If you have instant buyers remorse when you put whatever you just bought on your shelf, and it just looks awful… don’t fret. We’ll spray paint it.
You know when you’re in HomeGoods or Michaels or… anywhere really, and you see something in your peripherals! The cart comes to a screeching halt, flip it in reverse and get lost in the unassuming ‘thing’ that’s calling to you. It literally leaps from the shelf into the cart. Fate! You don’t even marinate on it while roaming the rest of the aisles, or edit as you put your haul on the counter at the check out, because you have a coupon and it’s perfect.
Then it all goes to heck in a hand basket as soon as you get home. Instant buyers remorse when you put whatever you just bought on your shelf, and it just looks awful. Bless.
Y’all, I am fluent in this experience. This ceramic artichoke… First of all, I am not a home chef of any caliber and don’t know how to even begin to prepare an artichoke. I’ll never make it to Master Chef in this lifetime, and I decorate my kitchen as such by using items that are mostly irrelevant to food. Second, the only kind of artichoke I really like is the kind I dip chips into. What business do I have buying a ceramic artichoke?
Then there’s this chippy owl. Cards on the table, I really liked this one when I bought it and all my accessories were in the green and yellow realm. Owls are my jam and have them all over the house in random spots, and this one was chippy, rustic, and green. On my shelf he sat. Then he went to above my cabinets in the kitchen. Then he went to the basement… because it’s a green owl.
So I’ve got a green artichoke, a green owl, and an empty shelf.
We all know what a great coat of spray paint can do to transform something we otherwise can’t bear to look at, right? I have always wanted to spray paint things I found at the thrift store and transform them into something glorious, but never have found the right things. The owl and artichoke are my toe-dips into the spray painting cast-offs.
I knew I didn’t want glossy, so I figured I’d give the chalky finish spray paint a try. I like those paints that have the finish of that stuff you write on a blackboard with (wink wink), so I figured that stuff in a can would make a super simple project for the Thrift Store Decor challenge this month!

The Rules
- Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
- There’s no monthly theme.
- There’s no budget to stick to.
Meet the Hosts
Amanda | The Kolb Corner Kim | Made in a Day
Maureen | Red Cottage Chronicles Pili | Sweet Things
Debra | Shoppe No. 5 Jeanie | Create & Babble
Kimm | Reinvented Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home
Shirley | Intelligent Domestications Angela | Simply Beautiful by Angela
Michelle | Our Crafty Mom Ali | Home Crafts by Ali
Michelle | Michelle James Designs Kimberly | Farmhouse Made
Molly | Just a Little Creativity Lora | Craftivity Designs
Colleen | Life on Kaydeross Creek Toni | Small Home Soul
Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!
SPRAY PAINT FIXES (ALMOST) EVERYTHING.
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I’ve got the artichoke, owl, and a glass vase from Ikea cleaned and ready to transform, and a lone can of Krylon Chalky Finish spray paint, in white.
I like these chalky-type paints, and was pretty surprised how nice this one sprayed on. I’ve never used it before – what can I say, this was another spur of the moment purchase. Big surprise there.
I love how the spray paint accentuates the cracks and chipping on the owl. I do not love the artichoke… we’ll see how it turns out. Too smooth. Too artichokey.
Gotta say, I love this little guy.
Not a fan of the artichoke. Anyone want an artichoke?
And now for more thrifty goodness!
Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!
Your owl is so handsome! I shall go forth and spray all things I dislike, white from here on!
I LOVE your owl, Kim!!!! He’s beyond cute and I would totally put him in my house- great find and love that paint!??
I am so glad to know I’m not the only one who has a pile of rejects lying around that were once must have purchases. Maybe I should spray paint all the things!
That owl turned out wicked cute!! Krylons chalk finish spray paint is my favorite–I’ve used it to transform so many things!
He did turn out pretty cute. It is amazing…the power of white paint. I love it!
I love taking the ugly cast offs and making them pretty, yours turned out beautiful. I love how on the owl you can see little hints of his former self, it gives him character. Such an easy and beautiful update of something that might have ended up in the trash.
Ha about that artichoke! I love the new look. Believe it or not I painted a similar thrift store owl white a while back and never regretted it! (Great minds think alike….) xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home
White paint can cure all ills. The owl looks fabulous. I expect he has the place of honor on the shelf.
I love transforming things with spray paint. It really is the best invention to save the world.. one old owl and artichoke at a time 😉
… and those cracks and chips are just perfect 🙂
Cute and simple! My kind of project 🙂 You should give the artichoke a concrete look!
Spray paint is the most amazing invention! It is a miracle cure for ugly decor!I love white Owls! So pretty!
Jeannee