Crafty Ways

I LOVE making old things new again. And right now, while C is asleep, I actually have the time! So here are two projects that I am working on. I should warn you, I am neither talented nor willing to spend much money on these 'upcycles'. I also become extremely enthused about a project or craft, think it through for days, gather materials and begin, full-heartedly, then promptly become either bored, or tired. It frustrates my husband...AND me! So I cannot promise that these projects will actually be completed in full, but so far so good!

The first project is two T.V. trays that we have owned for about 7 years. They have moved with us from our first 400 sq ft apartment (where they took the place of a dining room table) to our first home (where they served as bedside tables in the very tiny spare bedroom) to our current home, where they have spent the last few years on the back porch. Needless to say, they are not in great condition, but I knew with a little TLC they could be useful, and even pretty, again.

Here are the before and afters:

Sorry, I take terrible pictures, obviously. And I thought I had a picture of the whole table before, but obviously not, hence the lame 'legs only' pic.

How did I do it? Contact paper and black paint. Seriously. It looks fab. You cannot even tell that it's contact paper. The whole project INCLUDING the next one, will, in the end, cost about $8.00. Amazing, and totally easy.

The next project is a very exciting one for me. I LOVE the end result of the chairs. We have about 25 chairs in the basement inherited from our university years and family members and old dining room sets over the years, and I think my new summer project will be painting and redoing all of them. Yay!

Again, contact paper and black paint.

Aren't they SOOOO pretty? And totally easy, again. Because they are no works of art obviously but a little bit of work makes such a difference. And the black and white looks spectacular in my backyard beside all the greenery.