Month: May 2013

Sports Team TV Trays made with Mod Podge

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My husband and I were sitting down last Sunday after our little one had finally gone to bed.  We were watching our favorite show, Game of Thrones.    It has become our Sunday night ritual and is easily one of my favorite top five shows of all time!

Most of our house is now toddler proof, so we are lacking a coffee table in our living room as well as side tables.  We pulled out the old TV trays we had up in the attic and they were perfect to put our popcorn and drinks down on, but that’s about all the good I could say about them.  To me, they were just plain and ugly! I said to my husband that I should give the tables a makeover.  We have three total.  The original plan was to re-create the baseball card decoupage table I had seen on Pinterest, but the hubby didn’t want to part with any of his old baseball cards and I can’t say that I blame him.  So, we decided I would make a TV tray dedicated to my husband’s favorite sports team-The Philadelphia Phillies.  There are a lot of great, free graphics on the web. If you have a good printer at home and some larger paper you can find just about anything online to decoupage. (Ink jet printers not recommended as the ink will often times run)   The limits are endless on what can be used so keep that in mind.  Old sports linens, place mats, wrapping paper, sports decals-just about ANYTHING can be used to decoupage, so let your imagination run wild and always think outside the box. First I cleaned the table, removing any dirt or dust.  I used a latex primer to prime the entire TV tray.  Once dry,  I used Acrylic paint and painted the legs and underneath as well as the table top edges.  I used Mod Podge to glue the print to the table top carefully smoothing out any air bubbles.  Once dry I used three coats of Mod Podge Matte to seal the piece letting the table dry completely between coats.  I was actually shocked as to how well it turned out!  I was so pleased I decided to do the other two TV trays as well in the hopes of selling them. We plan on purchasing our flea market space one weekend this summer in the hopes of raising some money to take a much needed family vacation. Sesame Place or bust!

Materials used for this project:

Mod Podge Matte Finish

(I also used the Modge Podge Roller Tool to help smooth out the air bubbles)

X Acto knife

An item to decoupage (poster, print, linens, decals, place mat or anything you can dream up!

Acrylic Paint

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Decoupage Sports Team TV Trays

Dog Treat Jar made with Mod Podge

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I really loved our dog treat jar!  Then I knocked it off our counter top and it broke into a million pieces.  I was bummed.  So I began searching for a replacement jar.  Most that I found were either boring or too expensive.

It was Mod Podge to the rescue!  I had an old cookie jar that I stopped using because I stopped buying cookies.  I was determined to get healthy after the birth of our baby girl.    I printed out some cute images off the internet and decoupaged them onto the jar using Mod Podge.  It was really simple and easy to make.  Of course our Bichon Frise Casper, could care less about what his jar looks like.  He is more concerned with the treats inside! ; 0 )

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DIY Photo canvas and wall hangings

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This Mother’s day, I made my mom a photo canvas of all four of her grandchildren.  This is also a great first project when working with Mod Podge for the first time.   I have seen many techniques on how to make photo canvas’s on the internet.  I have yet to try the photo transfer method.  (Of course when I do I will be sure and share it with you)

My husband and I attended a beautiful wedding in upstate NY not long after our daughter was born.  The photographer Erin Covey http://erincoveycreative.com/ stopped by our table and took a photo of us.  The bride was nice enough to share this photo with us after the wedding, and we were so happy with the result!  It is one of the first times we had been photographed together as a family.  I wanted to do something special with this print, but I wasn’t sure what to do.  Then I came across all the photo canvas making methods on Pinterest and around the internet,  and decided to go for it.  I wanted to make a bigger canvas, so I ordered a large print of the photo from snapfish.   l also decided for a more dramatic effect, I would convert the photo from color to black and white.  I purchased a canvas from Michael’s and waited somewhat patiently for the photo to arrive in the mail.  Once the photo arrived, I was ready to get started!  The print was slightly smaller than the canvas, so originally I decided to paint the area around it black.  After some thought, I decided to frame it instead with some scrapbook paper.  I was so glad I did!  I think it gives the canvas a unique look from other photo canvas’s I have seen out there!  I used the Modge Podge to glue the print to the canvas.  I then measured the scrapbook paper and used it to frame the photo.  Once dry I applied 3 coats of Modge Podge covering the whole canvas to seal it.

Also don’t stop at using just family photos!  ANY print can be made into a wall hanging.  (I have included an example of this in a kitchen wall hanging that I made) So, get out that Mod Podge and start crafting those last minute Mother’s day gifts.  Mom will love you for it!

Materials used: 

Large printed photo

Mod Podge Matte Finish

X acto knife

Scrapbook paper (to frame print)

Family Photo Canvas

Kitchen Wall Hanging

Modge Podge Photo Canvas

Decoupage “Ugly Tray” Re-styling using Mod Podge

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One of the things I look for when I go to thrift stores and swap meets are ugly trays.  I like them because they are great items to decoupage and I love decoupage!  They are also fairly inexpensive.  They are great practice and experimental pieces, and they are functional.  The possibilities are endless as to  themes and what you can do with these trays.  They also make great gifts. For My first decoupage tray, I used a freestyle approach.  I printed out all these lovely Victorian Era prints.  I love the Victorian era artwork and elegant look.  I had this old tray that was quite boring and a few times I had actually thought of throwing it away because it took up space and was just plain ugly.  I decided it would be a great piece to experiment on.   I painted the entire piece black with acrylic paint, and cut out the prints I wanted to use in the collage. I then used Mod Podge Gloss finish to glue the images to the tray.  Once completely dry, I sealed the entire piece with 3 coats of Mod Podge gloss finish.   I decided to hang the tray on our living room wall.   These trays also make great wall art.

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Necessity, The Mother of Invention-using left over tile to create a counter top cutting board/hot plate

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They say necessity is the mother of invention.  When it comes to home improvement, sometimes you are forced to think outside the box, as was with the case of our burned kitchen counter top.  When we moved into our home about 7 years ago, our house was in need of some major TLC.  Up until that point the house was more like a college dorm than a family home.  The young man we purchased the home from had moved out to California, and he was letting his friends rent the home from him while he worked on selling it.  Needless to say, they did more damage while they were there, than good.  My husband and I were on a strict budget.  Most of the issues in the home were minor, but irritated us regardless.  One of those “annoyances” involved our kitchen counter top.  Their was a huge, highly visible burn mark right in the middle of the laminate counter top.  My husband and I could not afford to put in replacement counter tops, so for a while I simply used Velcro to fasten a small wooden cutting board to cover the ghastly burn mark, but I needed to come up with a more permanent solution.  My neighbor, god bless him, gave me some left over tile he had from a project he had just completed.  I used most of it for a  backsplash .  While putting up the back splash, I came up with a cost effective solution to our burned counter top problem.  I used the extra tiles to create a ceramic cutting board/ hot plate and matched it to the back splash.  I purchased a combination tile adhesive/grout which works great and is easy to use.  I took the tile and adhered them to the counter top using the adhesive and grout.  I then used the same adhesive and grout in one product  to seal over top and fill in the spaces between the tiles.  I used the smaller mosaic tiles to frame and add some color.  The result was something I could live with and it saved me hundreds of dollars in costs to have the counter top replaced.  I thought I would share this for those like us on a budget, but looking for inexpensive solutions to home improvement problems.  Almost 7 years later we still use the space as a hot plate and cutting board and replacing the counter tops became less of a priority on our to do list!

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Victorian inspired Art decoupage birdhouse

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Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Yesterday afternoon, our family hit the flea market circuit  in the hopes of finding a kids sized wooden chair to convert into a Time Out chair, and any other items that would make a good future project.  I am happy to report that we walked away with several items: A kids wooden chair,   a wooden school desk and a few decorative trays.    It was an absolute beautiful day today to walk around outside and soak in the sun.  Yard sale season is also in full swing.  We saw many on the trip, but had to save our yard sailing aspirations for another day.

Today was also the day my most recent craft:  my Victorian bird house, would be ready to hang outside.    Prime real estate for some lucky little bird family.  I wanted to create a Victorian feel. I searched the internet for Victorian art and floral images.  I then printed out the images I wanted to use on my color printer.  I carefully cut out the images with an X acto knife.  I painted the bird house red and white.  Once the bird house was dry, I used the Mod Podge to adhere the cut out images to the birdhouse.  The possibilities are endless as far as the styles and themes you can create.  You can choose any images you like including family photos, sports etc.  I then applied 3 coats of Mod Podge allowing to dry thoroughly between coats.  I used a metal hook  and screw for hanging outside.

Materials:

Wooden bird house from Michael’s Crafts

Red and White Acrylic paint

X acto Knife

Outdoor Mod Podge

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Dollar Store Bathroom Trash Can Makeover

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If you have been following my blog so far you know that I work a lot with Mod Podge. It is a great medium to work with as there are so many possibilities, and different ideas you can try; However there are a few limitations.  One day I had the time for an easy project.  I had purchased a bathroom trash can from Dollar Tree and thought I could add a little flare by decoupaging some leftover scrapbook paper I had.  This project turned out not to be as easy as I planned.  If you ever look at the back of the Mod Podge container you will notice that the manufacturer warn against using on some plastics.  I found that in this case, the Mod Podge did not adhere well to the plastic.  It was also difficult to smooth out the air bubbles.   It was possible to remove some, but I found it to be quite a messy task.  In the end I had a craft result I could live with, but I would rethink and perhaps try a different approach when working with plastics next time.   Not perfect.  I think in hindsight, I might try this project on a metal trash can with material instead of paper.

Dollar Tree Bathroom Trash Can

DIY Upcycled, Decoupage Switch Plate and Outlet Covers

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It’s the little things in life that sometimes make a big difference, and that is also the case with home decorating.  If you are just starting out one of the best places to start is with your outlet, and switch plate covers.  A little sprucing up can add a lot of detail to your home.  If it is your first time venturing into decoupage it is also a great starter project.  This was my first project using Mod Podge.  It wasn’t too long after this that I started doing furniture and other items.  Just a warning it can become an addiction!

Materials:

Mod Podge Matte Finish

I used an old gift bag, but you can also use cloth or scrapbook paper

X acto knife

Pencil

Remove the outlet/switch plate cover from the wall and carefully trace all areas with a Pencil.

Use the X acto knife to carefully cut out the tracing.

Once cut, use the Mod  Podge to adhere the paper to the cover carefully smoothing out any air bubbles.  Let Dry.  Then cover the papered area with three coats of Mod Podge allowing to dry thoroughly between coats.  Once dry they are ready to install!  Just say no to boring white covers!

Made with recycled gift bag and Modge Podge

Made with recycled gift bag and Modge Podge

Adding a little Spice in the Kitchen~Skinny kitchen cabinet decoupage Re-do

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This is a little skinny kitchen cabinet I picked up through ABC Distributing.  It added much needed cabinet space in our kitchen.  I was never thrilled with the finish, but it functioned great as it does not take up much space in our kitchen.  I am not sure how she managed to do it, but my active little 2 year-old decided one day to do a little modification herself and ripped a huge piece off the side leaving it scarred.  It was very noticeable and I didn’t have the funds to go out and buy another cabinet.   So, I decided to re-style it.

Materials used:

Mod Podge Matte Finish

Electric Blue and Black Acrylic Paint

Scrapbook Paper

Sandpaper

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My kitchen is a bright yellow and even though I originally wanted to paint it black, I was compelled to pick a color a bit out of the ordinary, so I decided to go with blue.  I thought it would really “pop” against the yellow walls.  I did a light sanding on it, and skipped the priming this time.  I painted the entire piece blue and let it dry.  I then outlined the door in black.  I  measured out the scrap paper, paying close attention to  line the flower pattern up as best I could.  I had to glue it in pieces, so by matching it up, it made the pattern seem more seamless.  I used the Mod Podge to glue down the scrapbook paper on the door surface and the top surface of the cabinet.  I let dry and then covered with three coats of  Mod Podge to seal the piece.  I like this piece because it is unique and it actually looks better in person than in the picture.  It is holding up well and so far appears to be toddler proof!

Skinny kitchen cabinet decoupage

Putting pearls on a pig~whimsical garden pig makeover

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I received this little fellow from a friend of mine that was relocating to the West coast and could not take this poor little piggy with him. From the beginning I wasn’t sure how I felt about the little guy. He was grey, and even though he had cute little pig features, they were hard to see. From a distance he looked like a grey blob in the garden. I decided rather then send him to piggy heaven aka “the landfill”, I would try out some outdoor Mod Podge I had purchased a few weeks ago. I would give the pig a final shot at garden glory.
I was pleased with the end result, but It wasn’t easy!

Materials used:
Latex Primer
Mod Podge Outdoor formula
yellow latex paint
70’s drapery material
Black permanent marker

The first step was giving little piggy a good scrubbing and clean behind his ears. I placed him in the sink and started the hot water. I didn’t notice the small hole in the bottom of the pig. I started cleaning him and suddenly ants started pouring out of it! So lesson learned if something has been sitting out in the elements for a while, it’s not always the greatest idea to bring it into your home. So far I am thinking to myself this is not going well! At this point I am totally creeped out by all the bugs!

Once the ants were eliminated, I cut out the flowers from the fabric and used the Mod Podge to glue the fabric to the pig. This made painting with the primer more difficult, but I really wanted the fabric to stick to the pig and it may not as well if glued directly to the primer paint. I then primed and let dry, cutting in around the flowers carefully.
Then I made my 2nd mistake. I thought he would look good as a red pig. I painted him and I hated it! He looked darker than I expected and I was trying to bring out his features. So, I found an old can of yellow latex paint in the basement and I painted him yellow, but alas red is hard to cover. I should have primed it again before re-painting. I had to use 3 coats just to cover the red and even then some of the red was bleeding through, but it looked acceptable and I liked the dept the red gave it.
Once the paint dried I slathered on the Outdoor Mod Podge to seal the piggy. It is the first time I am using this formula, so I am interested to see how well he will hold up in the elements. I used a black marker to fill in his eyes, and added a slight outline to his mouth. After 72 hours in the house I was ready to release a bit of whimsy into our garden. It was a tough and challenging project, but I am pleased with how much color he adds to a not so colorful spot in our garden. He even fills in the space from a broken brick! I think I know how I feel about him now. I think I’m in love!

Whimsical Garden Pig Re-Style

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