Cardboard Tile Mosaic Mirror

Have you ever seen the show Wheel of Fortune?  It's not a show I watch, but apparently I was inspired by the wheel when I designed this mirror!  Despite that, I do love that I got to use all of my favorite colors together at once.  My use of cardboard for mosaic tiles is becoming a true passion and I find it so much more versatile than heavy glass or ceramic tiles.  Once your piece is coated with the epoxy resin, it's tough as nails and smooth as glass!  Remember to use all of the colors in your Crayon box and to always Make Your Mark!

 Mirror of fortune!

I love how it matches everything!

Watch how to make it here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Outdoor Living Paint

E-6000 Glue

Glaze Coat 2-Part Epoxy Resin

Sander and Jigsaw

Round (Dollar Store) Mirror

Americana Outdoor Living Metallics in Vintage Brass

1/2" Plywood

Cardboard (Smooth)

Long Arm Lighter or Small Torch

HERE'S HOW

1. - 3.  Trace, cut and sand a large circle for the mirror base from 1/2" thick plywood

4.  Paint the wood circle in Americana Decor Vintage Brass

5. - 7.  Remove the round mirror from the frame, center it in the wood base and trace around it

8. & 9.  Paint smooth cardboard in all of your favorite colors with Americana Outdoor Living

10.  Cut long, thin triangular tiles (1/2" to 3/4" at base and about 1/4" at top) to fit around the edge of the mirror

11.  Glue them in place with E-6000 making sure that the entire length of the tile is glued down

12.  Mix and evenly pour the Glaze Coat 2-Part Epoxy Resin on top of your tiled mirror

13. & 14.  Evenly distribute the Glaze Coat with a sponge brush and then pop the tiny air bubbles with a long arm lighter or small torch

*This can take a while since air can get trapped in the channels of the corrugated cardboard BUT you can avoid this by using very thin cardboard or thick chipboard

15. & 16. After you cover and cure the Glaze Coat, glue the mirror in the center, let dry and hang!

 Mirror, mirror on the wall......

Enjoy!

Inspirational Mixed Media Rolodex

Seems every time I hit the thrift store I see an old Rolodex.  I always think to buy it, but a lamp or chair calls my name and I forget about it.  When I finally decided to make this Inspirational Rolodex project I hit at least 4 different thrift stores and could not find one to save my life.  The lesson here is simple, if you see an old Rolodex, grab it!   The fact is, with all of our contacts in the cloud, things like a Rolodex are becoming obsolete.  Just when I got into my Rolodex groove, too.  Remember, if you see something and it inspires you, GRAB IT!  

Also, don't forget to Make Your Mark.

Make a page for every day of the year! 

Fill each page with color and inspiration 

You might even add some photos of your friends and family....Just a suggestion.

Watch how I made mine here!

 For this project I created my pages with a Gel Press

I used Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints because I'm painting paper, metal and plastic

I also used card stock, printed inspirational quotes, book pages and printed tissue paper

 This would be an amazing gift for someone who needs a daily lift!

Believe you can and you're halfway there!

Drippy Paint Thrift Store Table Makeover

This table was sooooo ugly that I actually felt bad for it!  It reminded me of something you might see in Ceasar's Palace in Vegas, so I bought for 10 bucks and it sat in my work space for a solid month before I tackled it.  What the hell, it was time for a challenge!  Even though this didn't end up as part of my decor, a good friend snagged it for her art studio and she loves it.  As far as I'm concerned, that is a success story!  Try to tackle something that makes you feel creatively challenged every once in a while because you never know what you'll learn.  Oh, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

My drippy paint experiment

I love how the colors blend into each other!

Watch how I did it here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint

Old Thrift Store Table

Sponges

Spray Bottles

Americana Decor Crème Wax & Light Satin Varnish

Americana Decor Metallics in Antique Brass (my fave)

HERE'S HOW

1.  Paint the entire table in Antique Brass

2. & 3.  When dry, coat the details with the clear creme wax and let dry

4.  Paint the top of the legs with the chalky finish in Bestow

5.  While the Bestow is still a bit wet, wipe it back with a damp sponge to expose the gold while letting the color drip down the legs a bit

6. - 8.  Mix Renaissance chalky finish with water in a spray bottle and spray the top of the legs allowing the paint to drip down over the Bestow 

*Use a brush toward the top to blend it a bit and expose the gold

9. & 10.  Mix the Treasure chalky finish with water in a spray bottle and spray the very top of the legs allowing it to drip down into the Renaissance and blend a bit with a brush to expose the gold

11. Paint the entire top of the table with more Treasure, wipe back with a sponge to expose the detials and let dry

12. Coat the entire table with Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish and you're done!

Fresh!

Enjoy!

Squishies DIY

Every once in a while I just want to make something cute!  Something my nieces will immediately want me to send to them.  These squishies were just the ticket!  Sweet little characters just waiting for a squeeze.  Perfect if you have a load of nervous energy like I do, too!  Create your own characters or make a squishy of your pet.  There is an endless amount of things you can do with this technique.  Just remember to have fun and always Make Your Mark!

Hanging out, waiting for a squeeze!

The lips have it!

All dressed up!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Fairfield World Squishy Foam

Pinking Shears

Home Printer

Iron

Sewing Machine

Spray Adhesive

White Cotton Fabric

Various printed fabrics

Craft Knife

Images To Print

Drag these images to your computer!

HERE'S HOW

1.  Iron the fabric perfectly smooth

2.  Spray a sheet of copy paper and adhere it to the ironed fabric

3.  Carefully cut around the fabric so it's the same size as the copy paper

4.  Size and print your images on the fabric covered side of the copy paper

5.  Peel it off and pin it to a colorful cotton fabric

*This is the back of the squishy

6.  Zigzag stitch around the squishy leaving a 4" hole at the bottom

7. Cut around the squishy with the pinking shears about 1/4" away from the zigzag stitch and about 3/4" away from the opening 

8.  Using a craft knife, cut the squishy foam in half lengthwise so it's about 2" thick

9.  Trace the shape of the squishy on the foam and cut it out

10.  Stuff the Squishy Foam into the 4" hole

11. & 12.   Zigzag the hole closed and trim down the opening area to 1/4"

 Happy! Happy! Happy!

Ex-squeeze me?!

Paper Watercolor Lampshades DIY

I truly LOVE sewing paper....I love it!  Envelopes and funky stationery are some of my favorite things to stitch on the machine.  Well, now I have another favorite.....paper lampshades!  That's right, tiny, colorful paper lampshades!  The best part of this project is that there is no end to the patterns and colors you can mix and match.  Personally, I'm all about the brights!  For this project I printed some of my favorite adult coloring book pages on watercolor paper and spent a lovely afternoon relaxing and painting with my Graphix Aqua Inks....Watercolors in a jar!  Get creative my sweet friends and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Join me!

Party perfect!

Just dip and watercolor!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Marabu Graphix Aqua Inks

Double Stick Foam Tape

Book Pages

Decorative Edge Scissors

Ribbon

Sewing Machine

Watercolor Paper

Adult Coloring Book Pages

Battery Operated Tea Lights

Hole Punch

Print pattern on standard size copy paper

*You will need 5 panels per shade

HERE'S HOW

1. Print your favorite coloring book pages on heavy watercolor paper

2. - 5.   Fill in the pattern with Graphix Aqua Inks in your favorite colors

6.  Try different patterns for this project

7. Trace lampshade panels on the watercolored papers using the pattern above

8.  Cut the sides of each panel leaving the top and bottom scallop uncut

9.  Using decorative edge scissors, cut the top and bottom part of each panel

10.  Glue book pages to watercolor paper for other panels

11.  Cut panels from heavy scrapbook paper, too!

12.  Using 1/4" seam allowance, stitch 5 panels into a shade

*Plain sides touching when you sew

13.  Add book page and scrap book panels in between the watercolored panels

14. Punch 2 holes at the top

15.  Thread ribbon through the holes

16.  Using double stick tape, secure a tea light to the ribbon inside the shade

Hang and you're done!

 Ready for an afternoon party!

The more color the better!

Happy SUMMER!

Make Your Own Mouse Pads

Not sure exactly why this happens, but my mouse pads get dirty!  I mean a grimy, yucky kind of dirty!  Because of that I switch them out regularly, which used to be quite expensive UNTIL I figured out how to make them.  Turns out the rubber mats they sell at the 99c store are perfect for this project.  Check out the kitchen department to see if they sell something smooth enough for this project.  If you're stumped for a gift, you might consider making one of these pads with a photo of you and your best friend!  Stay crafty and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 I'm all about this pad!

 Psychedelic! 

Color me wonderful!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

White or very light colored cotton

Home Printer

Copy paper

Iron and ironing board

Colorful images (Google away!)

Flat rubber matting 

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Minwax Clear Lacquer

Loctite Spray Adhesive

HERE'S HOW

1.  Press your cotton fabric very flat

2.  Spray a sheet of copy paper with the spray adhesive

3.  Press the sprayed copy paper on the fabric and smooth it out so it's perfectly flat

4.  Cut around the copy paper

5.  Size your image so it fits the size of the copy paper

6.  With the fabric facing upward, print out the image on the fabric

7.  Peel the fabric away from the paper

8. Seal the printed fabric with the Minwax Lacquer

9.  Cut out the shape of your mouse pad from the rubber mat

10.  Spread E-6000 Fabri-Fuse on the rubber

11.  Press the fabric flat and let it dry

*Place a book or stack of magazines on top

12. Trim the edges when dry and you're ready to browse the web!

Click!