Friday, February 21, 2014

Super-Simple Project: Recovering a Flea Market Stool

A few months ago while browsing the flea market I came across a small, simple stool that was reasonably priced.


I looked past the scratched wood and dingy vinyl and saw true potential.  Updating it with new fabric would be an easy option.

I removed the seat cover and cleaned every inch of the stool with a disinfectant.

Since the vinyl was in good shape I didn't bother to remove it.  To recover, I simply placed the new fabric underneath the seat and went around it with my staple gun to secure the fabric in place.
  
After recovering the seat I decided not to paint the wood.  I love the look of the dark wood against the light walls.



As you can see I haven't jumped off the chevron train.  I love this upholstery-weight fabric.  It was a great find at Joann's for $20 a yard.  For this project I used half.


I "erased" the scratches in the wood by using a walnut.  Yes, that's right, a walnut!



My advice; don't overlook furniture at thrift stores or flea markets because of their current state.  Fabric and paint are an inexpensive way to update your find into something special!



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Friday, February 14, 2014

Mother-Son Wedding Dance


I'm sharing a wedding video today.  It starts out sweet and traditional, but this mother and son like to have have a little fun!  In honor of Valentine's Day I hope this video makes you smile!



My son is 12.  I need to practice my dance moves! 

*For more sweetness, you can view the video I shared a couple years ago by clicking here.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Stenciled-Table Top


Whenever I pass my daughter's room, I see her on the floor.  Whether she's painting her nails, using her laptop, or doing homework, she ignores her fully-functioning desk and opts to sit on the floor.  No matter how many times I suggest sitting in a chair or warn her of future back problems, she'd rather plant her derriere somewhere else.  So, as a healthy compromise, I decided to create a table that she could do her normal activities on.


I created the table top by using a large-wooden board, from an unfinished project I'd been storing in the garage.


The vinyl decals didn't appeal to my daughter.  We had a few other ideas in mind, but nothing concrete.  Then a few days later I was contacted by Royal Stencil Designs and asked to review one of their stencils.  I was really excited to work with Royal Design Studios.

But, I have never stenciled before.  With so many beautiful designs, the hardest part of the project was choosing a pattern.  So I left it all up to my daughter!  She narrowed her choices down to the Small Spanish Lace stencil.

To get started we began by removing the vinyl decals.

They left a raised-sticky residue which needed to be sanded smooth.  After the surface was clean, I painted the table top with a few coats of leftover white paint.

I began stenciling the next day!  Once I had it level and taped down, I started stenciling in the middle and worked my way out. My daughter's been on a bit of a gold kick lately.  She chose the gold stencil creme simply because of its beautiful-metallic sheen.   
The process was longer than I expected because I chose to use a stencil brush; the same results can be achieved using a roller.

With my husband's help, I attached the furniture leg brackets to the corners of the board, then screwed the legs in place.

Purchased from our local Home Depot.

I was on a mission to finish the table before my daughter returned home from school, so I could surprise her with it set up in her room.


Now she has a comfortable spot to do her nails while sitting on the floor.



or browse the internet



It's the perfect space saver, because it slides under her bed when she's through.



I lightly sanded the top of the table to give it a distressed look.  Then I sealed it with polycrylic to give it a protective coat.

My daughter loves it and that's all that matters in my world!


**No financial compensation was received, however I did receive a stencil to review.  All opinions are my own.