Faux Stained Glass Lanterns

I'll admit it, I'm too lazy to learn how to make real stained glass.  I love it, but I just don't have the patience or the skill. I truly admire those who do!  As you may already know, I will do almost anything to come up with a way to make faux stained glass and today I'm sharing how to do it with Unicorn SPiT Sparkling!  Yup, a little hard to capture in the photos, but these have a lovely shimmer when the light hits them!  Change up the design and you can make these lanterns for your table for any season.  Remember possums, there is always an alternative!  Oh, and don't forget to 

Make Your Mark!

 Fall tablescape complete with my new glowing lanterns

 Love they way they look with light shining through!

Fill them with tea lights or LED lights....It all works!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss Black & Brown

Unicorn SPiT Sparkling in every color

Minwax Polycrylic

E-6000 Glue

4 matching wood frames

Print leaf pattern on standard copy paper

1. Remove the backing and paper from each frame and 

glue in the glass (to the frame) with E-6000 Glue

2.  Tape the pattern on the underside of the glass so that you can see it from the front

3.  Trace the leaves on the glass with Allure Gloss in Black and Brown and let dry

4. & 5.  Mix equal parts Minwax Polycrylic and Unicorn SPiT Sparkling

 in a fine tip squirt bottle and shake

6.  Mix Dolly Firebird and Lavish Lovebirds to make Copper

7.  Mix Golden Gosling and Dolly Firebird to make Orange

8.  Fill in the leaves with the mixed colors and let dry

9. Glue the frames together in a box and fill with tealights or LED lights

Glowing and gorgeous!  Happy Fall!

Holiday Forever Wreath

Happy holidays, friends!  It's that time of year when we decorate everything we can to celebrate the season.  I wanted a wreath that I could leave up year round (not just for the holidays) on my little California craftsman house, but I couldn't find anything I truly loved.  As usual, I decided to take matters into my own hands and get crazy making my own metallic leaves on my Gel Press.  I used Oly-Fun fabrics from Fairfield world because I love the colors and they have a stiffness that works perfectly for this project!  Have a wonderful holiday season and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Love how it shimmers!

Watch how to make yours here!

STUFF I USED

Oly-Fun Fabric from Fairfield World

Gel Press

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics

Pool Noodle

Glue Gun

Wood Sign

Print out on standard copy paper

 HERE'S HOW

1.  Tape the ends of a pool noodle together to create a wreath

2.  Lightly score the edges so that it creates a perfect circle

3.  Wrap the wreath in 3" strips of Oly-Fun fabric in Hot Fudge using 

a hot glue gun to keep the pieces in place

4. Cut 8" x 10" pieces of Oly-Fun in Clover, Kiwi and Sea Green

5. Grab your Gel Press

6.  Load it with different colors of DecoArt Dazzling Metallics

7. Press and pull several sheets of the Oly-Fun on the Gel Press

8.  Trace the leaf patterns on the back one of the pressed sheets

9.  Stack, pin and cut several layers of the Gel Pressed Oly-Fun fabric

10.  Edge the leaves and add veins with Allure Dimension Design Adhesive Paint in different matching colors.  I used Copper Glitter, Gloss Brown and Gold Leaf

11.  Hot glue the leaves around the wreath

12.  Decorate the wreath with a wood word and a huge metallic bow

Welcome!

Rustic Fall Banner DIY

I made this banner to hang across a fireplace mantle....and then I realized I don't have a fireplace.  Oh well.  I'll string it over my living room mirror for now and maybe later I'll put it on the front door.  Until which time I have a mantle, I'll make due!  I chose to write the words GIVE THANKS because I'm grateful for the life I have.  I get to share with all of you my creative journey.  I journey that I am forever grateful for.  Remember to give thanks and to always Make Your Mark!

 Give thanks!

Watch how I made mine here!

STUFF I USED

Walnut Hollow Creative Woodburner

Americana Multi Surface Satin in White and Orange

Walnut Hollow Birch Ornaments

Satin Ribbon and Twine

Hand Lettered Alphabet Reference

HERE'S HOW

1.  Draw each of the letters in pencil on a birch ornament

2.  Paint leaves around the edge of each ornament

3.  Connect the leaves with a small thin vine

4. & 5. Carefully burn around the edge with the drawing tip from the 

Creative Woodburner tool and then fill in each letter

6.  Using the end of a paintbrush, dab on orange berries amongst the outer vine

7.  Tie each ornament to a long piece of twine using satin ribbon

8.  Hang and enjoy!

There is always a reason to give thanks!

Fabric and Resin Jewelry DIY

I save every scrap....I can't help it! I'm a bit of a hoarder AND I have enough different projects up my sleeve that I know I'll be able to use them all one day.  Ok, it might take 100 years, but I'll get there!  These little fabric scraps were just too cute to toss so I coated them in Americana Decoupage to get them super hard and then added a layer of Famowood Glaze Coat Epoxy resin to make them shiny and hard.  Pretty easy process actually.  Take a peek at the video and you can see just how I made them.  Have fun and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

STUFF I USED

Fabric scraps with images

Famowood Glaze Coat

Americana Decoupage 

Pin Backs

E-6000 Glue

Watch how to make them here!

Can't wait to gift these!

Mexican Tin Hearts

My first version of Mexican Tin Hearts from a few years ago is still getting tons of attention so I decided to up the game a little and try a few different techniques for this version.  I love the versions I see for sale, but I'd go broke buying every one of them.  Instead, here's an inexpensive way to make your own. Head to the hardware store and grab some aluminum flashing and serrated edge scissors and you're halfway there. Also, if you have some thin cotton gloves, that can be helpful.  I tend to scratch myself when I'm cutting the flashing.  Have fun, make art and don't forget to 

Make Your Mark!

 My trio of hearts

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Aluminum Flashing and Serrated Blade Scissors

Hot glue and glue gun

Prima silicone molds

Americana Acrylic Paints

DecoArt Matte Metallic Paint in Vintage Brass

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

E-6000 Glue

Loteria Images

Pattern for heart and frame

Print on standard copy paper

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Trace and cut the heart and frame from the aluminum flashing using serrated edge scissors

and making sure to cut off the sharp points on the flames

3.  Trace a loteria image in the center of the frame, cut of the corners of the frame piece (to the corner of the tracing) and then bend each side upward

4.  Paint the flame part of the flashing black and the base in a light color of your choosing 

5.  Paint flowers, leaves and teardrops using a small round brush around the heart

6.  Paint gold teardrops on the flame with Matte Metallics in Vintage Brass

7. & 8.  Accent the flowers and teardrops with different colors

*The more color the better!

9.  Paint the outside and inside of the frame piece in two different colors

10. & 11. Using Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint, dot all around the edge of the heart, around the edges of the frame piece and along the top of the flame

12.  Glue the loteria card inside of the painted frame piece

13. & 14.  Fill the Prima silicone flower mold with hot glue, remove the flowers and 

paint in different colors

15.  Dry brush the flowers with the Matte Metallics

16  Glue the frame and the flowers on top of the painted heart

La Sirena, my favorite!

All in all another heart on the wall 

I'll bet your friends would love one!

Halloween Candles DIY

Like many of you, I'm obsessed with Halloween!  Every year I make something to add to my collection of decorations and this year it was these hauntingly beautiful candles.  Totally my style!  I used some amazing silicone molds from Prima and jazzed them up with my favorite DecoArt paints.  So easy, even an unskilled skeleton could do it!  Happy Halloween, possums! 

Don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 My skull looks too real!

Love the hints of gold so much!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Pillar Candles

DecoArt Matte Metallics in Vintage Brass

Stick-Um Candle Adhesive

Prima Silicone Molds

Hair Dryer

Large Glue Gun

Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Carbon

HERE'S HOW

1. & 2. Fill your favorite Prima and skull molds with hot glue and let them dry

*Should only take about 5 minutes

3.  Warm the hot glue pieces around a cup with a hair dryer to curve them so 

they adhere to the candle easier

4. & 5. Spread a generous amount of Stick-Um Candle Adhesive to the back of the hot glue pieces and adhere them to the candle

*IF you're having a hard time sticking your pieces to the candle, use a straight pin.  Hold the pin with pliers, heat it up and stick it through the hot glue into the candle

6. Warm the pieces again if you need to

7. Paint the entire candle with chalky finish in Carbon

8.  When the chalky finish is dry, dry brush the Matte Metallics over the edges and molded pieces

9. Display with pride!

Happy Halloween!

Romantic Dresser Makeover

Every once in a while something comes along that just blows my mind!  The new Re•Design With Prima furniture decals did just that.  What a way to transform a piece of furniture in the most beautiful way!  This was a simple Ikea Rast dresser but wow does it make an impact.  I find the decals work best on light colored furniture and you want to make sure that if you paint your piece first, let it dry for at least 24 hours before you apply the decals.  Give everything a facelift and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

I used Unicorn SPiT in White Ning to get this bleached Farmhouse look!

 Watch how I did it here!

HERE'S HOW

1.  Stain a plain wood dresser with Unicorn SPiT in White Ning.  It's perfect for a farmhouse look!

*Make sure to seal it with a spray or paint on lacquer when you're done

2.  Spread out your Re•Design With Prima furniture decals so you know the order of the pattern

3.  Trim them to fit on the dresser drawers making sure to save the pieces in case they need to be put on the adjoining drawer to create the whole pattern

4.  Follow the instructions for rubbing the decals on the furniture making sure to get every part

5.  Carefully remove the protective paper while you rub any spots that you might have 

missed the first time

6.  Once the decals are on perfectly, coat the top with a paint on water-based lacquer

*I like Minwax Polycrylic

7. & 8.  For some interest on the sides I used the Prima Chalk Paste for some dimensional interest and to pick up a color from the decal

9. Spray the handles gold and reattach to the dresser and you're done!

Make sure to check out Re•Design With Prima!

Hedgehog Halloween Costume

It's that time of year when everyone panics about their Halloween costume.  Well, relax!  I've got you covered with this cute and comfy hedgehog costume perfect for any age.  If you're clever, you can turn this into a skunk or porcupine....Just change up the colors and the shape of the ears.  Happy Halloween and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Julie rocking her new costume!

Sexy hedgehog?

Trick or treat!

Watch how to make the costume here!

STUFF I USED

XL Hooded Sweatshirt and fitted tights

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

Sewing Machine

Oly-Fun Fabric from Fairfield World in Hot Fudge and Sand

Pinking shears

Brown felt

Patterns for spine and ears

HERE'S HOW

1.  Draw a smaller armhole and connect it to the side seam

2. - 4. Cut it out, place it on the opposite side and then cut the other side

5. Fold the armhole cut over 1/2" and zigzag stitch

6.  Stitch down the side seams down to the hem

7.  Cut 9 1/2" strips of Oly-Fun in Sand and Hot Fudge

8.  Fold the strips in quarters, pin the spine patterns and cut long strips of spines

9.  With the hood folded in half, draw a line on the hood from shoulder to shoulder

10. & 11.  Put a rolled up towel in the hood and glue the spines facing front on the hood using 

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

12.  Continue glueing rows of spines alternating between Sand and Hot Fudge

13.  Glue individual spines along the edge of the last two rows of spines to cover the edges

14.  Glue alternate rows of Hot Fudge and Sand Oly-Fun (pointing upward) across the

back of the sweatshirt all the way to the hem

15.  Glue small, individual spines along the hem

16.  Cut two ears in sweatshirt fabric (from the sleeve) and two felt ears

17.  Trim the cream sweatshirt fabric ears a little bit smaller using pinking shears

18.  Glue the cream ears on the felt ears using more Fabri-Fuse

19. & 20.  Stitch a small pleat in the center of each ear and then attach them to the hood

Done!

Happy Halloween!