Creative Inspiration: Percolator Photo Mosaic App

Recently while perusing the internet I came across a photo created with an iphone app called
Percolator by Tinrocket. The effects on the photo were unusual, it was full of rings and circles 

and the effect instantly mesmerized me! I couldn't wait to try this app out for myself! 

For those who have used filter apps such as Instagram, Percolator works in a similar way;

 you chose a photo from your phone's own photo album or you can use your phone's camera 

feature to take a picture, which is then put into the app for you to add filters and effects to and 

turn into your own Percolated photo mosaic masterpiece! 

I just started playing around with it and so far, I've created some pretty cool effects on 

some of my photos. There are many different image options and effect settings in the app 

though, and it's taking me a while to get used to it (I'm still looking for instructions for how 
to use all of the features and effects.)

Check out my before and after Percolated photos and see what you think!

"Before" photo: This is my cat Sam. I took this photo with my iphone5. 

"After" photo: Here's the same photo after I percolated it. Pretty cool, no?

Before: Here's a photo of Nancy Wilson that I took at a Heart concert 

After: The same photo, percolated

Before: Here's a photo I took at a recent Phillies baseball game

After: The same photo, percolated

What do you think?

Here's the link to the app on itunes

Vintage Dining Room Set Makeover: Paint It Black

What a difference a coat of paint can make! 

I've been pining over the look of traditional vintage dining room sets with black chairs and black table bottoms where the table top is left with a natural wood finish. (similar to the table and chairs shown in the photo below)

This photo was my color inspiration:

Inspiration photo

Then I came across an old dining room set that was decent quality and in pretty good shape, but desperately in need of a makeover. The hunter green chairs and table were still living in the 80's! Thankfully the table top was never painted, but left with it's beautiful natural wood finish. I knew then and there that I had found the perfect candidate to transform into the dining set that I always wanted!

Check out the before and after photos:
The old look (hunter green chair in front)
 Versus the new look (chair in back newly painted black)

DIY: The first thing I did was remove the seats from the chairs and painted the chairs black. I used Satin Black Rust-oleum satin paint from a can (classic low-sheen finish smooth protective enamel paint.) I prefer hand painting with a brush as opposed to using cans of spray paint. Not only do I enjoy brush painting because I find it relaxing, but I think brush painting gives you a more finished, professional look. 

If you prefer spray painting, it's available in a spray paint too!

After I painted the four chairs, I painted the bottom portion of the table and the table legs with the same paint. I left the table top as-is, with it's natural wood finish. (you can see the table top in the photos below) I love the look of the natural brown wood against  sleek black! (Don't forget to paint the extra table extension piece!)

The old seat fabric was outdated burgundy and was glued to the seat as opposed to being stapled, so I was able to easily peel the old fabric right off of the seat!

Next I laid out the old chair cover fabric over my new fabric and used it as a template to get the right size of material for each seat. I just cut right around the old fabric, leaving an extra half inch or so. Easy!

Here you can see my new fabric beneath the old fabric.

Next I pulled the new fabric around the seat and stapled with a staple gun. 

The finished seat! 

One of the finished chairs

My newly revamped dining set! (everything that is black used to be hunter green)

I used Waverly "Farmer's Market" decor fabric from Joanne's Fabric store. I was thrilled to find this fabric, which coordinated perfectly with my soon-to-be new dining room paint colors...

(yes I still have to paint!)

This photo was my wall color inspiration for my dining room and kitchen makeover (still a work in progress!)

I wanted sage green walls in the kitchen and dining room (my kitchen leads into my dining room - the previous owners knocked down the wall that separated the rooms) with one opposing dining room wall painted plum.  The paint colors I chose were:
Sherwin William's Expressive Plum:

and
Sherwin Williams Garden Sage:

The painting starts this weekend and after it is finished I will post photos of the completed dining room makeover, so be sure to check back!