I fell in love with a gem of a project over on Tatertots and Jello last week. She re-did a table for her front porch with chevron (swoon) fabric covered with resin.
I mulled it over for a few days and expressed my interest to FMG. The dear man wouldn't let me "re-do" any of our current, perfectly fine just the way it is, furniture. Besides, my front porch isn't shaped the right way for a table like that.
Side note/Confession: we eat in front of the t.v. - often. I admit it. I feel shameful. We have plenty of at-the-table dinners but with the sports obsession that FMG had goin' on and the limited tv watching I'll actually tolerate (it's the ADD, man) we tend to do it with dinner.
Which brings me to my point.
TV TRAYS!!!! There was nothing *wrong* with our tv trays - but they could certainly use a facelift! After getting the green light from my rational half (who only requested that they "still be flat", sweet man) I was OFF! The HobLob stocks the resin I'd read about.
FOR THIRTY FOUR DOLLARS A KIT.
I died.
And then I bought it anyways.
I started with a coat of No-Sand since there wasn't anything wrong with the wood surface of the TV trays. Brie, ever my helper, supervised the process. Then she got bored.
Then the wood surfaces got two coats of a navy-ish blue paint (BEHR ULTRA Satin "Starless Night") left over from a front porch make-over last spring.
Then the fabric! I really struggled with how to best measure and cut the fabric to fit perfectly in the tray. I ended up making a template out of scrapbook paper and labels. Just lay the pieces in the tray and stick 'em together.
Then just pin and cut! My corners were square and my sides were straight and the fabric fit perfectly in the trays.
As mentioned in the TT&J tutorial, and in the directions for the resin, I sealed the fabric with two coats of Mod-Podge to prevent discoloring and major air bubbles. This fabric is by Brother Sister Design Studio and is from the HobLob.
Despite my careful planning, the fabric ended up being about 3/4 of and inch too big. I think it stretched when I was mod-podge-ing it down. I trimmed the fabric and let the mod-podge dry thoroughly (aka pool time). Then it was time to tackle the resin!
My only complaint was that there is no mixing container or mixing device included in the package. I know it wouldn't really work out because you can't re-use it but I don't have a stash of disposable measuring containers. I DO have a stash of clear party cups and plastic knives. I figured I needed about 6 oz of resin to cover the tray. So I measured 3 oz of water into the cup and marked it with a sharpie.
Then I added three more ounces - for a total of six - and marked that spot. I felt so smaaaart.
Follow the directions to the letter - I set the kitchen timer before I started mixing so all I had to do was press "start" when the parts were mixed. Then pour! The resin had a consistency like honey. Not super runny but liquid enough to push and spread around the tray to get 100% coverage. You can see the little bubbles. Don't fret!
Kitchen torch to the rescue! The CO2 does some cool sciency thing to the resin and the little bubbles just pop right out! While searching out the tiny air bubbles I actually found one or two tiny spots that weren't completely covered and I was able to get them covered before the resin set.
Perfect and smooth!
After curing over night the tables tops are hard and smooth and not tacky at all! I'm so in love with the new-and-improved version!
...and we wasted no time putting them to good use! (Yes, cloth napkins on the TV tray. No matter where we are eating, if it took me longer than 15 minutes to cook it we're using the dang cloth napkins. It's a good rule.)
I'm so in love with this process that Jojo and I are working on a project at her house! Details to come soon! (I know you can hardly wait...)
Linked up here @ A to Z!
