Piano face lift : Part I

My Grandmother left my cousin Rachel her old piano after she passed. This piece has definitely seen a lot in its days. Children growing up right around it; then grandchildren. It has scars, stories, and a life of its own that it has lived. I was enlisted in giving this piece a face lift since it has seen its better days as far as the looks department goes. I was chosen since as they say, I'm the "crafty" one in the family and seem to get the most joy out of these sorts of projects.

So, I have decided to share my process and journey with you as I go along. This will be a project that will last me awhile indeed. Hopefully I can truly bring a new life to this for my cousin.

To begin, you will need to gather your supplies. I purchased all of these at Lowes or you can use your local hardware store you like best.

• Stripper.
• I like Citristrip since it's not as harsh and low VOCs which means less fumes.
• Mineral Spirits.
• Chemical resistant gloves.
• Flat scraper.
• Stripping pads.
• Drop Cloth if you don't want a mess all over your floor.
• Trust me, there will be a huge mess.
• Eye wear.
• You could possibly splash or fling the products or the stain/paint your stripping into your eye.
• Natural bristle brush.
• Metal pan to pour your stripper into, or whatever your instructions tell you to use.
• Mask if using a stripping agent with high VOCs.

Corkboard Facelift

I decided to give an old corkboard I had laying around a little makeover.

I had all the items I needed laying around but if you have to go out and buy this project will probably cost you $30-$40 depending on the board and stencil you buy.

This started as a simple corkboard you can buy at Walmart or Target (or just about anywhere).

I think this one was a RoseArt. See....pretty plain jane.

Now, you will need to pick a design. Just go buy a stencil for whatever design you want.

Fun Take on a Picture Frame

I actually did these frames as a birthday present for a friend. You could get creative on what you use for the frame...a block of wood, old cabinet door, etc. I actually have a lot of old wood samples from a furniture company from my work that I used.

What you'll need:
Whatever you are going to use for the main part of the frame
(Cabinet door, block of wood, be creative)
Picture
Accessories to add on
(Metal pieces, appliques, etc.)
Glue

So on these wood samples, one had a lot of texture and the other a lot of wax which makes it kind of hard to glue anything on. I had to use a paint stripper to remove the finish from the raised panel in the center.

(If you are going to do this step have a clean surface that nothing can possibly be ruined if it drips our spills.)

Wear thick rubber gloves, if the stripper gets on your skin it will burn extremely bad. Pour the stripper into something you don't care about: an old bowl our cup. I  used an old coffee pot I bought at the thrift store for a dollar for this very purpose. Use a paint brush and brush on the stripper. Let sit for about 30 mins. Use a paint scraper to scrape off the paint or finish. It may take a few applications to remove everything. Feel free to leave some for a rustic, antique look. When done clean with a damp cloth and let dry completely. I would use an old rag just in case it ruins it.

(Sorry I didn't get a picture of this)

DIY Shrug

This is a fun way to revamp an old shirt that was destined for the trash or Goodwill and recreate it into something new and fun. The purple shirt was a gift from a friend that never quite fit right. I loved the color and the beading and really didn't want to give it away so this was a perfect solution. My other shirt was an inexpensive shirt from Walmart that always looked a little frumpy on.

I originally found this on Wobiso's blog.

What you are going to need is:

An old shirt  (Make sure that it fits you before you start. If it is pretty small, it will be too small when you are done.)

Scissors

Ribbon  (Or whatever you want to use for the tie. You can even use the bottom of another shirt.)

Sewing Machine

Sewing Pins

Safety Pin  (This will be used to pull the ribbon through.)

From a Sewing Cabinet to Desk

So for Christmas, I decided to make my younger cousin Josie a little desk. She fell in love with one at my work but I was not about to spend $400 on a desk. So I went on the hunt for a small desk and chair, scouring thrift stores and little antique shops. I came across an old sewing cabinet and an old piano chair (one where the seat lifts up for storage) at this great little place in OKC The Feathered Nest. The desk cost me $30 and the chair $24.

I went to Walmart to get some Glidden paint. I bought 2 pints in a soft ivory satin. These cost a total of about $26. Feel free to choose any color. I chose a white to match the furniture in her room. I also wanted it to be a piece she could grow in to.

You'll first want to wipe down the furniture if its a little old and then lightly sand it. It took me about 2 coats to cover it well. Also, if it is in parts like mine was, I suggest taking everything apart and all the hardware off.

To go below the opening in the desk where the sewing machine would typically go (I wanted her to be able to lift the top and have a little built in drawer that she could store her supplies) I bought a simple tray for about $25 and some modge podge for $5 at Hobby Lobby. (Just so you know, most the time they have half the store 1/2 off or you can get a 40% one item coupon on their website every other week.) I then bought some fabric and lining at Interior Fabrics for about $16 total for a yard of each.

I folded it to fit the inside of the tray bottom and used a little spray glue (I recommend using another type of glue if you plan to do this for a tray that you can see every detail because its very messy and stuck to the sides.) I then used a modge podge to make a clear sealant. When doing this over fabric it may take 2 or more coats to get a smooth finish. It took 3 for this tray. (I love it so much I want to make one for my living room.)