Kids’ Plastic Picnic Table Makeover

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Roeshel

As you know, we entertain a lot in the summer, hosting quite a few family picnics. Guests include my 3-year-old nephew and 2 and 4-year-old nieces. It was decided that I needed a kid’s table and mom scored a Little Tykes picnic table at a yard sale for me for $15. Hurray for yard sale season (and moms)!

But when you don’t have a yard full of fun brightly colored kids’ toys; the red, blue and yellow looks out of place, not to mention it was faded and a little worse-for-wear.

I decided a little makeover was in order.

Materials:

Spray primer (2 cans)
Spray paint (2 cans for all over) I used Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze.
Another can for decorative purposes (optional)
Spray clear coat
FrogTape
Vinyl decals (I made my own using supplies from Happy Crafters)

Tutorial:

First, I lightly sanded the picnic table with a fine grit sandpaper and gave it a good spraying with the pressure washer. (Thanks, Steve!)

This also comes apart some how, but I couldn’t figure it out so I didn’t bother. Apply a coat of primer:

Then spray paint:

I let it dry and ‘cure’ for a few days.

Using my FrogTape, I created a rectangle (table runner) outline on the table part of the picnic table and taped off the rest of the table top.

Using my Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Design Studio software, I created and cut out the letters for a dinner time prayer.

I applied the sticker type vinyl letters to the center of my rectangle and made sure FrogTape and vinyl letters were pressed down securely.

Then gave it a coat of spray paint in Rustoleum’s Lagoon. (I used a large piece of cardboard to shield the benches.)

I peeled away the FrogTape and decals while the paint was still wet. I still have blue fingernails to prove it.

I let that dry for a few days (in my vehicle mostly since it’s been raining off and on so much)…which is why I had no choice but to be patient as well! Then I used my FrogTape again to create a border around my “place mat” and filled it in with DecoArt’s Patio Paint. Then peeled away my FrogTape and again…let it dry for a few days.

I had to touch up the paint here and there. Then sealed it with a spray clear coat (satin finish) and let that dry.

Much better! And a sweet little reminder for the little ones to pray before digging in.

We tested it out over the fourth of July. Now it fits in with our patio…

*This sponsored by FrogTape. FrogTape provided by Shurtech. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

*Vinyl provided by Happy Crafters.

Ombre Stenciled Flower Pots

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Roeshel

This is definitely the summer of DIY flower planters at DIYShowOff, isn’t it? We’ve always been so busy with projects INside the house, that decorating outside hasn’t been a priority but this year, I’ve been especially happy to celebrate summer. I wanted to spruce up the yard a little with some colorful flowers and flower pots and that’s exactly what I’ve accomplished. I do promise (I think) that this is the last DIY flower pot project of 2013.

Materials:

Terra cotta flower pots (5 different sizes from smaller to bigger)
DecoArt Patio Paint (1 Blue Jay Blue, 1 Robin’s Egg Blue, 1 Blue Bahama, 2 Cloud White, 1 Woodland brown)
Vinyl stencils (I created mine with my Silhouette Cameo and vinyl from my sponsor, Happy Crafters).
Krylon Clear Coat
Rebar (mine is 42″)
Potting soil and flowers
Optional: Curtain rod finial (I found mine at a thrift store and spray painted it white)

Ombre flower pots Tutorial:

I purchased three colors blue and two bottles of white patio paint to create 5 colors in styrofoam bowls:

Blue Jay Blue
50/50 Blue Jay Blue and Robin’s Egg Blue
Robin’s Egg Blue
50/50 Robin’s Egg Blue and Blue Bahama
Blue Bahama

For each pot, I started with one of the base colors above. Using a foam brush, I started on the bottom, “feathering” the paint. I then elevated my pots to make painting/drying easier.

Then added white to the paint and feathered another row on the same pot, working my way around the pot.

And added more white and repeated.

When the bottom was dry, I flipped the terra cotta pot. Then added more white to my paint and finished all the way to the top and a little down into the inside.

I did the above steps for each paint color for each terra cotta pot.

Then I mixed all of my left over paint together and painted the insides of my flower pots…

then flipped and painted the bottoms and let them dry overnight.

Next, using my Silhouette Cameo and vinyl from Happy Crafters, I created vinyl stencils with this little quote:

Your mind is a garden.

Your thoughts are the seeds.

You can grow flowers.

Or you can grow weeds.

making sure that the sizing was correct for each pot. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut vinyl stencils.

Since I’m using the vinyl as a stencil, I peeled away the lettering.

Applied the transfer paper and peeled away the wax paper like backing…

and applied the stencils to my terra cotta pots. Since the pots are curved, I found it easiest to apply each line of stencil text individually. Rub with a credit card then peel away transfer paper.

Next I filled in the lettering with brown patio paint.

I removed the vinyl stencils as soon as I was done painting and let everything dry for 72 hours according to the patio paint’s instructions.

Then gave the insides and outsides a spray of protective clear coat.

Once that was dry, it was time to plant! I even tried to find flowers in purples ranging from dark to light for more ombre effect…

And followed Beth’s instructions for stacking my flower pots at Home Stories A to Z utilizing rebar.

Watered them too.

Then topped off the rebar with my finial…

Colorful and happy! More DIY planter tutorials:

How to Make a Chandelier Flower Planter

How to Make a Tire into a Planter

How to Make House Number Flower Pots

How to Make a Vertical Pallet Herb Garden

This post is sponsored. Vinyl and transfer paper supped by Happy Crafters.

(thin) DIY wall art

Posted on June 28, 2013 by Roeshel

We have a sliding door in our dining room…

It slides to the right to open. Which means, I can’t hang most things like framed art or a clock or mirror in that space if I want to slide the door open. Shown above…I can’t push that door any further than the mirror, otherwise, the door will knock it right off of the wall.

Earlier this week I shared a DIY foamboard project that I used as a fun gallery wall template/background…

Which made me think…foam board is lightweight AND thin and would work great in our dining room. Perfect wall art material fitting behind a sliding door.

This is how I also know that painting foam board isn’t such a great idea. It warps and bows but I’m still loving my project.

Using FrogTape, I taped off alternating stripes, making sure to press down the edges securely to activate the PaintBlock Technology (to keep the paint from seeping under the tape).

Then painted my stripes. (I think using a Sharpie or decorative tape would be a better option.)

I then removed my FrogTape. It did remove the paper backing in places which is what gives my finished project an aged, distressed look. Even though it didn’t go according to plan, I didn’t give up.

Using my Silhouette Cameo, I created vinyl decals (flatware silhouettes and the letters “D I N E”). Vinyl and transfer paper provided by Happy Crafters.

Then I used a glaze to ‘stain’ the bright white stripes and the areas where the paper pulled off with the FrogTape.

So where the paper pulled away gives it a distressed look:

My foamboard is bowed so I did try adding weight for a while with books. Fail. It didn’t help. But I hung it up anyway using command strips. Even with the warping, it’s still a great fit behind the sliding door…

With the sliding door open…

Not bad, right? Lesson learned: don’t paint foam board but I do love that it’s lightweight and thin so I’ll definitely be creating another DIY foam board project for this space. Perfect behind my sliding door.

*This post is brought to you by FrogTape. FrogTape provided by Shurtech. The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience. For more FrogTape projects ideas, check out the FrogTape Blog Squad.

*This is a sponsored post. Vinyl and transfer paper provided by Happy Crafters.

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Category Archives: Silhouette

Kids’ Plastic Picnic Table Makeover

Ombre Stenciled Flower Pots

(thin) DIY wall art