.

 I had painted it in white(Ironstone) originally but it looked too stark on this piece, so I mixed my own recipe for a robin's egg blue from Ironstone and Flow Blue. 

The proportions I used were: 10 parts white(Ironstone) to 1-1/2 parts Flow Blue. 

I painted this directly over top of the white. After this had dried, and I removed all of the flaking paint, I then used a Winter White color acrylic craft paint to dry brush over the blue in certain areas to highlight the details and to give it a worn look.

Then I waxed the whole thing to seal and protect the paint.

Next I cut a new backing board from 1/8" plywood using the old one as a template. Then I glued burlap fabric onto the plywood, keeping it nice and tight, leaving a few inches of overhang on all edges. When the glue had dried, I trimmed the excess fabric. Then marked out the spacing for the metal label holders and the wood pegs (for hanging the keys on). 

I made a small slit in the fabric for the drill bit so the fabric wouldn't get caught on it and drilled the holes. I found these label holders in the Scrap-booking section of Michaels'. 

Cut some paper labels to fit (including a second label behind each one as a spare), and fastened them in place with the metal fasteners(these fasteners can be removed to change the label and then re-used.) 

Once the labels were all in place I painted the pegs using 'Rub'n Buff'.
This stuff is great fun to use. You can apply it with your fingers and buff it up to get a nice shine.
I had tried the "Old Gold" color but went instead with "Pewter" which almost matched the metal label holders.

  I then glued the pegs in place and left them to dry.

Now on to the door.

At first I was going to place the original glass back in the door, but didn't like the look of it. Also I thought it would be more practical if the keys were out of sight. So I decided to make a wooden panel for the door, which I cut out of 1/4" plywood, using the glass as my template.

I painted the back of the door panel and the cabinet backing with the robins egg blue. 

Then I waxed both of the panels and nailed the backing on with small tacks. 

Now,what was I going to paint on the front door panel? What design would be appropriate? Or should I glue on an architectural decoration, cut out a patterned opening? All kinds of possibilities.

As I thought of where I would hang this cabinet in our house, (near the front door) it occurred to me it would be nice to have a memo board as well so I decided to make it a chalkboard.

I painted the front of the door panel with a few coats of Rustoleum's Black Chalkboard paint, allowed it to dry. Pre-drilled and then screwed the panel on to the door.

Almost finished now. Just a few little touches left.
I added some hanging hardware to the back of the cabinet.
Added a drawer pull upside-down on the bottom front of the door to store the chalk in.
And rusted the hinges with this great product by Modern Masters. It is called "Metal Effects- Iron Paint" which is a blackish paint with iron particles in it and then you apply the "Rust Activator"
and it does just as it says! It doesn't take long either.
This stuff is Too Cool!!! And you can paint it on more than just metal. Oh the possibilities!!!
You will see me using this product again and again. Enough about that. Back to the project at hand.

Here is the finished project. Inside:

Maybe I should put some cork on the back of the door and then it would have three different uses....
Hmmm.....

And the Outside:

Not just a pretty face but dual purpose as well! 

 Now if only I could do that fancy chalkboard writing....