Vonnie walks you through every single step — from thrift store find to finished piece. Grab your drink of choice. This one is so good.

Sometimes a great thrift flip needs to start with a little deconstruction and a lot of possibility. Vonnie removes the cushion from the vintage stool, uses it as a template to cut a new timber insert for the seat, sands the frame back to remove the old stain, and seals the timber with a water-based polyurethane top coat. Now a clean, fresh canvas, it's ready for something beautiful.

Before the Fern Fables Transfer goes anywhere near this stool, Vonnie builds a background using the Folk Story Stamp with stone gray ink. Her tip for getting seamless coverage across the whole surface: overlap each stamp placement slightly with the previous one to avoid gaps. Use even, gentle pressure, and a rubber brayer to help ensure consistent coverage across the whole piece. The result is a beautiful background with depth that makes the transfer elements on top feel more meaningful.

Then comes the fun part. Vonnie cuts the Fern Fables Transfer elements apart, sorts them by size and theme, and tapes everything in place across the timber frame to finalize the composition before committing to a single application. This planning step is genuinely worth the extra time. It lets you see the full picture and move things around before anything is permanent. 🙌

To apply the transfer, use the plastic tool included to rub the image down and release it from the backing sheet. Then flip the backing sheet over and use the shiny side to burnish the transfer again, making sure everything has adhered completely. Small transfer elements can be used to fill any gaps at the end, and gives each project something unique!

A $10 lamp. A tin of jade green mineral paint. And the Fern Fables Transfer. Talk about a statement piece. 😅

Vonnie cleans the lamp base thoroughly and paints it in a vibrant jade green mineral paint. Isn't that stunning? The lampshade gets a wash of watered-down lime mineral paint for a soft, botanical base that lets the transfer details shine.

A couple of things worth knowing before you try transfers on fabric:

💕 Humidity is not your friend here. Cool temperatures and high humidity can make transfers reluctant to release on fabric. If you're running into resistance, a heat gun gently warming the surface makes a real difference.

💕 Support the fabric from behind. Place your hand firmly behind the lampshade fabric while you rub. This gives the transfer the firm surface it needs to adhere properly.

💕 Let your paint dry thoroughly, ideally overnight, before attempting to apply any transfers to fabric. Patience here pays off in the final result.

Once the transfers are applied and looking gorgeous, seal the whole lampshade with two coats of a clear water-based top coat to protect the finish. Same goes for the timber stool seat — two coats, and you're done. 🙌

The finished pieces are soft, botanical, and completely charming. We love a good creative project that makes guests stop and say "where did you get that?" And your answer? "I made it." We love that for you. 🥰

A Note on Fern Fables

The Fern Fables Transfer was designed by real artist, Lexi Grenzer. Every fern, every botanical detail, every delicate line has such a beauty that only comes from a human hand. It's one of the things that makes IOD different, and this project is a gorgeous reminder of why that matters. 💕

🎨 Fern Fables IOD Transfer

🎨 Folk Story IOD Stamp

✨ Vintage thrifted stool
✨ Thrifted lamp and lampshade
✨ Jade green mineral paint
✨ Lime mineral paint (watered down for fabric)
✨ Water-based polyurethane top coat
✨ Clear water-based top coat (x2 coats for sealing)
✨ Stone gray ink
✨ Rubber brayer
✨ Heat gun (for fabric application in humid conditions)
✨ Sandpaper

Ready to get your hands on the Fern Fables Transfer? Find your nearest IOD Stockist using the big red Where to Buy button on our website. 🙌

New to IOD? Our Product 101 pages are packed with beginner-friendly techniques to help you get the most out of every product — we are so giddy to be part of your creative journey. And for more how-tos and project inspo, there is so much good stuff waiting for you in the rest of our blog.

Made something gorgeous with Fern Fables? Share it with the IOD Creative Tribe on Facebook. It is the most supportive community of makers on the internet, and we genuinely cannot wait to see what you create. 💕