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!

 Romantic Decal Dressers....In love!

 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!

Newspaper Flowers DIY

Not long ago I saw some colorful newspaper flowers made by kids on Pinterest and have not been able to get them out of my head.  There was something about the up-cycling, the wild abandon with color and how joyful they looked that just inspired me.  I immediately pulled out my Gel Press (best way to get tons of colorful paint on paper) and started experimenting on newspaper sheets.  It was addicting!  The paint on the paper made it into an amazing craft material.  Next, I cut some patterns and started stitching them together.  Pretty soon I had an adult version of newspaper flowers that could adorn almost anything!  Grab some newspaper and start crafting....

and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Gift bag magic!

Try them on a wine bottle!

The more color the better!

Watch how I made mine here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylics

Plastic Gems

Gel Press

Newspaper

Optional:  Sewing Machine

DecoArt Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust

Flower pattern

Print on standard copy paper

HERE'S HOW

1.  Squirt Americana Acrylics on your Gel Press and spread the colors with a brayer making sure to keep it color blocked by rolling off each color before you spread it

2. Press and pull newspaper sheets laying them flat to dry

3.  Coat the sheets with Craft Twinkles and Glamour Dust to give them a glittery sheen and sparkle

4.  Trace the 5 different sizes of flowers and the leaves on a sheet (or 2 depending on how big your Gel Press is)

5.  Pin the pressed sheets in stacks and cut out several of the different sizes of flowers

6.  Stack the flowers largest to smallest

7.  Optional:  Stitch lines emanating from the center on the smallest flower

8.  Place the small flower back on top of the stack and stitch (or glue) the entire stack together right in the center

9.  Stitch down the center of a stack of 3 leaves

*You could also glue a line down the center of a stack if you don't have a sewing machine

10.  Glue (with hot glue or white glue) a plastic gem in the center of the stack on the smallest flower

11.  When the gem is dry, crunch the flowers, one by one, around the gem

12.  Glue curling ribbon and the flowers on gift bags, wine bottles, wrapped packages or toss them around your dinner party table!

 Gift ready!

Recycle, reuse, repurpose!