A Blizzard of Ideas: Basket Makeover

January 26, 2016ontheupcyclemom 8 Comments

Getting snowed in has its privileges. The family and I had a great weekend, despite being completely snowed in, during the East Coast blizzard of 2016. When mother nature gives you lemons, what else can you do but make some lemonade? It was a perfect time for cooking, baking, and crafting, and the toddler apprentice and I did just that!

I picked up a lovely wooden basket at Goodwill about two weeks ago. When I made my purchase, I was unsure on what I was going to do with it. Some items I pick up are best left alone, while others benefit from a bit of “sprucing up.”

I decided to find a middle ground. The lid needed quite a bit of TLC, but the inter woven wood on the basket looked great, so I did not want to alter this part in anyway, only try and compliment it.

I decided to decoupage the lid, and accent the handles with black paint. I struggled a bit with choosing a fabric that I thought would go well with the caramel colored wood. I finally decided on a swatch of fabric that I purchased some time ago at a thrift shop. It had earthy tones that I felt would mesh well with the original design elements on the basket.

I turned the basket upside down and used a black, fine tipped market to trace the lid on to the back of the fabric. I then cut fabric tracing out with a pair of scissors. I painted the lid with white paint. Once dry, I generously applied the Mod Podge to the lid surface with a paint brush. I applied the fabric, and smoothed it out with both hands. This helps minimize wrinkles and air bubbles. Once dry, I applied three more layers of Mod Podge on the top of the piece, and allowed it to dry between coats.

Once the lid was dry, I lightly sanded the areas I planned on painting.

I took a narrow bristled paint brush and painted the handles, and some of the detailing with black acrylic paint. I applied three coats of paint total. Once the paint was dry, I applied a layer of Mod Podge to the painted areas to seal it.

In the winter, this basket will be a perfect place to store hats, scarves and gloves, and in summer it will be the perfect picinic basket or an accent piece with storage.

Materials:

Wooden Basket

White and Black Acrylic Paint

Mod Podge

Fabric of choice

Scissors/Sharpie marker/Paint Brushes (various)

What’s Old Is New Again: Decoupage TV Trays Are Back!!!

August 13, 2015ontheupcyclemom 7 Comments

The wooden TV tray. A functional piece of furniture. Although I think we can all agree these tables are useful, but they lack the design qualities seen in other pieces of furniture.

Way back in 2013, I came up with an idea to turn these boring tables into something fun. My first tutorial Decoupage Team Sports Trays explored the option of decoupaging these trays with Mod Podge. It was a huge success and since then, It remains one of my most requested items.

They also make wonderful gifts for the sports fan in your life! Recently I made two new tables. Both were gifts, one for a friend’s birthday, and the other was presented as a Christmas present. Nothing new here, but thought I would share the new additions so you know what I have been up too!

Philadelphia Flyers TV Tray

New York Giants TV Tray

Want to See more? Check out these past blog entries on Decoupage TV Trays!

Have a special someone on your gift list that is a sports fan? Then this is the table for you…

Sports Trays…Revisited!

Want to show off your school pride? TV trays are great for doing homework too!

Smells Like Team Spirit!

Not a sports fan? No school spirit? No Problem! There are many other themes you can use to create a personalized tray table. LP liner notes make great decoupage and are unique!

Rescued Vinyl TV Tray Decoupage

Sultans of Swap: Flea Market Fun In The Sun

May 8, 2015ontheupcyclemom 5 Comments

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to participate in my first ever Flea Market. The sale of spaces benefited my daughter’s school, so of course I jumped at the chance to get involved. I was a bit nervous. It was the first time I have attempted to sell my projects. I also had some additional spring cleaning items to sell as well and anything I can do to create additional space in my overloaded craft room is a definite plus.

Let me start off by saying, I have been to a lot of swap meets, yard sales and flea markets as a buyer, but never as a seller. It is hard work preparing, pricing and hauling your goods to the sale location. I have a new respect for those who can make a living at it and participate in sales on a regular basis.

I am in no way an expert at this, but I thought I would share with you all what I learned from this experience.

So, How did the modern flea market get its name?

The first flea markets were in Paris and they were called marché aux puces which translates to ‘market with fleas’. Flea market first appeared in English in 1922 as a translation of the French market’s name.

When Preparing, Take Care of as much as you can the night before

Since most flea markets start bright and early, and I am a night owl by nature, I loaded the car and any other items needed for my sale the previous night. This allowed me to get a good night sleep and wake up and leave the next day without scrambling at the last-minute.

Show up on time or early for set up

This was the fun part. Setting it all up so it is pleasing to the eye. Leave yourself enough time so as to not feel rushed.

Mark all prices clearly and have a backup plan

I devised a color coding system. Also when marking your prices, keep a mental note of how low you are willing to go with price. I marked my prices a little higher so that I had some “wiggle” room.

Plan for a long day in the hot sun

If you have a canopy or beach umbrella, it is a good idea to bring it. Make sure to bring plenty of sun block, dress accordingly (avoid dark colors that attract the sun) Wear a hat and sunglasses and bring plenty of fluids and a snack.

Bring tables or other items to properly display your merchandise

I found that items more visible, and that didn’t require a lot of effort to look through sold better. A clothes rack, table or even a sheet or mat placed on the ground is essential when displaying your items. If people have too put a lot of effort in they will move on quickly to a competitor’s table.

Don’t Just Sit There… Get up and Sell!!

I found I gained more interest in my items when I talked to people and said “Hi” Sitting their idle watching people come and go doesn’t sell stuff, but being a social butterfly DOES even when the turn out is low.

Talk about what you do and PROMOTE

I created plenty of business cards, and even sign explaining what Upcycling is. People’s curiosity would get the better of them and they would stop to read the sign. It was a great conversation starter!

Bring Singles and 5 dollar bills to make change and wear a fanny pack!

I brought about $40 dollars in cash. I used 25 singles and four 5 dollar bills and found this to be enough to make change. It is better to wear a fanny pack or apron to keep change, pens and tape in. Leaving money unsupervised in a box even for a minute, creates a potential for theft.

Make Friends and Connections!

Even though the turn out was less than spectacular, I still managed to socialize with other vendors and make personal connections. I met a really nice woman who runs a local consignment shop, and my flea market neighbor and I helped each other when the other had to take a bathroom break. The nice lady next to me even helped complete a sale while I walked away for a moment!

Oh and Don’t Forget to take a Flea Market Selfie!

What are you doing to prepare for this Flea Market Season? Do you have any tips for sellers not mentioned here? Do you have willpower when it comes to buying things at a flea market when you are there to sell?

Crazy for Corduroy: Girls Flower Power Decoupage Side Table

April 28, 2015ontheupcyclemom 4 Comments

It has been a very hectic week in the “On The Upcycle” household. I have been working late into the night to prepare for my first flea market this Saturday. I am happy to report, that my crafting area is looking more like a usable work space, and less like a storage closet! My hope is clearing out some older items will make way for new projects.

I have also been working on a few projects specifically to use in the sale. I picked up this nice, wooden side table at Goodwill for a couple of dollars.

The original idea, was to use a black and white scarf I had for the decoupage and then paint the table with neutral colors. It is amazing how quickly a plan can change! I used a white, spray on primer to prepare the table. I applied the scarf and instantly was not all that impressed with the result. Scarves can be tricky because the fabric is very thin, and once it is glued to the table top, it has a tendency to show any imperfections on the wood underneath. That is exactly what happened in this case. Once the Mod Podge was dry, I removed the fabric and decided to start over. Then it hit me: I had this great flower power corduroy fabric from an old dress that looked very cute on my daughter but no longer fit her. I saved it in the hopes that I would find a use for it someday. That time was now!

I cut the fabric and measured out a large enough piece to cover the top of the table. I applied a generous amount of Mod Podge to the table surface. The general rule is the thicker the material the more Mod Podge you will need to use to achieve the desired effect.

Once the glue was dry, I hand painted the table with pink, purple and white acrylic paint. This was turning out to be a much different table then I had originally anticipated. After a few more coats of paint, I added generous amounts of Mod Podge to the table top to seal the fabric. I repeated this process three times allowing it to dry between coats. I also applied Mod Podge to the painted surfaces, to seal the entire piece.

Once dry, I trimmed off the excess fabric on the edges and applied more Mod Podge to seal those edges.

This is a side table with a lot of flower power and 1960’s appeal. I am hoping this table makes some little girl very happy! It will be just one of the items for sale this weekend. I also loved working with corduroy! Because of the thickness of the fabric, I was unsure as to how it would turn out and was more than pleased with the end result!

Before:

After:

Materials Used:

Old kids Garment

Mod Podge

Spray or brush on white primer

Acrylic Paint

Paint Brushes (Various sizes)

Scissors and Box Cutter knife (to trim edges)

Two Years, One Sale- On The Upcycle

April 22, 2015ontheupcyclemom 10 Comments

This April 27th 2015 marks the two-year anniversary of this blog and my creative mission to reuse, re-purpose and restyle.

For me, Upcycling is all about having fun and being creative with items that would otherwise be discarded. The biggest challenge for me has been the writing. I love to craft, but I struggle with writer’s block from time to time. The ideas for projects often come but the words to adequately describe them do not. Although I am not blogging with quite the same frequency as I once was, I am still happy that I was able to continue and complete a few larger and more challenging projects this past year, like my Lane Cedar Hope Chest. After two years of creating I am inevitably left with too many items and not enough room to keep them all. I was excited to hear that my daughter’s school is sponsoring a flea market in early May. This seemed like a great oppurtunity to have my first “flea market experience.” I have never tried to sell my projects before, so this is a huge first step for me. What better way to re-energize and make room for new projects?

It’s spring cleaning time for On The Upcycle. That being said, it’s also a fun time to squeeze in a few smaller projects in the days leading up to the sale.

I love wooden boxes and picked this one up for 99 cents at Goodwill. I didn’t care for the boxes original design, but the box itself was in great shape.

I used a spray on white primer to properly cover the previous design on the box.

I had a nice celestial print. I have been in a colorful mood lately and wanted to utilize a design with a lot of color

I applied Mod Podge with a brush, and placed the print on the box top and front.

I painted the box blue and pink to match colors contained within the print

This whimsical celestial themed box is one of the items crafted specifically for the sale.

Here are a few photo’s of previous projects I have agreed to part with for the upcoming sale:

Peacock Table

Star Wars Kid Chair:

Strawberry Shortcake Kids Chair:

Kids School Desk:

Happy Earth day to all of my friends!! How are you celebrating today? Do any of you have experience with Flea Market sales? I would love to hear from you! Any tricks of the trade or friendly advice?

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

March 30, 2015ontheupcyclemom 3 Comments

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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)

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

The Past Called… And It’s For You

August 3, 2014ontheupcyclemom 10 Comments

There is nothing I love more than nostalgia! As a child of the 1980’s I remember talking on the phone for hours with my best friend. Our phone was attached to the wall with a rather long cord that I could never seem to get untangled. Answering machines were also becoming popular around this time, but not everyone had one. If the phone rang (That loud distinct ring we all know and love) you had to answer it! Oh and by the way you had to answer it without knowing who was on the other end, no caller id yet either! This is before cell phones, texting, Skype and the internet, when people actually had to pick up the phone when it rang, and..well actually talk to each other!

In a recent post, I mentioned my quest to find the rather elusive vintage, rotary phone. I had seen some really great examples of vintage phones restyled with decoupage on the web, and I was eager to try a project myself. In my area, rotary phones are rare. During many trips to thrift stores, it was always on my mental wish list, but I never seemed to come across one. Then one day my luck started to change. First, I was able to find a vintage red, Trimline desk phone, with tone dialing. It was not the rotary dialer I was looking for, but still a great find. At least I was getting warmer! Then about two weeks later I wandered into the same Goodwill. I quickly scanned the electronics aisle as I always do during my walk throughs. As I was about to turn around and leave, my eyes dropped and their it was in all it’s splendor a black 1950’s Western Electric Rotary Phone in excellent condition. I couldn’t hold back my excitement and squealed out loud. The lady next to me smiled and we struck up a conversation. I had been looking for this for a long time. It was priced right too, only $5.99! Now, I had two great vintage phones that would make great projects!

Both phones function well, and are in excellent condition. Although due to my digital line, my rotary phone rings and receives calls, but cannot dial out without a special filter attachment which costs about 50 dollars. This apparatus converts rotary pulses into tones modern digital lines can recognize. The black rotary phone works well and rings loudly; Unlike my current, modern cordless phone. I have not yet decided what I am going to do with the rotary phone. I did decide however; that the red phone would make a great first attempt at decoupage. A phone of this type which has many more angles and curves to work with I anticipated, would be more difficult than a previous cell phone decoupage. project I had tried.

I chose a 1960’s inspired fabric I had used in previous projects that I thought would go well with the red color and fit in nicely with the phone’s vintage flare. I decided to cut out the circular shapes with a pair of sharp scissors.

I applied Mod Podge to the back of the fabric with a paint brush.

One by one, I placed them on the surface of the phone receiver gently smoothing out any wrinkles with my fingers. I also applied them on various other parts of the phone such as the base, and phone cradle.

I then added a few coats of Mod Podge over top the fabric to seal it allowing it to dry between coats.

Now we have a groovy vintage landline phone popping with color! Look for a rotary re-do coming soon once I build up enough courage of course!

Materials:

Fabric of choice

Scissors

Mod Podge

Paint brush with coarse bristles

Old Phone

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….

On The Upcycle~

Reuse, Repurpose, Restyle

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Restyle

A Blizzard of Ideas: Basket Makeover

What’s Old Is New Again: Decoupage TV Trays Are Back!!!

Sultans of Swap: Flea Market Fun In The Sun

Crazy for Corduroy: Girls Flower Power Decoupage Side Table

Two Years, One Sale- On The Upcycle

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

Lighten Up: DIY Painted Fireplace Screen

Made in the Shade-Lamp Shade Fabric Restyle

The Past Called… And It’s For You

A Decoupage Trilogy: Vintage Suitcase Number Three

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