DIY painted foam playmat becomes wall art

The long weekend here means catching up on some little projects that kept getting put off. Remember when I painted a foam playmat, thinking it’d be a great kitchen/cooking mat?

before…

painted playmat tutorial, DIY kitchen mat, Gorilla tape

after…

{painted foam playmat tutorial}

How to paint a foam playmat, floor mat, do it yourself, DIY, vintage restaurant sign, aged, distressed, lobster, beachy, New Orleans

It looks great there, doesn’t it?

DIY, tutorial, painted floor mat

It really does. But, Mr. DIY is the cook and he’s not always neat, if you know what I mean. Food flies everywhere.  And you guys – it was just so pretty. I’ve never painted anything so large that came out so well and I just couldn’t let it get covered with food and smashed down by grown up weight and feet and ruined. I’m so proud of that painted playmat. I’ll make another for this area with a farmhouse theme, I promise.

In the meantime, we have this huge blank wall at the barn patio…

barn patio makeover

Know where I’m going with this? It can be affordable huge DIY wall art too and looks awesome here…

barn patio after

and just for fun, here is what this covered barn area looked like when we bought our house…

and now…

painted foam playmat

And there will be more projects here on this covered patio area {with better lighting and pictures} as I update this space. It’s great for entertaining: cook outs, picnics and bon fires. It’s a cozy comfortable place to relax and get away from the house too, to curl up with a good book with some privacy, even in the rain.

I love the way the playmat fills up the huge empty wall. What do you think?

DIY Show Off - FacebookDIY Show Off - TwitterDIY Show Off - PinterestDIY Show Off - Feed


Spring Time Porch Primping

Spring is the season to freshen up the porch! Meet: Amy from

The Blissful Bee blog

Amy is a very new blogger (welcome to blogging, Amy!!!) who has a strong passion for creativity and a real talent for stunning decorating. I’m just sharing one part of her gorgeous home…how her porch went from blah to beautiful!

Continue reading

$100 gift certificate to Empire Covers Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. Winner is

Rayan on  said:

 

i follow them on twitter

 

You’ve seen pictures of our uncovered patio in the summer. But, yea for the purpose of this post and because it makes me happen to see it when it’s not covered in leaves and surrounded by brown grass and bare trees…

Oh, how I love summer! But what do we do in the winter or when it’s raining/not in use?  I store the cushions in plastic deck storage chests. But as you can see from this picture:

our patio furniture braves the winter elements, cold and naked and although cushions get protection, actual furniture does not. Patio furniture covers are a great solution for extending the life of patio furniture and keeping it warm. It’s the patio-friendly thing to do.

I’d love nice quality covers to help prolong wear and tear like these patio furniture covers:

And now, Empire Covers is offering one lucky DIY Show Off winner $100 gift credit towards covering their naked patio furniture! How sweet is that?

My favorite is the Metro Brown Stripe…. Protective and decorative!

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION:

  • Giveaway will runs right now through midnight EST Friday, 1/13/12.
  • Open to US and Canadian residents only.
  • Prize = $100 credit to EmpireCovers.com. (Lucky!)
  • Winner will be chosen by random.org on 1/14/12 and announced shortly after.
  • Be sure to include your email address in an entry above if you can’t be reached via your profile.
  • Disclaimer: I am not receiving compensation for this post. I’m making an introduction and sharing this product information in my own words in the event you find it helpful and in exchange for prize donation.
  • HOW TO ENTER:
  1. Visit empirecovers.com and comment what you’d choose if you win.
  2. “Like” Empire Covers on Facebook. Comment that you like Empire Covers on Facebook.
  3. Follow Empire Covers on Twitter. Comment that you follow Empire Covers on Twitter.
  4. Since Google Friend Connect is going away in March, add me on Google+ to stay updated (button on right side bar). Thanks!
  5. Share this giveaway link (https://diyshowoff.com/2012/01/100-empire-covers-giveaway.html) by tweeting (include @diyshowoff), linking to the giveaway on Facebook or by including a link in your latest blog post or +1. Buttons below this post provided for your convenience.  Leave one comment for each way you shout it out.

Your patio furniture told me to tell you to enter this one! Good luck!