DIY {dresser drawer} Dog Bed

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Roeshel

As a part of the Lowe’s Creative Ideas team, I was excited that the May Challenge revealed using Pantone’s 2013 Color of the Year…emerald! I knew it’d be the perfect fun color for the new dog bed I planned to make for CocoRosie. Pantone’s Emerald is one of those colors that would look amazing paired with navy, yellow, tangerine, coral, raspberry, fuchsia or pink. I decided to go girly for our new female furry family member.

She loves to lounge around outside, especially since we utilize our patio a lot during nice weather. Sunbathing is one of her favorite past times although there are occasions when she seeks shade and Italian Greyhounds are prone to sunburn because of the short fur. The hot pink parasol provides a bit of shade and a ton of cute-ness paired with Emerald and coordinating fabrics.

diy-dog-bed-tutorial

Materials I used:

old dresser drawer
paint (Valspar Signature Paint, semi-gloss, Pantone Emerald and Berry Brown)
FrogTape
furniture feet x 4 (also table leg plates/hardware if needed)
coordinating pillow or DIY cushion
matching parasol/umbrella
hardware to attach the parasol to the drawer (hose clamp or pipe strap)

What I did:

1. An old free/found dresser supplied the drawer. I gave it a good scrubbing. You may also want to sand your dresser drawer face board if needed or remove drawer handles for painting and replace when finished.

2. I simply drilled pilot holes in the wider dresser front and back bottom boards then screwed in the feet.

CocoRosie is only 10 lbs. and this worked for us. There is also hardware (table leg plates) for furniture legs sold in the same aisle at Lowe’s for a sturdier option (located near the decorative wood moulding).

3. The inside got a coat of Valspar’s Berry Brown.

4. Once dry, I taped off the inside using FrogTape, making sure the edges were sealed to activate the PaintBlock technology.

5. Next up, painting the outside two coats of the beautiful Pantone’s 2013 Emerald exclusively at Lowe’s.

I love the consistency of Valspar’s Signature line.

painting dog bed

I removed the FrogTape immediately after the second coat…

then let it dry overnight while I worked on a DIY box cushion…

6. Secure the parasol handle to the inside of the drawer using a hose clamp or pipe strap (however the box cushion I made has a snug fit and holds the parasol handle in place). I found that having the parasol positioned in the front of the drawer helps to be able to push it almost-flush against walls on the back side.

7. Pop in a pillow or cushion.

Seven or less steps. Easy as pie. A yummy (Pantone) Emerald and Raspberry indoor/outdoor dog bed.

Before…Don’t feel too bad, she does have access to patio furniture too. You’ve seen her on that patio daybed!

Now:

Up for providing shade…

Down for getting sun/overcast days…

No parasol for indoors…

I’m even thinking of personalizing it for her…

Result is a pampered pooch. Maybe now I’ll have the patio daybed to myself! How do you spoil your pets?

Of note:

*I do not leave the dog bed outside in the rain.

*Sharing here: The Shabby Creek Cottage, Tatertots & Jello

*See more fun DIY ideas at Lowe’s Creative Ideas, follow Lowe’s on Instagram, Pinterest and sign up for the Creative Ideas magazine and app!

*Disclaimer: As a member of the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Creators and Influencers network, I received a Lowe’s gift card to complete this project for using Pantone’s Emerald in Valspar’s Signature paint challenge, however the tutorial images, instructions and opinions are my own. Your dog’s behavior may vary. DIY results may vary.

FrogTape Earn Your Stripes Contest

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Roeshel

FrogTape “Earn Your Stripes” contest….win $5000!

As you know, I’m always using FrogTape around here on one project or another and a brand ambassador on the FrogTape Blog Squad.

Guess what?! I’m so excited to tell you! It’s that time of year – time for the FrogTape Earn Your Stripes Contest and I’d LOVE for a DIY Show Off reader to win the $5000 prize! As a member of the FrogTape Blog Squad, I’ll be participating in the judging process and looking forward to seeing your entry!

How to enter?

Visit the FrogTape Earn Your Stripes Contest page.

I KNOW I’ve seen some awesome projects from some of you using FrogTape! And it’s a great time of year to check off painting from your DIY to-do list, especially with this kind of incentive.

Need some inspiration? Here some of my painting projects using FrogTape…

Apartment Kitchen Herringbone Accent Wall

Chartreuse Door

Entryway Chevron Accent Wall

Family Room Christmas Reindeer Wall Art

Painted Steamer Trunk for Apartment Living Room

Stair Landing FrogTape Accent Wall

What are you waiting for? !

Good luck, friends!

*This post is sponsored by FrogTape.

DIY Challenge: bookcase to free-standing small pet gate/display sign/game score keeper

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Roeshel

I was recently invited to participate in a fun DIY challenge created by HomeTalk and Wayfair. A little DIY + creativity turned a bookcase into a free-standing gate with chalkboard for multi-functional use:

free-standing gate for small pets
free-standing sign for parties and yard sales
free-standing game score keeper for outdoor family games this summer

The challenge: Get creative! I chose to turn the Furinno pine 3 tier bookcase from Wayfair into something new according to a specific theme (geometric pattern, incorporate rope, or black & white). I chose the black & white theme.

I started by giving the pine bookcase pieces and a thrift-store wooden calendar holder a coat of white spray paint (Rustoleum Satin Finish).

I used FrogTape to protect the frame of the wooden calendar holder and gave it a coat of chalkboard paint along with the “bookend” pieces that came with the bookcase. Allow to dry and remove FrogTape.

Rather than attach the 3 fence-like shelves to form a book case, I attached them to the bookcase end pieces using 6 hinges (I also used shorter screws where needed). I set it all out, measuring and marking with a pencil for equal placement of the hinges on both sides.

Then added the base bars according to the package instructions.

I attached the chalkboard with screws (from the back side) to the center of the gate and seasoned the chalkboard (season: rub side of chalk over entire chalkboard surface vertically then horizontally and erase with a felt eraser or dry soft cloth/paper towel).

I still need to fill, sand and paint some of the manufacturer’s pre-drilled pilot holes, but loving it’s function for keeping the new dog away from the kitchen and out from under hubby’s feet when he’s cooking. I specify small pet because this likely won’t keep a large dog from jumping over or moving it since it’s not locked into place. However, our standard ‘baby gate’ is only 23″ high. The center panel of my DIY free standing gate measures 32″ tall.

I understand that pets can’t read! lol But it helps the person who moves the gate to pass through know why it’s there.

Even the back side is pretty…

It will double as a free standing sign for parties, picnics, family reunions, yard sales (or even a menu board when entertaining)…

Where did the chalkboard bookend pieces come into play? Washi tape and a Sharpie were used to add numbers to the top two rows of the gate (chalkboard markers don’t smear)…

The bookend pieces slide along the numbers to ‘keep score’ for outdoor games.

Thanks to HomeTalk & Wayfair for inviting me to participate! The bookcase made this a pretty easy DIY project which will get a lot of use!

Linking up to Funky Junk Interiors.

*I was provided with the bookcase and a $25 Visa gift card for this project.

*This post was also brought to you by FrogTape. FrogTape provided by Shurtech. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

DIY {wall mounted} Pallet Shelf

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Roeshel

Mr. DIY’s hobby isn’t DIY {it’s mainly mine and I take full advantage of his muscle power}. He does have several hobbies including cooking (lucky me!), grilling on his Big Green Egg (lucky me again!) and home-brewing. Not my thing…but I do think being a ‘beer-chemist’ is kinda cool and he enjoys it. Hey, those hobbies are DIY in a way.

The problem: Supplies and materials are often scattered in the basement, hiding in built-ins in the dining room, sitting around in the kitchen driving me crazy or just ‘lost’ sparking a lot of temper tantrums and wasting precious free time on the hunt for supplies. And when he finally has a free weekend to cook up a recipe, he’s often searching for empty bottles, caps, hops, grains, what-nots and tools-of-the-trade. Or more often, “I” become detective in the search because I’ve probably stowed something away where it doesn’t below in an effort to de-clutter. Oops!

The solution: Making the space in the open basement stairwell an organized home brew supply station, library, storage area with a fun rustic/industrial vibe. Everything in it’s place, easy to find.

We’re starting with a wall-mounted pallet shelf for holding an empty bottle collection. The bonus: {I love that this project is all about making his hobby more enjoyable and it inspired us to work together as a team, a date night or two at Lowe’s.}

Materials:

Pallet
Three 1 x 3 x 4 pine wood planks
Rustoleum’s Ultimate Wood Stain (color: Kona)
Rustoleum Polyurethane (matte finish)
2 Purdy 2.5 inch angled paint brush for stain/poly
Rags
Hanging Hardware (wall anchors, screws, toggle bolts)

Tools we used:

Crow bar
Hammer
Nail gun (finishing nails)
Saw
Dremel Multi-Max (sanding)
Drill (hanging)

DIY Pallet Shelf Tutorial

1. After we found the perfect pallet (tips about working with pallet wood from Funky Junk Interiors), we decided to use the back of the pallet as the front of the shelf and removed 1 plank using a crow bar and hammer. {How about those wool socks with flip flops? He’s all mine, ladies!}

2. Measure and cut the 1 x 3 x 4′s to fit between the front and back pallet planks to create “shelves”.

3. Position the 1 x 3 shelf bottom into place. We used a level to ensure shelf bases weren’t crooked. Some places were a little tricky and needed hammering into place or lifting the old pallet plank a tad with a crow bar, while positioning the 1 x 3 into place.

4. A finishing nail gun (and a good eye for lining up the nails in the 1 inch area) secures the shelf bottom to the sides of the individual shelves. {Forgot pictures of the nail gun step…it’s just so much fun!}

We added a few screws to some of the pallet face-boards to tighten things up.

5. Sand all sides and splinters.

6. Stain. I used Rustoleum’s Ultimate Wood Stain.

Brush on in the direction of the wood grain. Wipe away in the same direction with a rag. Rustoleum Wood Stain dries fast! {Not shown: I did wear latex gloves to avoid stained hands.} Isn’t this rich dark brown gorgeous? It’s called “Kona”. Love it!

7. About an hour later, I was ready to seal the stained wood. Using the same technique, I applied Rustoleum’s Polyurethane and let it dry for 24 hours.

8. Hang! I used FrogTape for marking the area we wanted the pallet shelf to hang.

I marked the studs with a chalk line.

Wall color: homemade chalkboard paint using Benjamin Moore Hale Navy.

We used 6 drywall screws {screwed into the wall studs} to secure our pallet shelf to the wall.

I have to say, he doesn’t always see my vision, but once things are put into action and start coming together, he loves it! He spent about 30 minutes styling his new pallet shelf, stepping back and re-arranging it over and over. Success! And just like completing one DIY project leads to more, this little pallet shelf inspired a lot more creative ideas for his home brew supply space/beer library. Keeping things organized so stay tuned!

Organized, right? What do you think?

The plan: A place for everything and more DIY:

A DIY light fixture.
Built-in shelves on the wall above the ledge for supplies.
Ladder for reaching high shelves.
Slate tiled stairs and landing.
More inspiration: laboratory/brewery/library Pinterest board.

Ps. DIY dates inspire daydreaming and communication (sometimes the occasional fight with the opportunity to make up too!). Do you enjoy working on DIY projects with your spouse? Do little projects inspire bigger dreams?

Linking up to Thrifty Decor Chick’s Before/After party and Project Inspired.

*Disclaimer: I’m a new member of the Lowe’s Creative Ideas Creators and Influencers network! I received a Lowe’s gift card to complete this project for a spring cleaning/organization challenge. Each month I’ll have the opportunity to participate in a themed DIY challenge however the tutorial images, instructions and opinions are my own.

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Paper Mache Easter Egg craft

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Roeshel

A day with freezing rain isn’t my ideal spring day, but it is still officially winter. Spring. In like a lion, right? ::groan::

Fortunately, this dip-dyed {painted} paper mache Easter egg craft is a cheerful easy DIY project which aided in averting my eye from the cold, gloom and sleet outside.

I don’t think you really need a tutorial. But, since writing up a “how to” is what I love to do, I’m going to tell you what I did anyway.

Materials:

Paper mache eggs
FrogTape
DecoArt Americana acrylic craft paints

Wrap FrogTape around the paper mache egg to create a faux dipped line. Using my fingernail, I rubbed the edge of the tape to activate the Paint Block Technology to prevent paint from seeping underneath the tape, to create a crisp clean line.

Then I simply painted the bottom of my paper mache eggs using different spring-inspired colors:

Pull away/remove FrogTape while paint is still wet. It’s a little tricky! After I was done, I thought: “I should have used a set of tongs or something to get a better grip on my egg.” #hindsight

Allow paint to dry. (I just set mine on the cellophane paper mache egg packaging.)

Decorate!

Do you decorate with Easter eggs {faux or real} this time of year?

Joining Lana over at Making a House a Home for “It’s a Spring Thing” linky party where she shares her sweet little DIY playhouse for her little guy.

There’s another It’s a Spring Thing link party too! Fun! I’m joining the party by linking up with my best blog girlfriends too.

What are you working on? You’re invited to link up & share!
Joining the party with Amanda too!

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Affiliate links for project materials:

Amazon.com Widgets

Accent Wall Before and After

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Roeshel

Patti (my youngest sister) is renting but has permission from the landlord to paint…and to be creative about it too. The entryway wall before had peeling paint…

I scraped and sanded until we had a smooth finish. Holes and cracks were patched using DAP’s DryDex (spackling that goes on pink, dries white) and sanded.

The walls got a coat of primer and a base coat in a neutral light gray color.

Using FrogTape Delicate (the yellow painter’s tape with PaintBlock Technology, safe for freshly painted walls) the next day, I created a chevron/zigzag pattern.

Then painted the zigzag stripes alternating a left-over darker gray paint and left-over gray-beige paint (the color under the tape is a lighter gray).

As soon as I were finished painting the second coat (while it was still wet), I removed the FrogTape Delicate.

Next up cleaning the dingy vinyl floor and decorating.

After (paint is still drying):

Patti just happens to work part time for a thrift store so she gets first dibs on all of the eclectic treasures (and has a good eye for what can be transformed). Lucky girl! If it was me, I’d never get out the door with a paycheck. I’d be trading those dollars for thrift store goodies!

Even though the wall now sports a busy pattern in 3 colors, the colors are neutral enough to work in some fun colorful accents and patterns. {All accessories found on Polyvore.}

teal, gold & gray

coral, black & gray

emerald & navy

gray & mustard

Looking forward to seeing what she does, how about you? Which color(s) do you like?

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Quick, easy, cheap DIY vignette photo backdrop

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Roeshel

Small super easy DIY photo backdrop: Ever need to take some close up shots of crafts or seasonal vignettes for blogging purposes? Here’s a quick easy way to add some fun pattern and color to your “after” photos.

What you’ll need:

wrapping paper
FrogTape
scissors

Cut wrapping paper to desired size for background. Keep in place using FrogTape. FrogTape coordinated with my roll of narrow wrapping paper so it works well with my design in creating a faux “panel” and can be used in my photos but just a few pieces to tape ‘outside’ of your photo area works well too. It’s safe for use on walls (no sticky residue or damage) and easily removable.

Before:

Pottery Barn inspired “Happy Easter” eggs tutorial

After:

Easy peasy! Quick color and pattern for your photos. Now if I could just get the “photography” part done that simple!

Sharing at Home Stories A to Z’s tutorial & tips party.

Reminder that today starts another week of the Countdown to Spring Party!

Sneak peek of the project kicking off this week by Cheri at It’s So Very Cheri.

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

How to install a tiled backsplash

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Roeshel

We’re finally shopping for tile for behind our stove area so I wanted to revisit how our kitchen has evolved and the tile we chose for our back splash as well as review the steps we took to install the tile. Our kitchen when we bought the house was outdated…

When we moved we only paint the walls green, inserted new SS appliances and range hood. We lived with it for 3 years then painted the cabinets and finally replaced the countertop with granite (Virginia Jet Mist). Working as time and budget allow sometimes mean waiting for the things we want.

We had a savings to get started on our dream kitchen (the dream where we have savings but the dream without winning the lottery.

The back splash:

Materials:
Venatino Polished Marble Tiles 12×12 mosaic, 5 Venatino Pencil Borders
OmniGrip Maximum Strength Adhesive
Tile Guard Natural Stone Penetrating Sealer
QuartzLock Grout - silver
FrogTape
Caulk

Tools:
Tile saw
Trowel
Float
Putty knife
Bucket
Sponge
Bucket
Paper towels
Rags
Caulk gun
DAP Pro Caulk Tool Kit

Back Splash Tutorial:

1. Apply caulk to gap where countertop meets the wall.

2. We used a DAP Pro Caulk Tools to make an even/straight line, but a using your finger (and water) works just as well.

3. Prep area. Cover countertop or clean as you go to protect the counter top.

4. Upper cabinets sit back further than the edge of the countertop. We wanted out backsplash to cover the entire area. We started at the edge of the counter for our backsplash. Decide how your tile edge will be finished. We used a matching border from the countertop’s edge vertically and ended at the bottom of the end of the wall cabinet. We mitered the joint where vertical meets horizontal.

5. Apply border and tile with OmniGrip Adhesive using a trowel. Coat the wall (can be done directly on drywall). OmniGrip is pre-mixed so there’s no guessing on consistency and this product works really well for a back splash.

6. To lessen breakage and crumbling when cutting (the vibration nearly pulverizes edges of the marble), we used FrogTape on cuts.

7. Apply pressure to ‘set’ tiles in place.

Another shot of how we ended the tile on the countertop/cabinet edge.

8. Let dry at least 2 days.

9. Seal tiles using Tile Guard. Wipe on with a rag. It dries within seconds.

10. After drying, prep area by covering countertops or clean as you go – dried grout {We chose Quartz Lock in a darker gray} will be hard to remove.

Have a bucket of water handy.

11. Apply generous amount of Quartz Lock to the float using a putty knife.

Quartz Lock is pre-mixed. We cover with a plastic grocery bag, then the lid with a tight seal and save leftover for a future project.

12. Add grout to spaces between the tiles, filling every gap, working in small areas going to next step and starting again with the next area. Smoosh it in the gaps.

13. Using a well-wrung wet sponge, wipe in a diagonal motion (except when necessary against countertop and cabinets), wiping away grout from tile. Grout should stay in the cracks and gaps, but be cleaned away from tiles.

14. Rinse sponge.

15. Repeat.

16. Let dry. Grout will hide imperfections/crumbled edges of marble tile. Don’t stress with tiny chips. Grout will disguise them. We have an old farmhouse, so our motto is “imperfection adds character”.

Before Grout:

After Grout:

Kitchen before:

Kitchen after:

We’re thinking of stainless steel tiles for behind the stove but I haven’t decided on the pattern or shape of tiles yet.

We just calculated that we’ll be in our house 7 years this summer. And we’re ready to put the finishing touches on the kitchen. About time, right? We’ll be removing the cabinets above the stove to install a proper vent. It means losing those two cupboards but more on a pantry coming soon too. What do you think?

I think the chef’s dream stove/range is on that ‘winning the lottery’ dream kitchen and he’ll have to make do with what we have but it’s functional. Sorry, Mr. DIY.

See more about our kitchen makeover at our Home Tour…

Sharing at Thrifty Decor Chick.

Valentine Mantel {and thrifty treasure DIY}

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Roeshel

Yes! I’m decorating the mantel for Valentine’s Day after all but it’s still not too late…

“Owl You Need is Love & Chocolate”

Valentine mantel

Back when I glanced at the thrift store junk stash, I saw two of these calendar displays. I can’t pass them up – wood, great DIY material. Ya know?

Bri had scored these fun wood cut out shapes. I snagged the ‘badge/crest’ looking one thinking it was a great owl-shape. {pardon the lighting in the dining room turned work station for the tutorial}

And a Valentine DIY craft and decorating idea was born.

Materials:

FrogTape
wooden calendar frame
badge-shaped wooden cut out
wooden heart shape
craft paints
wood glue

I started with tracing my camera lens cap for the owl’s eyes.

I drew a pencil line vertically down the center. Using 2 ” pieces of FrogTape, I created a chevron pattern on the owl’s body working from the center out…

Once the tape was burnished (rub the edges of the tape with a credit card to activate the FrogTape’s paintblock), I painted my pattern. Then immediate removed the FrogTape…

Once that was dry, I continued painting my badge to look like an owl.

I used FrogTape to protect the frame and painted the background white and let it dry…

My wooden heart was painted brown {FolkArt’s burnt umber}. Once everything was dry, I laid out the placement of the owl, heart and used adhesive stencils for my lettering…

The owl and heart were attached using Gorilla wood glue. I let the glue dry for about an hour.

Then gathered some decorative accents…

painted candlesticks Easter, decor, do it yourself, faux chocolate bar sign, wood sign, centerpiece

…and styled my mantel using thrift store candle sticks, an ampersand and a fun faux chocolate bar DIY from last Easter. Of course I was still in my pajamas and I asked Mr. DIY to pick me up a bouquet of pink flowers for my photo shoot and boy, did he ever…they.are.VERY.pink…. They’re perfect. My vase is embellished with clay tags and ribbon.

Did I mention that just regular days are like Valentine’s Day around here? Not only did he pick out pretty flowers for my Valentine’s Day mantel decorating, but he came home with these…

decadent chocolate cupcakes

He hadn’t even seen my “Owl You Need is Love & Chocolate” theme yet but he reads my mind. most of the time.

I’m not so into lots of Valentine’s Day decorating but hey, I am a fan of “Owl you need is love & chocolate”! Affiliate links for similar materials:

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

Thrift Store Find: Just add paint.

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Roeshel

Out of nowhere in January, we were blessed with a day of spring temperatures (60s after single digit temps) here in Pittsburgh but unfortunately, April showers came along with it. It’s the kind of day perfect for sifting through the thrift-store junk stash and finally working on a project.

I grabbed the dirty serving tray from the bottom of the pile…{luckily that dark area was only dirt…not mold or a stain}

and gave it a good scrubbing with soap and water…

then headed to the basement to give it a coat of spray paint (Rustoleum Heirloom White)…

Then I browsed some favorite blogs and caught up on emails while the paint dried.

Next I used my FrogTape in the .94 in. width to tape off the inside border…

and to create a fun bold imperfect {herrinbone} pattern…

making sure to use my thumbnail along the edges of the tape to ensure the Paintblock barrier had a good seal…

I filled in the design using an acrylic craft (Folk Art Burnt Umber) paint and a sponge brush…

and immediately removed the FrogTape…

Once the acrylic craft paint was dry, I gave the entire tray a light even spray of clear coat and let it dry.

Now time to enjoy watching the rainstorm from inside. The sitting room is all ready for a spot of tea,

planning,

and daydreaming…

Do you have a thrift store/yardsale stash full of treasures just waiting for a little DIY attention?

See this herringbone pattern using FrogTape on an accent wall.

Sharing: Thrifty Decor Chick – Before & After party

Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials & Tips

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

How to Flatten an Area Rug

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Roeshel

Every time I make the trip to Ikea, I have to resist the temptation to fill my cart with all of their luscious textiles. But on my most recent trip, I couldn’t resist the $19.99 Gislev rug…

…great price, pretty rug in a generous 4 x 6 size? Yes, please. I knew right away it’d help anchor the seating area in our little sitting room.

sitting room at Christmas

New rugs come packaged in a roll, which leaves both ends curled. Ugh! Don’t you hate that? Huge tripping hazard for sure. Normally, I add weight with boxes, furniture, books, even paint cans. But this small room is a high traffic area to our basement and that would create an obstacle course for sure. {and with a woodburner helping to heat this old house, trips to the basement are frequent in the winter months.}

Solution: I grabbed a roll of FrogTape and taped down those edges.

I let it sit for a day or two until we were expecting guests then removed it.It worked! FrogTape was gentle enough on our slate floor. There was no sticky residue when I removed the tape. Hallelujah! And the ends of the rug are now flattened…

Lalka is happy with her new comfy area rug in a room that gets flooded with sunshine…{I use FrogTape to pick up cat hair that won’t sweep up on this low pile area rug too.}

I’m trying this technique in the family room where the area rug curls up. FrogTape won’t hurt the finish on our bamboo floors either. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.

Does this happened to you? What do you use?

I’ll share the sitting room re-decorated later this week!

Sharing here: Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials & Tips

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

A Chartreuse Door

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Roeshel

Mini-makeover…

When we first installed the sliding door, I embraced it’s original old paint.

But over the past year, it did feel more “dirty” even after a good scrubbing than “charming”. It just reminded me of the cold weather and dirty snow…blah. You can’t tell from the pictures. But it did have that dirty old worn finish.

Remember how my brain sometimes works with DIY? It’s usually a spur of the moment decision that wasn’t in my plan for the day or ever. That happened with painting the sliding door in our dining room.

And remember when I painted the door in the apartment renovation…

I fell in looooove with that color. A beautiful happy shade of green.

The beginning of the new year consisted of cleaning and organizing the basement somewhat. I stumbled across packed boxes of supplies and tools from the apartment renovation…still not unpacked since November. While putting things away, looky what I found:

Valspar Gilded Pesto

And just like that, in that five minute time span, I decided to paint the sliding door in the dining room, to add some “spring” color to the dingy, dirty, neutral white. No wonder it takes me FOREVER to clean. Distractions get me every time.

I started by taping off the glass around the mullions with my favorite stash of FrogTape, making sure the edge of the tape was flush against the corner where wood met glass. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue when removed…and I’m all for making a last minute DIY easier.

{you can see the dirty original paint job better in this picture}

{curtain is for privacy in the guest room or maybe hiding junk in what’s become a storage room…ummm, I’m not telling}

I used my thumb to burnish the edges of the Frogtape to prevent paint from seeping underneath.

Then applied to coats of my sample container of paint.

{oops…One coat looked great while wet so I removed tape. I did a second coat on the flat parts after coat 1 was dry}

I removed the tape immediately after the second coat, pulling away from the wood.

Ta-da…the after:

again…here’s the before:

What do you think? Do the seasons aid in changing your decor? How finding inspiration and materials that you forgot you had when cleaning and organizing? Either way…I’m loving the new pop of color!

paint the built ins and add hardware to the bottom doors
swap out the light fixture (wait ’til you see the new one!!!)

*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

Sharing at:

Beneath My Heart’s Best DIY Projects of January

FJI’s Saturday Night Special

Thrifty Decor Chick Before and After party

Tufted Upholstered Twin Headboard Makeover

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Roeshel

Ali needed a twin bed for her apartment. She wanted a neutral upholstered headboard with tufting.These were perfect for what she had in mind, except the $250+ price tag was not in her budget.

inspiration

West Elm Diamond Tufted Headboard in sand

Bellacor tufted twin headboard in premier oatmeal

We were up for the DIY “get this look for less” challenge. We found this vinyl covered gem at a second hand store… {$20 including the bed frame!}

before

What we used:

old headboard
batting
fabric covered button kit
drop cloth
fishing line
FrogTape
staples & staple gun

Once I got the headboard home, I discovered that the headboard itself was not solid. There’s only a wood frame covered with vinyl. It’s hollow. Darn. But we moved forward, fingers crossed.

First step was to determine where the buttons for tufting would be placed. I created a grid on the back of the headboard using FrogTape.

Since marking black vinyl is a little tricky, the Frogtape helped to mark the areas I wanted to drill a hole…

I removed the FrogTape but it won’t hurt to keep it in place.

Next, I rested the headboard on top of a piece of batting and cut batting big enough to wrap around the edges onto the back side. You can use spray adhesive to help hold it into place.

Staple batting onto the back side of the headboard.

This is how I wrapped and secured the corners: by pulling the corner of the batting over the corner of the headboard, stapling, then folding and stapling the long edges of the batting. It was a little tricky around the leg of the headboard, just make sure batting lays smoothly.

Carefully trim away the excess batting…

Here’s how it looks from the front:

While I covered the back of the headboard with sheet of drop cloth measured and cut to fit the back side using spray adhesive to hold into place then followed the same steps above with the drop cloth fabric…

Ali covered buttons using dropcloth scraps {she’s less than thrilled about the photo op. lol}…

To create tufting with, use a finishing nail to hold the fishing line in place. To keep it from going through the drilled hole, place the nail through the loop in the thread. Lay the finishing nail across the back of the hole and loop the thread over the nail and back up through the hole. Repeat a few times and then tie off the thread to the finishing nail. Twist the nail to draw the button down into the fabric to the desired depth. Use a staple gun and staple diagonally across the nail to secure it and keep it from unwinding {more tufted button instructions at wikihow}.

Before and After…

Total cost of DIY: less than $50!

DIY Christmas Card Tree {card display/holder}

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Roeshel

Christmas cards have been arriving in the mail! It’s the best time of the year for checking the mail. Walking to the mailbox in cold temps, anticipating ‘good tidings’ and walking back into the house with a warm heart. Thoughtfulness and “Merry Christmas” delivered to our mail box. It’s just one more part of Christmas giving that makes my days merry and bright! We have two ways for displaying Christmas wishes. One is something I put together using scrap wood and trim pieces:

How I made it:

I gathered the scraps of moulding we had lying around, a 1×3.5 and a 4×4 scrap block. My 1×3.5 is about 21 inches long, the 4×4 is about 6 inches long. Adjust measurements for what fits your scrap wood.

I placed pieces on my 1×3.5 to get an idea of where things would go. I often use FrogTape as a measuring tool and in this case, I used it to evenly space my trim pieces by using them as a guide between trim pieces. I used the 1.88 in. width. I also left a small space above the “top” trim piece to allow room for gluing on a star.

I measured my trim to fit the 1×3.5 piece for the top of my “tree”.

I cut my pieces at a 45 degree angle.

And lined up each piece for cutting…

and cut each piece at a 45 degree angle.

All pieces are glued using Gorilla Wood Glue and clamped as well as screwed into place.

The 4×4 was glued and clamped to the bottom {back} and serves to make the Christmas card display free standing.

Everything got a coat of milk paint (General Finishes “basil”) and glaze with a dry brush with a spritz of Krylon Glitter Blast. {front and back} FrogTape was used to keep the 4×4 block of wood from being painted (I considered staining the wood block but see instructions below for my change in plans).

I spray painted small clothes pins and a wooden star.

Next I hot glued the clothes pins into place, staggering so cards won’t overlap by too much when displayed {FrogTape containers are great for storing glue sticks and keeping craft supplies organized}…

and the star on top.

My plan was to wrap the base using jute twine. But I’ve misplaced it, so I used a pretty wool yarn I had on hand, securing with hot glue.

It’s such a cute way to display Christmas cards and pictures of my nieces and nephew:

a little Christmas card vignette display…

Doubles as a candle holder: When I don’t have anything to display, I can flip it to the back side, add a votive holder and candle…

Quick and Easy DIY Christmas card/photo display: Our other Christmas card/photo display is a tension rod. I simply sewed a sleeve, added curtain rings with clips. It’s been displayed in our window frame, on a small book case and in a (non working) fireplace opening. Here’s a picture from last year:

I love this idea from Family Fun too – a tomato cage Christmas card holder…

for more creative ideas, see my HomeTalk Christmas Card Display clipboard…

Which do you prefer? How do you display your Christmas cards? If you have a do-it-yourself Christmas card holder, feel free to leave a link in the comments {and I’ll add you to my HomeTalk clipboard}.

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*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

His & Hers painted pillow covers

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Roeshel

His & Hers Pillow Covers

I shared my painted upholstered chairs…

I also liked that the Serena & Lily chair {my inspiration for the stripe} had matching accent pillows.

I just so happened to have 2 matching pillow cases on hand. What are the chances? I have had them just sitting in a basket in my craft room along with the other supplies. I love when DIY project was meant to be! {Chairs are actually a light grey and the pillows are a linen color…but they look so well together!}

Materials:

FrogTape
two pillow covers
latex paint
acrylic craft paint
stencils

I measured the width of the stripes on the chairs and using FrogTape,I created the same stripe on the front of my pillow covers. I did insert a piece of cardboard to prevent paint from soaking through the back side. I filled in my stripe with the brown latex paint that I used on the chairs. I removed the FrogTape and let them dry. Then simply used stencils to spell out “His” and “Hers” (using an acrylic craft paint). I’ve read that you can set the paint with a warm iron.

I also liked that some of the fabric shows through for a worn look.

Awe…His & Hers

Now my chairs are complete! Christmas in the sitting room coming soon!

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*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

Painted Upholstered Chair Tutorial {before and after}

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Roeshel

Painted upholstered chairs – story of an unplanned DIY.

Does your DIY ever go like this: I started my day with big plans to finally sew the curtains in the family room. In order to do so, I needed to clean off the dining room table which was piled with boxes filled with ornaments and holiday decor and other junk from the shuffling around, rearranging and decorating {because of course the table in my craft room is piled high with an unorganized cluttered mess that also needs cleaned}.

Of course clearing the dining room table meant decorating for Christmas which lead me to the room right off the dining room that we’re currently calling the “sitting room”. So, in order to sew curtains for the family room, I had to clean the dining room which meant decorating the sitting room and in there were these chairs.

These $6 thrift store chairs. I loved the color and pattern. But I have had a difficult time with orange, fuchsia and olive green colors. Love them. But they don’t work in our home. I gave them a chance, but not even in our eclectic home. I considered slipcovers but I am decorating this room right now. No materials or time for slipcovers.

{before}

And I had the brilliant idea to paint them. Right then. That minute.

I had seen the upholstery painting tutorial at Hyphen Interiors in 2011. Loved it. Left an impression. Very inspiring.

I also knew I had most materials on hand. Paint! Everything except the fabric medium. I’ve looked at the bottles for sale at Michael’s in the past {for painted curtains} and knew they weren’t cheap. I was also still in my pajamas and on a mission. Sewing curtains, remember?! But these multi-colored chairs were an obstacle.

DIY girls thoughts: No fabric medium. No budget. No desire to run to the store. Lots of leftover latex paint. The only one who really sits in these chairs is the cat. So for now…if painting doesn’t go right, I can still slip cover them at a later date. GO FOR IT!

I found a left over can of Ralph Lauren paint that I hated working with as it was super watery. Perfect! I watered it down even further with water. I didn’t measure, just created a consistency that was still able to hold to the paint brush but watery enough to be absorbed into the textured fabric of the chairs. I used a 2.5 inchPurdy brush.

I gave the chairs a good cleaning, getting up all of the cat hair (FrogTape works great as a cat fur remover).

And I just started painting. My mixture of latex and water had amazing coverage.

I also taped off the legs using FrogTape.

Sometimes I had to swirl the brush for coverage, then followed up with a straight brush stroke.

And worked my way along the bottom edges, up the side, around the back, in the creases of the attached cushions and finished by painting the seat back and cushion.

I took a few breaks and a bigger one between the painting the two chairs. The Paintbrush Cover was perfect for keeping my paintbrush from drying out. It creates an airtight seal during usage. Simply place the brush in the cover and close the lid. After my break, I simply opened the cover, removed my brush. It was like I never stopped painting! {Thanks to Salvatore of the Paintbrush Cover for the gift…definitely something that’s going to get a lot of use around here. If you paint a lot…visit the link above to purchase a few for yourself. Definitely useful and convenient! 2 must have DIY paint tools to have on hand: FrogTape and the Paintbrush Cover.}

One coat. It dried fairly fast. I removed the FrogTape which perfectly protected the wooden legs. Who even noticed those pretty legs with that crazy printed fabric before? Discovery: She has legs with beautiful carved detail!

The texture which was lost in the busy pattern…

before

now shows the quilted pattern with a solid color…

after

SO PRETTY!

And before you ask, yes…without the fabric medium, my chairs are rough. They have a vinyl look and feel. Since the paint is watered down…it’s not going to crack or chip or anything. The paint is absorbed into the fabric. I would recommend NOT skipping the fabric medium and to use the recipe shared by Hyphen Interiors. However…if you find yourself in a DIY emergency like me and aren’t particular about a sort of vinyl look/feel. And you have to do something or your entire Christmas decorating is going to be a big fail and you’ll never move on to the project that you planned to complete in the first place…I must tell you, I love these chairs now. Forget the slipcovers.

I knew I wanted to do more than just have a set of solid light grey chairs. My inspiration:

Serena & Lily Bark Miramar Racing Stripe Chair

Of course I know that my chairs aren’t the same shape. They’re slender girls with long legs. But that stripe. I love that stripe. Not quite a knock off or copy cat project, but it’s what inspired my next steps…

I found the center of the chair and using FrogTape, created a stripe down the middle. I was sure to burnish the edges where the tape would meet paint. And using leftover {watered down} brown latex paint, I painted in my stripes from bottom of the front of the chair, over the cushion, up seat back and down the back of the chair.

I removed the FrogTape while the paint was still wet, pulling away from the wet paint. I did take a wet paper towel to carefully wipe away wet paint where a tiny bit seeped under the tape due to the texture of the fabric. See – it’s a good thing I have that vinyl-ish finish!

Amazing transformation, right? Love it!

Now I’m happy with my $6 chairs.And I was able to decorate the sitting room for Christmas.

See more Painted Upholstery Chair pictures in the sitting room mini makeover.

His & Hers painted pillow covers

{tutorial}

I was able to get the dining room table cleared off and decorated and the clutter put away. (okay…for real, some of that was shifted to the craft room table which is dangerously close to an avalanche. Shhhh!)

I still haven’t sewn 6 of the 8 family room curtain panels. {Remember the no sew ruffled ombre tree skirt and the sewing machine being at the repair shop? One of these days I’ll get those curtains done. You don’t remember that I’ve had the fabric since June, do you?}

Perhaps another day, I’ll have a DIY plan that will go according to plan.

Joining the party here:

Beneath My Heart

Don’t miss a thing!
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*This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

DIY Lighted Starburst Mirror Christmas Tree Topper {tutorial}

Posted on December 7, 2012 by Roeshel

DIY Lighted Starburst Mirror Christmas Tree Topper

One thing I’ve never created but have always loved is a DIY starburst mirror. There are so many great tutorials, so many beautiful creations. The new white Christmas tree in the family room needed a topper. I have a white star (which you’ll see that I also used…there’s no such thing as too much bling at Christmas!). Here’s how I made the lighted starburst tree topper:

Materials:

about 30 BBQ skewers
about 30 plastic garden stakes
7″ flat round mirror
7″ cardboard circle (I traced my mirror onto a piece of white cardboard and cut it out)
FrogTape Delicate Surface
string of lights (mine is a string of 20)
spray paint (I used Rustoleum‘s Satin Lagoon)
1 pipe cleaner
hot glue

Tutorial:

1. Using the FrogTape Delicate Surface, tape off the front of the mirror.

2. Trace the mirror onto a piece of cardboard and cut out circle. Set aside.

3. Flip mirror over. I used a Sharpie and traced the bottom of my FrogTape container, making a circle centered on the back of the mirror. I traced the lid of my spray paint can for a smaller inner circle.

4. Lay out garden stakes round the outer circle to see if you’ll need to leave a small gap between each garden stake. Mine fit snug, just touching each other. I glued them into place on the outer circle.

5. Next I glued a BBQ skewer, starting on the inner circle, spacing them between each garden stake.

6. Mark the center of the cardboard circle. About 1/2″ from the center to the left and to the right, I poked a small hole using a pair of scissors.

7. Thread through the pipe cleaner. Glue pipe cleaner into place on the back side but do not glue to the back of the mirror yet. The front side will be what attaches the starburst mirror to the top of the tree. I folded my pipe cleaner and covered each with a piece of FrogTape. {I realized after the fact, do not thread the pipe cleaner until after spray painting the cardboard.}

8. Spray the back of the mirror. Let dry. Flip and spray the front of the starburst mirror. I also gave my cardboard a light coat of spray paint. Let dry.

9. Glue base of lights (and some of the coated wiring if needed) into place. I tried to place the lights between skewers and garden stakes. The actual bulb sits above the mirror when looking from the front. My string of lights was enough to wrap around at few times. Be sure to leave the cord hanging for plugging in.

10. Once the lights are all glued into place, glue the cardboard backing into place over the lights/back of the mirror, back of the garden stakes and skewers. {I did not do this…as shown, my cardboard was glued to the back of the mirror before the lights.} Be sure the pipe clear is facing the correct direction to wrap around the top branch of the tree.

11. Remove FrogTape from front of mirror. All done!

It’s a pretty topper by itself, but I really like the reflection of the white star we already had on hand…

Reminder: starting Monday, 12/10…

Keep up-to-date and get sneak peeks by following along:

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This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

Chevron Reindeer Games sign tutorial

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Roeshel

DIY Chevron Reindeer Games Sign

It’s officially time for Christmas decorating in our home! I know! By blogging standards, I’m late to the game. With a family room makeover in progress, it’s at a point where plans for completion can be put on hold until after the holidays and I can still decorate that room to be pretty once I put away the ladder and some tools. I really loved the chevron garden sign I made for summer {here}. I decided I wanted to create a fun colorful Christmas sign incorporating some of the fun colors in the fabric I chose for the curtains.

Remember the tabletop I replaced on the kitchen bar for the apartment? {If not, you can see my post on my DIY wood plank kitchen bar top.} Time to recycle it! I knew it’d be a great material for a DIY sign one of these days. Tabletop to holiday decoration. Why not? To prep for making a sign, I scuffed up the finish with sandpaper and gave it a coat of left over teal paint and let it dry. I’ll call it my “canvas”.

This is what the top looked like before:

kitchen island before

Tips for creating a chevron pattern using FrogTape:

It’s hard to explain how to create a chevron pattern words/pictures {next time I’ll do a video} but some tips:

My first row is measured. 5″ strips of FrogTape.

Depending on how it would line up, I creased the edges of the tape (non-sticky side) to create a line for cutting.

Cut on fold.

I placed the angled side on my center pencil line and cut the bottom flush with the bottom of the canvas and smoothed it into place.

I drew vertical lines with my pencil from the peaks and “v’s” of my first chevron row.

Once my first line was in place, I used a piece of FrogTape for spacing, I worked from the center out by placing another longer piece of tape angled from the center pencil line down to the right pencil line.

Then I pulled up a corner and folded it on the pencil line so I would know where to cut. Most of the time, the pencil transferred to the sticky side of the tape, creating a cutting guide.

I repeated those steps until I reached the top and finished.

I used pink and white craft paint to add more color.

My plan was to paint the blue area showing green and peel away the FrogTape, but I decided to keep the FrogTape in place. {Paint colors: Benjamin Moore Pacific, DecoArt Pretty in Pink “Hope Pink” and Americana Warm White, Green is FrogTape}

Using my Silhouette Cameo, I chose a reindeer from the online store and my Cameo cut it out {brown vinyl}. I created my letters for “Reindeer Games December 25th” using the software and chose the premium dark red vinyl and LDI Fancy Font. I peeled away the negative vinyl (the parts that are not the design) and applied my transfer paper. I made sure the transfer paper was secure by rubbing with a credit card.

Peel away the backing {the vinyl is transferred to the tacky transfer paper} and place on canvas. Rub the design with a credit card to get it to stick and peel away the transfer paper. In my case, all of the design wasn’t transferring, so I had to be careful and some of my reindeer was applied just as I would a sticker.

I followed the same steps for my lettering, however, knowing that the transfer paper was tricky for my project, I chose to use Delicate Surface FrogTape (the yellow tape) to help transfer my letters. This worked a little easier than applying by hand like stickers and kept my lettering evenly spaced and level.

I haven’t had time yet, but since I have FrogTape and vinyl on my sign, I’m going to seal everything with a coat or two of ModPodge. Ta-da!

Non-traditional. Colorful. Fun. I love it. It fits in perfectly with my eclectic colorful family room.

What do you think? I just sort of quickly staged for photos so I could share this today. I’ll be re-arranging, re-decorating. In fact, this mantel is even moving to another wall. More on the family room renovation and Christmas decorating coming soon.

I will attach a saw tooth hanger to the back and hang and rearrange but…I wanted to get this done to share and to tell you something important:

*I was not compensated for my review but I did receive vinyl and I participate in the Silhouette America affiliate program and will earn a percentage of sales when you use the code “SHOWOFF” for your purchase. This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience. Results may vary.

Party time:

Songbird & Cottage Magpie

Thanksgiving decorating {thrift store art print becomes Thanksgiving reminder}…

Posted on November 17, 2012 by Roeshel

We don’t host Thanksgiving dinner. We’re lucky to be guests. So, Thanksgiving decor is minimal at the DIY Show Off home but I did want to share how I turned a $4 print called “Nostalgic Autumn” by Eric Sloane into something I love hanging in our home this time of the year. Our thrift stores have huge framed outdated prints in “fair” condition on occasion. It’s not something I’d normally choose, but the the colors and autumn farm theme is perfect for our dining room. I decided that adding the words “Give Thanks” ensures that once a year, I will hang this print. And every time I look at the words “give thanks”, I take a moment to thank God for our many blessings.

What I did:

Old framed print {thrift store}. Mine wasn’t in the best of shape. There were scratches on the print, etc. but we embrace imperfection around here, therefore it’s “perfect”. {You may want to check to see if your print has value before altering it.}
Decide where lettering will be placed using a level or ruler.
Apply a piece of FrogTape Delicate Surface. It works on freshly painted surfaces (24 hours) so it’s a good option for sticking lightly to an old art print. I did not rub the tape to adhere since I’m not painting. I’m using it as a guide/straight line.
Write quote or words with chalk or use a stencil.
Go over chalk words with a Sharpie/permanent marker. Be care of smudging with your hand, work from left to right {or I guess if you’re left handed, it might make sense to work from right to left…which ever way your hand won’t smudge the area you’re working on}.
Carefully peel away FrogTape. Continue drawing letters that fall below the level line, wipe away chalk.

I love the every day reminder to “give Thanks”, especially this time of year. What do you think? Have you seen large art prints at the thrift store or yard sales that with a little DIY touch or accent would work for your seasonal decor?

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Junked trunk to coffee table {apartment storage}

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Roeshel

Remember this past summer when I scored a lot of a LOT of steamer trunks?

Before…

With furnishing the small apartment on a SUPER tight budget, we decided that one of these trunks would make a great coffee table since it would also provide a storage solution for the tiny apartment space.

We started out by cleaning up the trunk. It’s not in mint condition, but my daughter appreciates imperfection and character too or well, the fact that it was a “free” solution helped.

We gave it a basecoat of white spray paint and let it dry…

We used two strips of FrogTape to preserve stripes of the white spray paint underneath two coats of aqua spray paint. Be sure to press down the edges of FrogTape before spraying!

More spray paint…

Then peel off the FrogTape while it is still wet {yes, you will get paint on your hands}. I don’t remember the first aqua-color we tried, but it was too swimming pool blue. DIY is sometimes a trial and error. So, we used the yellow FrogTape Delicate surface for the second try and Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Ultra x2 in Satin Lagoon. Much better…

And I always get so excited and want to keep embellishing and stenciling when it’s so easy and fun to do, but Ali liked the simple “Tiffany & Co.” look of white stripes on lagoon blue and who am I to argue with that because I have to agree…it’s pretty darn cute.

Painted steamer trunk cost:Great price for dual purpose, first apartment furniture. And the pop of color? Love it!

See all things related to the apartment renovation here!

This is a sponsored post brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

Partying here:

DIY upholstered tufted ottoman tutorial {Wayfair DIY Challenge}

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Roeshel

Remember, oh I don’t know, 10 years ago (Just kidding. It feels that way!) when I started our family room makeover? Then we got sidetracked with an apartment renovation but since we’re wrapping up the last minute details there, the family room makeover is back on my DIY schedule. Of course that means a lot of DIY projects, decorating and furnishing and on that list was a DIY upholstered tufted ottoman.

Challenge: Have you heard of Wayfair.com? It’s the largest online retailer of home furnishings and decor, with millions of products for the home that fit any style and budget. They believe that getting crafty with your decor is one of the best ways to add a unique personal touch to your home. That’s why they created the DIY Blogger Challenge. I was invited to participate and had the option to choose from a coffee table, book case or pendant light. All fun products but I took one look at the coffee table and knew I wanted to create an upholstered tufted ottoman.

And as I found many tutorials and inspiration on Pinterest, I’m joining the Fall Pinterest Challenge as well. I have built an ottoman in the past {see my tips for building an ottoman} but tufting is a new experience to me and one I’ve been wanting to try for a while now. My ottoman upholstery/tufting experience:

Here’s what I did:

Furinno Espresso Coffee Table
4″ foam (This can be pricey. Use coupons or try foam from an egg crate twin bed cushion.)
batting
fabric (I purchased 1 1/2 yards. 1 yard for the project, scrap for button covers)
spray adhesive
tools: scissors, Sharpie, yard stick, drill, electric knife, felt tip pen, screwdriver

I started by laying the coffee table top on my foam and measuring just a little bit bigger (about 1/2 inch).

Using an electric knife, I cut out my piece of foam.

With a yard stick and measuring in halves, I made a grid on the foam with a Sharpie. Then decided where I wanted my button tufts to be located. I did 3 rows totaling 11 buttons (4 buttons, 3 buttons then 4 buttons).

I poked a hole where I wanted my button tufts using a screw driver. Then flipped my foam and poked through that side as well.

The screwdriver pushed out the foam, creating a small hole all the way through the foam.

I flipped my coffee table top back side up, laid the foam on top and using a felt tip pen pushed into the holes, I made a mark on the table top where I’d want to drill holes for tufting.

I drilled the marks, then flipped the table top over and cleaned up that side of the drilled holes by drilling through them again.

Next I used a spray adhesive to attach the foam to the table top.

Then covered the foam with batting (cut just a half inch longer than the edges of the foam and table top).

I covered the batting with my fabric. Again, measuring and cutting just enough to pull onto the underneath for stapling.

Tufting:

fabric scrap and button kit (or buttons for tufting)
upholstery needles
wax covered button thread
anchor buttons
staples
tools: stapler, scissors

I put together the fabric covered buttons I wanted to use on the top of my ottoman for tufting.

Then, I threaded the largest upholstery needle with the waxed button thread. (I had no idea what this was for when starting but learned through use that the wax helps hold the tufted button when the waxed thread is pulled tight.) I attached the fabric covered button to my threaded needle and started at the center of my upholstered table top. Locating the hole is tricky (I did lift my batting to help guide my needle). Find the tufting hole and poke the needle through the fabric, batting, foam hole and into the hole in the wooden table top, pulling the needle out the bottom of the table top.

Thread an anchor button onto the needle. Thread the needle back through a second hole in the anchor button and back up through another hole one more time. Push the button down towards the hole in the wooden table top. Pull tight.

While thread is pulled tight and anchor button is secure against the wooden table top, staple thread onto the wooden table top a few times using a zig zag pattern.

Leaving enough thread to tie a knot, cut the thread and put the needle aside. Tie a knot in the thread.

Repeat. I worked from the middle out. Note: I used random anchor buttons I already had on hand.

The front will look like this:

Move completed tufted table top to an area where it can lie flat. Pull the fabric tight around the sides of the foam to the under side of the tabletop and staple into place. Start in the middle of each side and smooth batting and fabric as you go.

Then work on the corners. Wrap them like a present. There is no wrong way, just try to create a smooth corner. Staple into place on the bottom of the table top. Be sure to stay clear of the pre-drilled holes for attaching the legs to the table top!

All done! For added security, I covered my buttons and thread with duct tape (not shown). Flip and admire your upholstered tufted ottoman cushion!

Assemble the rest of the coffee table as per instructions. Attach newly upholstered tufted top just as you would the regular top according to the directions. Assembly was extremely easy.

tools: screwdriver, rubber mallet

Accessorize: What I loved about this coffee table is that it has two bottom shelves and comes with bins! I gave the bins a little makeover using FrogTape and fabric paint and added chalkboard labels that I had on hand.

Now I have an upholstered tufted ottoman for the family room!

What do you think? Pretty easy and affordable. Visit wayfair on facebook here or on pinterest here.

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Disclosure: Thank you to Wayfair for the coffee table and the challenge and to Giftcards.com for providing the gift card for my project materials. This post was also partially sponsored and brought to you by FrogTape. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience and project results may vary.

Linking up:

and more about the Fall Pinterest Challenge from these sweet friends hosting:

Katie from Bower Power Blog
Sherry from Young House Love

Sarah from Ugly Duckling House
Carmel from Our Fifth House

DIY Show Off ™ – DIY Decorating and Home Improvement Blog

Budget Friendly Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement and Decorating blog

Category Archives: FrogTape

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DIY Challenge: bookcase to free-standing small pet gate/display sign/game score keeper

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How to install a tiled backsplash

Valentine Mantel {and thrifty treasure DIY}

Thrift Store Find: Just add paint.

How to Flatten an Area Rug

A Chartreuse Door

Tufted Upholstered Twin Headboard Makeover

DIY Christmas Card Tree {card display/holder}

His & Hers painted pillow covers

Painted Upholstered Chair Tutorial {before and after}

DIY Lighted Starburst Mirror Christmas Tree Topper {tutorial}

Chevron Reindeer Games sign tutorial

Thanksgiving decorating {thrift store art print becomes Thanksgiving reminder}…

Junked trunk to coffee table {apartment storage}

DIY upholstered tufted ottoman tutorial {Wayfair DIY Challenge}