Decoupaged Table Makeover with Postage Stamps
Decoupaged Table Makeover with Postage Stamps
It’s my favorite time of the month again… time for the Thrifty Chicks project challenge.
On the second Wednesday of each month I join some very talented blogging friends for a project challenge, and with a different theme each time it’s really a lot of fun. If you missed any of the past projects you can find them here. Â
I’m so excited to see what my blogging friends have come up with for this small furniture project challenge.
You’ll find links to their projects at the end of this post. Be sure to visit and check out the fabulousness.
But first I want to show you have I put my own ‘stamp’ on an old worn table.
The makeover really pushes the envelope. haha.
Sponsored: Decoupage product provided by DecoArt. This project idea, choice of product used, and all opinions are 100% my own. See full Disclosure Policy here.
I found this old beat up magazine table at the ReStore a few years ago.
It really needed some serious makeover love.
But for the $5 price I knew it would be worth the effort.
I loved the magazine holders on the sides, and I thought this would be a great living room piece between our two chairs.
John can have one side and I’ll have the other.
Perfect for winter time reading in front of a roaring fire in the living room wood stove.Â
I painted the table white over a year ago because I knew I wanted to decoupage it with something.
But I had no idea what.
So it sat waiting for divine inspiration to hit me.
Like it did with this tablecloth covered desk makeover, and this decoupaged quilt squares dresser makeover.
Then one day I found a bunch of stamps at a thrift store and an idea was born, but I needed more stamps.
So I went searching on etsy and I found a lot of 1000 used stamps for a very reasonable $9, plus shipping, which was about $6.
The only other supplies I needed for this decoupaged table makeover was some DecoArt Paper Decoupage Medium, and a foam brush.
NOTE: I am not a stamp collector. I purchased these used stamps specifically for crafting purposes.
I separated the stamps into colors.
This did take a while, but I was listening to music while I was doing it so it seemed pretty quick.
Music makes every monotonous job fun. At least for me.
How to decoupage a table with postage stamps
For my decoupaged table makeover I decided I wanted to outline the top with blue stamps.
So I did dry fits as I went along, and then I decoupaged the stamps in place.
To apply the stamps I added the decoupage medium to the table and also to the back of the stamps.
As I got rows done I applied the medium on top of the stamps as well.
It was the same process for the red/pink stamps, and then the green stamps.
I worked my way in as I went.
After I applied purple, yellow, and red/orange stamps to finish the table top I gave it a light sanding with a fine grit sanding block.
Alternating with the decoupage medium and the sanding block, I gave it two light coats.
Letting it dry in between, and then I finished it off with a final coat.
Here you can see that the decoupage medium goes on kind of whitish, but it dries clear.
Now it was time to move on to those fabulous legs, which of course don’t need to be done.
I wasn’t worried about colors here.
I just winged it, mixing the colors as I went in a way that looked good to me.
Once the stamps were dry I trimmed them with an xacto knife, following the contours of the legs.
Make sure to use a very sharp blade and you just need a very light touch here.
You don’t want to cut into the wood.
Then the legs got the same decoupage medium and sanding block treatment as the table top.
And I just kept going with the awesome magazine cubbies on the sides of the table.
Again, I mixed the stamps as I made my way down.
And then I trimmed them at the top and bottom.
Decoupaged table makeover
Here’s one view before and after.
And here’s the other side before and after.
I’m still thinking about whether or not I should do the inside bottom area.
But I’ll always have stuff inside the table so the stamps would be covered up.
So, here’s another look at the $5 table in the condition that I found it.
I hope it has your ‘stamp’ of approval. 🙂
I’m super happy with how my decoupaged table makeover turned out.
Using stamps is an easy way to get a mosaic look, and it’s relatively inexpensive too.
And I still have a ton of stamps left for future projects.
Here it is in my living room happily sitting on my DIY striped plywood floor in my living room.
Save this project for later by pinning!
Thanks so much for reading, and until next time…
keep on keepin’ on!
XOX
Wow, you totally transformed your table, Tuula…and it turned out beautifully! Great project!
Thanks very much Linda!
It always amazes me how “perfect” all your mosaic like projects look! The way you lay everything out always looks to be the “only” way it should be . This table definitely has inspired me to do something similar. I am very thankful for your imagination since I don’t have one. Keep up the great ideas Tuula!
Thanks very much Pam! I’m so happy that my table has inspired you. 🙂
Tuula, this so looks like tile! Gorgeous! Just picks up all the great colors of your floor and the green chairs are a great compliment…or…the table compliments them!! Either way, fantastic job, as usual!!
Thank you so much Karolyn!
Love it, Tuula! The shapeliness of the table is accented by the colorful squares. It’s perfect on your colorful floor, too. I’ve got a bunch of my Dad’s stamps and have been trying to decide how I’m going to use them. Pinned!
Thanks Lora! How wonderful that you have some stamps from your Dad. 🙂
That is so cute Tuula! Cute and colorful and perfect for the space between your chairs!
Tania
Thanks very much Tania! It really is just the right size.
Good heavens! !! Creativity at its best. Tuula, small wonder you share this, because it’s pretty grand. Kind regards
Thank you so much Beatrix!
Tuula, you knocked this out of the park! I can’t believe all those stamps, oh my gosh, your playlist must have been a good, long one. 😉 I am always so amazing at your creative ideas. What an inspiration!
Thanks Sheila! I am a classic rock girl and it keeps me going, just like the energizer bunny. lol.
I’m a little late to this party, and I can’t think of anything to say that hasn’t already been said! Absolutely perfect for that spot! I was smitten by that table as soon as I saw it and just new you would do something fabulous to it. You exceeded my imagination! Now, I’ll mosey on over to see what the others did.!
Thanks so much Dona! The table was a very lucky find and I’m so happy that it finally got a much overdue makeover.
What a truly unique idea! LOVE IT!!
Thanks so much Audra!
I LOVE YOUR TABLE ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Great job.
Thanks so much Candy!
Hi there I really like the idea of applying stamps onto small bits of furniture. Your project looked really good but I’m a bit old fashioned and if I were to apply the stamps to that particular bit of furniture I would have restored the magazine rack and then applied the stamps. Of course we all have our own personal style. I tried mentally picturing the grain of the wood against the stamps. A totally different look would be achieved. But thank you for the idea. I’m definitely going to stamp up a bit of old furniture 🙂
Hi Phil. I’m so happy that my project has inspired you. I think stamps with the original wood would look great as well if that’s what you love. You’re so right when you say that we all have our personal style. When it comes to creating we each of us needs to do what speaks to us and makes us happy.
Tulla I just scrolled down and saw your stamp creation in place in your house and I totally understand why you went for the idea of painting the magazine rack white before adding the stamps. It looks excellent and really suits its surroundings. I understand why my last post suggesting to restore the wood and then adding the stamps would not suit your home at all. But it would suit mine. I love the beauty of wood and personally like to work with it. I’ve just signed up to your site and will keep an eye on your other great ideas. I love it that you are across the pond from me yet we still share that creative appreciation. All the beat Tulla. Kind regards Philip Baskerville
Thanks so much Phil! I appreciate your sharing that with me, and I agree. What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for someone else, but we can still appreciate the creative pursuits of others and even find inspiration there. Thanks for signing up. 🙂
I have some drawer facings in a built in unit in my living room that were decorated like this beautiful table. Any ideas on how to remove the stamps?
Hi Melissa, how to remove them really depends on how they were adhered to the drawers. If the stamps were decoupaged on you can try wetting them down a bit and scraping them off. Sort of like how you do wallpaper. It it works it will probably be a messy job. If it doesn’t that means they were glued on and I’m not sure they could be removed. Depending on what you want to do with the drawers you could paint over them and then decoupage something else on the drawers.
Thanks for the tips!