DIY Large Art Using Artificial Leaves and Luan Plywood

We decided to change some things around in our family room, moving a wall clock we had above our TV (which was too small for such a large wall) to above the fireplace.  Good decision but that left us with a big blank wall.  So, we went shopping for wall art but everything large enough to fill the space was way above our budget.  What to do?  Looks like it's DIY time!  The decor in our family room is tropical as you can see by this photo of the artwork over my sofa.  

You might recognize this photo if you follow my blog.  The side pieces were made out of aluminum pans.  

My Inspiration:

I found these giant, yes they were huge, silk leaves at Hobby Lobby.  They measured 19" x 46" from tip to stem bottom and the best part is, they were 1/2 price, $4.50 ea.  

(See they are gigantuous.  That is a 10" dinner plate beside the leaf.)  

I painted the leaves first with Folkart Metallic Copper

followed by a coat of Folkart Metallic Bronze.   Then I applied a 'glaze' using thinned down (with water) Apple Barrel Black to give an aged look.  I also spattered dots of the black glaze using a toothbrush.  They looked amazingly just like they were made of metal.  We already had a piece of luan plywood from another project, which my hubby cut into 2 pieces measuring 23" x 43".  I used the back of the luan as my canvas which I will never do again.  It is like painting on sandpaper even when it was prepped first with gesso (artist primer).   I will be honest and tell you that I was not pleased with the way they turned out.  The luan was so porous that the paint colors were very washed out but with lots of prayer (I'm not kidding) it came to me to apply a final coat of Minwax Polyacrylic Protective Finish (satin) that I tinted with Apple Barrel Nutmeg Brown. 

It took three coats but it made all the difference.  I was ready to turn the luan to the other side and start all over but thankfully my prayer was answered and the Minwax topcoat added a sheen as well as making the colors more vivid.  We glued the leaves to the luan using Loctite Power Grab just because we had it on hand.  It dries clear too.  So here is the finished artwork.  We purchased a curtain rod from T.J. Max for $6.99 and a pack of shower curtain hooks for $3.99 and thanks to my hubby's precision cuts and precise measuring, they hung perfectly straight.  We also glued washers over the holes where the hooks are (on both sides) and they were painted bronze.  

(BTW our walls are beige, though they look green in this photo.)  This project came in at under $20.00.  Nice compared to the $120 - $300 art I found online and in the stores.  Blessings until next time. 

Thrift Store Side Table Transformation

Another Thrift Store find.  A little side table, which actually looked a little like a child's school desk) which we picked up for $8.  I new exactly what I wanted to do with it.  I was so anxious to get started, I forgot to make 'before' photos but trust me, it had a very light stained finish and the top had a melamine top.  I was a little concerned about paint adhering to the melamine top, even after sanding, but again, the Zinnser 123 Bullseye Primer came through!

So here is the table after it's transformation.

I began with a base coat of beige colored craft paint on the top and sides.  Next, I 'sponged' on a lighter and darker beige to add dimension to the basae and then hand painted the giraffe spots using a brown craft paint blended with copper.  I had already painted the legs a brown color craft paint, highlighted by blending a metallic copper paint for a little bit of sheen.  I taped off the diamond shape in the middle while I painted the giraffe spots, then re-taped the outside/inside edge to paint the inside of the diamond, the same brown/copper as the legs. After that dried, I retaped to paint the copper border around the diamond.  Then the legs and diamond were glazed with a black glaze and after allowing that to dry, the entire table was sealed with Minwax Polycrylic Water Based Finish for protection. To make the spots blend better, I added a little brown paint to the polycrylic which made the spots 'lay down' into the beige base coat.   I was very pleased how well that little $8 dollar thrift store find turned out and it was sold for $60.00.  A fair price considering all the time that was put into the piece.  Blessings until next time.  

Counter Height Chair/Bar Stool Makeover

While out thrift store shopping my hubby and I came across two counter height/barstools priced at  $10 ea.  While we were looking them over, the attendant places a sign that read, "All Furniture 50% Off".  We grabbed up the two chairs faster than we could blink our eyes.  Two chairs for $10!!  WOW!

This is what I began with.  A little scratched.  (Paint will take care of that.)   A little wobbly. (Hubby can take care of that with a little glue and bracing.)  

After a coat of Zinnser 123 Bulls Eye Primer , two coats of DIY chalk paint (made with Plaster of Paris and latex paint), a glaze to give them an 'aged' look, a painted design found on ( The Graphics Fairy)  website, and a two coats of Minwax Polycrylic sealer,

   

here's the finished product.  

By the way,  the Zinnser 123 Bullseye primer works so well, there is no need for sanding.  What a time saver!   I used paint markers to trace over the design that I placed on the seat of the chairs. I made tracing paper by 'scribbling' the backside of the design with a pencil.  When I flipped over the paper, all I had to do was trace over the design and the graphite from the pencil left a light imprint for me to go over with the paint pen.  Instant tracing paper!   I love the "tuxedo" design and the 'dipped' feet.  Perfect for the beach.  Blessings until next time! 

Framing Out The Builders Guest Bath Mirror for under $10.00

Time to do something with that ugly builders mirror.  You can find instructions everywhere just by 'googling' framing out builder's mirror. (Here's one: Making It Feel Like Home  )

AFTER 

We found some pre-primed 7' trim boards for $.25 per linear foot at Dirt Cheap in Pensacola and they also had pre-primed  rosettes (medallions) for $.25 ea.  We chose medallions so we didn't have to miter the corners and we preferred the way they looked.
After measuring and cutting the boards to length, I painted them with 2 coats of Craftsmart metallic silver paint that I purchased at Michaels.  To give them an aged 'antique' silver look, I diluted Apple Barrel's black craft paint with water and gently wiped it off with paper towels.  I used a toothbrush to 'spatter' black spots for more detail.  After it dried, I put two coats of paste wax and buffed to seal the paint.  NOTE:  Make sure you paint at least 1/3 of the back of the boards due to reflection in the mirror. 

We used Loctite Power Grab All Purpose adhesive to attach the frame pieces right on the mirror.  That stuff worked so good we only had to use a little painters tape on the top board and because that board had a slight 'bow' in it, my husband rigged up a brace using a scrap piece of wood with padding on each end.  Since our bathroom is small, we could wedge the brace between the mirror and back wall of the bath.  We thought made sure our boards were straight even laying them on the floor at the store but somehow we ended up with one lemon. NOTE: Make sure you choose boards that are straight.  We left the brace and tape to dry overnight.  We applied pressure about every 15 minutes for the first hour on the rest of the boards and medallions. (Loctite PG All Purpose is not recommended for mirrors which would be the case if you were attaching the mirror to the wall where the mirror paint is.  The front of the mirror is just glass and it can be used to attach glass.)   NOTE:  Don't apply the adhesive too close to the edge to avoid seeing it due to the reflection in the mirror.  Though it dries clear it might still be visible.)

Here's the after photos.  I'm thrilled with the way it turned out and it was less than $10.  Surprisingly, the mirror looks larger than before.

Here you can see the finish a little better.  

Note:  Our mirror was glued to the wall and only had 2 clips at the top which my hubby removed, spackled the remaining hole and painted. Make sure your mirror is attached before removing any clips.  If you do have to deal with clips your framing boards will need to be notched out as in this demonstration:  

Who Framed Roger Rabbit Framing Builders Mirror

We also applied a bead of clear silicone caulk on the bottom of the mirror to avoid water dripping behind the board.  

- http://www.younghouselove.com/2012/12/who-framed-roger-rabbit/

This turned out so well, I'm headed back to Dirt Cheap to pick up a couple more boards and four medallions to frame the mirror in our Master bath.   Blessings until next time...

Faux Metal Wall Art From Aluminum Pans

Faux Metal Wall Art From Aluminum Pans

                             

                         

                                                        How do you go from this...                                                     

          to this?  

So, I decided that the picture above my sofa was too small and needed something to fill in the large space.  While out shopping I came across the most beautiful metal wall sculpture of lotus leaves which were out of my budget. (I don't have a photo of it but trust me it was gorgeous.)   I came home and found this photo on the internet that got me to thinking.

"I can make that."  I had some aluminum carry out pans I purchased from the Dollar Tree because I'm on the Food Ministry team at our church.

1.  I gathered up all my tools/supplies.  Folkart paint in Black and Metallic Antique Copper, 

a ruler, boning tool or credit card, scissors, small paint brush, cap from a RX bottle (to make a circle)  and a crochet hook.

(I forgot to put my aluminum pans in the photo.) 

  2.  I made slits all around the lip of the pan which made it easier to cut out the center.

  

3.  I used my boning tool (or you can use a credit card) to 'burnish' or smooth out the embossed ridges that came on the aluminum pan.  You need to do this on a flat surface. ( I worked on my kitchen bar as you can see my dish liquid, etc in the photo.)    It was surprisingly easy to to smooth the embossing out.  I was surprised at how just cutting off the sides of the pan made the pan less rigid.  Kind of like extreme heavy duty aluminum foil.

4.  Next I used a bottle cap to draw the center circle.  I used my crochet hook as my pen.  This embosses the aluminum.  

5.  Then I 'freehanded' a small circle inside that circle.  I used a ruler to make straight lines inside the circle.  These lines will be used as the starting point for the leaf veins.  I wasn't too concerned with the placement of the lines, I just tried to space them out at equal intervals. 

(Sorry for the blurry photo but you can see the 2 circles.)

 

6.  Now to add the veins.  Using my crochet hook, I drew (not using a ruler) from one of the straight lines straight up to the edge of the flower.  About half way down the line, I added 2 lines on the side. (Kind've like a jagged pitchfork.)  You can see in the photo these lines don't have to be perfect.  They need to be wavy to look more natural.  From those lines, I free handed more veins to both sides and offset from each other.  

7.  After all my veins were drawn, I placed the bottle cap back on the aluminum and gently fluted the edges.  This reminded me of fluting a pie crust.   It only needed a few scallops to make it look like a real lotus leaf.  

  

( I forgot to make a photo after I finished scalloping the edges.) 

8.  Now to paint.  I guess you might ask, "Why paint after you scallop the edges?"  Since this was the first time I ever tried to paint on aluminum, I wasn't sure if the paint would adhere and I thought it might 'chip off' if I bent it.  But I have to say that the Folkart paint adhered great.  So, it turns out, I could've applied the paint first.  Live and learn.  I used the Folkart Metallic Antique Copper and applied it pretty thin to let the silver show through.  But I didn't really like that look so I painted it on thicker but just one coat did the job.  Since I'm impatient when it comes to wating on paint to dry, I pulled out the old hair dryer and blew the paint dry, using the lowest setting.  It dried really quickly as the aluminum heats up and 'bakes' the paint on.  

9.  To bring out the veining, I diluted Folkart black paint with water and used it to 'antique' over the copper.  It was pretty thin and I had to keep brushing to keep the paint from running to the middle.  Then, I brought out the old hairdryer again.  

10.  And here's the finished 'faux' metal, aluminum pan, lotus leaf.  Now to make 5 more. You can use these any way you'd like but ... 

(That's the bottle cap in front to hold up the leaf.)

I found these black iron plant holders at Old Time Pottery for $2.99 ea and spray painted them with Rustoleum, Satin Espresso.  (Sorry, I didn't make a photo after I painted them but they match the decor better.)   

I hot glued wire to the lotus leafs and then wired the leaves onto an artificial branch I had in my artificial flower stash.   I also had a couple of palm leaves in my stash and I wired them onto the wire plant holders first then wired my lotus leaves on top of that.  Ta Da!  

No, it's not the metal version I saw at the department store for $80 ea, but for 2- $1.00  Dollar Tree aluminum pans (3 pack) , 2- $2.99 ea metal plant holders and a $3.97 can of Rustoleum spray paint, a grand total of $12.00 plus tax, I'm pleased.  I already had the paint on hand but it would only be about a couple of dollars more if you had to purchase the paint.