DIY: HOW TO JAZZ UP A BORING TABLE (easy)

I'm so happy to tell you about this little and easy DIY I've come up with a few days ago.

I've had this simple black table from Ikea for years and was finding it a bit boring. I've recently bought this fabric to make myself some cushions and when I laid it on my table to take the photos for my last article, I figured it would be actually really nice as a sort of'cover'. So I've come up with this fairly simple DIY. I'll take you through the different steps but I'm assuring you anyone can do this!

What you need:

• A piece of fabric of your choice.

• A table (or any surface you may want to cover: desk, shelf, etc.)

• Thread (with a colour matching the fabric)

• Sewing Machine (or a needle if you're patient enough!)

• A tape measure

Step 1: MEASURING & CUTTING YOUR FABRIC

• Measure the surface you work with.

Mine had a square shape so it was fairly simple.

It was measuring 55cm, I added 5cm on each side for it to match the height I wanted to cover, and 1,5cm for the hem.

So basically, the "lines" you can see below represent the shape of the table and the rest represents the sides.

• Cut in your fabric

Step 2: SEWING THE HEMS

• Fold the fabric and pin it so you can sew the hems. (approximately 1,5cm)

Step 3: SEW THE SIDES

• Measure 5cm from the top and the left of each corner

• Mark the back of you fabric very lightly with chalk or pen (make sure you can't see the mark on the right side of your fabric)

• Fold your square into a triangle for each corner, the wrong side showing so you can see the little marks. Your marks should be on the fold.

• Sew from one mark to the place where the two parts of the fabric meet. (see below)

Last Step: FINISHING TOUCHES

• If you want to, you can cut the little triangles formed by the seam. I personally didn't, just it case I wanted to play with it again or widened it in case it didn't fit.

• Place the cover on top of your table and Voilà!

I hope I made myself clear enough so you can give it a try! It is very simple but very nice to jazz up a boring table. I'm very happy with it and hope you'll be too!

Let me know if you've tried it and tweet me your pictures at @beautyaromers

Enjoy your weekend

& Good Luck!

Margaux

REVIEW: THE REAL TECHNIQUES BRUSHES

Yes I am finally reviewing the Samantha Chapman Real Techniques Brushes. I've had them for months and did not know if it would be interesting for me to review them as a lot of people have been raving about them but since I love them very much, I think they deserve another positive one :)

I bought two kits from the iHerb website. The brushes are all synthetic and have not been tested on animals.

The Eyes/Enhanced Starter Kit, $17.99

• Base Shadow Brush

It is a flat but fluffy brush with a round top. It should be used to apply eyeshadow all over the lid but definitely feels like a blending brush. It is said to have quite the same shape and use as a Mac 217, which I personally do not own (yet). It has the perfect size to go through the crease and blends nicely. Definitely the winner of the kit.

• Deluxe Crease Brush

This is a rounded and very fluffy brush that should be used to apply makeup onto the crease of the eye. I've used it that way at first but wasn't completely happy with the precision it brought to my makeup. I saw the Pixiwoo sisters using it as a concealer brush. I'm not a massive user of concealer but when I need it and want a very natural finish, this is the brush I use. Because of its "fluffyness", it is very good to blend the product without wiping it away. 

• Accent Brush

At first, we all seemed to be quite reluctant to this brush thinking that it didn't have enough use to it. It is perfect to apply makeup under the eye or to highlight your inner corner BUT I found another PERFECT use to it. I don't know about you but sometimes I want a very natural and smoky finish to my eyeliner and this is the perfect tool for this. It is very small but very precise as it is very flat. Love it!

• Brow Brush

This angled brush is quite dense and thick so it is definitely meant to be used for eyebrows and nothing else. There isn't a lot to say about it. It is a nice brush.

• Pixel Point Eyeliner Brush

Right. When I bought the kit, I thought this brush would be much thinner, I was slightly disappointed but managed to use it anyway. You cannot draw a very fine line with it but if you use gel liner and dip the brush into the product as if it was a flat brush you can still draw a line that won't be too big using the side of it. It is hard to explain with words but I'm sure you'll find your own way to use this eyeliner brush.

The Base/Flawless Core Collection, $17.99

• Buffing Brush

Again, I'm starting this review with the winner of the kit. This brush is very fluffy and an absolute pleasure in terms of softness. It has a flat top (very slightly rounded). I think all the bloggers and youtubers will agree and claim that this brush is fantastic to apply liquid foundation. I used to use it for blush but the results weren't as impressive as with foundation. Absolutely adore it for the natural finish it gives to the skin.

• Contour Brush

Another winner of this kit is this contour brush. It has a pointed and very fluffy head and is very nice to apply blush and highlight even though a bigger brush would be even more perfect for this or contouring. I still very much appreciate it and use it every single day.

• Pointed Foundation Brush

I'm not a massive fan of this type of foundation brushes. I think the flatness of them leaves traces on the skin which doesn't look natural at all. I rarely use this brush as I can't find a use I like to it. Feel free to tell me how you use it!

• Detailer Brush

This brush has the same shape as the foundation brush which still isn't the best to apply makeup naturally but since it is much smaller, I managed to found different uses to it. It is very good to hide any little imperfection of to apply lipstick with precision.

Overall, I absolutely love those brushes. You received the two kits with a "Makeup up holder" type thing that you can fold and use as a stand when you work with the brushes which is always a plus. I always take this with me when I am on the go. I try to clean my brushes as often as I can and those are a pleasure to clean. They don't lose any hair or anything which is always good :)

I now want to purchase the Blush Brush -which would be perfect to apply blush, contour and blend all that very nicely- the Powder Brush and the Fine Liner Brush :)

I recommend these brushes very much and hope you won't be disappointed with them if you decided to go for it. In the end, they are cheap but really good brushes, an absolute bargain!

What did you think of them?

Margaux