UsedEverywhere.com

Buying Toys Used is Great (If You Know How to Clean Them)

My mom and I had a similar dilemma last week regarding baby toys: She was out shopping and saw this adorable elephant toy.  It was really soft and had cellophane ears for baby to munch on and a belly that rattled. She wanted to buy it for her grandson but when she looked on the label, it said you couldn’t throw it in the washing machine or dishwasher to clean. She wasn’t sure how to wash it but bought it anyways (she can’t resist not buying something for her grandson!), with the idea of asking me how to clean it properly before giving it to him.

My dilemma was that I had gone a bit crazy on UsedVic last week and bought our six month old son Grayson a ton of baby toys and kids’ toys for some amazing prices. (On a side note, I have no idea how baby toy companies can justify charging $20 plus dollars on tiny baby toys that babies only chew on a few times! I think it’s criminal to charge that much for a toy just because of its’ brand…I won’t name names but Albert would be shocked at how much they are charging for his name!)

I managed to find someone selling six baby toys (two of which were brand new and two who were made by “Albert”) and only paid $10!! Check these out:

These would cost over $60 dollars brand new!

The other killer deal was all of these toys for $40!!!

This exact toy is selling brand new for $40...I got the whole lot for the same price!

The baby toys all had care tags, like the one my mom had purchased, stating you couldn’t throw them in the wash. The large lot of toys were mostly made of plastic so I definitely couldn’t throw them in the washer unless I wanted to make abstract melted plastic art!  Note: some hard plastic toys can be washed in the dishwasher but make sure they say you can on a label somewhere…don’t just assume! So the question we both faced was this…how the heck do you clean all these toys?

It’s not a simple question as you have to take into account that your child is going to put everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, into his or her mouth as soon as they get their hands on it! ( My son recently thought he could try to fit our 22 pound tabby cat into his mouth…he only ended up with a mouthfull of orange fur and a disappointed look on his face!)

This was taken just before the attack...I didn't get an actual picture of it as I was too busy pulling cat hair out of his mouth.

I started doing some research on good ol’ Mister Google and came up with a couple of ideas that I thought may be helpful to those of you out there who also like to spoil your children with toys from the VV or UV Boutique (aka. Valure Village and UsedVic! I always think you can make second-hand places sound much more posh if you add the word “Boutique” to the end of each name) but still want to be able to send them to college. I decided to go with the all natural way of cleaning as you really don’t want to put any chemical cleaners on those toys knowing they will always end up in your baby’s mouth.

 All Natural Ways to Clean Toys

I couldn’t believe how simple and inexpensive it is to clean toys with all natural products and you already have them in your house:

Baking Soda and Vinegar

Cleaning fabric or plastic toys that can’t go in the washer or dishwasher:  Mix one cup of white vinegar with one cup of warm water. Spray toys with the mixture of vinegar and warm water and wipe down with a soft cloth. This applies to fabric baby toys and plastic toys that can’t go in the dishwasher. Also I found that some of the used car toys I bought had the stickers peeling away quite badly so, after spraying them, I just took a butter knife to them and scraped off all the stickers. They looked a lot newer after this.

Before being cleaned...

After!

Cleaning plastic toys that are heat-resistant: place plastic toys that are heat-resistant (make sure it says so on the label first) in the dishwater on the top rack. Wash as normal (I wouldn’t add detergent, just use the heat to clean) and let dry fully before returning them to the toy box. If you want, you could also spray them down afterwards with the vinegar solution just to be on the safer side.

Cleaning stuffed animals that you cannot put in the washing machine: Put them into a large plastic bag and liberally sprinkle them with baking soda. Shake the toy in the bag and let stand for 15 minutes. Vacuum or brush off the baking soda.

After spending a Sunday afternoon of cleaning, with these helpful tips, my affordable toy finds looked almost brand new!

So next time you find a wonderful, but rather dirty, used toy at your local thrift store, remember that a little elbow grease and some good ol’ vinegar and baking soda can put that toy happily and safely into your child’s hands and mouth!

Coupon Tip of the Week:  Here’s great way to spread the Coupon Karma around.  Next time you are in the grocery story with your binder of coupons, leave a few coupons next to the matching product on the shelf if you know you’re not going to use them.  That way the next person who does need that grocery item will be pleasantly surprised to find a coupon they can use to lessen their grocery bill that day! I’ve left coupons a few times and the Coupon Karma Fairy has always paid me back with coupons I’ve needed, found in the grocery aisle.  It’s all about spreading the Coupon Love!!

A peek inside my collections: Found Art

This particular collection began around the same time I was making Artist Trading Cards. It fed into my love for odd found objects (like this note or this toy for example). I liked the romance of it. I like to imagine where these little things came from. Every thing has a story, and it’s those stories that fascinate me. Found items are capsules of tiny stories that are lost forever, tokens of our collected history.

It began with this:

I found it half buried in the snow. I called the number but there was never an answer. Instead of tossing this into the garbage I set it aside. I couldn’t help myself. Its lost story intrigued me.

This was the beginning of my Found Art project.

Before you all go thinking that I’m some kind of hoarder, I’m not. Exactly. There is rhyme and reason here. I only keep a small selection of what I find. Only certain things are worthy of being kept.

Every item is sealed in a tiny plastic bag and kept in a side table that has special storage under the lid and is reserved just for this purpose. Ironically, the table itself was also a roadside find.

Of course, my kids, being the magpies that they are, have been interested in mummy’s found art project since the beginning. Toddlers are already walking slowly, with heads down, ready to examine every bug, stone, or crack in the sidewalk they meet. Admittedly, their idea of “treasure” terrified me sometimes, because every once in awhile I’d hear them yelling “FOUND ART!” with undue glee and catch them reaching for pretty shards of broken glass. But they quickly learned what made for good finds and not-so-good finds. They have to be original specimens with a story that can be easily imagined.

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DIY Christmas Morning Mug-Huggers

If you’re searching for a creative (and inexpensive) gift for a special friend, one that doesn’t create too much clutter, the Christmas Morning Mug Hugger is the project for you!

It doesn’t take much know-how or prep and before you know it you’ll have cute Christmas morning treats for everyone on your list.

Here’s how in five easy steps:

1. Acquire mugs. I recommend not purchasing new mugs, mostly because there are so many unique and interesting (and cheap!) used mugs out there. Last year my workplace was clearing funky mugs out to bring in some classy ones so I snagged practically an entire set for free!

2. Purchase single/sample size hot drinks. If you’re really hard-up for cash you can probably find someone who collects hotel coffee who will give them up for your project, but actually you can grab a pack of single serving instant coffee or hot chocolate for quite a low price from just about any cafe or grocery store.

3. Purchase a single/sample size mixer or liqueur. This will be the most expensive part of your Mug Hugger. I would go for Baileys but really this is a take-it-or-leave-it step.

4. Purchase or make gift bags. When I put these together I found really inexpensive gift bags at a dollar store, but just last week someone in my building put a whole box full of tiny gift bags in the “giveaway” section of our building, so you really can find them anywhere. If you can sew a straight line you can easily create simple baggies, as well. Just measure out the size you need from some stash fabric and sew until it holds something!

5. Make your mug hugger! This is the most labour-intensive part. It’s a simple knitting pattern you can download or make up for yourself. All you need is a tiny bit of yarn and a few buttons. If you get really creative you can add ribbon, jingle bells, or whatever else you feel will give your mug hugger the edge it needs.

When you put it all together it makes a really lovely gift—why not try it out?

Don't Hate, Decorate.

An adventure in clothes swapping: Not as risque as it sounds

THE TRADING POST

If you’ve never participated in a clothing swap, the rules are simple: bring the requested minimum number of items (in this case, three), lay them out on the labelled tables, then wait for the start of the swap to jump on the clothes you like. Try them on, and return what doesn’t work out. Take as much or a little as you like. It’s that simple.

Last Thursday, my husband and I attended a clothing swap, hosted by Ef Magazine, called Swapapalooza; I also had the distinct pleasure of supporting the event in my role as Marketing Ninja for UsedOttawa.com, providing tote bags for swappers as well as other cool swag. I knew that on a professional level, we definitely wanted to support this event in any way we could, but to be honest, I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy the actual swap, myself. Both my husband and I brought along an armful of clothes, though, figuring we’d at least contribute to the goods available. I’m so glad we did, because I was totally unprepared for the awesomeness that is a clothing swap.

WHY IT WORKS:

I couldn’t imagine how this system could work out. Surely there would be a shortage of clothing? Surely we’d all be vying for the same pretty skirt, tearing at each other like wild dogs? Or surely everyone would bring the worst of the worst clothing from the back of their closets? I brought about a half-dozen pieces myself, and I lay my treasures out on the various tables, feeling a little shy about people seeing my clothing, most of which was no longer my style. But no one was judging, only analyzing my castoffs to see if they would now find a new home with a new body. I found myself spying several lovely items as I perused the tables before the swap started, and was happy to discover many diamonds in the rough.

My swapped outfit.

Why wasn’t there a shortage of clothing? Well, first off, many people brought more than the bare minimum. When someone promises you that anything you bring will get a new home either with a swapper or with charity at the end of the night, you tend to bring anything you’ve been ready to part with. One girl actually brought a giant Tupperware tub full of clothes, so there was a seemingly endless supply of things to touch, hold up, and try on. Oh, and for anyone out there who’s an unusual size, height, width, or shape, no worries: when there’s enough people attending, you’re bound to find something that will work for you.

Why weren’t we all fighting over the same outfit? Because every person had a different personal style. Miniature floral prints suit many ladies, but they make me look about eighty years old; so naturally, I didn’t fight anyone for those pieces. Knee-length sweaters are a nuisance to a sporty girl, but to a Gilmore Girls fanatic like myself, any long sweater is just another chance to look a bit more like Lorelai. There was, I will confess, one glittery silver dress that I pined for after another woman grabbed it (and took it home without even trying it on, SIGH), but other than that, I think I got a chance to try on everything else that caught my eye.

By the end of the night, all but one of my pieces had found a new home, and I had found about five stunning new-to-me treasures to bring back home. My outfit today, seen here, is actually ¾ from the swap—everything but the jeans! (Sorry for the messy room, we’re packing for our moving day next week—another reason why it was great to bring a bunch of old clothes and be rid of them at the swap!)

LESSONS FROM THE SWAP EXPERIENCE (AND TIPS FROM A FASHION KNOW-IT-ALL):

I learned a couple things while helping to keep the clothes folded and tidy on the tables throughout the evening:

The swap was hosted by Bowich, an organic sandwich joint!

-People were giving away a lot of muted colours, like beige, brown, grey, and black. The question is, did they end up in the swap pile because the women who first bought them felt as drab in them as they looked on the table? Or do we over-purchase on dark neutrals?

-Some of the black fabrics had that faded look of too many washes. Holding onto your clothes for another season may simply mean that you need to buy a colour-friendly or cold-water laundry soap.

-There appeared to be a lot of discarded items made of that infamous jersey knit. You know the stuff: thicker than a tee shirt, thinner than a sweatshirt, and usually used to make camisoles and tank tops. The problem with jersey knit: it’s cotton, which means it stretches and shrinks—and usually in all the wrong places. If you like these styles, treat them with some extra love and they may not end up in the swap pile as quickly: wash in cold water, then lay flat to dry or hang over a towel rack…don’t hang them on a hanger or by the straps while they’re wet because they’ll stretch.

-This next piece of advice is something I’ve been wanting to share for a while. In a past life, I received my training in image consulting, and actually worked many years as a cosmetics artist. So trust me when I tell you what I tell you next. Wildly trendy prints will end up in your swap basket—and that’s okay, but beware how much you pay for it if you’re going to toss it the next year. What will also end up in the swap bin: clothing that is cut in a trendy-but-unflattering style. I’ll say this now and only once: you have to be very flat-bellied to wear anything high-waisted. And if you are busty, don’t wear a empire-cut dress or blouse, or you will look like you are the width of your bust the whole way down: accentuate hour glass shape with something more fitted. And pleats belong on super models and the guys from Mad Men, so stop torturing yourself with them. Oh, and please be kind to your body: pause and ask yourself if that miniskirt that rises all the way up to your underwire is actually flattering…or is it that you just really want to look like the American Apparel model, despite the fact that you can’t walk around all day contorting your torso for maximum positional flattery?

 STAPLES VERSUS SPLASHES IN YOUR WARDROBE:

The best way to buy your wardrobe: spend the extra dollars on your staple pieces—jeans, tights, tops, and underwear—and then go wild with a few items per season. A swap can be a great place to try something outside your comfort zone: I usually hate a heavy-knit tunic, but the purple one in my photo here turned out to be lovely on me. Or maybe it’s the time you try a splash of colour or trendy print. When the only cost of an item is the effort of bringing in one to exchange for it, you can afford to go a little wild.

Now that I have experienced a clothing swap, I’ll be looking for more to attend. I’ve already started saving up a few more items of my own to bring. What was old is new again, and hey: maybe I’ll even get a swing at that sparkly dress next swap around.

Helpful Tips (and Warnings) for First Time Parents

I almost bought this book on UsedVic then realized it wasn't written for new parents...Darn!

My little boy Grayson is turning 6-months-old next week and I think I’m in shock over how quickly it has all gone. As my friend Anita said yesterday “Where is the pause button?” It got me thinking about how overwhelming it can be as a new mom in those first 6 months and how thankful I am for my mom friends who were there for me, giving me such good advice. My favourite advice came when my little man decided it was time to inaugurate me into the official mommy club by pooping on me. I had been forewarned by my friends with kids that this would eventually happen; I just didn’t know when or how. Here’s how it all went down:

I was attending my best friend’s four-year-old’s birthday party so I’d gotten a bit dolled up and wore my favourite TAN skirt and my BRAND NEW tank top. I was bouncing my little bundle of joy on my lap while chatting with friends when suddenly I heard the familiar sound, “Toooooooooooooot.” Now, something you should know about my son: He hates getting dirty and so he always lets me know right away when he’s pooped by crying (this is actually a hereditary trait passed down from his father who also hates all things messy…and may also sometimes cry about it.  Tee-hee). As he was still happily cooing, I assumed this was just gas…Oh how I was wrong!

Look how happy and totally unaware I am of what is about to happen! Though, the look on my son's face makes me think he knew!

I smelled something all too familiar, so I lifted up my son to find myself covered in bright neon orange nastiness!  Obviously the bouncing motion had helped move the mess from the bottom of the diaper and gradually squished it up his back, allowing it to billow out of his pants and all onto me!

I quickly passed my son to his father, who held him about 3 feet away from his body (remember his fear of things messy) while I grabbed a bunch of wipes (about 100, I think) and began wiping what I could from Grayson and my clothing. After changing my son and sarcastically thanking my husband for his help, I looked down to find my skirt and shirt still stained bright orange. Luckily, I was surrounded by parents who gave  helpful hints on how get these stains out for good.

This made me think of some of other helpful hints – the kind you won’t find in the parenting books you read for 9 months. This is advice I’ve received from my veteran parent friends since having a baby and so I thought I would pass them along to brand new parents out there.

1. When (not if) you get baby poop on your clothes, immediately wipe it with cold water. Then when you get home, fill up a sink with cold water only and let these clothes sit in there for DAYS. Each day rub the material together to release some of the stain until you can no longer see it and then throw it in the regular wash. This saved my favourite skirt.

2. If you’re carrying your baby around in a car seat and he’s crying, lift the car seat straight up in the air and back down several times and this will usually stop him from crying. I think it just confuses them more than anything.

3. If you have to give your baby liquid medicine with an eye dropper, blow on their face as soon as you have feed them the medicine.  The blowing triggers an automatic response to swallow so they won’t spit it back up in your face. This works till they are about 6 months (I tried it recently and no luck!)

4. Do not change your newborn baby on anything you do not want to throw away. I.e. Your couch or the quilt your great grandma just made for the baby. Their first few stinkers come out as sticky black tar and nothing, I mean NOTHING, gets these stains out.

5. Don’t bother buying a ton of either newborn or 0-3 month size clothing as your little one will grow out of them before you have time to blink.  We seriously have 20 outfits he never had a chance to wear.

Finally, the best advice I received from my friends is this: When you are totally sleep deprived, haven’t showered in 4 days and are sick of wearing the “Eau De Parfum Baby Spit Up”,  just remember that this is all TEMPORARY. So try to relax and enjoy every second watching your precious baby grow.

Hope these tips help and remember you WILL get pooped on so just laugh it off and hope you’re somewhere near a sink.

A peek inside my collections: my china

Over the past few months I’ve been doing a bit of a show and tell around my different collections. This one is a bit different because I think it’s the type of collection that many people have at home too: wedding china.

It was 1998. My husband Mark and I decided to choose our china pattern and register for place settings at the Bay. It didn’t take long to find a pattern we liked there. (Or should I say *I* liked, because I think I was one the driving this one.) We settled on a Wedgwood pattern called India, and I love it to this day. The sunny yellow, the simple non-fussy floral design with the delicate gold rims, it still makes me happy. Here are a couple quick snaps of it in our hutch. (Ha. I just realized there’s a bird’s nest in the cup at the back there.)

For awhile my in-laws bought us pieces to fill out the set, things like serving dishes and cream and sugar bowls. They made lovely gifts because these weren’t things we’d really ever buy for ourselves. They even bought us a special edition serving tray autographed by Sarah, Duchess of York.

We use our fine china on special occasions but I want to try and use it more often. What’s the point of having lovely tableware if you don’t use it? I certainly understand that there’s a risk that if we use it, it might break … but it’s not totally irreplaceable. Our pattern is still “active,” so there’s a lot of it out there. There is a thriving industry in old patterns as well, and there is actually Wedgwood on the UsedOttawa site right now (although nothing in our pattern) but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen. (I’m waiting for the day someone decides to sell these Wedgwood noodle bowls.)

What’s the story behind your wedding china? Do you use it? Do you still love it? Do you still collect it? I’d love to hear about it!

Buying Used Tech Gear: It's Okay Today

CANON Rebel XTi Digital SLR Kit $500 via UsedVictoria.com

Do you want to buy some new tech gear, but your budget is a little tight? Does buying second-hand electronics make you nervous? Well, hopefully I can help put your mind at ease. I buy used tech gear a few times a year (both for myself and for others,) and it’s something I advocate to friends and family on a regular basis. Armed with some research and a few pointers, you can safely and successfully buy used.

The simultaneously frustrating and incredible fact of buying electronics is that they don’t stay “new” for very long.  Kraft Dinner boxes can be labelled “new” right on the box for over a year, but that just doesn’t fly in the world of technology. By the time a new Apple iPad hits the shelves, the inventors are already working on the next two generations that will hit the market over a year later. Brand loyalists will continue to buy each and every model that is released. And while they feed their addiction to that new-tech smell, you can pick up their “old gear” for a good price. You just have to keep a few things in mind:

Do your research

Part of making an informed decision is researching what you want to buy. There are hundreds of review sites out there and if that specific electronic device is known for being a lemon (or consistently receives one and a half out of five stars,) then maybe think a little harder on whether or not you want to try it out for yourself.

Inspect before you buy

One thing to remember when purchasing electronic equipment is that it’s best if you can inspect it before you buy it. This is a no-brainer if you’re buying in-store, but it’s usually impossible if you’re using an online auction site like eBay. Sellers often post stock photos they’ve grabbed from product websites instead of a photo of the actual item you’re bidding on. And don’t forget the shipping & handling fees, plus border fees if you’re buying outside your country.

Right now, I’m in the market for a camera – a Canon Rebel, or perhaps a SONY DSLR… I’m still undecided over what I want, but I know I’ll buy used. Have you seen the price of a new Digital SLR recently? Spending more than $2000 on a new camera just isn’t in my budget right now. Especially when I can get the same specs for half the price and professional photographers are known to keep their equipment in fantastic condition.  I’ll probably be able to purchase the whole kit too (camera body, lenses, memory cards, even a bag to hold it all in) from one seller. Not many retailers offer affordable package prices for camera kits these days (it’s like buying a car, where the seat belt costs extra,) and if they did, the camera itself is usually at the lower end quality-wise.

Another benefit of purchasing electronics on local classified sites is that you can often pick up your item on the same day that you’ve seen the ad online. Instant gratification! And remember that if you keep your electronics in good condition you can list your gear on one of the UsedSites and put the money you make toward an upgrade. All in all, most electronics have a good shelf life, so you can live a in a frugal world and still have great technology to keep you going.

A Little DIY Chair Makeover for Your Weekend

Remember this post about the perfect pair of chairs I bought via UsedRegina?

Goodbye country blue velvet and pink gimp...

Well, after some hard work, some free babysitting from the grandmas, and a whole lotta’ staples, we have some snazzy “new” chairs!  Hooray!

Hello, Beautifuls

And here’s what I did…

*DISCLAIMER* I am in no way professional.  I have never taken an upholstery class.  I haven’t even read an upholstery book. (gulp.)  But I’ve upholstered 3.5 chairs and half a couch to date.  And I’ve read a lot of blogs on the matter.  So.  If you’re looking for some serious knowledge, I may be a poor source.  If you’re looking for a creative I-can-do-it-and-so-can-you tutorial, keep reading!  If you’re a real upholsterer… please leave some comments to tell us the proper way to do it!

STEP ONE: DECONSTRUCTION

An important, though tedious stage. AAAaaand you might even find old spare change.  SCORE.

Begin taking the chair apart carefully, studying how it was assembled.  Take lots of pictures as you go.  Save all the pieces for future reference.  And as you remove the fabric label each piece so that you know where it came from (“inside right”, “seat”, etc.).  For this I usually just use a Sharpie marker and write it right on the old fabric.

This process of deconstruction will mostly include removing staples.  A lot of staples.  You’re going to begin to despise staples.    You’ll go out with friends and find twisted old staples in your pockets.  Your hands will be sore and gnarled from the time spent removing staples.  You’ll begin to dream about removing staples.  OK, I’m being a bit melodramatic.  But I feel it’s only fair to warn you that this process is crummy.  And this can take a while.  So put on a good movie (or, like, every single extended-cut film in the Lord of the Rings series), and begin removing the little suckers.  For this I just used a flat head screw driver to lift them out, and a pair of pliers for back up when those dang staples got stubborn.

STEP TWO: CHOOSE YOUR FABRIC

I chose Dwell Studio's Bella Porte in Brindle from Robert Allen

For upholstery you want to make sure the fabric you choose fits the following criteria:

1. Reasonably priced.  Because you’ll need plenty - especially if you mess up.  And a major motive of DIY is being Mr. Cheapy McCheaperson, right?

2. Proper weight.  Look for home decor fabric that is good for upholstery (the fabric description should say this).  You want something that, when pulled, doesn’t stretch and go all wonky.  You should be able to hold it up to the light and not see much, or any light shine through it.  And you should be able to rub it together and not find it pilling, shedding, or creating any other undesirable fuzz, goo, or gunk.

3. So Freakin’ Awesome.  After the work you put in you’d better love this chair.  And loving the fabric is key to this.

Also consider that if you’re using a patterned fabric that you may need to have extra fabric on hand so that you can centre the pattern on the seat or back.  If your pattern is a geometric print you’ll need to especially watch that the pattern matches up (if that’s important to you).

OPTIONAL STEP: REFINISHING FRAME/LEGS

If your piece has a visible frame or legs you may want to consider refinishing it with stain or paint.  For me, I wanted my chairs to look more modern, so I painted them a great off-white called “Bisque” from the Sarah Richardson collection for Para paints.

"Bisque" SR44 from Para Paint

I used Para’s oil paint for a hard-wearing, slightly glossy finish.

STEP THREE: CUT YOUR PIECES

Using the old chair fabric as a template for the new chair fabric

Now take all of the fabric pieces you carefully removed, labelled, and set aside (riiight?), and use them as templates to cut new pieces of fabric.

If there is pattern on your fabric make sure it is centered nicely, and that the different pieces will line up according to your liking

I ended up redoing the side panels on my first chair to get the "circle" motif to line up.

OPTIONAL STEP: RE-BUILDING THE CHAIR

Some people buy and cut new foam.  But I’m too cheap to do this.  Some people redo the springs, coils, webbing, or whatever else hides inside your chair.  I’m too lazy to do this.  I just make sure I find sturdy, clean old chairs and re-use what’s there.  But if you wanna’ go all keener on me,you’d better go Google how to do all that other stuff.

STEP FOUR: ASSEMBLE YOUR CHAIR.

Now, before I proceed you should know why I wanted to upholster these particular chairs.  It’s because of their wooden frame, and because the fabric is in “panels” on the seat back.  I’ve upholstered a chair with construction like this before (a Louis style chair), and it is infinitely easier than doing a chair where the staples are all hidden (like my wingback chair which is STILL in process after almost a year.)  Because with chairs like this, you just staple away then cover the staples with glue and cord.

For the seat I stretched the fabric over the seat, tucking in the corners around the legs, and stapling it in place.  Once you’ve positioned the fabric, put only a few staples on each side at first so that you can adjust the fabric as needed.  After that you can staple it like you’ve never stapled before.

For the back panels there are four pieces:

The layers in the back panels

There is the fabric that faces out on the back of the chair, a piece of cardboard to back it, a piece of foam for the inside of the chair, and the fabric that faces the inside of the chair.  I start by dotting the cardboard with a bit of hot glue and positioning the outward-facing fabric onto it.

Glue is your friend.

I place the cardboard and fabric into the frame.  (This should fit snugly and stay in place on its own.)  Then I line up the inside fabric on the foam and pin that onto the cardboard.  I attach it with a staple or two on each side and make sure it is positioned properly.  Once I confirm that it is I staple the snot out of it.

Holding the foam and inside fabric in place.

As far as staplers go, I’ve found it useful to have two staplers on hand: I have my electric staple gun loaded with heavy-duty staples, and my manual staple gun with a lighter weight staple.  Depending on the part of the frame I’m stapling it to, the position of the staple, etc. I tend to use both.  And if you have access to an air-compression stapler USE IT.  Life will be much easier.  And your hands will like you much better.  They may even forgive you after the pain they suffered removing the old staples.

STEP FIVE: COVER THAT UGLY MESS OF STAPLES.

Since your staples are exposed you need to cover them.  You can buy something called “gimp” at fabric stores – it’s a braided or twisted cord that you can glue over the staples.  But you won’t be able to customize it to your fabric, and I personally feel it looks a bit dated or amateur.  And c’mon.  It’s called gimp.  How nerdy is that?

High-end furniture usually has something called “double welt cord”, and it is possible to make your own using your fabric and either double welt cord or piping cord.  (I ordered my piping cord here.)

I won’t re-write the book on this one.  I used this tutorial, and found it worked really well!

I ended up using the double welt cord along the seat, but opted to do a single cord along the back panels because I felt like the double cord was too thick, and too busy with all of the pattern

I attached the cord using a hot glue gun, and went back to touch it up with fabric glue (to avoid visible globs or strings of the hot glue).

STEP SIX: TAKE GLAMOUR SHOTS OF YOUR NEW CHAIRS

Ooooh, verrry nice.

Time for your close-up, Dah-lings.

Well, you don’t have to do this step if you’re not blogging about it.  Or if you’re not a big geek, like me.  But you should stand back and enjoy your handiwork.  And how fitting that what you’ve just finished creating will be perfect for kicking back and relaxing after all that hard work!

Hooray!

Friday DIY: Fancy Magnet Board!

Behold! One fancy magnet board!

I stole today’s DIY from here: Curbly.com. I saw it and was reminded of my overwhelming desire to acquire a corkboard and organize all of the things scattered on my desk in such a way that they would be both off of my desk and vertical. “How to Make a Woodgrain Magnetic Memo Board” – done, yes, let’s do this, magnets, I’m into this. It functions exactly the same as a corkboard but with all of the glory of magnets – everything I have ever wanted.

Now, be warned, I did not follow Curbly’s instructions. I looked at the pictures briefly and then did what I thought made sense – and it worked wonderfully. Because it is just so easy! I even added an EXCITING TWIST to this project, but you have to read (or scroll) to the end to find out what it is!

What You Need:

• Magnet Board (I got mine from Ikea, too)
• Scissors
• Contact Paper
• Magnets*
• Glue (preferably with/from a glue gun)*
• Tzotchkes*

* For the TWIST

The Supplies

1. Place the magnet board onto the contact paper, facing down. This is so you can measure out how much contact paper you will need to cover the board.

Place Magnet Board onto Contact Paper

2. Cut the Contact Paper. Cut off the excess contact paper but make sure you leave enough room to wrap the paper around the sides of the board… much like wrapping a present.

Behold the Majesty of the Scissor

3. Peel off the back of the contact paper and place it on the magnet board. You will need a keen eye and an aggressive stance against air bubbles for this one. Take your time, there’s no rush. Slowly smooth the contact paper onto the magnet board (which, by the way, you should clean beforehand), and press out any lumps and bumps. You will notice I did not purchase “Woodgrain” contact paper. I choose “Faux Leather” because I am incredibly stylish.

Steady, Slow, Smooth.

4. Fold the edges around the back of the board. Like wrapping a present, you need to smooth the paper around the corners and continue around the back. It is helpful to give the corners a little snip so it folds and sticks better, like so:

Cut the Corners

5. Cut, Fold, Stick. Cut, fold, stick.

Cut, Fold, Stick

Beautiful Corners.

Tah Dah!

I hope you are ready for the twist: Make Your Own Magnets!

1. Gather up your Tzotchkes and Magnet Pieces. You will notice I have a selection of delectably-crafty items that apparently originated from various locations in Latin America. They sit on my desk as colourful clutter, but because I am in love with the people who gave them to me they have sentimental value to the max and must be honored accordingly. So I’m going to turn them into magnets to adorn my fancy new faux leather magnet board!

Llama and his Amigo are going to get Magnetic

I bought magnet strips to stick to these little guys – I was going to cut up the magnet I got from the dentist but it was busy holding up the collage of pictures and notes on my fridge.

2. Glue Magnet Pieces to Your Llama. It is helpful to first cut your magnet strips (or old magnets) to fit the back of whatever item you are turning into a magnet. Now, I got the magnet strips that are supposed to be sticky on one side – mine were not sticky on one side despite the package’s (empty) promises. Regardless, it is probably better to glue them with a glue gun anyway, since the bond is much stronger and satisfaction is guaranteed. Glue glue glue and then quickly stick as the glue dries quicktime.

Glue the back of the magnet (not the magnetic side) with the glue gun

Place the magnet on the back of the tzotchke. Do it fast! And make sure you put the glue on the non-magnetic side of the magnet.

I made another magnet by lining up these Guatemalan Worry Dolls that someone got me in Mexico. Global Village High Five! Come hang out on my new faux leather magnet board little guys!

3. Throw those magnets up on your fancy new magnet board and stand back to marvel at your creative genius.

(Editor’s note: this super nifty post was originally published March 3rd, 2011. Reduce, reuse, recycle – as we always say!)