Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Breadboards...


I love breadboards!
My favorite things to search for in antique and thrift stores are things that are actually useful household items with a unique homespun beauty to them, like breadboards, mixing bowls,  and textiles.


Here's a collection of breadboards displayed gallery style on the wall in our living room.


Farm animal shaped breadboards are a fun addition in wall displays.



I especially love old European breadboards, but they are a highly collectable item that can be pretty pricey.

My handyman son-in-law made me a large reproduction of a european style bakery board seen here.


I knew it would be used only for display, so wasn't concerned about it being food safe when we stained it.


When my son-in-law made me this beautiful european style breadboard for my recent birthday,
I knew I wanted this breadboard to be food safe.
  I researched ways to stain food safe breadboards.
Coffee!
Yes, I used coffee to stain this breadboard!
I made a super strong cup of espresso and wiped it onto the raw wood with a soft cloth.
Three coats of the coffee achieved the look I wanted.
Then I let the board dry for several hours before wiping it down with a couple of coats of food safe mineral oil.
It's amazing how the wood just drinks in the moisture.
All of your wooden breadboards and wooden spoons should be moisturized with food safe mineral oil periodically in order for the wood not to dry out.
You can find food safe mineral oil in the pharmacy section of most stores.


I love my new breadboard and will enjoy it, not just for its good looks, but for its intended purpose!

still following,



              1aaadoveladygfairy006    

TidyMomShabby Art Boutique


23 comments:

  1. very nice and I had no idea coffee would help. thanks.

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    1. I had no idea either. The things you learn from Google!

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  2. Hi Elizabeth - congrats on the coffee idea - sounds great. Also, well done on having such a lovely son in law! x

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    1. It's great to have a handyman in the family!

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  3. Who would have thunk it? Beautiful.

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  4. Who knew? I certainly didn't, I love the look of old wooden bowls and boards, but I don't have any. I had thought about getting new and staining it, but if I did it wouldn't be food safe as you said. Now that I know this, it opens up all new possibilities. THANK YOU. (And the whole post just full of lovelies, btw.)

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    1. Debbie, I love knowing this easy food safe wood stain idea! Glad it gave you some creative ideas.

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  5. Thanks for the reminder about "oiling" my boards & wooden bowls (two of my favorite kitchen objects). Your bread boards are ALL delightful & the staining-with-coffee idea is a brilliant one!

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    1. Rebecca, I learned about the need to oil my wood kitchen tools from a another blog somewhere and also the coffee wood stain idea from Google. This is the good part of technology. :)

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  6. ah yes, Elizabeth ... here's to wonderful old breadboards, crocks of wooden spoons, stacks of yellowware bowls ... and places to put them!

    ;-}

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    1. Places to put them in my wee, little house is the challenge!

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  7. Isn't it nice that we have the internet now to do all the research we need to do? I look up almost everything I have a question about and I always find the answer. Your bread board is wonderful. Handcrafted gifts are the best!

    Love,
    Debbi

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  8. What a prize you have in your wonderful son-in-law--the breadboard is lovely and I love it with those dishes. They go together beautifully.

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    1. I'm blessed that my SIL makes things for me!

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  9. I love breadboards too! You have a really nice collection.

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  10. Your new breadboard is beautiful! What a clever way to stain it and keep it safe to use in your kitchen!
    ~Adrienne~

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  11. I love it! I once made a bread board when I was in high school. It was shaped like a whale. I think my mom still has it! Pinning at the Fridays Unfolded link board, and thanks for sharing!

    Alison
    Nancherrow

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  12. Hi Elizabeth, this is a cute idea! I love all your decorations! Thanks for sharing!
    Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
    Hugs from Portugal,
    Ana Love Craft
    www.lovecraft2012.blogspot.com

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  13. Love your bread board collection! What a great idea to use coffee as a stain ... who knew? :)

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  14. tea works good also and they are both great for dying/ aging fabrics.

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