Lighten Up: DIY Painted Fireplace Screen

October 2, 2014ontheupcyclemom 4 Comments

Winter is quickly approaching, and now is the time to prepare and accomplish last-minute projects around the house before the frigid air takes hold. One such project on my fall to do list was preparing our fireplace for another possible harsh winter.

When my husband and I saw our house for the first time for me it was love at first sight, and this fireplace had me at “Hello.” Some would, consider red brick outdated, but I loved its throwback flare and vowed never to change it. Fast forward years later, and my proclamation proved true. I managed to do absolutely nothing with the fireplace! We even had the same boring black fireplace screen we purchased at Target on clearance in 2007. The depth of our hearth made the unlit fireplace appear as if it were a “black hole.” The dark screen blended in with the background and it’s vine detailing was lost in the fray. As beautiful as the red brick was, it was missing something. It is surprising that it took all this time to come to the realization that the fireplace needed some “pop”, after all it was the focal point of our living room. Of course, a redo of the red brick was out of the question, so the hubby and I decided the screen needed a change. Instead of buying a new more exciting fireplace screen we vowed to do something to upcycle the old one!

I immediately took it outside and before I even bought the paint cleaned it thoroughly with the garden hose and allowed it to dry. Since the screen would experience the extreme heat coming off the fireplace I decided to stop by Lowes and pick up 2 cans of white Rust-Oleum high heat paint.

According to the paint specs, it is intended for use in temperatures up to 1,200 degrees fahrenheit. The paint is also rust and corrosion resistant for durability. I applied one can allowed it to dry overnight and then applied the other. This DIY project is about as simple as it gets. For me, it made a dramatic difference. Painting the screen white, succesfully brought out the detail and added an extra dimension. Is their anything a fresh coat of paint can’t fix?

The screen also went well with the neutral sandstone walls, and former upcycle project black and white damask chair which currently resides as extra seating in our living room.

A special thank you to Nikkimarie at My People in History. She is a family historian and genealogy buff like me, and if you are a lover of history, family stories and vintage photo’s stop by her blog and say hello! Thank you for nominating “On The Upcycle” for the One Lovely Blog Award, and a big thank you to all my readers for the continued support and encouragement!

Wanna see more white fireplace screens? Click Here

Made in the Shade-Lamp Shade Fabric Restyle

August 25, 2014ontheupcyclemom 8 Comments

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Materials:

Light Colored Lamp Shade

Mod Podge

Paint Brush

Fabric Of Choice

Scissors

An Accident Waiting To Happen: Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp

August 20, 2014ontheupcyclemom 10 Comments

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!

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

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.

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

July 17, 2014ontheupcyclemom 4 Comments

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.

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)

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.

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.

The search for more luggage continues….

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

July 7, 2014ontheupcyclemom 10 Comments

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 4^th 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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!

Crib Rail Repurpose: Children’s Book Wall Rack

June 23, 2014ontheupcyclemom 12 Comments

Recently, we began preparation to move my daughter from her crib to a toddler bed. When we chose a crib for our registry, we made sure it was a convertible style crib that would grow with her. We were looking for what most consumers want, quality at a reasonable price. We chose the Graco convertible crib in espresso finish.

It appeared sturdy on the showroom floor and was priced right. Initially, I was happy with the crib. Then 18 months later, I notice a few of the metal springs had broken off the frame they were welded on. One by one the springs broke off. The crib needed to be reinforced with bungee cords. We knew this bed would not last like we had previously anticipated. We were forced to come up with an alternative and purchased a new mattress and a toddler bed. The original mattress was torn by sharp edges left where the springs used to reside. This was a big disappointment. We were expecting to use this convertible through her toddler years, but it was not to be. The crib finally gave way and it was obvious it was no longer safe. Luckily, the new bed was purchased and was on standby and we were able to quickly make the switch.

I am happy to report that the toddler apprentice loves her new “big girl” bed and the toddler bed experiment has gone surprisingly well! She lays down and falls right to sleep! We were surprised how quickly she has adjusted.

When I dismantled the crib, most of it was broken and not salvageable. The rail was still in decent shape. I had seen some ideas online upcycling old cribs ranging from Repurposed crib benches to crib rail Garden Trellis’s. I wanted to keep this project simple. I was preoccupied by a much larger, more daunting, task cleaning my daughter’s messy playroom! I filled one trash bag with broken items and another with items to donate to those in need. This emptied one toy box for additional storage which reduced clutter.

My daughter has a large book collection she acquired before she was even born. At my baby shower, the guests brought a signed book instead of a card. I loved this idea, but I did not have an ideal way to store all the books we received. They basically sat in a wooden box on the playroom floor.

I thought the crib rail would be a great alternative way to display her books, and keep them off the floor. Since I was struggling to get her room organized, and did not have the time, I decided to leave the crib rail in its original finish. It also matched the playroom well.

If you would like to change the original color, a can of white latex primer works well. Once dry, paint as desired. I also suggest using longer screws to anchor each side of the crib rail to the wall. When doing this, lean the crib against the wall on a slight angle so the books can hang over the rails. I did not have the proper screws handy, so I had to improvise and use one smaller screw through the first rail. This worked, but the trade-off is that the first rail cannot be used for display.

I love it! Being the sentimental fool that I am, it also is nice to keep a piece of the crib for nostalgia! I also repurposed her changing table into a kitchen shelf. If you missed it, You can view that project here.

Travel the Old Fashioned Way: Vintage Decoupage Suitcase

March 4, 2014ontheupcyclemom 7 Comments

I love vintage suitcases! I especially love all of the decoupage and repurposed vintage suitcase ideas I have seen while strolling through the web. I was eager to restyle a suitcase of my own, but hard case luggage proved to be a challenging find. Over the last two years, I searched for suitable suitcases in every thrift store, yard sale, and managed to stumble across only one along the way. You can imagine my surprise recently, when I came across not one, but three vintage blue suitcases in the same shopping trip. The small case was inside the medium case, and the large case was empty. The set was not priced. I asked for a price check and expected an individual price on each piece of luggage. Instead, Goodwill decided to price the small and medium cases together for only $3.99! I checked with them twice, because I could not believe it! The larger case (pictured below) was priced at a reasonable $7.99.

For my first suitcase decoupage, I decided to keep it simple. I purchased a yard of fabric from Joann Fabric. I searched for material that would blend with the color of the suitcase, and found a nice blue and white floral pattern. I cleaned the case to remove any dust or dirt. I generously applied Mod Podge with a foam craft brush.

I carefully laid the fabric on glue, smoothing out any wrinkles or air bubbles with my hands along the way. I carefully worked the fabric in the creases of the case, and covered the entire area with another layer of Mod Podge.

Once dry, I trimmed any excess fabric with a box cutting knife applying minimal pressure using the natural crease of the suitcase as my guide. I added a 2nd coat of Mod Podge. I repeated the same process for the opposite side of the suitcase.

Now, what to do with the other two?

Hello Kitty Themed Kids Surfboard Bench

February 28, 2014ontheupcyclemom 1 Comment

It has been an especially harsh Northeast winter and many of my usual thrifting haunts have been light on stock especially when it comes to furniture pieces. Despite this, I certainly don’t mind the thrill of the hunt. You never know when you will find something unique. On such a trip, I came across an interesting kids bench (At least that’s what I think it was!) at a local Goodwill store. It appeared to be a surfboard and the painted design was hideous! Despite all of the negatives with this piece, I felt this would be a fun redesign, and I loved the detachable legs. This feature made the legs easier to paint. Nothing conjures up images of summer like a surfboard, and that is just the kind of project I needed!

I cleaned the entire piece with a Magic Eraser. It had an unidentifiable sticky substance all over it and the Eraser worked well to remove it. I used a white spray primer to cover the brightly colored design. I was planning on using a fabric decoupage, but felt the bright colors may bleed through the fabric. Using a primer first prevents this, and gives me a clean slate to work with. Once the primer dried, I used a foam craft brush to apply Mod Podge to the bench surface.

My daughter and I stopped by the craft store and I let her look through the aisle filled with different character fabrics. She seemed to like this Hello Kitty print and I happily obliged, being a Ms. Hello Kitty fan myself. When I was young the local mall had a store called Sanrio and they sold Hello Kitty and all her “friends” merchandise. It was one of my favorite stores to visit in the mall. I bought a half yard, and roughly traced the fabric to cover the table surface. Once the Mod Podge dries, any excess fabric left over around the edges and handles I trim with a box cutting knife. The glue stiffens the fabric and makes it easier to cut. I placed the fabric down on the Mod Podge soaked surface carefully smoothing out any wrinkles with my hands.

I placed it aside to dry, eventually I would add a total of three full coats of Mod Podge on the fabric table surface. I painted the legs with two coats of pink and white acrylic paint. Once the legs were dry I covered them in a Mod Podge layer. I then reassembled the table legs by screwing them easily back in to place.

My daughter loves sitting on it. It looks great in her room and it is a nice piece of kids furniture to use while helping her get dressed for her day.

Hello Kitty Girls Surfboard Bench

Before and After

Why Not DIY? Toddler Sensory Play Table

February 22, 2014ontheupcyclemom 3 Comments

When I first heard about sensory play, I loved the idea! It allows a child to explore their world at home (and get a little or a lot messy in the process) It has many benefits and plays an important role in child development. It allows all children to explore their world with all of their senses, sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. It boosts language skills, stimulates developement and helps children who have autism or are on the spectrum and children with sensory integration dysfunction disorder.

Many of you have already seen the sand and water tables sold at the big box stores in the summertime. This is a similar concept. These outdoor sensory play tables are easy to recreate indoors from items found in your home. I had seen a few home-made versions of play tables on the web and thought my 33 month old daughter would love playing with one. I had tried a simple plastic bin on the floor, but it became too messy. I had to come up with a better solution.

I had an old end table in our attic that we hadn’t used in years. I thought this would make a great foundation for this project. I found three great red, yellow and green plastic bins at a thrift store, that would hold various sensory play materials. You can use rice, sand, elbow macaroni and so much more in these plastic tubs. Just remember to be mindful of your child’s age and whether certain materials may pose a choking risk.

First, I painted the entire table. I used red acrylic paint and covered the table tops and legs. I allowed it to dry between coats. Full coverage was a total of three coats of paint.

Once the table was completely dry, I used Mod Podge for the initial seal and a layer of polyurethane to protect the table if it were to get wet during messier types of play. I cleaned the plastic bins with soapy water and used a total of 12 Phillips head screws (4 per bin) and an electric screwdriver to anchor the bins to the table. It was important for the contents of the bins to stay in the bins (mostly) and this would also not allow them to tip over.

I had an alphabet puzzle and animal magnets lying around the house. I thought these would add a fun element the to project while encouraging letter recognition. I decided to spell out my daughter’s name on the front of the table and for the sides place the alphabet puzzle pieces on either side of the table: ABC,XYZ. The animal magnets I placed on the front of the bins. I used a hot temp glue gun to permanently adhere them to the table and the bins.

I went to Dollar Tree and purchased the materials for the bins. These were the items I thought a child her age would have fun playing while minimizing mess:

plastic Easter eggs

fake coins

rice

elbow macaroni

left over alphabet puzzle pieces

pom-pom balls

great to also include shovels and cups.

I also picked up a foam number puzzle. I had space on the back of the table, so I hot glued the puzzle sans the pieces to the table for additional educational play.

I dumped the items in the pins and hid the coins, letters and poms in the macaroni and the rice. This also helps a child’s fine motor skills. The plastic eggs went in a separate bin. The play table was now ready for a curious 2 1/2 year-old girl to explore her senses. She loved it and it kept her attention for a long time! She loved digging and pulling out the coins and letters and running the rice through her fingers.

You can create themed bins, and change materials as much as you like. Check out a few more ideas for DIY sensory tables.

“Be Mine Daddy”…. Valentine’s Day Kid’s Craft Ideas

February 14, 2014ontheupcyclemom 2 Comments

On this Valentine’s day morning, many areas of the country are beginning the task of “digging out” after yet another treacherous winter storm hit the east coast overnight. Just days before the same winter Nor’Easter wreaked havoc in other parts of the country such as Georgia and the Carolinas. On top of it, the little one and I have been battling a series of winter colds and are being forced to spend much of our time in the house due to the lousy weather. Despite this, we have managed to make the best of these situations and have spent a lot of quality time together as a family.

I wanted to make my husband something special for Valentine’s day this year, and as with most of my creations, I like to get my 2 1/2 year-old daughter (Also known as the toddler apprentice) involved in the process. I also knew that my husband being the wonderful dad he is, would appreciate the fact that his daughter helped mommy make his gift with “her own little hands.” I have seen many great Valentine’s day kid’s crafts online via Pinterest and other sites, and I had many ideas swirling around in my head. I saw a great project courtesy of the Roylco kids craft blog (which I follow, and love) and although I decided to create my own version, The Roylco project was quite inspiring. Be sure to check it out!

For this project you will need:

Black, Pink, Red and White Construction Paper

Scissors

Kids White School Glue

Black Marker

White Non Toxic Kids Craft Paint

Frame (Optional)

First, I dipped my daughter’s hand in the white paint after pouring it on a paper plate. I pressed her hand on the black construction paper. This was challenging and it took a few tries after the first two attempts became slightly smudged. There is no greater excitement to a little one then “messy fun” so she didn’t seem to mind the multiple attempts at getting it right! Once I achieved the desired effect I allowed the construction paper to dry. After about an hour, the paper was dry and ready. I drew different sized hearts on the red, white and pink paper and carefully cut them out. The little one enjoyed squeezing the glue on the hearts and sticking them to the paper!

Such a Good Helper……

Next, I wrote little sayings in the hearts. I thought this would be cute, but if you prefer it, you can skip this step. I wanted to make it more personalized for him. I then found a great glass frame in our attic to frame it in. Now we have a great piece of Valentine’s Day wall art for years to come, permanently immortalizing our daughters little two year-old hands forever. (Can’t you tell I am an overly sentimental person?)

The apprentice and I also made a Valentine’s Day glass jar lamp. I had some great left over heart themed scrapbook paper I won courtesy of Ray’s So Crafty’s Labor Day Giveaway. I have made several jar lamps, and like to interchange them on the light bases, depending on the mood, or for holidays. I simply cut the paper, applied Mod Podge to the glass and adhered it around the jar carefully matching up the seam. An easy, simple decoration guaranteed to warm hearts during this frigid Valentine’s Day.

“On The Upcycle” would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Valentine’s Day. Hoping you are able to spend it with those you love today!

On The Upcycle~

Reuse, Repurpose, Restyle

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DIY

Lighten Up: DIY Painted Fireplace Screen

Made in the Shade-Lamp Shade Fabric Restyle

An Accident Waiting To Happen: Upcycled Pringles Can Lamp

A Decoupage Trilogy: Vintage Suitcase Number Three

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

Crib Rail Repurpose: Children’s Book Wall Rack

Travel the Old Fashioned Way: Vintage Decoupage Suitcase

Hello Kitty Themed Kids Surfboard Bench

Why Not DIY? Toddler Sensory Play Table

“Be Mine Daddy”…. Valentine’s Day Kid’s Craft Ideas

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