Art by Debbie Saenz

Mod Podge Monday: Mini Frig Before and After

Last week I showed you a Lamp shade I transformed for my daughter's dorm room. This week I want to show you a mini frig redo. 

UGLY isn't even the best word for this poor little guy. I picked him up at a used appliance store....and this pic was before I scrubbed it clean and used white paint to touch up some of the edges that would show after I did my magic with a paper table cloth and some Mod Podge.

TaDa...here is what I did to it! I used Hard Coat Mod Podge on this piece for more durability. I must say, he's a real statement piece now! Sarah was so happy with the way her mini frig turned out. It sits in the furniture piece I made for Sarah. You can see my daughter's dorm room, as it was last year, here, in this post. 

Sarah is now a Sophomore and begins classes today. We moved her back in this past week. Last year she only had one window, this year she has two windows and I don't have enough of the same fabrics and trim to make an identical one. So, guess what's been added to my to do list? Yup, make two matching curtains for Sarah's room. 

I better get busy!

 

 

Mod Podge Monday: Lamp Shade Redo

It's amazing how quick Mondays roll around! Well, here is another Mod Podge project for ya...

 

This week my daughter will be heading back to college. It's sad to see her go, but I'm hoping this year will be just like last year when we had the privilege of seeing her most weekends when she made the drive back home.

Last summer I was all consumed with beautifying Sarah's dorm room and worked really hard, even through many nights, to have everything done by the move in date. You can see how it all turned out in the post I wrote about "My Daughter's Dorm Room". Now, we're dragging everything out of storage and are ready to set up her space once again.

I thought I would share this simple project with you all today. I gave one of my yard sale finds a redo for the perfect bedside lamp for Sarah's room. 

Here are my instructions:

1. Make a template of the lampshade using a large piece of newspaper; Cut out 1/2 inch larger on each side and the ends. 
2. Trace around the template on the backside of desired fabric; Cut out.
3. Apply Fabric Mod Podge on the outside of lamp shade until evenly coated. Make sure you go back over any spots that might have dried. 
4. Position your cut fabric piece over the lampshade and smooth out with your fingers adding additional Mod Podge as needed. Overlap the seam and fold the excess fabric toward the inside of the shade for a finished look. 
5. Attach trim along top and bottom of shade if desired. 

You might have an old lampshade that could use a little revamping too!

 

My New Studio: Revealed

This is an exciting day!

after a ton of hard work,

I can finally say,

it's finished!

Well, everything except my studio easel which is currently in FL at my mother-in-law's house. It will happily travel back home to Atlanta with us next month after our family visit in FL.

We moved my studio from the small bedroom upstairs down to the more spacious bedroom in our basement. Click here  to see what the space used to look like.

Now, enjoy these pictures of my new space...YEA!!

The bathroom is located behind the door on the right. Aww! water to wash my brushes. Maybe I'll take better care of them now? Before, they would sit in water way too long...

The closet is behind the doors on the right is loaded with lots of supplies!

My easel will sit in the corner area between the two windows. I have a large piece of heavy canvas to lay under it to protect the carpet from paint spills and splatters that are bound to happen :)

I added two sets of small eye hooks into the side of the window moldings then strung some picture hanging wire across to create a place to hang my inspiration images and ideas. Before, they always ended up in a pile of papers and were eventually forgotten. No more, now they'll be in plain sight. 

My corner to sit, relax, and pour over my magazines and books. A great place for my quiet time too!

I am so blessed to have this awesome space and a wonderful and supportive hubby who has been such a trouper through this whole project. I had no idea just how much time and work it was going to take when I first began. 

Some of the projects I tackled in the last few weeks:

• painted the entire room and bathroom
• moved loads of stuff two stories down
• built a custom shelf to hold some of my paints
• painted and distressed 7 pieces of furniture (and then Mod Podged 3 of them)
• upholstered 3 chairs
• made curtains
• organized everything 

....hmmm, I'm sure I'm forgetting something!

My goal was to finish before today because my hubby and I will be out of town all week, in KY, then back home for a short time before we head to FL, then CA, then FL again, and finally back home to GA. Whew! And after all of that, I'll be more than ready to pick up my paint brush! My journal will be bursting with ideas by that time, I'm sure :)

Linking up with my friend Jennifer at Studio JRU:

My New Studio: Curtains, Before and After Chair, and more

Yea!! I completed the curtains, all five of them. They are hung, and wow! I'm always amazed at how curtains impact a room by giving it a more finished look. 

I think burlap gives a natural "earthy" feel, and to add color, I used some of my favorite fabrics I had on hand, sewed them together forming a band which I added along the bottom. I left the selvage frayed edge of the burlap raw along the bottom edge. Love it!

And now....

I found this chair at Goodwill for $20.00. I had vision for it the minute I saw it.

I'm really happy with the way it turned out! And it's so comfortable too! Originally, I wanted to create a whimsical look by piecing different colorful fabrics together kinda like a quilt, but, in the end, decided to go with the turquoise. I made the pillow to give it a pop of color. This was one of the seven pieces of furniture I refinished for my new studio. 

This is the little stool I sit on at my work table. Now it has a fresh new seat! I didn't get a before picture of this one, but let me tell you, it wasn't pretty...dingy with paint stains all over it.  Now it matches the other chair I upholstered. 

I acquired this cute little stool over 20 years ago from the landlord of the apartment my hubby and I rented just after we were married. He said if I didn't want it to throw it in the trash. Of course, I kept it! It's been painted twice and it's now on it's third seat. I love it! 

NOW...for the BIG Question about my armoire. Well, after all the wonderful comments, we've dicided to keep it like it is, at least for now. In the future, I might paint the chalkboard paint a different color. I'm actually very happy with it the way it is! When I read the comments to my hubby, this is what he said,....

"I throw in the towel"

It's been fun setting up my new studio with him, but I do wonder about his taste, like where is it?...or actually, he wonders about mine :) No, he really does have good taste, he just doesn't get Vintage Chic! 

Next, look for a post about my new FINISHED Stuido! Whew! After so much hard work, it's about time!

My New Studio: Before and After Chair

 

Well, I didn't cross off everything on my to-do list this week, but here is one of the three chairs I have been working on for my new studio.

This chair was on the side of the road waiting for trash pick-up before I rescued it! And it was UGLY and very dirty, a hideous pink and full of mildew! She waited patiently in our garage for almost as long as the black desk I recently revamped. And yup, hubby threatened to rid of this one too :( 

But, her day came...and she got a lovely make over :) New paint and even a seat. Now she can reside in the house with the rest of us.

I love the pattern in this material and I can't wait to use this chair with my new studio desk.

I've finished two other chairs as well...look for them real soon, also for the curtains that are in progress, Yea!! At least the idea anway. I've decided to use burlap with a band of colorful materials pieced together along the bottom. Will see...execution is tomorrow:) And I'll show you when they're up!

My New Studio: Paint Shelf is Finished!...and my new friend!

My new art studio is starting to take shape. It's amazing just how much stuff came out of my old studio, the little bedroom upstairs. Now, I'm in the process of reorganizing and giving everything a new home. And that's no small job!

One of my projects was to build a shelf to hold my paints. I wanted it to have lots of shelves, but not too deep. So, I made it myself, and really, I should have built two! 

My other paints will have to be stored in bins. That works anyway since those are paints I don't use too often....like outdoor paints, enamal paints, etc.

It started out with a pile of lumber. The funny thing was I was able to build it in less time it took me to paint it! 

Here's the unfinished shelf before I gave it three coats of paint, distressed it, and then coated it with finishing wax for a nice sheen.

Lots of my paints are practically empty, but I like to use every drop. I cut open the bottle with a razor knife when I can't get more out and then use my brush to lap up the remaining paint that sticks to the sides...which actually it a lot of paint that would otherwise be waisted in the garbage can. 

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Right now, I should be at home working on organizing my studio, but, yes, I had the opportunity to travel with my hubby again. I would be silly to give up that opportunity. Being an empty nester is not so bad afterall! So, I'm back in Charlotte NC after being in Columbia SC yesterday. 

At this very moment, while I'm writing this post, I'm sitting in a really cute little artsy cafe called The Common Market in the SouthEnd of Charlotte. I'm taking a lunch break after soaking up loads of inspiration at local art galleries. Ahh what a blast!!

I just met local artist, John Hairston, who brought in his huge canvas and tub of paints. He set up just 3 feet to my left. So after chatting with him a while I thought I would share his artwork with you here. 

He's getting ready for a solo show called 1962 The Age of Marvels, "Heros Aren't Hard to Find". You can learn more about him on his website,  All City Studios.

 

This is the flyer that hangs on the window The Common Market.

It was fun watching John finish this piece for his upcoming show. I won't be in Charlotte to see his show, but it was neat to meet John and see him in action!

Well, now I'm off to visit a few little antique shops down the street. You never know what might be found for a mixed media piece! I'm gonna go see...

 

Mod Podge Monday: Studio Desk - Before & After

Whew! Setting up my new studio has been loads of work...here is one of the seven, yes seven, pieces of furniture I've worked on this past week. I transformed this one with a bit of Mod Podge, which gave it a totally new look!

After lots of sanding, distressing, and decoupaging, here's my new desk. It's all ready to be set up in my new studio. I bought this desk several years ago for $15.00 at a garage sale. It sat in my garage for about two years and my hubby constantly threatened to set it out by the road to be picked up with the trash. I always told him it had good bones - after all, it is solid wood. Ha! now he finally sees the vision I had for it!

I found the perfect paper to match the color of the walls, which I've finally finished painting! I was thrilled to have the glass knobs in my stash. Perfect!

I can't wait to show you more of my new art studio in the days to come! It's really taking shape, but still lot's to do. I'll be back soon with more progress!

Mod Podge Monday: Spice Rack Before & After

I seem to be picking up lots of spice racks in my Yard Sale ventures and visits to Goodwill stores ( I must have about 5). I finished one of them with my trusty Mod Podge and Scrapbook paper scraps. 

Don't you see what this dated and very ugly spice rack could be? I do!

Mod Podge to the rescue....and a little paint! It's been transformed into a cute little storage space to hang on the wall next to my work table. 

Fully loaded and ready to go! It helps keep my work table clutter free...well, I try! 

Next time you see and an old unwanted spice rack for sale, think of what it could be. Oh there are lots of possibilities! Not only for paints, but  how about sewing supplies, or even make-up!

My New Studio: The Before

Painting has begun in my new Studio! My old Studio (shown below) is currently in a small bedroom and it's bursting at the seams, literally. Here are a few pictures of it; this is when it's clean. You should see it after I have been working on projects. Yikes! It's a scary site. Can you picture an explosion! 

This is my beading area. As you can see, the area where a chair should go is used for storage. 

Absolutely no more space in the closet. I have the same wire racks completely covering the back of the door to the room and it's just as full. 

This is the area where I work on my computer....where I write the instructions to all my Plaid projects. NOT my favorite part :(  Also where I write most of my blog posts :)

However, right now, I'm sitting in a cute little coffee house in Charlotte NC writing this post. My hubby had a business trip and I like to tag along when I can. I told myself as long as I got my new Studio room (keep scrolling down) painted on Monday, I would be able to travel with him...and I love road trips. Yes, I brought my beads and made a necklace and earring set on our drive up this morning. 

This is the table where I create. I love sit facing the window where I can enjoy the sunlight pouring in and the views into the woods. In the winter I can actually see the creek from this window. 

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Now that I've showed you my old studio, let me give you a peek of the room that is soon to be my new studio....

This is our guest room in the basement. I have mixed feelings about taking over this space since this is the room where our family stays when they visit. I actually have a different idea of where to relocate the guest room. No, not in my old studio, but I'll show you when I get to that part of the transformation. I'll use my old studio as an office and beading and sewing room. All my paints and mixed media supplies are moving here to my new studio. I think that will help me focus on doing more of what my heart loves, painting! I tend to get so distracted with so many options at my fingertips. I think keeping them sepetate will help me. We'll see. 

There is a bathroom through that door on the left. Perfect for washing my paint brushes! 
The closet is on the right. I think I'll leave the door off and put a bookshelf in there. Maybe.

I'm so excited about this room! There are 4 large windows and two of them face the woods where I'll be able to see the creek. I just LOVE it!! It's going to be perfect.

This was me yesterday. Yea! I finished painting the bedroom. It's now a cool misty aqua color. It already looks so different, so fresh. I still need to paint the bathroom, then I'm going to build a shelf to hold all my paints...and make curtains, etc. I'll be back in a few days to give you an update on my progress! This is going to be so much fun!

Now, off to another art gallery or museum (that's what I do when my hubby's in meetings) then he'll pick me up and we'll go have dinner somewhere in Charlotte. 

 

Vintage Style Jewelry Stand Tutorial

I have been wanting a vintage dress form for a while now to use as a prop when I photograph my jewelry. Well, I've not been able to find one at an affordable price...the cheapest I've been able to find them for is around $100. Some are priced at close to $1000! Yikes!!

Since I know my hubby would flip if I spent that much money on a prop, (It's hard for me to fathom that idea too) I decided to revamp an ordinary jewelry stand with vintage style! And all for under $10. Now that's a deal!

This is a vintage French stockman mannequin and sells for several hundred dollars. Love it!, but not for that price. I've seen mannequins decoupaged before so I thought, "Why not decoupage a jewelry stand?"

This is a simple project anyone can make! Come on, I'll show you how...

 

A few Supplies:

White velvet jewelry stand (I got mine at Michael's using my coupon!)

Mod Podge - Matte

Tissue paper from an old pattern

Glass drawer pull

Hot glue

Black acrylic paint

Drill

Kraft knife

Paint brush

Carefully remove the top part and set aside.

Tear the pattern paper into pieces; start with about 20 or so.

 

 Lather that baby up with plenty of Mod Podge!  It will soak into the fabric so be generous.

Adhere the pattern paper overlapping as you work. Allow the paper to hang over the sides. It will wrinkle a bit but try to smooth it out as much as possible by "painting" Mod Podge over the paper. Cover the round top that you removed earlier the same way.

Trim the paper and decoupage it toward the back with Mod Podge.

You may also cover the base. I went back and did this later, but you could do it now. Give everything a nice top coat of Mod Podge then allow the glue to dry completely. . I left mine overnight since it was pretty saturated with glue (Normally I'm impatient and use my hair dryer). I added another layer of paper to mine which makes it a bit darker.

Once it's all dry, it feels like leather. Maybe it's all that glue!

 

 Drill a hole through the top 

Cut an x in the center of the top with a kraft knife then use hot glue to attach the top and secure the glass knob into the prepared hole. 

Paint the back of the stand with black arylic paint (I used Plaid's Wrought Iron instead of black).

 

Ta Da! Now you're ready to display your jewelry creations vintage style!

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. If you have any questions, just send me an email or ask in the comment section and I'll get right back to ya.

Also, If you end up making this, I would love to see your jewelry displayed. you can share a photo on my Facebook page. I'm sure others would love to see it as well. 

Happy Creating xo,

Debbie