Making Over a Makeover



Last November I showed you the French Ephemera Decoupage wall hanging I made for my bedroom using an old frame I painted, and free printables from The Graphics Fairy. 




I liked it well enough, but I didn't LOVE it. In fact, the more I looked at it, the less I liked it.


It seemed to dominate the room, and not in a good way. Some of the colors were a little off, and the piece lacked dimension. It was. . .flat. It looked sort of like a poster. Not what I wanted at all.


What to do? Take it down and hang it in another room? Replace it with something else? Or could I somehow change it up a bit? Tone down the colors that bothered me, and give the piece more dimension?


After a lot of thought I took it off the wall and lightly dry brushed the bothersome colors with white chalk paint. That definitely made a difference and softened the decoupage. I then considered hanging a small wreath on top of the ephemera. That would add the dimension I was looking for.


I finally settled on making a wreath. Using a wire heart wreath form I bought last year at Dollar Tree, and flour sack towels I had in my stash. I'll share how I made it, in case you want to make one for yourself. It's simple to make, very inexpensive (just a few dollars), and takes about 20 minutes to complete. Total.


Supplies:



I did spray paint the wreath form white because I didn't want the original green to show through the white flour sack strips. The strips were torn in approximately 3" widths.




I wrapped the strips around the form with an overlapping motion. (I actually started this over, after I took the photo, so I could get a tighter wrap.) I held the end of the strip down on the back of the form and wrapped over it. (No glue.) Doing this with each strip. 




It took a little more than one flour sack to make the wreath and the bow. I added the dried flowers from my stash. Then I glued the heart wreath to the french ephemera decoupage.




This shabby chic heart wreath makes a pretty Valentine decoration, although I will be leaving this up all year around. It fits so well with the style and colors of my bedroom.


Now I'm satisfied with my makeover's makeover. 


Was there a time when you just weren't satisfied with something? How did you resolve it?

Hugs,






19 comments

  1. I LOVE how you redid the picture. I would never have figured that out. It really is a big, big improvement.
    I rarely redo anything. My Hubby doesn't care for shabby chic, although I love it. Since he doesn't give an opinion on decorating often, I try to listen when he does since he has to look at it too. If it were just me, the entire house would be farmhouse and shabby chic!
    Take care and enjoy your artwork. :-)
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Thanks, Betsy. I'm glad you like it. I do understand how decorating goes when you have a partner to consider, and it's important to honor him with your choices. You're a good wife to do that. God bless you. xx

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  2. Nancy, I definitely like the soft mint color on the paper background. It was a bit on the yellow side for looking like a caged newspaper. Sometimes that color is just not very complimentary. However I do really like the wreath that you created and added to it. Just a soft gentle White and a lovely heart-shaped design, that will be enjoyed for a long time in your room. Thanks for sharing, I do have a Dollar Tree store and sometimes I look around for an idea or two for at home oh, but I had not seen that particular heart-shaped wreaths before. We got 8 in of snow the other day which is really late for us, but the worst of it is we're now going to be in the single digits at night for about the next eight or nine days. Stay warm don't work too hard, Lynn and Precious

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    1. Hi Lynn. Actually, there is no mint color on the paper; it's white. Browsers do vary in the way they display color. 8 inches of snow is quite a bit, and single digits at night is not fun. Be careful out there. xx

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  3. What a difference. I love it Nancy. I love the wreath you made too that is so pretty. Happy Thursday. Have a great rest of the week. xoxo

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  4. Nancy, Love it with the heart. It gives it dimension more dimension and the white is lovelh against the sepia toned.

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  5. That's a huge improvement Nancy, it looks lovely. I can't think of anything I've re-done, although I have re-done a few things in my dolls houses!

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  6. Good move and nice touch!!! Sometimes it just takes living with something for a while to get it right.
    Have a good weekend!!!

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    1. You're right, Addie! "Sometimes it does take living with something for a while to get it right." That's where patience comes in. ;) Hope you have a great weekend. xx

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  7. Your redo came out darling! Love it! I don't think I've redone my redo's! I have sometimes bought something and then decided I didn't like it, so added some paint or dried flowers. I bought a neat old looking vintage clock and though I loved it, the numbers on it were black and you could hardly see them!Also. the hands were black. Though I loved it, I couldn't read it, but bought it anyway. Then I painted the hands white, and the numbers white and voila! love it now and can see it from a distance. I still have picture frames I want to paint and distress.. you give me such good ideas on that. In the summer, when I can paint outside, I go crazy with my spray paint can, spraying things either pink or white! Take care.... have we seen your entire bedroom redo yet??? Would love to see how it all adds up together..... xoxo Marilyn

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    1. Hi Marilyn! Thanks for your nice comments. I have not yet revealed my "entire" bedroom redo yet. I'm just about there. Just a couple more things I want to do before I can call it complete. :) xx

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  8. You always amaze me!
    Currently I have two picture hanging over my fireplace. It is right. What to do, what to do?

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    1. Yup. As Addie said, "Sometimes it just takes living with something for a while to get it right." I like to look at Pinterest for inspiration, and of course my favorite Youtube DIY channels, too. It'll come to you. :)

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  9. Beautiful, Nancy! I'm a firm believer in redoing when the original creation doesn't sit right. I recently moved the kitchen curtains to the living room, because I felt they were too skimpy on the larger windows...and then I remade new fuller ones, in the same pattern, for the kitchen. So yes! I'm with you and I think your new and improved art it lovely! Hugs!

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  10. It turned out so pretty and thanks for the tutorial. I'm a visual learner and I love step by step photos. Although; I know it takes a lot of time to put them together, just know that your time is appreciated.
    Thank you also for the heartfelt email. It's so good to hear from those who have walked this lonely road and have encouragement to share. I pray that I will also be an encouragement to others. Life is hard, but there are lessons in the hardships and our Lord is there walking beside us.

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  11. I love it, and thank you for the tutorial.

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  12. I like that! When you said it wasn't exactly what you wanted, I started thinking of all the items in my craft drawers that I would've used to make a multi-media layered look. Your heart is a fabulous idea!

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    1. Oh, I would love to see what you would have done with this piece, Diana. I love multi-media layered artwork. I am happy with the addition of the heart, but, again, would love to see what you would have done. Thank you for visiting, and for the kind comment. Hugs.

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  13. Love the makeover of the makeover. And your creative mind.
    Amalia
    xo

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