DIY: Reupholstered Chairs in Under 20 Minutes!

Daniel and I just moved in to a new (BIGGER) space, so we scoured local thrift stores for anything useable. Among these bargain purchases was a dining room set: all metal frames/legs, wooden table top, and the most hideous seat cushions I've ever seen. Behold:

Ew. This wasn't even the worst one.... So my thoughts were: "How can I get this hideousness out of my sight forever as soon as possible? Preferably on a budget?" So here goes. 

How to Reupholster Chairs Whose Seats are Detestable but in Otherwise Good Shape

Step One: Detach the seat from the frame. These chairs were held on with screws, and were thus incredibly easy to take off. Different chairs may require adaptation.

Step Two: To prevent losing your screw-hole...things, draw a straight line from the hole toward the center of the seat. You don't have to go too far, but make sure it isn't too short or you'll cover it up with fabric.

Step Three: Measure your fabric. You need enough to tightly fold around the edges and secure to the base without the possibility of it being visible right-side-up. I did a good 3-4 inches.

Step Four: Ask your incredibly amazing husband to use his staple gun to secure the fabric. Have him start with the corners, then the sides. Oh, and make sure those edges are pulled tight!

Step Five: Bribe your husband further to screw the seat back onto the frame. He can use the lovely lines you drew as references to where the holes are. 

And voila! You're done! 

Time: 20 minutes for 4 chairs

Cost: $9 for fabric

Was it fast? Ohhhhh yes!

Was it cheap? Definitely!

Are they perfect? Not by any means.

Still worth it? Absolutely!

I'll most likely change them up down the road, but that's ok! The main point of this project was instant gratification, and it sure served its purpose well! If you have chairs in need of a quick upcycle, give this a try! (You can always cover it up again if you don't like it ;)

DIY: Thankful Turkeys

What do you do when you want to add some Thanksgiving spirit to your house, but all you have is construction paper, googly eyes, and two empty Pringles cans?

You make turkeys.

I got the idea from my cousin, who made paper turkeys with her kids. On each tail feather, they wrote something that they're grateful for. I was totally going to do that until I realized that the empty inside of the Pringles cans can't go to waste. 

This month, Daniel and I are filling up each other's turkey with things that we're grateful for about one another. I imagine that on Thanksgiving, we'll read everything inside our turkeys. I'm super excited! If this works out well, it might become a Coley family tradition! 

What are your family's Thanksgiving traditions?

DIY: Tissue Paper Ghosts

So, I saw this idea on Pinterest a while ago, and I'm very happy to report the absence of a "Pinterest Fail" here! Woohoo! These are super easy and fun!

You'll need:

-tissue paper

-glue

-fishing wire

-small styrofoam balls

-googly eyes

-something with a small, sharp point

Step One: Cut a length of wire, and tie one end in a small loop. A square knot worked beautifully.

Step Two: Take some tissue (I used 2 pieces) and puncture the middle to make a very small hole. Keep it as small as you possibly can. I did this by taking a metal shish kabob skewer and twisting it, but a needle or pin would work a lot faster. I was just too lazy to find one...hahaha!

Step Three: Pull the straight end of your wire through the small hole until the loop end stops you.

Step Four: Take your styrofoam ball and glue. Put a big dot of glue on your ball, about the size of a penny or nickel. Cover the ball with tissue in such a way that the glue is right where your hole and loop are. You can put some glue around the sides, too, so the tissue clings to the ball a bit.

Step Five: Attach googly eyes, and tie the end of your fishing wire in a bigger loop, if you so desire.

Step Six: Make your home a little spookier.

I have five of these little dudes hanging around my house. Kids love them! ;) If you end up making some, tag me on your Instagram or Facebook, so I can see!!

DIY: Cheap, Fast Autumn Wreath

Autumn colors are my favorite! The leaves outside aren't even yellow yet, but I couldn't resist adding some to my home. And what better way than with a homemade wreath, right?? This whole project took me about 20 minutes and cost under $5. The hardest part was picking out the foliage at the dollar store! 

Step 1: Gather supplies.

Step 2: Cut stems from the base of the bouquet.

Step 3: Weave stems into the wreath base. 

Step 4: Gaze at your wreath's beauty and give yourself a high five.

Step 5: Hang it up for all to see. 

Was that quick, or what?? 

A couple tips:

1) Make sure all your stems are going the same direction, or it'll look kinda funky.

2) For a more secure wreath, I'd suggest using a hot glue gun. But, as you can see, you can still do just fine without it.

3) My wreath is about the size of an average pie pan. For the front door, I'd suggest a larger base, but this size works perfectly for inside the house.

What I would do differently:

I'd get some sparkly gold ribbon, weave it in, and tie a big bow!