Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Ikea Dresser - Painted

 
Above photo: Dresser after I painted white lines on 3 drawers and changed knobs on same drawers a couple of years ago.


I used the same colors in the frames I painted on the rest of the dresser. I added the blue and gold to drawers.


 
I love those marquee letters, but they're so expensive. So I made one (that doesn't light up) using cardboard, glue and pins. Up close it doesn't look great, but from where it sit on our mantle, mistakes aren't TOO noticeable.

And the munny (what's the plural?) that spell "wiese" are finally done.
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Photo Gallery and Photo Shelves

From left clockwise: Daniel & Soren weeks after birth, Library in Ephesus (awesome!), a canal in Venice, columns in ancient Athens.

Lately.
I have been ON IT lately. Actually hanging photos long printed and framed. Painting, making completing, organizing. AND taking care of an 8 month old. I don't know what happened and where the motivation came from, but I'm happy. 

Above is our dining room. I always planned on it being black and white art only. The 4 largest photos to be in that room are finally up, now I have to print and frame 6 more photos and give this a completed look.


Above is a bad iPhone photo of a wall in our room. It's a large wall with only these illustrations on it. I dreamed of having a fainting chair there, but dreams are often just that. So I wanted to brighten the room and give this wall some thought.


I put up 3 shelves for books, picked out some bright spray paint colors and painted my existing frames. With the three shelves there I could add two additional illustrations of mine (these are a series I create for Daniel), plus one of an artist I love, and a couple of photos from our Mediterranean trip (here, here, here, here AND here...a bit linky...i know).



I also painted our dresser, but that's for another time.
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Golden Jars - Create It Yourself

 
    Christmas is at our house this year, and we're super excited. To make it special I wanted to have    
    place settings for everybody. I've been saving glass jars and bottles for a while, planning to do 
    something with them, and I finally figured out the perfect use.
    Here is how to complete this project:
    1. Scrub EVERY bit of the wrapper and glue off of your jars/bottles. Hot water helps get 
    the glue off. 
          *Paint is not a cover up, if anything, it emphasizes any glue or wrapper left on the bottle.
    2. Once they're dry, use blue tape to cover areas you don't want painted. Some of my jars have 
    patterns, and I tried to make others look like they were dipped in gold.
    3. Paint.  (I used a gold metallic spray paint, but you can use whatever you want)
      - Cover a large area with plastic, because spray paint spreads especially when it's windy. 
      - Be sure to cover the opening of the bottle so paint doesn't get inside.
      - The first coat of spray paint should not be the last. Spray painting is better with multiple 
         thin coats. 
      - Wait 15 minutes between each coat, and let dry for 30 minutes before handling it.
    4. Remove tape once jars dry, and display.

 
    The photo above is an example of what happens when you don't aim.

 
This is not the complete place setting, but it is a complete jar.
Did I mention I'm excited about Christmas? I AM!
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Textured Painting DIY

  
 I know...two DIY posts in one week! But it's been a productive week!

Some rooms have been neglected in my house. One in particular is the guest room, and we hate the idea that people stay with us, and the room has no mood whatsoever. With our state of finances, and the free time I am endowed with, I have to make decorations. FINE BY ME!
I wanted to create a geometric painting (it has no significance), but didn't want a flat piece. So i created some texture. Here's how you can do it:
1. Use a flat edge to spread spackle on your canvas. (A metal spatula is best, if you have one. I figured out where mine was hidden AFTER I applied spackle.) It's up to you how much or little you apply. Remember, the more you put on, the more little crevices you will have to work at getting paint into.
2. Once the spackle has dried (it should be white when it is dry), apply the background color. I used a heavy acrylic paint. The crevices will be difficult, make sure you take a small brush, if necessary, to fill in tighter areas.
If you're layering paints (as I am) it is important to remember that it is easier to cover light colors with dark, so paint the light color first. 
3. Let your paint dry really well. You don't want colors to smear together just because the base wasn't dry yet.

 
4. If you are looking for a more precise painting, draw out shapes you'll be using. I was really hoping for a specific sized triangle, so I made my measurements and drew them accordingly.
5. Cut out shapes.
6. Place cut out shape in desired place. Trace. 
7. Paint the edges first. If you are not adding texture, you can use blue tape to keep a straight edge. With all of the spackle on this canvas I had to just go very slowly, and embrace little mistakes.
8. Fill in shapes with paint. You may have to go over some areas again.


 
Now I have to get another canvas to paint and hang above the other lamp (not pictured). The guest room is getting a little more personality...we just need to invest in a comforter, instead of using a quilt that doesn't match!
Good luck painting!
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Create It Yourself

 
 
My guestroom needed a little something. It has been neglected since I never use it. 

I used blue tape to create a grid on the wall. If you get 1 inch thick tape then that can be used as a spacer between the photos. Put two long strips on the horizontal and vertical center, and from there use small pieces of tape in between photos. Make sure you use lots of double sided tape so the photos don't fall...I've had to redo my wall because I didn't use enough tape.

I didn't want any sort of permanent fixture, because as more photos were taken I wanted to switch them out. So, I may end up putting photo corners on a poster board and slide the photos in that.
All of these photos were taken with my iPhone using Instagram or Hipstamatic. I love these apps...any time I can have the look of analog, I'm happy!
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Trash or Treasure

 

Truth is, these trays were never trash...BUT they lacked personality, and I just couldn't have that. Want to know how to create a custom stencil? Freezer paper!
1. Draw your design on a freezer paper. (rough side, not glossy)
2. Cut out design. It can get a little confusing keeping track of what to throw away, and what to keep. I'd suggest coloring in the part you want to throw away before you start cutting to keep track of what you're doing.
3. Iron on the stencil. That's right...iron. The glossy side will stick.
4. Paint. I like to use a foam brush to dab, because I found that some areas of the freezer paper don't stick perfectly. If you dab, you'll be less likely to have bleeding under the stencil. You can also spray paint. I didn't this time, cause I didn't have the color I wanted.
5. Carefully peel the paper up. I like to wait til the paint is partially dry, but not totally dry, cause the paint may peel up.



I wanted to add stripes for a little more color and fun. I used painters tape to add the stripes. Some surfaces (like the tray table) that are used as a table top will need a protective clear coating to help it stay. The acrylic paint can peel off.

Today I'm going to paint a chevron pattern onto another of the tray tables.

Have you ever created your own stencil? If so, what did you use to create it?
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