Two were bought from a yard sale a bajillion years ago and the other three were given to me by my sister.
I hate them, but the money to buy new stools still eludes me and I hate the thought of dropping $60 - $150 per stool for something that will get all nasty from my kids anyway. Have you seen how often I clean?
I copied a craft idea from Martha Stewart.
Step 1: Sand finish off tops of stools with your son. Tell him it might count for some cub scouts thing (it won't, apparently). When you can't get the stubborn finish off one of the stools, tell your husband about it and let him sand it for a full hour while you set up the trampoline in the backyard with your kids. (When you set the trampoline up wrong, call him back to help you with that. When he gives you a rubber mallet to hammer the legs onto the frame, don't worry if your whacking and smacking breaks the mallet several times over.)
Step 2: Apply two coats of cheap acrylic white craft paint.
Step 3: Use scrapbooking double-sided tape that comes out of those little roller applicator thingies and apply the stencils you jimmy-rigged to the top of each stool. Don't expect the tape to come off with the stencil even though it's advertised as "re-positionable."
Step 4: Apply two coats of cute, obnoxious-colored acrylic paint (don't follow Martha's lead here, she picked boring colors) quickly. REMOVE the stencils as soon as you've applied good coverage. If you wait for the paint to dry you will permanently adhere your stencil to the stool. Promise.
Step 5: Touch-up paint where necessary. Then add two coats of clear polyurethane sealer without regard to between-coats drying times.
Step 6: Set stools in garage to dry for 24 hours, hoping the fumes will asphyxiate the cat.
Step 7: Enjoy, knowing full well that they're going to get grody and nasty in no time.
15 comments:
Holy cow, those turned out SO cute! And as a bonus they are all different colors- something your kids can fight over - "I wanted to sit on the pink one!" I can hear it now. :)
PS, I was a little nervous in the first picture that it was a photo of the finished product and I was so puzzled as to why you picked out a pumpkin scrapbooking paper design for it - then I scrolled down and was very happy to see it was just a step-by-step. :)
Tia, I thought the same thing about the first picture. Beth, they turned out so cute. Don't let the kids use them. "These are just for looking at!" Way to go Beffy! Seriously so cute!!!!
BETH!!!!!!!! They are so dang cute. I'm glad you came out of retirement. Plus, the instructions are hysterical. I wish you would stand around giving me instructions for every day things--I would love to be that entertained all the time. (The fumes killing the cat. So funny!)
Oooh, I really like them. And I really like your crafting process. I hope you come out of blogging retirement more often.
Well done dear!
You're amazing Beth!!!
Two thumbs up!!! Makes me wish I had a bar and stools to paint.
What on earth?!? How'd you make those so cute, you crafter you? I love them. But what else would I expect from the Estrasasanda? Can you come up and go to lunch with me again sometime, by the way? I need an excuse to eat that sandwich again, conallit.
Beffy, I am so impressed. I may have an opportunity for stools in my next house and if so I'm TOTALLY making these.
You're amazing.
The stools are really fun. Startling, bold, fun. But I am most deeply charmed by your process, and your no-nonesense presentation. I feel much better about myself now. And that's why I read blogs, of course.
P.S. Did the cat make it?
I actually like it w/ just the stencil. That was a cool pattern on it. :)
Nice! I've got some stools you can re-decorate!
Good grief! These are amazing. But seriously, I think the incredible part is that you FINISHED a craft of enormous magnitude, and you have FIVE KIDS!!! Woah. I knew you were my idol for a reason.
Cute! I have a wagon wheel theme going at my house too.
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