Decoupaged purple and white dressing table

August 18, 2023August 18, 2023Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a decoupaged purple and white dressing table, upcycled for the Children’s Air Ambulance… hope you enjoy! 😊

I started this upcycling project by first cleaning with a spray and sanding with a mouse sander. I painted then all over with a chalky white paint, a few coats, including the inside of the drawers. I decoupaged a purple patterned wallpaper onto the bottom drawer, stuck and sealed with mod podge. I painted the top two little drawers metallic purple, and screwed on golden knobs onto all the drawers. I also painted the back of the dresser and the back of the mirror with the white chalky paint. I cleaned the glass with windowlene. The final step was to seal with a furniture paint lacquer… and here is the end result!

I am actually really proud of this one! I think it’s one of the best I’ve done! It’s so pretty 🥰 Some of my colleagues have said how you can tell I’m improving, which is lovely to hear…

Shortly, I am going to Scarborough..so keep a look out for a future travel post! I am also on with my latest diamond art…

Thank you as ever for reading/ viewing…

All the best, Lauren xx

Funky gold and purple hat/coat hanger

July 1, 2023July 1, 2023Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest blog post is progression photos of an upcycled hat/coat hanger, for the Children’s Air Ambulance..hope you like! 😁

I started by gently washing the hat/coat hanger, and hand sanding. I painted a metallic gold, with three coats. Also, the tip I jazzed up by painting purple, to give it a bit of character and uniqueness. To finish, I sprayed protective lacquer to seal… and here is the end result;

I am pretty pleased with how this one has turned out.. I think it’s full of elegant charm and sophistication.. Hope you agree, haha! 😆

My next upcycling project for the Children’s Air Ambulance is perhaps a girlie dressing table, and I’m also in the process of completing another diamond art 🎨 💎.. so watch this space!

Thank you as ever for reading/viewing.. All the best, Lauren xx

Trendy upcycled drinks trolley

May 28, 2023May 28, 2023Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a trendy upcycled drinks trolley, upcycled for the Children’s Air Ambulance 💙💙 Hope you enjoy!

I started off by lightly sanding by hand. I painted the drinks trolley with a teal frenchic furniture paint (looks more emerald green in person). I painted a few layers. I made a mistake with the stencil at first, so had to repaint and wait to dry again. I then spray painted gold on the stencil in all four corners, and on the bottom level a different stencil in the centre. I had to be careful spray painting, I covered the rest of the trolley with taped down newspaper to avoid unwanted spillages. To finish, I used frenchic top coat to seal.

(The paint is still slightly wet in above pic). I am really pleased with how this one turned out. I love the colour and have had compliments on it, the stencils aren’t perfect but it’s impossible to achieve perfection. I think it looks really shabby chic and cool. The start this year of many more upcycling projects for the Children’s Air Ambulance, it’s been a while! Haha 😄 I’ve got a bit of a tan with working outside, despite wearing factor 50 suncream and a big floppy hat. Ha!

Thank you so much for reading/viewing 🙂 My next project, before more upcycling- I’m going pub painting with my friend on Tuesday, so keep a look out for another amateur acrylic painting!

Lots of love, Lauren xx

Blue bedside cabinet – 24 progression photos

November 13, 2022November 13, 2022Leave a comment

Hi good evening everyone.. My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is 24 progression photos of a blue beside cabinet I upcycled for the Children’s Air Ambulance 💙💙 Hope you enjoy 😊

I started off sugar soaping to clean, then a gentle sand with my mouse sander. Next, a white primer/undercoat, and when dried, I sanded with an abrasive hand sandpaper to perfect imperfections going along. I painted the blue bedside cabinet entirely blue. A mistake I made was painting inside where the drawers were to slide, so at first they were having none of it haha! Dave helped me to sand the drawer runners with a rotary tool so the drawers would slide lol. We put the gold handles in a tub of coca cola, they came out really shiny when reattached. Lastly, I sprayed a furniture lacquer to seal. And there we go!

I am really pleased with this little project, although there were doubts along the way, I think it’s turned out quite impressive, I’m proud of it, hehe 😀

I am not quite sure what my next project will be, I have a few bits to do for the cafe, but also I have ordered a Marilyn Monroe poster to decoupage onto a chest of drawers, the Children’s Air Ambulance can hopefully sell for a profit 😀

Thank you so much as ever for reading/viewing. Much love, Lauren xx

Draughts game table – progression photos

October 27, 2022October 27, 2022Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a draughts game table. Hope you like it! 😊

I started off by orbital sanding and measuring the table, as to know accurately where the squares would be later glued evenly. 64 squares in total that my mentor Dave cut, to which I hand sanded – I painted half black and half white. I wood stained the brim of the table and underneath and used a black metal paint for the stand. The next stage was one by one gluing the 4cm by 4cm squares on the table using wood glue. To finish, I sprayed some furniture lacquer to seal.

I am super proud of this project, I think it’s the best one I’ve done so far to be honest, not to blow my own trumpet like, haha 🤣

The draughts table is not for sale but to be used by children and adults to play draughts/chess upstairs in the charity cafe 🙂

My next project for the Children’s Air Ambulance is going to be a duck egg painted table with blue sky sparkly wallpaper. Originally it was a gold table nobody was keen on, then we bodged up putting an atlas map on it (went bubbly, not smooth) so third time lucky hopefully 🤞🤞

Thank you as ever for taking the time to read/view my latest UnicornPostbox blog post, very much appreciated.

Thank you, Lauren xx

Blue rocking chair, progression photos

September 20, 2022September 20, 2022Leave a comment

Hi everybody! My latest UnicornPostbox blog post is progression photos of a blue rocking chair, for the Children’s Air Ambulance 💙💙 Hope you like!

The rocking chair was already bare wood so only required a light sand. After sugar soaping I painted the whole chair with a blue chalk paint, sanding imperfections with a hand sandpaper. I was going to paint the bottom yellow, but decided against it. Once painted blue with a few coats, I lacquered it with a couple of coats to seal the paint. And there we go! Blue-dabba-dee-dabba-do! 😆😝

Thank you as always for reading/viewing. My next project for the Children’s Air Ambulance is another decoupage table I think, and I’m on with an Elephant diamond art at home, so keep a look out! 😀

Thank you so much, Lauren xx

Rustic wooden coffee table, 20 progression photos

September 11, 2022September 11, 2022Leave a comment

Hi everyone! My latest blog post is 20 progression photos of a rustic wooden coffee table. Hope you enjoy! Thank you very much…

This project has been the bane of my life for the last few weeks, haha! It was the table that didn’t want to be sanded… I had my small mouse sander, my orbital sander, ordinary sandpaper, clean spirit, metal scraper and paint stripper on it! The problem was it had a few layers of paint to strip, a white and a blue underneath. Once all the paint was stripped, I sugar soaped and wood stained. It took forever and a day to finish however I’m really happy with the finished result. There was a few things that could of been avoided. For example, I used my orbital sander on its edge and it dinted a hole in the wood a couple of times. Maybe, if it wasn’t for these imperfections, it could be sold for a higher profit. But to say I’m learning, I think it’s turned out pretty decent and I like the rustic effect, what do you think?

My next volunteering project for the Children’s Air Ambulance is a blue painted rocking chair that’s almost finished and I am going to a ‘pub painting’ evening art class with my friend on Thursday. We’re being taught how to paint a colourful highland cow. So please, keep a look out for more blog posts coming very soon…

Thank you as always for taking the time to read/view my blog… and I would just like to say, with the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth the second, may she forever rest in peace…

Many thanks, Lauren xx

Golden decoupaged map coffee table

July 27, 2022July 27, 2022Leave a comment

Hi everyone ☺️ My latest blog post is progression photos of a golden decoupaged map coffee table, refurbished for the Children’s Air Ambulance..hope you enjoy 😉

I started off trying to sand with my orbital sander, however this was proving really difficult. I cleansed with sugar soap and spray painted a bronze coat. The spray unfortunately wasn’t to my desired taste, too dark and little change to the already mahogany wood. So, I painted the table with a metallic gold. I then pasted mod podge to the centre of the table and decoupaged a brown damask wallpaper. I changed my mind after mod podging, so stripped and decoupaged a map instead. It actually took a second attempt to decoupage the map so no creases in the design. I bought a new metallic gold spray paint to spray the imperfections and tea-bagged the map wallpaper to give it an oldie antique rustic effect. The final step was to seal with polyurethane varnish. And here is the finished product:

Thank you so much as ever for reading/viewing my latest upcycling project. I’m not quite sure what I’m on with next, so I’ll keep you in suspense 😝

Thank you, much love, Lauren xx

Pink girlie dressing table

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022Leave a comment

Hi everyone! In advance, thank you for visiting my page. My latest blog post is progression photos of a girlie pink dressing table, with sparkly knobs. It’s my favourite and I hope you like it too 😊 Cheers!

I am super pleased with the way this one has gone, it’s my favourite so far as really girlie, hehe. I painted with pink frenchie paint which is fab. I tried wood staining the top with an ‘antique pine’ stain however the batch I bought from B&M was dodgy, I swapped it and it was still dark, more a mahogany than pine. I thought when dried it might go lighter, but it wasn’t to my taste. At this point, the project was a disaster as the top looked hideous lol. I got out my orbital sander and sanded it back to bare wood which massively improved the top. I sealed it with a couple layers of clear varnish, and lacquered the legs/frame. Then, to finish, some gorgeous sparkly knobs my boss donated 👍 And here is the finished product:

My next couple of projects I’m thinking of decoupaging some maps, such as world maps, onto tables, or superhero wallpaper. I have some projects in the pipe line for the store cafe too, so plenty to keep me busy 😊

Thanks so much for taking the time to read/view my blog, as always much appreciated, Lauren xx

Wooden rocking chair upcycle – progression photos

July 6, 2022July 6, 2022Leave a comment

Hi fellow followers 😊 My latest blog post is progression photos of a wooden rocking chair, upcycled for the Children’s Air Ambulance cafe. Hope you enjoy! Cheers!

This project has been the bane of my life for the last couple of weeks, haha, it’s the chair that doesn’t want to be sanded! I tried clean spirit and a scourer, sandpaper, both my mouse and orbital sander, paint spripper, you name it. I then used a primer/undercoat, but made the mistake of putting too much on, too thick. I’ve never used this before, so ended up trying to sand it back again. Thankfully, ‘frenchie’ furniture paint is fab and hides a multitude of sins. I painted two coats, and finished with a matt lacquer. I purchased a yellow tassled cushion from dunelm as a donation, to perfect the look. The yellow blends in with the cafes colour theme. What a nightmare, I’m happy to see the last of it, haha! What do you think to the finished project?

I’m really pleased how it has turned out, I think thankfully it looks quite nice, the grey and yellow 😊

I’m really excited to share with you my new refurbish project, which should be finished this week hopefully. Let’s say, it’s very pink, hehe. It’s my favourite so far, I love it.

So yes, please keep a look out. Thank you very much, Lauren xx

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Category: Upcycling