Gosh, I've been racking my brain around (is that how you say it, or is it wrapping my brain around....) - anyways, I've been trying to figure out if I should do four separate posts for these fun little D-I-Y projects I've done over the past few weeks because, well, stay at home order. OR if I should just cram them all into one.
Seeing as I, A) have not written/posted in quiiiiiite some time B) have not posted about a do it yourself project before and C) am sometimes not the best at explaining things, I thought, eh what the fly, I'll just do one post and see how it goes.
So - here it goes ;)
PROJECT #1
Simple Mirror Revamp
My aunt gave me this tray with a mirrored bottom a few weeks back - she was going to donate it. I had extra sisal from the other projects in this post, so another sisal project it shall be, hah.
An inspiration pic to keep in mind - this was $350 + ....woah.
Granted my mirror is not as big and the detail is basic, however I worked with what I had and spent about $10. I didn't use all the sisal rope + I had the hot glue gun and sticks already! I'm trying to find a larger thrifted mirror to make more extravagant.
Tools you'll need:
Hot glue gun + hot glue sticks
Mirror you want to update
I started by wrapping the rope around the base of the mirror (the part that would go on the table if it were used a tray). Round and round it goes. Hot gluing often, ensuring there is a good adhesive to the outside of the frame.
Once I got to the 'top' of the frame, I kept going onto the inside of the frame. It gave the piece a much better finished look, like it was always meant to be like this.
Side note: I'm telling you, I am not that great of a teacher. For starters, I took only three pictures, and, quite frankly NONE of them are helpful, lol.
Sometimes I wonder about myself.
When I say, hot glue frequently, I'm saying, like use 6 glue sticks frequently, trust me, you don't want any of the framing to show through....
This took me about an hour an a half, maybe less, but I was in the middle of solving a murder - Dateline, so it took a little longer.
Oh, one more thing - my aunt came over the other night and saw this on my bookshelf and said, 'I need that mirror - did you get it at target when you went the other day?'
Yea Aunt Susz, I actually did..... ;)
PROJECT #2
Amazon Box Turned Closet Organizer
I don't know about you, but as of late, I have accumulated a gazillion mailing boxes - sorry mailperson. Before going to the recycle bin with most of them, I knew there was a better way! I needed a coupe of boxes for my office closet, and I had a few items on my radar, similar to this....
Tools you'll need:
Cardboard box
Old Pillow Case (optional)
Sisal rope - tagged above
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
As mentioned, I am not the best at showing you the how to in-depth parts, so forgive me - however I really want to share all of these with you.
That being said, cut the four flaps off the top of the box, for a flat surface on the top part of the box.
The hardest part, which is why I made it optional - yea, sometimes I am a good teacher, making the difficult things an option for you all, haha - is the pillowcase turned box liner.
I just found a random pillowcase, knew I wound't miss it and just cut a square by 'measuring' the outside of the box.... aka I just put the box on top of the pillowcase, and folded the fabric into the corners and cut to where I thought it would be a good fit, honestly I have no idea how to explain this, you do you boo and I know it will be great.
Like I said, I just randomly made it work, I hot glued it down and folded where I thought it needed to be, because the sisal rope will hide all of the messy edges of the fabric, I just wanted to make sure it would stay in place.
After that, it was rather easy, I started on the sides, not the bottom. I wasn't sure if the leveling on the box would be off on the counter if I put the rope all on the bottom of the box. And worked my way to the top. I hot glued on this one a lot as well because I really didn't want the box to show through.
Aaaaand wa-la, magnifico. I will definitely be making more of these with the five boxes I received from the USPS person today.
PROJECT #3
Bulletin Board Botox (hehe)
I was cleaning out my closet **Eminem voice, and found this bulletin board that I put straaaaaight into the donate pile. A few days go by and a trip the paint clearance section at Home Depot that's all I needed to have another upcyle up my sleeve. It's always a good day when you score $.50 paint that's the prettiest pink peach color.
Tools you'll need:
Bulletin board you want to update
Sisal rope
Paint (color preference up to you)
Paintbrush
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
Painters tape
First things first, clean off your board and get the cork ready for paint - I just used water and a rag, lol.
Tape off the framed edges, so the paint doesn't go everywhere, unless your a skilled painter, oh which I am not. Then get to painting.
Holy photo saturation. Was not expecting that.
It took four coats for me to really get the weird lines to not show through that were previously on the cork.
In between paint coats drying I started to cut the rope to fit the frame (hi little toes, lol.) I wanted the two longer sides of the frame to have the rope go all the way to the ends, so I measured those first and hot glued them down, as shown in the photo. Each piece of rope I tired to tightly glue against one another to ensure the frame didn't peak through.
The two shorter sides of the black frame, I measured and cut to fit after. But like my other DIY's there truly isn't a rhyme or reason to anything, so just do what you want, it will turn out great :)
Once I measured and hot glued all the pieces together all that was left to do was hang it
I didn't really have any inspiration pictures to go off of for this one, I just went with whatever I was feeling on that Tuesday night - which sometimes results in the coolest finished products.
PROJECT #4
Bucket turned Braided Ottoman
I have been loving this sisal rope - clearrrrrly and this piece is the one that started it all.
I saw this inspiration piece which was a whooping $250 + online at Amber Interiors, and I made it for about $25 bucks, maybe less, I'm rounding up.
Tools you'll need:
Home Depot Bucket
Sisal rope
Hot glue gun + glue sticks
Nylon Boat rope
Spray paint (optional - I didn't use it, but might next time)
The main reason I wrapped the bottom with the nylon boat rope was so the middle of that open side of the bucket didn't start to cave in over time and usage, the nylon rope will ensure that it stays level and allows you to use either side of the bucket to set things on safely!
I started by forming this snail spiral freehand, before laying it down on the bucket, for me it was easier to work with prior to it being glued down to the surface.
I also started on that open side of the bucket, so in case I messed up at the beginning it wasn't going to be shown (I have this side on the ground outside).
I continued the spiral flow hot gluing religiously throughout the process, I began noticing the orange color show through on some seams I didn't glue tight enough together, which is why I have the option to spray paint the bucket before doing the rope, maybe a brown/tan or almond color, blending it it a little more with the rope, but its nothing a little hot glue can't fix, I managed to glue all the seams together nicely.
In the middle of the bucket, I ran out of rope (I had a second pack, thankfully), don't be afraid that it won't line up with the new rope, it will, I can't even tell where I ran out and began with the second pack of rope.
Dayyyum gurl.
Yes, I am so pleased with this finished product because I'm sorry but I'm not going to pay $250 for an outdoor ottoman that is going to for sure get weathered.
And there you have it, a few dun DIY's that can be done with a lot of the same products, and create a somewhat cohesive look for items that would have never gone together had I kept them in their original state.
Let's chat about fun DIY's you've done or want to do!!! I'm always looking to get inspired :)
Happy revamping
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