Picture Makeover

I found this wooden decoupage owl picture at the thrfit store. I didn't like the dark stain. I decided to try another DIY and paint the frame white. It really brightens up the picture but I am sure I decreased the value of it.

Before:

After:

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

Lamp Rewire

On Tuesday I went over to the consignment shop to see if there was anything new. I found this cute Cinderella carriage candle holder. It did not come with the candle. I found that at GW this morning.

While I was there, I spotted an antique floor lamp. Since I was walking, I could not buy it. Yesterday, I had DH take me over there and purchased it for $15. I asked the lady if it worked. She said we can try it out. She plugged it in and there was light.

When we got home, DH said we could not use it as it was. I asked why and he said I would burn down the house with it. He took it apart and showed me the wire. It was covered in cloth. Although the previous owner had replaced the plug in part, he did not rewire the entire lamp and the inside still had the original wiring. Here is a picture of the original bulb that was inside. These bulbs were produced in the 40's and 50's. It is huge!

Hubby went to Menards and got some new wiring and socket. It is now safe to use. (Can you imagine if the lamp had caught on fire at the consignment shop? I'm suprised they would sell something that unsafe.)

The base has a marble top and I found it odd that it was filled with cement. This makes it quite heavy but also prevents Ryker from knocking it over.

linking to The Brambleberry Cottage

Bench Makeover and Free Finds

Remember this bench? The one I was going to redo? I had big plans to paint it white and then make a cushion for it. Well, I discovered I have neither the attention span or patience to do such a thing. Unfortunately I found this out after attempting to sand and paint it. FAIL!! It looked so terrible, I almost cried. (I was too disappointed and embarrassed to take a picture) Luckily my DH took the task on and this is how it turned out. There still isn't a cushion but maybe someday I can attempt that.

Ryker doesn't seem to mind the missing cushion.

At the thrift store I managed to score two free things. I have the delusion of making these two items over. I want to paint the vanity chair black and the cushion needs to be reattached. The chalk board needs a new coat of the chalkboard paint.

The picture in front of the chalkboard is of the City of Milwaukee in 1967. I plan on attaching it to the lamp table magazine rack I blogged about here I paid $1.07 for the picture.

Bird Cage Makeover

Two weeks ago I found a bird cage at my favorite thrift for $2. DH finally painted it and it was now ready to decorate. I found an owl,  3 eggs (Two I am selling on Ebay) some fake leaves and a tree trunk at the consignment shop and a white pumpkin with an owl etched in it at the thrift store. Here are the before and after pictures.

Before pictures:

After picture

All decorated:

total cost $12.03

linking to The Brambleberry Cottage

A Picture Frame Makeover

Yes, Martha Stewart, I can Do It Myself... just barely. I was inspired by Laura over at My Dear Trash to make over this picture frame I found at a garage sale for $2. (I also found a Blue's Clues puzzle, a Fire King cereal bowl and a Starbucks mug)

The picture frame was covered in that cheap brown faux leather which was peeling off. I decided to help it along and peel off all of it.

Next I took off all the hardwear.

Sounds simple right? You would be wrong. Some of the screws would not come out but I wasn't about to give up. I used pliers to pull the screws out and continued to proceed. I took the two pieces outside to paint.

Ryker decided he wanted to help. (Not really. He just wanted his picture taken)

This is the first project I have attempted to redo. I think it turned out well.

At least Ryker thinks so...

linking to The Brambleberry Cottage