Craft projects

Artwork, Craft, Cosplays and Costumes, Craft projects, Up-cycling

My latest up-cycling project!

Compilation photo showing before and after

Found this beautiful old chair being thrown away.

So I rescued it!

Cleaned it up,
Sanded it down,
and gave it a new lick of paint!
…

I love up-cycling, as I got to give an old chair, a second life.

You never know the history of something, and you could save it from being thrown to scrap. And I have a beautiful chair for my dressing table now too!

Close-up photo showing carving detail

 I love the carved detailing on the legs, by doing a light coat of white on top, and leaving the dark wood in the grooves brought the carving out in its full glory!

And, it fits perfectly with my up-cycled dressing table!

(See photos below!)

Close up of finished chair
Wide shot with up-cycled dressing table
Artwork, Craft projects, How-to-guides, Up-cycling

Up-cycled dressing table

I up-cycled an old wooden desk into a vintage map inspired dressing table

I have always loved old maps, and as I have recently moved to London I used an old map of London on the draws to add character and personalise it

I bought the large mirror, with refurbished wood frame, from a charity shop

 

 

When my brother was moving out, he needed to dispose of this old wooden desk and I wanted to give it a new home rather than see it get thrown away

I liked the style but the old varnished pine look is quite dated and didn’t fit into my room

So I decided I would up-cycle it into a dressing table for my room!

Photograhs showing the desk transformation

How-to-guide:

Desk before make-over, with equipment used
  • Clean and sand desk
  • Paint white (or chosen colour)
  • Attach maps to draws and apply protective layer of PVA glue
  • Decorate!

 

Craft projects

We just celebrated my Mums Birthday and she loved the variety of wrapping paper and envelope colours she received, so I made bunting out of her favourite ones as a permanent reminder

Mums Birthday presents and drawing
Mums Birthday Bunting
Artwork, Craft projects, Up-cycling

I bought a bright pink stool at a carboot-sale to decoupage

I bought a vintage ‘Rupert the Bear’ children’s book to cover the seat

And used pages from another children’s book on the legs

Rupert the Bear children’s stool, with Vintage children’s toys
Close-up on childrens stool
Artwork, Craft projects, Up-cycling

When I bought these pegs at a carboot sale, they were a scruffy dark brown wood, but I could see the potential in them

I sanded them down and painted them this calming blue to give them a new lease of life

Baby blue pegs with hearts
Artwork, Craft projects, Up-cycling

I was given a beautiful buttons jar with pin cushion top from Liberty for my birthday, and I was inspired to create my own

Sewing jars

How-to-guide:

  • I washed and removed labels from old glass jars.
  • I attached stuffing and patterned material to the lid to create a pin cushion
  • I used ribbon and other decoration to give them an individual style
  • Lastly, I filled the jars with buttons, beads and other sewing pieces
Artwork, Craft projects, Up-cycling

Vintage peg memo boards or key hook boards

I created these music and vintage inspired organisers, with hooks for keys and pegs for memos

I have always loved old maps, stamps and anything else really!

Music sheet Vintage inspired note boards

Close-up of Vintage inspired note boards

How-to-guide:

  • I cut planks of wood into sections and sanded the edges
  • I made holes in the back so it can be hung on a nail on a wall
  • I glued vintage maps or music sheets to the front
  • I painted wooden pegs in bright polka-dots to add a modern edge, to act as a memo holder. And attached to the boards
  • I then attached a variety of decorations including; stamps, buttons and vintage style drawings
  • PVA glue top coat to secure decorations
  • I added hooks on the bottom of some to act as a key hook
Artwork, Craft projects, Greetings Cards, Up-cycling

Music brings us to life and can evoke many emotions. I collected vintage music sheets as the covers and sheets are beautifully designed. So I decided the create some unique greetings using original music sheets

  • I created these cards out old music sheets, to give them a second life
  • Music is such an important part of many peoples lives, it can portray emotions and inspire memories
  • What better way to celebrate someones Birthday than with a song that reminds you of them!
Compilation of Music sheet greetings cards, on a background of Vintage Music books

The cards are displayed on a background of some of my favourite pieces from my Vintage Music sheet collection

Close-up of Music sheet greetings cards
Artwork, Craft projects, Greetings Cards, How-to-guides, Up-cycling

I have always liked collaging, for these cards I wanted to play with perspective by incorporating objects of different scales to a background of a similar theme

  • I created these cards using images I cut out of old magazines
  • I wanted to experiment with scale and perspectives to create images with depth and charecter
  • They’re each completely unique and personal to you

They’re created using recycled materials, great way to use unwanted magazines and create something unique and beautiful!

Selection of collage greetings cards

How-to-guide:

  • Look through your favourite magazines and cut out a selection of different objects you like
  • Choose a background image and choose objects that fit with the theme
  • Place the different objects on your background, try to build up a story or theme
  • Play around with perspectives and scales to give it a twist
  • Once you are happy, glue them together
  • To ensure pieces do not unstick, apply a top coat of sticky-back-plastic or PVA glue

 

Collage greetings cards displayed with other craft projects