DIY Gold Feather Framed Art

Ever see something that you're absolutely obsessed with and then see the price tag and immediately think that whomever decided on that price was very clearly smoking crack cocaine in its purest form? Glad we're on the same page. 

I had that very thing happen when I first laid eyes on these gold feather shadow boxes from ZGallerie. But when I saw the bigger one listed at $139.95, they got a smooth side eye coupled with a #boybye. 

There was no doubt I could recreate a similar concept for literally less than 5% of the cost. Although I wanted to do a shadow box, Michael's had these cute frames on sale for 70% off, so I picked up two (at $5.99 each) and decided I'd make it work. I had a pack of white feathers at home (who doesn't?) and enough gold paint to repaint every room in my house gold if I wanted. But thanks, ZGallerie for the inspo. 

Note: I might still try this again with a shadow box frame. Currently, Michael's has a 50% off one item coupon available, so I might be making a trip sooner than later. 

What you need: 

1. White craft feathers (mine are kind of big and I would've used smaller ones if I had them on hand. I like these). 
2. Liquid Gold Leaf (or gold spray paint. Though I prefer the gold leaf effect. Buy some here. Or at your local craft store)
3. Frame or shadow box (with mat)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Spray or gold leaf your feather(s)
2. Allow to dry
3. Arrange in frame to your liking 

Voila!

Mildly obsessed. And it's the easiest thing I've done all week. Make you some.  

Cheers!  

Aquia

DIY Faux Fur Stool

Another day, another DIY. I've been wanting a furry stool since the land before time, but the way my bank account is set up... yeah, I had no choice but to DIY. I surprised myself with how easy this was. If we're not counting the items I already had on hand, it probably cost me a whopping $10. 

The stool is from IKEA and it was $4 (*Google's to confirm*)... $4.99. I live a whole 8 minutes from IKEA (which is very dangerous), so I went to find this stool in white, confirmed it was in stock, get there only to find out it wasn't. So I opted for black. Which is fine, but white is just easier to spray paint. 

Because the stool is flat, I knew I wanted a bit of a cushion, so I went to Joann's to get some upholstery foam. Those were literally the only two things I purchased for this project. I had some faux fur on hand that I purchased from Joann's a while back, but it wasn't as furry as I would've liked, so I ended up using my beloved faux sheep skin rug from IKEA. I didn't really think twice given it's only $12.99 in the event I reeeally want to replace it. Other than that, all that was needed was gold spray paint. Now let's get to it. 

To recap, here's what you need: 

1. IKEA TEJN Faux Sheepskin Rug (here)
2. IKEA MARIUS Stool (here)
3. Gold Spray Paint
4. High Density Chair Pad Foam (here)
5. Heavy-Duty Stapler 
6. X-acto Knife/Kitchen Knife

Here's how you make it: 

1. Use the top of the stool as a stencil and trace the circle on the foam
2. Using an X-acto knife (or kitchen knife), cut out the circle 
3. Assemble the stool according to the instructions
4. Spray paint the legs (if you choose, of course)
5. Place the circular foam on top of the stool and place the rug on top 
6. Flip over, and begin stapling the rug to the bottom of the stool (surprisingly, this works rather easily)
7. Trim off the excess fur 

Isn't she lovely? :) 

Enjoy! 

xo, 

Aquia 

DIY "Marble" Tray

Happy New Year (I know, I suck)! I wish I had some really fabulous excuse for why we are 19 days in and I haven't posted -- like I've been jet setting across the globe, backpacking in South America, or chillin' in the Caribbean -- but I've got nothing...except a promise to do better. Let's just talk about this dedication really quick though... Because I already blogged this once, but then my computer froze right before I was about to publish & save and everything fell into the Internet's black hole. FML. I bet I'll be "saving" every 2 minutes from here on out. 

I'm really excited about this project. It was somewhat easy, and really pretty. I say somewhat because it could have been a lot simpler...but ever since purchasing my own (as in mine not to be shared with my husband) drill, I've been trying to drill the shit out of everything... messing up a few walls along the way. That said, keep in mind that a drill for this project is optional -- unless you're like me and eager to drill and don't have the patience for drying glue. 

I typically hate rose gold (sue me) and coppery things, but how cute are these copper "feet?" I thought it added a nice contrast. This tray can be used for anything really. A perfume tray, general decor, serving tray, etc. For now, mine is just sitting on a bookshelf in my master bedroom, but will likely move it to my office once that is slightly more organized. 

Here's what you'll need: 

1. Marble contact paper (I just purchased another roll here on Amazon. I know everyone and their mom likely uses the Amazon app to purchase things on the fly, but just in case you and your mom don't, you can use code AQUIA651N to save $5 on your first in-app purchase -- so basically, a roll of contact paper will cost you $2!)
2. A piece of wood - I purchased the 10x12" Woodpile brand from Hobby Lobby (don't forget to use their always faithful 40% off coupon). You can always go bigger or smaller depending on your preference. 
3. Drawer pulls - I purchased mine from Home Depot for about $2 each. (They didn't have any gold ones that didn't look like something out of someone's grandmother's bathroom, so I had to spray mine)
4. Four 1/2 in. Copper Caps - 69 cents each at Home Depot (in the plumbing section).
5. Glue (E6000 or hot glue).
6. Drill + screwdriver (optional).

Let's get started:

1. Cut a piece of contact paper big enough to wrap the wood (it doesn't have to completely cover the bottom. I only had one piece left and it left a tiny gap underneath but who cares...no one sees it). 
2. Remove the backing and place the wood in the center of the paper (adhesive side up). This gets a little tricky because you want to ensure there are no bubbles in the paper when you apply it, so flip it around and smooth it out (you might have to use a credit card). 
3. Flip it back over (sticky side up) and using scissors, cut a diagonal line at each corner (this makes it easier to wrap). 
4. Fold the first side to the center and smooth out. Repeat for all four corners. Be sure to pay attention to the corners so that they are covered and the adhesive sticks.  

5. Once the board is wrapped, decide (if you haven't already) if you're going to go the glue or drill route. If you plan to drill, be sure to measure the spacing between the handles so they're even and equal distance from the edges. Then you'll need to use your best judgement and pencil mark where your holes will go (this was the hard part for me. I messed up a couple times and had to re-drill and pretty much force the screw in). Once the holes are drilled, secure the handles using the provided screws. 

6. If you plan to glue, simply measure how you want to layout the handles and glue them in place. Be sure they are completely dry before moving on the the next step. 

7. Once the handles are secure, flip over the tray and glue a copper plug at each corner. Allow to dry. And voila! 

I'm still kind of impressed by this. It turned out really nice and I'm already thinking about making a bigger one. 

Definitely share any pictures if you decide to make one! Enjoy. 

xo, 

Aquia