A Checkered Past

I saw this Chinese checkerboard sitting on a pile of garage sale items at a house, as my husband and I drove by in our car.

My husband refused to stop. (He had a golf game he had to get to and that is priority one!)  I immediately thought of Miss Mustard Seed and I wanted that checkerboard.
The only problem was that by the time I dropped my Hubby off at the golf course, I would be about 10 miles and 25 minutes away.
Regardless, I went back for it.  I got it for $1. Actually there was not even a price on it (or anything). I offered the dollar. Hmmmm, am I showing my rookieness?

 So I washed it down and then spray painted it a cream color. Then I began to paint each 'point' red.

It went very quickly. I did not tape it off, I did it all free-handed.  Yes, there are many imperfections!

I used q-tips to get the paint down into the holes.

I got all the points and the frame trim painted.

After I (impatiently) let it dry thoroughly, I began sanding. I used a little block hand-sander.

I sanded several areas down to the natural wood for affect.

After the sanding it didn't have that freshly-painted-and-new-look!

I then wiped on some mahogany stain and wiped it off with a different rag. It was beginning to look more like Miss Mustard Seed's!!

Then I put a hook on the back and hung it. 

I pulled up Miss Mustard Seed's version on my computer and sat the computer beside my version.

What do you think? 

I loved the checkerboard (with the checkered past) when I saw it on Miss Mustard Seed's blog in May. I am SO glad I drove out of my way to go back and get my $1 board.


Because I already had everything else, the entire project cost me $1. I am happy now with my (Chinese) checkered past (board)!


I am linking this to Metamorphosis Monday and to Thrifty Treasures Treasures.  Check out the links on both these ladies great blogs.