Friday, August 7, 2009

Shutter Project

I may have mentioned before that my parents have a rustic cabin in Vermont on 9 acres. Mr. T and I used to go there in the winter every year to ski. We've only been back once since having children. However, my parents continue to go every few months and have had a great time treasure hunting there. So they picked up a bunch of these shutters ($2 or $3 each) and they gave me two of them.

Just like the mantle I purchased, I thought I could leave the finish as is, but the paint was literally crumbling off. I started sanding these and realized that what I really needed was a spackle spatula like the kind you use for joint compound. I just ran the blade over the paint and it just crumbled off into powder.


After that, I washed them and let them dry overnight. Then, I gave them a single light coat of my favorite spa blue spray paint and sanded them lightly.

I also picked up these clothespins at the $1 store ...

... and painted them to match the shutters.

I brought the shutters up to our office and put them next to my craft space. I plan to hang them at some point, but I don't have the hardware. I think they turned out pretty good.


Next, I turned to the whole reason for this project. The pile of artwork from the Wild One's school. Its accumulated like this for an entire year. I don't want to throw them away, but I had no place to put them either.

I started to hang a few of them with the clothespins.



I filled both shutters and I still have a ton more!


I have got to part with some of these especially since school is beginning again soon and another round of artwork will be making its way into our house. I feel better about parting with some of them though since now I can display a few.

Speaking of the office and the craft space, I got the Flax and Spindle pillow that I won yesterday! Isn't it adorable?




Have a good weekend!

16 comments:

  1. What a great idea! They look fabulous! I'm getting ready to take some shuttered doors off a doorway in my basement. I wonder if I could do something like this. (I don't think the louvers move. Have to figure something out.)

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  2. How lucky - I love what you have done with them!!

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  3. Your shutters turned out so nice! I love that blue and all your treasured art hangs so nicely! :o)
    Happy Friday!
    Sincerely ~ Tricia Anne

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  4. The shutters turned out gorgeous. What a great use for them to display art. Your pillow is also so cute. Love it. Hugs, Marty

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  5. The shutters turned out great, love the color! What I do with my kid's artwork, is cut out the most colorful part (since they always seem to paint on half of the paper) then I have a smaller piece of art. It looks great matted and put in a pretty frame.

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  6. Little Loveables,
    Love that idea! I can put them in a scrap book if they're smaller. Thanks!

    ~Melanie

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  7. Now you have a revolving gallery for art! I love the idea:)

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  8. What a great use for the shutters! I sure wish I could come across some of those old shutters because I have an idea for a way to use them in my beachy bedroom re-do.

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  9. ahh! i'm an art teacher and that shutter idea is SUPER cute for hanging artwork!

    i love that!

    xo
    k

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  10. The shutters turned out wonderful...what a great idea! And love your new pillow too!!

    :) T

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  11. What a Great Idea!!! Now that you have a picture of your little one's artwork it is preserved in your computer for life!!!lol So it should be easier to part with them! Lots more to come anyway! Sincerely, Jeannette (the shutters turned out great - I'm also looking for some!)

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  12. I love your shutters! What a creative way to hang childrens artwork.
    Brenda

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  13. The shutters are looking fab! I use clothespins for the very same reason :0)
    Have a great day!

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  14. shutters are so fun to decorate with! you did a great job!
    {we put shutters in my sisters baby room to display pictures}

    ~justsimplysouthern.blogspot.com

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  15. We have quite a few odds-and-ends shutter panels that we are always looking for a way to recycle them. Thanks for the idea.
    http://www.allaboutshutters.com/recycle-shutters.htm

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