Mini Crate Organizer

When you run out of desk and table space, it's time to start filling up the walls!  I have an abundance of pens, markers, brushes and pencils and I was sick of them cluttering up my work table.  I made this sweet, little wall organizer to save me some serious work table real estate.  I have my tools loose in each mini-create, but you could use pencil cups for easy removal AND to keep them even more organized.  Big thanks to Walnut Hollow for providing the pallets and mini crates for this project! Remember to stay organized and always Make Your Mark!

I'm going to need about 3 more of these!

 Grab and GO!

Watch how to make it here!

STUFF I USED

Rustic Pallets from Walnut Hollow

Mini Crates from Walnut Hollow

2' x 3' 1/4" thick plywood

DecoArt Vintage Effects Wash in Orange, Patina & Turquoise

Masking Tape

Amazing Goop II Max

DecoArt Stencil

Tacklife Jigsaw and Sander

Optional:  Drill

1.  After measuring the size I needed for 2 mini Rustic Pallets, I cut a pattern for my plywood back

*Everything is glued on this back so make sure you measure your pieces first

2.  & 3.  Trace the pattern and cut with a jigsaw

4.  Sand the edges smooth

5.  Drill a hole in the center top so you can hang it from a nail or screw

6. 7. & 8. Paint the plywood in Turquoise, the pallets in Orange and the mini crates in Patina making sure to wipe them as you paint to expose the wood grain

9.  Stencil along the top, sides and bottom of the plywood base

10.  Sand along the edges of the plywood back and pallets to give a weathered, aged look

11.  Using Amazing Goop II Max glue, adhere your pallets to the plywood back

12.  Measure the spacing between the crates and glue them in place with more Amazing Goop II Max

Let dry overnight and you're done!

See you next time!

Art Journaling

Last week I got to teach an Art Journaling class at Craftcation in Ventura!  What an absolute blast I had, too.  The first thing I emphasized when I began the class is that there are no rules in art journaling.  None at all!  I mean it, too.  What I'm sharing here today are the techniques I use to create my pages.  Of course I use DecoArt paint because I love it and the colors are just amazing, as you can see.  So with that, cut a fancy magazine in half or grab an empty notebook and start creating your art journal.  I guarantee you'll be more healthy for it!  Remember to use every color in the box and always Make Your Mark! 

 A few of my pages

 Stenciling, clip art, rubber stamps...Oh my!

Watch how I art journal here!

STUFF I USED

Gel Press and brayer

Americana Premium Tube Acrylics

Americana Premium black and white gesso

Americana Matte Medium

Americana Neons in Sizzling Pink

Magazine Art Journals

Art Foamies stamps

DecoArt Stencils

Book pages, masking tape, plastic cups & clip art

HERE'S HOW

1. Bray orange and hot pink on your Gel Press

2.  Press an art journal page on the Gel Press to transfer the color

3.  Bray green and teal on the Gel Press

4. & 5. Create circles with the mouth of the plastic cup and transfer to a book page

6.  Apply strips of masking tape to the plastic Gel Press protector

7. & 8.  Load the Gel Press with hot pink and yellow, create squiggles with a comb and press on the masking tape to create washi tape

9.  Press more yellow and teal on another book page

PART 2

10.  Stamp the journal pages with Art Foamies using white and black paint

11.  & 12.  Rip and adhere the printed book pages to the journal pages

13.  Cut and adhere clip art to the journal pages

14.  Dilute paint colors to add a color wash to the clip art

15.  Add some of your printed washi tape

16.  Stencil some large flowers using the white gesso

17.  Color wash them with diluted paint

18. Stamp the pages again with the Art Foamies

DONE!

Don't like a page?  Keep adding to it until you do! 

Happy journaling!

Dip Dyed Mophead Tassels

Hit the dollar store for some cotton mops and make these lovely boho, dip dyed tassels to hang everywhere this spring!  Drape them around the patio with some twinkling lights or hang them from every doorknob in the house!  These tassels are like colorful jewelry for your home and we all know that accessories can make all the difference.  Remember that small things can make a big difference.... and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

I can't wait to start hanging these!

Super soft and comfy

STUFF I USED

Wood Beads

Unicorn SPiT

Cotton Mops

Water

Cotton ribbon

Minwax Clear Lacquer

HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Take the mops apart and separate the "ropes" into bundles of 5-7

3.  Cut the bundles in half

4.  Thread about 12" of cotton ribbon through a wooden bead and knot the loop so it doesn't slip

back through the bead

5.  Tightly tie the tails of the cotton ribbon around the center of the bundle of mop rope

and trim evenly along the base of the tassel

6.  Dip the tassel in some water and ring out the excess

7.  Mix Unicorn SPiT and water to make a dye solution and stand the tassel inside the cup for about 20 minutes

8.  Ring out the tassel after it's been soaking for a while and let dry

9.  OPTIONAL:  Spray the base of the tassels with Minwax Clear Lacquer if they are going to be exposed to rain or moisture outdoors

Boho Beautiful!

Flow Painted Chargers

DecoArt has a new Pouring Medium that is super easy to use. Just mix in the paint and start flow painting!  I used a 1 : 1 ratio of the pouring medium with Americana Acrylic paint and it worked perfectly.  These chargers are a great way to add some color to a dinner table and show off your mad flow painting skills!  Using clear glass dishes will allow everyone to admire your talent.  Remember to use all of the colors in the box and always Make Your Mark!

Toss on a glass plate and you're good to go!

Love all the colors!

 Dinner is almost served!

Watch how easy they are to make here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylics in some of my favorite colors

DecoArt Pouring Medium

Plastic cups

99c store chargers

HERE'S HOW

1.  Squirt some paint into your plastic cup

2. Squirt the same amount of pouring medium in the cup

3. Stir like a maniac!

4.  Drizzle all of your colors (one at a time) on the charger in a circular motion

5. & 6.  Tilt the charger until you're happy with the design and the entire surface is covered in paint

*Let dry overnight

 Dinner at 8!  Don't be late!

Woven Wall Hanging

I have an addiction to colorful, 99c store, polyester yarn.  I can't help it.  I see it and I load up!  Well, it finally got to the point that I had to do something with it or it would just take over my craft house.  I grabbed a book called Weave This by Frances Kletz and Brooke Dennis for inspiration and devoured all of the amazing techniques they shared and came up with these little numbers.  Truth be told, at first I thought this might get a little boring, but after I allowed myself to relax and get into the rhythm, I started to truly enjoy myself.  Remember to check out all the wonderful books out there for inspiration (not just the internet) and always Make Your Mark!

 A more traditional "over under" weave

 My crazy version!

Watch how I made mine here!

STUFF I USED

1" and 1/2" wood trim to make the frame

99c store yarn

Amazing Goop II Max

Americana Acrylics

Cotton fabric

Pattiewack Tassel Maker

Blunt yarn needle

HERE'S HOW

1. Glue your wood pieces together to make a frame

*Mine was 14" long by 12" wide but you can make yours any size you want

2. & 3.  Paint the frame with Americana Acrylics and sand the edges for a weathered look

4.  Wrap the frame lengthwise about 40 times using 2 different colors of yarn

5.  Thread your large blunt needle with about 48" of yarn and start weaving at the edge of your frame

*Don't worry about counting, just keep going over and under every 2, 3, 4 or 5 strands of yarn

6.  When you get to the end, go around the side of the frame and weave back the other way

*You will not be removing your woven piece from this frame, it's part of the project

7.  When you get to the end of your first color, tie on another color and keep going

8. Add in some textured, fluffy yarns

9. & 10.  Rip cotton fabric into 1/4" strips and weave them in, too

11.  Try two different colors of yarn together

12.  When you're finished weaving, create 30" bundles of yarn to tie around the base of the frame to hang as fringe

13.  Wrap the tassel maker about 60 times using 2 different colors of yarn

14. Slip yarn between the loops of yarn and tie a knot at the top

15.  Slip 2 strands of yarn through the slit and tie the tassel at the neck, 

trim and slip off of the tassel maker

16.  Add several finished tassels to the sides of the woven frame and hang the entire piece from more yarn and a center tassel

Done!

No rules, just have fun!

Mid-Century Cardboard Tile Table

Recently I saw a beautiful mid-century tile table at a high-end thrift store for a small fortune.  Well, not a small fortune, an ACTUAL fortune!  I decided to see if I could replicate it with some inexpensive materials, just for fun.  I used cardboard for the tiles and some simple hair pin legs instead of the tapered wood legs.  Once I poured the resin over the tiles I couldn't believe how much they looked like REAL tile.  It was a wonderful surprise.  Remember to always look for alternatives and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

I'm ready for a classic cocktail!

Not sure about the rug, but it matches!

Watch how to make it here!

STUFF I USED

Famowood Glaze Coat 2-part epoxy resin

Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

3/4" plywood for the table top

Tacklife tools:  Jigsaw, Drill & Sander

Cardboard

16" Hairpin furniture legs

E-6000 Glue

Swing arm paper cutter

HERE'S HOW

1. Paint cardboard in several different colors

2.  Cut the cardboard in 1" x 1" tiles

3. Create your table shape in paper and then trace onto the plywood

4.  Cut out the shape with a jigsaw

5.  Paint the table top (I chose a battleship gray)

6.  Cut some of the tiles in half and glue them along the outer edge of the table with E-6000

7.  Glue tiles inward, row by row and adding some solid rows of gold and yellow toward the center

8.  Adhere 2" wide masking tape around the table to create a wall

*Make sure it's adhered all the way around the edge

9.  Press the tape under the table all the way around

10.  Follow the instructions for mixing the Glaze Coat and then pour it on the table

*I used 1 quart for this project

11.  Spread the resin evenly on the tiles with a sponge brush

12.  Pop the bubbles with a long arm lighter or small torch then cover and cure overnight

*Watch the table for about 30 minutes since air can get trapped inside the cardboard tiles

13.  Remove the tape and smooth out the rough edges with a sander

14.  Mix a small amount of Glaze Coat to cover the rough edges and let cure overnight

*This will make the sanded edges look like glass again

15.  If you want you can paint the edges with more Vintage Brass

16.  Screw the hairpin legs on the base and you're done!

The Glaze Coat is like Glass when it cures!

So happy with this!

Don Draper might have had one of these!

Easy Rope Bowls

What happens when you try to sew a rope bowl and fail miserably?  You search for a fail-safe alternative!  I really did give it my all and decided to whip out my industrial glue gun, a few plastic bowls and some colorful paints and go to town.  I think these are going to look amazing in my craft house filled with yarn or on the patio with a funky cactus.  Gotta say, the contrasting colors inside each bowl actually kicked the plain old rope bowl up a notch!  Remember to search for alternatives and always try to Make Your Mark!

 Bowl-ing!

Can't wait to fill these with yarn!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint

Large Glue Gun with 1/2" thick glue sticks

Thick rope

Plastic bowls

HERE'S HOW

1.  - 3.  Paint the insides and the outer rim of the plastic bowls with a bright color

*I used Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint since it works beautifully on plastics

4.  Start glueing the rop about 1" down from the rim and work your way up to the rim

5.  Glue the rope around the rim and over the 1st part of the rope

6.  Continue gluing down to the base

7.  Coil the rope around the bottom of the bowl, cut the rope and glue the end in the very center

8.  Try a two-tone bowl with 3 rows of one color at the top rim

9.  Add an alternate color starting at the third row and finish like the blue bowl

 Go crazy with color!

You could bowl me over!