On a DIY Roll!

DIY projects, up-cycling and repurposing are pretty new adventures for me and I have had more fails than successes.

I crafted in the 1980's, which included stenciling, sewing and tole painting and a little of everything else in between. I am not really interested in the sewing or painting or everything else anymore but my love for stenciling has been renewed!

I have my blogging friend Diana, from Adirondack Girl @ Heart to thank for that. She featured some stencils from Decor Art and the great things she made from them on her blog. Click and visit her for all her own great DIY ideas.

I quickly clicked over to the website and ordered three different stencils from the Americana Decor Collection. They are very inexpensive and great quality. There are seven different collections to choose from!

I already had the brushes (from the 80's!) and lots of paint.

I was hooked.

My first project with the stencils was a small wood table my husband got for $5 at a yard sale. He wanted something small that would fit against the wall for materials for our community theatre. I made him agree that it was going to be my first attempt at stenciling again after 30 years. It was ugly and needed a makeover before it went to the theatre!

I was anxious to try out the Distressed Harlequin and Olde World Numbers stencils I had bought.
I painted the whole table with Oatmeal Chalk Paint, distressed it lightly and then stenciled the Distressed Harlequin in Cascade, a pretty aqua color, on the top.

Then, dying to try out the numbers, I stenciled No 201, also in Cascade, on the bottom, which is the address to the theatre. It is a little off center but for my first try I decided to leave it.

I buffed the whole table with MinWax Paste Finishing Wax and it was done!

 

Here it is at the theatre with materials on it. My husband had both shelves filled but then took most of it off. He said I did too good of a job to cover it all up. Sweet!

 

 

 

I needed a gift for my friend Tree's (nickname for Theresa!) birthday and I hadn't gotten enough of trying out the Harlequin or numbers stencils yet. I asked her what her favorite flower, favorite number and favorite color was. I had an idea.

 

I painted a terra cotta pot in a pale sage green except for the inside. I wasn't worried about the edges either because they would be covered up.

 



I started stenciling the Distressed Harlequin in a darker shade of sage onto the pot and quickly realized that it was going to be harder than I thought. I was so excited to order stencils that I didn't realize that there is a collection specifically made for pots and rounded things! The one I was using is quite stiff. I made it through though, after a few attempts. Learn a lesson ahead of time from my faux pas!

 

I struggled pretty much the same through adding the No 4 but I got through that too.

 

 

Her answers to my favorites questions? She loves Hydrangeas, dark purple and the number 4, her birth date. I was happy how it all turned out and so was she!

 

My last DIY is not a stenciling project but rather an idea I got from my friend Susan. She and her husband Ken are quite talented in all areas of home décor and do most of the work themselves. I was shopping with her one day while she was looking for a light for over her new bathtub. Nothing was just right that day. Later I got a text from her with a picture of an old rusty birdhouse she had in her garden, swagged over the tub with a light bulb in it. It looked fabulous! I wanted one too!

 

 



Lucky for me I soon found my own vintage, rusty birdhouse. It didn't take long to decide that it would be the side porch hanging light I had always wanted.

 

I filled the bottom with faux ivy vines, got a hanging pendant light from Lowe's, and in about 20 minutes had a great light fixture and I did it myself! It was as simple as fitting the pendant light between the wires on the top of the cage and then hanging the cord on a hook, creating a swag over to the wall and stapling it down.

 

 

The birdcage was already painted white, distressed and a little rusty.

 



 

It even has the porcelain water cup on the side.

 



 

 

Now that I got that out of my system, back to what I do best! Thrifting and picking and garage saling!

 

I may get brave and try another stencil project. I still have a great Vintage Keys stencil to try out.

 

 

What DIY projects are you good at?

 

 

AnnMarie xoxo

 

 

I am linking up with these fun blog parties this week:

 

Make It Pretty Monday 

Something to Talk About Link Party

Amaze Me Monday

Show and Share

You're Gonna Love It Party Time
Roses of Inspiration
Let's Talk Vintage
Vintage Inspiration Party
Before and After Wednesday
Share Your Style
What's It Wednesday
Home and Garden Thursday
Best of the Weekend
Anything Blue Friday
A Bouquet of Talent Linky Party