DIY Archives | Fly and Design

“Fresh” Lemon Juice All Year Long

Carolyn — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 07:20:25 +0000

Want Your Lemons to Last All Year Long?

I love to have “fresh” lemon juice all year long. I use it for my homemade salad dressing to flavor my water, and when I get sick, I will boil water and add lemon and honey to soothe my throat.

I started freezing freshly squeezed lemon juice over ten years ago when my Aunt Sara let me pick lemons from her tree.

That’s when I knew that I wanted my own Lemon Tree!

One day, Superman took the day off, and we spent the day together. He wanted to pamper me, so he took me to get my nails done, and then we drove to The Home Depot, where we picked out a Lemon Tree together. It was OUR tree.

I love that tree. It is so meaningful to me. And, a bonus, our new house came with a flourishing lemon tree!

Now, I take my lemons, peel, juice, and freeze for later.

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LEMON CUBES

Salad Dressing
- I have been using this recipe from the P90X recipe book for years! Here’s a link:
Lemonade
Hot Lemon & Honey
Any recipe that calls for lemon
Clean with it

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. Please read my full disclosure for more info.

SUPPLIES

Lemons
Gallon Size Freezer Ziplock Bags

TOOLS

Juicer (I purchased my Jack LaLanne off of Craigslist years ago.)
Ice Cube Trays – Dollar Tree

HOW TO

Step 1

Pick lemons.

Step 2

Peel lemons.

Step 3

Juice lemons.

You can use an electric juicer or you can do it by hand.

Step 4

Pour juice into ice trays.

Step 5

Place ice cube trays in freezer. (I left mine in there overnight.)

Step 6

Once frozen, pop lemon cubes into a gallon size Ziplock Freezer bag.

Step 7

Label each bag:

LEMON
Date:
1 Cube = 2 Tablespoons Lemon

Then, store in freezer.

BLOOPERS

Not a blooper, but just wanted to show off my mad skillz! 😀

The post “Fresh” Lemon Juice All Year Long appeared first on Fly and Design.

Kitchen Cabinets Makeover

Carolyn — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 17:51:47 +0000

Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinet Makeover on a Budget

The kitchen in the little french country house needed a facelift. The cupboards were plain wood. There was no detail, and they were very old. But, I was a single mom on a tight budget. I needed to do it inexpensively.

I saw this paintable beadboard wallpaper at The Home Depot and got an idea! What if I applied the wallpaper to all of the cabinet doors. Then, I could use door casing/trim on top of it to give them a custom look.

It was a long process because the previous owner had painted over all of the hinges and knobs. I wanted everything to look new, so I removed all of the doors.

Then I removed all of the hinges and knobs. Everything got a thorough cleaning. I applied the wallpaper to the cabinet fronts.

Next, I let all of the hardware soak in the paint stripper in a plastic box. I used an old toothbrush to get the final remnants of paint off of everything. They looked brand new!

I purchased some farmhouse drawer pulls and a few more matching knobs. I wanted the hardware to POP, so I spray painted it all with Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint. They looked so good!!!

I took the door molding and cut the ends at a 45-degree angle. Then, I used my air gun and nailed them to the doors. I applied caulk to fill in any gaps.

I painted EVERYTHING white—even the insides of the cabinets.

I decided to hang crown molding while I was doing this project. There wasn’t enough room between the tops of the doors and the ceiling, so I had to move all the doors down about 1/2 inch when I hung them back up. (That was a pain in the butt!)

SUPPLIES

Beadboard Wallpaper
Door Casing (I used the pro pack from The Home Depot.)
Brad Nails
Caulking
White Latex Paint
Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint

To Clean Paint off of the old hinges and Knobs:

Paint Stripper
Gloves
Bucket
Old Toothbrush or Scrubber

TOOLS

Porter-Cable Finish Nail Air Compressor
Miter Saw
Scissors
Paint Brush

HOW TO

Step 1

The first thing I did was clean all of the cabinet doors.

Step 2

Next, I removed all of the cabinet doors, hinges, and hardware.

I used a piece of tape on the inside of each door and labeled them.

Step 3

I started this project in December and finished it in January. I did most of the work outside.

I wallpapered each door front and drawer.

Then, I used my miter saw, on the ground, in my garage. I measured and cut each piece one at a time.

Step 4

Next, using my nail gun, I nailed the trim around the edge.

Once they were finished, I caulked around the edges.

Here are all the doors before they got painted.

Step 5

I played out all of the cabinet doors in my garage and painted them using latex paint.

Step 6

Here are the cabinet drawers after they’ve been painted.

Now they’re ready for the new drawer pulls.

Step 7

Here’s an up-close of the lower cabinets before the knobs were added.

Step 8

I took all of the hardware and placed them in a plastic shoebox. I added paint stripper and let it sit for a little bit.

I wore gloves and used an old toothbrush to clean off all the paint.

Step 9

They look brand new!!!

But, I wanted all of the hardware to pop and give it that farmhouse look. So, I took the old hardware and the new drawer pools and spray painted everything in Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint.

They looked so good! (It’s been a few years since I painted them, and they’re still holding up!)

Step 10

Here is a closer picture of the drawer pulls and knobs.

Step 11

I always disliked this halogen light above the sink.

So, I took a piece of leftover trim from the cabinet doors and made a little apron around it.

I painted it black so it would stand out.

Overall, this was a lot of work. It wasn’t hard. Just time-consuming. I am so happy with the results, though!!

Whenever I had guests over, they couldn’t believe that the beadboard was actually wallpaper.

I would definitely do this again if I wanted to re-do my kitchen on a budget.

BLOOPERS

This was a very time-consuming project. And, I was on a timeline, so I had to work swiftly. I don’t recall any bloopers. But, I’m pretty sure that I had to cut some of the trim more than once. Sometimes I cut the angle the wrong way.

This technique seriously transformed the look of the cabinets and drawers. I am so glad that I did it!

If you’re considering doing something like this, you will be very pleased with the results.

The post Kitchen Cabinets Makeover appeared first on Fly and Design.

Indiana Jones DIY Costume

Carolyn — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 07:11:42 +0000

Put Together Your Own Indiana Jones Costume

When my kiddos start a sentence with, “Mommy, I need you to make…” It’s like music to my ears!

I was thrilled when Bug announced that she needed me to make her an Indiana Jones costume for Halloween. We’re still in the middle of the 2020 pandemic, and I’m not even sure where she’ll be wearing the costume.

Halloween is only a few days away, and we haven’t decided what we’re doing yet.

Either way, she’ll need a costume!

My first stop was the local thrift store. I found a pair of khaki pants, a blouse, a pleather jacket, a hat, and a whip. Now she just needed a few additional accessories.

I used one of the Little Hunter’s old Nerf guns and spray painted it black. I added some orange vinyl to the tips for safety. Of course, she needed a pistol holder, too. So I made one out of pleather.

Next, I made a belt out of some webbing and D rings that I had in my sewing stash.
Then, I made a satchel out of some inexpensive muslin.
She had the perfect black boots to tie the outfit together!

SUPPLIES FOR THE SATCHEL

Cereal Box
1/2 yard muslin
2 D Rings
Strap
2 Snaps
2 Covered Buttons
Thread
Hot Glue Sticks

TOOLS FOR THE SATCHEL

Scissors
Sewing Machine
Hot Glue Gun

HOW TO MAKE THE SATCHEL

Step 1

First, I took an old cereal box and opened the seams. I cut off one of the sides. Then, I flipped it inside out and hot glued it back together.

Step 2

Using the cereal box as my guide, I sewed the muslin into a box shape.

I sewed the corners of the bag to make a box shape.

Step 3

I took these jeans that were old and stained and cut off the top part to reuse the fake leather and D rings.

Step 4

Using the fake leather and D rings, I made buckles for the purse strap.

I took an old purse and removed the strap. I put the strap on the D rings.

Next, I added some snaps to the front.

Step 5

I used my InkScape software to design this to look like the Indiana Jones logo.

I printed it out on iron-on paper and ironed it onto the bag.

Step 6

I used a scrap piece of muslin, and using the cereal box as my guide; I cut out this satchel flap.

I added some snaps to the inside. For the outside, I used some of the fake leather to cover some buttons and then just hot glued them onto the snaps.

Step 7

I inserted the cereal box.

Step 8

Once I inserted the cereal box, I sewed the seam shut, and it lined the inside of the box well.

SUPPLIES FOR THE HOLSTER

1/2 yard pleather (plastic leather)
thread
velcro
snap
buckle

TOOLS FOR THE HOLSTER

Scissors
Sewing Machine
Hot Glue Gun

HOW TO MAKE THE HOLSTER

Step 1

Draw out your design for the holster using chalk or a sewing pencil.

Cut it out.

Sew it closed.

Step 2

Add a loop to the back for the belt.

Now, use a piece of the fake leather to make a belt.

Add the buckle to the end.

Step 3

I added a strap with some velcro to hold it closed.

Step 4

I took an old broken Nerf gun and spray painted it black. I added bright orange vinyl to the tips for safety.

BLOOPERS

This costume came together pretty easily. I can’t think of any bloopers.

The post Indiana Jones DIY Costume appeared first on Fly and Design.

Farmhouse Stacked Books

Carolyn — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 23:09:49 +0000

Make Your Own Farmhouse Stacked Books

I jumped on the Farmhouse Stacked Books bandwagon! I just love how they look! We have a billion kids, and my soon-to-be grandson, Ryder, is due in a few weeks! I am so excited! So I had to add one for him, too!

They turned out adorable and are super easy to make!

The ones that I have seen online are usually all the same size. But, because I needed to stack seven of them, I thought I’d try doing them in sizes that range from big to small.

I had most of the books sitting on my bookshelves already. But, I did purchase the two smallest ones at the Dollar Tree for this project. One of them is actually a little journal. It was the size I was looking for, and it was going to be painted anyway.

SUPPLIES

Books
Waverly Chalk Paint (Wal-Mart)
Permanent Vinyl, Black
Jute or Twine

TOOLS

Paint Brushes
Sanding Block
Scissors
Cricut (or you can scissors)

Click Here

HOW TO

Step 1

Collect your books and clean them with a damp cloth.

Step 2

Lay your books out and paint with Chalk Paint.

After you’re done painting the book covers, you can shabby them up by sanding the edges a little.

Step 3

Measure the spines and cut out each name or word with your Cricut. You can also use a stamp or pre-cut letters.

Step 4

After cutting the names out with my Cricut, I weeded out the extra vinyl.

Step 5

I used a piece of transfer tape on each name and applied it to each book’s spine.

Step 6

I used my scraper tool and rubbed all of the letters onto the books.

Step 7

I felt like the letters were too glossy for the shabby books.

Step 8

So, I used a small makeup brush that I keep in my paint supplies and dabbed on a little of the chalk paint over the letters.

Step 9

Next, I took a dry paper towel and wiped some of the paint off. It worked like a charm!

Step 10

Let the paint dry. This chalk paint only needs a few minutes to dry.

Step 11

Wrap in jute. (Twine) Then, tie a bow on the top.

I put little knots at the ends of the string and then frayed them.

BLOOPERS

I thought it would be fun to use this old typewriter font on the books.

But, after I applied the names and stacked them all up, I didn’t like how it looked.

So, I had to use my weeding tool to take all the letters off and try again.

And…I painted them so quickly that I got paint all over the edges of the pages. I let it dry and used sandpaper to get it off. :/ Phew!

And, And… one of the books was red when I started and it took at least 5-6 coats to cover it because it kept bleeding. I think it still has a hint of pink. If you’re trying to figure out which one it is, it’s the one that says “robert”.

The post Farmhouse Stacked Books appeared first on Fly and Design.

DIY iPad Stand

Carolyn — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 22:42:54 +0000

Make Your Own Monogrammed Ipad Stand

I started using a digital planner on my iPad and thought it would be nice to have an iPad stand. So, I took some things that I already had lying around and made one. It turned out so cute!!

I had purchased an iPhone stand from IKEA, but my phone didn’t fit with the case on. So, it just got tossed aside. I had some wooden plaques from the Dollar Tree in my stash and tried out a few until I found the perfect one.

I used a leftover piece of wood and nailed it to the front so that the iPad didn’t slip off.

I wanted it to match my craft studio, so I used some leftover latex paint that matches the walls.

To finish it off, I designed an adorable monogram in Cricut Design Space. I used glitter Heat Transfer Vinyl. I ironed it onto the painted wood.

Finally, I painted one coat of ModPodge to seal it and protect it.

SUPPLIES

Ikea iPhone Stand
Plaque from Dollar Tree
piece of wood
Wood Glue
Latex Paint
HTV
Nails

TOOLS

Hammer
Paint Brush
Cricut (or you can cut out your design with scissors)
Saw

HOW TO

Step 1

The first thing I did was cut this piece of leftover wood down to 3 inches for the front of the stand.

Step 2

Next, I cut off the bull-nose of the stand from Ikea. I needed a flat surface to nail the wood to.

Step 3

I used a little bit of wood glue and then nailed the small piece to the stand’s front. It was a perfect fit.

This gives it a little lip so that the iPad doesn’t slip off.

Step 4

Next, I used wood glue to glue the little plaque to the stand. I inserted it where the phone would usually go.

(This is the view from behind.)

Step 5

After the glue dried, I painted the iPad Stand.

I wanted it to match my craft studio, so I painted it with the leftover sample of latex paint that I used on my walls.

Step 6

When the paint was dry, I added this monogram that I cut out of Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV).

I ironed it onto the wood. Then, I applied one coat of ModPodge to the front of it.

Step 7

Here it is holding my work iPad. It’s at the perfect angle, and it’s just what I needed! I love it!

BLOOPERS

After giving the whole thing a coat of paint, the little plaque started coming apart. I think it’s just a bunch of layers of thin wood stacked and glued together.

So, I added some wood glue and some clamps, and we were back in business.

The post DIY iPad Stand appeared first on Fly and Design.

Doormat How To

Carolyn — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:34:38 +0000

Hey There, Pumpkin!

Friends! This doormat was so easy!! Let me show you how to make your own!

You really only need two things. A coir doormat and Flex Seal. Have you heard of either of these? LOL, sure you have! A Coir doormat, also known as a Coco mat, is made for the outdoors. It’s made from coconut husk fibers. The Flex Seal is black rubbery glue. I didn’t realize what it was until the Little Hunter pointed it out.

Little Hunter: You’re using Flex Seal?!? Cool!
ME: How in the world do you know what Flex Seal is?
Little Hunter: Cuz, it’s that stuff that guy uses on the commercial to make the glass boat!
ME: Oh, yeah!

I found the coir doormat at Wal-Mart for $5.97. It has a couple of flaws. You can see them under the word “pumpkin.” But it was the last one on the shelf, so I bought it anyway. I purchased the Flex Seal at The Home Depot for $4.98.

They are so inexpensive and easy to make. I plan to make ones for every season!!

SUPPLIES

Coir (CoCo) Doormat
Flex Seal Aerosol (2 oz)
Freezer Paper
Duct Tape (2 inches)
Masking, Blue, or Duct Tape (1 inch)
Latex Gloves
Sewing Pins
Paper Towels

TOOLS

Iron
Scissors
Cricut (or you can cut out your design with scissors)
Weeding Tools for Cricut

Click Here

HOW TO

Step 1

Start with a new Coir (Coco) Doormat.

Step 2

Outline the edge of a doormat with 2-inch Duct Tape.

NOTE: At first, I used this cheap stuff, but you’ll see later on that I switched it out for strong quality duct tape.

Step 3

Place 1-inch tape inside the border.

This is just a placement piece that will be removed after the next step.

Step 4

Add another inner-border of 1-inch tape.

Be careful not to overlap the other tape. Try and butt it up as close to the other ones as possible.

Step 5

Now remove that placement piece of tape. This is where it’s going to get painted.

Step 6

Cut your design out using Freezer Paper.

You can use a Cricut or Scissors.

I only had scraps of Freezer Paper in my stash, so I had to do it in several pieces.

Step 7

The Freezer paper curls after you remove it from the Cricut mat.

I used sewing pins to secure it to the mat temporarily.

Step 8

Iron the freezer paper to the mat. I used the “cotton” setting.

Using Duct Tape, secure any exposed area that you do not want to get paint on.

Step 9

Using Flex Seal, spray straight down so that you don’t get it under your stencil.

Make sure you do this outdoors.

Spray two coats.

Step 10

Pull up the stencil as soon as you’re done spraying it with Flex Seal.

Do not wait until it dries to pull it up.

Step 11

Let it dry for a couple of hours before moving it. Then, let it dry 24 hours to cure.

Take pictures of your accomplishment!!!

This mat was so simple and fast.

BLOOPERS

I don’t this really qaulifies as a blooper, but the mat had some imperfections in it when I purchased it. You can see it in the picture. There’s one spot under the “u” and one under the second “p”.

It was the last mat on the shelf, so I bought it anyway. Oh, well.

The post Doormat How To appeared first on Fly and Design.

Sweater Pumpkins

Carolyn — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 04:03:51 +0000

Make Your Own Sweater Covered Pumpkins

DIY Pumpkin Sweaters

This was such a fun project! This post is jam packed full of different techniques!

I love the look of the sweater covered pumpkins for my fall decor. I had a sweater that I thought would be perfect to make some pumpkins out of.

Picking Pumpkins

I picked up two Dollar Tree foam pumpkins. I already had one in my stash but never used it because it looked so cheap. I purchased a black glittery one at the Good Will for $1.49 and a nice carvable one that someone colored all over for $1.00. It was an excellent assortment, to begin with.

I Didn’t want the orange to show through. So I gave them a quick spray with white spray paint.

Natural Dye from Onion Skins

I didn’t want all of the pumpkins to be the same color. So, I decided to dye some of the fabric pieces brown. But, I didn’t want to spend any money on dye.

I went to our local Nugget Market and asked the produce guy if I could have the onion skins from the bottom of the box. He didn’t have to think about it, and I didn’t have to explain myself. He immediately said, “Yes! Help yourself!”

I was able to collect a whole brown lunch bag full. I put them in a pot of boiling water for 30 minutes. Then, I added the sweater pieces and let them simmer for an hour. Then, I let them cool.

The Sweater

I had five pumpkins to cover. I used the sleeves for four of them. But, I really wanted to use the cable knit and buttons on the front of the sweater for one of them. So I just sewed the front closed and stitched the back closed to sort of form a sleeve.

Then, I cut holes in the tops and bottoms of the pumpkins and glued the sweaters on.

The Ribs of The Pumpkin

I used some old jute/twine that Had in my stash. I glued them at the top of the pumpkin and followed the rib around to the other side. I glued the other end to the top of the pumpkin.

The Leaves

I used some old jute/twine that Had in my stash. I glued them at the top of the pumpkin and followed the rib around to the other side. I glued the other end to the top of the pumpkin.

The Tendrils

I purchased a package of wired jute from the Dollar Tree. One package was the perfect amount.

I just curled them around a pen and added them with hot glue.

The Stems

While the onion dyed fabric pieces were cooling, I got to work on the stems.

I had this clay in my stash. I knew I had it a long time. But, I was surprised that it said 2005 on the package! I’m not a packrat, I’m not, I’m not, I’m not! Also, do you know how many houses I’ve lived in since 2005? Seven! I have packed and moved that clay seven times!

Anyway, I used the clay to make cute new stems for the pumpkins! Mrs. Wallace, my ceramics teacher at Casa Roble High School, would be proud. I think they were the icing on the cake! I love them!

The Finishing Touches

After gluing the fabric onto the pumpkins, I added the twine around the ribs. Then, glued on the leaves and tendrils. Finally, I glued on the stems. They look adorable!!!

SUPPLIES

Foam Pumpkins
White Spray Paint
Sweater(s)
Jute or Twine
Polyform Clay
Wired Jute
Green Felt
Hot Glue Sticks
Brown Acrylic Paint

TOOLS

Exacto Knife
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Sewing Machine (If you are need to piece the fabric together. Or, you can sew by hand.)
Small Paint Brush

HOW TO VIDEO

BLOOPERS

I forgot to add the twine around the pumpkins to form the ribs. I could have left them without it. But I thought it would be cuter if I added it. So, I took off the stems and some leaves and tendrils. I added the twine and then replaced anything that I removed.

The post Sweater Pumpkins appeared first on Fly and Design.

Burlap Wreath

Carolyn — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 06:32:57 +0000

How to Make a Burlap Wreath

This style of a wreath is very easy to make. It took less than 10 minutes. I purchased the 6″ wide burlap ribbon from Hobby Lobby when it was 50% off. The price has gone up over the last couple of years. The ones that I grabbed off the shelves in the ribbon aisle were $6.99. I had the cashier ring me up for one more while I was paying and got it from the end of the register. It was labeled $5.99.

I purchased the 2 1/2″ wired ribbon from Joanns with my 40% off coupon and 20% off the entire order. Gotta love a good deal. The wire wreath frame, pipe cleaners, and the wire came from the dollar tree. The whole project cost around $13.

SUPPLIES

Wire Wreath Form 14″
Burlap Ribbon 6″ x 35″
Ribbon 2 1/2″ x 3 yards
Wire or Pipe Cleaners
Staples

TOOLS

Scissors
Lighter
Ruler
Stapler

HOW TO

Step 1

First, fold the end of the burlap ribbon in half. Then, in half again.

Next, pull the wire or pipe cleaner through the end.

Using the wire, tie the burlap onto the wireframe. I like to tie it around one of the six wires that go from the center to the outside of the wreath.

Step 2

Now, starting with the inner ring, pull a loop of burlap through.

The loop should be about four finger-widths long.

Step 3

Next, pull the burlap through the center ring and then the outer ring.

You should have three loops all about four finger-widths long.

(Stick your four fingers into each loop to measure.)

Step 4

Once you have your three loops, push them over so that they gather.

Step 5

Turn the wireframe over and twist the tail of the burlap in the back about three times.

Step 6

Continue by pulling the burlap through the first ring again.

Repeat this two more times. Twist in the back.

Then, start from the first ring again and continue tow more times. You will now have pulled it through 3 columns of rows.

Step 7

There should be three columns of 3 rows per section. The wire wreath is divided into six sections. Do this for every section.

Step 8

Cut the excess burlap ribbon.

Step 9

Use the wire or pipe cleaner to tie off the end of the ribbon, just like you did in the beginning.

Add a bow or accessory.

Keep your eyes peeled for step-by-step instructions for this easy cheat bow!!

Or, check out the Youtube video to see how I made the bow.

BLOOPERS

I didn’t have any bloopers. But, it took me forever to decide what kind of bow or accessory to add.

Here are all the different things I tried. I was going to paint any of the wooden signs that I used.

But, as you can see, I ultimately went with a simple black bow.

The post Burlap Wreath appeared first on Fly and Design.

Office Chair Makeover Part II

Carolyn — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 00:13:51 +0000

How to Finish off the Back of an Office Chair

This is Part II. You’ll definitely want to check out Part I of this tutorial. CLICK HERE to see the transformation process!

To finish off this office chair’s back, I had to try some techniques that I’ve never done before. But when has that ever stopped me? The back of the chair was reasonably easy to do.

So, step out of your comfort zone and just go for it!

This is the same upholstery tack strip that I purchased and used for the back.

SUPPLIES

Upholstery Tack Strip
Staples for staple gun
Cording
Needle and thread

TOOLS

Scissors
Sewing Machine
Staple Gun
Hammer

HOW TO

Step 1

Once I was done stapling the vinyl all the way around, it’s time to add the piping.

NOTE: This is an image of the seat bottom, but I wanted you to see what it should look like. I forgot to take a picture of the actual seat back at this point.

Step 2

Cut your vinyl in 4 inch wide strips on the bias. The length will be determined by how much it will take to go around the chair’s back.

Sew your strips together on an angle.

Step 3

Fold your vinyl in half with your cording sandwiched between the fold.

Using your zipper foot, sew close to the cording to form the piping.

Step 4

Starting at the bottom, staple the piping/welting around the edge of the chair’s back.

Once you get back around to the bottom, cut your cording slightly shorter and overlap the vinyl with the other edge. Staple.

Trim any excess vinyl.

Step 5

Slip the bar under the piping—you many need to take out some staples to get it just right.

Once you have it in place, secure the piping around the bar.

Step 6

Next, start stapling your upholstery tack strip around the edge of the seatback. Make sure the teeth are facing outward. Place a staple in each hole, all the way around.

Using clippers (I just used wire cutters), clip the tack strip when you get to the end.

Using a hammer, hammer the teeth closed slightly.

Step 7

Cut your final back piece of vinyl with a 1-inch allowance around all four sides. This will be the main piece that covers the rest of the wood.

On the edge that will be at the bottom of the chair, cut two slits about 1 inch up and about 2 1/2 inches apart.

Fold the small edge over and double stitch.

Step 8

Cover your hammer with a piece of vinyl. This way, when you hammer the teeth all the way closed, it won’t damage the vinyl on your chair.
Starting with the bottom, fit the edge of your vinyl into the teeth. Hammer the teeth down.

Go to the top of the chair and fit the vinyl into the teeth, stretching the vinyl a tad.

Tuck the vinyl into the teeth all the way around and hammer down.

Go around one more time and hammer all of the teeth closed.

Step 9

Assemble the rest of the chair.

BLOOPERS

This was the first time for me to use this upholstery tack strip. Here is the photo of how far along I got the first time before I realized that I was putting it on wrong.

It is supposed to go on with the teeth facing out.
So I had to pull all of the staples out and redo it.

The post Office Chair Makeover Part II appeared first on Fly and Design.

RileyBug’s Ramen Bowl with Dishwasher Safe ModPodge

Carolyn — Fri, 11 Sep 2020 02:15:10 +0000

Dishwasher Safe Mod Podged Top Ramen Bowl

“Top Ramen Wednesday” has been a thing at our house for years. How does something like that even begin? Who even feeds their little kid Top Ramen? Well, Bug and Lexi are 11 years apart. That means when Bug was little, her sister was a teenager. And, teens LOVE Top Ramen. Bug wanted whatever Sissy had. She wanted it so often that I had to come up with a compromise. “You can have it on Wednesday if you don’t ask me for it again until then.”

And, so it began, Top Ramen Wednesdays. I guess I figured once-a-week was better than every day. Fast-forward nine years later, and this kid still looks forward to her Top Ramen. Chicken flavored, in case you were wondering. Of course, we purchase it in bulk, so we never run out.

So, for Bug’s birthday this year, I made her a Bowl…er..um…mug. Whatever. She loves it!

SUPPLIES

Mod Podge Dishwasher Safe (Gloss)
Mug or Bowl (I purchased mine from the 98 cent store for $1.48.)
Vinyl
Transfer Tape
Design

TOOLS

Cricut (or you can cut out your design with scissors)
Paint Brush with soft bristles
Scraping tool

Click Here

HOW TO

Step 1

Prepare your vinyl. I cut my design with my vinyl all on the same mat. I only used the transfer tape for the orange letters.

Step 2

Prepare the surface for your design. I marked off the top and bottom with painter’s tape. Then, I used a washable marker and a ruler to draw crosshairs for the center.

Step 3

Center your design onto your cup. The best way to do that if your cup or bowl is the same size as your design, is to cut slits around the vinyl so it can go around all those curves.

[I used a font that I thought looked like the font on the package.]

Step 4

Now that you have your design on the cup. Using a soft bristle brush, paint over the design with the Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge.

Step 5

You have to let it cure for 28 days before putting it in the dishwasher.

BLOOPERS

Bug has to wash her dishes and put them in the dishwasher when she’s finished with her meals.

I let her use her “bowl” after only a couple of days and planned to hand-wash it until it cured.

She put it in the dishwasher, and I totally missed it before running a load of dishes. This is what happens if you don’t wait the 28 days. 🙁

You might also notice that I peeled off the white chopsticks and replaced them with these tan colored ones. I also added noodles all over the cup.

I didn’t realize that I forgot to take pictures when I was all done with the final product.

The post RileyBug’s Ramen Bowl with Dishwasher Safe ModPodge appeared first on Fly and Design.