Happy Friday! Today I am sharing a video tutorial for hanging fabric on a wall using liquid starch:
Starched fabric walls really look like wallpaper and are a great way to add some interest to your home! This tutorial is great for anyone with commitment issues and/or for renters. It really is easy to remove and does not damage walls. To see my original post which inspired this video tutorial, you can click HERE.
**UPDATE** I have used this wall treatment several times throughout our home with much success. I have also removed the starched fabric, and it has left no damage to the wall. It really is a great temporary solution to wallpaper!
Go create something!
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
Today I’m sharing how to make this a chalkboard US travel map.
Now that my youngest is four, family vacations are more exciting and road trips seem less daunting. I want to explore with my kids. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood are the family road trips my parents planned for us. I created this map, and we’re only allowed to pin locations when we are all five on the trip together. We have a lot of territories to cover! I made this chalkboard from a corkboard. This is a very large board you can find at Hobby Lobby. It retails for $20, but you can always use a 40% off coupon.
My friend Angela from Unexpected Elegance also created a pretty cool piece using one of these corkboards. You can see more of it by clicking on the photo below:
I painted my frame using Valspar’s gold spray paint (from Lowes):
And then I painted the cork with chalkboard paint.
Since I had a projector, I printed out a US map on transparency paper and projected it onto my chalkboard, and traced the image.
to download your own (PDF) file for the US map. Since I’m aware we’re in the 21st century, I realize most normal people don’t own (or have access to) overhead projectors. Click HERE to find out how you can easily trace images and lettering onto your chalkboard. (If you’re creating a piece this large scale, you can send the PDF file above to an office store to have it printed large scale.) I freehanded the lettering, but you can easily print out something and transfer it to your map.
Below are Amazon (affiliate) links for the china marker I used in this tutorial (and chalk pen which is also a great option):
I bought some colorful oversized push pins and painted them gold. Since it’s a corkboard, I was easily able to mark our travels with the push pins.
Now it’s time for us to start road tripping!
This chalkboard US travel map also makes a great gift idea.
Want to know more about my swiss cross patterned wall? Click HERE.
Go create something!
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
Earlier this summer, I visited my sister, Heather, and fell in love with her DIY concrete topped coffee table.
I went home and decided that the side table we had inherited from the previous homeowner would be AMAZING with a concrete top.
It’s pretty traditional, and I really thought I could turn it into something I will call “industrial chic” – perfect for Steve’s man cave! Once school started, I scheduled a date to work on the concrete top with my sister. I put my two older kids on the bus and hopped in the car with my youngest and drove two hours to see my sister. We only had about three hours to work with (I had to be back home in time for the kids to get off the bus), so the pressure was on. Heather is a DIY genius. This Concrete Table Top tutorial isn’t hard, AND it doesn’t require any extra tools! Heather already had the concrete. It’s actually a lighter (“feather”) concrete. We just mixed small amounts at a time. My coffee table really did not require much – and remember you can always make more!
We used a disposable paint tray to mix the cement.
We slowly added water using a watering can and used a paint stick to stir.
We went with a cake batter consistency. This stuff smells – and it doesn’t smell great. My best description is that it smells like baby poop. 🙂
After you have left the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, you can lightly slather it on the top of the table. Remember to keep the concrete thin. You will want to do several thin layers. (I sanded my tabletop with an electric sander before I added the cement.)
We used a plastic scraper to smooth out the concrete and wiped away the extra on a rag.
You will repeat this process several times. We did three coats on my side table.
We found that an old sock was helpful for smooth out the cement – especially the sides of the table.
We were short on time, so we used a fan to dry the concrete quicker.
You can sand in-between coats, but I just (lightly) sanded at the end of the final (3rd) coat.
After the concrete is dry, you can add the sealer. (My sister says I should tell you 24 hours to be safe.) I also did about three coats of this. (Once the sealer coat was dry, I added the next. The sealer dried pretty quickly.)
We poured a little bit on the top and used an old t-shirt to rub the sealer into the concrete. We repeated this process three times and added another layer of sealer once the previous layer was dry. And that was it for the concrete top – no special tools required! This is where the concrete tutorial ends. But I wanted that worn rustic wood look that Heather had with her coffee table, so I continued…
I wanted to get rid of the wood’s orangey look, so I used a stripper to get rid of the glossy finish in hopes that I could stain the wood a darker color.
I used a brush to paint the stripper on.
I waited 30 minutes and started scraping. Stripping is NOT easy. And I lost interest. Quickly. I scraped as long as I could, and then I wiped away the rest of the old finish/stripper. It was a mess.
I added a dark walnut stain to the piece. It does have more of the industrial-chic look I was looking for. (Whatever that means, right?!)
I’m still painting things. Check out this chalk painted dresser.
A family member had this amazing dresser which I immediately knew could be given a second life with chalk paint:
It was pretty worn, but it was SO unusual and beautiful! About half of the finish was worn off, and there were lots of nicks and scratches. But, I knew chalk paint would give it a new life:
I painted the dresser with Annie Sloan chalk paint and used Paris Grey and Pure White. This is a picture of the dresser before the wax was applied. I used clear and dark wax, and you’ll notice in the after pictures how well the dark wax brings out the details of the piece. The bottom drawer was missing part of the flourish detail.
So, I took the bottom drawer out until I can fix it correctly. However, I’m liking the open concept of the bottom drawer. I use the drawer turned shelf for our family photo albums.
The rest of the piece holds my craft supplies. This dresser is in my office, and it makes a wonderful storage solution!
Want some chalk paint tips? Check out an earlier post HERE or click on the image below:
I’m going to show you an easy way to create art with your Instagram photos!
I found an old frame at a thrift store for my project.
I ordered my Instagram prints from Foxgram. Foxgram was inexpensive and provided (really) fast shipping.
To begin, layout the photos to see how many rows of photos are needed to cover the area. (I ordered 3-inch photos with a white border. I ended up using 80 photos for my 23.5″ x 29.5″ canvas.)
I did slightly overlap the photos to make them all fit in my canvas.
Once you have a layout plan, use Mod Podge to adhere to the photos.
Cover the back of the photo with Mod Podge and adhere. Make sure to smooth each photo to avoid air bubbles.
Once the photos are down and glued, add a layer of Mod Podge across the entire surface.
Try to keep your brush strokes (or in my case, sponge strokes) all going in the same direction.
Once complete, let the Mod Podge dry. You will have a fun piece of art created from your Instagram photos! This Instagram art makes a great keepsake for yourself and/or for friends and family!
See how this painted upholstered chair turned out!
I recently painted an upholstered chair I found at a consignment shop. Before the redo, the chair looked like it belonged on the set of the Huxtables – circa 1988. Now, thanks to Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint, it has a cool vintage {French?} vibe! For this particular project, I used:
Americana Decor Chalky Paint – Everlasting
Americana Decor Chalk Paint – Vintage
Americana Decor Creme Wax – clear
Americana Decor Cream Wax – Deep Brown
Chip Brush
Americana Decor Round Waxing Brush
Sandpaper
Lint-free cloth
(These products can all be found at Home Depot.)
Here’s a close-up of the fabric before I painted it:
The fabric was in good shape, but it was dingy and outdated. So, I tackled the fabric first – with paint!
I watered down the paint: 1 part water to 1 part paint. Then, I stirred the paint and water and started painting the fabric. I let the first coat dry and applied the second coat. Once the second coat dried (and I painted the rest of the chair), I applied 2 coats of clear wax to the fabric.
Next, I started painting the actual chair. It’s basically the same process as painting the fabric, but you don’t water down the paint.
I painted 2-3 coats of paint on the entire chair – letting each coat dry before applying the next coat.
Then, I waxed the entire chair with clear wax. (I also added some dark wax to the chair, but I’ll get to that later.)
Next, you buff the wax after it has dried with a light, lint-free cloth.
Finally, you can sand if you prefer the more vintage look.
I used dark wax because I wanted a really vintage look. If you use dark wax, you must apply clear wax first. It provides a base for the dark wax, and it’s much easier to wipe away the dark wax with a clear coat underneath. As you can see in the picture above:
Clear wax
Dark wax
After buffing away some of the dark wax
I used a cheap chip brush for painting, and Americana’s wax brush for waxing. Seriously, this brush (as seen in the pic above) is awesome!
And, there you have it! I am loving my “new” chair and found the Americana Chalky Finish Paints to be easy to use. I also have to mention that they are low odor – I painted (and waxed!) inside my home.
I found this amazing headboard at a flea market last summer. It was love at first sight. Seriously, my heart skipped a beat.
I love old furniture, but I do get a little creeped out by used fabric pieces. The velvet upholstery was in perfect condition (despite the green color which did not match my decor), but I didn’t know where this headboard had been and it smelled pretty bad. And, I was asking MY GUESTS to lay their heads next to a used (stinky) fabric headboard. So, before I tried reupholstering it, I decided to try paint!
I painted the frame of the headboard in Annie Sloan Paris Gray chalk paint. To see more about how to use chalk paint, click HERE.
I also painted the upholstery with Annie Sloan Paint, but I used Pure White and clear Annie Sloan soft wax.
The first step is to water down the paint for the fabric. I did a 1:1 ratio – 1 part paint to 1 part water. (I did clean the upholstery before I painted it by washing it down with Mr. Clean. I’m not sure how much that did, but at least I tried.)
After you have your watered down paint ready, start painting!
I have painted an upholstered fabric chair (to see more about that project, click HERE), but this velvet was new to me. It really SOAKS up the paint. I painted layer after layer after layer…
I was lazy on the last layer and used straight, chalk paint. Do not get lazy like me. Keep watering the paint down to avoid the paint from cracking.
By the time I was done, I painted between 4-5 coats of paint. I used almost my entire quart of paint to complete this project.
Once I had (finally) completed the painting portion, I let it dry. Drying takes a while since you soak the upholstery in the process. I had to wait a full 24 hours before I began the next step.
I lightly sanded the paint before I waxed.
After I sanded, there was chalk paint dust everywhere. I used a hand vac to sweep it up before I began waxing.
I added two layers of wax, and then I took my lint free cloth (an old tshirt) and rubbed in/buffed the wax.
I let the wax set a couple days, and then I set the headboard up in my guest room.
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
Today I’m sharing how to paint a fabric chair with chalk paint.
I’m not afraid to paint things. My motto is: it’s just paint – you can always repaint! However, I was a little skeptical of the recent popularity of painting upholstered furniture. But, I can now add it to my list because I painted a fabric chair!
The chair I painted was 10 years old, and I actually had it in my Goodwill pile. It looks much better in the photo, but it has seen some wear and tear.
Lena had drawn on it, there was a hole in the upholstery, and the seat was pretty grimy – despite my numerous attempts to clean the seat. Honestly, this picture does the chair way too much justice. Anyway, I had seen lots of Pinterest pins on people painting upholstered furniture, and I decided this was the perfect opportunity to test it out. So, I pulled out my Annie Sloan Chalk paint (Duck Egg, Old Ochre, and clear wax) and got to work!
I painted the fabric in Annie Sloan Duck Egg and the wooden legs and arms in Annie Sloan Old Ochre. For my first coat of paint on the fabric (I did two coats), I dipped the brush in water before I dipped it in the paint. It helps the fabric absorb the paint better. The first coat took a while, but it wasn’t hard. Just a little time-consuming.
It was a little boring at this point, so I decided to give it some stripes – inspired by the beach towel I was painting on…
Or inspired by Lena’s little striped socks sticking out in the top right of the photo? 😉 Anyway, I taped off the stripes. I didn’t measure, but I attempted to visually make them straight and even.
I used frog tape, and it worked great! I really think frog tape is worth the extra money.
Next, I sanded down everything. I usually sand after I remove the wax, but I find that I go through so much sandpaper this way. The wax really gunks up the sandpaper fast. So, sanding before the wax worked well, but I did have to blow off all the dust before I added the wax.
I used a bigger wax brush for this project. It helps the waxing process go so much quicker! (By the way, I need some lotion on those hands!)
Then, I used a lint-free cloth (t-shirt) to buff the wax. I was seriously impressed at how easy it was to paint fabric. And, the fabric still can move. The paint doesn’t crack – at least not yet! I wouldn’t do this on a “tv watchin'” chair, but it will make the best office chair!
Would you paint a fabric chair with chalk paint?
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
I recently saw a beautiful flower garland on one of those daily deal home decor sites. It was $50 for a 6 ft strand. For that price, I decided I’d attempt to make a felt flower garland myself. And you know what, a strand (double the length!) cost me under $10!
Here’s what you need for this DIY Felt Flower Garland:
Glue Gun (and glue sticks)
2 Sheets of Foam paper (you can also use cardstock/cardboard or poster board, but I like foam paper because it doesn’t rip easily.)
4 Sheets of felt
12 Feet of Ribbon
I found all of my supplies at Hobby Lobby. As you can see in the picture, I stocked up on the felt since I wasn’t sure how many sheets I needed. Obviously, I way overbought. Luckily the sheets were only 25 cents for the plain and 50 cents for the patterned.
STEP 1: Draw circles on your foam sheets. (I used the Lego cup that recently came in Happy Meals from McDonalds.)
STEP 2: Cut out the circles. (Obviously, they don’t need to be perfect.)
STEP 3: Hole punch the circles on opposite ends
STEP 4: String your ribbon through the circles. (I tied my two 6 ft strands of ribbon together to make one large strand.)
STEP 5: Cut the felt sheets lengthwise into strips. (Mine were around 1 inch wide.)
STEP 6: Put some glue in the center of the circle. (Don’t look at my terrible manicure.)
STEP 7: Start to roll a strip of felt and place it on the hot glue.
STEP 8: Once you have the center securely in place, keep gluing around the center and continue wrapping the felt strip around.
STEP 9: Add a second strip of felt and continue wrapping it around covering the foam circle as much as possible.
STEP 10: Enjoy your felt flower and repeat steps to make more! (I alternated my colors, and I double-sided them as I found that the flowers flipped around when hung.) This project is really easy but somewhat time-consuming. I made most of it while watching Frozen with my kids, but I was working as fast as I could. However, I think it was worth the time and $8.50 ($1.50 for the felt sheets, $1 for the foam sheets, and $6 for the ribbon) for this DIY flower felt garland!
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
Learn how to make your own DIY chalkboard calendar!
Baseball season for my boys is just around the corner, and in preparation, I decided needed to create a DIY chalkboard calendar.
For this chalkboard paint project, I used an old mirror I found last summer at a flea market. However, you could also paint over the glass of an old frame or paint a chalkboard directly to a wall. First, I painted chalkboard paint on my mirror and waited 24 hours after the final coat dried. (I did two coats for this project.) Next, I printed out my lettering for the mirror.
Then, I used the technique I shared in a previous post to get my perfect lettering. If you don’t know this technique, I promise it’s fairly simple and you can check out my tutorial HERE.
Making the calendar lines was the hardest part. I went with 7 boxes across for the days of the week and 5 boxes down. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about the fact that a few months start on Saturday and actually require 6 boxes down (Like this month, March 2014). Anyway, I’ll just be a day late (or early) switching the months, and this will solve my problem.
I used a (semi-permanent) chalk pen on the quote, days of the week, and grid lines (I did 4-inch squares). This way, when I erase the board every month, only the events erase (since I use regular chalk to fill in the squares).
*I found these chalk pens on Amazon.
They are great for chalkboards you want to keep more “permanent”.
Here’s an affiliate link for the chalk pens on Amazon:
Get organized with this (monthly view) calendar. I use a regular piece of white chalk to fill it in every month.
Do you prefer a weekly schedule? I also use a weekly chalkboard calendar in my kitchen.
The shoe cubby was a find at a local antique shop. I was told it was once in my town’s original post office. True story or not, it’s one of my favorite finds to date. Also, the mirror I used is a little larger than 2 feet by 3 feet. I wouldn’t go much smaller because I think you won’t have room to write in the squares.
*All Sincerely Sara D. printables are for personal, non-commercial use only. Useit, gift it, but don’t alter it, sell it or otherwise distribute the print or the file.
This DIY rag bunting tutorial is easy and inexpensive. The bunting makes adorable decor for any nursery or kids space!
Easy DIY rag bunting
As I’ve mentioned before, my sisters are both pretty creative. My younger sister recently made a rag bunting for my niece’s room. It’s adorable and easy! Here are the supplies you need: *fabric *rope *scissors (1) Gather up your fabric – my sister actually picked up old sheets at thrift stores and garage sales for her bunting. It was inexpensive, and the sheets are easy to tear.
Easy DIY rag bunting
(2) Next, you need to tear the fabric. You can cut notches at the top of the fabric – I would suggest 3-4 inches wide. The notches help get the tearing going. (3) Once you have your fabric strips, cut them the length you prefer. I would keep them somewhat similar in length, but they do not need to be perfect.
Easy DIY rag buntingEasy DIY rag bunting
(4) Start tying. Figure out how long of a bunting you want, and you just fill the rope up with your fabric ties. You can make it as full (or sparse) as you like.
(5) Enjoy! There you have it. An easy DIY rag bunting! Be as creative as you like with patterns and colors. These buntings also make adorable party decor!
Painting kitchen cabinets with chalk paint is a great option because it eliminates the need to sand, strip or prime. It does, however, have a more rustic look and brush lines are more visible with this type of paint.
When I first decided to take on my kitchen cabinets, I decided to take on the small section under the stove. Then it turned into one wall of the uppers which led to the next wall of cabinets. Well, this week I painted the lower cabinets too. I blame all this on two friends who were painting (all) their cabinets. I didn’t want to be left behind, so I painted what I had left. But first, here is the kitchen before:
And the after:
painting kitchen cabinets
I painted all the cabinets in Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint. The Uppers are painted in Annie Sloan Old Ochre and the lowers are painted in Annie Sloan Versailles. To see a more detailed look at how I did it, you can check out my (step by step!) tutorial on painting cabinets with chalk paint HERE or check out my DIY feature on About.com.
**IMPORTANT UPDATE**I hated the wax sealer on my kitchen cabinets and ended up repainting them all. To see that process (and photos of why I hated the wax) click HERE. Save yourself the time and trouble and don’t use wax as your sealer in the kitchen!
Go create something!
Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.
***UPDATE*** I had several of you ask where my stove was. It’s on a separate wall – directly across from the wall my dishwasher is on. To see more click HERE or on the pic below.
Four years after moving into this house, we remodeled the kitchen. To see the newly updated space, click HERE!
