Two updates in one day? Wow! Amazing! Everybody freak out and then pop some Valium, or, in my case, NyQuil (getting my little brother's cold).
I just wanted to share my progress on the apartment, room by room.
Here are some pictures of the newly tidied and somewhat decorated eating nook/dining area.
So this is the nook. It's 7'x7'6"-ish, and features a superbly constructed (by my father, no thanks to Target who manufactured it with ill-fitting screws and non-flush chair seats) table. If you're a long-term follower of my facebook page (two of you might be... tops), you may recall the painting mosaic/collection on the back wall, with a few glittery additions.
And this was the crafty project for the evening, which involved me thumb-tacking bright and cheery fabric (which reminds me of Halloween in this photo, and definitely not so much in person... those are foxes and trees on the purple, not candy corn) to the inside of my built-in cabinetry. This adds some pizazz to my plain white dishes while they're actually clean, and not with a colorful pile of food (pasta) on them.
And how do I keep my tables and countertops tidy around the place? Well, I don't. But, I can keep watermarks off of them with these handy-dandy...
Did I painstakingly paint those baroque floral patterns, you may ask? Why, no! Of course not. My flowers always turn into fireworks, because I just end up throwing the watercolor at the page in frustration. Did I buy them from Urban Outfitters? No. One might have a bird, but it's not an ironic bird that costs $45.
This was a pre-move DIY project inspired by Pinterest, and was actually pretty easy! Just dash on down to Home Depot or Lowes, and pick up the cheapest 4"x4" tiles that they have. One recommendation—go for white enamel more than black or blue. The darker colors tend to darken your paper when the coasters are done. All-in-all, this project cost me $10 for 10 coasters, all supplies included.
Cut out squares of your favorite scrapbook paper to fit, going just a little smaller than the tile so nothing hangs over the edge.
Sand the tops of the tile a bit, and then use glue or Mod Podge to glue the paper down. Then, when dry, take them OUTSIDE and begin the task of spraying them with a clear spray paint (yes, it does exist). You may have to do a dozen thin coats or so, depending on the absorbency of your paper, but keep going until the top of the tile is shiny, even and not tacky to the touch. Don't stack them, though, because those layers need overnight to dry completely.
Then, cut out 4x4 pieces of felt and adhere to the bottom of the tile using spray adhesive (outside) or a hot glue gun (inside). When you're absolutely sure the tiles are dry (can you smell the paint when you bring them in? Yes? They're not done.), place them throughout your dwelling and throw them at people who don't use coasters. And admire them fully.
More to come tomorrow. I'm off to explore Lincoln Square.
Cheers,
Claire
p.s. Target cart escalator! (second to the right) This was the one time when it had no carts. Quite disappointing.
