How to Make a Rug!

I have a rug addiction.  I have them rolled up in my storage, folded under beds and layered under other rugs because there just isn't any more room for them!  Because of this obsession AND the financial hit I take when I press the ADD TO CART button, I decided to see if I could make a rug from scratch.  Something colorful that would appeal to my boho heart and wouldn't break the bank.  Behold my Gel Pressed rug!  A little paint, cotton fabric and 99c store rubber mats and BAM!!!!  I have a rug!  Remember to see if you can make something first and always try to 

Make Your Mark!  

I'm floored!

Love this mix of colors!

Watch how to make it here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylic Paints

Gel Press and brayer

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Gel Press Rose Mandala Impressable

Minwax Polycrylic

Dollar Store Rubber Floor Mats

Fringe trim

White cotton fabric

Heavyweight/Heavyduty fabric

 HERE'S HOW

1.  Cut 8" x 10" pieces of cotton fabric

*Make sure you cut enough pieces to cover the size of rug you're making

2. & 3.  Add lighter colors of Americana Acrylic paint to the Gel Press and use your brayer to 

spread it evenly

4.  Press the cotton fabric on the Gell Press

5.  Place the Rose Mandala Impressable on the Gel Press

6. Add some darker color to the Rose Mandala with a brayer

7.  Pick up the rose design with the printed fabric pieces 

8.  Cut your heavy duty fabric about 2" larger than the finished rug you want to make

9.  Cut out the rose mandala squares 

10.  Use the Minwax Polycrylic to adhere the Gel Pressed rose mandala 

pieces to the heavy duty fabric

11.  Add 4 more coats of the Minwax Polycrylic to the rug letting each coat dry for about 

15 minutes between coats

12. & 13.  Cut the dollar store foam rubber mats to fit on the underside of the rug

and adhere them with E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

14. Fold the rug edges over the foam rubber mat and glue it in place with 

more E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

15. & 16.  Glue fringe to the edges with more Fabri-Fuse  

Rug-a-licious!

Flower Headboard Makeover

For some reason I've been seeing these headboards at yard sales and moving sales.  I guess there are just a ton of them out there!  I thought it might be fun to see if I could spruce one up a bit and give it a different look.  After a month of having one on my back porch, I finally decided on flowers!  Why not?  I mean, if you're going to toss the thing anyway you might as well see what you can do with it, right?  Remember to give things a second chance and always Make Your Mark!

Sitting in the sun....Waiting for a bedroom

Watch how to make it here

STUFF I USED

Old slatted headboard

Scrap wood and 1" wide wood trim

Sander, Jigsaw, Paint Sprayer (my Tacklife tools)

Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint (my favorite paint....ever!)

Amazing Goop II Max

HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Cut and sand 3" long pieces of 1" wide wood trim to create the flower petals

*You will need 8 petals per flower so do the math

3. & 4.  Cut and sand leaves and 3" x 3" squares

*2 leaves and 1 square per flower

5. - 7. Paint the petals in Americana Decor Outdoor Living in Garden Party, the 3" squares Harvest and the leaves in Lily Pad

8.  Glue the petals around the square with the Amazing Goop II Max and let dry

9.  Fill the paint sprayer canister with Americana Decor in Succulent 

10.  Add 10% water to the paint to thin it down

11.  Spray the front and back of the headboard and let dry

12.  Glue on the petals and flowers and you're done!

Sweet dreams!

Mermaid Jeans DIY

Finally there is a way to add sparkle, shimmer and shite to your clothes that won't flake off and is still washable!  Yup, that's right, you won't get glitter everywhere AND it's washable!  Huge thanks to my assistant, Julie, for modeling these sparkly, mermaid-esque jeans (and skirt) for me!  This project is so easy and I can't wait to try it with some funky stencils, too.  Remember to have fun with your clothing and to always Make Your Mark! 

 Love the shimmer!

 Looks fun on a jean skirt, too!

Watch how easy it is to do here!

STUFF I USED

Krylon Matte Black Spray Paint

Unicorn SPiT Sparkling

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Shiny Clear

Dark Denim Pieces

Old Sponges

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2. OPTIONAL:  Spray the shimmer area with matte black spray paint

*I sprayed the hems and up the sides of the jeans and skirt

3. & 4.  Mix equal parts Allure Shiny Gloss and Unicorn SPiT Sparkling in different colors

5.  Stir thouroughly

6. - 9.  Using a small sponge, dab the jeans with the different colors

*Pile on the mixture until you're happy and don't worry, it won't start sparkling until it dries!

These mer-maid just for you!

Trash to Treasure Padded Stools DIY

You can turn almost any old wood chair into a cute padded stool in no time with this little DIY!  Grab some outdoor fabric, padding and your staple gun and you're half way there.  I snagged a pair of wobbly-backed chairs for $5 and turned them into fabulous extra outdoor patio seating.  They're easy to move around, look great with my other furniture, too.  I went wild with color because, well, why not?!  It was a super fun little project that I will definitely do again and again.  Make our outdoor spaces just as beautiful as your indoor spaces and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Too cool for stool!

 Be fearless with color!

This outdoor mandala fabric was just the ticket!

Watch how I made them here!

STUFF I USED

2 Thrift Store Chairs

2" Cushion Foam from Fairfield World

Cushion Wrap from Fairfield World

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint

Outdoor fabric *2 yards

Jigsaw, Staple Gun & Sander

Upholstery Gimp Trim

Electric Knife *You can also use a craft knife if you're careful

HERE'S HOW

1.  Using a jigsaw, cut the back off of the chair along the seat

2.  If you need to, sand everything smooth and smooth out the legs if they're nicked or scratched

3.  Flip the stool on the 2" foam and trace around the seat

4.  Cut the 2" foam with an electric knife

*An electric knife is amazing for cutting foam but you can use a craft knife if you're careful

5.  Paint the legs of each stool in bright colors

6.  Add E-6000 Fabri-Fuse to the seat and glue on the 2" foam

7.  Flip the stool on the cushion wrap and cut a piece that will fold around the 

cushion and under the seat

*Usually adding about 4" will do the trick

8.  Staple the to the underside of the stool all the way around

9.  Trim the excess

10. Center and pin the fabric on top of the stool

11. & 12. Staple all the way around (over the cushion wrap) and then trim the excess

13.  Using Fabri-Fuse and pins, glue the gimp trim all the way around the base of the stool and pin in place while it dries

14.  Measure up 4" on each chair leg

15.  Wrap masking tape around the 4" mark and paint the edge of the masking tape the same color as the chair leg

*This is a painter's trick to prevent bleeding when you use the contrasting color!  Also great tip for painting stripes

16.  Paint the bottom 4" of each leg a contrasting color

Can't wait to use these!

Have a seat!

Outdoor Rug Makeover

This could just as easily be an indoor rug, but alas, it was my outdoor rug that really needed some love.  I've seen a few of these rug makeovers over the years and figured it was as good a time as any to try one.  At first I wasn't sure about the fabric I chose, but after a few days I was in LOVE!  It screams 1970 and every color my mother loved when I was a kid.  Remember to try new things and always Make Your Mark!

 Ready to cut a rug?

 Snug as a bug!

Watch how I made it here!

STUFF I USED

Old Outdoor Rug

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Loc-tite Spray Adhesive

Outdoor Fabric

Iron

Minwax Polycrylic

Plastic Drop Cloth

Sewing Machine

*You only need the machine if you have to piece together your fabric to match the size of the rug

HERE'S HOW

1.  Iron the fabric perfectly flat

2. Center it on the rug

3.  Cut the fabric 2" longer all the way around

4. & 5. My fabric wasn't wide enough so I cut extra strips for the sides

*My strips were measured so when I attached them to the main fabric, the entire piece would be 2" bigger all the way around

*Measure carefully

6.   Stitch the strips to the side of the main piece of fabric 

7.  Iron the seams so that they are perfectly flat

8.  Place the rug on a plastic drop cloth and center the fabric on top of the rug

9.  Fold over 1/2 of the fabric and spray the rug with a generous 

amount of spray adhesive

*Do this on both sides of the rug

10.  Roll a generous amount of Minwax Polycrylic on the fabric so that it soaks through and

adheres to the rug underneath

*Give the rug another 4 layers of Minwax and let it dry for 30 minutes in between each coat

11.  Flip the rug and glue down the corner with Fabri-Fuse

*Use a weight to keep it in place while it dries

12.  Fabri-Fuse the 2" excess all the way around the rug and let dry

 Spankin' new!

Happy Summer!

Pom Pom Placemat Purse

Hit the 99c store for colorful, round placemats perfect for making these taco-shaped summer clutches!  At first I wasn't quite sure how this was going to happen, but stitching on the zipper was actually quite easy!  The key is using a separating zipper and making sure it measures 1/2 way around the placemat.  Once the zipper is stitched in, the design is all up to you.  I opted for colorful yarn pom poms and a very funky tassel for the zipper pull,  but you could paint, stencil or embroider on your bag....It's easy to personalize them for your own style.  I know you already have a million ideas, too!  

Just have fun and remember to Make Your Mark!

Julie showing off her new bag!

Mama's got a brand new bag!

Taco-rific! 

Watch how to make it here!

STUFF I USED

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Round Placemat from Dollar Tree

Colorful Yarn

Clothespins

Sewing Machine

Separating zippers

PattieWack Pom Pom Maker and Tassel Maker

HERE'S HOW

1.  Separate the zipper and stitch 1/2 of it around 1/2 of the placemat

2.  Tuck the excess toward the inside of the back and stitch down

3. Zip the other side of the zipper to the stitched half for placement

4. Match the ends so that the zipper matches

5.  Starting at the end, tuck the excess and stitch the other half of the zipper to the 

other half of the placemat

6. Use either a matching zipper or contrasting zipper...Up to you!

7. Wrap the pom pom maker about 75 times and then tightly tie the middle of the bundle

*I made 5 in 5 different colors for this bag

8.  Clip the ends and remove from the pom pom maker

9.  Trim the longer pieces to make a perfectly round ball shape

10.  Wrap the tassel maker (with 5 different colors of yarn) about 15 times

and then tie a knot at the very top

11.  Tie more yarn around the neck of the tassel

12. Clip the bottom and remove from the tassel maker

13. & 14.  Glue the pom poms along the edge of the bag with E-6000 Fabri-Fuse and clamp 

in place with clothespins while they dry

15.  Tie the tassel to the zipper pull

16.  Wear in style and let everyone know you made it!

 Style in the BAG!

HAPPY SUMMER!

Cardboard Mosaic Tile Trays

I have a huge collection of mosaic trays from the 1950s thru the 1970s.  When I was in high school, going to thrift stores was my thing!  Still is actually.  Since I've been on a cardboard tile kick this past year I thought I'd try my hand at making some tile trays.  Wow do I love the way these look. I made one for my eyeglasses and another for my watches and rings.  They are the perfect catchall.  Make them in the colors you like to match your house and put them everywhere!  Tray the force be with you!  Oh, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 Just a few of my new pieces

 Got the oval metal tray at Dollar Tree!

Pizza tins are perfect for this project!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Decor Outdoor Living paints

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

Splatter Brush (you could use an old toothbrush)

Dollar Store Metal Trays

E-6000 Glue

Famowood Glaze Coat 2 Part Epoxy Resin

Cardboard

Rust-Oleum Metallic Gold Spray Paint

HERE'S HOW

1. Paint the cardboard pieces in your favorite colors

2.  Splatter them with Vintage Brass

*I used a splatter tool, but you could use your thumb and an old toothbrush

3. & 4.  Draw a 1/2" grid on the back of the painted cardboard pieces and 

cut along the grid for 1/2" tiles

5.  Spray the metal trays in metallic gold and let dry

6.  Glue the tiles to the inside of the tray with E-6000 Glue

7. & 8.  Mix the Glaze Coat according to directions and pour inside

the tiled trays making sure not to get it on the edges

*Only pour on the tile and let it run to the sides

9.  Gently distribute the Glaze Coat with a sponge brush making sure

that it's even around the edges

10. Pop the bubbles with a small torch or long arm lighter

11.  Cover and let cure overnight

12. Display!  I use mine for my eyeglasses and watches

 Tray chic!

Make something, OK!

Green Faux Marble Table

One day I will have 11 living rooms so I can showcase all of my favorite coffee table DIYs!  This one I'm keeping even if I have to rent storage space for it!  I decided to jump on the flow painting trend AGAIN and create a faux marble, malachite looking table on an old thrift store table top I had in my stash.  Since I didn't have a base, I created one with some simple wood pieces.  That said, if you find a table with a base that works, skip the base building part and just get to the painting!  Remember to try everything and always Make Your Mark!

 I'm in LOVE!

 Might be too pretty to fill with my stuff!

On second thought!

Watch how to make this table here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

DecoArt Pouring Medium

Americana Multi Surface Satins in Greens, Metallic Gold, Cream & Black

Glaze Coat 2 Part Epoxy Resin

2" Wood Screws

1" x 4" Pine Boards

1" x 15" Wood Round

Thrift Store 36" Table Top

Amazing Goop II Max

Tacklife Sander, Drill & Jigsaw

 HERE'S HOW

1. - 3.  Measure, mark, cut & sand eight 19" long 1" x 4" pine boards

4.  Mark the 1" x 15" wood round into 8 equal pie pieces

5.  Glue the eight 19" pine boards on each of the sections with Amazing Goop II Max

and let dry

*Prop the boards upright with soup cans so they don't move while they dry

6. & 7.  When the boards are dry, flip the table, drill through the base into the pine boards and then screw each board to the base with a 2" wood screw

8.  Paint the entire base with Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

9. & 10. Fill plastic cups with Americana Decor Metallics in your color scheme

*I used Green Beret, Turf Green, Leprechaun, Vanilla Shake, Gold & Black Tie

11.  Paint the edge of the table top in Leprechaun (or any color you want)

12.  Drip the paints around the table top one by one

13.  Tilt the table to get the marbled effect until you're happy 

14.  Edge the table with a metallic gold paint marker when it's dry

15.  Paint the edge of the table with more Vintage Brass

16.  Mix a 1 pint box of Glaze Coat 2 part epoxy resin, pour it on the table top and distribute with a sponge brush

17.  Pop the bubbles with a long arm lighter OR a small torch

*Cover and let the resin cure over night

18.  Using a generous amount of Amazing Goop II Max, glue the table top on top of the 8 wood pine pieces and let dry

Green and gorgeous!