The Handmade Archives - Poppytalk

DIY – Painting a Patterned Floor

Jan Halvarson — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 06:16:00 +0000

Today we’re excited to share with you a really fun project we came across on Instagram by Kezz of Kezzabeth blog out of the UK. Kezz and her partner Grant have been very busy fixing up their second home, one room at a time and documenting it all on her blog. We loved this patterned floor they made for their conservatory renovation. The result is an attractive patterned floor that looks like tiles! Kerry shares the how-to below. Thank you Kerry!
~Jan

Patterned tiles are a huge trend at the moment – but if you’re up for a bit of challenge, you can save yourself some cash by creating your own patterned floor, just with a bit of paint!

Which Paint?
A good hard-wearing floor paint is required for this project. The one I’m using is Rustoleum’s Chalky Finish Floor Paint. This can be used on both concrete and wooden floors – and the colours I’ve picked out are Anthracite and Winter Grey.

Things You Will Need
• Pencil and Sharpener
• Tape Measure
• Long Ruler (I’m using a spirit level)
• Smaller Ruler
• Floor Paint in 2 Colours
• Large Paint Brush
• Very Small Tipped Paint Brush

Step 1 – Clean, Clean, Clean!
For a good durable finish on the floor, you really need to make sure the area is completely clean and free of debris. You don’t want any little gravelly bits in the floor that might dislodge later and scuff-up the paint when walked over. So for this reason, it’s super important the floor is completely clean and clear. I scrubbed the floor first and then went over with a powerful vacuum to make sure it was as clean as possible.

Step 2 – Base Coat
After the floor has completely dried, painting can then begin! To make life easier when it comes to doing the pattern, it’s a good idea to paint the whole floor in one colour first. Painting a floor does use a lot more paint than you’d think, but one coat of the paint I’m using gave a really really good coverage. I used a large paint brush to apply the paint and made sure to really work it into the floor, not applying too much. You could probably use a roller as well, but it may not get into all the crevices, if you have any. So having a paint brush on hand is definitely ideal!

Step 3 – Picking a Pattern
I recommend googling pattered floors for inspiration and drawing up some mock-ideas first. I wanted something geometric, but easy to draw. A pattern that’s too complicated, will be harder to mark out on the floor and could end in one big fail. Something that’s easy to repeat will also make life much easier – there’s plenty of inspiration out there to be found!

Step 4 – Marking the Pattern Out
To make the floor look as “tile-like” as possible, I decided to grid up the floor into 33x33cm squares as this is a pretty standard size for most square tiles. I marked it out using just a tape measure, long spirit level (to be used a ruler) and a pencil. This room is pretty square so I was able to use the walls as starting point, with the lines running parallel against both walls.

After the room had been gridded up into squares, I then went over with diagonal lines across those squares, alternating them in a zig-zag across each row. So it ended up looking like this…

Step 5 – Painting the Pattern
Once it’s all been drawn out, you can then begin going on with the second colour. Due to the contours and crevices in this concrete floor, masking tape wasn’t suitable to use – so instead I decided to freehand it. I used some super small tipped paint brushes to get right into the corners of the triangle pattern and a slightly larger one to colour the rest of it. You need a steady hand for this and to take your time. But if you enjoy painting – this really isn’t too much of a chore. Free handing the pattern also helps it to look a bit like hand-finished tiles. Imperfect but perfect.

If you’re struggling to keep a steady hand, I recommend doing short spans of painting over a few days. You may also need to go back over with a second coat on the lighter colour as well – but don’t worry too much if you smudge any lines, as you can always touch up at the end! This may not be the quickest painting project, but the finish is so worth it!

And just like that – the floor is now beautifully patterned and almost tilelooking. It’s quirky, fun and could suit any space that needs a touch of character!

If you want to see more pics, the flooring that used to be in here, as well as our plans for the rest of this room – head over to my blog to read more

About Kezzabeth:
Hi, I’m Kezz! A DIY and Renovation blogger from UK, sharing our journey of turning a house into a home. With small budgets and big plans, we’re mastering the DIY-life and saving cash as we go!

Blog – http://www.kezzabeth.co.uk
Twitter – @kezzabeth
Pinterest – @kezzabeth
Instagram – @kezzabeth_blog

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DIY Wallflower Temporary Tattoo

Jan Halvarson — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 18:26:00 +0000

In DIY Temporary Tattoo Art, vlogger and fashionista K. L. CAO uses a variety of easy-to-find materials like tissue paper, pressed flowers, gold leaf, henna ink, and more to give you what you need to amp up your style. Her thirty-five simple temporary tattoo projects include flash (metallic/shimmering), black-light reactive, watercolor style, freckle temporary tattoos, henna tattoos, and many more!

Today we’re sharing her Wallflower Temporary Tattoo project which is super easy and a perfect DIY for the beach, a music festival or just for fun! Check it out below!

DIY Wallflower Temporary Tattoo
An excerpt from “DIY Temporary Tattoo Art, Easy Step-by-step Instructions for Watercolor, Henna, Flash Tattoos and More!” by K. L. CAO.

Materials
—Scissors
—Wallflowers template (click here to download) copied onto 8.5″ x 11″ temporary tattoo paper
—1 – 2 make-up wedges

1. Use scissors to carefully cut out each flower, working as precisely as you can.

2. Take one of the cut-out flowers and remove the clear film from the tattoo paper. Place the paper sticky side down on any flat surface of the body where you will have enough room to place all the flowers in your design. (I chose the top back of the shoulder as my starting point.) Press gently to make sure the tattoo adheres to the skin. Repeat to create your first layer of flowers.

3. Soak a makeup wedge in water and shake off excess. Gently dab the backing of the tattoos with the wedge until the paper is saturated.

4. Gently peel the backing away from the tattoos to reveal the images.

5. Repeat application as many times as needed in order to fill in any gaps. In between each application make sure the skin is dry before adding on another layer of tattoos. Once all the tattoos are dry, head out the door and get ready to stand out.

Click HERE to download the wallflower pdf file.

DIY Temporary Tattoo Art, Easy Step-by-step Instructions for Watercolor, Henna, Flash Tattoos and More!” by K. L. CAO is available through Simon and Schusterand available at most bookstores.

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DIY Wooden Mobiles

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 03:57:00 +0000

This past week we were inspired by our friendly neighborhood shop and workshop place, Collage Collage’s fun mobile project they posted on Instagram. I asked owner Erin Bonifero if she’s be interested in sharing the project on here on Poppytalk! This mobile project is something they do at their Crafternoon Campsthey are holding this summer at their Main Street shop here in Vancouver which anyone is welcome to sign up and join if you happen to be in the Vancouver area. Erin explains their inspiration and shares a few how-to photos below.

DIY Wooden Mobiles
By Erin Bonifero of Collage Collage

You will need
—Approx 9 or more different cut or scrap pieces of wood (some larger, some smaller) ranging anywhere from 1″ high (2.5 cm) to 12″ high (30 cm) —both approx. 1″ thick.
—eye hooks (1 for each mobile)
—bright coloured craft paints
—paint brush
—glue

Instructions
We were inspired by Bruno Munari and his amazing found object sculptures. We came across a simple painted piece of wood; and adapted it to best suit our 5-9yr old students. Under Russell Leng’s guidance the campers painted blocks of wood (a different colour or pattern on each side) and then stacked them to make a composition. We added an eye hook to the top + strung them up, spinning them to see what happened to the colours as they move. (See images below).

While we don’t offer a kit for this project yet – it IS something we’re doing at our Crafternoon Art Camps this summer. So Vancouver families can sign up and join us.

Visit Collage Collage
3697 Main St. (21st and Main)
Vancouver, BC V5V 3N7
Canada

And online:
Shop: shop.collagecollage.ca
Site collagecollage.ca
Instagram: @collagecollage
Facebook: CollageCollage

Also, check out Russell Leng’s work! He just launched a new side project!

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DIY Triangle Display Shelf

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 07:29:00 +0000

Earlier last month we happened upon this triangle display shelf via Instagram from Moorea Seal in Seattle and were inspired that it was handmade. Ashley Miller(who works there) created it as a display shelf for the shop and so we asked these two ladies if they would be interested in sharing how it was made as a DIY for Poppytalk. And we were thrilled they agreed!

The result is a stunning shelf perfect for not only retail, but at home too. Also, be sure to check out both Moorea Seal online and Ashley’s Etsy shop, Charcoal and Ash. All equally impressive – more of their contact info below!

DIY Triangle Display Shelf

The inspiration for the Triangle Display Shelf was to create shelving that was useful and stylish that could also create height in the shallow shop widow spaces. The triangle shelf does a great job at creatively displaying store product without blocking light from the outdoors. The
removable bolts keep it safely attached they are a great feature allowing for repositioning and stacking. Once your triangle shelf is built you can customize it by painting, sanding, staining, or burning the surface for a variety of beautiful looks.

Shopping List:
• 9, 1”x 6”x 72” pine boards (1 board per triangle I recommend buying a few extra)
• 54 (6 per triangle) 1-5/8” wood screws
• 1/4” flat washers
• 1/4” -20 hex nuts
• 1/4” -20 x 2 carriage bolts
Instructions:
1. First cut at the end a 33 1/3 degree angle
2. Then turn the board over, slide it down to 21”
3. On the long side cut 33 1/3 degree angle again
4. Repeat until board is cut into 3 pieces, cut all boards
5. Fit pieces together (see image below)

6. Screw in 2 wood screws per corner, until all 9 triangles are assembled (see image below)

7. Stack bottom row 3 triangles right side up, 2 upside down (see image below).

8. Drill holes with 1/4” drill bit dead center through the triangles to connect them.
a. Not on the outside wall or on the bottom only where the triangles connect, to
hold them in place so they do not fall over when stacked.
9. Install 1/4” bolts, nuts, and washers.

10. Stack 2 triangles right side up and 1 upside down in center, on top of the bottom 5 triangles (see image below).

11. Repeat step 8. (But do drill through the bottom connecting triangles)
12. Stack final triangle on top, drill hole in the bottom and bolt

DIY by Ashley Miller
Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/CharcoalandAsh
Instagram: @charcoalandashpnw
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charcoalandash/

for

Moorea Seal

Founder: Moorea Seal

Where: 2523 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA

Open 7 days a week

mooreaseal.com

Instagram: @mooreaseal
Pinterest @mooreaseal
Twitter: @mooreaseal

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DIY Speckle-Painted Lampshade

Jan Halvarson — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:49:00 +0000

Today we’re excited to share a project from Rebecca Atwoods new beautiful new book, Living With Pattern: Color, Texture and Print at Home from Potter.

The book is all about how to tell your story with pattern, going through each room of a home from various artists/designers who Rebecca admires, but who also know how to make a home that is reflective of the home owners story. A section filled with gorgeous homes including tips and tricks on creating personal, patterned spaces.

The end of the book features several DIY projects from decoupage to embroidered placemats. Fresh updated projects on classic ideas such as marbling, weaving and shibori. Like this speckle-painted lampshade we asked to share here. Check out the how-to below!

DIY Speckle-Painted Lampshade

Customizing a lampshade is an easy way to add pattern to your bedside table. This small accent may be just what you need if you have limited space. Here an organic pattern is painted on the shade to give it new life. If you’re unsure about painting your own design, you can always go for a stripe. The pattern possibilities are endless, so sketch out a few ideas prior to starting.

Supplies
Lampshade
Water-based paint, such as gouache or acrylic
Brushes for painting and/or stenciling
Stencils (optional)
Lamp base
Apron or old clothes

STEP 1: Paint
Just dive in. Have fun and paint freely, or stencil the design of your choosing. Here I used blue and black gouache. Gouache gives a softer look than acrylic because it has a matte finish. I recommend using only a little bit of water. Simply wet your brush prior to dipping it in the paint. If your paint feels too thick, just add a little more water until you get a consistency you like. First I put down larger spots of a soft blue, followed by a second layer of smaller black spots.

STEP 2: Finish
Let the paint dry completely before fitting the shade on your lamp base. Light up your room!

Living With Pattern: Color Texture and Print at Home by Rebecca Atwood is available on Amazon. Click HERE for the link.

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Yarn Planter DIY

Jan Halvarson — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 23:12:00 +0000

We are excited today to share a DIY from Cori Anne of Oh Lovely Bows, a local design student and blogger who caught our eye with this yarn planter project we spotted on instagram a while back. It’s such a great project and we thought our readers would love it, so we asked Cori Anne to do a guest post. Thank you Cori Anne for sharing!

Yarn Planter DIY

We all know how weaving is all the rage these days. But what if some of us don’t know how to weave, or simply don’t have time for a big project? Well, that’s where this DIY can help us! And since most of us like the look of yarn weavings, this seriously easy DIY woven planter is a pretty close second to having a woven piece hanging up in our homes. Let’s get to making!

Supplies:

Yarn & Cording, various colours and thickness
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Embroidery needle
Pot
Plant

How-to:

1 – Heat up the glue gun and pick out what kind of pattern you’d like to do.

2 – Measure out how long you’d like the cording used for hanging to be. It will depend on how tall your plant is as well as how low you’d like the pot to hang from the ceiling. *On one of mine I did a single piece of cording that attached on opposite sides of the pot, on the other I attached two pieces of cording attaching them on four equal sides of the pot. You can see it more clearly in the photos, if this isn’t clear

3 – Start glueing your decorative yarn around the pot. You’ll want to continually glue all the way around to keep it secure and the rows snug together.

4 – Once you’ve wrapped about a third of the top of the pot with yarn, glue the cording you’ve cut out for the hanging pieces onto the sides of the pot. Then continue to wrap the yarn, covering up the hanging cord as you go along.

5 – Switch up the colour, the texture of the yarn, the placement, the list goes on. That’s the fun part, you get to make it suit your style!

6 – After the pot has been fully covered, add little details. I added a couple of pom-poms and some simple stitches (this is where the embroidery needle will be used) to make it a bit more quirky. The colour pop is awesome! If you have any neon yarn, thread or parachute cord – use it!

7 – Once it’s finished place a plant in it and hang it from your ceiling or wall with an appropriate hook. Done!

**TIP – The pot that has two strands of cording to hang is much more balanced than the one that has a single strand for hanging. Up to you on which look you like, but I definitely will make any future ones with two strands vs one.

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DIY | Graphic Pillows by Arren Williams

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 09 Sep 2015 08:29:00 +0000

Guest post by Arren Williams

Today we’re thrilled and honoured to have Arren Williams joining us all the way from Portugal with this really rad pillow DIY. Many of you may know Arren from his gorgeous styling, editing and trend reporting skills here in Canada, but now he’s living overseas for a year with his husband in the Algarve; Portugal’s beautiful southern coast. We spotted his graphic black and white pillows he made recently on his Instagram account earlier last month, and we’re thrilled he accepted our invitation to re-create them for a DIY on Poppytalk. Psssst! Stay tuned also as soon we’ll be able to buy Arren’s pillows and some soon-to-be-announced products online later this Fall! Can’t wait! In the meantime, check out his tutorial below on how to make these gorgeous pillows!

Materials List:
Fabric (must be pre-washed, without the use of any fabric softener, dried and ironed)
Fabric Paint
Sponge
Masking Tape (a couple of different widths)
Wool
Needle and thread
Drop cloth
Rubber gloves

How-To:
Cut the front panel of fabric for your cushion at least 5cm larger than the finished size to allow for seam allowance when it’s sewn into a cushion cover, and start to plan out your design with masking tape. I’m inspired by 50’s graphic patterns, architectural details, tiles and more, so with that in mind, I’ll start taping away and freehand the design. Using a couple of different widths of tape will make your final design that bit more interesting and, as you go, it’s easy to adjust the tape and reapply to get the design you want, but do make sure it’s firmly stuck to the fabric.

Cover your work surface with a drop cloth and pre-mix your fabric paint. I find it’s too thick out of the package, so I water it down to the consistency of whipping cream. Then don a pair of rubber gloves and get to work – Dip the sponge and try and squeeze off the excess before working on the fabric. Dab away and start to cover your taped design, aiming not to shift the tape as you go!

With the tape in place allow the fabric to dry overnight on a new drop cloth or, in my case, set it to dry in the hot Portuguese sun. Finally the most exciting part – Carefully remove the tape to reveal the finished design. I love the randomness of the final look of the sponged design, and don’t mind a little colour bleeding here of there, or even places where I’ve missed covering the fabric entirely (you have to embrace happy accidents!). To ‘fix’ the design, and make it more durable, iron the reverse of the design on a high setting with steam.

Then sew up your cushion cover or, in my case while I’m living abroad without my machine, take the fabric to a lady called Carla and ask (in very bad Portuguese) to sew the cushion cover up for you. Once that’s all happened, next step is to make your pom-poms! Honestly, your first one will look awful, so make sure you have enough wool around to make at least 5 or 6 as you get more accomplished. Take a look on YouTube for more info, but here’s the bare bones of it – Wrap the wool around the widest part of your hand at least 100 times (less will be too skimpy, believe me on this). Snip and then carefully slide the wrapped wool off of your hand then, with the help of a friend, tie a very tight knot through the centre of the wrapped wool, leaving the ends of your tie nice and long (this’ll come in useful later). Snip through the loops on either side of your knot, and fluff up all of the ends. Yes, it’s ugly, but a bit of time and a haircut with a sharp pair of scissors and you’ll end up with something passably attractive.

Click on the card deck below to see the pom-pom how-to:

To attach your pom-poms to your cushion cover, use the long tails from your tie to discover the knot and stitch through this area to attach it to the corner of the cushion. It’s best to do this without the fill inside the cushion just so your stitches don’t catch the fill as you go. Note: Your pom-poms, though wildly fun and on-trend, do make your cushion not machine washable, so this means from now on it’s spot-clean only for this baby…

Follow Arren on his beautiful instagram account at @arrenwilliams

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DIY Clay Circle Garland

Jan Halvarson — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 06:36:00 +0000

Contributor post by Caitlin of The Merrythought

Air dry clay is one of my favorite materials to use while crafting. It’s so simple and the options for projects are endless! I recently made a moon phase mobile using air dry clay and loved the tiny circles so much that I decided to make a long garland out of them. I have primarily been using unfinished wood and plants to decorate my spaces lately and I love how the natural texture of the clay fits in with these materials.

Materials:
-Air Dry Clay
-Rolling Pin
-Circle Cookie Cutter
-Embroidery Needle or Skewer
-Sandpaper
-String
-Scissors
-Glue (I used 527 Multi-Use Glue and it worked amazingly.)

Instructions:
-Roll out clay to about 1/4″ thick.
-Use cookie cutter to cut out desired number of circles. (I did 24.)

-Use an embroidery needle or skewer to make two holes on opposite sides of each circle. *Save two circles for the end pieces and only put one hole in each of these.
-Let dry according to directions.
-Once it is dry, you can smooth out any rough edges with sandpaper if desired.

-Cut out 3″ pieces of string to go between each of the circles.

-Put a small dab of glue at the opening of the hole and use the embroidery needle to help push the string into place. Repeat until you have a complete chain. Be sure not to pull the string from the previous circle when attaching to the next circle.
-Let glue dry completely.

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DIY Desk Organizer

Jan Halvarson — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 08:12:00 +0000

Contributor post by Caitlin of The Merrythought.

I’ve really been diving into simplifying in big ways this year. Once I got mostly decluttered, I realized I really needed some storage solutions to help keep me organized and prevent me from buying items that I already have one of. This wooden desk organizer was a perfect project to help tackle the chaos that is always spread out in my workspace while also displaying the things I need and use in a lovely way!

Materials:
-Birch Plywood – 1 piece of the following sizes:
1/4″ x 12′ x 24″
1/8″ x 12″ x 24″
-Tape Measure
-Scroll Saw
-5/8″ Dowel
-Heavy Duty Super Glue
-Chalkboard Paint
-Masking Tape

Instructions:
-Use the scroll saw to cut the 1/4″ piece down to 19″ tall.
-From the small piece left over, measure and cut out a 6″ x 2″ piece and a 4″ x 2″ piece.
-Cut three 2.5″ pieces from the dowel.
-Measure and mark the pieces you will need to make the pockets on the 1/8″ piece of wood.
Pencil Pocket
One 3″ x 5″ piece
Two 1.5″ x 5″ pieces
One 1.5″ x 2.75″ piece

Chalk Pocket
One 1.5″ x 2″ piece
Two .75″ x 2″ pieces

Letters & Notebook Pocket
One 5″ x 6″ piece
Two 5″ x 1.5″ pieces
One 5.75″ x 1.5″ piece
-Use the scroll saw to cut out all of the pieces. Be sure to be precise in the cutting or they will not line up correctly.
-Use the heavy duty super glue to glue each of the pockets together.
-Once the pockets are dry and sturdy, attach the pockets, the dowels and the mini shelves (cut in the second step) using the super glue. (**It helps to lay out your pieces before you start gluing.)
-Let it dry according to directions.
-Use masking tape to mark off the area for the chalkboard and use chalkboard paint to fill in the space.
-Once everything is dry, you can leave it on your desk top or attach it to the wall and fill it with all your favorite desk essentials!

All of the measurements are just guidelines, you can change the sizes, add more pockets, add more paint… anything you want! Have fun and get organized!

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DIY Flower Incense Bundle

Jan Halvarson — Tue, 20 Jan 2015 04:56:00 +0000

Contributor post by Emily and Erick of Heidi’s Bridge

Now that winter has finally settled in, that means below-freezing temperatures and grey skies are the norm in the Northeast. Although we cozy up to steaming mugs of tea and thick socks to beat the chill, our thoughts are of a warm spring breeze and flowers beneath our feet. To combat the winter doldrums, we made this DIY Flower Incense Bundle to remind us of sunnier days ahead.

You Will Need:
Assorted Dried Flowers: Lavender, Rose Petals, Safflower, Calendula flowers, Chamomile buds
Honey (or water)
Charcoal stick
Bamboo sticks, cut to 4 inches
Wax paper
Dried Lavender Stems
Palo Santo
Kitchen twine

Directions:
1. Add a 1 tsp of each flower into mortar and pestle and mix together. Grind flowers with mortar and pestle until they are small granules.

2. Using pestle, grind about 3 tsp of charcoal into mortar with ground flowers.
3.Slowly add honey into other ingredients until it forms a putty that can be formed around the bamboo sticks. Add more honey if mixture is too crumbly and more herb powder if too sticky. Note: This will be messy so do this step over a surface that is easy to wipe down.

4. Let the charcoal sticks dry on wax paper a few days until completely dry.

5. Once charcoal incense sticks are dry, it’s time to make your incense bundles. Bundle two sticks with a small piece of palo santo and a sprig or two of dried lavender. Tie together with kitchen twine and enjoy!

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DIY Wooden Sign

Jan Halvarson — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 01:17:00 +0000

Contributor post by Rachel of the Crafted Life

It’s official: I’m in love with scroll saws! Unlike other intimidating power tools, there’s less of a risk when using them because the blade moves up and down instead of in a circular fashion (though please still use caution when attempting this project!). And while they are a bit of an investment, the possibilities of what you can create are endless!

Time: 2 hours + dry time
Materials: wood, scroll saw, sand paper, pencil, clear satin topcoat gel, rag, drill

Materials: The length of your wood will vary depending on the length of your saw’s neck, so be sure to measure this before beginning! I used a piece of Makore that was 14”L x 6”W x 3/4” thick.

Step One: If you aren’t great at free-handing text, play around in photoshop with different fonts and sizes. I chose Brannboll Fet at 340 pt. Instead of wasting ink on printing letters that size, I set the fill to 0% and had a stroke of 5 px.

Print then cut out to create a stencil.

Step Two: Lay your stencil on the wood then trace. You’ll use these marks as guidelines when cutting so they should be visible and clean

Step Three: Cut out using the scroll saw. Depending on how familiar you are with the saw, you may want to practice with a piece of pine and then work your way up to a more expensive wood. As long as you take your time and are patient, you should be able to get the hang of it. You can also choose a non-script font so that you can do the letters one by one.

Step Four: To get inside the loops of your letters, drill a small hole that goes all the way through the wood. You’ll then remove the blade on the scroll saw, feed through the hole (like you’re threading a needle), and reattach. Repeat until all of the letters are complete

Step Five: Sand to smooth out any rough edges.

Step Six: Apply your topcoat/stain/paint and let dry!

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DIY Cover A Vintage Turntable

Jan Halvarson — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 07:50:00 +0000

Guest post by Cori Kindred.

I love, love, love to cover things (especially vintage things) with pretty paper or fabric. It’s starting to be a problem. I covered my sx-70 polaroid camera, my vintage typewriter, a bunch of matchboxes for the holidays and I regularly cover vintage scissors and sell them (framed) in my shop. So when Jan asked me to cover this adorable vintage record player, I couldn’t resist. If you have something you’d like to make over, just follow these steps!

1. It doesn’t matter how bad the item looks, as long as it’s structurally sound. Sand down any bumps and wipe down with a damp cloth. If the colors of the item you’re covering might show through the paper, make sure to paint over it with gesso.

2. Gather your supplies: paper (I used Rifle Paper Co’s Mint Floral wrapping paper from Paper Source), gesso (optional), scissors, paint brushes (various sizes), matte acrylic gel medium (my preferred adhesive), paint (optional).

3. For this project I measured the area I was going to cover, cut the paper to size (don’t forget any edges you’ll be wrapping around), set the paper on top of the record player and gently creased where the edges were. Then I cut out the corners – make sure to leave a little extra to trim away. I covered the top of the lid with gel medium (with a 1” paint brush) then laid the paper down and smoothed out any bumps or wrinkles.

4. If you’re able to remove the hardware, definitely do that. If not you’ll have to just trim away a tiny bit at a time until the paper fits around the hardware as close as possible. Then apply gel medium to the surface (using a smaller paint brush around the hardware) and smooth down the paper. Trim away the corners until they’re flush and glue down. Basically when I cover something it involves a lot of trimming, gluing, trimming, and more gluing a little bit at a time.

5. For my camera and typewriter I was able to leave the uncovered parts alone (they already matched the print I chose) but I didn’t love the original brown bottom half of the record player, so I covered it with gesso then painted it a pretty peacock green. For now I left the inside of the lid as is (I thought the vintage logo was fun) but I might end up painting it green as well.

Voila! If you’re using fabric to cover make sure to gesso the item first (fabric is sheerer than you think, plus it’ll stick better) and be prepared for the fabric to stretch a bit (no big deal, just trim the edges away). Now go forth and make something prettier! (and leave a link in the comments so we can see it!)

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