Refinishing a Table And Chairs For a Child's Kitchen

Above you can see the finished table and side chairs.

       It seems as though I have been looking for the right table and chairs to compliment some antique dining room furnishings in our playroom forever. I wanted something simple but elegant. The legs of the table needed to be at each corner underneath. These should be turned, and the top needed to be generous, so that little ones could set up the table for tea time. I have seen many tables and chairs over the years come through resale but none of them were quite right. They were usually too small, too juvenile, too shabby, too country... well, you get the jest of it. But, at last, I spied the perfect table and it wasn't in a shop, folks. I found it while walking through our neighborhood. The perfect table was abandoned by the trash heap of a neighbor with a sign taped to it saying, "Free." 

       Oh! How I love that four letter word, best of all! It was free! The most important word in my vocabulary. I turned the small table this way and that, and saw that some old carpenter had built it sturdy and heavier than he ought. It had spindle legs and appeared to be made of solid pine. I was so over-joyed; I decided to carry it home before someone else discovered the gem. Of course, in reality, few would covet it. It was the kind of table that only an old woman with memories of a forgotten, romantic childhood would value.
       And at least half of my childhood was romantic indeed. This half being managed by a couple of elderly grandparents who begged my parents to leave me with them whenever they had too little time or help, which wasn't often enough. These were the grandparents I played hooky for and longed to be near to - even if I had to fain illness. (That means lie, people.)

The dining area, finished and kept to scale.

Above, I've turned over the table after scrubbing it down with soap, water
 and sand paper. I've decided to paint the legs of my table to match other
furnishings in the nursery. Here you can see that I masked the surrounding
 table top so that paint will not get onto it's surfaces.

The table took only one morning to refinish it. I left the top stained
 and sealed it with wood varnish. There is a slight break were the wooden boards
 on the table top have come unglued a bit. I chose to leave this defect alone.
 The table is charming defect and all. There is plenty of height on this piece too.
 Any number of chair styles may fit underneath it without cramping the
 legs of at least four seven year olds.

Not long after, I picked up these two slatted, child-sized, wooden chairs
 at resale for two dollars each. I left the slats varnished and painted only the
 chair backs and legs in the same colonial blue as my table, hutch,
and hoosier. I will need two additional chairs either matching these
 two or not.

I've added two child ladder back chairs and set the table.

The place settings include dinnerware, glasses, silverware and
 a tablecloth all to scale. This can be done by using juice glasses
 and desert plates originating from adult place settings. The
scaled down silverware was originally made for a child.

Refinishing Child Tables & Chairs:

• Creative Ideas for The Kid's Table by activerain
• Wet Distressing DIY Paint for kid's table and chairs
• Whimsical Painted Child Furniture by Just the Woods

Mary Jane teaches etiquette and manners to kids.

Birdies with broken wings

Birdies with broken wings,

Hide from each other;

But babies in trouble,

Can run home to mother.

How to Upcycle a Child's Suitcase

I painted one half of my child sized suitcase with blackboard chalk paint. Then I decorated this side using liquid
 chalkboard paints. The doll drawings may be found on this page of my blog if you would like to draw them on
your version of the craft. Also there is an older post describing the "chalk transfer method" that I used to
design the top half of this chalkboard painted luggage here. The text above on the suitcase reads,
 "Home is where your friends are!"

       I decided to combine two distinct craft projects into one in order to save money on supplies. Namely the suitcase, because these are getting a bit expensive to acquire from resale outlets. The lower half of my suitcase has been decoupaged with vintage sailor fabric and the upper half with chalkboard paint.

This little upcycled suitcase is home to many doll house dolls.

Supply List:

• chalkboard spray paint (black)
• white school chalk
• liquid chalk pens
• Mod Podge
• large soft brush
• scissors
• butcher paper
• vintage fabric (your choice)
• ruler
  

Step-by-Step Directions: Part 1. The Decoupaged Suitcase Surface

1. Before you begin, clean the outside of your suitcase with a moist bleach towelette and set it in the bright sunlight. This will kill mold and bacteria. 
2. Gently sand down the flat surfaces of the luggage so that glue and paint will bond to it with ease.
3. I decoupaged the bottom half of my little suitcase first, for obvious reasons. I wanted the more durable alteration to be on the half that would receive the most neglect and would not be put on display as often.
4. You will need a paper pattern to lay on top of your vintage fabric. Allow a slight 1/8th seam allowance after tracing around the pattern on the wrong side of your fabric. This extra fabric will get tucked between the piping and the bottom side of the suitcase after you apply the Mod Podge.
5. To make the pattern from the actual suitcase top, lay butcher paper across the flat side of the luggage and push with your finger tips around the inside circumference of the suitcase piping. This will leave a obvious crease in the paper that you can cut on top of directly with a pair of scissors. (see photo below)
6. Brush the clean, sanded surface with a generous amount of Mod Podge. Use a large paint brush to do so with speed.
7. Now, carefully line up the fabric and press it evenly on top of the glue, working the creases out with a long ruler and your finger tips.
8. Brush on a second thick layer of Mod Podge to the top of my fabric in order to seal the surface thoroughly. Let the luggage stand and dry thoroughly before moving on to the second half of this craft project.

• 

  Left, make a pattern from the actual suitcase top by laying butcher paper across the top and pushing with your finger
   tips around the inside circumference of the suitcase piping. Right, You can see that I have added a thick layer of Mod Podge.

This suitcase has two sides, on the left is the chalkboard painted side and on the right is the fabric decoupage side.

Above are photos of the drawing done with a liquid chalkboard marker on my child sized suitcase.

Step-by-Step Directions: Part 2. The Chalkboard Painted Surface

1. Like the decoupaged surface, the spray painted surface needs light sanding in order for the paint to adhere properly.
2. Cover all of the surfaces that are not to be painted with masking tape and newsprint.
3. Lay the suitcase face up and closed in the center of a large cardboard box. This will protect your environment from floating paint.
4. Spray the chalkboard paint in even, thin coats. Repeat this after allowing each application to dry, approximately 25 minutes between coats in the sunshine, outdoors. I painted my suitcase top with at least four layers of paint.
5. Let the project dry thoroughly over night.
6. Now the chalkboard surface is ready for drawing with liquid chalk pens! Liquid chalk may be wiped down with a moist cloth. 
7. To save work that you like, you can apply a couple of coats of spray fixative.

Homes For Dolls Inside Vintage Luggage:

• Doll house in a suitcase
• A 1950s diner in a suitcase
• Chalkboard painted luggage is a traveling doll house...
• Two doll house apartments in vintage luggage
• Doll house and front lawn in a suitcase
• Mice live in a suitcase 

The dolls that live & travel inside the suitcase thus far...

Old Fisher Price doll house dolls.

My little ponies plus one unicorn.

Tiny Madame Alexander Dolls from The Wizard of Oz Collection.

Vinyl Career Figures from Kaplan Co.

A tiny cartonería doll from Mexico.

Cabbage Patch Kids figurines.

 Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Update a Classic Pull-Cart With Chalkboard Paint

Above is an easy toy transformation that any older sibling or parent might accomplish in just one, sunny afternoon.

A classic, wooden pull-cart for baby blocks by Melissa &
Doug may be used for this easy DIY craft. I purchased the
one pictured above, for only $1 in a local thrift store.

       You may have seen a pull cart like this one in resale for a dollar or two and wondered if it might be made useful again? They are usually tossed out after a year or so, when baby no longer seems interested in pulling his blocks up and down the hallways.

       Here is an idea to extend his interest in the cart and you probably have most of the supplies needed stored in your garage at home!

Supply List:

• chalkboard spray paint (any color)
• masking tape
• newsprint
• large cardboard box
• a wooden pull-cart (mine was purchased from resale)
• blocks
• chalk
• soft old rag
• red acrylic paint to touch up the wheels of my cart
• sand paper

Step-by-Step Directions:

1. Clean and sand the pull-cart to prepare it for painting.
2. Use masking tape and newsprint to cover areas that you don't wish to be sprayed with chalkboard paint. I only chose to spray paint the inside, bottom of my wagon.
3. Now set the wagon inside a large cardboard box to protect the surrounding environment from spray paint as you work. I spray painted my little block wagon outdoors.
4. Spray three to four even coats of chalkboard paint in order to get nice, durable coverage.
5. Let the wagon dry overnight.
6. Remove the masking tape and newsprint. Then repaint the wheels with red enamel paint if these are scuffed up.
7. Now you can use chalk to trace around a variety of block shapes and sizes that are in your toddler's collection. Challenge him or her to match the shapes and call these by name while they play this simple game.
   

Ideas like these help parents to recruit family members in the practice of teaching primary learning activities to babies and toddlers.

Chalk Transfer a Parking Lot & Service Station

It's easy to learn how to design a place
 for Hotwheels to go for a tune up,
 tire adjustment or serious car repairs.

       I used a simple chalk transfer method in order to compose a service station/parking lot for any child sized, chalkboard table top. (See full sized table below.) You can print out a service station like mine from my car mat coloring page collection at Crayon Palace.
       You will need both regular white chalk and a liquid chalk pen to complete this craft project.
       If you do not have a chalkboard table it's easy to remedy this by spray painting the top of an old sofa table with chalkboard paint; but that project is for another post!

Steps for The Chalk Transfer Method:

1. Print or draw a design.
2. Rub the backside of the drawing with white chalk.
3. Turn it over drawing side up and position it on the chalkboard.
4. Use a pencil to trace the basic outline of the drawing.
5. The chalk should transfer onto the chalkboard. It should appear fuzzy.
6. Outline the final drawing with a chalk pen.
7. Dust off the surface using a soft brush.

More Chalkboard Surfaces Crafted for Car Play:

• Train tracks on the chalkboard table by the imagination tree
• Backyard Projects For Kids: DIY Race Car Track by Architecture and Design
• Fun & Simple Toy Car Play Mat by Crafting Chicks 
• DIY Ramp Race Track by thehomesihavemade

More Crafty Fun With Little Cars:

• the weisse guys cardboard city!
• A DIY Toy Traffic Light Craft by B-inspiredmama
• DIY Washi Tape Toy Car Track for Your Son to Play On from Kidsomania
• DIY: Pool Noodle Race Track by Ramblings From Utopia
• Noah's Car Cosy and Race Track by vintage gets crafty
• DIY Wood Race Track from View From the Fridge
• DIY wooden crate storage and display for hot wheels cars by frugalfun4boys
• Tips for preserving, packing and collecting Hot Wheels from hobbydb 
• The blog at Hot Wheels for more craft ideas
• use magnetic knife holders to store little cars by apartment therapy
• Toy Car Tunnel by Lowe's
• Hot Wheels Cakes from Sara's Sweets & Treats
• How to make your own sidewalk chalk and DIY sidewalk chalk eggs  
• The best activities and gifts for boys that love to play with cars from Uplifting Mayhem
• Free Plans - Build a DIY 4-In-1 Activity Table for Kids by addicted 2 diy 

      Photographs of my friend's chalkboard table. I spruced it up a bit with a new coat of chalkboard paint and a chalk drawing for little cars. When his children tire of this; he can wash off the table top and start over.

 I needed to give this little chalkboard table a fresh coat
 of paint before drawing my service station and parking lot.
 It was apparently, well loved. I thought the pencil table
 legs interesting.

I purchased these two slat bottom, kiddie chairs at resale for three dollars each.

Above is a close-up shot of the "Service, Fast - Service Station"
 from the 1950s, drawn with a liquid chalk marker.

The chalkboard painted parking lot is almost full.

I gave the parking spaces numbers; this is a good opportunity to
 teach counting and number identification with a toy.

I included a flower bed at the front of my chalk drawn service station.

The parking lot as seen from above.

The empty parking lot and little car service station
wait to be played with.

Chalkpaint a Wooden Slat Basket

       I sprayed the end surfaces of this wooden slat basket with chalkboard paint. Then I used chalk liquid markers to hand letter, "Aa is for Apples" on one side of the basket and "Bb is for Berries" on the opposite end. Then I lightly outlined apples and strawberries before coloring them in with pastel chalks.

• The Letter "Aa" is for more than just apples... 
• The Letter "Bb" is for more than just berries...

       Above you can see that I carefully wrapped the parts of this stained wooden basket that I did not want to spray paint with masking tape and newsprint. This keeps the surfaces clean and neat.

       I prefer to use the spray paint version of chalkpaint because there are far fewer drips to clean up!

       I will use this little basket to decorate a market stall in the nursery. Above you can see that I have purchased a few plastic apples and below are the plastic strawberries that I will include inside the basket.
       Even though the little ones who play with this pretend food can not read, it is good to expose them to as much print as possible. Over a short amount of time they will make connections between the words and items these refer to.

       I also used a bit of fixative to help keep my chalk drawings from smearing and rubbing off on cloths. If I should decide to make these designs permanent, I will give them heavier coats of fixative and then a final coat of acrylic varnish. 

       This sweet little basket would make a lovely gift for a child on her birthday. Fill it up with chalks, a felt eraser, and a little bundle of plastic fruits or flowers so that she may make up her own version and decorate the sides of the basket as she pleases.

Some old technologies make wonderful toys!

Walker, Harry [photographer] A smiling young boy,
in a striped shirt, sitting on a wooden deck next to
 a small toy phonograph.

       You may not consider a record player to be a toy, but these make excellent additions to playrooms for children and grandchildren. Introduce a part of your past to them through music and dance and they will be delighted with the novelty of this former technology!

       In American English, "phonograph", properly specific to machines made by Edison, was sometimes used in a generic sense as early as the 1890s to include cylinder-playing machines made by others. But it was then considered strictly incorrect to apply it to Emile Berliner's upstart Gramophone, a very different machine which played discs. "Talking machine" was the comprehensive generic term, but in the early 20th century the general public was increasingly applying the word "phonograph" indiscriminately to both cylinder and disc machines and to the records they played. By the time of the First World War, the mass advertising and popularity of the Victor Talking Machine Company's Victrolas (a line of disc-playing machines characterized by their concealed horns) was leading to widespread generic use of the word "victrola" for any machine that played discs, which were however still called "phonograph records" or simply "records", almost never "victrola records".

This record player was a favorite toy in
our home when my girls were young.

       After electrical disc-playing machines started appearing on the market during the second half of the 1920s, usually sharing the same cabinet with a radio receiver, the term "record player" was increasingly favored by users when referring to the device. Manufacturers, however, typically advertised such combinations as "radio-phonographs". Portable record players (no radio included), with a latched cover and an integrated power amplifier and loudspeaker, were fairly common as well, especially in schools and for use by children and teenagers.

       In the years following the Second World War, as "hi-fi" (high-fidelity, monophonic) and, later, "stereo" (stereophonic) component sound systems slowly evolved from an exotic specialty item into a common feature of American homes, the description of the record-spinning component as a "record changer" (which could automatically play through a stacked series of discs) or a "turntable" (which could hold only one disc at a time) entered common usage. By about 1980 the use of a "record changer", which might damage the stacked discs, was widely disparaged. So, the "turntable" emerged triumphant and retained its position to the end of the 20th century and beyond. Through all these changes, however, the discs have continued to be known as "phonograph records" or, much more commonly, simply as "records".

       The brand name Gramophone was not used in the USA after 1901, and the word fell out of use there, although it has survived in its nickname form, Grammy, as the name of the Grammy Awards. The Grammy trophy itself is a small rendering of a gramophone, resembling a Victor disc machine with a taper arm.

       Modern amplifier-component manufacturers continue to label the input jack which accepts the output from a modern magnetic pickup cartridge as the "phono" input, abbreviated from "phonograph".

"A welcome gift for any child- an Electric Phonograph of his or her very own! Easy to use...
plays 78-rpm records up to 12 in. Built in tone chamber amplification gives full, rich tone.
Balanced tone arm has tone-set playing head that locks in playing or rest position for safe
carrying and storage. Self-starting electric turntable motor; on-off switch..."

Discovering old technology with kids.

• young students react to an old-fashioned turntable...
  

DIY Découpage Dish Craft

Above is a very old set of durable, glass dishes shaped like the flowers of a petal.
I bought the set above, four bowl and four plates, in a local tag sale.

       You can easily customize small sets of desert dishes for a child size, play kitchen. You will only need a few basic tools plus Mod Podge. I chose to decoupage my bowls with a red acanthus design printed on tissue paper; I thought the colors were not only striking but versatile. I will hand-paint the plates to match, in a different post.
       Wash any dishes that you wish to use in this craft thoroughly, with warm water and dish soup. Many crafters use a sponge brush to apply Mod Podge because they think is works better. I just use either my finger tips or a regular bristle brush. There will be creases in the tissue, but the end result will be lovely. If you must remove a layer that you don't like, simple soak the dishes in a pan of hot water and remove the layer of tissue before starting over.

       As I have mentioned, you will need to cover the underside of the desert bowl with Mod Podge, a kind of transparent white glue. Then gingerly layer the tissue on top of the glue. Then cover the tissue layer again and layer a second time with the tissue, wrong sides together. I used this method because the print on my tissue paper was only one-sided and I needed the pattern to be double sided. Cover the final layers with several additional coats of glue and allow each application to dry thoroughly before brushing on another.
       Trim around the dry tissue layers with sharp scissors or a razor blade in order to preserve a final, clean edge around the lip of the bowl. Brush on a final, thick layer of glue to the lip to seal it. Do not wash these dishes after use, this will remove the découpage. Wipe the surfaces down with a damp cloth if they get dirty. This set is intended for play time only!

Above you can see that I covered my bowls with the same tissue print with the reverse sides together. You
 won't need to add this many layers of tissue if you use solid colors or two-sided patterns. Although the  
découpage is quite durable, it is not water proof, so remember that this craft only temporarily alters your glass
 dishes. On the far right, bottom corner, I show that the edges of each bowl have been given a final, thick 
layer of glue in order to seal the rims and keep the tissue dry for longer use. This glue will dry hard and clear.

See more video about decoupaging dishes:

• DIY Serving Plate Personalized Beautiful Easy Fun Make It Yourself
• Viveca's Decoupage on Glass

Lithographed Toy Tea Sets from 1926 by the Ohio Art Company, Bryan, Ohio. They specialized
in mass producing lithographed metal playthings. "Quality" was their hobby," slogan. 

Classic Alphabet Blocks

 One of the first references to Alphabet Nursery Blocks was made by English philosopher John
Locke, in 1693, made the statement that "dice and playthings, with letters on them to teach
children the alphabet by playing" would make learning to read a more enjoyable experience.

       Toy blocks (also building bricks, building blocks, or simply blocks) are wooden, plastic, or foam pieces of various shapes (square, cylinder, arch, triangle, etc.) and colors that are used as construction toys. Sometimes toy blocks depict letters of the alphabet like the standardized from our family collections shown above and below.

• Alphabet Blocks Inducted in 2003

Witold Rybczynski has found that the earliest mention of building bricks for children appears in Maria
and R.L. Edgeworth's Practical Education (1798). Called "rational toys", blocks were intended to
teach children about gravity and physics, as well as spatial relationships that allow them to see
how many different parts become a whole.

The first large-scale production of blocks was in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn by S. L. Hill,
who patented "ornamenting wood" a patent related to painting or coloring a block surface prior to the
 embossing process and then adding another color after the embossing to have multi-colored blocks.

What can children learn while playing with blocks:

• Motor skills: toy blocks build strength in a child's fingers and hands, and improve eye-hand coordination. They also help educate children in different shapes.
• Socialization: block play encourages children to make friends and cooperate, and is often one of the first experiences a child has playing with others. Blocks are a benefit for the children because they encourage interaction and imagination. Creativity can be a combined action that is important for social play.
• Academic training: children can potentially develop their vocabularies as they learn to describe sizes, shapes, and positions.
• Math concepts: are developed through the process of grouping, adding, and subtracting, particularly with standardized blocks, such as unit blocks. 
• Interaction and play: with gravity, balance, and geometry learned from stacking toy blocks also develops basic survival skills.
• Creative thinking: children receive creative stimulation by making their own designs with blocks.

       In 1837 Friedrich Fröbel invented a preschool educational institution Kindergarten. For that, he designed ten of the 20 Froebel Gifts on building blocks principles.

• The Means And Ways of Occupation In The Kindergarten

Push And Pull Toys

        Above is one of many wooden pull toys in our family collection. This alligator was made by hand. The wooden balls spin as the comical reptile is being pulled across the floor. Below is a bouncing, wooden frog by Melissa and Doug and a dancing alligator by Plantoys Planwood.

What kinds of skills can a baby or toddler learn with the use of push or pull toys?

1. learning to balance his or her body weight on two feet or one foot
2. coordinating two skills at once, walking and pushing something
3. selecting a direction to move and successfully accomplishing it
4. listening and acting according to sounds that the object makes while moving
5. large motor skills are practiced over and over
6. developing the sense of one's own body and how that relates to another object

 New games with old toys.

 More About Pull Toys:

• Pushing and pulling: toddler development
• Physical play and development
• Educational Benefits of Providing Toys to Children 
• Playing with pull toys at 16 months

More Pull Toys from Our Family Collections:

Fisher Price: Little Snoopy pull toy.

Fisher Price: Toot-Toot train engine pull toy.

Fisher Price: Classic telephone pull toy with rolling eye-balls.

  Return to the Doll Guide Index Page 

Give An Old Set of Blocks a New Life!

Left, I've even added a few unique pieces to this collection like this wooden castle craft that originated from
 a Home Depot kit. It was marked up but a bit of new primer and fresh paint makes it a charming addition
 to our family block collection. Right, you can see that I used many different shapes and sizes of blocks
to include in this DIY toy block project.

Preparation of surfaces.

       All woodwork must be sanded and thoroughly dried before any paint is applied. Care should be taken to see that all sharp surfaces and edges are smoothed to the touch so that a baby or small child does not get cut or poked with a splinter while playing with the blocks. You may wish to apply a primer first to your block surfaces prior to painting them depending upon the wear of their surface areas.

       After the priming coat of paint is dry, putty up all knot holes, dents and cracks, and other defects on the surface of your blocks.

Left, are the sizes and styles I was able to collect from resale. Right you can see how I laid the blocks out
 inside of a deep cardboard box before spray painting many of them. I also painted my blocks
 with a brush and acrylic paint sometimes. I use what was on hand to complete the project.

Application of Paint.

       In applying the paint to the toy the first coat should be thinned. This will act as a kind of primer or undercoat for the succeeding coats of paint. Care should be taken that plenty of time is allowed between coats for the paint to dry completely. Three coats of paint will produce a good finish.
       I used a variety of enamel and acrylic paints that I already had purchased for previous craft projects. This is a great way to use up all kinds of paint that you may have tucked away in cupboards and drawers around the house. Try to use water based paints for easy, nontoxic application. I will, however, seal the painted surfaces by coating them with a wood varnish. This will help prevent chipping; wooden blocks take lots of tumbles while in use!

So many colors of blocks: rose, rust, red, orange, magenta, grey, pink, purple, brown,
lighter versions of purple, ocher, green, orange and four different blues, yellow ect...

  Varnishing.

       Two or three coats of varnish will produce a very durable finish. The first coat of varnish ought not be quite as heavy as the succeeding coats. If the varnish is of extra heavy body it should be reduced slightly for the first coat. The best varnish reducer is thin varnish. The prepare this reducer, take one part varnish (the same varnish to be reduced), and two parts of turpentine. Shake these together well and let stand twenty-four hours before using. This will reduce the consistency of the varnish without tearing down the body as pure turpentine would. The first coat of varnish should be allowed to dry thoroughly before the second is applied.

This collection is sure to please any small aspiring architect!

Points on Varnishing. 

1. The less varnish is worked under the brush the better its luster
2. Use clean brush and pot, and clean varnish. See that the surface is clean before beginning to varnish.
3. Allow a coat of varnish plenty of time for drying until it becomes hard.

More Tips for Prepping & Painting Blocks:

• How to make a sanding block for wood projects
• DIY Wooden Building Blocks
• DIY Wooden Blocks - Easy Wood Toy
• Finishing Wooden Building Blocks with A Hot Marks Iron