SURFS UP !!! UP-cycled !!! Transformations From Wipe-out to WOW !
2 Materials
You know you see them at yard sales all the time....and those of us with kids know exactly why they are now being offered for a buck or two in someone's front yard. $30-50 because the kids have to have them, and after one sand SPiTting wipe-out...they become closet clutter ! ....HOWEVER...those wave riding hazards can be up-cycled !
Ah, YES.....those little skimboards were all the rage with every kids within driving distance of an ocean..they get tossed into the surf, and the idea is to run and jump onto it as it SKIMS along the water...EPIC FAIL !!! ...It hurts to hit the sand face first ! The good news is...we can now find these little injury inducing devices really cheap at yard sales ! ...They come pre-decorated with cool manufactured graphics, but.....we can fix that !
The possibly ONLY redeeming quality to these little sand devils, is...they are made of wood !!! ....AND....we all know where there's wood, we can STAIN.....BREAK OUT THE SPiT ! ....Unicorn SPiT vibrant colored wood stain and glaze is the perfect pairing with a beach inspired upcycle project !
I combined the the stain press technique, and Aura Blast; developed by Unicorn SPiT creator, Michelle Nicole, I redecorated my little skim board. The colors I chose were, Blue Thunder, Dragonsbelly, Zia Teal, and the brand new Weathered Daydream....here is the youtube link to the technique tutorials : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBANZ5badZLicCfrkQNF3YQ
I found a super cool and rather appropriate piece of hardware on Ebay to attach to the skimboard, it will be perfect for hanging jewelry !
I added a shelf, for displaying seashells and other treasures from the sea .
Grabbed my Zia Teal, and stained the shelf to compliment the design without taking away from it's uniqueness. The entire piece is then sealed with an oil based sealer, as Unicorn SPiT reactivates with a water based sealer. This means, the colors, once dry will lose their individual integrity and blend together. Oil based sealers such as the high golss polyurethane used for this project allows the individual colors to keep their rightful place in the design. I personally recommend Helmsman SPAR polyurethane .
This is a better shot of both Unicorn SPiT techniques, stain press all over, combined with a partial Aura Blast on the side to depict a wave effect !
JUST A LITTLE BLING......a few crystal inspired acrylic knobs under the shelf for extra hanging, scarves, and such complete our up-cycle.....RIDIN' THE SPiT WAVE !!!
YEP !!! ...I scored a few of these little gems at several different yard sales...OK...I feel like I'm sort of cheating, because we live only about an hour off the East Coast of Florida, so...they are quite plentiful. For every kid who has sucked sand; there's a skimboard leaning against a tree in their yard with a $2 price sticker. This model is larger, so I had the idea of an accent table or patio bench. Let's face it..... any time I can SPiT a wave of creativity, I'm super excited to do so !!
Once again, using the stain press technique, {seriously, check out the YOUTUBE channel for Unicorn SPiT} https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBANZ5badZLicCfrkQNF3YQ.... I created my own design, after sanding off the manufacturers graphics. The colors used in the design were ; Blue Thunder, Zia Teal, Pixie Punk Pink, Purple Hill Majesty, and the newest color in SPiT, Navajo Jewel. Creating with Unicorn SPiT has brought my work to a whole new level of uniqueness ....each piece is it's own work of art. ...Unicorn SPiT is highly concentrated, and it is recommended in this technique to dilute the colors, as well as spraying water on the piece before applying your Unicorn SPiT. You can dilute at least 50% and keep the color intensity !
I salvaged the base of an old bench I found on the side of the road and saved for another project. I removed the top, which was all jacked up anyway, sanded the frame and legs, and mounted the skimboard right on top ! SQUEEEEE.......I am so loving this !!!
I allowed the Unicorn SPiT to COMPLETELY dry ! Then used a little scrap of 400 grit sandpaper to smooth out the creases that sometimes occur with this particular technique. A soft touch and 5 minutes evens it all out without altering the design. Then, using a few beach inspired stencils, I created a floral design right over the dry Unicorn SPiT; using complimentary colors of paint. {I grab up all the samples on the "oops" rack at Home Depot for stenciling !!
when everything is dry and smooth, the polyurethane sealer can be applied. I wanted a super shine on this piece, so there are 4 coats of polyurethane. A light sanding between coats {after its dry} allows for a glass-like finish.
I simply painted the base with a complimentary color and sealed with GFHP flat.....I really wanted the top to POP !} AND......TAH-DAH...we have a cool coffee table OR sweet surfin' bench ! These pieces will be featured on our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/DvineDsigns27/ and at Uptown Vintage Market in Melbourne Florida !
www.unicornspit.com..... Honestly, visit their website, find them on Facebook, join the groups, and find out what everyone is so crazy about !!! This product is quickly becoming the new wave in our industry. It's harmless !! VOC free, smells like jasmine, and the available color pallet is increasing all the time.... Grab your board and surf over to their page !!!
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Amazing!
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I found this child size skimboard in the trash and used epoxy resin to make an ocean scene. I scored the table bottom at a garage sale for $5. Sold for $80
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