Light is Magic

Light is magic...

I read that in Elle Decor so it must be true.   Magic has happened in our office.  This discarded lamp was found at GW on dollar day.  Hurray for dollar day!!  Here it is:

(The round towheaded boy is my little man of chaos)

and a closer look:

and the before pic:

Roger that

Dad picked up our discarded radio and speakers from our old record player project and whipped out a whole new stereo system! Perfect for the shop.

These stereo bits have been through the ringer.  They are at least 40 years old, 

they've been discarded, abandoned, beat, burned and finally found in the 'as is' section 

of our thrift store.  

Our Dad is a genius and can save just about anything and anyone.

We love you! 

p.s. his name is 'Roger'

Up-Cycled Record Player

I see these all the time and am intrigued by their interesting shapes and uselessness.  With all our technology and a million instant songs on our miniature iPods...these old record players are dinosaurs.  

                      
But, there is something fantastic about the scratchy, authentic sounds of music coming from an old record player.  
No wonder musicians are turning back to the vinyl.

Remember our cousin who got married this summer?  Amy and I bought this for her wedding gift:

An old record console!  Queen Ann legs and curvy lines this little gal wanted a new life.  We paid a couple bucks to the cashier and loaded it in the Toyota.

We sketched our plans.  Paint (our cousin loves turquoise and orange), replace the panels, check the stereo, record player and speakers.

 This would make a great sideboard or entry table.  And it would be so so so cool if the turntable still worked.  Can you imagine some mellow, crackly version of Louie Armstrong setting the mood for the evening.  I like!

But, it didn't.  According to our locally employed Peppertowne Engineer, there had once been a small fire inside the console burning and destroying the record player.  A small fire!  WOW!  But the speakers and radio stereo survived the flames.  Click here to see what happened to them.

After a little bit of

 The finished product!

We love it!  It was so perfect we used it for our cousins' tea party themed bridal shower.

It's not very often that Amy and I get to work a project together.
So this table holds a little sentimental value now.

Stunned

If you haven't seen this transformation already, take a look. 
I am absolutely STUNNED!

From Perfectly Imperfect

The Speckled Dog

I can't stand this style of table.
It's circa 1993 rounded corners and blonde wood make me wanna puke. Blah.

  I don't think Dax likes this table either. 
Who's Dax?  She's inspiration behind The Speckled Dog.

Now check out the fabulous makeover our friend Kristi from The Speckled Dog did!

The harlequin design is an unexpected detail that I really really dig.

I'm sure Dax loves it too.

Click here to check the details of this makeover.

Thanks for the inspiration Kristi!

Rock n' Roll 3

Do you remember our Rockin' Rocker redo?

Check out Megan's version of our rocker from Crazy Domestic. 

Pretty sweet, right?

Her fabric choice is beautiful!

Tree Swing DIY

Part One:

How To Prepare Your Chair To Become An Outdoor Swing

Look for Part Two: How To Hang Your Swing early next week

Step One:

Find your chair or bench

This is an example of what NOT to do.

(I wish I had more pictures. I didn't prepare for a DIY tutorial when we were making the swing.)

When searching for the perfect chair or bench to turn into a swing you want to look for solid wood construction with little or no upholstery.  We choose this chair because of it's shape, construction and because it was in the 'trash' bin at our local thrift shop!  $8!!

I love chairs and I've collected too many.  This chair needed a new function.

Step Two:

Prep your wood and weatherproof your upholstery

Prep your wood for painting by cleaning and lightly sanding it.  Repair any problem areas and make sure all nails and screws are tight.

Weatherproofing this upholstered seat was easy.  I removed the seat from the chair by unfastening the screws that held it in place.  Then began removing the layers of upholstery.  The second layer I found was this lovely vintage checker pattern in practically perfect condition.  I wanted to keep it. 

In order to protect it from water damage, melted popsicles and other messes, I simply placed a layer of plastic between the cushion and the fabric.  To do this, I removed the original upholstery from the cushion and then stapled it back in place with the layer of heavy duty plastic underneath it.  Simple!

By wrapping the cushion in a layer of plastic before the upholstery you accomplish two things.

1. Rain and water wont seep into the cushion and create a breeding ground for mildew and mold.

2. You make your cushion washable. My kids love this swing and have already spilled on it. I can simply hose the cushion off, let it sit in the sun for a hour and then put it back on the swing.

 

To complete the weatherproofing, we used a waterproofing spray.  You can use a scotch guard or similar product but on this particular chair we used some left over Nikwax Waterproofing spray which is usually used for outdoor camping gear like tents and jackets.  You can find Scotch Guard at any home goods store and Nikwax at most sporting goods stores.  I prefer Nikwax over most other products because it's heavy duty and also protects from the sun.  In Arizona it's not the rain we have to worry about, it's the damage from the sun.

Step Three:

Paint the chair and weatherproof the wood.

Since this swing was intended to be outside among the elements we used an exterior paint with a self primer.  We applied 3 fairly thin layers of paint making sure to cover all the seams and especially around the caning on the chair.  The chair dried thoroughly before we applied 2 polyurethane coats to protect it from the sun and rain.  This is the product we used.

 

Tip: When using products that layer on each other like paint and polyurethane always use water-based paint with water-based polyurethane and oil-based paint with oil-based polyurethane.

Step Three: 

Drill your holes and tie your knots

When you hang your swing you want it to tilt backwards slightly to create a comfortable place to sit.  Think about this concept when you drill the holes for you rope.  We drilled 6 holes.  Two in the front and four in the back.

The holes in the front look like this:

The holes drilled on the backside of the chair look like this:

On the backside of your chair or bench you will want to drill two holes on each side.  This will help stabilize your swing so it doesn't tip back all the way and dump you out on the grass!  Notice how we drilled the holes so when we put the rope through it's on a diagonal.  This adds extra support and strength.

Once you've drilled your holes, string your rope through the holes.  If you haven't gone to Harbor Freight yet, you should.  We bought about 75 feet of braided poly rope for less than $5.  It's perfect. It's heavy duty, mildew and rot resistant, will stretch a little and hold a capacity of about 250lbs. 

Next, it's time to tie your knots.  I'm not exactly sure what this knot is called (maybe a half-hitch) but I like it for two reasons.

1.  It's the kind of knot that when you put pressure and weight on it, it tightens it's grip.  So it will never come undone and risk dumping you out of your swing.

2.  It looks like a pretty braid when your finished.

Step 1: String your rope through your holes leaving 1-2 feet of rope to work with.

Step 2: Wrap the loose end of the rope around the back of the rope that will be hanging from your tree or porch.  Then pull the end underneath itself.  See step 3 for more details on this.

Step 3:  # 1 Pull the rope up. #2 Pull the rope behind the other piece. #3 Pull the end underneath itself.

This action is also known as "the rabbit (the end piece of your rope) goes around the tree (#2) and then into the hole (#3)"

Step 4: Pull tightly and you will create your first knot.

Step 5:  Do it again.  The rabbit goes around the tree (#2) and through the hole (#3).

Step 6: Then pull tightly.

Take the rabbit around the tree and through the hole as many times as you like.  When your finished, burn the end of your rope to keep it from fraying.

And that's it!  Complete the other sides of your chair and soon you'll be ready to hang up your swing.

I hope you didn't cut the legs of your chair off yet!  They'll be helpful in hanging your swing. 

Hanging the swing in your tree can be tricky.  Tune in next week for Part 2: How To Hang Your Tree Swing.  We found a method that is simple and works well.  Your swing will hang evenly and it also allows for you to easily remove your swing from the tree.  This is especially helpful for winter storage or if you live in the Southwest like me, storage from monsoon season! 

So that's Part One! 

As always if you have any specific questions please email me here.

The Controversy

Did you read the controversy about our trash chair turned tree swing

that was featured on the popular online magazine

Apartment Therapy?
Click the Apartment Therapy and read the comments.

Well, all your questions will be answered tomorrow in a complete DIY

including how to tie the knots and weatherproof outdoor furniture!

Tree Swing

Currently, I'm in love with all things outdoors...

patios, outdoor rooms, gardens, fresh air and summer.

So today, I'm displaying a tree swing built by my Man.

We found this poor sad little throw-away chair,

$8 at the local thrift shop.

The uphostery was clean and and in good condition so we kept it.

And I really like the retro pattern.

We painted, drilled and sawed.

Now, it's the perfect little hideaway in our secret garden.

Click here for Part 1 of the
DIY: Tree Swing tutorial

Miss Mustard Seed Between Naps on the Porch The Girl Creative Keeping it Simple The Persimmon Perch Skip to My Lou Making the World Cuter A Soft Place to Land Tip Junkie Today’s Creative Blog Cottage Dreamers Reinvented The Thrifty Home My Backyard Eden We Are THAT Family The Trendy Treehouse Women Who Do it All Blue Cricket Design Someday Crafts Beyond the Picket Fence Somewhat Simple Life as Lori The Shabby Chic Cottage The Shabby Nest My Romantic Home It’s Fun to Craft Fingerprints on the Fridge Beyond the Picket Fence Somewhat Simple Kojo Designs Remodelaholic Finding Fabulous

Peppertowne has been featured on some amazing blogs, please stop by and check them out! 

Apartment Therapy 

Mustard Seed Creations

Blue Cricket Design

Tatertots and Jello

Under the Table and Dreaming
Life as Lori 
Green Your Decor

If you've featured us and we missed it, please let us know, we'd love to give you a link back!

window seat taa-daa!

Confession:  I lost the 'before' picture for this project.

I swear I took the pic.  But where is it?

I've search through the endless piles of photo chaos on my computer.  Oh, don't judge me.  You know the photo chaos...you've been lost in it too. 

The abyss of unmarked photos scattered all over your computer.  

Promise: I promise to save my pictures in a marked and uber-organized way.  At lease until I'm in a hurry or the cheese quesadillas are burning...

Craigslist rules!  I found a photo similar to the coffee table I originally bought.

My coffee table cost me $10 bucks.  But, I needed a window seat!  

I was looking something with modern lines and a neutral feel.

TAA-DAA!!

This was an easy project with some basic upholstery. 

Step #1: Prep and paint the wood frame.

After removing the lovely smoke mirrored glass, I painted the table and then sanded up the edges a bit to let the dark wood show through.

Step #2: Cut some wood board to replace the glass mirrors. 

Step #3: Cut a piece of foam for the bench seat.  The best way to cut foam is a band saw.  But if you don't have one, the second best way is with a sereded kitchen knife.

Glue the foam to the board using spray adhesive.

Step #4: Using a staple gun, cover the foam with a liner cloth. 

Securely staple on the backside of the board.  Use a firm even pressure around the edges.  As you can see in the picture, I use my body weight to push foam in and then staple the fabric.  This makes a nice rounded edge on your seat. 

Step #5: Cover your seat with the upholstery fabric.

Using the same technique as the liner cloth, use a firm even pressure and staple the fabric in place.  Always cut away and excess fabric.  Pull your corners in and staple them like crazy. Remember, the underside of your project doesn't have to look perfect.  This is not an art of perfection...and that's why I love it!  Also, I'm using an air powered staple gun, which is the bomb.  If you don't have access to one of these, a hand powered gun is great.  I've done many many project with a hand gun.

Step #6: Staple your trim.

Adding a trim gives finished look to your project.  Here I choose a burlap natural fiber that fit in with my neutral scheme.  Simply, staple the trim along the edge of your board. 

 

Here's a trick I learned from a great upholsterer, when the two ends of your trim meet, simply unravel the ends, cross them over each other and staple in place on the underside of the board. This way your cushion will fit perfectly without the added bulk of the extra trim.

 Step #7: Put your bench together.

Add a few L brackets to secure your seat.

That's it!

Enjoy your bench!

Miss Mustard Seed Cottage Instincts Between Naps on the Porch The Girl Creative It’s so Very Cheri Keeping it Simple The Persimmon Perch Sumo’s Sweet Stuff Skip to My Lou Making the World Cuter A Soft Place to Land Tip Junkie Between Silly Little Sparrow Today’s Creative Blog Cottage Dreamers My Frugal Family Reinvented The Thrifty Home My Backyard Eden We Are THAT Family The Trendy Treehouse Women Who Do it All Blue Cricket Design Someday Crafts Just a Girl Beyond the Picket Fence Somewhat Simple Tales from Blogaritaville Life as Lori The Shabby Chic Cottage The Shabby Nest My Romantic Home It’s Fun to Craft Fingerprints on the Fridge Just a Girl Beyond the Picket Fence Somewhat Simple Tales from Blogaritaville Kojo Designs Remodelaholic Finding Fabulous