Design on a Nickel Part—Getting started

The young people at our church have launched a project to refresh and renew their meeting space. With a grant from the congregation we purchased a 7 piece sectional sofa. We also had money for fabric and labor to recover a couple of swivel rockers and purchase window shades.  The remainder of the furnishings in the room will be rehabbed.  Last weekend a group painted the room, sanded chairs, a bookcase and a table. 
The guys took to painting the room like pros; the girls opted for power tools and ran sanders all morning in the room next door. Putting a first coat on the furniture occupied most of the afternoon. The table was an activity table from one of our children's classrooms that had seen better days. Tom cut the legs off and it’s ready to be a coffee table.




The room is now painted, and window shades are hung. On the next workday, they will put another coat of paint on the furniture, and if there’s time start on the pillow project.
Inspired by a number of web posts, I experimented with painting canvas with the paint left over from the project.

The larger pillow top has house paint mixed with fabric medium, the smaller sample is paint right out of the can. After it dries, I’ll see if there is a difference in the hand and durability of the two samples. Web posts are divided as to which method is better.
To make these pillows, I cut wavy shapes out of freezer paper and ironed them on the canvas. After painting, I peeled the strips away.
If this paint holds up on canvas, we have some retro rattan chairs taking up space in an unused room that could have their cushions painted.  Like this or this
more later…