Crafts

My Neighbor Let it Go: Disney’s Frozen Wooden Toy Chest and Bench

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My neighbor approached me one Saturday morning last spring. He was cleaning out his garage and asked if I wanted to look at a few items before he put them out on the curb. One of these items was an unfinished toy chest/bench that had been sitting in the back of his garage taking up precious space.  It had been purchased with good intentions, but he had never gotten around to finishing it. I immediately jumped at the chance to own such a wonderful piece of furniture.  It was unfinished wood, so this meant no scraping, stripping or priming.  My kind of project!

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I am always amazed at the generosity of people.  When it comes to neighbors, I am truly blessed.  I thanked him profusely and happily took in the unfinished item. It immediately filled a dire need. My daughter had accumulated many toys, and this was a great way to store and organize them.  So, there it sat unfinished and full of toys for almost a year in our daughters playroom.  I had no idea how I would finish it. I entertained various ideas that went nowhere.  Sports themes, traditional refinishing, Disney Princesses, just to name a few.  Then it hit me one day after my daughter had viewed the movie Frozen for the 50th time!  Why didn’t I think about it until now?  I emptied her toys out and placed them in bags.  I went online and looked up a Frozen color palate.  I chose 4 colors from Joann Fabric and Craft Stores Craft Essentials acrylic paint collection. I ended up using three bottles of each color, except for the pink (I only used 2) I went online and printed out some Frozen graphics that I wanted to use.  I set my printer to the largest setting possible.

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The toy box needed about 2 coats with some minor touch ups after drying. Once the final coat was applied, I allowed the piece to dry thoroughly overnight.

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The next day, I applied Mod Podge to the front and lid with a foam brush, and carefully applied the prints.

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The piece needed some “pop” so I decided to purchase some wall decals from Babies R Us to use as accents.  If you do not have access to a printer some of these images would also work great for decoupage.  I decided to apply the left over decals to my daughters bedroom wall.

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I then applied Mod Podge to the entire piece to seal it. For the majority of the toy box I used a foam brush to apply the Mod Podge, on the lid I used a “fluffy” mini paint roller which gave a snowy effect when the Mod Podge dried.

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I was happy how the piece turned out, and it looks great in the playroom!  When my daughter saw it finished the smile on her face said it all!

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Materials:

Wooden toy box

Mod Podge

Paint/Brushes large and small

Foam craft brush, scissors

Frozen Prints Or Decals

(Colors used from Craft Essentials sold by Joann Fabric)

Mediterranean Blue

Panic Pink

Caribbean Coast

Sailing Sky

Length of project: 2 days (total)

Smells Like Team Spirit: Decoupage TV Trays

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Writer’s block is a terrible thing!  I have been inflicted with a horrible case, which explains my lack of posts in the month of October. Despite my loss for words,  I have still managed to stay busy and continue crafting. It has been the healthiest and most productive stress reliever for me to date.  I am always searching the crevices of my brain for new ideas, and it keeps me going.   Quite surprisingly it is the familiar ideas that get revisited most often due to popular demand.  One such project is the decoupage TV Trays. The themes for these tables are endless.  I have posted various tutorials on how to make these TV tray tables more fun and decorative.    Various family members have expressed interest in having one, and I love to make others happy.    My two young nieces are involved in school sports and what better way to show team spirit than with something unique and functional at the same time?

Look familiar?  Everyone has a set of these trays, and  they make frequent appearances in thrift stores for just a few dollars.   All you need is a graphic that can be enlarged without becoming distorted, and a printer.

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Add some paint, apply the Mod Podge and you can create unique, spirited gifts that the other kids at school will want to have!

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Sports, Music, Art, Personalized the possibilities keep coming.  As long as there are boring TV trays left in the world, this project will live on.  How would you redesign your table?

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Decoupage College Football Chair

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This Saturday, two impressive college football teams will square off in what proves to be an epic battle.  # 2 Florida State is favored over the 6-0 5th ranked Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish are clear underdogs in this matchup, and the history behind these two teams and prior matchups, seem to support this fact.  Looking for the upset, Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly will surly be put to the test.  They will need to play their best football yet. They will need to…..

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My husband grew up watching Notre Dame and rooting for the Irish along with his father.  Like many teams Notre Dame has had its share of ups and downs through the years, but despite this my father in law’s love for his Irish never waned. Every game win or lose.. it didn’t matter, It was a celebration. It was Notre Dame Saturday!  If you root for and follow a team you know that it becomes a part of your life and present during many important memories.  My husband and I often think of our father fondly, and though he passed many years ago, Watching the games and following his favorite team brings us closer to him.  I wanted to make my husband a special gift, and it never seemed like a better time than for one of their biggest games. I picked up a lovely solid maple ladder back chair at Goodwill that had seen better days.  It was priced under five dollars, and I was drawn to its design immediately.  The chair has a stamp from a furniture company under the seat: Louis Albert and Company, Philadelphia PA.

Thrift Store Ladder Back Maple Chair

It seemed the perfect project chair, and with that the Fighting Irish Notre Dame chair, was born.  If you have followed my blog, you know I have a special place in my crafty heart for chairs.  I am drawn to functional pieces of art and to me a chair embodies both these elements nicely.  I printed out the college decal of choice on my printer. I then cleaned and prepped the chair with a white spray on primer.

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I applied Mod Podge to the seat with a foam craft brush.  I then added the print, gently smoothing out any air bubbles with my hands.

Apply Mod Podge

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I added a thin layer of Mod Podge over the top of the print to seal it.  Once dry, I began the lengthy process of painting the chair.  I used the team colors, gold, blue and green for the color scheme.  It took several coats to obtain proper coverage.  I carefully painted the area around the image, and although time-consuming, it made the image appear to flow with the seat. Because of the small areas, I decided to paint rather than to cut the image out.  Adding Mod Podge before painting the paper prevented damage and curling.  Two coats of Mod Podge over the painted area, properly sealed it. I decided to give the feet of the chair some character by adding the gold dipped legs. Once the paint was dry over the span of about two nights, I covered the entire chair in Mod Podge to seal the acrylic paint.

Decoupage Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Sports Chair

Notre Dame College Football Chair

Now my husband has a special chair to sit upon and watch the game this weekend.  Another Notre Dame Saturday of family memories with our own daughter, and a Fighting Irish college football chair to enjoy for many years and games to come!

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Before and After:

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Not a fan of the Irish?  Make your own college football chair:

Materials:

Decal or Team Print Of Choice

Old Wooden Chair

White Spray On Primer

Mod Podge

Acrylic Paint (Team Colors of Choice)

Craft Brush, Paint Brushes

Scissors

Watching The Paint Dry: 50 Questions With “On The Upcycle”

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It has been hectic to say the least behind the scenes.  I have several projects to share, but this week, I have been working on a family table re-finish.  It has been extremely humid in my area, and it is taking forever and a day for the oil based paint to dry.  Not to mention, I added a little too much stain, which made the table a nice dark color, but only added to the length of time it took for the piece to dry!  In the meantime, I have been catching up in between projects,  and an increasingly busy schedule on my WordPress reading.   

Last year, I was invited by Elise at  Cheeky Geeks  to take part in her blog’s annual Geek month.

In the spirit of Throw Back Thursday, and for those who missed the original post you may want to check it out (especially if you are an “1980’s geek” like I am.)  I upcycled an old kid’s chair using an old Strawberry Shortcake record.

Upcycled Strawberry Shortcake Kids Record Chair

Be sure and stop by Elise’s blog for this year’s geek month.  If you are anything like me and have a “Geeky” side you will enjoy following Elise on her Geek Month journey.

Cheeky Geeks : Geek Month Celebration

Elise also had a challenge for me if I was willing to accept:  Answer 50 questions about myself.   It would seem that she is interested to know a bit more about the women behind the Upcycle.  Seemed like a great time to accept this challenge, while I quite literally wait for the paint to dry….

  1. What are you wearing?-Yoga pants and a rock tee. I am all about comfort!
  2. Ever been in love? Yes, and I love, love!
  3. Ever had a terrible breakup? I went through a divorce, what do you think?
  4. How tall are you? 5 feet 4 inches
  5. How much do you weigh? It’s never polite to ask a lady her weight!
  6. Any tattoos? Two black animal paw prints on the top of my foot
  7. Any piercings? 3 piercings in one ear, two on the other
  8. OTP (one true pair, favorite fictional couple)? Kristoff and Anna from Frozen.  My daughter is into Disney at the moment!
  9. Favorite show? Game of Thrones
  10. Favorite bands? Too many to list, but Rock N Roll is my first love
  11. Something you miss?- My Grandfather Vincent
  12. Favorite song? Right now? “I Got A Name” Jim Croce
  13. How old are you? 39 and holding on for dear life!
  14. Zodiac sign? Aries
  15. Quality you look for in a partner? No question sense of humor!
  16. Favorite Quote? “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans” John Lennon
  17. Favorite actor? Peter Dinklage I love, love him!
  18. Favorite color? Purple
  19. Loud music or soft? Loud
  20. Where do you go when you’re sad? Unfortunately, inside my head.
  21. How long does it take you to shower? 10 minutes I have to be quick I have a toddler!
  22. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? 30 minutes
  23. Ever been in a physical fight? yes, but I was forced
  24. Turn on? Kindness
  25. Turn off? Elitism
  26. The reason I started blogging? I wanted to share my thriftiness with others, and I love to write!
  27. Fears? Not being able to see my daughter grow up
  28. Last thing that made you cry? My daughter
  29. Last time you said you loved someone? Today
  30. Meaning behind the name of your blog?It popped in my head one day. I kept thinking of the song “Little Suzi’s on the Up” by the band PhD.
  31. Last book you read? OMG embarrassing, All my reading is on the computer!
  32. The book you’re currently reading? Ummm refer to # 31
  33. Last show you watched? Big Bang Theory
  34. Last person you talked to?-My husband
  35. The relationship between you and the person you last texted? My sister
  36. Favorite food? Eggplant parm and Spaghetti
  37. Place you want to visit? Ireland
  38. Last place you were? At Work
  39. Do you have a crush? Do girl crushes count? Check out this awesome blog: AussaLorens.com
  40. Last time you kissed someone? Today
  41. Last time you were insulted? LOL probably every day, but most likely I don’t know about it!
  42. Favorite flavor of sweet? Sour Patch Kids
  43. What instruments do you play? I tried guitar, but could never catch on, I played the clarinet in elementary school
  44. Favorite piece of jewelry? My wedding ring
  45. Last song you sang? Heart “Magic Man”
  46. Favorite chat up line? I don’t have one! It’s whatever pops into my head at any given time.
  47. Have you ever used it? N/A
  48. Last time you hung out with anyone? Last weekend.
  49. Who should answer these questions next? I wanna know more about Daniela Joe If she’s willing to give it a go!
  50. LOL 50 Questions?  I think I am missing something here…

Made in the Shade-Lamp Shade Fabric Restyle

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Many years ago, my mom gifted me a stylish lamp that she no longer had a use for.  I am a big  fan of decorative lighting, so I was happy to have it.  The lamp attached directly to the wall, so it was also a wonderful space saver.  The decor of the lamp was fairly neutral, so it fit most of my living room design changes through the years.  The lamp shade was a cream color with hanging beads along the shade rim.

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For a long time, I had wanted to try a lamp shade decoupage, and I felt this would be the perfect lamp for my first attempt.  I had some smaller pieces of black and white damask fabric left over from several previous projects.  These projects were:  The Broken Chair Challenge, You Had Me At Half Table, and Vintage Sewing Box (Just to name a few)

Upcycled chair with half moon table

Keep in mind, if you plan on restyling a lamp shade it is important that the shade is light in color, and there are no dark designs on it.   Otherwise, when the shade is illuminated the previous pattern will show through the new fabric.

Before getting started, I removed the shade from the lamp and gently cleaned it with a damp cloth.  It is important to remove any dust and dirt from the shade before applying the Mod Podge.  Once this was complete and the shade was dry, I generously applied Mod Podge to the outside of the shade with a broad paint brush.

 

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I then placed a piece of the damask fabric over the lamp shade smoothing it out carefully with my hands to avoid wrinkles.  Since fabric is being applied to cloth, it is important to apply enough pressure so that the fabric adheres well to the shade.

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I placed the shade in front of the fan so that it would dry quickly.  Once this step was complete, I applied a generous amount of Mod Podge over top of the fabric.  I allowed it to dry thoroughly between coats, adding three coats of Mod Podge in total.

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Once the shade was completely dry, I carefully trimmed away the excess fabric with a pair of scissors, and added additional Mod Podge along the edges of the fabric.

Restyled Fabric Decoupage Lamp Shade

The lamp looks amazing, and now matches my current living room decor perfectly!  This entire project was a quick one too! Overall completion took about one hour!

Decorate a boring lampshade with fabric

Materials:

Light Colored Lamp Shade

Mod Podge

Paint Brush

Fabric Of Choice

Scissors

An Accident Waiting To Happen: Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp

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              Decorative Decoupage Pringles Lamp

This project idea started out as a 99 cent purchase at Goodwill.  An adorable miniature ceramic lamp with a round base that would require a minor  fabric decoupage makeover to make the perfect table top night-light for our bedroom.   However; thanks to the toddler apprentice’s rather curious hands it was simply not to be.  She climbed up on the ottoman, reached out her arms, and knocked it off the shelf. It broke the ceramic base into a million pieces. More importantly, she was not hurt in the accident, just a bit startled and remorseful   Although I was initially upset,  my cross demeanor faded quickly as I thought of ways to reuse the unbroken pieces of the lamp and shade.  I searched the craft room for some recycled items I was saving for a crafting rainy day.   I searched and looked for what I thought would make great lamp bases. It then occurred to me…I had a fever for a Pringles can lamp!

Minimalist Pringles Lamp Upcycle

An Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp For The Minimalist

The Pringles can was a great choice because it didn’t require a glass cutter to feed the wire through like a glass bottle or jar would.  I used a box cutter knife to VERY carefully cut a cross through the plastic lid.  I popped the light in and it fit nicely.   Before I placed the lid back on the can I filled the bottom with a few decorative marbles I had lying around. This added some weight and stability to the lamp.  I cut a hole at the base of the can using the UPC on the can as a guide, so I could properly feed the wire through the bottom.  For those of you who are practical, and love Pringles, you may want to stop right here.  I call this the minimalist version.

How to Create An Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp That’s A Little More Decorative

Decorative Upcycled Pringles Lamp

For those who want to create a more decorative piece, You can use a little fabric decoupage to decorate the Pringles can and lamp shade.  I used some scrap Peacock inspired fabric I had lying around the craft room.  I used Mod Podge to apply the measured fabric to the can and cut out designs to place on either side of the lamp shade to add some symmetry.  Once dry, I applied more Mod Podge over the fabric to properly seal the lamp base.  I placed it in front of our fan to dry.   Now it was ready to be plugged in and illuminated.  The possibilities here are endless.  If you don’t have fabric handy you can also use scrapbook paper.  You can create seasonal cans and interchange them with the light and lid to transform the look of the lamp.

Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp

A lesson in life and living on the Upcycle, the greatest mistakes can have the greatest rewards!  That is how I feel about this project. If it wasn’t for my overly curious toddler, I would have never known the fun of this Pringles can craft.  Thank heaven for overly curious little girls!

Have you had any crafting disasters that turned into triumphs?  What was your favorite craft mishap?

Materials Used:

Broken miniature lamp

Pringles can with lid

Box Cutter Knife

Handful of marbles

Fabric or Scrapbook Paper Of Choice

Foam brush or Paint Brush

Scissors

Mod Podge

A Decoupage Trilogy: Vintage Suitcase Number Three

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I love vintage suitcases!  That may seem surprising coming from someone like me who doesn’t travel much.  The truth is suitcases aren’t just for “packing your bags”  They are also a wonderful way to store keepsakes and other items.  I was lucky enough to find three vintage blue suitcases for $5.99 at Goodwill.  This was an incredible deal, and I have not seen a suitcase purchase worthy since. My first attempt at restyling a suitcase, Travel The Old Fashioned Way I used fabric I purchased from Joann Fabric.  I chose a blue and white floral pattern, and it turned out great for a first attempt.   For the second suitcase,  Pack My Bags Fun And Easy Decoupage Vintage Suitcases I found a great pillow case with a floral red, white and blue color scheme that was perfect.  That left the smallest of the three.

decoupage vintage suitcases with fabric and Mod Podge

This suitcase is special, because inside the lid it has a built-in mirror.  The lining inside is also in perfect condition, another plus! (Please excuse the reflection of the mirror in the photograph)

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For this suitcase I decided to use blue and purple floral sheet that I found in a thrift shop.  I initially wanted to use a scarf, but the material was too thin and I was afraid the blue color of the suitcase would show through the material.

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To see a full tutorial on how to decoupage a suitcase Click Here

Now I have a wonderful set to use for travel or a decorative storage option.

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The search for more luggage continues….

The Happy Card Project: Put A Little Love In Your Art

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We all know how wonderful it feels when you have a chance to brighten someone’s day.  Sometimes, it is a simple gesture, lending a hand to someone in need, or a few words of encouragement when someone around us is feeling down.  Although many of us would like to contribute to those in need financially, there are times when this is not possible.  That doesn’t mean it is impossible to give.  One of the most precious gifts you can give is time.  This past July 4th weekend, the toddler apprentice and I put aside some time between bbq’s, fireworks and swimming, to sit down and make cards together.  I recently reconnected with an old friend on Facebook who brought a positive movement to my attention.   It was started by her daughter Corinne Mattia.  Corrinne is a psychology student and describes herself as an animal lover, and eternal optimist.  The idea is called  The Happy Card Project.

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The Happy Card Project’s mission and message is simple:  We brighten our own lives through brightening the lives of others.  They aren’t looking for money or donated goods.  Their motto? Some pursue happiness while others create it.  The Happy Card Project want your homemade, or store-bought cards you may have around the house.  These cards can then be personalized with encouraging words, stories, or anything  intended to brighten someone’s day.   Donated cards are then delivered by the Happy Card Project Team to local hospitals, pediatric facilities, homeless shelters and senior living homes.  Their goal is to simply brighten the spirits of others.

The first 200 cards collected will be donated to the Homeless Bus a charity based in New York City.  The  Homeless Bus, Inc. has made over a 1000 trips to Manhattan providing immediate needs to the homeless from a passenger bus every Saturday night since 1992.  To learn more about this wonderful example of what just a few people can do to make the world a better place, and for ways you can help please visit: The Homelessbus.org

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Continuing to follow along with the “On The Upcycle” tradition, I decided to recycle some old greeting cards.   The little toddler apprentice and I sifted through an enormous amount of craft scraps, old cards, stickers and scrap-book paper.  She enjoyed going through these items, and chose a few cards that she liked.

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This was my first attempt at making handmade upcycled cards.  I have seen some beautiful examples of card making on the web and in the WordPress community.  One such artist resides at  The Cobweb Emporium.    These cards are well crafted, elegant and detailed.  Please be sure and stop by and pay Cob Webs a visit.  Trust me, my card crafting skills pale in comparison!

The apprentice and I worked together using the hand over hand technique. She helped me cut the images we planned to use from the old greeting cards with her safety scissors.  I had some unused card stock and it fit the envelopes I had perfectly.

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We then decorated each card and added the words Hope,  Cheer and Love. She especially enjoyed gluing the various pieces on the card stock and applying stickers.   Once the glue on the cards was dry we wrote notes of encouragement inside.  The more “adult” cards we signed from the family, and for the others we told a brief story from our three year-old’s point of view.  On the back of the cards we wrote “Made with love and little hands helped.”  We created a total of six cards using materials we already had available at home.  The cost was minimal and consisted of the postage needed to mail the cards.   I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon with your kids then doing crafts, and at the same time brighten someone’s else’s day!

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If you would like to spread some good cheer and encouragement to those in need, The Happy Card Project will continue to collect cards going forward for various charity organizations.

You can follow The Happy Card Project on Facebook Here.

If you would like to get involved and have cards you would like to donate to the cause, please send them to:

The Happy Card Project

PO Box 3802

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

We mailed our cards today!

On The Upcycle Restyle

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This weekend I decided to give “On The Upcycle” a much-needed reboot.  I felt the old blog layout was getting a bit stale. Last night I experienced an evening of insomnia, and decided it was the perfect time to explore new ideas. I hope you all like the new look!  Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!

 

Thrift Store Surprise: Vintage Wood Sewing Box Upcycle

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When I see something at a thrift shop that is unique and catches my attention, I will often purchase it even when I am unsure of what it is.  As was with the case of this little wooden box with legs. I imagined what it could have been used for. Perhaps it was intended to hold hats, gloves and scarves, or it simply sat by the door and was used to sort daily mail.  To me it didn’t matter, it was intriguing and best of all, priced right at $3.99!

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Sure, I had my smart phone handy, I could have googled the item and had my answer right away, but for some strange reason,  I didn’t.  I simply brought it home and stored it in my craft room.  It patiently waited its turn to learn its crafting fate until this weekend, I blew the dust off and decided to come up with a plan of attack.  I like to utilize materials I have handy as much as can. I tend to accumulate unused fabric scraps from previous projects and I prefer to use this fabric to the last thread.  One of my favorite designs was the black and white damask fabric I purchased at Joann Fabric.  I used this fabric on previous projects including The Broken Chair Challenge, and You had me at “Half Table” Yard Sale Rescue. I still had a rather large scrap piece left and decided to use it to upcycle this item.  I began by cleaning the item thoroughly.  Once the dust and dirt had been removed, I used a latex spray on primer and spray painted it white.

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I cut the fabric to fit both sides of the piece. I generously applied Mod Podge to the area with a foam craft brush.

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I then applied the fabric and repeated this step for both sides of the box.

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Once this dried, I applied three total coats of Mod Podge over top allowing each side to dry thoroughly between coats.

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I then painted the entire piece in a black and white scheme using acrylic paint.  The piece took about three coats of paint. I allowed the piece to dry over night and applied a final layer of Mod Podge to the entire piece to seal it.

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I am very happy with the final result;  However, I also want to share with you my mistake during this process.  Halfway through the project, I finally did what I should have done in the very beginning, research the piece online before you upcycle!  What you discover may alter your plans.  Granted in this case, I do not believe I would have done anything differently, but it really got me thinking about these pieces and how research plays an important, but often unspoken role in crafting.  A few pieces along the way, I decided to keep in their natural state, and some purists may have done the same in the case of this vintage box.  Turns out this little box with legs is a Priscilla style sewing box most likely from the depression era 1930’s to 1940’s. I saw a few online in various states, some painted and upcycled and others in their original condition range in price between $35 and $80 dollars on Etsy. My antique radar must have been working that day!  Despite having no clue about what this items’ purpose was I sensed it was something special.

What would you have done with this piece?  Have you ever had something special, but didn’t know it? Do you have crafting regrets? I would love to hear from you!

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Materials:

Vintage Sewing Box Stand

Fabric Of Choice

Mod Podge

Acrylic Paint/White Latex Primer

Scissors, Paint Brushes, Foam Craft Brush