Danielle is the lucky winner of the framed cork board from Little Bit Creations!

Congratulations!

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DIY Upholstered Headboard w/ "damn-it" tacks..

Catchy title, huh? Let me explain.
My dad is an avid sailor. Preparing the boat to sail includes hoisting the mast. While my dad was standing there using all his strength to hold the mast my job was to thread the awkward pin that held everything up. I would often drop it while my dad was sweating bullets trying to hold the mast. Later my dad told me that sailors named it the "damn-it" pin because it was such a pain. Uphostery tacks are much the same.

I started with a piece of pressboard from Home Depot which they cut for free to your dimensions. Mine is 59 in X 40 in.

I then borrowed this saw from a neighbor to cut out my design on the two corners.

I normally like to use a thick piece of foam but because I knew I would be nailing tacks in it I wanted it to be thin. Instead I purchased this 3/4 X 1-1/2 wood and cut it down with a hand saw to my dimensions. I simply glued it to the back of my headboard with wood glue so when I wrapped the material around it, it looked more substantial and thick.

I don't have any fancy clamps to secure the glued boards in place but I discovered that food storage cans full of wheat and rice do the same job nicely.



I started by adhering foam to the front of my headboard cut to size.

Found it at Hancock Fabric (don't forget your 40% off coupon).





Here's the spray adhesive I used (because I know 15 people will ask).




Cut it to the same size as your board.

After the foam is secure wrap the entire front of foam and board with batting.

Secure it with staples on the other side.

Should look like this.

Here's the back side with staples.

This in not the same headboard but I've had so many questions about how I attached the headboard to the wall I thought I'd show you an example of a different headboard I've done before.

I attached two 1X2's to the back of the head board as legs. It leans against the wall sandwiched between the wall and the bed.

Now for the "damn-it" tacks.

This is tricky. I know there are tack strips that you can use but I like the look of these better (and I like to torture myself).

It took me about 50 tacks before I started to get the hang of it.

Start in an area that people won't see (I learned this the hard way).

This is about 1/4th of my mistakes.

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Spray paint = good.

Continuing on with my DIY guest room... Next up, SPRAY PAINT, my B.F.F.
I spied this lamp at a thrift store for $5.00 a while ago. I kept thinking about it and to my suprise it was still there a couple weeks later (that NEVER happens to me).

I first gave it a quick (and sloppy), light sanding.
Next a coat of spray primer.
To tie in with my brown, white and green color scheme I sprayed it green.
It tied in nicely but not "pop"-y enough.

Then I thought a brighter green might give it the "pop" I was after.
My husband took one look at it, picked it up, set it on top of the garbage can and said, "looks great it your going for the Waste Management look."

I finally decided if I wanted a "pop" of color then fire engine red would hit the mark.
Third time's a charm.
Red it is.

Next, re-purpose the changing table from IKEA in to a bedside table.
This required taking the legs off to reduce the height and removing the top rails.
Light sanding, coat of spray primer, 3 coats of white spray paint.




Last to get a new coat of paint was this shelf I found at an estate sale months ago.
(My husband has hated this thing ever since it came to live with us).
Light sanding, coat of spray primer, couple coats of white spray paint, yadi, yadi.

Spray paint, I love you.

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