The Costumer's Manifesto is written by Tara Maginnis, and proudly hosted by William Baker.

THE MANIFESTO IS MUTATING!  IT IS TURNING INTO A WIKI THAT CAN BECOME THE HIVE MIND OF ALL COSTUMERS, FINALLY LIVING UP TO IT'S SLOGAN: "COSTUMERS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!" YOU CAN HELP IN THIS PROCESS BY MOVING PAGES TO THE NEW SITE AT THECOSTUMERSMANIFESTO.COM, HELPING TO EDIT THE PAGES THAT ARE THERE ALREADY, AND ADDING YOUR OWN ORIGINAL INPUT.

 

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Dumpster Diver Decor

Making Victorian Gingerbread out of Junk

Making an ordinary house look like it is covered with Victorian Style Gingerbread can be expensive, but not if you shop at the Transfer station! In dumpsters you find an impressive amount of  Mediterranean furniture of the 1970's that is falling apart because it is made of pressboard.  This furniture is covered with plastic fake wood grain Mediterranean motif panels that are incredibly sturdy and make great architectural ornament.  

MVC-003F.JPG (68757 bytes)  Piece of a plastic fake wood grain Mediterranean style headboard. 
mvc-010f.jpg (44910 bytes) The painted version of the headboard next to a plastic fake wood grain Mediterranean style Laundry bin, painted to match the house trim.

mvc-012f.jpg (37752 bytes) mvc-009f.jpg (37626 bytes) The former piece of headboard mounted above a back window.  The decorative finials on the stair banister in the foreground are from the end of a curtain rod.

The Art of Faux : The Complete Sourcebook of Decorative Painted Finishes

How to Make Rustic Garden Furniture

The Mosaic Book : Ideas, Projects and Techniques

Stenciling on a Grand Scale : Using Simple Stencils to Create Visual Magic

Debbie Travis' Painted House: Stenciling Made Easy Bat Garden Planter

 

mvc-004f.jpg (65829 bytes) Decorative edging on the house is made by painting a blue stripe next to the wooden corner of the house and then nailing plastic garden fencing over it.  mvc-002f.jpg (47111 bytes) The edge seen from a distance.

mvc-007f.jpg (38275 bytes) mvc-008f.jpg (34578 bytes) Plastic fake wood grain Mediterranean style door cabinets from a side table are attached to either side of the kitchen side window after painting (note the door pulls in the center)  Above and below the doors are small bits of architectural molding pulled off of 12 home made statue alcoves from a church found discarded in a dumpster.    

 mvc-006f.jpg (46636 bytes)  mvc-011f.jpg (38758 bytes) More of the alcove bits nailed to the back stairs and next to the front windows.   mvc-003f.jpg (49818 bytes) The front windows are decorated with a central design motif made from old Vacuform  plastic stage scenery thrown out by the scene shop at UAF.  

mvc-005f.jpg (38169 bytes) A Styrofoam tile frame is painted to match the house trim, and a tile is specially glazed with Peblo with Dracula's greeting to his guest, for the front door entrance. 

mvc-015f.jpg (62537 bytes) A plastic fake wood grain Mediterranean style garbage bin is painted to match the house trim in preparation to being made into an outdoor ashtray (no smoking inside the house).

Pad: The Guide to Ultra-Living (My favorite decorating book)

Stained Glass For Beginners

Mosaics : Inspiration and Original Projects for Interiors and Exteriors

mvc-013f.jpg (71153 bytes) Mme. Exxxedrin gestures in delight at the quasi Victorian insanity she has wrought.

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But wait! There is more on the way:

gingerbread.JPG (101499 bytes) Spraying those gold metallic plastic do-dads from Value Village.

 

 

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The Costumer's Manifesto is proudly hosted by William Baker.

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This Page is part of The Costumer's Manifesto by Tara Maginnis, Ph.D.  Copyright 1996-2010.   You may print out any of these pages for non-profit educational use such as school papers, teacher handouts, or wall displays.  You may link to any page in my site.

This page last edited on 05/07/2007