Antique Child's Easel

Last summer I was antiquing with my Sister- in- Law, Amy and my brother, Dave.

We have the best time antiquing and junking together.

We were in one of the little small towns around the lakehouse.

I have said before that the prices out of the city are so much better then those inside the loop of the metroplex.

It always feels like a boon to get deals out there.

When I started Let's Add Sprinkles, I thought I would be showing off much more stuff for work than I have.

I am a pre-school teacher and I have loved getting cute things for my classroom.
I have been so busy sprucing up the empty nest that I haven't done very much for school. 

Well, it is almost back to school time. 

I found this little school house easel at a little shop in Sulpher Springs, Tx.  for $20.00. 

I thought it would be cute with a welcome message for back to school night and other special events.

It will also come in handy for an impromptu lesson.

The chalkboard isn't very big and doesn't need to be with my darling 3 year old students.

It has a few issues so I thought I would restore it a little. When I was putting it in the car I realized something was missing. Most of the antique ones I have seen have a little alphabet chart or other learning card at the top.  
I thought I would make one to replace it.

Bill had some of this laminate in the garage.

A quick cut with the saw and some black paint.

Some alphabet stencils. 

I found these at Hobby Lobby and  didn't realize they were peel and stick until I got home. They were very hard to position. But I did like that they didn't move around during stenciling.

Tap on the paint  when you are stenciling.

It took a bit of thought to figure out how to keep the new little alphabet chart in the space. 

The laminate was thicker that the grooves in the top section of the frame. 
The new alphabet chart kept falling out so,
I drilled pilot holes and screwed the chart in place with the tiniest screws I could find.
The little red chalk holder came off and I screwed it back on.

I gave the back of it a new coat of chalkboard paint.

It needed a new chain.

 What I didn't know is that these were commonly referred to as Chautauqua desks. This is a desk when you flip the easel down. 
That is when you see the red chalk holder.

I love this little easel and desk in one.
The desk was down when I saw it in the antique shop. As soon as I flipped it up, I knew that it was meant to be mine.

 Some child wrote Katie in the corner. How perfect is that?
Katie
Linking with,
My 1929 Charmer Blog 
Lavender Garden Cottage 
Savvy Southern Style 
My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia 
Feathered Nest Friday 
Between Naps on the Porch