Vintage Ironing Board ART
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Do you remember the vintage ironing board I picked up last month? I got it at a church yard sale for $5.00. (My personal limit when I thrift)
I had no idea what I was going to do with it. When I was looking at it, the lady said “do you need an old ironing board”? I told her, that I didn’t need one, but I was going to buy it anyway. 
I found an image from Karen @ the graphics fairy. Did you know that you can print oversized images from your own printer? I didn’t, so I googled it. You don’t have to google it, I’ll tell you how to do it.
I opened the picture, and told it to print. When the print menu popped up, I went into the “options” or “settings” menu. From there I chose page layout. I chose Multi-Page– Poster Printing. You can see that I chose 2×2. I also choose to do a print preview BEFORE printing option. For my printer, that is located under the Advanced tab.
Here you can see that it will print out on 4 pieces of paper. After the 4 pieces print, you just trim them a little and tape them together. Easy Peasy! You can thank me later! I love sharing what I learn with you guys!
I taped my four pieces together, then trimmed away all the extra paper. I taped the dress from on the ironing board. I have a very colorful beach towel underneath it because I didn’t want it to scratch my DIY Kitchen Island.
I used a ball point pen to trace the lines which left an impression on the wooden ironing board. I used some black craft paint and a small paint brush to paint the lines on the ironing board.
I was so busy painting, I guess I didn’t take any “in progress” pictures.
This is the step that I may regret. I got another image from Karen @ the Graphics Fairy. I liked the image but I don’t think I did a very good job transferring it and painting it. However, in the spirit of “keeping it real” I show you everything, whether I like it or not.
I laid the ad on the board, and taped of the correct size.
Then I painted it the best matching color I had. I got very busy transferring the image with a ballpoint pen-then painting over those lines, and again, I didn’t take any pictures.
I was not thrilled with the end result. I am not a very good detailed painter.
At this point, I’m liking the dress form, but the advertisement? Not so much.
I thought it was too new looking, so I took some sandpaper to it.
I may or may not be finished with this project. The advertisement does show up better than it does in pictures. I have gotten an enlargement of the original image from the nice people at Staples. I may sand off the image that I painted and decoupage the enlarged ad on it. I’m open to suggestions.
I felt I could go two different ways with this ironing board. I could focus on the laundry room, or a sewing room. I sort of thought in my neck of the woods, a seamstress might go for it before someone would want it for their laundry room. I still need to corral the legs on the back and add some hardware on it in case someone would like to hang it on their wall for art.
gail
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Thanks for the ‘how to’ enlarge and print 4 pages of one picture. Great idea for ironing board – getting the legs to stay in place and a hanger is a good idea too.
I think Dianne had some great ideas. And I agree with either bringing more pink in, or toning it down all together. Great work! I still haven’t tackled either of my ironing boards yet!
Hi, Gail.. I love the dress form but not really feeling the advertisement,, but I know you’ll think of something great to do it. Thanks for the how-to on printing,, I needed that.
You’ve gotten a lot of good suggestions, so I just want to say that I LOVE IT! I have a child size wood ironing board and I think I might have to paint something on it!
Thank you for the printing tutorial~that’s some great information.
I love this idea. I think the pink is what is off for me. I like the graphic wood/black dress form and would like the ad without the color. Attaching wire would be very cute, too. Another great after by Gail. I’d buy this and the percolator lamp and a million other things. I’m so glad you live far away from Seattle. I’d really be broke.
I love the dress form!!! What about some cool quote on the bottom or just some fancy swirls? Not a fan of the ad sign…
I love it! Thanks so much for explaining how to enlarge a picture from printing. I’ve done it other ways, but this is far easier! You teach me so much!
Maybe the color background color of the ad is throwing you off? I like it with the dress form, but it makes the whole thing seem kind of bottom heavy. Maybe you could find some scrap fabric in a similar color and make a little fabric flower to glue to the dress form. Kind of like a corsage. Anyhoo, I love the concept and think it was ingenious putting the dress form on the board! I can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Love this! I didn’t know about printing off a design in sections, that one is going in my memory bank! Thanks for another one of your amazing projects!
I “passed” on one of these ironing boards at a garage sale and have kicked myself ever since…what you have done is adorable!
Did you know that you could use a good ol’ Sharpie to do your “painting”. How do I know? Because I just did it on my table project. Started to use paint and a tiny brush but because it was taking so long I have ZERO patience, I decide to use a Sharpie instead…worked like a charm!
Thanks for the image enlargement tutorial, I can’t wait to give this a try as well!
first, thank you for the enlarged pictures tute. I may not need it but you know I have to try it. I could get carried away.
I agree that you’ll find more potential seamstresses than laundresses.
The pink is a bit much for me (in the photos) so depending on what it looks like in real life I might tone that down, lighten it up. I liked the suggestion of carrying it through onto the dress form, continuity.
Maybe a bit of dimention would also add something, but as for your artisitic talents – you have no compliants from here. I think “imperfections” make any art work more interesting.
Thanks for that great tip Gail… I have to remember that one for sure.
I like the decoupage idea too… I think the pink colour is throwing me off … love the dress form.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Hugs, Deb