In an effort to turn my dog’s elevated feeding station into a beautiful work of designer dog bowl art, I’ve worked with burlap and lots of glue on behalf of Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. 
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It’s no big secret that I love Target, but I do have a little secret to share with you. Kyle and I have been in the home buying process for the past 6 or so weeks. It was a decision we came to quickly one day, and the process has been a whirlwind. We decided on the third house we toured, not because we love the house or the layout, but because the lot was fantabulous. There is a wooded wetland on two sides of the house so there will never be anything built there, the back and side yards are huge, and it’s covered in old growth, which was a necessary component for me. Kyle wanted new construction, I wanted old growth, we both get what we want, and everyone gets their own rooms.

Exciting, right?

Yes, except that buying a new home is really stressful. To counteract the stress of going through the financial process, which has left me paralyzed under a couple panic attacks, I’ve been trying to pretty up some of the things we own that really aren’t so pretty. One of those things is Pearl’s elevated feeding station. Great Danes and other large breeds should eat off of bowls that are elevated in order to help with digestion and getting things where they’re supposed to go. They really don’t make any that are very attractive, unfortunately. They’re all quite plain and just really don’t match my decor, or the decor I plan to have at the new house anyway.

I was sitting around staring at Pearl’s bowl the other day and realized how disgusting and ugly it was. I knew there had to be some way to spruce it up a bit, so I went to Target and walked around the crafty fun aisles. I decided on some fun burlap and grabbed some waterproof Mod Podge while I was there. While we’re talking about Target, please tell me I’m not the only person who walks around Target with her phone in hand, making sure I’ve scanned everything in my cart for Cartwheel savings? Right this minute, the following IAMS products have Cartwheel deals:

• 10% off IAMS dog food (includes both wet & dry) (Expires 7/25)

• 10% off IAMS cat dry food (Expires 7/11)

• 5% off IAMS wet cat food (Expires 7/11)

All pets are different, and each breed has its own set of genetic issues, some of which can be alleviated with the right diet. Like IAMS, I believe that the right diet can do amazing things for pets, including boost immunity, help burn fat, help maintain muscle, and help promote healthy digestion. It can also reduce tartar buildup, and, in some instances, even nutritionally manage the progression of disease. IAMS offers food for your pet from every life stage, and even has grain free food for my sweet, grain-free Pearl girl. Everyone needs a well balanced diet, even your pet!

What you need for your burlap-covered, elevated dog feeding station:

• 2 Yards Burlap

• 2 – 16 fl oz Waterproof ModPodge

• 1 – Elevated Dog Feeding Station

• 1 – Sponge brush or paint brush

• Sharp Scissors

• Some clips to hold things into place

Once I had my dog food picked out, and all the things I needed to spruce her feeding station up, I went home and cleaned the mess right off of Pearl’s feeding station. I have a feeling I should do this a little more often in the future. It was gag-worthy. I also peeled the sticker off that’s been there for a year. Yes, I would like a round of applause for that, thanks.

Once it was thoroughly scrubbed and dried, I measured the burlap out, leaving about 5″ of burlap hanging over each end to create a fully wrapped effect.

Turns out I didn’t have quite enough burlap to make it all the way around, so I cut a little extra burlap off the top and added it to the back. The back isn’t nearly as pretty as the front, but it definitely works.

To get the burlap to stick to the plastic feeding station, I added a heavy layer of waterproof Mod Podge to the feeder, about 4″ long, then placed the burlap on top of that area.

I found that, unlike most fabrics, the first layer of Mod Podge has to go on both the top and bottom with burlap, so as I went, I also painted more Mod Podge to the top of the burlap. I had to use my hands to press the burlap down onto the feeder, so I recommend using some latex or rubber gloves for this project. Don’t worry about smoothing the top and bottom out until the first coat of Mod Podge is dry. Once you have it completely covered, let the first layer dry for about 3 hours.

Once the first coat is dry, you can begin working on tucking those loose edges in so that the elevated dog feeding station looks finished. Push the burlap down into the holes and make cuts wherever the fabric naturally bunches up. Do the same thing to the bottom of the station.

Begin painting the Mod Podge all over the burlap that will wrap around the edges. Make sure you wear latex or rubber gloves for this step as well. You will need to stretch and smooth the burlap for best fit. You may need some sort of clip to hold some of the pieces in place. You can remove them after about an hour before the second layer completely dries. Cover the rest of the piece with a second coating of Mod Podge at this time as well.

Burlap is so loosely woven that three layers of Mod Podge is completely necessary. Once the second layer has dried after 2 – 3 hours, do another layer of the waterproof Mod Podge to make sure your piece is secure and easy to clean.

You guys, that’s IT! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Place your dog bowls back inside their appropriate holes, and fill the food one up with your favorite IAMS dog food. There you go! Now your pooch is so fancy, you already know. They’re in the fast lane from L.A. to Barkio.

P.S.: Pearl says to let your dog help out in the crafting process. It will make them less suspicious of the immediate fanciness.

How do you show your pet you love them? Join in the conversation by visiting The Dirty Floor Diaries on Facebook!