How to upcycle a deckchair

I love a bit of upcycling, seeing an old object take on a new lease of life. It is thrifty, environmentally sound and creative. It ticks all my boxes except…..well I have lots of ideas but am probably one of the least practical people you could meet.  Give me a remote control, a light bulb to change and a manual car and I am in a right pickle.

To be honest things are so bad on the practical front that I had to ring customer service s at the deckchair shop to talk me through putting it together.

I had been sent a deckchair with the purpose of upcycling it but I couldn’t even put it together!

oh dear.

Here is the deckchair in its original state.

A nice chair but very plain.

I scratched my had at ways to bling it up.

I considered image transfers. I asked my IG followers who suggested tye dye, attaching an inflatable bath pillow painting the wood in red and white stripes… still I wasn’t quite sure. I did consider sewing on some fabric flowers but am utterly rubbish at sewing so that idea went out the window.

Then inspiration  struck. How about making it into a bespoke chair for my daughter to celebrate her 8th birthday.

I simply removed the fabric and took it along to her swimming party with some fabric pens like these from Hobbycraft.

In between sandwiches, crisps and many, many cakes her little friends got to work drawing images, signing their name and writing little messages all over her chair.

I think it looks fabulous….

and you can’t really get more bespoke than that can you. I think Angelina Jolie did something similar with her wedding veil. Great minds and all that.

Mine is the thrifty version!

My daughter loved HER chair and the kids adored creating it. Upcycling is fun..child’s play really!

With thanks to Ocean finance who supplied the chair and voucher for this upcycling campaign.