I want to thank Elise from Cheeky Geeks for featuring “On The Upcycle” during Geek month. This week is retro week and what a better way to celebrate than with an upcycled Kids Strawberry Shortcake Record table and chair. Be sure and check out my full tutorial on Cheeky Geeks.
Strawberry Shortcake Sunday | CheekyGeeks.
This project was quick, and easy to create. If you have never ventured into the wonderful world of Mod Podge before, this is a great starter project for you! A sports desk clock is also a great gift for the special man in your life or a female sports fan such as myself. When I stumbled upon this cute little clock made from Ikea, at a Good Will store, I had no clue what if anything I was going to do with it. The price was certainly encouraging! On this day items adorned with a yellow ticket were 50% off ! This cute little item cost just 1 dollar!
My husband suggested that since the clock was Eagles Green, it would make a great Philadelphia Eagles Football clock. I thought this was a great idea, in honor of the new football season, and our fantasy football team who opened week one with a win thanks to McCoy and Jackson. I found some sports images online and printed them. These would be great for decoupage and looked as though they would fit well on the surface, The clock was a bit of an odd shape after all.
I cut the images out and do to space restraints used the only the eagles letters, and the larger eagle. I used a small paint brush and applied a light coating of Mod Podge to the back of the paper cut outs and carefully applied them to the front of the clock surface. I placed in front of the fan, and when dry added additional Mod Podge over the top of the images. I repeated this step twice,
This took less than a half hour to make and came out wonderfully!
Now are you ready for some football? Well at least you’ll know when the game is starting!
Looking for an easy, fun project on a Sunday afternoon to do while you watch football? I know I am! It has been a rough few days and I am hoping to relax on this lovely sunday and enjoy week one of the NFL games and cheer on our fantasy football team. I have been on a small blogging hiatus, battling a nasty fall cold and continuing to go on with life as usual, work full-time, and as always, be a wife, and a mommy to a 2 year-old with an un-ending supply of energy.
It was my toddler apprentice who gave me the idea for today’s project. My daughter was with me in our craft room the other day exploring as usual. She found some great scrap fabric to play with. It made me think about ways I might be able to utilize these smaller fabric pieces, and then it hit me! I had a tan checkbook cover that was in need of a revival.
I gathered what I would need:
Mod Podge
Scrap Fabric
Paint Brush
Black Marker
Scissors
First, I opened the check book cover, laid it out flat and traced it onto the fabric with the black marker. I cut the tracing, with a pair of scissors and placed aside. I applied Mod Podge to the outside of the check book cover, generously with a paint brush.
I carefully applied the fabric to the checkbook smoothing it out with my hands.
I applied Mod Podge over the fabric and placed the checkbook in front of a fan to dry.
I repeated this process three more times, which left a nice, smooth finish on the cover. I decided to leave the inside as is. I didn’t want the paper checks to “stick” to the inside cover. Mod Podge is attracted to paper. (as it should be!)
What a great way to use fabric scraps and add a little life to your checkbook!
It all started when I purchased a lovely (but very abused) chair from Goodwill for $3.99. I loved the design qualities of this chair and thought it would make a lovely restyle. I especially loved the is. Which means “ Lily flower” in French. I removed the chair seat, only to discover it broken beyond repair. I was not willing to let this chair go, and I was determined to find a replacement seat. My husband and I kept our eyes open for any broken chairs on the side of the road that we could use to salvage a seat.
For months, this chair sat and I resisted the temptation of buying a chair to salvage. Then one day, my patience paid off. My sister and I went thrift shopping one weekend and in front of the store they had free furniture. I was ecstatic! Their it was the perfect candidate, a chair missing the arms, but with a perfectly usable seat. I confirmed with the store manager that this chair was indeed “free” and loaded it into the car with the biggest smile planted on my face. I immediately removed the seat when I got the chair home and it was a perfect fit.
To read more about this project see The Broken Chair Challenge: Upcycled Black and White Damask Chair.
Now, I was left with the remnants of another chair, and did not want the all the parts of this chair to end up in the trash. It had a lovely seat back, and I had seen some lovely upcycling of chair backs into picture frames on Pinterest. I decided to give it a try. One great example of this can be found at All Things Thrifty.com
The finish on this was extremely worn. If it had not been in such poor shape, I don’t think I would have opted to paint it. By far, the most difficult and challenging aspect of this project was sawing the legs off the chair back. I used a hacksaw, but it was quite tough to do! An electric or battery operated hand saw would have worked better, but on the bright side it was at least a 500 calorie burner! Rarely can you say you burn calories crafting! Once this was completed, I sanded the area that was cut. I took the chair back outside and spray painted it black, using about two coats. I allowed the piece to dry overnight.
The next day, I chose a large photo from one of my daughter’s previous Picture People photo sessions. I measured the area and trimmed the photograph to sit inside the middle of the chair back. I used a hot glue gun to adhere the photo to the wood. I had a few craft jewels and roses that I added to the chair back to make it “pop” I originally glued a large rose to the bottom of the chair back, but decided to remove it later as you will see in the photos below. One of the smaller roses, I carefully glued to her hand in the photo, It creates an illusion that she is actually holding a rose in the photo. I think it gives the photo a bit of an extra dimension. A nice little “touch” to the project.
I decided to hang this in our bedroom which is black, white with grey wall. It was very difficult to snap an adequate photo as the flash kept reflecting off the shiny surface , but it is lovely and I am so glad I tried this!
Think of all the possibilities before you toss that old chair!
Materials:
Hot Glue Gun
Spray Paint (If you choose to paint)
Old Chair Back
Scissors
Saw (If needed)
Screw driver (if needed)
Sandpaper
My Mom is a big New York Yankees fan and I wanted to make her something special for her birthday. I was in Goodwill this past week and came across an unfinished wooden craft tray. Someone had started to paint the tray, and I could see a pencil outline of a man and a woman in a boat. Obviously, it was a craft that was started with good intention and never finished. In my haste to begin this project, I didn’t take a before picture. There are many wooden trays available at Thrift shops and craft stores. For an example of this, click here.
The tray was unfinished for the most part and ready to paint. I painted over the previous pencil tracing and paint with a bit of white latex primer before getting started. I printed the Yankee logo I wanted to use on my printer. I traced this on to the middle of the tray’s surface. I wanted to avoid painting this portion of the tray so that the color would not bleed through the print when I was ready to decoupage it on.
I painted the tray’s inside red, and the rest in Yankee’s Royal Blue. I placed it aside and I allowed it to dry in front of a stand up fan. I then applied Mod Podge to the unpainted area with a foam craft brush in the middle of the tray. I very carefully applied the print logo to the tray, smoothing out any air bubbles or wrinkles with my hands. While I allowed this to dry, I touched up any painted areas that needed it. Once completely dry, I sealed the entire piece with Mod Podge. My Mom loved it and we had lunch yesterday to celebrate her day! Happy Birthday Mom!
Materials:
Unfinished Wooden Tray
Acrylic Paint
Mod Podge
Print/Decal
Scissors/foam craft brush
White latex primer (optional)
Back on May 28th, I posted an entry regarding decoupaging your smart phone called Crafting Is Worth The Risk. At the time it was unknown as to how such a project would turn out. I actually loved it, and decided to decoupage my computer tablet as well. I received so many compliments on my phone case! If they only knew! Cell phone cases can be quite expensive, and this is certainly is a thrifty way to add an artistic flare to your phone without spending a lot of money, but what happens when you decoupage your phone, but need a change? No problem!
I wanted to change my smart phone’s look to something more colorful. I loved the scrapbook paper I used on my tablet. I had a small piece of this paper left and decided to use it to update my phone’s look. It was fairly easy to remove the old decoupage, I simply peeled it off with my fingers and cleaned the back of the phone cover and removed any of the old dried, Mod Podge. I was surprised, because the decoupage held up amazingly well, and I didn’t think it would be so easy to remove. I then repeated the same process I used during my initial restyle. I removed the back of the phone, and traced this on to the back of the paper with a pen, and using an X-Acto knife I carefully trimmed the areas such as the speaker and camera lens. I applied Mod Podge directly to the phone cover to adhere the paper and then applied multiple coats over top to seal.
A few additional phone decoupage tips:
Use Mod Podge Matte finish as the gloss finish I find dries tacky!
Be careful and keep your phone dry (Decoupage or not this is always a good tip!)
Always remove the cover from the phone before you start. (Don’t want any glue finding its way in any of the phone’s electronic components.)
Do not place a decoupage phone on another decoupaged item such as a table. The two mod podged surfaces will “stick” to each other!
Before Decoupaging, If your phone is under warranty, be sure and check if altering your phone in any way, could void the phone’s warranty (read the fine print)
For a more detailed tutorial, please see Restyle Your Smart Phone.
While I was pregnant with my daughter, I started a habit of “gathering” and searching for free samples and coupons online. Becoming a mom for the first time, I was in full on thrift mode. There are many of these sites online and many of them make you jump through hoops and often times do not deliver on there promises. One of the best sites I came across and still follow today is Sample Stuff.Com. It takes the best offers on the web and shares them with you first, so you have the best chance at getting free samples, coupons and sweepstakes. They also post updates when items are no longer available. I have gotten dozens of free items including yearly magazine subscriptions to Rolling Stone, Town and Country, Family Circle, and Better Homes and Gardens, just to name a few! So why am I sharing this? It ties into this upcycle, a freebie I picked up from Oprah (yes, I said Oprah)
A while back, Oprah was giving out free Journals to go with an upcoming “Lifeclass” a self-enrichment course that required keeping a journal. I had heard of this promotion through the Sample Stuff Site. I actually was interested in taking the class, but then life got in the way of Lifeclass, (Ironic I know) and there sat an empty journal. The journal was nicely made with a strap and built-in book mark ribbon. I have wanted to carry a journal and write for sometime, and this would be perfect; However a restyle was in order…
Inside the cover and front page
I picked out some nicely patterned scrapbook paper and gathered the materials needed:
I traced the front and back covers. I decided to leave the book spine free of paper. I cut out the tracings and placed them aside. I applied Mod Podge with a foam craft brush to the front cover and gently applied the cut scrapbook paper smoothing it out with my hands. I then repeated the same for the back cover. I cut a small piece to cover the inside cover and carefully and neatly removed the 1st page.
Once the outside of the book was dry, I applied Mod Podge to the covers to add some durability when taking this journal on the go. Now I have a great recycled life journal to take with me and the best part was.. it was free!
Nothing helps me manage stress better than crafting and creating. When I don’t put my nervous energy to good use, the anxiety levels within me rise. When I am creating I feel as though my stress levels decrease and my positive energy increases, and I am a better, lesser stressed out version of myself. When I am working on a piece of art or a craft project, it is one of the few times my mind is clear of all worry and I become completely focused. I was feeling a bit stressed and this small and simple wooden tray decoupage craft was exactly what the Dr. ordered.
I picked this wooden tray up at A Goodwill store. It was marked with a red tag and on this day red tag items were 50% off. This was a bargain item costing only 50 cents. The wood on this piece was in very nice condition. I decided not to paint it, I chose a nice piece of Victorian Artwork and traced and cut the print to fit the inside of the tray. I generously applied Mod Podge with a small foam craft brush to the inside of the tray. I adhered the print carefully to the tray, smoothing the paper out as I applied it to the wood. Once dry, I applied two coats of Mod Podge over top of the image to seal it. I used a paper towel and vaseline (works great on wood!) to shine and buff the wood.
Ah now that’s better! Try a simple craft during a stressful day. You won’t regret it!
(and I think our Victorian model would agree!)
Materials:
Printed Art
Small Wooden Tray
Mod Podge
Scissors
Craft foam brush
Vaseline/cloth or paper towel
It all started with a spaghetti Jar, a broken lamp and a upcycle idea. I found myself making a third decorative fabric covered glass jar lamp tonight. (See Decorative Lamp # 1 and #2 to read tutorials on how I make these jar lamps.) I enjoy making these because each one turns out unique and the style possibilities are endless when it comes to the different fabrics you can use.
I also had the chance to work on a few smaller projects and organizing my craft space. I decided to use the same sheet I used for Cloth Covered Galvanized Bucket. The Lamp is being displayed in a built-in vanity in our hallway that displays a special family blue vase. The light this lamp omits illuminates the vase nicely and it is pleasing to the eye as you walk up our stairs. Upon further inspection today, on a trip up to our attic, I stumbled across more of these “nightlight bulb lights” These certainly will come in handy for future luminary crafts!
While I was going through our spare bedroom and it’s contents in the attempt to make way for a crafting space, I discovered this little, white, framed wall shelf. I remember purchasing this from a department store many years ago. It came in a set of three and the frames where various sizes. I used this shelf in our bathroom for quite sometime. This shelf was the largest among them. I did not find the two other, smaller shelves, and I was unsure of their whereabouts. I am hoping I come across them again.
Although these frames functioned well, I thought they lacked style and were rather plain. That is when I got an idea. I decided to upholstery staple some fabric to the back of the shelf frame. I spread a large piece of this spare fabric snuggly over the back of the shelf with the design facing outward, I stapled the fabric to the wooden shelf about every inch around, I then trimmed the fabric with a pair of scissors.
When I turned the shelf around I noticed a few scratches and minor chips on the shelf area. In order to conceal this, I used black acrylic paint and applied two coats allowing the paint to dry between coats. Once the paint was completely dry, I applied a coat of Mod Podge to seal the paint and prevent any further chipping.
Now that is more like it! I love the difference the fabric makes in this piece.
I decided to display our Willow Tree figurine we were given as a gift when our daughter was born. It hangs below our family photo canvas and I think it fits in nicely!
Materials:
Framed Wall Shelf
Fabric of choice
Acrylic Paint
Mod Podge
Scissors
Upholstery Stapler
The random stream of consciousness of a cynical being
A great WordPress.com site
A Motor Neurone Disease (MND/ALS) blog
by Hamda
Create Something Fabulous
Fun, easy and inspirational DIY and up-cycled projects along with creative crafts and more!
Ramblings about what crafts I've been doing lately- with links to some of my free and paid patterns
my craft addiction
My musings on poetry, films and books
DIY, Crafts and Handmade
Inquire, Inspire, Aspire
Life is a great bundle of Little Things ! :)
a little bit of...something different
On The Upcycle~ 