Saturday, October 15, 2011

Martha Stewart I am Not: Another DIY Failure

When I read blogs like Miss Mustard Seed and My Dear Trash  I get the crazy idea "Hey I can do that" stuck into my head. They make it seem so easy. Unfortunately, retrieving the idea from my head and actually doing it is damm near impossible. Martha Stewart, I am not. Try as I can, my projects always end in failure and I am left with something worse that what I started with. Unless of course my DH can salvage it, like he did this bench I am sorely missing the DIY gene. Here is my latest attempt at a footlocker makeover.

Before pictures:



The lining was coming out and I wanted to replace it. Being as cheap thrifty as I am, I did not want to put alot of money into this project.

Mistake number 1. I bought some wall paper at the thrift store for .50 cents. The only thing this wall paper would stick to, is itself. I had to figure out how to glue this into the footlocker.

Mistake number 2. Instead of buying some adhesive, I read somewhere using equal parts white glue and water will make a good adhesive. Maybe in a perfect world, not so much in my world.

Mistake number 3. Buying striped wall paper. What the hell was I thinking? No one, not even Martha herself, can line up horizontal stripes!

Mistake number 4. Not removing the original lining.

This is how the inside of my trunk turned out.



Looks great in the picture huh? Funny how pictures can be so deceiving. If you could see it in person, you would probably think my 2 year old did it. Nothing lines up and I'm sure its starting to fall off.

Now on to the outside. I have been reading blogs about decoupaging trunks and how easy it is. LIARS I tell you. All LIES!!! Decoupage is not easy. I repeat not easy. What you say? You want proof? Here it is, all in its disastrous glory.


Again, the picture is deceiving. What you can not see are the hundreds of air bubbles floating around in this mess along with a giant crease. I hang my head in shame. What went wrong? I"ll tell you what went wrong. I read to much.

linking to the Brambleberry cottage

4 comments:

  1. This is so comforting to read as I myself am severely lacking the DIY gene. You are at least brave enough to post your follies and with great humor! Sometimes I have to fail much before I can get it right.

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  2. I also suffer from whatever syndrome this is. It's due to my blatant disregard to directions and chronic half-assery. I start a project with the best of intentions but then it's like I black out and when I come to, it looks like it was done by a poorly trained monkey. If it makes a difference, though, the pictures really do look nice!

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  3. The pictures look awesome! And even if you're right, and the real thing looks a lot worse in person, WHO CARES?!?! There is no rule that says DIY has to be perfect....the point of it is DO IT YOURSELF, you did it yourself, and I think it looks great! Next time you will do better! And who's to say other people's pictures of their DIY projects aren't deceiving as well?

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  4. Well the pictures do look fabbo. I always end up being dissappointed with my DIY skills. In my head it is all gonna look super and then in real life... notsomuch. Ach well! You live and learn! Thanks for saying hi over my way! *s*

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