Using Tattered Angels Water-Based Wood Tints, Thrifting Scores! Simple Classic Chili

 

Using Tattered Angels Water Based-Wood Tint-

The new snow is melting a bit and birds are out in force! I put out some food this morning-

And my November bulb finally bloomed! Almost like a touch of Spring! 

I never got around to posting this project so this is a good time. I bought a Ikea Moppe little chest online several months ago. I sat it aside because I wasn't quite sure what to do with it-

Ikea.com Moppe

I thought about painting it or staining it or something else? I was in Hobby Lobby where I ran across this product that I never seen before. It's Tattered Angels Color Wash Tint, which is water-based!!!

Hobbylobby.com

It comes in lots of different colors and I suddenly thought that might be the perfect solution! I wanted something sheer, so the wood grain would show,  but something with a little bit different finish. This was just the ticket! For $3.00 a bottle I bought two figuring that would be enough, which it was. I have about 3/4 of a bottle left. So here's how you use the tint and I have to say I really love the way it came out. The pictures don't really do it justice. First I chose the Weathered Copper Verdigris color. It's green with very fine Copper powder mixed in. No odor, simple soap cleanup. First I laid out some scrap wood and did a test drive-

I did one coat, then the top section with 2 coats. Didn't like the 2 coats mode personally.

Nice and sheer!

Note the Copper powder

I laid out plastic bags to paint on top of. With the Copper powder you need to keep stirring and mixing!

This project was so simple I'm not going to put a lot of directions here. Basically the manufacturer recommends using a brush, so do not use a sponge brush, but one with bristles. I found with the Copper powder you don't want to over-brush or you move the powder around too much. Just let it soak in. So basically you want to use a light hand. I used about a 2" wide craft brush, and clean up is a breeze since it's just soap and water!

Here we go-

I did all the sides, in case I decided to add knobs or pulls later-

Since it is a water-based tint the manufacturer recommends using some kind of a polyurethane sealer, which I did. I used clear Varathane with a satin finish. I did use a sponge brush, because I didn't want to have to use mineral spirits to clean up. It didn't seem to affect the tinted finish at all, Copper powder stayed put. Dried in a hour or less, but a little smelly. I had to do indoors since it was so cold out- 

Love it!!!

Cute ceramic mitten napkin holder! $2.00!

Thrifting Scores! 

We dropped off some donations a few days ago, and scored some fun things! First  I found a set of four prints, oak frames, nice matting! $1.00 each, about 9" by 9". Two frames had a little wear, Old English took care of that! Will probably put over the dining table in the summer, in a grid- 

The clerk put them in a nice, new (donated) insulated bag! Free! She said she didn't want the prints to break, how sweet of her-

Three piece Pier One stoneware condiments containers, made in Portugal, $4.00-

Two new stocking holders for the Grandson's stockings, $2.00 each-

Some fabric Union Jack British flags, for a special project soon (more later), $3.00-

Mini bunting, $5.00 from Etsy-

Lot of yellow goodies, from Ebay, $5.00

Simple, Classic Chili-

Usually I make veggie chili, but was ready for something different. I made this on a cold, snowy afternoon, perfect! Here's a basic recipe I used, and you could use black beans instead, or ground turkey. You could add bell peppers, Jalapenos, etc. 

Recipe-

1 TBL Olive oil, 1 medium white onion diced, 1 pound lean ground beef

2 1/2 TBL Chili powder (or to taste), 2 TBL Ground Cumin, 1 TBL Garlic powder, 

1 1/2 TSP Salt, 1/4 TSP ground Cayenne pepper to taste, 1 TSP Chipotle powder to taste

1 1/2 cups beef broth, 1 -15 oz. can  diced tomatoes, 1- 16 oz. can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 TBL tomato paste

Add oil, meat and onion to pot, brown, then add spices, beans and tomatoes. Next add broth and the paste, cook down. Adjust flavors as needed. I doubled this to freeze some.   

Independence Days Challenge

Independence Days Challenge

Here's what we've been up to! It's been water, water water, at least we're out of the triple digits!

1. Plant Something- Nope, past that time. 

2. Harvest Something- Yellow Gypsy/bell peppers, Lemon cukes, tomatoes, yellow squash, pickling cukes (just eating, not enough to ferment), slicing cukes, Blackberries, no pears yet, small amount of apples soon-  

You can see why they call them "Lemon" cucumbers!

3. Preserve/Store Something- Will be drying some yellow squash. Have been buying low priced chicken parts and freezing. 

4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep- Bought some Elderberry syrup to stash for the upcoming flu/Covid season. Buying sale price chicken, sausages. I realized I didn't have a summer twin quilt for our bed. After Grandson River spent the night I got a great deal, $20.00 at Walmart, light teal, basket weave design, but what's that lump?

 Anya burrowed down, taking a nap!

5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe- Tonight I made a BBQ Chicken Salad, see recipe below. I bought Orange Poppyseed dressing, used breasts with ribs (more flavor) and used regular bacon. Yummy, sorry no photo! This is from a recipe I saw online and modified- 

Part 1-

Part 2-

6. Build Community Food Systems- Contacted a local peach farm to find out about buying some ripe peaches. I'm looking for some to eat, freeze and make some jams. 

7. Recycle/Re-Use- I deep cleaned/recycled/donated old DVDs, CD cases, and freed up quite a few really nice baskets! My daughter is taking them home to use-

The space freed up in our one entertainment cabinet now has room for our emergency lighting- candles, batteries, oil lamps-

I found this at a thrift store, love it!

Love the basket of eggs on the cork screw tail-

8. Skill Up- Found an easy/cheap way to solve a tech issue, more later ! 

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something- Last year Dave got an old free metal bookcase from work going to the dumpster, we adopted, a good size for the grand kids toy, etc. in our spare bedroom-

It's probably about 40 years old. I decided once the weather warmed up to paint it. Dave had bought some wholesale industrial spray paint (Ford blue) and we had it in our stash. I thought it would work well with our decor. Dave took it outside to paint and set up saw horses for me. I washed it down with Dawn and hot water first, rinsed well-

  

Two shelves

Bookcase

 I started spraying!

About four cans of spray paint later-

I love it!!! I bought 2 bins at Lakeshore Learning for $8.00 each, great storage-

Dave built some bird houses in the winter, I finally finished this one. He started with used cedar fence boards we had-

  I tried spray paint, not enough coverage-

I bought a small can of white house paint in a sample isze-

 Much better coverage-

I used our blue house trim paint we already had for the accents- 

Ready for some birds!

Re-painted part of my winter snowman sign-

pretty beat up from the weather, was thrifted

Since I can't draw I decided to touch it up, as much as possible-

I went around the buttons

 I realized after closer inspection there had been red cheeks and a mouth, re-painted that as well as I could. Come November I'll buy some red and green Christmas holly fabric to replace the strips that were on the arms. Otherwise all done and ready for winter!