on the 8th day of joyfulness...

dottie angel shared with me

a handy dandy side table

(skill level : easy peasy)

question: when is a stool not a stool?

answer: when it is a 'handy dandy' side table

yes indeedy, if like me, your coffee table has been commandeered into holding a christmas tree and you have a shed load of clan for the joyful season, it is quite possible you maybe lying awake at night fretting as to where folks will put down their little plates of nibbles or indeed their little tipple of sherry.

fret not my dearest readers! for fretting has been banned. instead, find a passing wooden stool, perhaps one that has lurked unloved for sometime under a pile of crappity crap and make it feel loved and joyful again. for after all 'tis the season of goodwill towards all men and i do feel stools should be included.

ingredients:

* one or more stools with flat wooden tops

* paint if you wish (or leave as-is)

* stickyback plastic (yipee!) or wallpaper

* mod podge

* vintage or self printed decals

recipe:

1: look at your stool, decide if it requires a coat of jolly paint, if so, prepare with a bit of sanding and several coats of glossy paint with your handy dandy paint brush. twiddle your thumbs whilst waiting.

2: for the little top, you can use either stickyback plastic (yipee!) like me or wallpaper. (i have been looking for an excuse to use more faux wood stickyback plastic ever since this table got the treatment.) on the reverse of your plastic paper or wallpaper, place your stool upside down and draw around it. cut out your circle and test it on the top of your stool. it may need a spot of trimming or you could wait and do it a bit later.

3: peel the backing off and carefully place your stickyback plastic on top your stool. if using wallpaper, paste the back of your circle of paper with mod podge and carefully press in place. smooth out all bubbles and keep pressing firmly so everything is nicely adhered. trim now if need be, but do be careful as the paper will be very easily torn at this point. if using wallpaper and mod podge wait for it to dry. more thumb twiddling i'm afraid.

4: add your decals if you so wish (please see 'day 6 of joyfulness' for decal ideas) according to the instructions of your decal paper. press firmly and wait to dry.

5: now your stool has become a handy dandy side table it is most important to protect it, for others will not realize just how special your little stool table is and may plonk a wet bottomed glass down without a second thought. so i would suggest you do several coats of mod podge waiting patiently for each coat to dry. i did wonder if mod podge would go over stickyback plastic nicely and i have to say, it did quite the peachy job. i also know from past experience, when it goes over wallpaper it turns to an almost oilcloth look, especially if you use the 'hard coat' mod podge

6. place your handy dandy side table/tables somewhere handy, and when the time comes this joyful season and you have folks with nibbles and drinks in hand, whip out your spiffy side tables and their handy dandiness with a flourish and a 'voila'!

gosh, already day 9 of joyfulness is nearly upon us ~ Tif