Pedestal Medallion Table

Recently my awesome neighbour, who has given me a treasure trove of goodies, sent this small oak table my direction. I love a pedestal table and was thrilled to get it. I've been itching to do a makeover using a combination of Paris Grey and Pure White and so I decided to transform this little guy into a masculine Pedestal Medallion Table.

Here is what it looked like before the makeover.  See the saw horses, I even got those from my neighbor!

After cleaning it with a liquid sander/deglosser I painted the entire table in Paris Grey.

Then I dry brushed Pure White over the base and feet and gave it a bit of sanding to reveal the Paris Grey underneath.  I decided the top was begging for a graphic and thanks to the Graphics Fairy I had the perfect medallion saved in my graphics file.

I hopped on over to BlockPoster and enlarged it to the size I needed.

Then using graphite paper I traced the image onto the center of the table and hand painted the details with thinned Graphite color chalk paint.

Happy with the results I went ahead and added clear wax to the entire table and brought it upstairs to photograph.  That's when I learned a hard lesson in not prepping a piece properly! 

You can see in the photo above that the top was showing terribly in the natural light.  To say I was disappointed would be an understatement!  So back down to the workshop it went and I took my mouse sander to it.  It helped but because oak is such a grainy wood I would have had to sand it down to the bare veneer and loose the graphic that I painstakingly hand painted.  Not going to happen!

I repainted the top carefully around the graphic and it looked better but not perfect.  Having little choice I decided to embrace it's imperfections and have a party with dark wax!

The skies parted and the angels sang as the Paris Grey took on a darker tone and provided a stronger contrast with the Pure White.  Liking it so much I decided to paint the feet Paris Grey.  Now this is the sweet thing about chalk paint, you can paint right over wax!  

I don't mind how the dark wax settled into the unevenness of the top because it adds...ahem...character.  Yeah that's it, character!

Now it's time to bid this little fella a fond farewell and find it a new home.

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR FEATURING THIS PROJECT:

         

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With the chilly days of Autumn upon us, my thoughts go to decorating the fireplace mantel and table tops with Fall decor. Each year I like to challenge myself by creating a unique Fall art project. This year I think I succeeded in making A Fall Pumpkin Craft Idea Using Burlap and Tin.

What I love most about this Fall sign is that I cut out a pumpkin from a piece of tin and created an oxidized copper patina using a fun paint technique.

These are the materials I used...

*Affiliate links included in this post so you can see the products I used. See my full Disclosure Policy.

A Fall Pumpkin Craft Idea Using Burlap And Tin

Materials List

Old Picture Frame
Sheet of burlap *(affiliate link)
Shellac *(affiliate link)
Chalk paint in the colors Graphite and Old White
Clear Wax
Jute Twine
Sheet of tin
Modern Masters Metal Effects Copper Kit *(affiliate link)
Sophisticated Finishes Blackened Bronze Metallic Surfacers *(affiliate link)
Tin snips
Protective Gloves

Step 1: Refreshing an old picture frame

I found Mr. Frugalista's college diploma tucked away in a tub in the storage room but I really wanted the frame and the mat for this project.  I figured if he's had his diploma stuffed in the bowels of the storage room for several decades then it's free for the pick'ns!

Because the frame was stained red it was almost guaranteed that I would get paint bleed so to remedy that I applied a coat of shellac to seal the tannins in the wood. I brushed a coat of Graphite (charcoal gray) chalk paint for the first color. I followed it up with two coats of Old White chalk paint. Using an 80 grit sanding sponge, I distressed the corners to reveal the gray underneath. The paint was sealed with clear wax rubbed on with a clean link free rag.

Step 2: Burlap Back

I lined the cardboard backing of the frame with burlap leftover from a table runner, tacking it in place with dabs of hot glue.

Now onto the fun stuff...

Step 3: Making a tin pumpkin

Note: For this step, you must wear protective gloves to prevent being cut by the tin.

I cut a small piece of sheet metal (you can buy small sheets at Home Depot) using vintage, made for giants, tin snips.

I traced a pumpkin using a sheet of carbon paper onto the tin (as pictured below).

Step 4: Painting and oxidizing the tin pumpkin

After I carefully cut out the pumpkin, I painted it with two coats of Modern Masters Metal Effects Copper Primer (as pictured below).

Next, I painted two coats of Modern Masters Metal Effects Copper paint (sorry about the blurry photo).

Next, only on the leaf portion of the pumpkin, I applied Modern Masters Green Patina Aging Solution with a small paint brush and dabbed it with a clean rag. You can see in the photo below how it started the oxidization process.

After a few minutes, this is what it looked like.  Love this stuff!

With Sophisticated Finishes Blackened Bronze Metallic Surfacer and a Q-tip, I outlined around the leaf, painted the stem and ribs of the pumpkin (as pictured below).

For the tendrils, I simply hot glued a strand of jute twine from the stem and to the leaf, using the printed pumpkin graphic as my guide (as pictured below).

Step 5: Adding painted wooden letters

I had some wooden letters in my stash and painted them using the Modern Masters Metal Effects Primer and hot glued them in place.

I attached my Fall Pumpkin Craft into the painted frame and voila!

Here it is incorporated into our Fall Mantelscape. 

When Mr. Frugalista got home from work he spotted his frameless college diploma on the dining room table and asked, "what the heck did you do with my college diploma"?  I gave him an innocent smirk and batted my eyes and he walked away shaking his head. And that wasn't the first time and it won't be the last.

Have you ever tried the Modern Masters Metal Effects Kit? If so, what did you make with it?

You'll find this project linked to these fabulous Link Parties.

Thank you to the following for featuring this project:

  

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Custom Roman Shade {DIYing it}

* This post contains affiliate links. 

In August we had all of the original windows from our 1960's humble abode replaced. This had been on our Marie Must Have Wish List since 1998! We couldn't be happier with our choices and we're amazed at what a difference it made not only to the exterior of our home but the interior as well. Unfortunately our blinds no longer fit in some of the rooms and require custom window treatments. Ouch!

One of my favorite windows is the Bay above the kitchen sink.  Finally I have a spot to grow herbs in pretty pots!  The challenge was what window treatment would work best in this opening.  After weighing all of our options we decided a Custom Roman Shade would look fabulous.  Until we learned how much one would cost.  Another ouch!

So what does a DIYer living on a budget do in these circumstances?  Figure out how to make one of course!

You can see from the photo below that we haven't trimmed up the new window yet. We have granite tiles on order to run along the bottom, sides, and ledge of the bay. I can't wait!

In the Spring I replaced the drapery panels in our living room for a steal of a deal.  I went back the following day and bought the last two on the shelf and hadn't a clue what I was going to do with them.  Toss cushions, a runner, and/or some place mats?   

Our living room, dining room, and kitchen are open to one another and so those panels were perfect to use for the roman shade.  Heck I even had enough leftover fabric to make a faux roman shade and table runner for the dining room (which will be undergoing a makeover this winter.  I'm done with the brown-on-brown-on brown).

I'm a self-taught novice at the sewing machine with limited skills.  The thought of sewing a roman shade scared the bejesus outta me so I went to my Go To Source for online classes.  I was thrilled when I saw Craftsy offered a course on how to make custom roman shades.  Even better, as an affiliate I was offered a free course in exchange for a review.  The timing couldn't have been better!

Sewing Custom Roman Shades - $29.99
from: Craftsy

Thanks to the Instructor, Susan Woodcock's easy to follow directions I was able to successfully make one for our Bay Window.  Woot woot!

It looks a little short in this photo but I've accommodated the height of the granite tile and trim which will be installed soon.

The shade is always rolled up during the day and thankfully at dusk when it's rolled down you can't see the seam in the middle.  Because the window is larger than the width of my drapery panels I had to sew both panels together, which presented a few challenges when squaring the fabric and lining up the pattern.  It didn't help that I started this project well into the evening and the wee hours of the morning.  Why do I do this to myself?

Someone with more sewing expertise would have had no problem figuring it out but my tired thick skull needed to watch the video a few times until my light bulb moment finally arrived.  That's the great thing about Crafty's classes, you can pause and type notes as you watch the lessons.  It was helpful that I was able to watch the videos from my iPad which was conveniently sitting next to me on the sewing table.

After taking the class and successfully making my own I was confident enough in my abilities to make one for my friend's kitchen window.

She had an extra drapery panel from her dining room.  Her kitchen window is adjacent to the dining room so it was perfect.  You can see in the photo below that I had enough fabric leftover to surprise her with a table runner.

Thankfully her panel fit exactly to the inch the opening of her window - love when that happens!  Unlike my panels hers was lined - one less step!

I was able to cut off the tabs from the top hem and reuse the hem for the bottom of the shade.  Happy dance!

For a gal who didn't have a clue how to sew a Roman Shade I don't think I did such a shabby job and the bonus is that it didn't cost an arm and a leg!

So are you feeling inspired and motivated to make one for yourself?  If so press HERE to be taken directly to the Craftsy Sewing Custom Roman Shades class.  It's easy to follow, has straight forward instructions, and you can watch it at your own pace.  You'll amaze yourself with your talents afterwards!

But if sewing isn't your thing, then how about Cake Deceorating, Knitting, and the list goes on.

I'm registered to take the Custom-Fit Slipcovers: Chairs class next. Looking forward to making a slipcover for our wing chair.

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Are you like me and look for inexpensive ways to decorate for Fall? I love creating vignettes with an assortment of real and faux pumpkins in different textures and colors. Because I don't spend much money decorating for the season I have to get creative. Today I'm sharing 3 budget-friendly DIY pumpkin ideas for Fall using burlap, chalk & metallic paint, and tree branches from the backyard.

3 Budget-Friendly DIY Pumpkin Ideas For Fall

These faux pumpkins are so easy and inexpensive to make and here I show you how.

Chalk Painted Pumpkins And Gourds

Transform plastic dollar store pumpkins with paint. My preference for painting pumpkins is using chalky paint because of the matte finish. These were painted in Old White by Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and Luscious Lime by Country Chic Paint. The stems and tendrils are painted with acrylic craft paint in the color Raw Umber.

Once the paint is dry, apply clear wax with a lint-free rag. To add dimension, rub dark wax into the ribs and stems with a cotton swab.

Metallic Pumpkins

These small dollar store pumpkins were simply spray painted with Rust-oleum Silver Metallic Reflective Spray Paint. Can't get any easier than that!

Burlap Pumpkins

To make these on-trend pumpkins you'll need some burlap, jute twine, and tree branches from the backyard.

Instead of sharing a detailed tutorial on how to make the burlap pumpkins, I have both a video and detailed step-by-step written tutorial in my post Fabric Pumpkins With Cabinet Knob Stems. Just skip the cabinet knob stem section and hot glue a cut tree branch on the top instead.

You could also incorporate these Sweater Pumpkins into your Fall pumpkin patch made much the same way.

The wood sign behind the pumpkins is another DIY made with salvaged wood from the scrap pile. I share how I made in my DIY Fall Sign post.

Another thing I love to incorporate into my Fall decor is seasonal wreaths. It's always so welcoming to have a pretty wreath hanging on the front door. I hang them on mirrors inside my home too. To save money I always look for unique and creative ideas for making my own.

Like this DIY Fall Wreath made with an old scarf. Or this DIY Flannel Fall Wreath made with the sleeves of an old flannel shirt. If a traditional wreath is more your preference, I made this Easy Fall Wreath with Mini Banner in traditional Fall colors.

I share my projects at these fabulous link parties.

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Vintage Men's Valet Roll Top Jewelry Box

Hello friends, I hope you've been enjoying warmer temperatures in your neck of the woods.  We woke up to snow on Tuesday morning.  S N O W  in September, can you believe it!  Thankfully it melted by the dinner hour but the temperatures remain rather cool.  Thanks to our furnace, I've been keeping toasty warm indoors getting reacquainted with my sewing machine. More about that in a post next week.

I haven't stepped foot in the workshop in several weeks, where I have several furniture pieces awaiting makeovers. I'm looking forward to getting back down there again next week. In the meantime I thought I'd share a little something I worked on before leaving on vacation. I found this Vintage Men's Valet Roll Top Jewelry Box at a local market this summer. Other than looking quite dated and having a few scratches here and there, it was in fairly decent shape.  I was immediately drawn to the roll top detail.

This is what it originally would have looked like but mine had damaged and missing lattice trim so I removed it.

SOURCE

The felt inside the drawer was perfectly intact so all I had to do was clean it.

I painted it with chalk paint in a Graphite color.  I normally wax my pieces but because this will most likely take a beating from coins I protected it with a few coats of Tough Coat™.  

Being a gentleman's jewelry box I decided to give it some black & white striped detail echoing a men's dress shirt. 

I decoupaged some vintage scrapbook paper onto the sides of the drawer as well as along the base of the jewelry box.  Last but not least I gave the entire piece a coat of dark wax which added some depth and character.

The hardware on the roll top is original but I painted over the gold color with Graphite followed by a dry brushing of white chalk paint and silver buffing compound.  The drawer hardware was broken so I replaced them with new knobs and buffed them in silver as well. 

I'm really pleased with how this Vintage Men's Valet Roll Top Jewelry Box turned out.  Hopefully it finds a new home soon!

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING FOR FEATURING THIS PROJECT:

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