CasaSugar

How-To: Remove Contact Paper Adhesive

CasaSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:00:12 -0800

Remember how I covered my hideous linoleum floors with woodgrain contact paper? Well, while they looked fabulous, it came time to take them off. The contact paper itself was easy to remove, but as expected, a very tough adhesive residue was left. I tried literally everything to get rid of the sticky mess - WD40, Goo Gone, vinegar, Oops!, you name it - and searched far and wide on the Internet for tips to no avail. In the end, thanks to a tip from a friend, I was able to remove the residue. Want to know what the magic potion was?

Before and After: KateDavis's Faux Bois Tray Makeover

CasaSugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:00:04 -0700

Su Casa member KateDavis bought this white Melamine Serving Tray ($12.99) from Target, and decided it needed a bit of a modern makeover. She slapped on a piece of faux bois contact paper, instantly giving it depth and pattern. Want to see the finished product? Then read more.

Looks great, right?! If you'd like to see another wonderful faux bois contact paper makeover, check out how I transformed my ugly linoleum floors. Have you made any updates to your home accessories? Add them to our Su Casa group!

Before and After: Linoleum Floors Be Gone!

CasaSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 07:00:57 -0800

I hate linoleum. Even "nice" linoleum never looks good. I just don't understand why it exists, when ceramic/porcelain tile and hardwood get the job done just as well. My home is plagued with some yucky linoleum, but I'm not equipped to replace it at the moment, so I decided to cure the ugliness with a DIY solution I dreamed up. I found some dark woodgrain patterned contact paper and adhered it to the tiles to mimic the look of hardwood floors. Contact paper is really easy to keep clean - it can be wiped clean quickly with a sponge or a damp mop - and it seems to be really durable as well. The project cost me about $25 - around $4/roll - and took one evening to complete. It took some patience but was well worth it in the end. To see the final product, read more.

Are you troubled with the linoleum curse? I highly recommend this solution. Stay tuned for instructions on this DIY!

How-To: Frosted Glass Stenciling

CasaSugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800

Craftynest recently gave a makeover to her antique wooden bookcase, and the topping on the cake was a frosted stencil on its glass doors. If you've got a glass cabinet, vase, or even a mirror in need of a little facelift, you can easily recreate this look with a few supplies. All you'll need to repeat this project is glass cleaner, paper towels, a craft knife, a wet erase marker, contact paper, a large stencil, and Krylon Frosted Glass Finish in white. To learn the steps, read more.

Clean the glass well with your glass cleaner, and wipe it down with a paper towel or rag.
Peel a few inches off of the contact paper and stick it to the edge of the glass, and smooth it down. Unroll a few more inches at a time, and continue to peel. Make sure you burnish out any bubbles.
Make sure there are no open spaces on the edge of the frame.
After you've chosen your stencil, trace the pattern onto the contact paper with the wet erase marker. Repeat, if desired.
Use your craft knife (try an X-acto knife), cut the outline of the stencil on the contact paper.
Then, use the tip of the knife to lift the pieces of the cut pattern.
Wipe off the excess marker with a paper towel. Use the glass cleaner if necessary.
Shake the can of the glass finish. Spray it on the stenciled (i.e. no contact paper) portions of the glass from 10 to 12 inches away in a side-to-side motion. Let dry and spray another coat.
Let dry, and then peel off the contact paper. Fini!

For photos and more details, check out Craftynest.
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Before and After: Bistro Table

CasaSugar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:00:52 -0700

Inspired by this table, I decided to give my white bistro table a bit of a makeover. I liked the table as is, and liked my Saarinen Tulip-esque chairs as is, but the white on white was looking a bit bland (especially with the bare walls and floor). But clearly, I'd never think about covering my beautiful chairs in paper. So, I scooted over my to favorite local craft resource and picked up some decorative paper, along with some clear contact paper from the hardware store. To see the results, read more.

Since I needed just over two sheets of paper to cover the table, I chose a busy pattern so inconsistencies in the repeat would be less noticeable. I used a bit of double-sided tape to keep the paper in place on top of the table. Then, I folded over the edge of the table and used stronger, mounting double-sided tape to adhere it. Then, I covered the decorative paper with clear contact paper for durability.

I could have découpaged it, but that would have been permanent. It's not the most seamless or astounding makeover, but it's a small improvement for room that needs a lot of work, which took very little time. And, my fluorescent pink chandelier decal, which I bought ages ago at the Centre Pompidou, picks up the colors of the paper nicely.

View 7 Photos ›

Casa Beta: Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Pacs

CasaSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 07:00:01 -0700

Single-use, to me, usually means extremely unfriendly to the environment, but the Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Pacs may be changing my mind. These single-use packets come in a recycled paper package, 15 tablets to a package. The small box it comes in can be flattened and recycled, and the only waste is the small rezippable plastic bag the tablets come in, which could easily be reused for storing any number of small items.

Each of the tablets is encased in a pouch that looks like it's clear plastic, but don't try to open the pouch. It's actually made of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biodegradable polymer. The pouch is simply part of the tablet, and will disintegrate as the wash cycle starts. The package warns you not to touch the pouch with wet hands, since the pouch will start to disintegrate upon contact with moisture, and will actually stick to wet hands.

To use the tablet, simply open up your main dispenser cup on your dishwasher, pop the pouch in, and run the wash cycle as usual. I found the Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Pac very easy to use. But how well did it get my dishes clean? Find out.

DIY: Make Your Own Wall Stickers

CasaSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:00:21 -0700

Yesterday, I showed you a before and after of Pinupsweetheart's cool bedroom. If you were as wowed by the results as I was (seen here), then I have good news for you. Pinupsweetheart told us the short version of how to make this project, and now I've got the skinny on showing you the step-by-step process.

Here's What You'll Need

ConTact paper (a brand of low-tack, self-adhesive vinyl, commonly used by grandmas as "shelf liners," has a very matte finish)
Tape (preferably easily visible and low-stick, like painter's tape or masking tape)
Writing utensil (marker or pencil)
Scissors
Large sized scrap paper (like used newspapers or newsprint)
Plastic card, such as a library card
Idea for your design

To find out how to make your own wall stickers, read more.

Here's how to do it, from Instructables:

Take a segment of your ConTact paper, stick it firmly to a hidden wall, and peel it back up. Use a plastic card (like a library card) to press it firmly onto the surface. Also test that your tape can be removed easily.
Draw a loose sketch of the area you want to work in, and draw a sketch of what you want your design to look like in the room. Doodle several designs to see what you like, until you have a final design you like. Use newsprint to make a stencil of your design.
Trace the design pattern stencil onto the back of the ConTact Paper with marker. Cut the design from the ConTact Paper. It should cut very easily, and you can glide through it like gift wrap if you have good scissors.
Hold your cut ConTact Paper up to the wall. At the base of the design, pull the first six inches or so up, and peel its backing off. Press gently from the center of the vinyl area outward to minimize bubbles, and use a hard piece of plastic (like a library card) to scrape against the vinyl, firmly pressing it to the wall. Move along the design, pulling the backing from behind a six-inch segment, scraping the segment down, then repeat to the end of the design.
Use the newsprint to draw more of your design, repeating until you have the desired amount, and keep mounting them on your wall. After a while, you'll probably be adept enough to draw freehand on the ConTact paper backing.
You're finished!
Keep an eye on your design, and if any of it begins to peel, just scrape it back into place with your library card.

DIY: Faux Bois Photo Board

CasaSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:00:49 -0700

I recently stumbled across this clever DIY that adds faux bois to a board reserved for treasured photos. It's a quick and simple project with lovely results.

What You'll Need

Cardboard (any size)
Faux bois contact paper (about 2 feet depending on the size of your frame)
Picture frame
Scissors or Xacto knife

To find out how to make this faux bois photo board, read more.
Here's how to do it, according to Paper and Stitch.

Cut cardboard to desired size. Then remove one corner of the contact paper backing and start at a corresponding corner of the cardboard. While smoothing the contact paper to adhere to the cardboard and get rid of any bubbles, continue pulling the backing away from the contact paper and smooth as you go.
To add visual interest, cut strip several strips of leftover contact paper into various widths and apply them in the opposite direction.
Cut off any excess and then pop it into your frame.
Add photos, and you're all ready to display your latest DIY project.

Before and After: Pinupsweetheart's Gorgeous Boudoir Walls

CasaSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:30:51 -0700

TeamSugar member Pinupsweetheart recently wrote to tell me about her awesome DIY project for livening up her walls. She writes, "I have wanted to find an inexpensive way to decorate my boring white walls of my apartment ever since I moved in. Of course, my lease does not allow me to paint. I wanted to get removable wall decals, but they are so expensive! So I found step-by-step instructions on how to make your own wall decals using contact paper. I gave it a shot and it worked."

To see how well it worked, and to find out how to make your own, read more.

Pinupsweetheart explains that, "The contact paper makes it cheap, removable and movable. If I didn't like where I put a decal, I simply removed it and placed it somewhere else. I just needed a step ladder (to get the high spots because I am 5'4"), scissors, poster paper to make patterns, marker and a credit card to smooth it down. I found my black contact paper on Amazon.com for around $35. I have had it up for a couple weeks and I have not had an issue with curling at the edges, leaving marks, or falling down. My apartment can get up to 100 degrees when I am not home - so this works!"

Want to make your own? Get all of the steps tomorrow when I show you how!

Casa Quickie: Instant Faux Bois Wrap

CasaSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:00:00 -0800

I love this idea for wrapping holiday presents, which I found on Craft. Just use faux bois contact paper over some plain brown wrapping paper. Finish it off with some leaf cutouts, and you have a well-presented gift worthy of any of your faux bois-loving design-maven friends.

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