A very colorful abstract painting

Hi everyone, I love art, I can have wall art all over. Unfortunately, original wall art can be expensive, so, searching for new ideas on the internet, I came across a very nice, and inexpensive, DIY art done by a fellow blogger. I loved the idea so much, that I started looking for a large ugly framed poster (usually they are very cheap, for not being original) at local thrift stores. Last week I finally found one that was really perfect for what I needed. 

I was so excited to start on a new project that I totally forgot to take a before picture, so my apologies. But, I've found a different frame online with the same poster to show you.

So, here it is:

Before:

Tanya from Dans le Townhouse is one of my favorite bloggers, not only is she very talented, she is also Canadian. 

http://dans-le-townhouse.blogspot.ca/p/our-diy-projects.html 

Inspiration:

I absolutely loved this art, but wanted something a little more colorful. I have used the Youtube video below as a guideline, and guess what? Super easy, inexpensive and the final product is great! I love my new painting. That's all for now. Stay tuned! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy0ZGDpF2Gw&list=PLF77E7FC39469737C

After:

One's man Thash is another man's Threasure

Good morning everyone,

It's raining again, and I'm sure we are going to see many of these days ahead, they do not bother me, but honestly I feel like staying in all day long... :) Summer was great, hot, long and super productive, my hunting for bargains was fun and I have to say, had some good finds, that I will continue to show you after all the necessary "love" has been offer to my pieces. :)

About two months ago, while driving down on First Avenue here in Mission, on my many time a week grocery shopping trip, I spotted a child chair out side of a thrifty store. The store was closed and there was a sign "FREE" on the wall above a bunch of furniture. I drove around the block and stopped by, why not? I know, you probably do not look to cute, grabbing dumped furniture along the road, but after a quick examination I could see the chair was in great shape, why not? Two problems now: how do I put it in my tiny Toyota Echo and my husband is at home, he'll probably will kill after he sees another project to be... oh, well, I take the risk. :)

Done! I got it in the car, the husband was "NOT' to worried about one more project around the house, (he can't see the potential) and it was in my basement now... Taking a second look at it, I realized that it was cuter than I expected to be. Jumping....

So, here she is, looking so sad!

I've used the same process as the first chair's makeover, nice and easy. Took the seat apart, light sanded and wash the entire chair with a damp cloth. After that, I started spraying painting with gold Krylon Metallic spray, which had an excellent coverage. One can was enough for two coats and still have some left. The drying time was also nice, it took about 20 minutes and it was good to go. I have stapled the new fabric on the seat and screwed it back. So, that is it! Done!

And now here she is, all looking good, in perfect condition! My daughter loves it!

Tip of the day!

Hi dearest friends, yesterday I was thinking about how to create simple and ease beauty for our lives, after all, not all of us have enough time or patience to always under go complex DIY projects, right?
So, last night I had an idea that hopefully you all will review and let let me know your thoughts about it. Based on that I will keep on posting at least one great ease, breezy idea!!

Let's get down to it!

Chevron Letter

Craft store wooden letter (the size of you choice). Most dollar stores carry them, I got my from Dollarama only $3.00. How cool is that?

For better results, look for any spot that may need to be sanded down, if so, please make sure to be gentle. After paint your letter white, two coats should be enough to cover it well.

Template your chevron pattern on it (you can print one off the internet). Trace it with a pencil (a little patience there, after all the details are very important)

 After tracing it, use some painter's tape (please a good quality to make the paint does not run under it) to cover up every other line.

Take you favorite color paint and paint the untaped pattern, carefully. Again, two coats should be enough. While the paint is drying, remove all the tape and let it dry completely.

To finish it off and add some charm to it you can use lace, a nice Washi tape or anything that you may find cute, reusable and appropriate for your new beauty. 

Enjoy it! 

Stay tuned! 

How did I do it?

Taking the chair apart is by far the hardest part of the entire process. Unfortunately, it's crucial to have a clean, nail free frame to be able to have a well done upholstered chair. 

I first removed the seat and backing, before I started any of stripping and painting. To remove the seat, simply turn the chair over, look for four holes where the mounting screws are located. 

Tools you will need:

• Cordless drill or screwdriver.
• Flat head screwdriver.
• Needle-nosed pliers.
• Good scissors.
• Batting.
• Fabric of your choice.
• New foam cushion (if your foam is in bad shape).
• Staple gun w/staples (I used 5/16" staples).
• Hammer.

1. Don't be afraid, choose a great fabric, pay attention to the chair's details.
2. Take the chair outside for a light sanding.
3. Clean your chair frame with a damp cloth (if you chair is not in very good shape, use T.S.P. it will help to bring it to a good life).
4. Paint the frame (I have used flat black spray cans, two coats)
5. Once paint has dried (don't hurry, patience is crucial for good results) begin to pull off existing fabric. This will teach you a lot about how to put your new fabric back on. You will need to remove all staples or nails as well (not much fun in it).
6. Lay your fabric pieces on new fabric and use as pattern. Also, if your fabric has pattern make sure you watch it so all your pieces are headed the same direction - ex: vines or flowers.
7. Cut! (always give yourself extra - you can always cut back later)
8. Place new fabric on chair and begin to staple it. Start in the center and work your way out, smoothing as you go.
9. Use you hammer to make sure all the staples are not staking out.
10. Cut any excess fabric.
11. Glue trim cord onto edges to cover staples.  

Voila!

Before

After

My very first chair makeover

My very first chair makeover

A very ambitious home decor DIY...

I'd been hunting on Craigslist for a Victorian type chair for a long time, finally last fall I was lucky to find it. The lady posted it for $50 dollars, but I knew I could bargain for it. As soon as I see the chair, I knew it had to be mine. She mentioned that the chair belonged to her aunt whom had just gone to a home and for a lack of storage would like to get rid of her furniture immediately. There it was, my chance for a bargain! I offered $30 and she replied, - "How about $40?" and I said $35 and I take it right now. Done!! It was mine!

I knew the master bedroom was the right place for it. I then started hunting for the right fabric, which was a very hard thing to do, since there are so many fabrics to choose from. 

Let's get to the dirty job! :)

So, after destroying the old fabric and trim and dirtying my hands considerably while watching HGTV design shows, I was ready to paint.

I really wanted to do this chair project right, since I've had it for a while now and it's a really nice quality piece,  I want it to last! And it's going to take forever to do the upholstery! I figure I would need to sand it down, so, I did, after I washed it down with TSP and let it dry. 

I did not need a primer, since the wood is dark and my idea was to paint it flat black. So, pretty simple and easy compared to what I was prepared for!

It also went on with super thick coverage. Before I started I figured I'd need 3-4 coats, but I didn't need more than two! 

Before:

Tomorrow I will post the final product with details on how I reupholster it.