Up-cycled Classroom Makeover: Table

This is my first summer off, and instead of accomplishing my very long to-do list, I watched a whole bunch of HGTV and DIY Network ... too much ... way too much.  I also read about making your classroom feel like a home.  I have been scouring teacher sites when I should have been looking at decorating sites or shows. Then I started thinking about furniture in the garage or already in my classroom that I could up-cycle.

First up is my table.  Of course, I didn't get a good "before" picture, but you can imagine what it looks like right-side up, right?

I started by cleaning (serious gunk), then repairing, then sanding.  I then stained the top with an ebony stain.  It was a little disappointing, because it wasn't as dark or as even as I hoped, but it was still better than with out any stain.

Next I painted the bottom of the table with a light grey chalk paint.  I bought the stuff at Joann's (I think the brand is FolkArt), I think it is a little cheaper than other brands, but it looks amazing!  And Joann's gives a teacher discount, and they have coupons.

Can't even tell that my husband picked this up on the side of the road!  Soon I will have a picture of this guy in my classroom!