An Easel Without A Home.

So we have this easel. One of the best impulse purchases ever. I realized at the check stand during my first Ikea visit years ago that we needed an easel. Badly.

And I was right. We used it a ton until we moved here two years ago.

Here the poor thing just never really found its place. We had an office/studio back in Two Rock, so it naturally fit in there. We have just bumped it around house. That corner. This corner. The laundry room. A closet.

Well, I pulled it out of the closet and decided as spontaneously as I did to buy it way back when, to give it a makeover and find it a proper spot in the house.

The wipe board was well used by the non-wipe off kind of pens. Sharpies mostly. The Magic Eraser took off some marks, but not enough for me. The Chalk board was OK but covered in crusty layers of glue-stick in some spots. A lot of elbow grease got it pretty smooth but it still looked worn.

I got chalk board spray to freshen up the chalk board side. I also got magnetic spray paint to change the wipe board into a magnetic board for letter magnets!

Coats and coats of spray. The magnetic spray doesn't make things very magnetic. Bummer. It wont hold Minna's plastic letters, but it will hold those flat, type print word magnets. I am OK with that.

We glued strips of paper to the frame to brighten things up and cover any over-spray. Then added a huge layer of glue over the top to smooth it out and keep it from peeling. So far so good.

  

We covered the tray as well. Then added tins to hold stuff. 

I used push pins on the top corners to hang aprons and such. I thought they would be easier than nails because I could just push them in. Nope. I needed a hammer. I like the red at least.

Our homemade magnets work on the magnetic board too! The blue is so cheery isn't it? The chalk board looks brand new. I am excited to make another chalk board because the surface turned out so well. Thinking, thinking...

All three kids love it but Minna uses it daily. It really is the perfect size for her. I am positive she thinks its just hers. If it actually fit in her room we would probably put it up there too.

So, we are back to our old problem, where to put the thing? Right now its in our dinning room. I even squished the table over today to make more room for it. (I am sure Jeff is gonna love that.)

Anyway, I like it for now. How could I not? look at these busy hands work while I do what I need to do in the kitchen. It has been great for the bit of preschool we do each morning. 

I guess the good old easel has proven its worth and now it looks kinda nice too. We will find it a home eventually. Maybe.

Happy Friday-Eve!