Decorating with a Vintage Flair

[celticquetzel]

Hi. I`m a brand new newbee. In the really fun pre-planning stage for a fairly lightweight traditional cub like design ( they're just so darn cute). I've done a lot of tile and mosaic work and really want to incorporate some. But... it is way heavy and inflexible. So... was thinking (today, coincidentally) of making very thin tiles out of polymer clay. Then imbedding them in a thin layer of single color polymer clay the size of the final design. Cutting out in managable sections and cooking (I have a toaster oven for this to use outside as the fumes would kill my bird inside the house). Then adhering to final surface. Maybe 1/8 inch ply. Then doing final "grout" in seams between sections with same colored caulk as background polymer. The whole thing would be flexible, light, original and fun. Thinking more backsplash as it is not food safe. Will have to play around with finish to get the right gloss. Anyway, figure it's a good winter project to keep me motivated while planning.

[deleted]

"She can decorate her business trailer and her home office in flaming pink, Barbies, and (probably) Hello Kitty stuff...but not the TTT that I've spent the last 20 months building!"

Sounds fair enough.

sabrown82 I'm using 1/2" wooden dowels. I thought I'd paint them and if needed add end caps. What to use for end caps was still up in the air but then talked to my builder and found out I won't need them for the way he designed the curtain rod holder with a mini shelf all built into one unit. If I didn't have my dog in the trailer (choking hazard if one came loose) I was thinking drilling holes in super balls would be cool. The end caps would be cute, retro, round and pliable enough to remove when I want to take the curtains down to wash or change them. You can buy them in bulk. I thought I'd be able to find at least four that could work if I ordered a bag of 144. http://www.ecrater.com/p/15136849/144-bouncing-bouncy-1-balls-super-bounce?gps=1&id=18283950120

[working on it]

Today, I'll go get two wooden towel bars at the Home Depot to hang my not yet found curtains from. I have used similar (for towels, not curtains, though) in my home for 20 years, and I have grown fond of them. Besides that, I can paint them black to match the other painted oak trim inside the trailer. They come in two lengths, but I'll buy the one that matches the length needed (I have to measure again, lost my cheat sheet). Or I can get the cheaper one, if the dowel size matches the diameter of any I may already have in my growing wood supplies pile at home. http://www.homedepot.com/p/202044672?N=bz9q or http://www.homedepot.com/p/202044674?N=bz9q Plus, I can drill out one end cap to be able to slide the dowel in and out as needed to install the curtain or remove it, and pin it in place.

[sabrown82]

That's an interesting idea Stacie! I think they still sell those kinds of bouncy balls in random vending machines at grocery stores and whatnot. I think I will have to go the wooden dowel route. I've checked out a number of places for curtain rods that are smaller than 28" and keep coming out empty handed.

"She can decorate her business trailer and her home office in flaming pink, Barbies, and (probably) Hello Kitty stuff...but not the TTT that I've spent the last 20 months building!"

Sounds fair enough.

sabrown82 I'm using 1/2" wooden dowels. I thought I'd paint them and if needed add end caps. What to use for end caps was still up in the air but then talked to my builder and found out I won't need them for the way he designed the curtain rod holder with a mini shelf all built into one unit. If I didn't have my dog in the trailer (choking hazard if one came loose) I was thinking drilling holes in super balls would be cool. The end caps would be cute, retro, round and pliable enough to remove when I want to take the curtains down to wash or change them. You can buy them in bulk. I thought I'd be able to find at least four that could work if I ordered a bag of 144. http://www.ecrater.com/p/15136849/144-bouncing-bouncy-1-balls-super-bounce?gps=1&id=18283950120

[sabrown82]

Thanks for your input! Maybe I'll start checking out towel bars. Not sure how small they come...but maybe something could work.

Today, I'll go get two wooden towel bars at the Home Depot to hang my not yet found curtains from. I have used similar (for towels, not curtains, though) in my home for 20 years, and I have grown fond of them. Besides that, I can paint them black to match the other painted oak trim inside the trailer. They come in two lengths, but I'll buy the one that matches the length needed (I have to measure again, lost my cheat sheet). Or I can get the cheaper one, if the dowel size matches the diameter of any I may already have in my growing wood supplies pile at home. http://www.homedepot.com/p/202044672?N=bz9q or http://www.homedepot.com/p/202044674?N=bz9q Plus, I can drill out one end cap to be able to slide the dowel in and out as needed to install the curtain or remove it, and pin it in place.

[deleted]

I've checked out a number of places for curtain rods that are smaller than 28" and keep coming out empty handed.

Unless you're talking about a solid metal rod I'd think you can always cut a towel rod down and make them the exact length you need them to be. If it's thin hollow metal or wood a simple mini-hacksaw would probably work just fine and you could do it yourself. You'd probably only need one long bar that you could cut two usable pieces from and two sets of holders. I noticed Home Depot had a build your own unit kind of option if you want the shiny silver retro look.

Or if you want to use a towel rod with a solid metal bar and don't have the right equipment ask around and try to find someone with an electric metal cutting band saw. They can cut them down for you in seconds.

[nevadatear]

I used an idea similar to staci's first one. Simple dowel with birdhouse ornaments drilled in the side. The mounting is a kind of finger projection on each side that interlock.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370368895.007971.jpg (121.81 KiB) Viewed 6042 times

[working on it]

A word of warning: if anyone follows my lead to Home Depot for their wooden towel racks (see previous posting), use a GOOD drill bit made for WOOD. I didn't, and used a 5/8" HSS bit I've had for years (needs sharpening, but still goo enough to drill thru steel). It caught and broke the first one. I was more careful on the second, but it still broke. I then tried a 1/2" bit, same thing. Then for giggles, I tried an old 3/4" WOOD bit (I missed it on my first search). Still broke. My conclusion is that the made in China oak pieces were going to break anyhow. Too dry and brittle. But I still wanted to use the wall mounting pieces, so I found a piece of 1.5"x1.5"x12" poplar, that I knew was still "wet" inside, and marked off 1.5" cubes of it (I was going to shorten the rack end pieces anyhow, to be able to open my inside electrical panel), and used the 3/4"wood bit to drill them out before separating the individual cubes. Worked great! Mind you, the poplar and the finished oak look different, but I was going to spray them black anyhow. And the 5/8" dowels fit thru the 3/4" holes easier too.

[desert gnome]

I made this comforter and pillowcases for our scratch built tear, it took me about the same time to sew as it did for John to build the trailer.



Millie

Millie -

That is a beautiful quilt!

Steph