[this→that] upholstery tacks

Upholstery tacks... nail head trim... decorative nails--  whichever name you choose to call them, these eye catching little tacks have come a long way from grandpa's sofa.   They are inexpensive, easy to use and the design options?  Well, they're pretty much limitless!  Here are some inspiring Upholstery Tack creations that I've come across in the blogosphere--

a plain door becomes fabulous when framed with brass tacks

via house beautiful :: designed by miles redd

nail head corkboard (tutorial here)

as seen on 6th street design school :: via bryn alexandra

diy headboard

via centsational girl

embellished matting

via hi sugarplum!

dramatic wall niche

via anythingology

beautiful wall typography

via jessica hische on flickr

"tacky" pumpkins

 via my home ideas

an embellished side table

via good housekeeping

"upholstered" Ikea Besta. i believe this is the project that spawned the upholstery tack dresser art trend.

as seen on Ikea Hackers :: via signed by tina

pretty closet doors!

via emily henderson

(love her Secrets from a Stylist show on HGTV)

I've been so inspired by these little tacks, that I've been raiding our local Joann's on a weekly basis.  First I used them to embellish Zzzz's in Smarty Pant's room (it makes more sense if you see it).  And now I'm working on another tack-heavy project. In fact, I'm waiting for them to restock some burnished gold tacks so that I can finish my current project. What do you think? Yay or Nay on upholstery tack decor?

Oh Martha Monday - Decoupage

It's amazing how a little paper and glue (or perhaps varnish) can transform a plain object into a work of art.  Here are some unique decoupage ideas from the folks at Martha--

"artwork" achieved with blown up clip-art... smart!

decoupage chest


striped bangle bracelets


map tray


great ikea hack!
decorative chair backs

i haven't attempted a paper mache since my 3rd grade volcano with foaming baking soda "lava", but this piggy bank is pretty darn cute.
piggy bank

Oops, where did Monday go?  Hope your week is off to a good start!

[Make] Stone Placemat

I first saw a stone placemat in May 2005.  I remember the date because we were on a ferry from Vancouver, B.C. to Victoria, and the ship's gift shop was selling an assortment of placemats, table runners, trivets and coasters made from white, black and assorted brown river rocks.  I had my eye on them, but for whatever reason, didn't make the purchase.  Then I promptly forgot about them.

Skip forward 6 years and we're back on that same ferry, except traveling in reverse from Victoria to Vancouver... my first thought was "must check out gift store... maybe they still have those stone placemats??".  Of course they didn't.  So when I got home, the first thing I did?  Why I headed to our local craft and garden stores of course!

[product list]:  shelf liner (sold by the yard at fabric stores), decorative river rocks, tiger bond adhesive**

**for trivets and coasters, i would suggest adding a stiff nylon mesh to make the project more hardy and easier to pick up.  this can be found at your local hardware store by the drywall supplies.

since the shelf liner is porous, i used 2 layers so the adhesive wouldn't soak through.  i also worked on a baking rack in hopes that the project would dry faster and also protect my countertop in case there were any leaks. tiger bond is a cream and very easy to use... no mess!

the finished stone mat --

i started from the middle and worked my way out, covering as much of the liner as possible.  there's no right or wrong way... just pick a rock, glue, pick a rock, glue...

the stone mat is currently hanging out on a side table in our family room.  it'll eventually find a home in the center of our round kitchen table.

[project low-down]

This project is simple, but a little time consuming... especially if you're like me and treat the thing like a mosaic.  I spent a lot of time fitting the rocks together like a puzzle.  Not really necessary, but that's just me. 

project size:  15 inches in diameter.  it took 2 small bags of rocks and 2 tubes of glue to complete. 

time spent:  It took about 4 hours in total to assemble.  But it was a pretty large area to cover, so don't let that scare you away.  Smaller projects will come together much more quickly. 

next up:  I'm thinking of a chevron trivet for my family room, made with black and white rocks.  And perhaps a project with larger rocks... much faster. 

sharing with:

Weekly Inspiration ~ 8.27.2011

This week I was inspired by...

melted crayon art... messy, gooey wax... love it!

via whatever...

norwegian blueberry almond tea cake... mmmm....

via poppytalk

not-so-spendy patio lights... and no glue, string or balloons were involved. even better.

via crafty butt

beautiful handcrafted objects... especially love their wood doilies and modern clocks

via uncommon

trash cast into pretty ceramic... although i wonder, could you  get the same effect just spray painting the plastic bottle? 'course it wouldn't feel like smooth, cool ceramic... does make you look at everyday objects a little differently though.

via leif 

Hope your weekend is awesome.

In the Pipeline...

Here's a peek at a couple of projects that I'm currently working on.  They've been on the "to do" list for quite a while, so I'm glad that they're finally coming together.

The first involves lots of stones...

And the other, lots of upholstery tacks...



They both should be ready to share in the next few days.  Hope you are having a lovely week!

[this→that] - globes

I think that globes are pretty darn great when left alone, but these 'tweaks' are perfect if you want to take the global look to the next level.

isn't this globe chandelier stunning? perhaps with a light kit (and low wattage light bulbs), this can be recreated?  i question because... i'm no electrician!

via recyclart :: by benoit vieubled :: as seen on black*eiffel

chalkboard globe... a revolving message board, perfect.

for a good tutorial, check out the post by under the table and dreaming

photo via pottery barn's fall 2010 catalog

fun globe pendant lights

photo via rosebud's cottage :: as seen on ohdeedoh

if you're interested in this hack, check out the tutorial by addicted 2 decorating

love this globe fruit bowl

via daily danny

for those who have aspirations beyond planet earth, this globe turned silvery moon might do.

via zane leigh

what a great idea to personalize a globe... decoupage!

via imaginenations :: as seen on more design please