DIY chandelier shades

     As I said in my earlier post, I've been getting my deck back up and running. My gazebo chandelier shades were (notice I said were) at one point supposed to be white...I think. Instead they were green and nasty! I decided to take my car washing bucket, put a little bleach water in it and throw in the fabric shades. I guess here's where you're expecting a before and after picture. Wrong! After about 30 minutes I go to check on my, what should be white by now, shades, and O M G! The shade covers are gone and I'm left with these clumps of greenish/white fabric goo. Not what I had envisioned...at all! I looked around the Internet and see them as cheap as 5.88 for white (blah!) and I'm noticing the prices going higher, and higher, and..okay you get the idea. Next...check Pintrest for DIY shades. Yes! They'll have them there...they have to! I run to my computer...type in DIY chandelier shades as quick as my fingers can go and BAM! Not one post that can help me.
     I walk away, discouraged, and take a small break. Small may not be the word, more like a few weeks. Okay, a few months. I sit here, bored out of my mind and decided to try again. Still nothing. I mean, the ones on Pintrest are adorable, but they're made of paper. Paper put OVER an actual shade. That doesn't help me as I  have to put these bad boys outside in the elements. Nope, I've got to come up with something. That's when the idea came rushing in. So here's my step by step DIY chandelier shades made of fabric.

 

This is what I had to start off with. Not pretty, but they had potential.

 

Here's Step 1. I had a queen bed skirt I no longer needed but have kept forever. Here's where it comes into play. I measured the amount of fabric I would need and cut it.

Step 2. Iron your material before you think about doing anything! The first one I did looked a mess, and getting glued on fabric off of metal is not as easy as you'd think.

Step 3. Carefully hot glue the top around the metal, then go on to the bottom. It's easier to pull the fabric tight on the bottom where you have more room.

Step 4. Hang your shades back up and enjoy! This by far was the easiest and my favorite step.

 

Total cost of this project-FREE

It took me a few hours to complete, but I'm extremely happy with the results. The deck looks beautiful at night lit up with these shades.



Patio furniture makeover for under 50.00

     It's beginning to look a lot like Spring!! Here in Jacksonville Florida, the weather is getting warmer, the birds are chirping, and the backyard looks like a jungle. Okay, maybe not that bad. But it's definitely looked better. We stay outside on our deck the entire spring, summer, fall...not winter! Okay, sometimes in the winter. Our deck is fading, the last few weeks of storms and strong winds have knocked the gazebo canopy off, the palm trees are still in the house waiting on the last freeze to come by. It's just not looking hot out there. A few weeks ago I started re staining the deck. At $35.00 a gallon for stain, I've got to wait for our next paycheck to get the rest finished.
     My first project came to me in a big of a panic. We were having friends over for the first time this year, and of course, my patio furniture was old, faded, dingy, and just plain 'ol ugly. I couldn't have our friends see the patio like this. Besides, when I sit on someones furniture, I don't want to feel like I need a bath.
     Last year, during summer clearance (my favorite time of year), I purchased a new set of cushions for my outdoor chairs. They were $8.00 a piece, so I decided on 4. $32.00 for "new" chairs.

Before-Ugly right?



Much better! Excuse the mess, I'll be getting with that shortly.

 

The cushions had been on for maybe 6 months, but with company coming last weekend, I had to hurry and make it all look new. Problem was my couch. I wasn't about to pay 60.00 for a cushion that didn't fit it properly, plus the cost of new back cushions, pillows...You get the point.I went to my much hated Wal-Mart where I was able to get 3 yards of outdoor fabric for a whopping 2.50 a yard. $7.50 to reupholster the couch, yeah buddy!

 

This was taken last summer. These are the palms waiting to come back out and pretty up my deck again. The couch doesn't look back from this picture. Get close to it and you'll see the stains and rips. Not very inviting.

And here is what $7.50 in fabric can do.

 

After the cushions were all replaced, I realized it needed more. To plain and dull. That's when the light bulbs went off. Spray paint! I ran to Wally world again and grabbed 4 cans of glossy black spray paint at .97 a can. I ended up only using 3, but you can never go wrong with a spare. After the deck is completed, I will be posting pictures.

 

Project Total Breakdown-

New chair cushions $8.00 each on clearance-$32.00

Fabric for couch $2.50/yard, 3 yards purchased-$7.50

3 cans of spray paint-$2.91

 

Total-$42.41

 

Do you have any DIY on a budget outdoor projects you've done? I'd love to hear about it!