Everybody loves gingham, whether it be large or small. There’s just something so classic and fresh about those little shaded checks. I was feeling like a needed to add some pizazz to my laundry area, and decided that a little gingham project was just what I needed. We had made this cute and simple gingham tray a few seasons back by using a stencil brush and dry brush technique, but I was looking for something a little bolder. Check out that project here. There was just a small space above my laundry area, but if you look down the hall after entering my house, you can see it. So leaving it plain and boring wasn’t an option. After completing my hand painted gingham wall, […]
Make a Cement Pumpkin
Fall is in the air, and it’s time to get our Halloween projects going. Cement pumpkins are a fun and easy project to do that will stand the test of time, and assure that your pumpkins don’t get kicked over on Halloween! Supplies needed: cement mix in a bag (one bag made two pumpkins) a large bucket to mix cement and water trowel plastic pumpkins large Solo cups plastic wrap and cooking spray (to prevent sticking) Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint in a variety of colors a large brick, sanding block, and a utility knife (not shown, but needed) Begin by mixing the cement as directed. The texture should not be too runny. Spray the inside of the plastic pumpkins, so the cement won’t stick […]
How to Transfer Images to Furniture
Have you ever wondered how all those DIYers are able to transfer printed images onto painted furniture? Well, now we have an easy way to show you, thanks to one of our amazing paint retailers in Missouri. Tristan Taggart is an artist and furniture painter who sells her wares at Blue Moon Boutique Market in Joplin, Missouri. She’s super creative and is a lover of our paint products carried through the Junk Gypsy™ Paint and Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic® Paint brands! Recently she painted this little end table featuring a few transferred images, and we couldn’t wait to show you how it’s done! Here’s a close-up of the top, with the bee image. Tristan tells us, “This little table made me fearless. It had so […]
Decoupage Using Bungalow 47™ Matte Finish
Are you in the mode of trying to make crafting for the holidays fun and easy? We are too! This week we made a cute Christmas wreath from wood scraps, painted it using our American-made Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint (in some funky colors for Christmas) and added an easy decoupage technique using our Matte Finish. Here’s what we did: Once we chose our fun non-traditional Christmas colors for painting the wood, we gathered up Matte Finish, a sanding block, brush, and some scrapbook paper in text weight. Stay away from any paper that is too heavy and thick, like cardstock. Decoupage works easier when your paper is easily pliable. Start by applying a generous coat of Matte Finish on the surface that you will be […]
Adorable Gingham Tray Using Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint
Remember our board we began with last week, when we made our wood chargers? This week, this simple board was made into an adorable gingham tray with the help of Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint! Here’s how we did it! First, let’s gather our supplies: our cut board Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint in two colors (Farmhouse Sink and Nautical Stripe) painter’s tape measuring tape pencil two metal handles (ours are by Martha Stewart at Home Depot) paper towels This project began by base-coating both sides of the board with our bright white, Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint’s Farmhouse Sink. We get excited when we are doing projects (as I’m sure you do, too), but make sure you allow your paint to dry thoroughly before this next step […]
Simple Wood Charger + Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint: Part Two
Last week, we shared this simple project for a wood charger. This week, we will be making a second one, with a bit of vintage texture using Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint. We started with a simple four by one pine board purchased at Home Depot. Then, we asked our friends at the store to cut the board into four one-foot squares. How easy is that? This week’s project will feature a few distressing techniques, along with some paint layering. We used three colors from our Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint line. We began by physically distressing our new piece of wood to look a bit aged. The edges were smashed down using a hammer. Next, using an old fork, we made pock marks in the wood […]
Simple Wood Charger + Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint: Part One
The holidays are coming, and we were thinking about friends, dinners, and tablescapes. Chantelle and I both have wood tables, as most people do, and we really wanted to make a quick project that would protect our tables, but still show their wooden beauty. Here’s a picture of Chantelle’s dining room: Here’s mine: We have different styles that have a common thread, so we decided that a simple wood charger would work in whatever style or capacity it was to be used. We started, believe it or not, with a one by four pine board from Home Depot. This is a simple pine board from Home Depot that is 12″ wide (actual dimension is approximately 11-1/4″ wide). A four-foot board will make four chargers and […]
Painting Glass Mason Jars
Painting Mason jars is a great way to get a custom look for whatever glass jar project your heart desires. They make great inexpensive centerpieces, too. Recently, Chantelle’s parents celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and the family was planning a little surprise shindig for this golden festivity. It was time to get crafting! Here are the supplies you need: clean Mason jars* Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint (we used Clawfoot Tub) gold glitter white glue painter’s tape sanding block brush buffing cloth *New glass jars are not necessary for your project; just make sure they are clean and free from any oily residue, especially old adhesives from labels. Paint the exterior of the jar as desired. Since these would become centerpieces with cut flowers, the jars […]
Little Tin Can Camper – Part 2
There’s something a bit magical about Michigan in the fall. The leaves change, the air gets crisp, and it’s a wonderful time to enjoy the great outdoors! Especially if you have an adorable little tin can camper, like Chantelle. If you’ve been following us for awhile, you may have seen the part one post for the re-do on this little vintage camper. You can check that out here. Can you even handle how cute this is? Wait until you see the inside! The camper is a 1961 vintage fan camper. Here’s a peek of how it looked before it was transformed by Chantelle’s handy husband. Here’s a few ‘during’ shots, and it’s already looking better. Chantelle painted the interior using Junk Gypsy™ Paint and went […]
Making and Painting Cement Pumpkins Using Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint
Fall is the prettiest time of year, especially if you are in a color-changing state like we are in Michigan! The days grow shorter, nights get an edge of a chill, and our crafting bug calls out to us to start projects! This week, we ventured out to make cement pumpkins. Gathering our supplies, this is what we pulled together: cement mix in a bag (one bag made two pumpkins) a large bucket to mix cement trowel water plastic pumpkins Solo cups plastic wrap cooking spray Bungalow 47™ Furniture Paint in a variety of colors. Not shown but needed: a large brick, sanding block, and a utility knife. We began by mixing the cement according to instructions on the bag. Texture was key—not too runny! […]
Painting Outdoor Furniture
It’s summer and everyone is outdoors having fun. After cleaning up the ‘carnage’ left behind from a winter’s ice storm this spring, I took a look around at the rest of our outdoor decor to see what needed some extra lovin’. I bought this set at auction over the winter. The finish was in rough shape but it was solid, comfy and I picked it up for a song. For color inspiration I did some umbrella shopping and found an adorable red and white stripe one at Target. From there I selected a bright turquoise color to compliment the umbrella. The set came with two benches. I started painting those first. A quick tip for painting benches and chairs is to start with the bench upside down. […]
A Storage Cabinet – The Ultimate Makeover
Last year I shared that we had sold our house and downsized now that all of the kids were gone and married. We purchased a house that was built in 1956 from the original owners and in need of a lot of love. The last 12 months have been spent doing a major renovation, more projects then I was in the mood for, and the continual shift to try to fit all of our stuff efficiently (and stylishly) in the house. The past month I set my sights on finding the perfect storage cabinet for the dining room, which already has a hutch and sideboard that don’t offer much storage, so I needed something to house my milk glass collection. The search was on. As […]
Vintage Camper Project – Part One
Summer is finally here and once again it’s time to head up north and enjoy our PURE MICHIGAN! You’ve seen Jill’s adorable cottage, now it’s time to show you the Deimling’s summer home. The story of our vintage camper project began approximately 3 years ago when I went to a local auction to pick up furniture for the store and came home with this beauty. Brian and I have always been campers but our version of camping usually includes 5th wheel campers, diesel trucks and toy haulers. Now that our children have grown, we’ve decided to downsize into something a little cozier. With a family camping trip rapidly approaching, we realized we better get busy transforming it into something that would function for the two […]
Junk Gypsy™ Paint is Almost Here!
Attention all junkers, painters, and do-it-yourselfers, Junk Gypsy™ Paint is on it’s way! Available for the first time at Junk Gypsy™ headquarters, the paint will make it’s Antiques Week debut beginning March 27. It comes in 16 colors (5 perfect basics and 11 signature vibrant hues)! Junk Gypsy™ Paint is an American-made chalk and clay paint that is perfect for painting and repurposing your junk finds. It will adhere to almost any surface, including wood, metal, ceramic, stone, and more. It is fast-drying and provides an easy clean up so you can gypsy-fy™ your piece quickly, turning it into treasured junk. We all have those roadside finds, Grandma’s dresser, flea market junk we couldn’t pass up, and sad furniture that just needs some fun! Junk […]
DIY Crackle Finish with School Glue
DIY Crackle Finish. Celebrating back to school with a fun DIY tutorial on creating a crackle finish with school glue and a chalk type paint. Creating a crackle finish is fun, easy and economical when using school glue and chalk type paints. Follow these simple steps to achieve a nice crackle every time. Step 1 – Paint surface with your base coat and allow to dry completely. Step 2 – Apply school glue on top of base coat. Step 3 – While glue is still tacky, apply top coat. Step 4 – Dry completely. Read on for additional application techniques. The photos above detail how to create a random crackle finish. Photo 1 – Using a pouncing motion, apply glue to base coat. Photo 2 – This shot shows the board […]
Advanced Painting – Textured Clay Finish
Recently we had the opportunity to hold a ‘retailer training retreat’ at the summer cottage. There’s nothing like planning, learning and working while staring at a lake. After all the laughing we did, we brought the paint out and began to work. Our favorite technique to share and teach is one that looks very difficult, and in the past, has been an advanced process for paint artists requiring many different products. But now, can be achieved with just one product, any chalk/clay/mineral paint! It’s what we call a “Textured Clay Finish”. Here’s what you’ll need: Chalk and Clay Paint (only one color) Clear Wax An aging dust product Your favorite paint brush Metal scraping spatula (trowel) Sea sponge Paper towel Water Something to paint Step 1: […]
At Bungalow 47, we are passionate about making our living spaces unique and meaningful: paint is a huge part of that. We believe your home is the scrapbook of your life, so we love a combination of found treasures that can be updated to function for how each of us wants to live today. Many of us have Grandma's old dresser, but we don't know how to make it our own, or create an up-to-date style. That's where chalk and clay paint comes to the rescue. Follow us as we share ideas using our zero VOC, solvent-free, and American-made paint.