Category Archives: DIY and Upcycling

Thanksgiving Tablecloth

thankful tablecloth

Here is a snap shot of our “Thankful” tablecloth.

Thanksgiving weekend is here and many are preparing to have family and friends over to celebrate in the spirit of thanksgiving.  Several years ago, I saw this Martha Stewart idea for a “Thankful” tablecloth.  If I remember correctly, she recommended using a painter’s drop cloth and I wish I had taken her advice.  I had some muslin on hand at the time and decided to go ahead and use it instead.  It works okay, but is very wrinkly after being washed and difficult to press.  In the original idea, she suggested using fabric paint and having everyone add something that they are thankful for. I thought it was a brilliant idea and we started our own “thankful” tablecloth.  It is a great family tradition and nice to look back and see what we wrote in previous years.  We actually write the year and our name beside each entry.  Our cloth isn’t very “pretty”, but it holds lots of great memories.  There are other great examples of how this type of tablecloth can be made to look a bit more formal .  I wanted ours to reflect our family, values and the stages we were at in each given year.

Things to Consider:

Here are a few things that you should consider, if you would like to begin this family tradition and start your own tablecloth:

  • Use a heavier fabric that washes well and will not be a nightmare to press (or purchase an actual tablecloth to use).  It is worth spending a little more if you intend to use this for years to come.  In order to stand the test of time, get a good quality fabric to work with.
  • Don’t use fabric paint, use fabric markers.  I used fabric paint and wish I would have used markers.  With fabric paint there is often more dimension in the application and therefore, you need ample dry time.  You may even get little puckers in your cloth when it dries.  It also makes it difficult to press the tablecloth.  The other issue with fabric paint is that it is messy and difficult for most people, especially children, to print neatly.  Stick with fabric markers.
  • Some people suggest using regular Sharpie markers, but in my experience, they can bleed and cause a big mess.  I think there are tricks to avoiding that, but I just wouldn’t risk it.
  • Take some time to plan how you want this to look.  I am a perfectionist and generally would want something like this to have perfect printing that is all done by the same person.  I like uniformity and the idea of having many colours does not appeal to me. However, for this project, I really wanted to have everyone’s individual “mark” on the cloth with each person’s handwriting and thoughts.  So, for me, controlling the colour is what kept it somewhat uniform.

Other Examples:

Made by one person, great design and uniform look (bluecricketdesign.net)
A mixture of colours and much more random. (christyrobbins.blogspot.com)
I like the fact that there is one colour of pen used. (asundayafternoon.com)

Give Thanks!

Traditionally, my immediate family has not always had a big Thanksgiving dinner. My dad often goes “home” to the home town where I was raised and spends the weekend with his siblings and their families.  We used to go “home” as well, but find it difficult with the kid’s activities and such now.  My brother’s family works shift work as does my husband, so it is very difficult to find a time that works.  We often make a turkey so that we can enjoy the leftovers (and have an easy week of cooking) in September because it is so busy around our house.  Regardless of whether we are hosting a big turkey dinner or not,  it is great to take out the tablecloth and take time to formally give thanks.

Having said that, we work really hard to instill a spirit of Thanksgiving every day of the year. There are so many people who are less fortunate than we are.  I am so thankful that I don’t have a family member battling cancer – I’ve been there and it is not an easy road to travel. Everyday, I feel so fortunate to have a healthy family and great friends. It is easy to get caught up in thoughts about what we want or don’t have and unfortunately it is sometimes the news of someone else’s loss or difficulties that brings us back to reality and helps us to “get real” and recognize what is important in life and to just be thankful!

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Upcycled Play Kitchen: Part 2

September was crazy busy at our house.  Our September calendar included soccer practises and games, hockey try-outs for both winter and spring league, dance classes, Girl Guides, back to school for the kids and I, a family wedding, our Mother’s and Daughter’s in Touch course, two garage sales, 3 birthdays, piano lessons, Fun Fridays Youth Group, volunteering at Winnipeg Harvest, serving at church, volleyball, a few minor DIY projects, daily blogging and I tried to stay on top of the laundry, meals and house work!  On top of that I was sick with a cold. I am sure that doesn’t sound unlike most of your schedules, but needless to say, my little play kitchen project did not get much attention. However, this weekend was the first in many weeks that we did not have a jam-packed schedule and I was finally able to have a bit of time for it.  If you missed Upcycled Play Kitchen:  Part 1 and want to check-out it out, click here.

Play Kitchen Update:

I finished painting all of the pieces black and then let the paint cure for several days (or weeks in my case) before adding any tape to it.  When I measured out the board for the back of the TV stand/sink and stove, I added several inches of height to create a backsplash for the finished project.  My plan was to create a faux tile back splash.  I had used this technique in our upstairs bathroom, so I knew it would work well for this project. I took my board and figured out where the top of the “counter top” would be and marked it on my board.  I then measured the space that would be used for the backsplash and began to figure out how big to make the tiles. When measuring and marking out the squares, always start from the middle to ensure that the tiles will end up being centered.  I then taped out a grid of 2″ squares that will serve as tiles.  Taking a trowel (or something similar) apply a thin smooth layer of plaster over the taped off area (approximately 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch thick). Very carefully peel off the tape and let the plaster “tiles” dry completely. Gently sand the tiles to create a smooth surface on each tile. Re-tape the grid (your base coat will become your “grout” colour. Apply a coat of primer and then paint. Remove the tape. You may need to touch up the “grout lines” a bit. For durability, add a few coats of clear (non-colouring) urethane.  I think I added three coats to my bathroom backsplash.

I used 1/4″ painters tape to tape of a grid of 2″ squares.
I applied a thin layer of plaster over the taped grid.
I removed the tape right away, before the plaster set.
I applied two coats of acrylic paint to the faux tiles.
Here is a shot of the finished backsplash with the touched up grout lines.

Next Steps:

I haven’t had a chance to urethane the backsplash yet, so I will definitely need to do that.  I will attach the back board and work on pulling things together ~ attaching the sink, taps/spout and stove elements (which I haven’t painted yet). I really wanted to include fabric in the project, so I opted for a curtain as opposed to a door on the sink/stove cabinet. I love the fabrics I found and hope to make a few other accessories to go with the finished kitchen. Stay tuned.

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Cabinet Rescue

Several years ago, friends were throwing-out this antique wardrobe.  It was pretty much a BFI rescue.  I must admit, it was pretty ugly.  It was painted chocolate-brown and despite the fact hat it was heavy, it was not overly sturdy.  The original piece had a bar across the top and was designed to be a wardrobe.

Antique Wardrobe

The original interior of the wardrobe.
BEFORE: Wardrobe Trash Rescue
In the midst of stripping down the wardrobe.
Here is the wardrobe completed stripped.

I loved the carvings on the front doors, but the oval panels were quite warped.  Once it had been completely stripped down, we realized that the sides of the piece were done in a different wood than the front and thus we decided that stain would really not do it any justice.  It was huge work stripping the paint from all of the nooks and crannies around the decorative carvings on the front, but it certainly made for a beautiful finished project.

Wardrobe Transformation

We also reinforced the back and replace the bar with shelves.  The panels were removed and replaced with chicken wire. This piece has always served as our dining room china cabinet, but we are planning to move it to our spare room for clothes and linen storage. Who knows, it might make its way back to the dining room yet!

AFTER: Painted China Cabinet

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Slipper Chair Upcycle

Several years ago, we bought a cottage that came complete with all of the previous owners furnishings and dishes.  The cottage was very clean and well-kept, but everything was major tacky.  I was looking through some old pictures and came across this photo of the old slipper chair that was left in the cottage.old slipper chair

We removed all of the old fabric and replaced the batting, as needed.  We then proceeded to reupholster the chair to coordinate with the nursery we were setting up for the baby we were expecting at the time.  This chair has really held up well and is still in our daughter’s room.

reupholstered chair
You can often pick-up old chairs on Kijiji for very little. If you are interested in recovering a chair for your home, there are many great tutorials on-line. Here is a step by step description of what you will need to complete such a project.

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Scrapbooking Room Desk

old desk

We bought this desk from friends about 20 years ago. It is an old melamine style desk that served us well, but I was ready for something a bit different. With the “hutch” on top, the actual work space was limited and this often posed a problem for me when scrapbooking. When in the midst of a project, my open layout is over 12″ and 24″, so that doesn’t leave much room for actually planning, creating and preparing the layouts

I found an antique table on Kijiji and decided it was time to get rid of the desk and make some changes. For the most part, I was just glad to see the desk go, but I knew I would really miss the big drawer on the bottom of the old desk. The drawer was originally designed to house a printer, but it served as the perfect location for my Cricut machine. I loved how it was tucked away, but ready to use with the simple pull of a drawer. I decided to take the desk apart and use the pieces to build a box for the drawer. It was pretty simple to do as most of the pieces already worked for what I had in mind. Basically, I just had to move the left side of the desk over to complete the left side of the drawer box and cut the top to fit. I also had to cut down the boards because I wanted it to fit below the antique desk I had just purchased.  I also added a bead board front that covered the existing drawer and extended to the floor.  I then sanded, primed, painted and distressed the drawer.  I used an old handle from our bathroom renovation to complete the look.  It is not perfect by any means, but it allowed me to keep the drawer and make use of the wasted space below the desk.  My scrapbooking room is small and I have to be very creative in order to keep it organized and functional. (I am certainly not complaining, I feel very fortunate to have a space to call my very own.)

Drawer
Drawer

Antique Table/Desk

The antique table was a library style table, with a large drawer extending across the whole front of the desk. The piece was oak, but they were only asking $40 because it was in very poor condition. I really didn’t mind the worn look on the drawer front and legs, but the top had to be sanded and refinished. By limiting my refinishing to the top of the desk, I was able to sand, stain and urethane with very little time or energy expended. The top came out beautifully and the large surface provides a great space for doing scrapbooking and other projects.

antique desk

upcycled drawer

Drawer and antique desk. You can see this room is a bit cluttered. I have so many tools and gadgets that I just don’t have a “place” for everything. Maybe some day!

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Pallet Shoe Rack

I love all of the pallet projects that can be found on Pinterest and around the web.  Last summer,  I was determined to build something out of pallets. Although I there are many really cool ideas for how to upcycle a pallet, I knew that I would need to keep my first project easy and within the range of my limited abilities.  I searched the web and ended up finding a very simple tutorial for a pallet shelf on Ana White’s website.  She is a total DIY guru who shares all kinds of great projects and tutorials….I am definitely an unofficial member of her fan club!

My First Pallet Project:  Pallet Shelf

Companies frequently advertize “free pallet pick-up”, and so these projects are very attractive to beginners like myself.  I am never very concerned about making mistakes and the rustic look makes the imperfections in the final project less obvious.  Pallet projects provide a great platform for practising with the power tools you may not be accustom to using.  I know that for me, this has definitely been the case.  I loved the idea of beginning with these little shelves as the constructions consisted of little more than a few cuts and the addition of a simple 2″ X 4″ base.  I also kept the finish very simple.  I used some old stain that we had around the house.  I designed these shelves to serve as shoe holders in the bottom of our closets, so the finish was not all that important.

pallet shoe rack

My very first pallet project.

This build was super easy and made a great first project.  I would highly recommend this as a first time project for beginner DIYers.  You can see my finished project is simple, but functional.  It was a great little project for gaining comfort and confidence using the power tools and makes more difficult projects seem less intimidating. Below are some examples of how this very same shelf can be finished and used in a variety of ways.

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.ca/2012/04/pallet-island.html
http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.ca/2012/03/accidental-finish.html
http://wilsonsandpugs.blogspot.ca/2011/09/pallet-wine-rack.html
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/diy-reclaimed-pallet-plate-rack.html

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Upcycled Decor Screen

We bought two second-hand screens (room dividers) in 2006.  I liked them, but never really loved the fabric on either screen.  I was always on the lookout for a more modern look and finally found a fabric when we were down in the states last winter. (By the way, Joann’s is always on my list when I go shopping in the states.  There is a much better fabric selection and often really great sales.)  Such was the case with this fabric.  I can’t say that I saw it and instantly thought… this is exactly what I have been looking for, but the price was right ($35) and I liked it.

old screen

This is the original screen. The fabric is okay, but quite traditional.

Screen Upcycle

old fabric

This is actually the fabric from the other screen which has been sitting unused in our basement. You can see all of the velcro I removed.

I purchased enough fabric to replace the three panels on one screen.  The panels did not have two “good sides”, so it was meant to be placed in a corner or against a wall.  I don’t need it to divide an actual space, so when purchasing the fabric, I only purchased enough to cover one side of the screen (like the original).  This is a fairly simple sewing project.  It basically consists of creating a finished seam all the way around each of the large rectangular pieces of fabric and then adding velcro to attach them to the screen frame.  I used the old fabric from the screen as a guide for my measurements and even removed the velcro so that I could re-use it on the new fabric.

From cutting to finished project, this probably did not take me more than a couple of hours (maybe less).  It was quick to sew and my sewing machine was in a cooperative mood, so it was smooth sailing.  (We don’t always get along.)

The New Look

upcycled screen

One Thing Leads to Another

Hmmm….I like the new look and love how the fabric has a more “light and airy” feel. However, if you were in my house you would notice how the reddish brown finish on the metal screen seems to stand-out a little more.  (Looks more chocolate-brown in the photo, but definitely a bit on the red side when you are up close and personal!).  Not sure I like it.  Oh, oh!  Luckily, I can sneak the other screen out of the basement (we weren’t using it anyway) and give it a quick sand and coat of paint.  I wonder how it will look with paint?  We won’t tell my husband until it is done, that way I can’t be stopped.  He generally really likes the finished product, but doesn’t always share my perspective and vision:D

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End Table Upcycle

cheap end table

 

This is an old project that I did years ago, but we still use the table, so I thought I would include it.  I had picked up one of those very cheap unfinished round end tables at Zellers.  It was similar to this Walmart one, but with a different base. I am pretty sure I paid $10 for it.  The table is designed to have a floor length table cloth on it, so the table didn’t have any finish on it at all.

Upcycled Table

As I said, our table is similar to the one above, but the base is different.  It is quite sturdy and I was able to make it work with a bit of paint.

The inspiration for the table paint design came from cushion covers I had made from an old swimming sarong that I never wore.  I loved the print, but didn’t like the way the sarong fit. These cushions sit on the back of the futon that we have kept over the years for a spare bed. The original cover on the futon was apple green, but the cushions are still used and look fine with the navy blue cover that is now on it.

inspiration cushion

Here is the original cushion cover that inspired the paint design for the cabinet.

The completed look….

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OSB ~ A Great Look for Less!

What is OSB?  Homerenovations.about.com describes OSB like this…

OSB stands for oriented strand board. OSB has the appearance of giant cornflakes pressed together to form structural panels in sizes similar to plywood, such as 4′ x 8′ x 5/8″.

OSB ~ Oriented Strand Board

OSB is basically a construction grade materials that is rarely seen in a finished product. It is the hidden sub floor below the “finished” flooring, whether that be hardwood flooring, carpet, vinyl, tile or anything else.  However, in recent years, the industrial look has become more popular and OSB is making its way into finished decor.

Why OSB?

We first saw OSB used on the second floor of a heritage home.  The owners told us that the original hardwoods were beyond repair and they saw OSB as a great alternative.  I am often so disappointed when I visit old homes and see that the original hardwoods have been replaces with laminate or carpet. When I saw the exposed OSB flooring, I immediately loved the look and the concept.  It is like a wood/cork look and because it is completely different from hardwood flooring, it didn’t compete with original floors that remained on the main floor of the house.

OSB floors

Here is a shot of the OSB floors we saw in the heritage home. We went on to buy this house, but that is a story for another time.

The floors were very inexpensive, durable and offered a great unique look. I loved them and knew they would work perfectly on the upper floor of our 1921 home as well.

A Great Alternative

If you are looking for an inexpensive and easy alternative to update your flooring, look no further.

I believe the second floor of our home has around 700 square feet.  When we moved in, the upstairs was completely covered in 1970’s brown carpet (except for the bathroom). Despite the fact that we live in a heritage home, we were told that there was no hardwood flooring beneath the carpet. We also knew that laying new hardwoods would not only be very expensive, but also crazy with two small children occupying the entire upper floor. We wanted a great look, but without having to “police” the floors. We decided to replace the ugly carpet with oriented strand board similar to the floors we saw in the other house. We bought the OSB from Home Depot and laid the 4 X 8 sheets on the entire second floor. The boards are made with a “tongue and groove” edge, so the seams fit tightly together. Once all the boards were in, we rented a sander from Home Depot and proceeded to sand the wood down to get a nice blond finish.  Tim put on several coats of urethane for durability and when all was said and done, we completed the entire second floor for under $700 (including wood, machine rental, urethane and the roller for application).

I absolutely love the textured look and we are not concerned about the wear and tear on the floors. Our son even plays floor hockey in the oversized landing area! We did the floors 5 years ago and they have proven to be durable and completely kid proof.  In fact, we will also consider OSB for our basement floors….if we ever get that far in the renovations!

Here is a short slide show of the OSB floors on our second story.

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Painting Perfect Stripes

Very few people have a steady enough hand to paint the perfect straight line.  If you are like me, I always use my trusty painter’s tape when trying to get that perfect straight edge. Despite my efforts to perfectly align my tape and rub my finger over the surface to be sure there would be no seepage, I would often feel frustrated and disappointed with the results when I peeled the tape back and found that there was still “bleeding” onto the base colour.

Please Stop the Bleeding!

Several years ago, I came across this great tutorial for making the perfect straight lines without bleeding. It works every time. Although there are a few more steps involved, it is completely worth the effort.  I couldn’t find the original, but this tutorial provides the same information and steps.  It is complete with pictures and more detailed than my description below.

In a nut shell:

  1. Measure very carefully and be sure to use a level to ensure that the finished line is perfectly straight.
  2. Tape off the line with blue or green painter’s tape (I have used both).  I always use a credit card or wooden wedge and slide it along the edge to ensure proper adhesion of the tape.
  3. THIS IS THE KEY:  Take the base colour of the wall above and below the stripe (navy in Shay’s room) and paint a thin coat of paint over the edge of the tape.  The paint will bleed under the tape, but the paint that bleeds through will be the same colour as the wall above and below the stripe.  For example, when painting Shay’s red stripe, I first painted a thin coat of navy blue over the edge of the tape, so that navy would bleed onto navy. This seals the edge and prevents the top coats of red from bleeding through.
  4. Let dry completely.
  5. Paint your coloured stripe and remove the tape.  You will get a perfect finished line every time.

You can see that Shay’s red stripe extends around his whole room.  Two of his walls are painted navy and two are taupe, but the red stripe circles the entire room, through both colours.  Obviously, when painting the red stripe on his taupe walls, I first painted a coat of taupe to extend over the edge of the tape and seal the edge from bleeding.

Another Technique for Getting the Perfect Edge

I have never used the technique below, but thought it looked like an excellent idea for when you have two different surfaces meeting.

Happy painting!

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