Delusions of DIY: Passport Stamp Coasters

This post is all about living in the real world. I'm so not crafty.  Or handy.  But I've mentioned that before.  I still try and sometimes the results are adequate, sometimes the results are utter crap.  Like this project.

I picked up the wood circles at a random Ben Franklin I stopped in a few months ago (didn't realize they were even still around) with a coaster project in mind (gee, thanks pinterest).  I made copies of some of the more interesting/pretty passport stamps and visas in our passports onto vellum.  I was operating under the idea that I could Modge Podge the vellum to the wood the same way others have been doing with other papers to ceramic tiles.

Then I decided I didn't want the exposed wood on the sides/back of the coasters and that the vellum might look better on top of a wash of color.  So I used the Martha Stewart gold from Home Depot (decided not to use it on a previous project but had already opened it), I added some water, brushed it on and wiped it off.

 I liked the end result, but would water it down more if I did it again for less overall color.

Then I cut out the portions of the stamps I wanted to use on the coasters using the circles as a template.

(Yes, I did all this with a towel spread over my lap while sitting on the sofa watching TV.)

I applied the vellum with the Modge Podge and even though I thought I had it wrinkle free as it dried that was so not the case.  I tried smoothing the vellum down as it was drying but that just ended up blurring the images, maybe because it was vellum and not paper?  I added a top layer of Modge Podge as well hoping I could still salvage them but no luck.


The top left (visa for extended stay in Belgium) turned out the best, the two on the right side (entry/exit stamps for Russia with the Statue of Liberty in the background and entry/exit stamps along with Visas for Jordan) are just too blurry and wrinkled.

The three that I did with single cutouts from my photocopies had the most potential.  The one I tried to use more two separate pieces of vellum on wouldn't lay flat for anything.

If I were to try it again I would do an actual image transfer onto the wood instead of using the vellum.

So there you have it. Not a terrible way to spend an hour, I can laugh at myself and the end result.  I learned something from it (I think) but it was definitely a miss instead of a hit.  I can't be the only one with projects that totally fail??  At least I hope not......

Delusions of DIY: Painted Doormat

I was inspired by this image on Pinterest:

bhg

I have a black door, I have almost the exact same lanterns in the same place, I tracked down the urns at the end of fall last year and this summer I did something I've never done before in my entire life.  Planted flowers.

My Salvia looks sickly all the time and I'm tempted (but too lazy) to just pull it out.

Then I decided a needed a door mat.  Let's ignore the fact that the only people to ever come to our front door are the UPS and USPS delivery people (I'm beginning to wonder if Piperlime and Nordstrom will cut me off for abusing the free returns). 

After seeing the many tutorials floating around on Pinterest (and because of all the Piperlime boxes) I decided to go the DIY route.

Last weekend I attempted a monogram with a border.  It didn't work out quite as I'd hoped.  I used the negative space from some random chipboard letters I had laying around and painfully cut out the letters from a sheet of "permanent" adhesive labels I had laying around.  Permanent my ass.  The painters tape held up well but as soon as I started spraying the small letters of the monogram went flying and I ended up with this:

It's fine but really wasn't doing anything for me, so it's at the back door and today I decided to try again. I bought another $7 coir mat from Home Depot and decided to go in a totally different direction.  Union Jack.

I taped out the pattern:

Decided which of the colors I had laying around to use:

Ended up with Rustoleum's Night Tide, and sprayed away:

I actually really like the end result of this one:

Except that it's too small, how did I not realize that before I did all this???  I haven't seen larger plan coir mats anywhere but I guess I'll keep looking or break down and buy a spendy one.

DIY Industrial Wall Vases

Friday night I took this photo in the bathroom of a newly opened restaurant in Milwaukee, Odd Duck.  I loved the decor for the most part and per the bartender the build-out was all done by the owners of the restaurant along with the staff.

As coincidence would have it, I saw this image on Pinterest on Saturday:

Which links back to this awesome tutorial on Design Sponge.

Clearly not a new idea, but new to me, or maybe my new found interest in industrial fixtures and fittings has just finally made me take notice.

Delusions of DIY: Gold Painted Geodes

I'm obsessed with all things gold at the moment and I've always liked geodes so of course I repinned this image on Pinterest:

And instantly thought of it when I came across this little cutie at a consignment shop today, it had me hooked with the lucite base:

Major improvement after removing the "Geode" sticker (thanks Captain Obvious) and the gross green felt from the bottom of the lucite base:

I used Goof Off in the little metal can to remove the adhesive:

I read the can AFTER I used it, when my fingers starting feeling weird, and apparently you shouldn't let come in contact with your skin.  The warning label reads "WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm."

Awesome.  I wasn't planning to use my reproductive parts but I'd still like to keep the intact.  I should really get some decent rubber gloves, and read labels first.

Then I used my new favorite to come in a can product on the outside of the geode after taping off the lucite base and face with painters tape:

The end result:

I'm not positive I love the gold paint now that it's done (and wishing the geode was a teal/turquoise color).

Our House: My Long Neglected Office

Last fall I made the permanent shift to working from home full time and my home office went from mainly unused to needing to support actual work.  No longer just a place to put paperwork and random furniture (my husband's massive wing back chair, the Room & Board Loring Sofa that wasn't comfortable enough for the living room....) but the room in the house where I'll spend a huge chunk of my time.

This was such a 'non-room' for me that I don't even have any proper before photos:

The only in progress photo is a random one taken by my mother in law shortly after we moved in (before it was totally crapped up):

When I look at my Home Office board on Pinterest there are some common themes that jump out to me right away:

Clearly I like the two matching tall bookcases flanking a desk or shorter table (and I must be the only one that needs actual office equipment in my office.)

I picked up this vintage drafting table on Craig's List for $100 (and was THRILLED with the price):

Clearly it needs some cleaning up but I still think it'll be perfect for my office.

Sometime last spring I came across a set of campaign bedroom furniture and just had to the buy a single drawer, 2 door little 29" tall chest.  I had no idea what I was going to do with it but I couldn't not get it.  So it sat in my garage as one of the many pieces of random furniture that were occupying my parking spot for months.

Then I bought a 3 drawer campaign chest the same size and decided I should have hutches built to get my vision of the tall bookcases.

Then I got prices for the hutches.  I seriously miss my hourly finish carpenter. Badly.

I procrastinated on the hutches for months.  My office is embarrassingly overflowing and disorganized at this point.  Olive thinks blueprints are her bed (which makes perfect sense considering slippers are her favorite toys).

Yesterday I bought two vintage Stanley furniture bookcases at St. Vincent de Paul, they're well made, in a great condition, and cost far less than having the hutches made for the Campaign chests.  Not to mention they are ideal for my needs:

They've already been stripped of their hardware, cleaned and sanded.  Choosing the 'right' dark teal/peacock inky blue color is proving harder than I expected.  I'm debating between these two colors at the moment but oddly enough Hague Blue looks brighter and lighter in most actual photos and Teal darker:

          

           Farrow and Ball Hague Blue

             Benjamin Moore Teal

Either way though, the inside is going gold!

I'm not still feeling the massive surge of motivation to get stuff done like I was a few weeks ago but I'm definitely ready for this progress. 

It was fun while it lasted....

I'm bummed picnik is closing but have had fun playing with all the premium features on the site that I would never spring for.  I trying to find a place in our house to work in this photo I look in London.

Wish our usable wall space wasn't so limited!

Gettin' Crafty

I really am the worst DIYer ever.  I start projects with high hopes and expectations that typically come crashing to the ground while my husband looks on trying not to laugh but unable to look away.  I guess that's what I get for thinking "I don't need to pay someone else to do this, any idiot can do this."  Apparently not this idiot as indicated by the variety of things I've attempted and given up on.

I've more or less accepted this fact about myself and have resigned myself to paying people to do the things I want done.  Then came Pinterest, one of the very first things I pinned was a DIY project and at last count I have 187 pins on my DIY board.  Even if I tried to do one a month.......hahahahahhahahha.  Yeah.  Anyway. 

I've been wanting to try this this photo transfer to canvas method.  I love the wrapped canvas photos in almost all forms so this was an easy sell for me.

I won't bore you with the multi-step photos and instructions because someone else has already done them better but I'm sure the suspense is killing you.......

I used a photo I took of a prayer tree in bloom at a temple in Japan and one of a palace turned museum in Russia.  I'm not displeased with the outcome but I'll definitely distress my photos further in Picnik before doing more, these came out a little too true to the original photo for me.  I'm excited to try a few different mixed media type projects using this method as well!

A bonus picture of the map versions a good friend recently did for a wedding gift......

I wish my sewing projects were going this well.  I'm sorry, but a straight line is HARD.

Next up, is a project I'll tackle with a client for her space.  We needed a plug-in pendant light in her dining area to help define the space in a large living/dining room.  On a budget.  I can't wait to do this one!

Reader Project: Amazing Painted Wall

I am totally blown away by this project.  Not only for the amazing outcome but also the tenacity to undertake it in the first place (makes me feel like a schlep).

It was love at first sight for Alice with the Paeonia wallpaper in gold from Anthropologie.  

After doing the math on just what the paper itself would cost without factoring in hanging it she had a whopping cost of $500 for just one wall!

Alice decided this was something she could paint herself and the outcome is so amazing I can't stop looking at the pictures.

The before:

Alice started with a print out of the pattern and made her stencil from a combination of file folders and cereal boxes.  Use ergonomic scissors or an exacto knife so you don't kill your hand with all the detailed cutting!

Then the pattern was traced onto the wall using the 'stencil'.  Use a pen in the same color family as your paint color!  Then get to painting!

In progress:

And the amazing final product.  For a final cost of $28.18 and about two months of on and off time Alice gets to look at this everyday!

So incredibly gorgeous!

Alice was kind enough to share her template with us, if anyone attempts this please report back!

Template