I just love the smalls! I especially love to start off a huge haul with a round of them. It feels like a big win to knock a bunch out. Beautiful friends, I have SIX mini makeovers from my brand new haul coming your way today!
And, ALL of these pieces only cost me one dollar each!
Here’s how they started:
After revealing my insanely huge haul last week, many of you wanted to see the teapot, so we’ll start there!
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Mini Makeover #1
This teapot was a steal at only a dollar:
I found it in among several boxes of assorted china that were buried in the barn of an estate sale.
Clean
You can see how dirty it was. So, the first order of business was a good cleaning with White Lightning.
As always, I mixed 1 tablespoon with a half gallon of warm water, and used an applicator pad to clean this pretty piece:
It really did a great job! Had this piece not had any nick’s in the finish, I probably could have just left it like that.
Prime
It did need some brightening up though. Before I could get to painting, I applied one coat of clear Bonding Boss, which is an adhesion primer as well as a stain blocker, so the paint would adhere well to the slick surface.
I let that dry for 24 hours.
I was originally thinking black for this one, hence the clear Bonding BOSS, but I ultimately went with Fluff, giving it two coats:
Sand
Once that was good and dry, I smoothed out the surface with one of these sanding sponges, which works great when you don’t want any distressing.
Adding a Transfer
I recently got this gorgeous White Magnolia transfer back in stock, and I knew it would be lovely on this elegant teapot…
The curves aren’t easy to work with when applying transfers, but I tried to peel the backing back a little at a time and even cut some areas to make them go with the curves more easily:
That seemed to work well.
Seal
Once I had the transfers where I wanted them, I sealed with Best Dang Wax in Clear, applying it with my Best Dang Brush.
The After:
I set the stage for this pretty piece and it all matched so well!
But then I kept most of those pieces for the rest too ha ha! So I cheated a little with my staging this round.
How pretty are just those simple changes on this teapot?
Let’s get in a bit closer…
Very simple, but that is all it needed.
I did the other side a bit differently:
Not bad for only a dollar!
Mini Makeover #2
Next up is this basket I picked up at a yard sale where everything was a dollar (three more items from that sale coming up):
I honestly thought this basket was kind of ugly, but I do love a large, ugly basket.
After painting them, they always sell, and I almost always paint them in a nice, beachy blue, so I stuck with that winning combination here too!
Paint
I applied it with my Best Dang Brush, which is awesome for painting baskets:
This is a mix of Vintage Duck Egg, The Gulf, and Cotton:
Seal
It took a couple of coats to get into all those nooks and crannies, and then I sealed with Rustoleum Clear Satin spray sealer, which is a quick and easy way to get a sealer on a basket, but you can leave it without also if you like a matte finish.
The After
Here is how this one looks now:
A simple paint job is really all these large baskets need.
I do like the built in handles on either side:
So much better!
Mini Makeover #3
Mini Makeover number three started out as this basket I picked up at another yard sale for yep, a dollar:
I didn’t get a photo of the inside, but it was full of pet hair…maybe it held pet toys?
Paint
After giving it a good vacuum, I spray primed both inside and out with Rustoleum Spray primer just to get a quick first coat on this piece (and one other piece as well):
I followed that up with a coat of Cotton and then sanded all over to distress…
Why not just spray paint? I much prefer the texture that chalk paint adds, and it just gives a nicer overall finish.
Seal
To seal, I used Best Dang Wax in Clear that I applied with my Best Dang Brush.
The After
Here is how this one looks now:
I would probably drop a vase inside for flowers and use it as a large vase.
I opted for a simple shabby look for this one as I do love a distressed white basket!
It’s really serving no purpose at all here lol…
At least it has no more pet hair!
Mini Makeover #4
The final three items all came from the Everything’s a Dollar yard sale where I also found the yellow basket.
I nabbed his decorative finial thingy because pieces like this always sell for some reason:
This too got its start with a quick coat of Rustoleum Spray primer, pictured getting sprayed with the basket above.
Then, I went with Cotton on this one too!
I sanded all the details to highlight them.
Seal
This too was sealed using Best Dang Wax in Clear, applying it with my Best Dang Brush:
I like wax for smalls because you just brush on and buff it off. It’s a bit more labor intensive for furniture so I stick to my Clear Coat for those larger pieces.
And this decorative piece was done!
The After
I still love a shabby chic look!
Much fresher than the gold…
Mini Makeover #5
Mini Makeover #5 is this dainty little mirror:
It swivels and the other side is a magnifying mirror.
Paint
After cleaning, I took this one apart to paint, giving it a coat of Cotton, using a tiny brush:
Can you tell I needed some white peices for my booth? I don’t mind at all…I would paint everything in white if I could, even though it is the hardest color to paint.
After sanding a bit, I didn’t bother sealing this one.
The After
Such a pretty little mirror that looks right at home with this staging also:
Much sweeter in white!
Mini Makeover #6
And finally, I was surprised when I asked if this little table that had some books on it was also only a dollar and she said yes:
It is tiny, but worth more than that. I did end up letting her keep the change from my ten since everything was so cheap.
Clean
This one definitely got a good cleaning with White Lightning as all wood peices do, and since I wasn’t sure what this was on the top:
It didn’t come off, so I painted right over it.
Paint
I chose Fluff for this one, giving it two coats. Cotton is a bright white, while Fluff is a softer, more vintage white.
Once that was dry, you could see that the inlaid areas weren’t very smooth:
So, I decided to tape off just that narow detail all the way around and paint it in Weeping Willow:
FrogTape for Delicate Surfaces gives me those clean edges every time! (Be sure to remove it while the paint is still wet!)
Sand
I lightly sanded all over with a sanding sponge:
Here is how the top looked at that point:
I kind of liked the simplicity of it, but I can’t leave well enough alone sometimes, so I pulled out one of my favorite transfers, the Blossom Botanica transfer:
Seal
I sealed with Clear Coat in Satin using the blue sponge applicator to apply it.
The After
Here is how this cutie looks now!
It is super petite!
How pretty is this transfer??
It comes with several butterflies as well.
Wouldn’t it be fun to give it back to the lady who gave it up for a dollar??
That one might be my favorite!
And that’s SIX more mini makeovers complete!!
They’re all pretty simple this round, but still came a long way from where they started!
Want even more smalls inspo?
Check out 30 more smalls HERE!
Do you have a favorite from today’s round?
I’ll be back on Thursday with my Halloween Tour, perfect since it’s actually Halloween!!
UPDATE: See it HERE now, if you dare…
And if Halloween isn’t your thing, skip to my next thrifty makeover HERE instead!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
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Mary Kaiser says
Oh how great they all turned out! I love them all, but the tea pot and the tiny table are my favorites! Every thing you touch turns beautiful again, like magic!
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! Those are my favorites too! For only a dollar each, I couldn’t go wrong ha ha! XOXO
Kathy W says
Good morning, Christy!! As usual, I love every one of your smalls. My faves: the white pitcher and the small table. It’s amazing what just a coat of paint can do to improve the look of treasures. But, adding the transfers make such a huge difference. I love them!! I love the green border you added to the small table. I would have never thought to do that!! Beautiful and thank you for sharing your extraordinary talent!! Have a great day!!
Kathy W
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Kathy! Those are my favorites too. I wasn’t sure what I would do with that raised inlay detail on the table after I had already painted it, so adding the border totally fixed that! Funny how pieces evolve as you go. Have an amazing day yourself! XOXO.
Sue Cox says
For some reason I love all your small items–in this batch, I love the table–that green stripe detail really makes it special.
Christy says
Yay! Thank you, Sue! Maybe it’s all the white? White makes everything fresh and bright! XOXO
Geri Davis says
I enjoy seeing what you do with the smalls in your haul! They all look so much better, I definitely won’t pass up anymore ugly baskets at yard sales anymore! Thank you again for your inspiration and sharing your projects! Love them all!
Christy says
I’m so glad you enjoy them, Geri! Thank you! It always amazes me what paint can do for those ugly baskets lol. XOXO
Jackie C says
Woweeeee what bargains! I love shabby chic too. I really like the basket shape, unusual. All the pieces turned out great, I’m not sure which one is my favorite. ???? I may have missed it if you mentioned it, but what was the beautiful pitcher made of, glass or metal?
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! The picture was some sort of metal. I just loved the pretty curves of it! XOXO
Jackie C says
Oh! NVM I see the lid hinge with screws, obviously metal ????
Christy says
Ha ha yep! 😀
Cecilia says
I love how they all transformed from plain/ugly to something pretty. The basket looks so much better now! The tiny table is my favorite of the bunch. Looking forward to your Halloween tour!
????Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! While I do love to take a chance on an ugly basket, I wasn’t sure how this one would do. It ended up turning out pretty good with paint too! See you on Halloween! XOXO.
Cyndi says
Once again, you’ve totally transformed these tired, old pieces. I love them all! I’m always amazed at what a little paint can do!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cyndi! I too even after all these years am amazed sometimes what paint can do! Miracles ha ha! XOXO
Joanne H. says
My anticipation is always high when it comes to “the smalls”. So fun to see the transformations. And you never disappoint. There’s always a few aaahs! and ooohhs! As you reveal each. I thought my favorite was going to be the tea pot but it tied with the table. So beautiful. Thanks!
Christy says
Oh I love that, Joanne! I’m glad you enjoyed this round, thank you! Those are my favorites too! XOXO
Cyndel says
Love the little table and the left-hander’s view of the teapot — your Painting the Smalls is one of my favorite recurring features because I always think, “Hey! Maybe I could do that!”
Christy says
Oh absolutely! These are all simple makeovers with big impact. Thank you, Cyndel! XOXO
Nana Diana says
They all turned out great. Loving that first basket! xo Diana
Christy says
Thank you, Diana!! I was pleasantly surprised at that one! XOXO
Fran says
Hi Christy, one of these days I will get to Virginia Beach to see your booth. I’m sure these smalls will give it a ‘punch’ of elegance which I am sure it has! I love the teapot most! The magnolias give it “southern charm”. I can’t wait to see what you do with the rest of the haul.
Christy says
Thank you, Fran! It would be awesome if you got the chance to visit! It’s always fun to make a booth drop after one of these smalls posts! XOXO
Charleen says
What a difference painting can make. My favorite is the little table. The transfer made the difference. I’m glad you can’t leave well enough alone!! Beautiful as always. God bless you and your family
Christy says
Thank you, Charleen! I was so tickled at how that one turned out, and I too am glad I didn’t leave well enough alone lol! Blessings to you as well! XOXO
Pam Emma says
Christy,
You always give me so much inspiration and I love how all the smalls came out. I especially love the little mirror and the table. I can see why you thought the basket was just ok, but painted and styled, it came out wonderful. I would love to come see your booth, maybe someday.
Pam
Christy says
Thank you so much, Pam! It’s amazing what a little paint can do. It would be awesome if you got the chance to visit! XOXO
Ellen Shook says
Like everyone else, I am in love with the table. I am curious about that teapot. It looks like one I had (part of a set) which was very old English silver on copper. I realize it had already been painted, but I am wondering if it is possible to take paint off something silver that has been painted? I let my son have the set years ago, but I do know it had some value. Just curious. Your treatment of the pot is very cute!
Christy says
Thank you, Ellen! Oh maybe? It looked black under the paint where it had chipped, but it’s hard to tell what kind of metal it was. I haven’t tried to remove paint from metal before, but I’m sure it can be done. I wish there was a way to know for sure what is under there! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
What is the saddest time of day? The time you get to the bottom of Christy’s smalls post ???? They may be small, but there’s lots to admire. I saw nothing redeeming in the coffeepot, but now I’m rethinking every piece of silverplate I pass over. I didn’t think the blue basket was ugly before, just underperforming ???? Clearly, it needed a better color to bring it to life and with the handles, it’s definitely a winner. But the biggest bargain of the lot – the table – might be my favorite, too. It had a beautiful shape to begin with, now it’s stupendous. This was a fun way to start the haul!
Christy says
Aww you’re the best! Thank you, my friend! This was a misfit crew to start lol. I did like the table even before though…it does have great lines! Now only 50 more to go if my math is correct?? Ha ha! XOXO
Robyn Wright says
I love the teapot and the mirror!
Christy says
Thank you, Robyn! XOXO
Michele M. says
WOW- great job, Christy!! Funny – thought the same thing about the “ugly” basket – and now it is absolutely fabulous. Just painted. So weird, huh? Looks great as a towel holder! The table is remarkable. I don’t even know what to say about that transformation but WOAH! I love every item. If the finial doesn’t sell fast as white I’d consider painting it a worn grey terra cotta stone look with a touch of green and brown but mostly a charcoal grey. And I still gasp when I see you use that Willow Green. That’s my most favorite color of all and it is stunning, even when used in a tiny fashion.
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! Isn’t it funny how paint can absolutely change a basket? I will take all the ugly baskets lol! This was a fun lot to work through. I appreciate the suggestions for the finial, we’ll see how it goes. And I am loving Weeping Willow too! XOXO
Gayle McCowin says
“finial thingy”
That made me giggle. I don’t know why, but it did!
lol
Christy says
Ha ha! I didn’t know what else to call it, but it works! ???? XOXO
Lizzy says
These are right up my alley—mostly white and shabby chic! They turned out great. My favorites are the teapot and the small table.
Christy says
Oh yay! Mine too! I love a simple shabby makeover. And those are my favorites too! Thanks, Lizzy! XOXO
JANET SCHEN says
They all look great, but I really love the tiny table and the teapot. Their makeovers are beautiful! Flowers are always a welcome addition on your items and the butterfly is like icing on the cake! Great job!
Christy says
Thank you, Janet! This was a fun lot to work through, but those are my favorites too! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
You did great on each of these projects. Such a lovely and complete setting.
Christy says
Thank you so much, Rose! XOXO
Jean says
I really like them all. Like others, the teapot and table are my favs. The tall basket, I immediately thought of greenery, pines and fairy lights.
Christy says
Thank you, Jean! OOH I love that vision for the tall basket!! XOXO
Debbie in TX says
Wow, what fun these are! My favorites are the teapot with the interesting intricate details and also the little table which came to life with the gorgeous transfer. I’m certain it would be big time fun to see the reaction of the lady who gave up that table for just a dollar! Can’t wait to see your spooky decorations : )
Christy says
Thank you, Debbie! I too would love to see her reaction. It cost me hardly a thing to redo it, so I would totally drop it off to her if I remembered where she lived! XOXO
Becky says
What a pretty collection! …now. ????
Christy says
Thank you, Becky! XOXO
Janice B. says
The small table is lovely, very pretty especially with the green border. Clever lady!
Christy says
Thank you, Janice! That was my favorite of the bunch! XOXO
Marietta says
You gotta love the smalls. As much as I love your light bright colors, I have found that the whites do not work around my midwestern area. But the ideas work, I am just getting ready to change up the colors and still use my decals.
I will be right there to keep an eye on you.
Ba-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!
Christy says
Yep, you definitely have to find what works in your area. I’m so glad the ideas still help! Happy creating, my friend! XOXO
Trudy Eby says
The little table is my absolute favorite! I love that you painted the border and the applique spilling over it is “chef’s kiss”!
Christy says
Thank you, Trudy! That was such a fun one to recreate! XOXO