Image Transfer Tutorial

I can't believe school has started. Fall, though I always try to put it off as long as possible, is going to be here. Football is even happening. Ugh. Those of you who have followed my blog through the years know I really dislike Fall.

In an attempt to make myself happy and not think about impending Fall, I have been trying to spend a little time doing one of my favorite things---decorating the house.

I found some wallpaper and I instantly fell in love. All the houses I have lived in previous to this one have been wallpapered top to bottom. After living in our last home for almost 20 years some of the wallpaper had to be taken down. That is not fun and kind of ruined my love affair with wallpaper. Recently I found myself getting a little bit of the wallpaper bug again. Then I found on the perfect wallpaper on a Facebook page. To make a long story short the wallpaper is only in the UK and seemed to be sold out everywhere except one person from Ebay that still had a few rolls. Anyway--when it seemed like I couldn't get it, the planets aligned or something happened and I was able to get it. At this point I am so excited and Fall is far from my mind.

It is bright and cheery--it has roses, clocks, and frames--all things that I love! Also, it looks so nice with my couch slipcovers! Oh yes, it was meant to be. I only had to get a little bit to do a small wall around the fireplace (that we never use). When I get it done I will do a post!

Anyway--so I have had this coffee table for several months that I found on the classifieds. I got it because it was a place to hide Jaxon's toys. He stays here 1 day a week and though he doesn't have a bedroom I like him to have a place that is his.

In my opinion a real ugly duckling--but it served it's purpose well. I always felt like it "brought down the living room" because I like to surround myself and my family with pretty things and this was not pretty. So I took a break from painting things for other people and gave myself a little "be happy" therapy time and painted this for myself. I was so pleased...it looked like it belongs to me now!

I was really happy with how these pretty glass rose knobs I have had waiting to put on this cabinet.

 

Perfect! Well, almost perfect. I had an idea...

...now I am happy!

Since so many of you have asked me for more tutorials I thought I would share how I did this. It isn't the actual wallpaper on the cabinet/coffee table, it is an image transfer.

There are many different ways to do image transfers. About a year ago I took a class from Girl in Pink and she taught us how to use Artisan Enhancements Transfer Gel. It was easy, fun, and so I have always stayed with doing it this way. I figure why change when you find a way that works great?

What you need to do is make a laser copy of the image you want to use. It needs to be printed in reverse image which is easy to do on a copy machine. I like to go to Fed Ex because they have a nice easy to use copy machine and it costs under a dollar.

In this case I wanted the roses to be smaller so I reduced the image when I was printing it--I wish I would have reduced it a little more but it looks fine. Then the cut the pieces of reverse image copies to the size I needed them to be.

Then I applied the medium with one of my favorite paint brushes. (my brushes get well used!)

Notice you apply it to the front of your image. You want that image to transfer to your project.

Then you apply it to your project. Make sure you smooth it out with something to make sure there are no bubbles. I like to use those brown plastic scrubber things they give you when you buy Pampered Chef stoneware. Anything works that you can smooth it out with and get out any excess transfer gel.

Then you wait for it to dry...overnight is good or if in a hurry you can speed it up with a hairdryer. To be honest I forgot I was doing it and left it drying for 24 hours. It was fine. After it is dry you then getting it soaking wet...lol.

The idea now is to remove the paper but leave the gel and the image. It isn't suppose to be perfect so if you scrub off a little of the image just consider it Shabby Chic and continue.

I just use my fingers to rub the paper off, squirt a little more water on it, and rub a little bit more.

After all the paper is rubbed off, wait for it to dry, seal it with Artisan Enhancements Clear Topcoat Sealer and you're done!

I think it is such a fun technique and I hope if some of you try it you will show me what you do!

Back to Fall--I try not to be negative so I want to say something positive about Fall. I love the Fall TV shows! Oh my goodness--all my favorite shows are starting back up and as pathetic as it sounds I am totally excited about it. You'll find me in front of the TV this Fall with a paintbrush, a can of Annie Sloan, and a piece of furniture. 

 

To end this post I want to wish a Happy Birthday 17th birthday to my awesome daughter Chantel. She celebrated her 17th on September 1st, which is also the 4th anniversary of my blog! Thank you to all of you who have followed along with my life the last 4 years and I hope you hang in there for many more years :) 

Thanks for visiting!