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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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June 21, 2013

Chalkboard Outdoor Coffee Table

Outdoor-coffee-table-with-chalkboard-top www.atthepicketfence.com

Do you remember that movie “The Money Pit” with Shelley Long and Tom Hanks?

I saw it for the first time in my late teens and laughed my head off. I think I might have laughed so hard that I cried. All of the problems this poor couple ran into as they were attempting to turn the “pit” into their dream home were just so crazy and far-fetched and hysterical!

Then we became home-owners. And watched the movie again.

But this time, I didn’t laugh quite as hysterically. I still cracked up over their mishaps and wackiness but something had changed. Suddenly I felt a kinship with this unfortunate couple. Oh sure, I’ve never had a bathtub fall through the ceiling (Dear Lord, please don’t let that ever happen!), but sometimes being a home-owner feels like you are truly just throwing money into a “pit”.

thrift store tv stand

This has been a particularly “pit” filled year for us…and it’s only June! New flooring, having to replace two major appliances, cracked stucco which must be patched to prevent water damage, painting the entire house to cover up the patched stucco, tree removals to keep roots from going into the foundation and the list goes on…and on…and on.

So, when I found myself wishing for a little coffee table for the sitting area on our deck I knew it would have to fit only one criteria. CHEAP!

A $10 TV stand from the thrift store definitely met the criteria.

The base got a couple coats of spray paint and the top? Well…the top needed something a little more fun.

chalkboard topped outdoor coffee table www.atthepicketfence.com

So I turned it into a chalkboard.
And wrote out a line from one of my favorite Summer-y songs.
I loved it right away.
It “made me feel fine…blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”

chalkboard outdoor coffee table www.atthepicketfence.com

Room to store my beverage tub was an added bonus.

outdoor coffee table with storage www.atthepicketfence.com

aged terra cotta pots www.atthepicketfence.com

After the paint dried and I wrote out the line from my favorite Summer-y song, I sat on the bench and realized that the summer breeze wasn’t just blowing through the jasmine in my mind.

It was actually blowing through the jasmine growing up onto the lattice behind me.

Which is so much better, of course!

deck-sitting-area www.atthepicketfence.com

And sitting there with my little $10 chalkboard outdoor coffee table in front of me, I remembered just how thankful I was for this “pit”!

It might not be perfect…but it’s our pit after all.

Today is the official first day of Summer!

And I’m so excited to be Stop Number 10 at the Fun in the Sun Blog Hop!

Fun in the sun summer blog hop resized

Have you seen all of the AMAZING projects shared so far?

Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia showed how to make Pom Pom Lanterns

paper lantern

Kim from Sand and Sisal showed off this Simple Summer Centerpiece

Simple-Summer-Centerpiece-3-1024x756

Shannon from Fox Hollow Cottage made a fun Aloha Summer Pool Noodle Wreath

AlohaSummerFlipFlopPoolNoodleDIYWreathCraft_zpsb2b507ae

Becca from Adventures in Decorating shared her gorgeous Summer Porch

porchsummerlamp

Heather from Setting for Four shared her lovely Summer Mantel

beachmantel

Debbie from Debbiedoos shared 5 Quick Summer Craft Ideas

recycled-cans-022

Courtney from French Country Cottage shared a lovely Summer Table Setting

mason jar table setting

Mary Beth from Cupcakes and Crinoline made this gorgeous Beach Inspired Dessert

Beach-Inspired-Desserts-one

And Maryann from Domestically Speaking made the Ultimate All American Sundae

ultimate-all-american-sundae-pin

AND we can’t wait for YOU to share your Fun in the Sun projects with us at the Giant Linky Party on June 27th! 
PLUS you can also enter to win a KINDLE FIRE! 

Fun in the sun summer blog hop

Be sure to head over to visit Kristin from Yellow Bliss Road on Monday to see her beautiful Summer Mantel.

Here’s a little sneak peek!

yellow bliss road summer mantel

So glad you joined me for some Fun in the Sun today!

1553F4F30A9801A6AFB3E9C624118E7B

Sharing this here:

Treasure Hunt Thursday

THAT DIY Party

38 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Decorating, Good Ideas, Outdoors Tagged With: Chalkboard Paint, outdoor coffee table, outdoor table, summer

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tami says

    June 21, 2013 at 6:55 AM

    What a great idea! Love the chalkboard top!

    Reply
  2. Leslie Stewart @ House on the Way says

    June 21, 2013 at 6:59 AM

    What a great outdoor table! I love the chalkboard top and the paint color is great! Enjoy it and have a great weekend.
    Leslie

    Reply
  3. Ashley says

    June 21, 2013 at 8:23 AM

    I absolutely LOVE that movie! Even though it’s not “realistic”… it’s definitely how you feel as a homeowner when things go wrong! lol. Love your table too! Super cute. It’s amazing what some paint will do 🙂

    Reply
  4. Tanya says

    June 21, 2013 at 8:58 AM

    This is so cute! You could also make a kid version of this for them to color on 🙂

    Reply
  5. Angelina-JoJo and Eloise says

    June 21, 2013 at 9:40 AM

    This came out so CUTE!! Your Beverage Tub, SO SO Adorable. This Party list just keeps getting better and better.
    Happy Summer!!
    xoxo

    Reply
  6. Angela says

    June 21, 2013 at 10:02 AM

    Adorable! Love the chalkboard top and the color!! What fun!~~Angela

    Reply
  7. Judy Clark says

    June 21, 2013 at 11:17 AM

    Love your redo! Especially the chalkboard top. Great thinking.

    Judy

    Reply
  8. Becca says

    June 21, 2013 at 1:20 PM

    That’s one of *my* favorite “Summer-y” songs, too, Vanessa. I love how you repurposed your TV stand … awesome paint color and genius to add the chalkboard paint on top! I’m sure you’ll be adding lots of different summer quotes and lyrics to it over the next couple of months! (Great beverage container housed below, too!)

    Reply
  9. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    June 21, 2013 at 3:03 PM

    Vanessa, So funny! I know what you mean. We are making over a bunch of room and put in an electric dog fence, and replaced 2 garage doors, and had our falling down stone steps replaces… we have to paint the porch and floor this season too! Misery loves company!!!!
    Your outdoor coffee table is better than one from PB or Restor. Hardward! I love the chalkboard. When I saw the before picture I did not think there was much you could do with it. You worked magic… really! I think this little table is a winner!

    Reply
  10. karen says

    June 21, 2013 at 10:43 PM

    I love that movie! I still crack up when I think of the scene where Tom Hanks fell through the rug in the hole and he was stuck, arms and all! Homeownership does sometimes feel like a pit, but good things grow out of that pit!

    Love your outdoor table, and it is blowing like the Jasmine in my miiinnnddddd!

    Reply
  11. Debbie says

    June 22, 2013 at 4:32 AM

    This is so copy cat-able. I love the idea. As for the movie, we saw it back when we were living in The Money Pit. We still laughed, but OY… My niece has just put in an offer (and it has been accepted) on an old house to fix up. You have reminded me that I need to direct her to this movie. She’ll be OK with me doing so since from the beginning, I was the ONLY one in the family rooting for her to do this.

    Reply
  12. Debbie @ Deliciously Inspired says

    June 22, 2013 at 5:35 PM

    What a clever idea – it looks great. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Marty Walden says

    June 22, 2013 at 8:28 PM

    This is amazing! And I think of all the microwave stands we’ve given away or left on the street. I’m loving chalkboard everything these days! Might have to scrounge one up for our back yard. Great idea, Vanessa!

    Reply
  14. Megin says

    June 23, 2013 at 9:50 AM

    What a fun idea! You’ve really given that table a new life. I love the color and the chalk board on top is just fun. It’s great for outdoors with the wheels.
    I’m visiting today from DIY Showoff. I hope you get a chance to visit my blog, too. I’m co-hosting the DIY Sunday Showcase and would love for you to come by and link up!
    ~ Megin of VMG206
    Open Now! DIY Showcase ~ Come Link Up!

    Reply
  15. Shannon @Fox Hollow Cottage says

    June 23, 2013 at 11:50 AM

    I feel your money pit pain! Roof, whole-home heating unit, exterior paint, appliances… Ouch. Sure sucks the money out of your decorating budget 😉 You found the perfect fit though. That couldn’t look any cuter or be more perfect! Love how you can pop your little bev tub underneath. We always need that extra storage.

    Reply
  16. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    June 23, 2013 at 4:59 PM

    What a super cute THRIFTY table you have here…luv the chalkboard idea!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  17. Trish @ Uncommon says

    June 24, 2013 at 4:32 AM

    What a fantastic project! I know that you guys must be enjoying this SO much! Hugs!

    Take care,

    Trish

    Reply
  18. Kelly @ thelilypadcottage says

    June 24, 2013 at 5:16 AM

    LOVE this idea – might need to make one myself 🙂

    Reply
  19. Ellen says

    June 25, 2013 at 8:10 AM

    I think we are in the same “pit” this year. I just want to do little things on the cheap to update but it keeps leading to new flooring, appliances giving up, etc. Love the table – really great find & the chalkboard top is a cute idea.

    Reply
  20. Heather says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:39 AM

    Love it! A perfect little table to sit by in the sun!! It’s a great place to display your herb pots and so convenient to snip a few fresh leaves of mint for your mojito too! Wink!

    Reply
  21. Mary Beth @ Cupcakes and Crinoline says

    June 26, 2013 at 11:00 AM

    What a wonderful and fun idea!

    Reply
  22. Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

    June 27, 2013 at 8:46 AM

    What a great way to upcycle an unused tv table! Great idea!

    Reply
  23. jamala says

    June 27, 2013 at 8:53 AM

    Love, love , love it.. and you picked the perfect song to share.. thank you for the summer experience..

    Reply
  24. Nick says

    June 28, 2013 at 5:18 AM

    Love the use of the chalkboard. We just did a corner cabinet and created a door with a chalkboard front! Kids and adults loved it!!!

    Check it out at ttps://www.facebook.com/New4You2

    Reply
  25. Jennifer @ Celebrating Everyday Life says

    June 28, 2013 at 8:44 AM

    Oh! My daughter would go crazy with this table!! Thanks for the fun idea!!

    Reply
  26. Modern Dining Furniture says

    July 10, 2013 at 5:35 AM

    Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up.
    The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Internet explorer.
    I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with web browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know.
    The layout look great though! Hope you get the issue fixed soon.

    Thanks

    Reply
  27. ฮวงจุ้ย, ดวงจีน, ฤกษ์ยาม says

    October 18, 2013 at 11:05 AM

    Thanks for some other educational website. The place altogether different could I am that kind of knowledge developed in a very ideal signifies? I own a job that I am right now working on, and that i are on the look out and about pertaining to similarly info.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Budget Friendly Bathroom Makeover Wall Art says:
    June 24, 2013 at 6:38 PM

    […] has been a “Money Pit” year for us, which means everything needs to be done for pennies…PENNIES I tell […]

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  2. Kindle Fire Giveaway - Summer Blog Hop & Link Party! - Fox Hollow Cottage says:
    June 26, 2013 at 10:22 PM

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  3. Kindle Fire Giveaway & Fun in the Sun Linky Party! says:
    June 27, 2013 at 5:01 AM

    […] Vanessa showed how to turn an old TV cabinet into a Chalkboard Outdoor Coffee Table […]

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  4. Fun in the Sun Linky Party & Kindle Fire Giveaway - Domestically Speaking says:
    June 27, 2013 at 5:01 AM

    […] Vanessa from At the Picket Fence will be sharing how she transformed an old TV stand into an outdoor table […]

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  5. Kindle Fire Giveaway + Linky Party says:
    June 27, 2013 at 5:38 AM

    […] Vanessa from At the Picket Fence will be sharing how she transformed an old TV stand into an outdoor table […]

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  6. Kindle Fire Giveaway and Fun in the Sun Linky Party | Cupcakes & Crinoline - Part 1 says:
    June 27, 2013 at 8:23 AM

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  9. 5 + Summer recycle/upcycle ideas you can do right now! Fun in the sun recap and a winner - Debbiedoo's says:
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The month of June is coming to a close and it has The month of June is coming to a close and it has been JAM packed! The highlight by far though was my son's graduation from high school. When I started blogging, he was only 6 years old and some of you have been apart of my community here for that entire time. Now, he's 19 and there is a reason parents are told not to blink because the years truly do go faster than I ever could have imagined. He has become such an incredible young man we are so excited to see how God is going to unfold the next chapter of his life. We celebrated with parties galore (SO many open houses to attend!) and made memories we'll forever cherish. My mama heart was filled to bursting with the joy of it all! Now we're taking some time to just enjoy these warm, summer days making even more memories because, when you’re at this stage of parenting, you know all too well how much you need to grasp every opportunity to spend time together.

I hope your summer is off to a great start too dear friends! 🪴
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts o “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy first day of summer dear friends!! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted something new here but life has been crazy. I’ll have some new photos of house projects and life events to share with you soon but, got now, I’m just going to enjoy this gorgeous first day of summer after our ridiculously long, wet spring. ☀️
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. Th “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace) 

Welcome June!
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
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What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
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