idea notebook
Easy upgrades for everyday objects—plus a historic kitchen with modern attitude
Get Crafty!
PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKI DUISTERHOF; STYLING BY PJ MEHAFFEY; CRAFTING BY JODI K AHN
Priced-right projects you can tackle in a day— or even an hour
“Embroider” kitchen canisters with DIY decals. Cross-stitch makes the leap from fabric to glassware with help from a free font and transparent sticker sheets ($13.99 for ten 8½"W x 11"L sheets; amazon.com). Go to myfonts.com and download the Home Sweet Home font. Use it to type out the names of pantry staples, adding a decorative flourish if you like, in a Microsoft Word document, then adjust the type size and alignment to fit your canisters (from $3.99 for one quart; containerstore.com). Following package instructions for the decal sheets, print your document(s). Once the ink has dried, lightly coat each sheet with a thin layer of hair spray, to prevent smearing; let dry. Cut out and trim each label, then affix to the canisters. Note: The labels won’t be entirely waterproof, so when necessary, carefully wash your canisters by hand.
Continued on next page > Written by Jourdan Crouch
MARCH 2012
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idea notebook
TV trays get a witty makeover. Découpage took these metal folding tables—$60 for four on eBay—from boring to brilliant. Here’s how we pulled it off: STEP ONE Lightly sand the tables, if necessary, and clean them with a damp towel. Unclip each tray from its legs and stand the legs unfolded atop a drop cloth; lay the trays down atop the drop cloth, too. Spray all sides of the trays and legs with two coats of white primer (Kilz spray, $4.45 for 13 ounces; amazon.com), allowing at least one hour of drying time after each coat. STEP TWO Using a paint sprayer, cover all sides of the trays and legs with two coats of an eggshell finish latex paint. We used the following colors (clockwise, from top): Waterbury Green, Palladian Blue, and Covington Blue ($16.99 per quart; benjaminmoore .com for stores). Allow at least one hour of drying time after each coat. STEP THREE Choose a theme for each tray (like the place-setting, game-table, and desk themes shown here). Gather items that reference each theme, such as a plate and silverware, playing cards, and a notebook and pencil. Lay each item on a white surface, then take a high-resolution digital photo of each. Upload, print, and if necessary, resize the images before cutting them out, trimming as close to the objects’ edges as possible. STEP FOUR Using our photos as a guide, experiment with the image placement atop each tray. Once you’re satisfied with an arrangement, apply Mod Podge to the back of each image with a foam brush before placing the image atop the tray. Smooth out the image with your hand to remove any wrinkles. Repeat for each image and let dry for 15 to 20 minutes. Apply two coats of Mod Podge to the entire tray top (test on a printout first, to make sure the ink doesn’t smudge). Allow two hours of drying time after each coat. STEP FIVE Seal the trays and legs with spray varnish (Krylon’s Kamar Varnish, $5.17 for 11 ounces; amazon .com). Spray with several light coats, allowing three minutes of drying time after each coat. Allow 24 hours to cure.
ABOVE So what’s real in these photos? Only the following items (clockwise, from top): the clementine and
glass of water; pistachios and pair of dice; and miniature stapler and tape dispenser. The rest is découpage.
56 . COUN T RY L I V I N G.C O M . MARCH 2012
PHOTOGRAPHS BY (FROM TOP) LARA ROBBY; MIKI DUISTERHOF, STYLING BY PJ MEHAFFEY; (OPPOSITE PAGE) BURCU AVSAR, STYLING BY CHRISTINA WRESSELL, CRAFTING BY KIRSTEN FIELDS
Vintage trophies yield winning wine stoppers. We spotted these sporty toppers at our Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio—then persuaded vendor Shannon Vance, of Stash Style, to share how she and pal Robin Sweeney created them. First, use a drill to make a 1/8-inch-wide hole halfway down into a new cork ($3.99 for 30; winemakingsuperstore .com). Next, twist off the top of a vintage trophy (typically a few bucks each at thrift shops and garage sales). Apply superglue to the underside of the trophy top’s base and the screw that extends from it. Insert the screw into the cork and twist the pieces together until flush and a tight bond forms. Allow one hour of drying time before using your prize design.
Repurpose wrapping paper as decorative tape. Proof that even the most mundane office supplies can have major style? This colorful project from CL contributing editor Cathe Holden, which pairs patterned paper with double-sided mounting adhesive ($44.85 for 11"W x 50'L roll; amazon .com). To make each roll of tape, you’ll also need a new or vintage spool, available for mere pennies on etsy.com. Measure the height of the spool’s core between the wheels; then using an X-Acto knife and working on a cutting mat, cut a strip of wrapping paper to that width and a length of three feet. Next, unroll the mounting adhesive to expose one of its sticky sides. Carefully lay the paper strip on top of the adhesive and press down, sealing it in place. Using an X-Acto knife, cut the tape out. To attach the tape to a spool, trim away a small piece of the backing at one end of the tape, then press the exposed area against the spool. Wind the tape around the spool and secure by looping a piece of thin silver wire through the center of the spool, then twisting the ends together atop the tape.
VISIT COUNTRYLIVING.COM
for step-by-step photos detailing how to create the decorative tape above.
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