HOMEWORKS: Make your own seaside accent table

If I had to pick one topic that I know readers of this column enjoy it would be projects. Gardeners and homebodies love to create things, be it natural settings in the great outdoors or chic furnishings and dodads for the home.

With everyone finally able to get excited about summer, we have a project created by the crafters at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores that uses fun-in-the-sun photos to create an antique-look table. Once completed it could be used in a breezy sunroom or formal living room, along with other beach-theme accessories including nautical brass accessories or oceanside trinkets like a glass bowl filled with sand, shells and pieces of coral.

SUPPLIES AND TOOLS:

* Large picture frame with glass

* Table legs and brackets for attaching to back of frame (4)

* L-brackets and screws for securing the photo panel to underside of frame

* Martha Stewart Crafts acrylic paint: Gray Wolf, Porcelain Doll, Wedding Cake, Linen

* White household candle

* Sandpaper (sheet of coarse, sheet of fine)

* Foam core board

* Linen fabric (color of choice)

* Batting or felt

* Adhesive or tacky glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Begin by attaching the hardware for legs to the frame.
• Set some paper down and using the Gray Wolf paint apply two coats to the table legs and set them aside to dry.
• To create the distressed finish, take the candle and rub it onto all areas of the frame and legs (once dried) where a distressed look is desired.
• Next, apply two coats of a mixture of all the whites onto all surfaces. Set it aside to dry.
• Lightly sand the surfaces using the coarse sandpaper first, then the fine.
• To prepare the insert for the frame: Cut foam core to fit into the opening. Now cut a layer of batting or felt slightly smaller than the foam core; being careful not to create any creases, affix it to the foam core. Then cover all with linen fabric and glue to foam core on the underside, stretching the linen tightly to create a smooth surface.
• The next step is the photos. To avoid having to pull off a glued photo after the fact, do a dry run first. Spread the photos out on a table or flat surface and move them around until you've got a design that you like. Consider adding embellishments such as nautical-theme charms or captions created with scrapbooking items. Once you're satisfied with the design, attach the various photos to the linen. Then insert the glass and attach it to the underside of the frame using the L-brackets and short screws.
• Attach the legs and set your awesome seaside table in place. If you're concerned about damage to the photos beneath the glass should someone spill a glass of water, consider sealing it with silicone or white caulking - just a thought.

NOTE: If you should decide to tackle this project, let me know. Send me a photo or video of your completed project to share with others. Perhaps you decided to go with red instead of white or blue polka-dots, either way the more variations the better.

Gina Joseph is a reporter and columnist for The Macomb Daily. Send comments to gina.joseph@macombdaily.com, follow her on twitter @ginaljoseph and visit her beat blog at macomblife.blogspot.com.