makeshift shelves
I found these boards in the trash the other day and thought they would be the perfect way to turn these unsightly paint cans into something useful...
Pick a color and paint the boards.
Measure the height and width of the paint cans.
Measure and cut decorative paper to wrap around the cans.
Wrap the paint cans with paper and fasten with tape.
Layer the boards on top of the cans for makeshift shelves. Much prettier!!
something old is new again
A few years back I snatched a pair of these chairs from the dumpster outside my apartment. They were in fair condition… the legs needed to be detached, sanded and then reattached with some super-strength Gorilla Wood Glue. The seats were also a bit torn, but I put some pillows on top, and they were good to go.
A couple months ago I was out to lunch with some friends from work, and we walked past a reupholstering shop. They were having a vinyl sale, so we popped in for a peek. For $22 I got (a little more than) a yard of teal vinyl with the kitchen chairs in mind.
Since the seats were still in fair condition, with only a few minor rips and tears, I decided to take a short-cut by placing the new vinyl right over the old, eliminating the need for new padding.
The steps are outlined below… click on a thumbnail to view the full sized image.
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- You will need: vinyl, sharp scissors, screwdriver, staple gun.
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- Flip the chair over on a soft surface, like a rug, and unscrew the seat.
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- Cut a piece of vinyl a few inches wider than the surface you want to cover.
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- Place the vinyl, color side down, on the rug. Wrap the vinyl around the surface along a straight edge.
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- Staple into place, flipping the seat back and forth to make sure it is smooth.
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- After the first side is stapled on, flip the seat and gently stretch the vinyl to the opposite side. Flip and staple.
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- I like to start the second side near the corner. Corners can be tricky, keep flipping back and forth to make sure vinyl is taught.
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- For corners: pinch and tuck the vinyl in an accordian style, securing each tuck with a staple. It may not look neat, but no one looks at the bottom of your seat!
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- After you have a few key staples in place, you can trim any excess vinyl that is getting in the way.
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- Keep going, but remember… Do not staple over the screw holes!!
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- It’s okay if the bottom looks haphazard, so long as the top of the seat is smooth.
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- Screw the seat back onto the chair and you’re done… I love it! It’s like a brand new chair.
recreate an old frame
A few years back I scooped up these old frames someone left on their stoop for give away. They’ve been gathering dust in the corner for a while now, so I decided to follow my own advice… use or or loose it!
Here is what I did:
(click on an image to enlarge)
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- Start with an old frame. Clean thoroughly.
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- Think design! I thought I would collage/layer a picture I drew with some fancy paper.
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- A couple of paper choices…
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- Using a craft knife, cut out any pictures you will use.
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- Ooops, extra step: After it was cut, I decided I wanted to color my picture.I would have colored BEFORE I cut, had I known.
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- Before getting messy, layout how you want your picture to look. Next, tape the edges of your frame with painters tape (or masking tape).
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- Apply a thin layer of glue to the background picture & press firmly into place. Cover entire area with a thin layer or Mod Podge.
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- Allow to dry completely, add your next image layer, then apply another coat. Make sure to press firmly into place.
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- Allow to dry overnight.