One of my favorite things to do on a day off in NYC was to get lost in the Museum of Natural History. Huge, dark rooms filled with gigantic dioramas that made you feel that if you could just get to the other side of the glass you could actually travel back in time. Every detail recreated perfectly and beautifully. My absolute favorite part of the museum is the North American Bird Hall which opened in 1902 and features more than 30 dioramas. It was these dioramas that inspired this project. Look for inspiration everywhere, my friends, and don't forget to
I can't seem to toss a jar no matter how hard I try so I'm always coming up with ways to turn them into something spectacular. You might know I'm a huge fan of MacKenzie Childs so I thought I'd see if I could pay homage to her with my never ending stash of Nescafe jars. A little paint and some prints from your home computer will get you going on this project. Switch up the details and images to your taste. Reuse and upcycle as much as you can, my friends, and don't forget to
Make Your Mark!
In love with this trio!
Now what to fill them with?
Watch how to make them here!
THINGS I USED
Americana Decor Texture in Bright Gold
Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints
E6000 Plus
Americana Matte Spray Lacquer
Americana Decoupage
Glass Jars
Decorative knobs
DecoArt Matte Metallics
Old Sponge
HERE'S HOW
1. Paint the jars white and let dry
2. & 3. Sponge the jars in different shades of the same color and let dry
*I chose different blues, yellows and corals
4. Cut out different images
*Here are links to the FLOWERS and HARLEQUIN
5. Rip the harlequin print and decoupage it on the side of the jar
*The shape is up to you
6. Decoupage the flowers over the harlequin around the jar
7. Paint the lid with Vintage Brass Matte Metallics
8. Decoupage more harlequin on top of the jar
9. 10. & 11. Cut your stencil and with a palette knife, add Americana Decor Texture in Bright Gold over the flowers as an accent
12. Glue the knob onto the lid with E6000 Plus
Done!
When I was 10 my dad got me a rock tumbler for my birthday...This will sound terrible, but truth be told, he didn't have a choice. I was such an annoying kid and I RARELY asked for anything so when I got fixated on having a rock tumbler, my dad knew that he would NEVER hear the end of it if I got anything else. Trust me, I wasn't spoiled, but wow could I be a pain in the ass. Plus, my dad is an awesome human being. This year I decided it was time to revisit that time in my childhood and get another rock tumbler. This time it was for making my own DIY sea glass. Here's my first project! Follow your passions my friends and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
Got the jewelry findings at BeeBeeCraft.com
and put it together with E6000 Plus
For your inner mermaid!
Watch how to make this here!
I'll admit it...I wore this for a few hours and thought it brought out my eyes.
When the holidays were over I started to miss all of the gold and glitter in my decor so I decided to create some art that would give a festive feel all year long. I grabbed my stack of stencils and started layering different metallic texture mediums on simple wood canvases and this is what happened. I love them. They're like little jewels on my wall and they look amazing when the light hits them in the afternoon. They also glow beautifully when I have a candle in front of them in the evenings. The new Americana Decor Texture is my new addiction. Stay creative, my friends and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
When the texture was still wet I sprinkled on some glitter
I added texture to the tops of my glass candle holders for an amazing effect
Watch how I made them here!
The 12" x 12" Walnut Hollow Basswood Canvas was perfect for this project
Americana Decor Texture comes in a ton of different colors
This particular ottoman got put on the porch for a while with a beautiful throw on top so you couldn't see the stains! It was definitely time for a little makeover. I re-stuffed the top with a couple of layers of Poly-fil Cushion Wrap and then did some magic with a staple gun and some E6000 Fabri-Fuse! Voila! In about 2 hours I had a brand new ottoman ready for another year of use...Or until I get tired of it. Give your furniture a quick no-sew slipcover and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
I put this in front of my favorite chair and slept all weekend!
When I'm not using it to rest, it's a coffee table!
Watch how I did it here!
STUFF I USED
Poly-fil Cushion Wrap
Old Ottoman
Americana Decor Chalky Finish
Fabric, Fringe & Gimp Trim
E6000 Fabri-Fuse
HERE'S HOW
1. Paint the base with Americana Decor Chalky Finish to match the fabric
2. Cut a slit on the top seam of the fabric
3. & 4. Cut 2 sheets of Poly-fil Cushion Wrap the same dimensions as the top of the ottoman
5. Stuff and straighten the Cushion Wrap on top of the existing padding
6. Glue the slits closed with some E6000 Fabri-Fuse
7. Cut Cushion Wrap to go over both sides of the ottoman making sure that it
extends about 2" below the base that you'll be stapling it to
8. Once you've positioned your Cushion Wrap, glue it in place with more E6000 Fabri-Fuse
9. Staple the Cushion Wrap around the base of the ottoman making sure to cut it so it fits properly around the legs
10. Position the fabric on top
11. Flip and staple in place around the edges to each leg
12. & 13. Fold the corner of the fabric inside of itself and then evenly wrap and
staple it around each leg
14. & 15. With the ottoman on it's side, add a line of glue along the base and pin your fringe trim in
place until it's dry
*Continue this all the way around the base
16. Once the fringe is dry, use E6000 Fabri-Fuse to glue gimp trim over the top of the fringe
Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, but not for reasons you might think. Though I am fond of chocolate and flowers and romantic dinners, it's all about the simple shape of a heart. To me, it's not just a shape, it's a statement and a feeling. No other shape conveys a message like a heart. Coupled with fiery reds and soft pinks.....Valentine's Day just makes me happy. Whether I've been in a relationship (or not) when this holiday rolls around, the fact that we take time to celebrate love always fills my heart. Celebrate love, my friends, and don't forget to
Make Your Mark!
Inspired by Rebecka Ryberg Skött
Stamped with Art Foamies
Use a blanket stitch around the edges with embroidery floss for a lovely
Just like Ariel, I have gizmos and gadgets aplenty. I'm talking beads, glass chips, rhinestones, seashells, pearls and sea glass in piles in drawers just waiting for a project. These mermaid lanterns were the perfect project to make use of that stash of crafty treasure AND to give me a tiny taste of summer which is just a few months away! Print out some mermaid images and grab a few 99c store frames and you're ready to get started. I used a twinkly, battery operated tea light in the back to give it that magical, watery glow and they look absolutely beautiful when the sun goes down. Create your own magical environment and don't forget to
I went to a pumpkin carving party right before Halloween and on the fence in my friend's backyard were rusty tin birds that look like they had been there for 50 years. They looked like they had weathered harsh winters, rain and scorching sun over and over again. When I got home I started figuring out how to get that rusty look in a simplest of ways. Finally, after studying a hundred photos of rust with a cup of instant coffee in my hand, it came to me...This is the perfect heart to give someone you've weathered the storm with. Lead with love, my friends and don't forget to
Make Your Mark!
Cannot wait to give these away!
It's like they've been waiting in the rain for 50 years!
Watch how to make them here!
STUFF I USED
99c Store Instant Coffee
Americana Acrylics in Dark Chocolate, Burnt Orange and Sea Aqua
Wire
Redesign With Prima Silicone Molds
Hot Glue
Cardboard
Wire Cutters
HERE'S HOW
1. Cut out cardboard hearts
2. Fill silicone flower molds with hot glue
3. Glue the molded pieces to the cardboard hearts with more hot glue
4. Paint the centers of each heart with Sea Aqua
5. Dab around the edges and on the flowers with Dark Chocolate
6. Dip the brush in more Dark Chocolate and then instant coffee and
then dab around the heart
*Use a decent amount and build the texture
7. Dip your brush in Burnt Orange and instant coffee and keep dabbing
8. When dry, add more Sea Aqua
9. Punch holes at the top and base of the heart
10. Bend wire to create a handle and attach at the top two holes
11. Add a rust look to a tiny brass bell and attach to the base with a wire ring
12. Add some paint to the wire handle and wire ring
