Refashion/Upcycle Archives - Page 2 of 10

Painting Tips for All Experience Levels

August 27, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 1 Comment

Hello, it’s Ali from House Vintage… back again! Summer is over and school has begun. To celebrate back to school, I am sharing some lessons I have learned about painting furniture. I have divided these simple tips based on your ability, so even if this is the first piece of furniture you have ever painted, it will turn out great.

Estate sale globe painted with spray paint.

Beginner

A great finished product, starts with proper preparation. Sandpaper and a good primer are your best friends.
Practice makes perfect. Buy second hand furniture at garage and estate sales to refine your technique.
Pick the right paint. Spray paint works well for smaller pieces with lots of nooks and crannies. Latex paint is fine for larger pieces.

Intermediate

Once you have honed your skills, try some of these tips to up the ante.

Mix your own paint colors. I like to use leftover latex wall paint to make custom colors for furniture.
Try different painting techniques like distressing. Paint a base color, then a contrasting top coat. Use sand paper to remove the top color in areas that would typically show wear like corners.
Change up the paint finish you are using. High gloss gives a modern look, whereas a flat finish will look primitive.

Advanced

Now you’re an expert…have some fun.

Mix your mediums. Paint and stain are a great combination, or mix your paint colors for a contrasting look.
Decorate with paint. Try polka dots for a child’s room, or stripes in the entry way. If you don’t have a steady hand, use painters tape or stencils (buy or DIY).
Try different types of paint like chalk or milk paint.

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Thanks for the tips Ali! I am always surprised how paint can totally transform things!

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Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam T-Shirt

May 30, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 1 Comment

June is nearly here and summer is about to begin which means break out the shorts and t-shirts! I love to dress my little guys in custom shirts and I wanted a bright and cheery one for those sunny days. My little guy loves to sing primary songs and one of his recent favorites (no doubt sung in nursery endlessly) is Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam which is of course a classic for his age group and thus the perfect inspiration for his summer outfit.

The first verse goes like this…

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.

The shirt was so easy to put together using my Cricut (I am an affiliate) mini and their iron-on material. It will be even easier for you since I am sharing the free Cricut template! It’s even pre-reversed for you! Just cut and iron-on!

For a little extra flair we added a sun on the back.

It’s the perfect little shirt for any sunbeam!

What’s your kiddos favorite primary song? Do they shout “sunbeam” as loud as my little one?

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DIY Rustic Silverware Caddy

May 28, 2013 By Michelle Barneck Leave a Comment

I was lucky to meet Kelly at the SNAP conference where we were teamed up for the Lowe’s Challenge. She is awesome and I am excited to have her to share a fun project today so without further adeiu…

Hello sweet friends! I’m Kelly. I was tickled silly when Michelle asked if I’d like to be a guest over here. If you aren’t familiar with who I am, I’m the author of the creative lifestyle blog, Live Laugh Rowe, where I share crafts, recipes, life’s moments and more. I’d {love} for you to stop by sometime — and if you like to party, I host a weekly linky party where you can show off your mad talents!

Kelly Rowe and LLR Avatar_550

Today I’m sharing a fun and simple DIY Rustic Condiment Caddy with you. As the warmer weather strolls in, we’ll be spending a little more (for some, a lot more) time outdoors. So, for those barbecues and outdoor picnics, this caddy will come in super handy.

Click for full tutorial…

First and foremost, let’s grab a few supplies. Three empty soup cans, white and cream acrylic paint, brushes, and large dowel for handle. Not pictured: twine, high temp glue gun and sand paper.

DIY Conidment Caddy Supplies

In just a few easy steps, we’ll see this caddy come to life. Are you ready? Let’s do it! 1. Paint the soup cans in two coats of the cream colored acrylic paint. 2. Paint the soup can in one coat of the white acrylic paint.

DIY Condiment Caddy painting cans

3. Lightly sand for a worn, rustic feel. 4. Glue twine around each of the soup cans. Set aside. 5. Drill hole the dowel on one side to string twine through for carrying (optional). 6. Glue each can to the dowel. Be sure to use a hot temp glue gun. Side Notes: The hot temp glue holds the cans to the dowel just fine; however, if you’re looking for something much more durable, consider using this tutorial using screws. Also, if you don’t want to purchase a dowel, I purchased a plunger at the dollar store and cut the handle from that. It worked perfectly!

DIY Rustic Condiment Caddy

There you have a perfectly functional and rustic condiment caddy! I adore it and think it will add a sweet touch to our indoor and outdoor barbecue needs. If you like the paint and sanding technique used in this project to create a vintage feel, you might also like my DIY Painted Mason Jars tutorial.

Today I’m sharing a delicious dessert recipe for French Vanilla Dream Bars over at LLR. Be sure to stop by for some coffee and dessert {wink}. I’d {love} to have you!

Delicious French Vanilla Dream Bars with livelaughrowe.com

Thanks so much for having me, Michelle! Happy Crafting, friends! xo

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Water Spigot Coat Rack

May 21, 2013 By Michelle Barneck 3 Comments

Hello…it’s Ali from House Vintage back again with another fun DIY project. This project only takes a few hours and shouldn’t cost much money. By utilizing salvaged materials, you can make a coat rack.

The supplies you will need are:

Click here to see the full tutorial.

Water spigot knobs are easy to find at flea markets and usually cost a few dollars. They can also be found on Etsy. My pile has been collected over time, as I would find them out thrifting. The wood board was a leftover scrap. If you don’t have any scrap wood around, you can buy this already precut at the hardware store. They come in a variety of lengths. Pick the right size for your space.

Rusty knobs were painted with several thin coats of spray paint. I also added some stain to enhance the tone of the wooden board. Remember to always paint and stain in a well ventilated area.

Decide how many knobs you would like your coat rack to have. Four worked well on my board. I used a yard stick to make sure they were evenly spaced. The knobs are then screwed into the board, from the front. The thickness of the board and the knob will determine the size of screw to use. I also added a plastic spacer and/or washer to allow for space behind the knob where items can hang. Each of my knobs had a different depth, so you may have to use a different configuration on each. I also didn’t pre-drill my holes, but if you are using a wood that splits easily, you may opt to do that.