the space between

upcycle, repurpose and reinvent your space

chalk paint word art on an old tray {and buying a new camera}

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I love this picture.

annie sloan chalk paint

I love everything about it.

There’s color and depth and chipping paint. Some parts are in focus and some are blurry. And there’s aqua. Oh, the aqua.

And I took it with my point and shoot camera.

And I’m preparing myself for my our new Canon 60D. AAAAHHHHHH!! Seriously excited.

We’re only buying the body of the camera because we actually have a compatible lens … from our Canon 10D. Yes … 10D. She’s like the great-great-great-great-great grandmother to the 60D. 🙂
word art

Oh my gosh, are you loving the chippy wood backdrop and colorful tray with hot pink flowers in the foreground as much as I am? Are you imagining how awesome it might be able to look with the great-great-great-great-great granddaughter of the 10D?

You can purchase a 60D with a 18-135MM kit lens if you aren’t the proud owner of her ancestor.

We also already have this funky accessory, that I guess I’ll have to figure out what to use it for. 🙂

And this little doohickey makes me a little nervous and a little excited at the same time.
word art

‘Cause, if I’m using it, that means I’ve got my new 60D (AAAAHHHHH!!!) on our tripod.

And I’m playing around with f-stop and aperture and other terms I can’t think of right now.

Scary and exciting! Right?!?!

annie sloan chalk paint


Cute, right! Just imagine the light I would be able to capture in this pic with my our new camera!!

It’s a tray we use to bring things to the roof, especially for dinners. And even though I thought the food themed saying “Eat. Drink and be Merry.” was appropriate, it seemed a bit cliché.

But, we Eat.

Drink.

Are Be Married.

That’s what we do. 🙂  That’s who we are. That spoke to me … in a way that made me smile. And you know how I love sentimental word art.

annie sloan chalk paint

Wouldn’t it make an awesome DIY wedding gift??? I say “Happy Anniversary!” to me! It’s neither our anniversary or do I regularly gift myself things.*

*that second part isn’t entirely true. 😉

It started as a plain bamboo tray that I layered with my new obsession … Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. First, Duck Egg Blue, then Provence, then Old White, then sand lightly, then clear soft wax THEN a dry brush of the dark soft wax.

I can pretty much tell that Annie Sloan Dark Wax is going to infiltrate this little abode.
annie sloan chalk paint

I used alphabet stickers I found for $1 at Walmart in Coral Gables when we were in FL in the beginning of June. And found that I should be able to re-use them … that is more a warning than a threat, really. 🙂

I cut off the tips of an X to make the periods.annie sloan chalk paintAnd this little photo session, of my new pretty little tray, has inspired me.

Who’s in for photography 101? As in, can I get your best tips? Do you use the dark wax? Do you love it, too? Do you get this excited about cameras and wax?

AND, have you entered the giveaway for every organized homeowners’ dream? Seriously, if you have maintenance, upgrades and any other projects going on with your home you are going to want this technology. The giveaway is open here NOW.

And you can see more of the chippy coffee table here.

Of note here … I was not compensated by either Canon or Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I was given some paint and wax to try. I only speak my truth. Affiliated links are for products we know and love.
I’m sharing my tray here and at: BNOTP, DIY Show Off, Home Stories A to Z, Savvy Southern Style, Remodelaholic, Today’s Creative, At the Picket Fence and Sugar Bee Crafts.

Comments

  1. Love the soft colors of the tray! It looks like a piece you might find in a department store. Well done! Congrats on the new camera! I get excited with new camera gear. I shoot with a Canon 40D that I have had for 3 years. I have used the tripod and camera remote on many occasions. They are a great investment. I love Annie Sloan paint but have not purchased the wax just yet. It’s on my “to buy” list. Thanks for sharing your lovely tray. Cheers and Happy Day to Ya!

  2. I’m checking out cameras too – and can’t wait to photograph everything in my path (no man, woman, child, animal or inanimate object will be safe)!

    Gorgeous colors – I see a complete room transformation in your future – aqua, pink and annie sloan!
    Kelly

  3. Yay for a new camera! I bought my camera before I knew anything about photography (I know, I still don’t know anything about it), but I wish I’d gotten a dslr. Now i’m kinda stuck for a few years, so I’m going to live vicariously through your new camera.

  4. Love the colors! You’re going to tell me that the beautiful pink flower grows wild on the side of the road in Curacao, aren’t you…. Your photography skills are great. My hubby is pressuring me to sign up for a photography class so I guess I’ll be doing that soon. I went from using the auto button all the time to using the aperture setting all the time – at the same setting. Just stuck from one place to the other.

    Love the tray!

  5. Holy! I’m starting to save for a new camera like that one!!! No wonder everyone else’s photos look so much better than mine. Sigh… love your tray 🙂

  7. You have inspired me to take a class on photography right along with you :). I have a new Cannon rebel T something or the other and I really need to spend time working with it!! Love the paint and the saying on the tray by the way!! As always..much love to the furry babies!

  8. Congratulations on your new camera! The skies the limit.

    Can’t wait to see all your inspiration.

    blessings,
    karianne

  10. I’m loving your tray, like oh, SO much! Eat, Drink & Be Married is brilliant 🙂 As for my camera, I’m learning away – I’ve had it for 2 years now, and continue to learn. Hubs just bought me a fancy flash for my B-day… but I haven’t ventured into that 101 classroom just yet. Good luck with your new camera!

  11. Pictures look awesome, as does this tray. Can’t wait to see what you take with your new camera!

  12. Congratulations on your new camera!!!! OHHHH I love that chippy tray.And LOVE,LOVE that color too!
    xx
    Anne

  13. I’m still a point and shoot girl. I have too much computer/blogging stuff to learn to try to cram photography in there now. 🙂 My smartphone is smarter than I am, as I always say. L.o.v.e. the tray, we Be Married 36 yrs. as of last May in case you’re looking for someone to gift, and I love the colors, LOL.
    Janet

  16. Love the tray AND the photos! One of my girl friends got married 12 yrs ago and that phrase was on all their koozies, napkins, cups, etc… so so cute. 🙂
    xo Heidi

  17. I hadn’t even finished reading this post before I was scamming ideas on how to copy that tray. Eat, drink, and be married – genius!

    Once you turn into a total pro – please share your tips! I suck at my DSLR. 🙁

  18. Girl, that photo IS so pretty. Your tray is super cute too. AS paint is amazing. Oh and congrats on your new camera!! Maybe you can teach me a thing or two! 🙂

  23. Yay for a new camera – very exciting!
    I love your tray. The color choices are awesome!!!
    I’m new to your blog – I found you trough the Craftastic Monday linkup party.
    Rhiannon at Being Mom{me}

  24. The colors are blended so beautifully. I like how you used stickers…so easy even I could do it. Hey, I just might do it cuz I have a whole drawer full of stickers. 🙂 Lemme just put it on the list with the other gazillion things I wanna try. Have a good week!

  26. Great pictures, even with your ‘old’ camera. This is a beautiful tray, great job! Visiting you from One Project at a Time.

  27. Awesome tray and your pictures are amazing. Are you loving your new camera?

  28. Gorgeous tray! Love the idea and the paint is beautiful! I’d love for you to share your tray at my Twirl & Take a Bow party at http://www.houseontheway.com. It’s today through Sunday. Hope you can stop by!
    Leslie

  30. The tray looks fabulous!!! Maybe I should say your pictures look fabulous!!! I just got a new 60D too and I am loving every mega pixel bit {LOL} about it!!!! Have fun!!!

  31. Love the tray!! And that camera? Wow, puts my little Canon Power Shot to shame…but oh well, still a Canon that takes great pictures…but would love the great-great-great-great-great grandmother to yours!
    Saw you sharing at Transformation Thursdays
    Debbie 🙂

  33. You’re so right about those pink flowers popping off the aqua of your tray. It’s just beautiful.

    Congrats on the camera too! I also just got a new camera, however mine is still a point and shoot (Lumix LX5) but it has all the manual options (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) so it’s perfect for me. Besides, my bf has a big DSLR and photography is more his thing than mine. My point in telling you all this is, check out Sweet C’s Design. She has a weekly post about photography. Her post are so easy to follow along with and understand too. I get so bogged down with technical terms and too much information at once and have really loved all her photography posts. Good luck!

    Nikki Kelly @ the ambitious procrastinator

  34. Your pictures have my 2 favorite colors ever. My girls room is these colors, because I couldn’t convince hubby to let me put pink in our room! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, being featured on TT&J totally made my day! (ok, made my week!)

    • Hey!! Thank YOU for coming by. Your girls room sounds beautiful. Have an awesome week!! 🙂

  35. This is simply STUNNING!!!! I tried to comment the other day and just could not get on : ( WOW what a beauty my friend — in love with the color too!!!! Sending hugs to you and of course my favorite little doggie team…the M&M gang! : )

  36. Are you kidding me – love it! Love the aqua, love the hot pink (well, that’s what we call it around here), love the words exactly as they are. I honestly am the only human who has not yet tried chalk paint, what is wrong with me?!?! I’m going to get on that one day, perhaps 2013. I saw your feature at Cottage Market – congrats! Mary

Trackbacks

  1. […] As for my project, I’d been keeping an eyeball out for a tray, thanks to Karah and her “Eat, drink, and be married” tray. […]

  8. […]  … doing it in a space I’m proud of thanks to P&G and Lowe’s and a short afternoon of whipping this space into shape. I’m happy we found the perfect spot for our very first pallet project on the ivy covered fence. And check out the tutorial to make your very own pallet art here.  And that cute little stenciled tray was made with $1 stencils I found at Wal-Mart, the tutorial for that super simple project is here. […]