Mr. Blu likes a nice variety of whiskey. I’m not a big fan of the smokey Old standard unless it is sweetened and flavored and disguised like Apple Crown. And I’ve developed a liking to flavored brandy. There’s nothing quite so shocking as sitting down to sip some Apple Crown, taking that first relaxing sip, and grimacing because you’ve got your palette full of Woodford Reserve. So, I decided to avert future disasters by making liquor bottle labels or tags for our decanters.

We had developed a bit of a whiskey and bar selection during Covid. As a blogger who is constantly trying to improve the aesthetic in my home, those bottle lined up in the kitchen became an eyesore. Does your liquor shelf look like this?

So last year, I dug out the glass and crystal decanters that were stored in the buffet, boxes, and closets around the house. I had collected these when I had my antiques and consignment store, The Blue Building. The decanters were some of the items I decided not to part with so they were in boxes in the garage.

I decided to store the more commonly enjoyed liquors in the decanters. Specialty selections would stay in their original bottles on the shelf. As you can see, my first attempt at creating labels didn’t go so well.

I used adhesive backed labels that I had picked up some time ago. They were probably too old as they curled up a bit.

I even tried to label directly on the glass with a paint marker. Ugly!

The stickers didn’t work so well on the glass and some even fell off.

And the white marker that I used didn’t create crisp letters. What a mess! I needed something that would stay put and look like it was not created in a kindergarten class.

Liquor Bottle Label Examples

I checked out the price of actual tags on Amazon and found the average price to be around $20 for 6 tags. They had liquor tags made of metal, in silver, and gold, liquor sticker labels, a nice little variety. That could get pricey with the small but varied selection on our bar top. Isn’t that why we DIY? So, I will make some DIY liquor bottle tags.

I am sharing this little project as part of the monthly Creative Craft Hop. Thank you to Donna at Modern on Monticello for hosting this month. Give her some extra love by lingering on her pages for more fabulous inspiration. If you are visiting from Sarah’s over at Birds of a Feather, welcome! I know you enjoyed Sarah’s project. Who doesn’t love a little crochet activity? Let’s get on with creating some liquor bottle labels.

Creating a Liquor Bottle Label Design

I used the graphics option in Pic Monkey to select a few designs. I decided to start simple with just a basic design of simple fonts on white background with black lettering. I can always up my game later. In my DIY world, I always start simple, learn the process, and then elevate.

I started with the whiskey since there was a great variety and then I added the flavored vodkas.

I ordered these chains from Amazon. They are 4″ long and easily snap together to increase the chain length. I used 2 for each tab.

They had many option for color. I chose this brown because I thought it resembled copper. Turns out they really look like brown but I do like the unexpected color.

I printed the graphic design and cut out the tags.

I made a few blanks.

I bought this little laminator back when I had my store. I think I have used it once. It has a variety of laminating sheets to choose from…normal page size, 5X7 for photos, and a wallet size too.

After figuring out how the heck it operated, I was able to laminate my tags.

I poked two holes in each tag and threaded the chain through each tag. I didn’t want to spend $ on a new hole punch for a tiny hole so I just used some small pointy embroidery scissors.

The chains are the right size and slip over the decanter necks very easily.

I made tags for the brands that we normally enjoy but made a few blanks that I can write on with a Sharpie.

I used a decanter that belonged to my Mom. I remember this being in our dining room but always empty. I think it is from the 1970’s.

And now I see them all of the time. I had this one in storage from my shop.

This vintage duo came from my store.

As did this one.

And this was an anniversary gift to Mom and Dad on their 25th Wedding Anniversary. Don’t mind the wonky Peach brandy label. I tried to use the label from the original bottle but the pieces wanted to move position when the ran through the laminator. I will make another label to replace this one.

I even made a few label for the guys on the bench. It’s important to be ready when you are called up!

And I still have a decanter or two to fill but I need to make a stopper for this one.

And here is the gang all ready for the party.

Below are the 5 moreprojects for this month’s Creative Craft Hop. Next, on the tour is this month’s lovely host, Donna. Be sure to leave some comments and show the creators some love! Thanks for stopping by.

How to Make Liquor Bottle Tags

Painting Mini Chairs For Shelf Decor

How to Cover an Acrylic File Organizer with Decorative Paper

Crochet Leaf Earrings

Upcycle Picture Frames to Trays

How to Crochet a Cozy Tablet Case

The post How to Make Liquor Bottle Tags appeared first on Shop at Blu.

As always, if we are renewing, repurposing, reusing, or upcycling you know it is time for the Thrift Store Decor Team monthly projects. I am excited to see some spring projects this month. Be sure to check out the team projects that are each linked at the end of this post.

Step one, I gathered my supplies:

• Craft paint in vibrant colors
• White paint for base coat
• Various paint brushes
• cup of water (to rinse brushes0
• paper towels (for drying brushes and blotting paint when I make mistakes ’cause there will be mistakes)

PAINT!

I started with the easiest flower to refresh…the daisy. I traced the edges of the petals with some bright pink. I just continued around the flower until I had highlighted every petal.

Then, I filled in the lighter areas with a paler color to add freshen those areas. I went back with a few darker swipes of paint to mimic shading.

Next up was the roses. Same process…add color on the edges, refresh the centers, add shading.

I worked my way through the types of flowers and moved onto the leaves and stems, highlighting and adding dabs of vibrant colors.

LETTERING

The last part was the lettering. I selected a bright violet red, a bright purple color.

***And here is where I will pause and say…USE THE RIGHT TOOLS! I was rushing so I grabbed a few paintbrushes that were handy.

Midway through the lettering touch up process, I realized that better brushes suited for lettering were needed. Did I stop and rummage through the supply closet to find them? NO! Consequently, the lettering was a mess. The lines were too thick. They were not crisp and sharp. So I had to wait for the paint to dry to fix the mess.

The good thing about paint is that it is always easy to fix. My patience, or should I say my impatience…not so much. Take your time! Use the right tools! Reduce your frustration level! Do it right the first time. (The project is finished, sort of, but I will still need to touch up the lettering a bit when my temperament is better). LOL.

Slow and steady wins the race! Even veteran creators make mistakes and have to pay the consequences of rushing a project! So give me a few days…and check back for the “really finished” lettering.

Ok, enough side notes…back to the project.

Load your brush and simply follow the lines. There are brushes for lettering and I would highly suggest investing in a few. Some have very flat bristles that will ensure crisp straight edges on your letters. Some are skinny long that allow you to follow the curves of a letter. PRACTICE! The more comfortable you are with the process, the easier it will be. PRACTICE!

Another reason to practice? Dark purples and red paints tend to stain a white canvas. Such is difficult to wipe away and just as difficult to cover. So, if you make a mistake, allow the paint to dry completely and cover the mistake several times. Several times means apply the white over the purple mistake and allow the paint to dry. Only when the paint is completely dry should you repeat this process as many times as needed.

When the paint has dried, use a smaller brush to fill in the letters. I would also suggest tracing out the lines where you want them and slowly fill them in with small strokes to avoid more mistakes.

Good lettering takes lots of practice. So, don’t get discouraged. The answer is PRACTICE.

FILLING IN SPACE

When you are touching up an existing piece of art, it’s really a game of color matching. If I can’t match a color, I get as close as I can and I try to blend. In the photo above, I used a light grey wash and covered the entire canvas OVER the design. This brought coherency to the project. And a little white wash freshens everything.

FINALLY

So here is the final project with the disclaimer that I will go back and touch up those letters a little bit more. Sometimes you just have to walk away for a minute and then resume.

I hope you enjoyed my not so perfect project! Every now and then, the project doesn’t go as planned and you have to pause and regroup and sometimes step away. And that’s okay!

Bundt Pan Bird Feeder My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Upcycle Thrift Store Art Shop At Blu –YOU ARE HERE!

Two Ways to Update Thrift Store Art Our Southern Home

Repurposing A Damaged Stoneware Crock House Of Hawthornes

Small Country Shelf Makeover  My Repurposed Life

Diy Easter Display Petticoat Junktion

The post Upcycle Thrift Store Art appeared first on Shop at Blu.

If I am upcycling, recycling, renewing, or refreshing….it must be time for this month’s THRIFT STORE DECOR TEAM projects!

At the end of this post are the links to every team member’s projects for this month. What new skills do you think we will see today?

Now, let’s get into our upcycled MCM china cabinet!

Where We Started

I’ve had this china cabinet in the garage for some time. I am drawn to the wooden design in the glass doors as well as the Queen Anne-like curves on the top of this classic beauty. Those wooden designs have a name. From Google:

Mullions / Muntins are moldings that divide the opening of a Cabinet Door Frame and either hold individual panes of glass (true divided lites) or more commonly serve as decorative accents over a single pane of glass.

While my love for mahogany is growing, this piece has some veneer damage…

and other issues…

And I can’t help wonder how beautiful she would be upcycled with a more contemporary flair. She’s been waiting for a fabulous makeover. Until today, I didn’t know how or where she would be used. But, I finally have a plan for this beauty. This will be fun.

Prep Your Furniture

I always start a furniture project by cleaning the piece, sanding (the whole piece or selective area, depending on the amount of damage and the condition of the wood), cleaning again, and wiping down with TSP to remove residual dirt and oils. Sometimes, like in this case, some repairs are necessary too.

In this case, part of the base had fallen off when the piece was exposed to a flood. I had the damaged parts so I just glued them back into place and secured with a few nails. I made the basic repairs so that I could continue but I will most likely return to this piece and reinforce the repairs.

I’m often torn between getting on with the project and completing a restorative repair that takes more time. Usually, my excitement gets the best of me and I do a quick but effective patch. What would you do? Sand, patch, restore? Or glue, paint, move on? Although I’m excited to have this piece in my home, I don’t know how long I will keep her as she is quite large. I suppose if I was going to keep her forever or if she was a family heirloom then I would spend the time for a flawless repair. This time, my impatience got the best of me and I did the basics. I’ll keep you posted on whether I polish her up.

You know I love me some blue. I mean, look at the dresser that’s already in the room. I’m trying to create a vibrant yet moody broody blue bordering on indigo. A rich velvety blue. Ah!

Creating Color with Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint

I consulted my friend Swooz, aka the paint recipe genius at Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. Swooz is the genius behind the BDSFP recipes and fabulous color combinations you will see on their website.

At Swooz’s recommendation, I went with Cadet Blue followed by a coat of black glaze. Swooz recommended General Finishes glaze in Pitch Black. So that’s what I used.

The recipe for Cadet Blue is a 1:1 ration of Blue Ridge to Appalachian Sunset.

Introducing a New Product

Before we begin with the Cadet Blue, let me to introduce you to a new product! This is Mask and Peel.

It cuts down on the time and effort and elbow grease needed to paint things like window panes and dividers and mullions or muntins. Congratulations to me on using our new terms in a complete sentence.

In theory, you paint on the mask and peel, allow it to dry, paint your mullions, allow to dry, score the straight edges, and peel the mask off of the glass.

I am sure that this product works. I just has beginner’s bad luck. I think I painted the mask on in too thin of a coat. Most of it did not peel very well. But some did.

I used a razor blade to scrape the portions that would not peel This took some time, but was till easier than painting each mullion and scraping the paint off of the glass. I would definitely use it again. It really made the paint come off of the glass quite easily.

Slap on that Color

After prepping, I applied 1 coat of Cadet Blue allowing at least 4 hours of dry time before the second coat.

These days, sometimes it’s a week between coats. At any rate, the paint is dry and ready for the next layer.

Time to Glaze

I painted on the black glaze and wiped it off. I wanted a dark and broody look so I left the glaze rather thick. For a lighter appearance, you can cut the glaze or remove more during the wipe off process.

Here are some photos of the process…

I painted the inside with two coats and opted not to apply glaze to the inside so the interior would be brighter.

Here she is after paint but before the finishing touches. Don’t mind the lighting. This is such a difficult spot to photograph with that window causing the light in the room to constantly change.

My choice of wallpaper did not arrive in time for this project.

So I made a trip to a local store that was having a clearance sale and grabbed a shower curtain for $5.00.

I suspected that the shower curtain would be too bright of a back ground for my jewelry so I wanted the option to easily switch it out for the wallpaper or a lighter background at some point.

My first thought was to paint the interior white and mod podge colorful paper. But that seems like alot of work. After a quick inspection of the china cabinet, I determined that the back panel of the china cabinet was easily removeable.

I decided to simply wrap the panel with the material. Later, I can apply the wallpaper to the backside of the panel. Thus I will have two options that easily switch out by flipping the panel. We will see how that works after the wallpaper finally arrives. So for now, we have the floral shower curtain fabric.

I laid the fabric onto the panel and hot glued the edges. Then I simply took a razor blade and trimmed the excess fabric.

Once all of the paint dried, I simply tacked the panel into place on the back of the upcycled china cabinet.

I did a few minor repairs to the bottom front of china cabinet where a piece of the molding had fallen off. I glued the pieces together and nailed them back into place. I toyed with the thought of using wood putty to fill in the mars but decided against that as dings and knicks over time will reveal the light putty under the dark paint. I also don’t think the bottom mars will be noticeable as the focal point will be the interior of the piece. It’s a little rough, I will admit. This is before the glaze.

And here is a close up of the final project…

Although it is not super noticeable, I should have filled it with wood putty, sanded, and painted. I guess I will go back and do that. Slow down!! Do it right!

My ultimate plan is to move all of my jewelry into this updated MCM china cabinet. I think I will store our family photos in the bottom! You know, keep all of my treasures together. However, I have ALOT of jewelry so sorting and moving it all is a project for another day.

But, I couldn’t resist adding a few…

Maybe I can start to fill her up one day at a time.

I’m already enjoying walking past my most sentimental pieces.

This might take a while!

Fondue Forks as Plant Labels or Herb Markers

Restoring an Outdoor Lantern

Candle for Mothers Day

Vintage Metal Lunchbox Planter

Thrift Store Lamp Refresh With Paint and Rub-on Transfer

Spray Paint Faux Succulents

Succulent Letter Planter Arrangement

Upcycled MCM China Cabinet That’s me! You are HERE!

The post Upcycled MCM China Cabinet appeared first on Shop at Blu.

There was a tree pattern on this three panel room divider but I sprayed it with primer years ago. The back of the panel is white. She has definitely seen better days.

You know I love color. I had grabbed this wrapping paper on sale a year ago with the intention of using it on a tray for my office. I am still loving these vibrant colors so I decided to use this color scheme for my panel.

During the planning stage, I realized at 15 stripes per panel X 3 panels X 2 coats = 90 stripes to paint??That is a lot of stripes. Then you have to consider laying and securing the painter’s tape because, yes, I can paint, but straight stripes freehand? Nope. Lay the tape, prime the stripe, paint the stripe, let it dry, second coat? Again, a hard fast no. The answer was sitting right there…decoupage the paper onto the three panel room divider.

You know what that logo means…it’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday. Welcome, if this is your first visit! Eight of my creative DIY friends and I share one thrifty makeover on the second Wednesday of every month. Wait until you see the fabulous projects for this month! They are linked at the bottom of this post.

Upcycling a Three Panel Room Divider

My go to decoupage solution is Mod Podge. I love the easy application and the easy clean up. The product always results in a nicely sealed finish. I will share some of my other Mod Podge projects later in this post.

I’ve never decoupaged such a large surface and I’ve never used stripes. So this would be learning project for me. To avoid a long and detailed repetitive post, you can find detailed tips and application process in the following posts. I will just highlight the things that I learned from mod podging large areas with striped designs.

I started by laying the Mod Podge on about and 8-12″ section at a time. Brush the Mod Podge onto the screen and smooth the paper over the area. Hold the roll of paper back and brush the Mod Podge onto the next section. Carefully smooth the paper over the Mod Podge to eliminate bumps and air bubbles. Continue until your panel is finished.

You can see a few of the spots where I rushed the process. See the tops of the two outside screen panels. I had to go back and repair these.

Speaking of repairs, I did have a small tear in the paper when this panel fell over. Also, forgive the lighting variations as I’m trying to master the indoor/outdoor adjustments.

I simply lifted the paper and reglued the area. It’s not a perfect repair, but it will do. It isn’t super obvious in the end product.

It is a little more obvious close up. But from a distance, it is really hard to see the repair. It works! I also had to resecure the paper at the top of the two outer panels with additional Mod Podge. You can see the inconsistencies in the photo below.

Adding Interest to the Three Panel Screen

As always, in the midst of this project, I had a great idea! Why not break up the stripes by creating a functioning chalkboard on the center panel? I could use it as a project board and list my upcoming projects on it. And, if used for parties, I could add a special message for the occasion.

So, I taped off the edges with Frog Tape to make a border, and painted the panel with Chalkboard paint.

Because the base was white, I needed to apply 3 coats for full coverage.

Even though I carefully burnished the edges of the Frog Tape, I did have to go back and edge the chalkboard panel. I suppose this was because the three panel room divider is made of canvas. Thus, the paint got under the edges of the panel. No worries, though. My Zibra brush is perfect for edging! It is great for edges and straight lines. It’s also of mine favorite for painting trim and baseboards as well.

The final step was to reattach the hinges to complete the screen. Here was my first try:

This assembly would be great if you are viewing the screen from the right. I reversed the hinges on the panels as I will be viewing it from the left. You can easily switch them around as needed.

Why Stop Here??!

And, how about a dual purpose screen? I had some textured wall paper in the garage from a kitchen backsplash project from some 15 years ago (remember I said I have stuff??).

I grabbed it and added it to the backside of the three panel room divider for a more neutral look.

I used wallpaper paste instead of Mod Podge to attach the wallpaper. I had this paste leftover in the garage from a previous project.

Wallpaper has really really evolved over the last 10 years. The selection of colors and textures is unprecedented. And wallpaper is so easy to install these days with the availability of peel and stick or removeable wallpaper. You should really spend some time in a showroom. The variety is simply amazing. How times have changed!

I allowed the panels to dry completely in the sun for an hour.

Again I sanded the overage off with a sanding block. And I had to secure a few of the edges with some more wall paper paste.

Finally, I reinstalled the hinges. Now I have two options for this three panel room divider: colorful frontside and neutral backside.

At some point, I supposed I will paint this with a nice mix of white, beige and antiquing medium. This wall paper mimics tin ceiling tiles and I love a good patina. What a great project for the future? For now, I am appreciating the stark clean white amidst my cluttered office.

This three panel room divider will make a great staging area for upcoming events like a planned trip or vacations. We moved our travel items into this space as we were preparing for a recent trip. On the morning of the trip our items were centrally located in this spot so we just grabbed our gear and off we went.

It is also a great focal point for messages and celebratory occasions. Have you seen the available variety of chalkboard markers? Write your messages with better control and fabulous colors. And clean them off with water! Crazy cool.

Realistically, though, I will mostly use this as a planner for upcoming projects. I can stage the supplies behind the panel!

This will especially comes in handy for Zoom meetings and work calls when I’m knee deep in a project or have to break from a project due to time constraints. This hide the eyesore of supplies laying in wait.

Instant camouflage! So quick!

I realize that I am just hiding my supplies, but sometimes you just need a break. Or a new view. Once a month, I do spend a few hours sorting and storing supplies back to where they should be in the closet or the garage. But in the meantime, it’s nice to be able to mask the clutter until I can tend to it properly.

You can dress up your trifold panel with a wreath hanger or two.

Bonus…I still have some of the striped paper left to finish that tray that was the original target for this paper.

Thrift Store Decor Team

As promised, here are the projects from my fabulous teammates!

Three-Tier Wrought Iron Plant Stand for Fall My Repurposed Life
Easy Modern Mirror Edge Domestically Speaking
Hanging Candy Dish Petticoat Junktion
DIY Bird Feeder House of Hawthornes
Pumpkin Decor from Straw Trivets Sadie Seasongoods
How to Make A Painted Surface Look Like Wood    My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
DIY Three-Panel Room Divider Refresh Shop At Blu
Thrifted Pumpkin Basket Makeover  Organized Clutter
DIY Felted Leaves Our Southern Home

More Mod Podge Projects

And here are some of those other projects where I decoupaged with Mod Podge. I hope you find some ideas and consider trying some of these new products.

The post DIY Three Panel Room Divider Refresh appeared first on Shop at Blu.

I had left the table top like this:

What Went Wrong the First Time

I had failed to base coat the dark green tabletop with white paint. Consequently, after the first coat of epoxy resin, the green was still visible.

I took the same tabletop and started with a coat of white paint. I did this some time ago so the paint had scratched with the tabletop being moved from unfinished project staging area to unfinished project staging area. Sounds like me, right?

So I gave her a fresh coat of white and allowed that to dry.

Then I mixed 8 ounces of Resin with 8 ounces of hardener. Once completely mixed, I added some white pigment dispersion to make a rich white resin. I’m using TotalBoat Makerpoxy. For detailed instructions you can see my other post on How to Make Epoxy Resin Coasters or check out TotalBoat’s website for extensive product information and tutorials. I sat the tabletop on a piece of wood so the resin would run off of the sides and not pool at the edges.

I poured the resin onto the tabletop starting at the center and then moved outward in a large circular motion until the epoxy was emptied onto the table top.

Then I used a spreader, the yellow item in the above photo, to push the resin around the entire tabletop into areas that were not covered. Eventually, the entire tabletop was covered and the resin was running over the sides. I used the spreader to make sure all of the edges were covered with resin.

I used the heat gun to move the resin from the center to the edges and made certain that the resin ran over the sides evenly. In this process, I removed many air bubbles with the heat gun.

I mixed about an ounce of clear resin and added black pigment powder. I poured a few narrow lines across the tabletop to mimic marble veining. Then I used the heat gun to move the lines a bit making the veining more realistic.

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After about 20 minutes, I ran the long flat side of a paint stirrer along the bottom edge of the tabletop to remove the drips of excess epoxy. I repeated this process again 10 minutes later.

Here is the tabletop as it was drying:

I allowed it to dry overnight.

Then I sanded the edges from the bottom with an electric sander to remove any residual bumps from the drying process. A light sanding of the drips will eliminate the rough appearance. Next time I will be more careful to ensure the surface pours evenly.

All that was left after sanding was to place the tabletop onto its base.

This is the perfect spot for a live plant.

For now, I’m using faux.

If you enjoyed this post, here are a few of my other posts about epoxy resin.

I have a few large projects coming up in my home using epoxy resin. If you have some ideas on smaller projects that you would like to see, send me a message or leave a comment!

And if you give epoxy resin a whirl, send me a photo of your project and let me know how it went!

The post Small Epoxy Resin Tabletop appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Here is my first post about Using Epoxy Resin from 8 months ago. I had a minor fail (more about that later) but isn’t that what learning is all about? If we don’t try you can’t fail. So by the end of this post I should be working my way toward the intermediate level.

And here is the follow up post to that one where I finished a Epoxy Resin High Gloss Tabletop.

Choosing an Epoxy Resin Project

When acquiring new skills, you should always start with a small project. I wanted my project to have an adequate sized surface so I can practice the marbling technique. So let’s make some epoxy resin coasters.

Resin Molds

I ordered these silicone coaster molds off of Amazon.

There are many sizes shapes and varieties. I figured I might as well make something functional while I am practicing. The four simple coasters will be great practice. And the coaster holder seems a bit more complicated so I can develop and polish my skills. Here is the holder mold:

Total Boat Epoxy Resin

I am using Total Boat epoxy resin. What I love about Total Boat epoxy is that you can mix it in a one to one ratio and it is self leveling. Epoxy actually consists of two parts, an epoxy and a hardener. When you combine them, the epoxy activates and you have about 10-20 minutes before the hardening process begins. 1:1 ratio means that means you use one part epoxy to one hardener for your project. And self leveling means you don’t have to worry about evenly pouring the resin as it will even out itself. Super simple. If you are considering an epoxy resin project, I highly recommend that you visit Total Boat’s website for information, tutorials, and safety cautions. Always follow their recommended safety procedures including use of PPE and operating in a well ventilated area.

Total Boat is a valued sponsor of the Haven Conference, a DIY and blogging conference held every summer in Atlanta. This year I was lucky to win the Total Boat epoxy prize package. Look at all of the goodies:

Supplies

• Maker Epoxy Resin, part A
• Maker Epoxy Hardener, part B
• mixing cups, size small, medium, and large
• stirring sticks
• pigment powder in desired colors
• pigment
• protective gloves
• Heat gun corded or cordless
• small fan to help with proper ventilation
• plastic to protect cover your work surface
• silicone resin coaster molds

Plan

• My plan is to mix enough resin for the complete project.
• I will need a larger mixing cup and 3 smaller ones for the color.
• Pour the coasters first since they are simple.
• Pour the holder last as it has a deeper mold and will require more resin.
• Add the color last and play with the design.
• Allow to dry overnight.
• Evaluate the process.
• Repeat the project if necessary.

Mixing Epoxy Resin

I estimated how much epoxy I would need and then mixed part A with part B. I needed about 8 ounces total of epoxy tinted white for the coaster and holder, plus 3 one half ounce portions of clear epoxy to tint with 3 different colors for accents. So I mixed enough epoxy in a larger mixing cup to have approximately 10 ounces of mixed resin for my project.

I stirred for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir carefully and slowly to prevent excess bubbles from forming. This gave me my clear epoxy. I poured a small amount of clear epoxy into each of three tiny cups. My coasters will be basic white with a marble effect containing pigments of black, blue, and beige. So I added some black pigment powder to the first small cup and mixed for 2-3 minutes. I repeated the process with the second cup adding the blue pigment powder.

And finally I added some beige pigment powder to the third small cup.

I returned to my larger cup of clear epoxy resin and added a small amount of white pigment powder to create the white base for this project.

Be liberal with the pigment color as a little goes a long way. I stirred for about three minutes and ensured the color was dispersed throughout the resin.

Then I poured the white resin into each of the 4 individual coaster silicon molds. I was careful not to overfill the molds since I couldn’t remember if the resin would expand while drying. I filled them just below the top rim to leave a little room for my colored resin design.

Removing Air Bubbles

During the mixing process, air bubbles will form in the resin by the stirring process. I’m pretty sure that the chemical reaction helps this too. It is important with resin to try to remove any bubbles. The first step to removing the bubble and air pockets is to tap the outside of the mold lightly. I used my fingertips and gently tapped around the entire outside walls of each of the 4 coaster molds. You can see some bubbles in the next photo. As you tap the mold, the bubbles rise to the surface and pop.

Then I used the heat gun and held it about one inch from the top of each coaster keeping it moving in a circular motion. You will immediately see more bubbles pop.

I used the heat gun for about 20 seconds on each coaster until all bubbles were gone. Skip to the heading Next Step below to see the continued process or read the next paragraph to see where I made my first mistake with this project.

Fail Forward

Did I mention that this is a learning process? Well, here is where I made my first mistake…I should have made this a two-part process. The first part would be to do an initial pour into each of the 4 coaster molds leaving room for an additional thin coat after the first coat dries. This second thin coat would be poured and the colors added to that. If adding a design, you should pour a first coat and allow that to dry. Once dry, you add a flood coat ( or a very thin coat) and then add your colored epoxy to that. When you don’t allow the bottom epoxy to dry, you pretty much lose the colored application once you start using the heat gun (more about that later in the process). The force of the heat gun pushes the color into the epoxy essentially forcing it lower in the coaster where you can’t really see the color. Your goal for small projects like this is to add color to about a 1/8 inch wet base, no thicker.

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Next Step

Allow this first epoxy application to dry overnight. Once dry, mix another batch of epoxy and separate into 4 small mixing bowls to make white, black, blue and beige. First pour a thin coat (about 1/8 of an inch thick, of white to top each coaster. Then add your colors in whatever design you desire. Use your heat gun to move the color around until you have achieved the desired design. Allow to dry overnight. This is the first set of coasters where I didn’t allow the resin to dry before adding a flood coat and then the colors.

Here are the second set of coasters where I poured the second thinner flood coat over the first coat.

You can see how the pigments are better dispersed in the second application because of the thin flood coat.

Final Step

Simply remove your coasters from the silicone molds.

Creating the Coaster Holder

In an effort to prevent mixing several batches of epoxy, I mixed a larger batch initially to use for the coasters and the holder. The only difference in the process between the coasters and the holder, besides the larger volume of epoxy needed, is that I used some of the colored epoxy prior to the first pour on the holder. I completed just one pour for the holder. I poured the resin into the sides of the mold a stopped there. With a stir stick, I added some colored epoxy into the sides of the mold to add color so that the holder would not be completely white. I also added some pigmented color to the top of the holder before pouring the resin there.

I did make a second set of coasters that I created using a slightly different way to color the holder. Here is the first holder:

For the second set, I used two pours and then added the pigment color to the holder mold before the first pour. I finished the initial pour leaving some room at the top to practice my design with another thin flood coat after the the set dried overnight.

Second Pour on the Coasters

Here is the first set of coasters made with a single pour.

Here is the second set where I allowed the first pour to dry completely and then did a second thin pour followed by adding the small amounts of colored epoxy.

I like them both.

I am practicing for a project that will mimic marble counters so I am using mostly white with just a touch of color. When that project is finished I will play with the bright and vibrant colors. Here are some of the pigments I have on hand:

And how cool are these glow in the dark pigment colors??? I’m going to have some fun with these in the garden.

If I keep practicing with these coasters, the entire family will have a set for every home! Do you want any leftovers? Message me your address.

If you enjoyed this epoxy project, here is my first every epoxy project where I created a marble like coffee table. Or an epoxy tabletop.

The post How to Make Epoxy Resin Coasters appeared first on Shop at Blu.

A few weeks ago, I broke my ankle. I wish I could say it was during a fabulous adventure like zip lining in Costa Rico or hiking the Appalachian Trail. But reality is that I missed the bottom step on our deck steps…in the dark…while barefooted. So my mobility has been limited which has resulted in a temporary stay of all deck and garden projects. I’m in a walking boot so maneuvering uneven grass and garden soil is simply not an option.

As a mom and entrepreneur, I am nothing if not versatile. So, I am focusing on projects that I can do in a more stationary manner. Now that I only have a few days left in this walking boot, my mobility is better so I’m venturing outside for this project but staying on level ground!

Guess what day it is??! It’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! You know what that means!!! At the end of this post are links to the team’s fabulous thrifty makeovers for this month! Remember to click through to see the wonderful projects! Now, let’s get to making those galvanized metal tub shelves for the garden!

Supplies

Here are the supplies you will need for this project.

• Galvanized tub
• Scrap wood for shelving
• Drill bits, screws, and cordless drill
• Measuring tape and sharpie
• Rubber mallet or hammer
• jigsaw
• cardboard
• sandpaper or electric sander
• poster board or cardboard in estimated length and depth of shelves
• paint and sealer
• paint brush
• MinWax Special Walnut stain

My Tub

This tub is quite rusty! We used it to burn some wood a while back and the galvanized surface was compromised. It’s still a great tub. She just needs a good bath to get rid of the rust! As with most things, a little paint will make a big difference.

Step One: Clean Up the Galvanized Garden Tub

Then I rinsed her with the hose and allowed her to completely dry in the August Alabama sun. With the surface rust removed, she is ready for paint.

Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint

Last week I attended the Haven Conference, an annual DIY and blogging conference in its 11th year usually held in Atlanta. This year, we were lucky to learn about Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. I was able to bring home a lovely brush and a half pint sample of their paint in “Galvanized”. How perfect is that for this project??? Here is my affiliate link for the Black Dog Salvage Furniture Paint. You will love the colors! Check out their website using the link above and see the recipes for lovely colors. Use this code SHOPATBLU20 for 20% off!

I used the Black Dog Salvage Paint liberally to cover most of the rusted areas on the galvanized garden tub. The coverage of this paint is excellent and the application is very smooth. But, you know me! I simply had to leave some of this beautiful patina exposed. The tub, like all things in my home, has a history. Leaving some of that patina exposed brings beauty and unique character to the tub. And y’all know…I certainly am unique!

Black Dog Salvage paint carries a unique sealer designed specifically for outdoor furniture. It’s called Crab Coat and is designed to protect your furniture from the harsh elements. At the time of writing this post, my Crab Coat had not yet arrived. So I will update this post with that process once I have it in my creative little hands. You can also use a good outdoor sealer with UV protection such as MinWax or Varathane.

Designing Shelves for a Galvanized Garden Tub

The first step is to measure your tub’s height and width. My tub is 24 inches wide and 10 inches deep. While I would prefer to use an oblong tub, the one that I have is over 42 inches long so it is way too big.

Find a piece of scrap wood to attach vertically to the center of the back of your tub to provide support and stabilize your tub. This will make installation on a wall easier since the tub will be reinforced.

Your reinforcement wood should fit comfortably on the back of your tub. Center it vertically. Leave about 3-4 inches from both the top and bottom edge of the tub. Use lath screws to attach the wood to the tub from the inside. Lath screws are screws with a washer attached. These keep the metal tub secured in place and also prevents the screw from falling through the hole. I did not have any lath screws. So I simply used a screw and a washer. This provides a more secure attachment of the wood to the metal.

I tried to attach the wood on the back of the tub in spots where the shelves, once installed, will cover the metal screws. This way there will not be a crazy number of screws visible on the inside wall of the shelf unit. I mean, it is just a garden shelf but hey…this girl has some standards.

Designing Your Shelves

Find scrap wood to fashion shelves for inside of the tub. Determine the desired height of each shelf. Decide how many shelves you want to add horizontally inside of your tub.

I am spacing the shelves so that I can set small plants on them and other taller objects. I would also like to be able to set a small basket (for project supplies) on one of the shelves.

This part can get a little complicated due to the slope of the sides of the tub. Some tubs are angled quite dramatically and some have less of a slope. My tub is a vintage tub so it has more of a slope. Today’s tubs are made more cheaply so they tend to be straighter. If possible, use a tub with less of a slope. Your shelves will fit more snuggly.

I took several measurements in order to cut the shelves to fit the tub. I measured the width inside of the bottom of the tub and the width at the top rim of the tub.

My wood needs to angle out from the shorter measurement to the longer measurement. So, essentially, my shelves will be shaped like a trapezoid.

Another way to design your shelves is to make a template for your shelves. You can use a piece of cardboard. Cut it to match the width and depth of the tub. Then force it inside of the tub into the position where you wanted to secure it. Fold the cardboard to mirror the shape of the spot where it will be secured. Use this very scientific method to make a template for each shelf.

You could also use this template tool. It is commonly used to copy cuts for molding, etc. But is perfect for the rounded sides of this tub. It copies weird edges so that you can easily trace them onto wood or other surfaces for a custom fit.

Trace the pattern from the template onto the scrap wood. Cut with a jigsaw. Always use your PPE (personal protective equipment aka Mask, gloves, and safety glasses). I cut out notches for the bumpy rings (for lack of a technical term) around the tub so that the shelves will fit flush inside of the curved tub.

Sand the edges of your shelves.

Repeat steps above for additional shelves.

You know that I am a firm believer in using what you have on hand. So I used scrap wood that was only 5 inches deep since I didn’t have any pressure treated wood that was wider. Consequently, I used 2 pieces for each shelf. Which meant a little more work in that I had to join the two pieces to make one shelf. Fortunately, I have a Kreg Jig, also compliments of the Haven Conference.

I haven’t used my Kreg Jig in a while so my pocket holes aren’t the prettiest. But they are functional. As with any skill, the more you use it, the better you get.

Finish Your Shelves

You can leave your shelves natural or stain them. Since my shelves are made of scrap wood, I decided to stain them to refresh the wood. I used MinWax in Special Walnut. Apply the stain with a brush or a rag. I always use a rag to apply the stain, let it sit a minute and wipe off the excess. You can reapply the stain until you have the desired depth of color. Allow the stain to dry and your wooden shelves are ready to install into your galvanized tub.

Secure Shelves into the Galvanized Tub

Once my shelves were ready, I set them inside of the tub where they needed to be secured.

I drilled a pilot hole through the outside of the tub into each side of the shelf and inserted a screw to secure each shelf in two places.

Hang your shelves

Select a spot to hang your shelves. If your shelves will be used to house heavy objects, you will want to use lag bolts (if mounted on a fence) or wall anchors (for a wall). Just follow the recommended manufacturer’s suggest for weight.

My shelves will not hold any heavy object so I simply drilled a pilot hole through the inside back of the tub directly into the fence post. I secured the shelf with long screws. And she is finished!

I had fun filling the shelves. Every time I thought I was finished I found more to put on the shelves.

I almost forgot the hose!

I’m a little disappointed that my Mexican Petunias haven’t bloomed yet. I guess that just means I will have to post again when that happens.

And how about the glorious Alabama sky?

You know I can’t add a feature to my garden without adding some vintage loveliness. Apparently, I have a collection of vintage lawn sprinklers. They are irresistible.

If you love vintage things in your garden like I do, click the photo below for more vintage garden love.

Here are a few more photos of the patina along with the Black Dog Salvage Galvanized Furniture Paint.

As promised, below are the other projects for this month’s Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday! There are some fun and inspirational projects for you to browse. Visit each of my friends, drop a comment, and tell them I sent you!

Shop At Blu Galvanized Tub Shelves

Reinvented Delaware 16 Creative Thrift Store Makeover Ideas

Organized Clutter Goodwill Wooden Wagon Makeover

House Of Hawthornes DIY Tiered Tray From Dinner Plates

Sadie Seasongoods Plant Cloche from a Geometric Pendant Light

Our Southern Home Medallion Wall Art Makeover

Petticoat Junktion Quilt and Pom Pom Fringe DIY Pumpkin

My Repurposed Life Navy Blue Bar Stools with Rub-on Transfer

The post DIY Galvanized Metal Tub Shelves for the Garden appeared first on Shop at Blu.

Spring has really teased us with a few 70 degree days here in Alabama this week.  But the cold weather back will be back for the weekend. I did take advantage of the beautiful weather over the last week.  Here are 10 things I did just this week to get my yard ready for spring

I am joining 12 friends in a pre-mature celebration of Spring! We are sending you warm and nurturing vibes to get through the month of March as we make our way to Easter.

Thanks to Carol from Blue Sky At Home for organizing this fun little hop and serving, once again, as our hostess! If you are joining me from Laura’s blog at Everyday Edits, welcome! I love a good tiered feature with some vibrant color in the kitchen, or anywhere! I am so glad you are here!

At the end of this post, you will find all 12 links to some beautiful spring happiness! Be sure to visit each of my talented friends for some inspo! Perhaps we can hurry Spring along!

Let’s get on with my tips for prepping your garden for spring!

If we are talking spring prep, I am starting in the yard!

1-Trim Low Hanging Branches

 We have some mature trees on our property that we failed to trim over the years.  The limbs began to block the sun from reaching the grass in certain areas.  Consequently, the grass had died off in these areas.  Our back yard has a slight slope so when it rained, the water just ran over the dirt and washed away some of the top soil.  We hired someone last year to trim upper branches. But I can maintain the lower branches that i hat I can reach from the ground. Keeping those tree shaped ensures that you have beautiful grass below the canopy.

My Ryobi Pole Saw extends to 9.5 feet so I am able to get many of these lower branches. 

I have a full size chain saw but I like to make sure Mr. Blu or V ( child #5) is around when I am using that tool. But his pole saw, I am comfortable using any time, I’ve become a wiz with this handy Ryobi tool.

Smaller limbs that are under 2″ in diameter are easy to trim.  It is just a matter of placing the blade on the limb and pushing the trigger.  Larger limbs require a few more safety precautions in addition to the obvious of:

1. Keep your personal limbs, digits, and body parts away from the blade.
2. Only trim branches of the recommended size for your tool.
3. Follow manufacturer’s recommended instructions.
4. Position your self correctly to stay clear of falling limbs.

Limb Trimming Methods:

1. Make a small undercut of about 1/4″-1″, depending on the limb size, about 1-2 feet from where the limb meets the tree base.
2. Place your blade on the top side of the limb about 12″ from the undercut going toward the end of the branch and away from the trunk.  This prevents damage to the bark.
3. Make your 3rd cut closer to the trunk where the branch transitions from bumpy to smooth.

The best tutorial I found is from my friend Chelsea at Today’s Homeowner.  She does a great job of explaining how proper pruning techniques are critical to the longevity of your tree by ensuring optimal healing of the cut area.  Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and follow strict safety guidelines when using any type of tool.

While the weather is not ready for me to work in the yard every day, I can trim a few trees here and  there to help get the yard ready for spring.

2-Plan Window Box Planters

I love a good window box.  All of these planters from my store, The Blue Building Antiques, which closed in 2019. 

I plan to hang these around my newly built deck.  But there are quite a few so I want to make sure they are placed tastefully.  

In preparing to plant, I researched coconut liners.  Whew!  They can be quite expensive.  I finally found some alternatives on Amazon.

I did find these reasonably priced round coconut liners in store at Walmart for $4.97!  And online for $3.97

I also found a 60″ liner at Walmart.com for $3.97.  Great buy!

How about buying a sheet of coconut liner and form fitting each planter?  This comes in 15″ x 40″ or 80″ roll.  I ordered the 80″ to start.  40″ roll basically costs the price of one basket liner at Home Depot.  I should get 2 liners out of the one roll.

I’ve used coco liners to upcycle these thrift store hanging planters in the past.

I will get the boxes ready with liners and soil and then the fun begins in selecting the right sun tolerant plants.

3-Trim Stray Limbs from Bushes, Shrubs, and Small Trees

We have quite a few bushes in our front garden beds and in the pool area.  By spring, they all need some attention to trim stray growth and tidy up their appearance.  During spring and summer, active growth season, we tend to trim these every 2 months or so.  But at the beginning of spring, we do an more aggressive trimming.  This seems to promote new growth.

This includes reshaping boxwoods.  I bought these great topiary sheers last year. 

I use them to shape my boxwoods which I bought quite small but they are growing nicely.  Every few months, I devote about 30 minutes to shaping the bushes.

4-Plan a Garden Around the Mailbox

Our yard gets full direct Alabama sun all day long.  In years past I would buy colorful and lovely annuals only to watch them be scorched to death.  This year I’m not going to fool myself into thinking that I will drag the hose or tote a watering can every day to the mailbox garden when June arrives.  So I am planning a more thoughtful and water tolerant garden for this area.  Thus far, I have purchased a few snap dragons.  Not only are the snaps heat tolerant, but in Alabama, they usually come back the next year.  Double win!  Here is the mailbox area:

Last year I spread the ever heat tolerant and impossible to kill Spiderwort around the yard.  They have a vibrant purple flower and are super easy to grow.  Aren’t the purple blooms pretty?

But they are extremely invasive and I am ready to thin them out dramatically.  They will be coming out of the front garden this year.  I might keep a few but they literally take over and I am completely over them!  I consider them more of a weed.

The circled areas below are all spiderwort. Every spring I remove two thirds of the spider wort in the yard.

5-Apply Pre-Emergent Weed Control to Lawn

I am lucky to have a weed control service who does this for me but this is critical to keeping weeds at bay.  It’s almost too late here in Alabama but grass is just starting to green up so there is still some time.  You can apply a good pre-emergent weed killer with a larger rolling broadcast spreader or a hand held spreader. 

I used a hand held unit for spreading ant bait and pest killer.  It’s great for smaller areas.  It’s perfect for inside our fenced pool area, to which I did dispense the pre-emergent this week.  And in researching for this post, I found that Ryobi now makes a hand spreader!  

In the past, I have used this pre-emergent weed killer from Home Depot.

My understanding is that the pre-emergent does not contain any fertilizer.  It simply stops the formation of new root cells in baby weed plants without affecting roots of established grass and plants. 

6-Use Topsoil to Even the Lawn

Our home is about 30 years old but the soil seems to settle a little more each year.  I like to have some topsoil on hand to fill ruts and sinking areas in the yard.  I simply fill the holes and the grass normally grows over the top soil within 2-4 weeks.  Can you see the dips in the lawn?

For larger sinking spots, I have used a razor knife to score the grass into a sheet and pull back the layer of grass with a shovel. I spread some topsoil to level the ground and replace the grass.  It’s much easier just to spread some top soil as long as you don’t mind the bare spots on the lawn until the grass grows through. But adding soil beneath the grass eliminates the soil patches.  Either way works. The digging is a little more time consuming than simply spreading top soil over the sunken areas.

Here are the spots with top soil added.  

7-Freshen the Flower Beds 

I started to weed the front garden against our house.  This will take another session or two.  I have to do it in stages.  I simply block out sections of 5 and do one section at a time.  Many of the plants need to be thinned out.  Like these daffodils who are way overcrowded!  I thin them out each spring and scatter them to new places around our property.

While I can still tell the daffodils from the spiderwort and lilies, I will split those spiderwort from the bulbs and discard those pesty invaders. 

It’s also nice to refresh your mulch each spring too!  There is nothing like the smell and look of a freshly mulched garden.  I usually add a few bags each spring.  But this year, I will do the entire front garden areas.  Home Depot usually has their much on sale for 4 bags for $10 for several weeks in the spring.  I just saw that sale begin so I will grab some this weekend.

As you can see, our garden beds needs mulch!!!  And weeding and refreshing!  I will be very busy out there soon.

While it may be a little too cool to actually do your planting, it’s a great idea to have the beds ready for that first glorious perfect spring day. This ensures that when I drive by Home Depot or Lowes and see those beautiful colors of the array of spring plants I can grab a few and get them right into the ground.

8-Perform Maintenance on Tools and Equipment

A pre-spring check up of all lawn and garden equipment and tools is a great idea.  Here is a small list of items to check:

1. Put that riding mower in for maintenance before everyone gets theirs out for the first cut and realize they have issues.  Sharpen your blade. Change oil and fuel.  Buy additive.
2. Sharpen blades and edges on trimmers, pruners, lobbers, etc.  
3. Replace any filters on equipment.
4. Check tire pressure and condition.
5. Ensure your motorized equipment starts smoothly. 
6. Check the pool filter and condition of liners, steps, etc.

These items are a good place to start!  While these are just a few suggestions, I’m sure you could add 50 other tasks to this list.  Here are some more projects that are on my list for spring:

9-Stock Up on Supplies for My Next Spring Projects

Once the weather is consistently above 60 degrees I have a few larger outdoor projects to tackle.  When I saw the associated products on sale this week, I grabbed them. 

10-Pressure Wash the Walkway

My Ryobi pressure washer is the perfect size for small projects and beginners.   Every 3 years or so, the walkway from the driveway to our entry need a refresh. It’s that third year so this is on my project list. Once the weather is consistently warmer, I will use it to pressure wash the house.  I purchase a $10 jug of Zep pressure washing solution to make the driveway process go more quickly.  

11-Pressure Wash Driveway

We have been in our home for 20 years!  And you can tell from the driveway.  This will be a big project with my current Ryobi pressure washer.  I will most likely invest in a larger unit that works a bit more quickly and has more power.  But, it is a great unit for small projects. 

12-Clean the House Siding

Two years ago is the last time I pressure washed the exterior vinyl siding on our house.  One side of our home is shaded by trees so the sun does not hit that wall and there tends to be algae and mildew on the siding.  This product was phenomenal.  It simply attaches to your hose. I made one spray application and let it sit for about 15 minutes before a final rinse.  I would say 95% of the green mildew was removed in this fashion.  There were a few more stubborn spots.  For these, I simply made a second application and that did the trick.

So I bought some 30 Seconds for this season and I’m ready for the perfect day to get the hose out and de-moss the siding!

13-Sprinkle Spring Indoors

With all of the gorgeous spring flowers beginning to thrive, I decided to take advantage of their beauty. n It’s still too early to plant in the outside gardens as we will still have a few frosty mornings. But these glorious colors are hard to resist. So I appeased that urge and grabbed some for indoors.

 I have a nice collection of vintage items so I used some to decorate my home.  This post, 5 Simple Ways to Add Spring to Your Decor, jump started my spring decorating and I just can’t seem to stop!

These upcoming outdoor projects will keep my busy for the next few weeks.  Let me know…what have you done so far to get ready for spring! Any special projects on the planner?

Below are all of the links to my creative friends’ spring posts. If you are visiting in order, your next stop is Make Everyday an Event where Annmarie is sharing her sweet Easter bunny wreath that she made from boxwood wreaths. LOVE THIS!

Be sure to leave a comment on each blog letting the creator know what you liked! We love your comments and suggestions. And we appreciate your support. So, if you like what you see, please pin!

Happy ALMOST Spring!

NOTE: There were some link issues with the links below. I am working on this!

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The post 10 Things I Did this Week to Get Yard Ready for Spring! appeared first on Shop at Blu.

And what timing!  It is Thrift Store Decor Team Wednesday!  Welcome!  Join me and my 9 talented blogger friends as we select a fun yet thrifty project to document and share with you.  This is the place to spur your creativity and hone your skills.  Check out all of the projects at the end of this post.  Let’s get started on this office chair update!

Mod Podge to the Rescue

I suppose the easiest way to update this chair would be to pull out the sewing machine and make a slip cover.  In fact, Pinterest is filled with some beautiful ideas.  But I just don’t feel like sewing this month.  I could disassemble the chair and wrap it with fabric, stapling the fabric into place.  But, I haven’t Mod Podged in a while and I’d like to create my own design.  So Mod Podge it is!

Mod Podge is a crafter’s friend.  Produced by Plaid, Inc., Mod Podge is a glue and a sealer all in one.  It is primarily used for decoupage which is the process of covering a surface with paper or fabric and then sealing for durability.   

You can transform a surface with beautiful paper or fabric with gorgeous patterns.  There really is no limit to what you can Mod Podge.  Variations of this decoupage technique are popping up all over Pinterest and Instagram lately as furniture flippers have taken to decoupaging large furniture pieces.  

I have used this technique to dress up the inside of a vintage china cabinet and, most recently, to update a vintage library stool.  Isn’t it amazing how a pattern can transform a drab item?

Originally, I thought I would Mod Podge this entire seat area.  But upon close inspection, only the seat is damaged and worn.  So I will only be updating that section.  The upper seat area is in great shape.  I will simply clean that area.

The first step was to clean the chair completely.  As I started to clean the crevice where the seat back meets the seat base, I realized the chair needed to be disassembled to properly clean this area.  The still present remnants of after school snacks in hidden crevices of this chair really made it obvious that this chair has been used for years.  

Removing the Arms 

Most office chairs are assembled with simple screws.  Thankfully, that was the case with this chair.  I removed each set of 4 screws on both sides that secured the arms to the chair.  With screws removed, just a small tap removed each arm.  

The chair back was attached to the seat by another 4 screws on the underside of the chair.  These removed easily. 

With the chair now in 4 sections, I could clean it properly.  Once the sections were thoroughly cleaned, I set the back and arms aside until they were ready for reassembly.  

Spot Repair

While the chair back was in great shape, it did have a few paint spots where paint had dripped during previous projects.  

I used a Q-tip and some nail polish remover to get rid of most of this old paint.  

Next, I dipped an old toothbrush into the nail polish remover and used the brush to gently get into the crevices.  There was still residual paint so I used my Homeright Steam Machine 53 with the brush attachment to gently brush the remainder from the chair.  I do not suggest using the steamer for more than 5 seconds on the leather.  Any exposure beyond this could result in damage to your chair.  Spot check a non prominent spot before using the steamer.  The final step was to polish the chair.  I used Pop’s shoe shine kit.  The gentle brush and black polish was perfect.  

And she looks like new!

Temporary Repair

Once the base was completely dried after its cleaning, it was time to address the tears in the leather.  I simply used duct tape to cover the exposed seat cushion foam.   The tape serves to smooth the surface in prep for the Mod Podge and it prevents further damage.

Supplies Needed for Mod Podge Project

I gathered my supplies to start the Mod Podge application:

• Various fabric remnants in complimentary colors.
• One jar of Mod Podge.
• One craft brush.  I used a 1-1/2 inch brush.
• Sharp fabric scissors
• Razor knife

Ready to Mod Podge

Here is the process:

• Start with a square area of about 8″ X 8″.
• Brush a thick coat of Mod Podge medium onto this area,
• Add a piece of fabric.  Smooth out any wrinkles.
• Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over that fabric.  
• Select another piece of fabric overlapping it over the edge of the first fabric.
• Brush a thin coat of Mod Podge over the second piece of fabric.
• Continue until your 8″ square is filled.  
• Start another 8″ square and continue until the chair is covered.
• Allow the chair to dry overnight, possible longer depending on how thick the coats.

I completely filled the center of the chair seat.  Then I worked my way around the edges carefully placing fabric along the curved edges.  I allowed the fabric to extend beyond the chair edge and over the piping at the edge of the chair. 

The fabric, though colorful, seemed to be lacking something so I added some decorative paper.  That’s the beauty of Mod Podge!  You can use it on many surfaces.The pinks added a nice pop of contrasting color.  I also added a few inspiring words.

****UPDATE:  The paper did not hold up well along the edges of the chair that see the most use.  I would not recommend using paper…stick to the fabric as it is so much more durable!*************************

Finishing Touches

Once the chair was completely dry, I used a razor edge and a sharp pair of scissors to trim along the inside groove of the piping.

After trimming the overage, I applied some more Mod Podge to make certain that the edges were sealed.  I allowed a bit to pool and then completely dry.

Once completely dry, I made sure all of the edges were smooth and sealed.  The final step was to reassemble the chair.  

And here she is:

I guess I am revisiting my Blu Boho days!  

The final texture of the seat is similar to a rough leather.  After a week, the seat is not cracking or splitting and I am quite happy with the addition of bright colors to my work area.

I really think the added pink floral and boho paper gives the chair a little more zing.  And after using a hard chair for the two days while the seat was drying, my achy butt is so happy to have my cherished chair back!  Y’all…it really is the little things in life that make a difference!

Here are the projects from the rest of the Thrift Store Decor Team.  I wonder what other skills we are going to learn this month from this incredible team!  Be sure to visit everyone!  Feel free to leave a comment or pin a photo!  Your feedback is appreciated and we are thrilled when you share our projects!

1- Gail at My Repurposed Life

Reclaimed Wood Valance Shelf Redo

2- Suzanne at Shop at Blu

That’s me!  You are here!

3-Pam at House of Hawthornes

Upcycled Mail Organizer

4-Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods

Upcycling a Bamboo Tray with Blueprint Paper

5- Carlene at Organized Clutter

Vintage Bentwood Chair Makeover

6- Cindy at Reinvented Delaware

Trash to Treasure Picnic Basket

7- Christy at Our Southern Home

DIY European Art with Thrift Store Frame

8- Maryann at Domestically Speaking

DIY Artisan Vase

9- Kristin at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

How To Make A DIY Spoon Ring

10- Kathy at Petticoat Junction

Flower Pot With Metallic Copper Spray Paint

And, guess what?  I am now working on that room for the One Room Challenge.  Read about the plan for the office here!

MY RECENT POSTS

SHOP THE LOOK

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I have selected my favorite DIY gift project from each of my Thrift Store Decor Team friends and I am sharing each specific link for your pleasure.  At the end of these projects is an entire collection of DIY gift ideas we have hand selected to share with you.  So should you be disappointed by local stock or affected by shipping delays, you can still be ready with fabulous gifts for all your special friends and family this Christmas!  Enjoy!

Christy from Our Southern Home made these sweet little photo ornaments. 

She used Pic Monkey to change her photos from color to black and white.  Aren’t they just adorable?  And so easy!  I must admit, Mod Podge is one of my favorite craft supplies!

Maryann from Domestically Speaking shows you how to age a terracotta pot. 

This is a technique you can use for many different items from this simple terracotta pot to a picture frame or even on furniture!  You know how I love paint.  It really can transform trash to treasure.

Kristin from My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia nails the hot chocolate bomb!

Move over Christmas cookies.  There is a new favorite homemade treat taking over the holiday giving season!  Don’t these look delicious???!

Gail from My Repurposed Life always has a project up her sleeve that takes something that’s been lying around and transforms it into something useful.  Here is her upcycled picket fence.

I mean, who can’t use some more storage space?  And how stinking cute is this wall rack???

Carlene from Organized Clutter is a wiz with a stencil.  She has so many great ideas!

This would be a great idea for a table runner, hand towels, or even a tshirt!  So many ideas.

Sarah from Sadie Seasongoods created these incredible shower melts.

These are the perfect wake me up for a groggy morning.  Or how about an invigorating boost when that winter cold comes calling?  

And here is one of my ideas…wood slice ornaments or gift tags. 

Weren’t these all great ideas?  All super easy but more importantly, they are all doable!!!  Below is a collection of so many more easy DIY gift ideas.  Let me know which are your favorites!

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