DIY: Making New Furniture Look Old, Photo Booth Debut

I know it has been oh so long since I have posted, but it was for good reason!!!  Matt and I have been spending every waking moment working to relaunch our business!  The website is still under construction (View it here!), but our photo booth is up and running!  Now all we need to do is get our name out there!

Because my hunk of a husband has slaved away in building our beautiful photo booth, I wanted to share what it looked like along the way.  Now, I didn't take pictures in the beginning, but you'll get the idea.

 It was finished being built and ready for some paint.

 Instead of spending $35/quart for the famous Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I decided to make my own.

1 C paint mixed with 1 TBSP non-sanded grout

 Mix really well!

 I only painted a single layer (the paint had a primer mixed in). This dried SO fast.

 I was very pleased. 

 Then I sanded down the edges to get that worn look.  The grout in the paint made this super easy to do.

Now for our antique glazing!  I mixed 1.5 TBSP with 2 tsp stain.  For a darker look, you can always add more stain.

 Slap it on with a brush (work in sections) and let set for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, wipe off.  The cool thing about this technique, is you can wipe off as much or as little as you would like.  You could also let it set for longer than 20 minutes to get a darker finish.  Once it had a couple days to dry completely, I sprayed on a clear coat and it was done! All that was left was the hardware for the faux drawers and the frame around the screen.

 Here it is in action!!!

If you, or someone you know, is getting married in Southern California, make sure to check out our one of a kind, Vintage Photo Booth.

We have a special going on right now, too!

<3 Saleena


Linked this post to: One Art Mama,  At the Picket Fence, Shabby Nest, Romantic Home, Creation Corner, Whipperberry, Serenity Now, Simply Designing, Lovey Crafty Home, 504 Main, Bacon time with the hungry hypo, A Glimpse Inside, Be Different Act Normal,   Nv-craftenvy, Funky Junk Interiors, Addicted 2 Decorating,  DIY Show Off,  
I Heart Naptime, Craftomaniac, The Girl Creative,

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Tutorial: Photo Canvas

I love the look of canvas prints.  The only downfall is the price.  So I began looking for an alternative way to get the same look for a lot less.  I came across The Sassy Pepper blog, and loved what she came up with!

Materials:
Pre-stretched canvas

Paper cutter or scissors

Decorative paper 

Photo

Two Paint Brushes 

Mod Podge 

Towel

Acrylic/Craft Paint

Step 1:  Measure the sides of your canvas, and cut your paper to fit.

Step 2:  Cover your canvas with Mod Podge and allow to dry.  This will take about 20 minutes.

Step 3:  Apply Mod Podge to the sides of the canvas, and the backs of your pre-cut paper

Step 4: Put your paper on your canvas, making sure to smooth out any bubbles.  It is okay to leave some space on the corners, tops, and bottoms because you will be painting over this section.  When I did this process again with my other photos, I decided to overlap the paper, so the corners were covered.  I liked this better :]

Step 5: Apply Mod Podge to the back of your photo, and use a towel to press it on the canvas so you won't get finger prints on it. 

Step 6:  Cover the photo with Mod Podge for added protection.  

***Even though it dries clear, keep in mind that in certain light you will be able to see the brush strokes.

Step 7: Once the Mod Podge is dry, use a brush or sponge to apply the paint.

And the end result?  A great DIY alternative to the pricey canvas print photos. 

These will make great gifts as well!

<3 Saleena

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DIY: Recent Projects

I haven't updated you in while and for that I apologize.  These past few weeks have been stressful, to say the least.  Now I know why people have longer engagements! Planning a wedding in four months is tough, especially because I am doing so much of it myself.  But on the other hand, all of the DIY projects have made this experience so enjoyable...even if they are time consuming.

 I want to share some projects with you that I finished up this weekend.  The first is the flower girl basket.  I bought a darling pink basket at the Goodwill for $3, some moss at Michael's for about $5, and added a scrap of lace I had left over from my Love Bird project.  Total cost: $8

My next project was the guestbook.  I didn't want the traditional guestbook because I knew I would never look at it again.  When I came across the Thumb Print guestbook, I  fell in love with the idea.  This way I will be able to hang it up in our home, and enjoy it every day.  I got my inspiration from CottageCreekArts on Etsy, who incorporated the love birds theme into the painting.  I would have bought the painting from them, but the price tag was a bit too high for my budget.  For a canvas, brushes, ink, pen, and paint, the total cost: $40

My third project was the masks for the photo booth.  I bought plain plastic masks and feathers at Michaels.  All it needed was a little time and some hot glue, and vuala :]  Total cost: $6

16 MRE DAYS!!!

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