No Sew Upholstered Boho Chair

So happy I finally get to share this project with you!  A few months ago I saw a similar chair for a small fortune and decided I wanted to try to make one of my own.  I had no idea where to start but after a bit poking around, I figured it out.  The best part?  It's NO SEW!  That's right, not one single stitch.  I used the amazing fabric glues by E-6000.  I know many of you don't have a sewing machine but still want to change up your furniture.  Well, this is a terrific way to makeover an upholstered chair without sewing.  The idea is to artfully fuse the new fabric to the existing fabric for a whole new look.  It takes some time and patience, but it's worth it!  Remember, makeover furniture, make things colorful and always Make Your Mark!

 Stuff I Used

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Colorful piping

Heavy cotton fabric

Scissors & pencil

Straight pins

Fringe

Large flat area to cut

Embroidered Suzani Blanket

 Here's How

1.  Pin heavy cotton fabric over sections of the chair, one section at a time and pencil the shape

*Use the inside of the piping or seam as your guide

2.  Label each pattern piece so you know exactly where it is on the chair

3.  Repeat on the arms, seat, back and base of the chair making sure to ADD and extra 2" around the base of each pattern (on the bottom of the chair)

4.  Carefully cut out each piece along the drawn lines

5.  Repin the cut pieces on the chair to make sure that it fits properly

*Trim if you have to, but make sure the pieces are perfect

6. & 7.  Layout and pin all of the pieces for the chair on the fabric and then cut

*Make sure arms are mirrored in the pattern pin everything before you cut to avoid mistakes

8. 9. & 10.  Pin the cut pieces to the chair and then glue them to the chair one section at a time with E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

*Keep them pinned until they are dry

11. & 12. Repeat with all sections making sure to add extra pins around the curves and glue around all of the edges of each piece

13.  Remove the feet of the chair and glue the extended fabric under the chair

14.  glue piping or cord in the crease between the piping and the fabric to cover the raw edges

*Pin this in place until it dries

15.  Pin and glue trim around the base of the chair

Done!

 Ready, Sit, Go!  How about my new eco-friendly grass!

Stenciled Chair DIY

I'm really enjoying the new DecoArt Americana Decor stencils.  They are huge and amazing and the designs are lovely.  My favorite is the 12" x 12" Indian Ikat stencil which I've used to "faux upholster" this plain cream chair.  A little multi-surface paint and it looks like it cost a fortune.  This is a terrific way to cover up a few stains or give a boring chair a brand new life.  My best advice for tackling something like this is to take your time, let the paint dry on the chair each time you paint on the design and keep your stencil clean.  Remember.......try something new, give furniture a new life with paint and always Make Your Mark!

Perfect to pair with my blue and white!

Watch the video here 

Things I Used

Cream chair (Wayfair.com)

Americana Decor Indian Ikat stencil

Kitchen sponges or cosmetic sponges

Double stick tape

Repositionable spray mount

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints in colors you like

Here's how

1.  Squeeze your paint out on some paper plates so that it's easy to pick up with your sponges

2. & 3. Before you start on your chair you want to test the stencil on a piece of plain fabric and see how you want to apply the paint

*I created an ombre effect by using white mixed with a darker blue and mixed the paints as I applied them to the stencil-darker on top and bottom and lighter shades in the middle

4.  Add double stick tape to the back of the stencil to help keep it in place on the back of the chair

*You can also lightly spray the back of the stencil with repositionable spray mount in between stenciling the design

5.  Starting in the exact center of the chair at the top, stencil your design down to the seat

*Put a rag on the seat to protect it from drips and splatters

6.  Carefully start applying paint

7. 8. & 9.  Position the stencil around the chair after each section has dried

10.  Keep cleaning the stencil in between applications of paint

11.  Use the spray mount when your stenciling around the arms or tape it in place so that it doesn't move

12.  Trim the stencil to get into hard to reach places AFTER you've stenciled all of the larger spots

Done!

Ready, Sit, Go!

Mexican Folk Art Bottle Cap Crosses

I adore Mexican folk art!  The color, the happiness, the textures, all of it.  Because I have so many bottle caps left over from an ambitious Ebay bid,  I REALLY needed to use them for another project or 2 or 3 or 4......  These bottle cap crosses fit the bill.  Lucky me, I even scored some discarded 

1" x 1" wood pieces at the construction site near my house so all in all, this project didn't cost much to make.  You can even print out the bottle cap images from the  Internet on your home computer. You can find everything from butterflies to saints just ready to print out and use.  Whatever strikes your fancy, really.  Remember, have fun, explore other cultures and always

Make Your Mark!

Color burst!

Displayed on my patio

Watch the video here!

Stuff I Used

Craft bottle caps (try Amazon.com)

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss

DecoArt Liquid Glass 

Scrap wood

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints

Bottle cap images

Here's how

1. & 2. Glue your wood pieces together to make a cross with E-6000 and then paint in a color you like

3. & 4.  Embellish with other colors and add dimension with Allure

5. & 6.  Print and cut your bottle cap images and then glue them inside the bottle caps with regular white school glue

7.  Fill them with a small amount of DecoArt's Liquid Glass and let them dry until they are clear

8. Glue the bottle caps to the painted crosses and let dry

Folk Art!

Frida Khalo Earrings DIY

I've always loved Frida Kahlo.  I love her art, her look, the way she dressed and how she approached her life.  There is nothing like unbridled passion for everyone and everything around you.  It's an exhausting way to live, but admirable for sure.  Today I'm making earrings in her honor.  My small way of keeping her spirit alive.  Remember to squeeze everything you can out of life, look for the beauty in all things and always Make Your Mark!

My awesome assistant Julie!

The clip on version 

See how easy they are to make here!

Stuff you'll need

Images of Frida (all over the web)

Drill and jewelry pliers

Jewelry findings and beads

Americana Acrylics in colors you like

Wood disks

E-6000 Glue and Spray Adhesive

Minwax polycrylic or decoupage medium

Here's how

1. & 2.  Drill holes for the beads and earring wires and then paint the surface of the wood pieces

3. & 4.  Cut out the images and glue them to the wood

*I used E-6000 Spray because the moisture relaxes the paper so it doesn't bubble

5.  When the images are dry, punch through the holes with a toothpick

6.  Seal the images with a polycrylic or decoupage medium

7.  Create the dangly bits on a head pin with the pliers and make sure to bend a loop at the top

*You will need 3 dangly bits per earring so 6 per pair

8.  Hand them from the holes with jump rings

9.  Glue clips on the backs of another pair with E-6000 Glue

3 Thrift Store Lamp Makeovers!

For some reason I've been scoring at the thrift store when it comes to interesting lamps!  I find them for less than $5 with the shades and they are always super fun to makeover.   Check out my latest creations complete with shade makeovers, too.  My favorite is the paisley lamp shade with black ribbon trim.  I made 2 for my bedroom and absolutely love them.   Next time you need a lamp, head to the thrift store first and see what you can paint and decoupage to match your space.   So much more fun than hunting around for something to match.  Remember one man's trash is another man's treasure....Oh, and always Make Your Mark!

Perfectly Paisley, Fornasetti Inspired and Flower Power

Watch the makeovers here!

Start with a selection of working, thrifted lamps and shades

(If you can, check the wiring at the store before you buy)

Perfectly Paisley

 Here's how

1. 2. & 3.  Tape over the cord and paint the entire lamp base with Americana Decor Satin Enamels in your favorite color and let dry

4. & 5.  Add highlights using a slightly damp rag with DecoArt Metallic Lustre in Gold Rush

6.  Remove the fabric from the original lampshade

7.  Press paper over one of the sections of wire to create a pattern and trace around it with a crayon

8. & 9.  Cut out the pattern and then cut out the panels in fabric

*Make sure that the fabric panels are all the same if you're using a pattern.  This means cutting them one at a time if you have to!

10.  One by one glue the fabric panels to each wire section of the shade 

11.  Glue 1/4" ribbon over where the fabric panels meet to cover the seams

12.  Glue more 1/4" ribbon around the top and bottom rim of the shade

*When you get to the end, fold the ribbon over 1/4" to make a clean finish

Fornasetti Inspired

 Here's how

1. & 2.  Paint the lamp with Americana Decor Satin Enamel in black

3. Carefully cut out a print that you want to decoupage on the lamp

*Check out http://thegraphicsfairy.com/ for an amazing selection to choose from

4.  Mist the front and back of the image with water to relax the paper

5.  6. & 7.   Add Americana Decoupage to the back of the image and apply it to the lamp

8.  Coat the image with more Decoupage

9.  Add a metallic gold border with a paint marker

Flower Power

Here's how

1. & 2.  Paint the base of the lamp with Americana Decor Chalky Finish in your favorite color

3.  Remove the fabric from the original lampshade

4. & 5.  Fold fabric on the diagonal and cut enough 2" wide strips to wrap your shade

*Do the math:  Measure the shade top to bottom and around and multiply to get a good idea of how much you will need

6.  Glue the strips together with hot glue to make very long strips

7.  Wrap the shade from top to bottom until you've gone all the way around

8. & 9.  Cut out fabric roses and glue them on the wrapped shade

Done, done and done!

No Sew Flower Pillows

By now you all know how much I love color.  The more color there is in a project, the happier I am.   Originally when I was making these pillows I thought they might work in several shades of one color, but after I got going my 3rd-grade-self took over and I ended up using every color in the rainbow.  Ya know,  I couldn't be happier with the way they look!  I also figured out a way to put them together without one single stitch by hand OR on a sewing machine.......Yup, not one stitch.   The only thing that could make these better is if they were filled with Skittles.  Remember, have fun, use color 

and always Make Your Mark!

Flower power!

Ready to sit pretty

Learn how to make them here!

Stuff You'll Need

Several colors of polyester taffeta

Heavy cotton in bright colors

Pillow stuffing

Tea light

Office clips

E-6000 Stitchless, Fabrifuse and Glue

Iron

Pom pom trim

Here's how (part 1)

1. 2. & 3.   Iron a piece of 10" x 18" on top of another color of 18" x 18" fabric using E-6000 Stitchless

*This will give a color-blocked look to the pillow face

4. & 5.  Cut green taffeta fabrics in leaf shapes in descending sizes with the largest leaf being about 4" long

6. & 7.  Cut different colors of circles in descending sizes with the largest circle being about 5" diameter

8. & 9.  Using a tea light, carefully singe the edges of the leaves and circles so that they don't fray

*This will also give them texture

Part 2

10. 11. & 12.  Using small dots of E-6000 Glue, assemble the flowers and leaves and then glue them to the color-blocked pillow face

13.  Cut another 18" x 18" fabric square for the pillow back and glue the pillow front on top of it (around the edges with E-6000 Fabrifuse) leaving a 5" gap

14. & 15. Cut 18" pieces of pom pom fabric and glue them to the edges of the pillow with more E-6000 Fabrifuse and let everything dry overnight

16. 17. & 18.  Stuff the pillow and seal the 5" opening with more E-6000 Fabrifuse and then clamp closed with office clips while it dries

Hello color!

Make A Desk!

My other half just opened a law firm so I was tasked with creating a desk and home office space worthy of an Esquire!  This couldn't be just an ordinary desk, it needed to have filing cabinets and a large work area.  After a few minutes scouring Craigslist, I found some amazing walnut filing cabinets perfect for the base and the rest of the design came together.  A little wood and some paint and the new home office looks like a million bucks.  My secret is that it cost less than $50 to put together.  Remember.......make furniture, rummage through Craigslist and always 

Make Your Mark!

The new office space

Ready for work

Learn how to make the chair HERE!

See how I put it together here

Stuff I Used

2 wood filing cabinets (scour Craigslist for these)

Vintage images for the sides

Americana Decor Metallics and Satin Enamels

Americana Decoupage

1" thick plywood

1" wide trim

Finishing nails and hammer

Here's How

1. 2. & 3. Paint the filing cabinets and plywood with the Americana Decor Satin Enamels

in Classic Black 

4. 5. & 6.  Paint the 1" trim with the Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

7.  Tape 2" up from the base with painter's tape

8.  Paint along the underside of the painter's tape with more Classic Black

*This is a painter's trick to get crisp lines when using tape for stripes

9.  Paint the base with more Vintage Brass

10.  Cut out the vintage images

11.  Mist with water to relax the paper and decoupage to the sides of the desk with Americana Decoupage

12.  Attach the top to the base with either nails or screws and you're done!

Voila!