Halloween DIY

The season for warm colors, fun crafts, and spooky decor is here!  Take a look at some fun ideas for an indoor party or outdoor display.

No carving required! Paint or freehand a cool design.  The glossy cream paint really stands out on a dark orange pumpkin with a bit of green sprayed at the top. Yes, you can do this with faux pumpkins too so your displays are reusable and even changeable every year.  How about a a bit of modge podge and paper scraps to cover?  Or pushpins for a glam look?

These are fun as place settings. These for a fall wedding, but I made Thanksgiving settings with mine. Idea from Mine Forever blog!

 No carving here either.  A great way to display your house number from October to December. I love to use different sizes and sometimes add a basket filled with small gourds to warm up a country porch.  You can stack the pumpkins with liquid nails or insert wooden dowels between pumpkins so they stay put.












For these very cool globes - that I made last year and will use again and again -follow these directions (from Sunset Magazine.)

1. Translucent orange spray paint for glass (available at some Michaels craft stores; Krylon Stained Glass Magic Color.
2. Glass globe for a light fixture (available at hardware stores)
3. Pencil
4. Cardboard
5. Scissors or craft knife
6. Black contact paper
7. Wire cutters
8. 20-gauge wire
9. Six black beads
10. Rubber band
11. Pliers
12. Hair dryer
13. Glass beads or sand
14. Tea light

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Spray-paint the outside of the globe and set aside to dry (about an hour).

2. Draw a simple design - a jack-o'-lantern, black cat, or bat - on cardboard and cut out. Trace shape on contact paper and cut out design.

3. With wire cutters, cut a 2-foot length of wire and a 1-foot piece.

4. Thread black beads on the longer wire. Gently bend it to form a rounded handle. Position over globe leaving 2 inches of wire below neck of the globe on each side. Secure with the rubber band.

5. Wrap the shorter wire tightly around the neck of the globe and, with pliers, twist firmly. Clip off excess wire. Cut off the rubber band and discard.

6. Bend the descending 2 inches of the handle up over the securing wire and lightly twist around the handle. Cover the twist with the black beads, three on each side.

7. Peel the backing off the contact paper and stick the design on the globe, smoothing out as many bubbles as possible. With a hair dryer on a warm setting, heat the paper and smooth out the rest of the bubbles.

8. Pour a small amount of glass beads or sand in the bottom of the globe. Place a tea light in the center.

 Mini pumpkins are so easy to incorporate into your decor.  These are sold in bags at my local Costco and Trader Joe's.  Here, the stems are sprayed with a clear gloss coat for drama and Folk Art craft paint and paint pens did the stripes and swirls. White minis make a more subtle statement, but also look great with orange and black paint.

Fall color at your  entry is warm and inviting.  While these pots can be used all year long, adding seasonal mums and 'found' branches really make them festive.  For Halloween, drape the branches with spider webs and even hang 'ghosts' made from white hankies or washcloths. 

Furniture painting to update an old table or dresser top

I think everyone has an old workhorse piece of furniture that they love.  A well made table, a sturdy dresser, and they work well, they're just dated and worn.  Here's a great way to give the tops a face lift and get a great texture too.  Create a neat herringbone pattern using painters tape, a rubber graining comb, two colors of latex paint (oops paint works well and use eggshell or satin instead of flat for an easier time) and a clear acrylic glaze.

Start by sanding the top. I filled holes with wood putty so my pattern would be smooth. I primed the table and also used a base coat so I could see the color I wanted through the glaze.  Once the base coat was dry, I found the center of the table and using painters tape, made equal stripes across the top. Lay the tape side by side then peel every other row off so you get perfect spacing.  You can use 2" or 3" tape widths depending on the size of your top and how wide you want the stripe. Press the tape down firmly to seal the edges so you don't get bleed. 

The glaze is whatever color latex paint you like mixed in equal parts with a clear acrylic glaze. I had Benjamin Moore on hand so that's what I used. Roll on your glaze in the same direction as the tape. Using a rubber comb (Amazon.com), pull it across the glaze at a 45 degree angle to the tape.  I go all the way across the top to make the lines even, but if you  make an error, re-roll and pull again. I remove tape when the glaze is still tacky.  When the first pull is dry, tape over the stripes you made and roll on more glaze. This time, pull the comb at the opposite 45 degree angle to create the herringbone pattern.  Since the glaze is pretty durable, you may not need a protective coat of urethane.  I use satin spray by Minwax for tabletops that get used often.

Painting stairs!

If you're like my sister, you live in a darling but old home.  There are many more important things to repair than the finish on the stairs.  Whether you have a casual style and children, or a more formal empty nest, painting stairs is one of the best DIY home improvement projects.  It's easy, fast and inexpensive. You can create a place to highlight color, text, decoupage drawings, custom designs and more...and you can change the look with more paint and time.  Here's a how-to and some cute design ideas:

Supplies: Hand or palm sander, paint, brushes, polyurethane, wood filler, painters tape.

Use porch or floor enamel for the stairs. I use Sherwin Williams no VOC Deckscapes for neutral tones and it's weathered beautifully with lots of use. If it doesn't come in a color that you want, use latex paint and then protect it with non-yellowing water-based polyurethane.

We were removing a drab carpet to get some color into the house.   After taking out all of the pad and carpet (recycled both) and getting all of the tack strip, staples and brads out, all of the holes were filled with wood filler.  You don't have to be very neat yet, and I used a plastic spatula from Home DEPOT. You can hand sand with a block or use a palm sander.  You need to get the surface smooth but some raised grain isn't a negative. The knots will be rougher and take paint differently. If you go lighter in color and coats, you can often see grain. Depends on the look you want. 

I  love FROG tape - green - since it keeps a clean line against risers, the wall, and balustrades that aren't getting painted.  Then it's easy to paint your color - you can also tape off stripes. If you want to add stencils, decoupage on images and text, wait a few days so you don't remove your new color!  Enjoy!

  

Update an old dresser yourself!

It's the time of year we all like to update and refresh...SPRING!  Me too. Rather than shopping and spending money on something new, I like to find pieces I have or thrift shop finds, and spend time getting precisely what I want. Here's my formula.  Give it a try and let me know if you like it!


Materials

1. Flat latex paint in contrasting shades - one will be the base coat and one the top coat
2. Primer
3. Crackle medium
4. Buckets
5. Paint brushes 
6. Top coat of urethane or wax- optional

Start by lightly sanding your piece - unless you want bumps and blemishes for character.  Prime it and let dry fully. Paint the first coat of color that will be the one to show through your final color coat. This one is a deep rust color.  Let dry 24 hours.  Pour the crackle medium into a bucket and stir gently.  Using a clean brush, apply a thick layer but do not overwork it. Let this coat dry 1-2 hours (if you go too long the mixture will cure and the next coat will not crackle. Use another clean, dry brush for your topcoat - this one is a creamy beige. As it dries, the crackles appear.  For a worn look, you can lightly sand the edges of doors, drawers, and the box. I like to apply a light coat of Briwax rather than urethane, so I can enrich the sheen many times with ease.

Light and bright! A new idea for your mixing bowls.

Yep, these are ceramic mixing bowls.  If you don't use your collection and find yourself with them buried in your cabinets or out on a shelf where breakage is inevitable, create this instead.  My client has them hanging as pendants over her prep sink now.

Ten creative gift wrapping ideas.

Need some inspiration for wrapping presents? In a hurry? Try these ten ideas!

1. Use plain brown or colored paper and add 3-D stickers. Totally custom and very eco-friendly. Do the same with plain gift bags...add your own embellishments (photos, ribbons, buttons, bows, the list is endless) for gorgeous presentation.

2. Have some fabric remnants? Wrap a bottle of wine, some bath soaps, or a gift that fits the fabric size.  Fabric stores often have clearance fabrics that can work for year-round gifts. Furoshiki is the Japanese technique and is an environmentally friendly substitute for paper gift wrapping. It encourages reuse — depending on size, the recipient can use the wrap as a scarf or pocket square or pass it along as another gift wrap — and eliminates ribbons and tape. Have wallpaper instead? That works really well too!

3. Try decorative tapes instead of paper wrapping. You can customize a plain gift box, dress up a recycled box and make your holiday shipping boxes snazzier.  


4. Sheet music and maps make wonderful wrapping. Along the same lines, the comics from your newspaper, pages from large books (damaged!), foreign language newspapers (often at your local bookstore or large news stand), and old posters, make a great presentation and can be selected based upon the type of gift. Add a tag that fits the theme!

5. Instead of traditional tags, use a cookie tag. You can tie on a gingerbread man with the recipient's name, and even protect the cookie with a glassine envelope. Along those same lines, I like to tie on candy canes, coasters, small ornaments - that I write the name on -  dried magnolia leaves sprayed with gold, pressed oak and maple leaves, key chain tags, small picture frames, paint color cards, and even cut outs from old holiday cards.

6. Have an old scarf? Use it instead of ribbon. Other ribbon replacements I've used...jump ropes, pony tail holders (for top ties),  a mans tie, colorful rubber bands, seam binding, twine, chain, and even re-purposed electrical wiring. These ideas look very cool on the right gift.

7. For an elegant and natural gift, tie pine cones, small branches and other items from nature on with raffia ribbon. Using brown paper bags with the writing on the inside, tissue paper and other re-purposed papers, will make your gift eco-friendly.

8. Ever thought of using a mesh bag (from fruit) for a gift? Work well for children's toys, balls, sports equipment, and - with a tissue paper liner - can be great for other items as well. Dress it up with a candy cane, lollipop or other fun item.

9. When coming up with the idea to package your gift, think outside the "box".  An old lunchbox is perfect for many gifts, small items 'hidden' in a large can filled with candies is fun. How about using an empty cookie tin, a wooden wine box, an empty candy box, the old tennis ball container, a flower pot, a colorful sock, a great dish towel?

10. Use the shirt, sweater, or clothes as it own wrap. Since you'll likely clean clothing before wearing, you can add the accessories wrapped in the clothes for an interesting, time saving wrap.

DIY Holiday Decor - Mercury Votives

I love DIY projects for the holidays so I can make and then re-use them for other seasons.

These candle holders have the look of mercury glass and can be used year-round.

Any glass jar can be used. I have a few old jars from soy candles, and several sizes

of Ball jars which come from pasta sauce.

1. Clean your jar well.

2. Purchase a foil kit or gold & silver foils and the correct adhesive.

3. Coat the INSIDE of the glass jar with the adhesive.

4. Lay on the foil of your choice.

5. Gently brush off excess foil.

6. Fill with  real or flameless candles and enjoy!

Color it Yours.

Monochromatic spaces are serene.  Add an accent color and the space can be dynamic. Here,

a light, neutral palette with a powder blue accent hue, is dramatized by deep wood tones which are repeated in decorative and bookshelf trims.

Paint by:

Wall: Eschelon Ecru SW 7574

Ceiling: Casa Blanca SW 7571

Trim for bookshelf: Dry Dock SW 7502

Back of bookshelf: Labradorite SW 7619

Area Rug: Wool sisal - Hibernia

Ottoman: Breezy blue velvet

Wing chair: Custom in Kravet Luxury Plains

DIY Painting Tips For Cabinets & Furniture

At Touch of Tradition I love to help clients re-purpose furniture and salvage cabinets that are in great condition but need a face lift. Painting does the job very nicely.  With the right techniques and colors, I’ve taken dressers and made fabulous dining room storage units and transformed oak cabinets into sleek contemporary ones.  While this blog  has many ideas for painting, distressing and antiquing, a great finish starts with these tips. Call me for help, colors and ideas!

·     Use the best brush you can afford for a smooth finish. My favorite is a 2” angled brush from Purdy that gets into crevices, is wide enough to ‘lay off’ well, yet small enough to be manageable for almost any project.

·     Prepare your surface carefully. The right preparation is the difference between an blotchy finish and a professional looking job. While sanding does a great first job to remove color or stain, be sure you clean the surface of previously painted wood by washing it with soap and water or a solution of tri-sodium phosphate. Don’t skip the priming for both bare or pre-painted wood.

·     Use a paint conditioner for better adhesion, penetration, and flow of paint. I like Pentrol or Floetrol depending upon the type of paint I use. This will also make it easier for you to  smooth out brush marks.

·     The brand and type of paint does matter.  If you are doing antiquing, glazing, or other special finishes interior latex paint dries fast and sands well.  For exterior applications I use exterior paint. I prefer no and low VOC paints from Sherwin Williams since their color retention, application, and overall performance is top-notch.

·     Paint where you have enough space to work without a breeze. I prefer to lay cabinet doors and dresser doors drawers face up so I can evenly paint all of their surface area.  Painting flat is a great idea since gravity helps smooth out brush marks. A few saw horses with planks on top makes a great surface to walk around and even look under. I don’t use fans that blow directly on the surface or allow the breeze to deposit debris on my wet paint.  

Re-used materials make up these white cabinets which were

hand-finished to create a new kitchen for an historically significant home.

Cottage organizing idea.

For a cottage or casual style home, storing incoming and outgoing mail, magazines, photos, postcards and children's drawings is a snap with old or distressed shutters. For about $2 this wooden shutter was purchased at a tag sale, painted with indoor craft paint, slightly distressed, and hung in a kitchen to collect postcards.  Easy, inexpensive and an elegant solution!

DIY project for your tabletop

Napkin rings are easy to make and you can customize them for your decor, dishes and seasonally. here, snap together shower rings (set of 12 about $4) and embroidery thread, make a perfect color scheme for a cottage table setting.  Using a hot glue gun to anchor the threads at their start and end, simply wind threads tightly around the shower ring and voila!

DIY project for a rainy summer day.

When you want to update your apartment, condo or office, think about transforming an open bookshelf.  We all need storage, but when the items start to increase in number, your space can get cluttered. This is especially handy for people who NEED to have office storage in the dining room or bedroom, but would love to conceal it.  Here, courtesy of Better Home & Gardens, a roller shade is inserted into the top of a bookcase, and pulls down to hide files and supplies. The linen shade works well with the sisal area rug. Make your own shade with readily available kits, and cover with fabric, paint and stencils and even wallpaper!

Ten weekend update tips.

Have two days and want  to make a design or decor change? Try one of these small ideas for a large impact.

Two hours and two cans of paints gave this accent wall a new look.

1) Paint.  The changes to a room from updating the walls are tremendous. Does that mean you need to do all of the walls...NO.  The addition of one accent wall, freshening up just the trim and doors, adding a faux effect up to chair rail height, can be done in hours. 

2) Lighting.  Update the outdated fixtures. (see prior blog posts for ideas.) If your budget allows, change the fixtures that have the most impact on the room...the dining chandelier, a kitchen sconce...and don't forget that new shades have a big impact.

Organize shelves for a clutter-free look.

3) Store-it.  Having a clutter-free space does give a sense of newness. Easy ways to reduce clutter are add wicker baskets or decorative paper boxes, b) hang or buy ready-made bookshelves, c) purchase a storage cube or chest that doubles as a seat or table.

4) Position. Change the layout of a room.  For the living room try moving the sofa to a new wall, arranging furniture horizontally versus vertically in the space, and swapping the position of tables and lamps. In the bedroom, move the bed to another wall or even angle it!

Adding sconces and a group of prints
 is a quick update.

5) Soft goods. Change the color and texture of pillows on your sofa or bed. Add a throw or take one away. Can you swap the bed room pillows and throws with those in the living room? If not, and there is no budget for new ones cover one face with a napkin and then tie on ribbon like a gift box.

6) Hardware.  Replace the hardware on kitchen cabinets and key pieces. Have a knob? Try a pull.  Changing from brass or chrome to a black finish will be dramatic. It's an easy change and you can bargain hunt big box stores for sets of pulls and knobs.












7) Swap it.  This applies to artwork, accessories, candles and even furniture - if you are ambitious. Moving art on the walls gives new perspective to a room...and of course, the art!  Create a group of accessories rather than spreading them around. Change candles..color and size. If you move furniture, try re-purposing pieces.

Adding glass & cabinet lighting in uppers was a quick update that transformed this kitchen.

8) Re-face. Give your appliances and/or cabinets a face-lift. Change the panels on dishwashers and refrigerators. Use appliance spray paint to re-color. Cut the center of some cabinet doors out and add glass.

9) Lighten up. Add light to your rooms. Using a mirror, reflect the light from a window to the interior. No window? Place a table lamp or even a picture light in front of the mirror. If you can, add lighting to the perimeter, under cabinets, inside armoires and bookcases... use low wattage LED ropes or strips.

Adding a plant and a picture made
this dresser perfect in a living room.

10) Add greens.  Like paint, plants and flowers have a huge impact on rooms.  Soften a hard corner with a tall plant or even curly willow in a large vase. Place fresh flowers on your kitchen counter, a living room table, or other noticeable place.  Hang a seasonal wreath on the wall, from a shelf or on an inside door. Can you use your own garden? Even better.