Well as many of you may know, I was eliminated from Crafting with the Stars. Sad face! I am a bit sad and disappointed I can’t compete with the great stuff I have in store. It was an amazing experience though and to be honest I was floored just to be IN the competition! I only started this blog 5 months ago and the feedback and support that I have received has been amazing! So just being able to complete 2 rounds with projects that I adore is quite something for me. I got to know my partner Cheri from It’s So Very Cheri and she is amazing! She was so helpful and supportive throughout the whole process. Plus she hooked me up with some awesome goodies from her sponsors! So really I feel like overall, I did WIN! So thank you SO much for your support throughout the challenge for me and I wish the remaining contestants all the luck!
Okay, on to my project from the decoupage challenge!!!
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I started out with this dresser from my son’s room. It was a plain wood dresser that we bought cheap a couple years ago. It was painted blue and some new metal knobs were added, nothing to exciting. It was pretty basic.
It also had some chipping paint that wasn’t too attractive either. It really was screaming for a makeover! So I gave it a little sanding and some paint fix up, luckily I had leftover paint from the first try!
As I was preparing to decoupage my antique maps onto the dresser my star, Cheri mentioned using a mixture of white glue and water as my decoupage glue! I used 3 parts glue to every 1 part of water, just mix it up and your done. It worked really well and you can’t get much cheaper. At back to school time they sell the white glue for around $.10. I just stored the left over in this butter tub to use on my next project!
I cut my maps to size for the drawer fronts and I did a collage of different maps for the top of the dresser. Here I am with my Pampered Chef scraper, my favorite decoupaging tool! LOL After the maps were dry from being glued down I put another couple coats of the decoupage glue over top to seal and protect the maps.
On the side of the dresser I used DecoArt’s Chalkboard Paint so my little guy can plan out his journeys. I used a rolling foam paint brush and it worked great, it left the surface really even and smooth! I did a couple coats of this right on the dresser, no priming, and it worked great!
Don’t forget to prep your new chalkboard by rubbing chalk all across the surface. Of course after the paint has dried thoroughly!
I made the knobs for the dresser out of nuts and bolts (and a few other goodies) that I got at ReStore and Home Depot. Some of the configurations required some glue to keep them all together, enter Gorilla Glue’s Super Glue! I mixed and matched old rusty items with new shinny ones. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out, so fun!
While all of that dried I wanted to work on the other elements that I had for my little guy’s room. I headed to the salvage yard to pick up a few hubcaps.
After I cleaned them up (which was quite an undertaking) and primed them they were ready to be painted red, yellow, and green. The colors of a stop light. DecoArt’s patio paint did the trick and like Cheri said, if a snow storm every hits my little guy’s room, these hubcaps will hold up nicely! This patio paint is legit!
I love the hubcap stop light and my son has been obsessed with the colors. I never imagined that they would become a learning tool but it seems to be a nice side effect!
Once everything was dry, I assembled everything and put it in it’s place. Here is the dresser in all it’s map glory and hardware glory!
A look at the cool knobs and a close up of the maps. I guess if we ever lose our GPS we can just grab the dresser!
My kids are thrilled with the chalkboard on the side! We get to write on the furniture? WHAT?
The top of the dresser turned out fantastic too, I love looking at the maps trying to figure out what states and areas are on there, since I just kind of cut and glued without looking what was going up there.
This is the whole set up.
Above the dresser I hung some of our old license plates, I’m sure we’ll have a pretty good collection by the time we are done with our journey in the military! I hung a shop light in the corner as a pendant light. It is so super cute….for a shop light!
So there you have it! An awesome automobile room for my little guy! Something that can grow with him for years to come.
So there you have it! I think it all turned out pretty awesome and my son seems to love it too! Phew that was a long post! Well now I think I will go catch up on the things that have been neglected in the name of competition; the house needs a good clean, food needs to be bought, and my nails could use a good manicure (and a pedicure while were at it)!!! Thanks everyone for your support once again!
Linking up to these great link parties!
You were so fun to work with. I was thrilled to be connected with you just sad we didn’t make it to round 3.
Cheri
I love your dresser! I’m glad you had fun and you did great!
Hannah
I just wanted to say how awesome I think this project is, and I voted for you! Of course, I didn’t know it was ‘you’, but still! 🙂 I love it!
Sorry you got eliminated. You have such great ideas & talent which is why your blog continues to grow and inspire. You’ll be in more competitions soon enough I’m sure!
In the meantime, love the dresser revamp! I want to do my master bedroom one, so dresser revamps are all I think about these days.
Your son is so lucky! So much thought put into this all 🙂
Wow, so creative & super cute!!
~Mary
i LOVE your hubcap stoplight art. SO fun. You did amazing..good job.:)
You did such a great job! I love the whole theme of your son’s room and think those license plates and hubcap stoplight were a genius move! Thanks so much for being part of Season 2!!
LOve, love, love the dresser and really crazy about the hub caps. Very neat.
how cute. all your projects are beautiful. i bet your son loves it. hubcap idea genius…
What a fun project. Love the map idea.
I love how that dresser turned out! The maps look great (awesome tip on the glue!) and those knobs are so fun!
It’s so cool you got to do crafting with the stars!
I’m so glad I saw this at Shabby Chic Cottage! I just loved your dresser over at Crafting with the Stars – I voted for you – so sorry you didn’t make it through! I thought you did a great job – it is so creative!
I don’t get to comment much… but check you out often..and you are a winner in my book… Head high… and know you do some awesome stuff….
great ideas.
I nominated you for the Stylish Blogger Award!
http://beadsbuttonsbubbles.blogspot.com/2011/02/look-what-i-got.html
Great idea! Love how it looks! Visiting from DIY club!
I LOVE the dresser. How fab for your boy.
How truly adorable this all came out. You used your creativity and allowed your child to use his now. That is the true love of a decorating Mom.
So So So cute!!!! I am in the process of planning an airplane themed room for my son and have been collecting ideas that use maps. I also REALLY like the hanging shop light. It is so creative and fun. I am searching for an innovative light to go with my airplane theme too!
fabulous! i love the maps, but seeing the whole setup with the hubcaps and license plates is even better. the perfect little boy’s room-great job!
I really love your dresser! I featured it today – http://www.flamingotoes.com/2011/02/crush-of-the-week-31/
Wanted to let you know! 🙂
Huge bummer that you were eliminated! I love maps so I really like this one!!
hey Im a new follower super cool post .. =)
very cute! i love the idea of having a chalkboard on the side of the dresser. let’s face it..kids draw on everything…how smart to focus your little ones attention on something that is meant to be written on! stopping by from 504 main. love this idea!
Your dresser turned out great!! It has been on my list of to dos for our little guys room.
I really do love this! The different knobs are such a cool idea.
Thanks for sharing in FFA!
Hannah @ http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/
So Cute! Would love for you to add to my Thursday Treasure Party @
http://www.thetreasurista.blogspot.com
Thanks,
The Treasurista
Finding and Creating FUN things…
i love this whole setup..the drawer was awesome! I love the hanging light! so so sos osososooscute!
that’s a very cute idea, love it. thanks for sharing.
Your dresser makeover is FANTASTIC. Love the set up. We too have moved around and I framed license plates in shadow boxes!
This turned out great. Thanks for sharing.
Warmly, Michelle
Wow, so creative. I have four boys so I will be stealing this in the near future…
What a great idea for a boys room. My husband is in the military and now I am wishing I would have saved our old licenses plates! The dresses is adorable!
this turned out so cute! I actually have some vintage maps lying around that I’ve been wondering what I should do with…
By the way, I am hosting a giveaway right now that you might be interested in!
This is AWESOME! Who knew rim-covers could be so awesome! And where did you get those IL and CA plates? Not using them?
Thanks for linking up to Making It With Allie! I can’t wait to see what you have for next week!
AllieMakes.Blogspot.com
@ Allie: the license plates were our old ones. My hubby is in the Air Force and we move around a lot, which can result in lots of license plates over the years!
I think it’s adorable! You did a fantastic job…so clever, so creative and so fun! Thanks so much for sharing at the DIY Show Off. 😉
Roeshel
This is fantastic and the whole look is great. The hub cap streetlights are genius! I am tickled pink (I am so behind form 2 weeks ago…I’ll be posting today)
I just love the maps on the dresser and chalkboard! Awesome ideas!
my daughter has a dresser here that she keeps “forgetting” to take home for my 7 yr old grandson. I AM DOING this and I bet she will get it home before it dries. Love your creativity!
Another FAV.
Cheri
Wow! Awesome refurb! I love the way you used the chalkboard paint and maps to add interest and style, and those custom knobs are incredible! Love the hub-cab and license plate decor too! All-around a wonderful project! Jenn/Rook No. 17
That is an awesome piece! You really did a great job!
Very cooool!
Kate @ welcomedtempest.blogspot.com
i love it! i voted for it in the crafting with the stars! 🙂
Hi Courtney. I’ve been meaning to feature your dresser on Craft Gossip for a while now and finally got to it today. Sorry for the delay, I love what you did with it 🙂 You can see the feature here http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/travel-themed-dresser/
This is so great!! I love all the special details, especially the chalkboard side!! You have great imagination, and I truly appreciate you sharing your talent.