Creating conversation pieces for cheap is what All Things Thrifty is all about. I am thrifty to the core.I was raised on a farm in rural Utah. I am accustomed to working hard and was taught to get the most BANG for your buck. I grew up working on our family’s alfalfa farm. Who knew this little farm girl would live in a big city one day. (LOL…yep…I consider St. George a big city!) I hope you enjoy my thrifty ideas.
As most of you know, I was able to go on Good Things Utah, a Utah television show to showcase my ideas. It was a blast. Well, when I went on the show, I brought several projects with me with the hope that I could talk about them on air. This project was part of that display, but we ran out of time before we got to talk about it.
I started with an inexpensive IKEA rug. It cost $29.00.
Next, I decided on a design (easier said than done). I have a hard time focusing sometimes and it took a bit to decide what I wanted. I knew I wanted to use purple, and I knew I wanted something unique and spunky. Randomly, I searched for a cool picture of a peacock in Google and this is my favorite image that I found. The idea of a purple peacock rug materialized from there. I know, I know…my brain is a bit demented at times.
I used Photoshop to adjust the image into a silhouette.
Then, using an overhead projector (one of my favorite design buddies), I projected the peacock head onto the rug. Note: I used a purple sharpie marker because I knew I was painting the peacock purple. 🙂
Here she is….Miss Purple Peacock.
We then went to work painting on the peacock with paint brushes. I went around the outside of the peacock first to make the line nice and crisp and then painted the inside.
It turned out ah-mazing in my opinion. I now have a one of a kind rug for my outdoor patio area. Note: the rug is wrinkled in these pictures because I had just rolled it out. It will look significantly better after a day or two.
What a fun place to sit and sip purple crystal light with my hubby. LOL. I even drink the color purple these days. Remember my pillows I made from a Target tablecloth!?!? Since they are made of outdoor canvas fabric, they go great in my outdoor space.
I LOVE it!
Total cost: $29.99 for the rug, and FREE for the purple paint since my mother in law had some left over from a previous project. YAY!
Umm wow! Love the color and the peacock!
Amazing! How creative and unique. Is the rug and paint weather-proof or do you have to take it in for rain?
Beautiful!
Ooh, so love it! Great job Brooke!
I love it, but I have a suggestion. It seems a bit unbalanced to me. Have you thought about inverting the image on the other side and maybe adding a contrasting color?
Love it! Do you mind linking to the ikea page of the rug you used?
Wow! That looks so amazing! I love Chris's idea about doing the opposite side in a different color, maybe a fabulous teal?
I have just started a new blog, I'd love for you to come check it out!
repurposedlifedesigns.blogspot.com
I just found your site and I love it! I'm also a frugal rural Utah (turned city-Boise) alfalfa farm girl so I think we're already besties.
I don't intend on leaving the rug outside in the rain. However, you could get an outdoor rug and paint that is rated for the outdoors very easily.
Love it!! It is so fabulous and I love the color. Thank goodness Dan appreciates some pizazz in his life.
I love your idea for using the projector as a stencil. I definitely plan to copy that trick.
Chris,
That's what is great about this tutorial, you can do whatever you want with it! 🙂
Hi Brooke!
This rug is total awesomeness! Love the peacock! I've been making rugs that I can sweep and mop for under my kitchen table from a drop cloth for a while now and I totally used a projector to trace the pattern. In fact, I just did a guest post at Primitive and Proper on them yesterday!http://primitiveandproper.blogspot.com/2011/05/friday-guest-on-monday-emily-from-fine.html If you are doing something similar here, I guess that means I'm doing something right:) Again, love the peacock! Have a great day!
Amazing!!! So pretty, and seems pretty simple to do!!
Courtney @ http://www.lovinglydistressed.blogspot.com
Hi There! Just wondering what type of paint was used? I live in Australia and want to make American cabin style things for the kids. I need to paint a few rugs as they aren't here at all!! TYTYTYTYTY xoxoxoxox
Marie
This is gorgeous. I am redecorating my scrap/creating room and the theme that I settled on is peacocks and crowns. The colors are white, purple and antique silver. I've been searching on great peacock images and came upon yours. The rugs is fantastic and idea great. Can I come steal it? lol!
Wish I could recreate it…would look super in my room.