DIY Project: Map

First credit where it's due goes to Christy over here for posting this idea. The instructions below are how I did this project and my personal results.

You will need:

• map (cost about $8 from Barnes and Noble)
• canvas (cost about $30 for 2 from Michael's)
• mod podge (cost about $7 from Michael's)
• sponge brush (cost about $1 from Michael's)
• optional: a box of pins to mark all the places you've been

Steps:

1. Cut your map to fit the dimensions of the canvas with some overhang on each edge. I chose to cut my map directly in half to make 2 panels. Curse level: 5, because I bought a map with a border, and cutting off the border would result in the map being too small for the canvas.
2. Crease the edges of your map around one of the canvas panels. This will help you align it properly because you bought a map with a border. Curse level: 1.
3. Using your sponge brush, cover the back of your map with mod podge, (I chose satin finish) and place it over the canvas. Curse level: 3, since if I had bought a map without a border, I wouldn't have to be so particular about lining up the edges.
4. Smooth out your map working from top to bottom and side to side. Now cover the top of your map with another layer of mod podge. It will look wrinkly and if you're a perfectionist, it will freak you out. Leave it alone for an hour to dry and it will (mostly) dewrinkle itself. Curse level: 3.
5. Repeat with additional panels.Curse level: 5, since now you REALLY have to pay attention to matching up the borders on your panels, or when you hang them, they'll be all off.

Total cost: Less than $50

Time: Approx. 2 hours

Total # of curses: 17 out of a possible 25.

If I get enough beggars, I will take a photo that isn't "smokey" trying to disguise my wrinkly corners. 

I still need to buy a box of pins to mark all the places we've been. Anyone want to guess the number of states and countries?

DIY Project: Seat Cover

The blue velvet rocker...when hubby and I moved to Texas in 2000, this chair came with us. My parents owned the chair for a number of years, and as a teenager, I remember my dad removing the brown vinyl seat cover and sewing this amazing blue velvet replacement. Yes my dad sewed it, that was not a typo, and yes it went from a brown vinyl to blue velvet. It was an upgrade of epic proportions.

For years the blue velvet chair didn't match anything else in our house, and it was sadly relegated to a corner in the spare bedroom. I liked the rocker, but I didn't like that the blue velvet collected cat fur. Lots of cat fur. At the time, I owned two cats (RIP Stanley and Sniper!), and it became a favorite napping spot. Copious amounts of vacuuming could not remove even the first layer of fur, so I gave up trying and the chair just collected more and more fur.

Last fall we moved to a beautiful house in a really nice neighborhood where people surely don't have blue velvet seat rockers covered in cat fur. Without further adieu, here's how to change out a seat cover DIY style (or with a small army of willing participants).

You will need:

• your choice of fabric (cost about $8 from Ikea)
• upholstery tacks (cost about $3 for 2 boxes from Home Depot)
• a sister with a sewing machine
• a husband with strong hands
• hammer

Steps:

1. Remove the old seat cover. You will need the use of your husband's strong hands to remove the old tacks holding the fabric in place, and also to remove bolts holding the rocker together. Curse level: 2 (out of a possible high of 5).
2. Go outside with the now removed cover and shake it a lot to get the fur off. Keep shaking until your arm hurts and the sidewalk is covered with your dead cat's fur. Curse level: 1.
3. The old seat cover is now your template to sew a new seat cover. No need for measuring! Stick it in a shipping box with your selected fabric and mail it to your sister and her sewing machine. This step may take a shorter amount of time if you are skilled enough to have your own sewing machine, otherwise you could end up waiting a few months for your sister to mail back the new cover. Curse level: 1.
4. Months later when the box arrives from your sister with your new seat cover, take the chair apart and start yanking the cover over the foam. You cannot do this alone or you will end up with bloody knuckles like I did. Stretching the fabric took about 30 minutes. Curse level: 3.
5. Now you're ready for tacks! I bought two boxes of tacks, which was barely enough. I suppose it would have been the perfect amount if I didn't crookedly hammer every other tack. They are not easy to pound through fabric nor into the wood behind the fabric. Curse level: 4.

Total cost: Less than $12

Time: Approx. 3 hours

Total # of curses: 11 out of a possible 25

Stay tuned for the next segment where I change out the kitchen chair seat covers...