Welcome back, beautiful friends! I’m nearing the end of my Summer 2021 Haul and I still had several smaller items left, so I knew I could pull off another round of smalls! I’ve got six more mini makeovers for y’all today!
Before we get started, there’s still time to enter my birthday day giveaway HERE! You can enter once a day until the contest is over, which will be tomorrow at midnight.
Okay let’s get to it!
Here are the six items that are getting some love today:
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Mini Makeover #1
Up first is this round metal box one of my sweet neighbors gave me to do something with:
It reminds me of an ice bucket, but it isn’t insulated. She used it on the back of her toilet to hold a spare roll of TP but had recently updated that bath, and it no longer matched. I was happy to take it off her hands!
I started by giving it a quick spray of Rustoleum primer just to get a quick coat on it. I then followed up with a coat of Dixie Belle’s brightest white, Cotton:
One coat was plenty over the primer, and as soon as it was dry, I hit all the raised areas lightly with 220 grit sandpaper to bring out the details.
It is so pretty in white!
I decided to hit the inside with Rustoleum in Robin’s Egg blue…
SO pretty!
Mini Makeover #2
Next up is this tray that I picked up at the thrift store for $5:
I didn’t love it, but I knew this needed just the bare minimum to make it much cuter.
I simply dry brushed Sea Glass randomly all over:
I do this a lot with black wired pieces and pieces like this.
I really like the final result…
After dry brushing, I went back over it with 220 grit sandpaper. I left it unsealed.
Mini Makeover #3
This next makeover is very similar. I found this napkin holder marked down to $1.98:
It got the dry brush treatment too and looks so much better after, almost like it has a patina to it:
This one has already made it to my booth and sold. I priced it at $12. That’s not a ton of profit, but it was a quick and easy ten bucks!
Mini Makeover #4
I always grab candlesticks when I see them for a decent price, and I ended up finding four of these for $8 for the bunch, plus I had one that matched already:
I decided to paint a trio of them in Manatee Gray and followed up with white wax:
I applied it with my Best Dang Brush, and then wiped it back with a clean soft cloth.
I love how the wax nestles in the cracks and softens the look.
I just painted the remaining two in white, but I didn’t photograph them.
Mini Makeover #5
At number five is this lamp that was part of this set I bought and photographed together:
I paid $5 for the pair, and I already turned the other one into something totally different which you can see HERE.
This one remained a lamp though. I painted it in two coats of Cotton and then went back and hit all the details with Golden Gem mousse…
I have sold all my lamps in my booth except one, so I need to get some in there. This one came without a shade, but I found this burlap one in my stash:
I don’t know if I love it, but it was the right size.
My mousse was no longer creamy when I opened it up, but I just added a bit of water and stirred and it softened right back up. So if this happens to you with your mousse, it is water based and can be reconstituted with just a little water mixed back in.
It was a simple way to play up those pretty details.
Mini Makeover #6
Lastly, we have this piece of wood I got for a dollar at that awesome barn sale I found a few months ago:
It actually looks to be a drawer front or crate front that has the old J.P. Coats logo on it. It was really hard to see though and the wood had been water damaged, so it was really dried out on one end.
I decided to paint it with one coat of white BOSS first, just in case it bled through.
Then I followed that with a quick coat of Vintage Duck Egg Blue, leaving some of the white BOSS showing through the blue:
Then I added part of this stencil to the top with white craft paint.
I sanded all across the front liberally and then sealed with Clear wax.
As much as I hated to paint over the old logo, I love the faded, time-worn look of this now.
You can see the damage in the wood coming through and it creates a wonderful worn texture!
And that’s six more pieces complete!!
Can y’all believe this haul started out with all this stuff??
It’s been one busy Summer!
I can’t tell you how satisfying it has been to cross each and every item off the list!
As always, if you’ve missed any, you can catch up below:
Painted Dressing Table
Painting the Smalls #13
Cherry Blossom Flatware Box
DIY Fall Frame Wreath
How to turn a Sewing Table into a Dressing Table
$5 Barn Sale Mirror Makeover
How to Paint Nicotine Stained Furniture (Trestle Table)
80’s Country Cabinet Makeover
Four Thrifty Basket Makeovers
Farmhouse Hutch Makeover
How to Repurpose small lamps
How to Repurpose an Old Swivel Mirror
Painting the Smalls #12
Coastal Dresser Makeover
$5 Bulletin Board Makeover
$3 Thrift Store Basket and Lid Repurposed
Summer Basket Wreath from a $3 Thrift Store Find
$7 Thrift Store Mirror Makeover
Vintage Cane Club Chairs Updated
$6 Thrift Store Shelf Makeover with Transfer
Pub Table Makeover
Becky’s Secretary Desk Makeover
Update a Thrift Store Box with Fabric
$5 Buffet Lamps Updated with Decoupage Paper
Mirror Harp Repurposed
I’ve already been collecting for my next haul! It’s not as large, but it has a lot of FURNITURE!!
Shop news
In shop news, there are new realeases!!
The first is Big Mama’s Butta in a delicious masculine-inspired scent called Flannel:
I have this in stock and ready to ship!
Dixie Belle has also released five BRAND NEW Fabulous limited edition colors for this Fall only:
These will be available for purchase in my shop on Thursday!
And you still have time to enter to win my birthday giveaway!!
You can enter once daily until the contest is over!
I teamed up with my bestie, Nancy from Artsy Chicks Rule, and she has TWO giveaways you can enter to win as well!
I’ll be back on Thursday with my Furniture Fixer Upper girls and my last piece of furniture in this haul:
I hope to see you then!!
UPDATE: No need to wait…see this cutie pie HEre now!!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
Cheryl says
It’s amazing what paint will do! Great job!!
Christy says
Absolutely! Thank you, Cheryl! XOXO
Sandra Mills says
Is there a special way to paint the inside is that metal can you painted blue?
Christy says
Hi Sandra! I just hit it with short bursts of spray paint at the end. A couple of times, blue paint got on the lip of the top and I just wiped it away real quick. XOXO
Maryellen Webber says
Wow Christy, you did an amazing job on these small items. Love the vintage sign the most!! Have a great day!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Maryellen! That sign is my favorite too! XOXO
Mary Kaiser says
Oh how I love how simple and beautiful all your smalls turn out every time! So fun to see what you do with them! I have to go check out those fall colors in you Etsy shop. Maybe I can get some of them when I win your Birthday contest!! LOL!
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! I just love doing them because they are so simple and quick! I’ll have those new colors listed on Thursday…there are some pretty ones in there! XOXO
Denise Cox says
I am really surprised at how much I enjoy the smalls!! These are all lovely, but my favorite are the first and last. I am so glad you added the eggshell blue to the inside of the bucket. It really finished it off! And you know how I love coastal! The last one has a coastal feel to me as well. Great job… no surprise there… Lol… 👍😁😋😝!!!
Christy says
I’m so glad you enjoy the smalls, Denise! I really love doing them…quick and simple! I added that blue to the inside at the last minute, and it was just what it needed! Enjoy your day! XOXO
Donna Overstreet says
Love what you did to them all!
Christy says
Thank you, Donna! XOXO
Christina says
Christy, you have been super busy with this haul, holy smokes!! I adore the wire pieces and no surprise the napkin holder sold so quickly. I also am so glad you take time to put your family first. Have a great rest of the week!
Christy says
Right?? I cannot believe I worked through all those pieces! Enjoy your week too, my friend! XOXO
Janice Holt says
Well I think the little round box that was given to you is my favorite. Free is always good when you redo them. Another great job.
Christy says
Thanks, Janice! I love how that turned out too! And YES..free is the BEST lol! XOXO
Sandi Allen says
Love the makeovers. Love the color choices. I’m always in awe what a little paint can do.
Christy says
Thank you, Sandi! Paint has magical powers for sure! XOXO
Sally says
I have that same napkin holder. I like bright colors so I painted it teal for my kitchen.
Christy says
Oh perfect! It is a pretty one! XOXO
Kira says
That was a huge pile you woeked through! I’m impressed! Thanks for all the inspiration 😉
Christy says
I know! It’s crazy how much stuff was in this haul! Thank you, Kira! XOXO
susan ross hill says
Busy as usual! Thanks for “the smalls”. And thank you telling us about your sales, too. It’s encouraging to us beginners!
Christy says
My pleasure, Susan! Thank you! XOXO
Noelle Marier says
Oh, how I wish I had a garage or shop to keep things in! I see so many nifty things but have nowhere to put them. I love all your makeovers today, very nice!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Noelle! XOXO
Niki says
Cute smalls today Christy!
Wow you are almost done with your haul, I bet you are relieved and ready to go find more. For now, I can’t get over the new Dixie belle colors- so rich, all of them.
Christy says
Thank you, Niki! I actually have several more pieces ready to go as I have had friends and neighbors reach out with things they are parting with…lots of furniture coming up woohoo! And those colors are all so elegant and warm! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
How much do I love the smalls, Christy? Every time I get to the last one, I say No, that can’t be it! and I scroll through the whole post again. Every time! Not impressed with the napkin holder before, now the details really stand out. No surprise it sold quickly. And the white wax totally makes those candlesticks. I’m always surprised how good it looks on everything. My favorite, though, is the first one – it didn’t appeal to me before and even though I thought you’d paint it white, I couldn’t imagine how good it would look after. BTW, your neighbor called – she wants it back now 🤣
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend!! Paint works miracles every time! And it’s funny because I have been staring at that round box absolutely clueless as to how I could change it up. I finally decided to spray prime it white just to give me a blank canvas, hoping the ideas would flow and I loved it white ha ha. That was definitely a create as I go piece. The blue was an afterthought at the end. It’s one of my favorites too! And lol, my neighbor might just want it back now!! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
Of course they all look great! I have also painted items like the napkin holder. I painted a wire wine bottle rack and use it in the bathroom to hold hand towels.
Christy says
Thank you, Rose! I love the idea to use a wine rack for towels…so clever!! XOXO
Lizzy says
From drab to fab! They all turned out so pretty. You have a great eye for choosing pieces and knowing how to make them shine again.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Lizzy! XOXO
Nancy says
Love the smalls. I’ve been going around my house and seeing what I can paint! I’m new at this. How do you decide between dry brush or wet brush an item?
Christy says
Yay! They are fun for me too! Deciding when to do a dry brush look just depends on the look I am going for with a piece. If I dry brush and don’t like it, I can always go ahead and keep painting the whole thing. I like to dry brush black wired pieces a lot. XOXO
Constance Colvin says
BOOM! Christy you’re a makeover machine! I’m curious: how much time do you spend a day working on projects? You’re such an inspiration! (-:
Christy says
Thank you so much, Connie!! Yes I am ha ha…at least it sure does seem that way after looking at that photo of all those pieces! I usually set aside at least three whole days to work on projects! XOXO
Catherine says
Loved today’s posts!! I’m just finding the time to do these things! What do you recommend for me to purchase to start projects? Something easy! I just bought a wooden lamp at my thrift store.
Christy says
Thank you, Catherine! I’m so glad you enjoyed seeing the smaller things! If you are referring to what supplies to start with, I would say paint, clear coat in satin, a blue sponge, clear wax, and a good paint brush. I seal most furniture pieces with clear coat using the sponge and also smaller things that have nice clean lines that are easy to seal with the sponge. It is much easier to apply than wax. For smaller or detailed pieces, I will often use wax instead. You can apply it with a wax brush or a clean cloth and then buff away. I use it because the clear coat is liquid and can pool in the details, so the wax avoids that. You can get started with those few items. Good luck! XOXO
Connie says
Another great group of smalls! Just lovely. I especially like the smalls that you share with us because I feel like I could actually done something similar. Loving Tuesdays!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Connie! Yes, these are things that we all find at thrifts stores also. I enjoy them too! XOXO
Lisa hill says
You are so talented!!! Love your website. Love looking at all the before and after. Also your landscaping is top notch!! It really caught my eye because I’m landscaping my front and back yard.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Lisa!! I’m hoping the rain moves out soon…I’m getting ready to head out in the yard to get it ready for fall! XOXO
ColleenB.~Tx. says
All the smalls look Fantastic
Christy says
Thank you, Colleen! XOXO
Kelly Schulte says
Well done! Everything looks beautiful now! I love the first one the best. What a makeover. 😊
I have a question. Are the candlesticks wood? If not, did you have to prime them or anything? Do they sell well for you? I always see them at the thrift store.
Thank you,
Kelly
Christy says
Hi Kelly! These candlesticks are wood, but I have painted metal ones and ceramic as well. I use chalk paint on them all…no priming necessary. If I were painting something larger that was metal or glass, I might have used Slick Stick, but candlesticks don’t get handled all that much and they do just fine. I do sell them well, so I always grab them when I see a good deal on them. The detailed ones that I find that get painted and waxed with either white or black wax seem to sell the best. XOXO
Kelly Schulte says
Thank you so much for your input! I appreciate you! Have a great week.
Christy says
You’re welcome! Thank you…you too! XO