Using Omni-Gel to Transfer Images

I love transferring images onto wood, metal, terra cotta, towels, etc!  I think I've tried almost all of the ways out there!  

Here's another option that works especially well on tiles for coasters, metal cans and even wood!--Omni-Gel.  I purchased it at Michael's. 

Follow the directions on the bottle:

Print off an image using a laser printer (or make a laser copy at Kinko's) on white paper.  Use the regular image NOT the mirror image for this process.

Apply a smooth coat of Omni-Gel using a foam brush.  Go in one direction over the image and a good amount around the edges.

Let that dry, (it takes about 15 minutes) then go over everything in the opposite direction with another smooth coat.

Let that dry, then brush on a third coat diagonally. 

  

Graphics from The Graphics Fairy

After it's completely dry, set the paper in a bowl of water.  (I use a Dollar Store dish bucket)

 Let that sit in the water for about 15 minutes. (extra time in the water doesn't hurt)

 I put the wet image on a piece of wax paper or foil so it doesn't move much.

I used to use my finger in a swirling motion to remove the paper, then I started using a micro-fiber cloth.  It is SO much faster and easier!  You may need to spray it with water or dip it back in the bowl to keep the paper damp while you're removing it.

(Please excuse the different images here.  I was making a lot of things at once.)  :)   This graphic is also from The Graphics Fairy

You will want to get ALL of the paper off as it will look cloudy after you've finished your project (not good!)  if you've missed any.  Using the micro-fiber cloth really helped.  I let it dry a bit, then go back and add a little water to see if any additional paper comes up.

If I'm planning to adhere the image to wood or metal, I cut it to size at this point.  I cut right along the edge of the graphic for wood or metal projects.  If I'm going to use the image for coasters, I wait until I have applied it to the tile so it covers everything perfectly, then cut right at the edge of the tile.

Then apply a coat of Omni-Gel to the back of the image and set it on the can or wooden piece.  Smooth out all of the air bubbles and let it dry.

Here is an image applied to a wood box using the same technique.

Graphic from The Graphics Fairy

If you want to make fun coasters, start with a 4" tile.  I purchased mine for 38 cents each at Lowe's.

Apply self stick cork board to the back. I purchased a roll of it at Michael's.

 

 Use the above process using Omni-Gel.

 Graphic from Graphique on Etsy

 Apply the image onto the tile using the above process.  Set your scissors right on the edge of the tile and cut it.  It will be a little slippery as it's wet with Omni-Gel.  Rub the edges into the rough edges of the tile so they really won't show up.

When it's dry, sprinkle a little bit of salt on the tile and spray it with a clear sealant.  I've had the problem in the past with some tiles where wet glasses would stick to the tile.  It seems to work well to add the salt to solve this problem.

So now you've got several projects you can make with Omni-Gel transfers.  

Happy Crafting!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays 

 

Try, Try Again--The Tale of Painting a Table

I found this table at a garage sale this summer for $5.

 

(For the table redo on the left, click HERE.  For the wall hanging redo, click HERE)

I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with it, so started by sanding it down.

I decided to try homemade chalk paint.  I mixed together 3 parts black paint,  1 part Plaster of Paris and a little bit of water.  I only did one coat, but decided that I did not like the look of it at all.  It was much more grey than I wanted.  Of course, this was after only one coat, so I'm guessing that it would've improved with more painting...

But, it wasn't the look I was going for, so back to sanding it down again.... 

 

I then sprayed it with Rustoleum 2x Flat Black paint.  After the first coat, I sanded it lightly on the top with 220 grit sandpaper.  I applied another coat of black and it looked pretty good.  After that dried, I finished by spraying the whole thing with Rustoleum's 2x Clear Gloss.  

I added this cute knob I found (I may have found it at Hobby Lobby, but it's been a long time and now I'm not sure.)

I put this old candy machine on it, along with some billiard balls in a jar and a plant.  I'm not sure that I'll keep this stuff on there, but it's a start. 

I would love to try redoing another piece with chalkpaint at some point, and I know that painting it all black might seem boring, but it works with the other furniture and accessories in the room.  And it looks a whole lot better than when I found it.  :)

Thanks for coming by!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

 

Before Undertaking A Bathroom Remodeling Job

Things To Keep In Mind Before 
Undertaking A Bathroom Remodeling Job

In times gone by, the bathroom was little more than a closed in area to get into and out of as quickly as possible. Today, however, realtors will tell you that the bathroom, next to the kitchen, is what buyers look at the most. You can add thousands to the value of your home if you undertake 
bathroom remodeling.

Before you jump in with both feet, test the water, so to speak. You must have a budget and stick to it. If you just go shopping, you may end up spending more than you had planned. Also, decide on the space you are working in, are you going for a full bathroom remodeling or just staying with redecorating? Also, keep in mind how much stress this it going to put on your family. If you go from 2 bathrooms to 1, it may be more stress than you realize. 

One of the first places people look to when doing complete bathroom remodeling is the shower or tub. If this is the way you are looking to go, do your homework before you begin ripping out fixtures and walls. There is a large assortment of products available from cast iron to porcelain; glass doors on the shower or a curtain? Try to stay with the current plumbing set up you have. If the showerhead is in the same place in the new shower as the old, you won't have to tear out plumbing. This will save you hours and money. 

Another thing to consider in bathroom remodeling is, if you are going to replace tiles, you want to have the entire room flow together. Also, if you are looking to get a new look for your bathtub or shower, but not go through the expense of replacing it, having an acrylic molded over the existing bathtub will give you the best of both worlds. 

It is important to do your shopping before you start your bathroom remodeling project. There is such a wide variety of fixtures and materials on the market today that it may be overwhelming. There are a few things to keep in mind while you shop.

As with any major home improvement project, make sure you get the correct permits and restrictions in your area with the local government. That is important to do if you are going to do major bathroom remodeling changes including electrical or plumbing work, such as installing heated floors or moving the sink from this wall to that one. 

If you are thinking of undertaking the electric or plumbing yourself, make sure you know what you are doing and spend time doing your research. In most cases, hiring a contractor may be your best bet. They know what they are doing and will know what to do should they run into something unexpected. You should find a bathroom remodeling contractor that shares your vision of the your plan and is willing to work within your budget. Let him 'do his thing'. Then you are free to paint, wallpaper and decorate to your heart's content.

When making your plan for bathroom remodeling, here are some things that you may want to think about. 

Making sure the shower head is comfortable for everybody who uses it. Also, choose easy to clean fixtures. You want to make sure you have tempered glass for the shower door; if that is the way you are going.

Keep in mind that you want to be able to reach the soaps and shampoos, so keep them in easy to reach areas. Another thing to keep in easy reach are the towels and washcloths. Don't forget that bathrooms are high humidity areas, so be sure to have enough ventilation to keep mould at bay. 

It is very important to make sure that all outlets are grounded. This is going to help prevent eclectic shock from plugging in appliances such as hair dryers. 

To create a stylish yet functional bath room, be sure you pay attention to detail. With your time and effort it will be another part of your home, other than just another room in your house.

In times gone by, the bathroom was little more than a closed in area to get into and out of as quickly as possible. Today, however, realtors will tell you that the bathroom, next to the kitchen, is what buyers look at the most. You can add thousands to the value of your home if you undertake bathroom remodeling.

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Beachy Clock

My husband made some tops for the wine barrel tables that I posted about last week. You can see that post HERE.   As neat as the tops were, they just didn't look right on the bases.  I stained them the same, but because the wood was different in some way, it didn't stain the same color. 

I used Minwax Provincial, then sanded it all down a little.  I kept trying to match the barrels, but it wasn't going to work...

 So I used the wine barrels without the tops and set his project off to the side....

The other night it came to me that the top would make a neat clock.  I had purchased a lot of 3" starfish on ebay a couple of years ago and thought it would be fun to use them instead of  numbers on the clock.

 

My biggest problem was finding clock hands that were big enough.  I bought some at Michael's, but they were sooo tiny that you could hardly see them.  After searching online and finding some possibilities, but not being thrilled with paying $3 for the hands and $6 for shipping (and then waiting several days for them to arrive!), I remembered that I had some clocks I wasn't using, and luckily, one of them had hands that were pretty big.  

Because the wood was stained such a dark color, I needed light clock hands.  I spray painted them a sand color.

 

My husband routed out a spot in the back for the movement (so it wouldn't stick out from the wall too far) and attached hooks and a wire for easy hanging.  We did all of this before attaching the starfish to the front.

I then laid out the starfish around the edge.  The starfish are somewhat uniform in size, but some are flat and some aren't, some have all five "fingers" (legs?) the same size and some don't...  I just tried to evenly space them around the board and realized that they wouldn't be 100% perfect, but that was ok.

I used Tacky Glue to attach them.  I like it because it dries clear and doesn't burn the skin off of my fingers like a hot glue gun.  :)

We then attached the clock hands to the movement and hung it on the wall.  It was a really fun and easy project.  (The light spot that shows up in the pictures pointing to the "6" on the clockface doesn't show up like that in person.)  

 

Thanks for your visit!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties:

Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesdays 

My Romantic Home's Show and Tell Friday 

 

Why A Remodeling Contractor Is Important

Why A Remodeling Contractor Is Important When Planning A Renovation Of Your House

Everyone has a room in their home that they want to remodel. That one room that is an embarrassment and you close the door when you have company. If you are planning a total remodeling of a room or your entire house, you may want to consider hiring a remodeling contractor. If you try to take on a project that is too big, it will cost you a lot of time and money.

A remodeling contractor is a person who has skill in both carpentry and building. He or she will take consult with you on what you want the outcome of the project to be. A remodeling contractor will also help you design what you want.



He or she has the sub-contractors that you will need to remodel you home and they are already figured into the estimate that you will receive. If you do it yourself, you will be paying huge fees to each sub-contractor. A remodeling contractor can get the job done in a shorter amount of time with fewer errors and for a lower cost then you can do yourself.

Another benefit to hiring a remodeling contractor is that they get special discounts from supply companies and pass the savings on to you. They can also buy used materials that are still in good condition to save you more money. A really good contractor may even be able to sell accessories and fixtures from your project.

The process is really very easy. A remodeling contractor will sit down with you and discuss exactly what you want to do with your project. He or she will ask you for your ideas and suggestions. He or she will ask you what your budget for the project is and advise you if what you want can be done within that budget.
A good contractor will have years of experience and will be able to add touches here and there to enhance your home.

Plans will be drawn up for your approval and estimate will be given. The contractor will also give you an estimated time of completion.

The contractor, upon your approval and acceptance will get everything in place to start your project.

If you decide to hire a contractor for remodeling your house, do not choose the first one you interview. This is a highly competitive field and you may find cheaper rates with someone else. Make sure that you have all of the paperwork and estimate when you apply for financing, your lending institution may require proof that you are remodeling.

If you have decided that remodeling is right for you, check out the services of a remodeling contractor. He or she may be able to save you thousands of dollars on materials.

Another Closet is Always a Welcome Addition

My husband wanted to add a closet to the 'man cave'.  I was all for it!  I love to have things organized and was thrilled when he said I could put whatever I wanted to put in there.  :)

Here is the 'before'.  We added that flooring when we first moved in and stored our bikes right there.  There had to be a better use for that space!

 The view from downstairs.

The mess from sanding drywall... This was after cleaning for quite awhile!  That drywall dust gets EVERYWHERE!

Prior to adding shelves.

Nice deep shelves to hold everything.

I am so happy to have a place to hang my vacuum hose. It's big and bulky and fits perfectly in here!

 Here's a view of the room while standing at the new closet.  







He had to make special concessions on the size and the way the door fit in due to the slope of the ceiling.  He really maximized the space.  I think it looks great! 

Thanks for your visit!

Pam

I am linking to the following parties: