Thursday, October 30, 2014

Happy #ThursDIY

Happy #ThursDIY, everyone!  My friends and I have nine awesome projects to inspire you this week.  Everything from origami fangs to beautiful candy apples!  Hop around, say hello, make some new friends and get inspired.   

Need a last minute costume? Cathy Attix has you covered with this super cute kitty ear handband! She makes an adorable bow, too.
Jader Bomb shows us how to make these fantastic black crow Halloween candles! 
For that Halloween sweet tooth.....Awesome sugar skull caramel apples featured on Crafty Chica!
The marvelous Margot Potter shares her adorable hand stamped earrings! 
She will certainly shine in these.
Cathie Filian makes fun jewelry just in time for fall.
Wondering what to do with those extra plastic shopping bags? Aunt Peaches makes a nice autumn-inspired leafy garland!  Recycled and beautiful.
I show you how to make inexpensive decoupaged wall art. 
Hand painted with Americana Chalky Finish!
My buddy Stephenie makes terrific hexagon artwork!  Check it out here:
Casey from Vitamini Handmade shows us how to make these super cool origami vampire fangs. What a perfect last minute craft for Halloween!

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Decoupage Wall Art

Need something fun to make for holiday gifts?  Maybe you just want some fun art to fill up some wall space?  These decoupage art pieces couldn't be easier to make and the chalky finish painted frames are the perfect way to accentuate your favorite works of art.  I'm also going to share with you my fail safe decoupage method which will make sure that all of your images are perfectly flat every time.  Have fun!
One of my favorite Frida paintings
One of my favorite artists....Heather Galler
She has an Etsy shop and sells her amazing prints
Watch the video tutorial here!
YOU'LL NEED
Print out of your art
Pine wood pieces that fit your art
Dremel
Sanding block
Krylon Metallic Paint Pen
Wax
Paintbrushes
Mark evenly around your wood piece and with your Dremel, carve a scalloped design along the edge
Rub wax along the scalloped design
Paint the top of the wood piece in chalky finish
Paint the scalloped edge in another color of chalky finish  
When dry, sand the edges of the scallop to weather and expose the wood
Figure out the placement of your print out
Spray the top of the print out with water
Spray the back with E-6000 Spray Adhesive 
Carefully place your print on your painted wood and press it flat
Draw out your stencil pattern on the top and bottom of the print
Fill it in with DecoArt Dazzling Metallics
Edge the print with a metallic gold Krylon Short Cuts pen



Thursday, October 23, 2014

Have a Wonderfully Wicked #ThursDIY!

Happy #ThursDIY possums!  We're back with a ton of fun projects for you to add to your crafty to-do list. This week we're adding Aunt Peaches!  She's an amazing crafter with a love for color and whimsey.  Definitely check out her blog and say hello.  She's a doll.  Last week she altered gourds and just blew me away.  Hop around and get to know everyone. 

Aunt Peaches (our awesome new friend) makes the most beautiful rhinestone skull here:  
 The fabulous Margot Potter fashions 4 beautiful Halloween Masks: 
 Cathy Attix shows us how to paint beautiful Day of the Dead makeup.  Cathy is a true artist and I love her weekly creative adventures! 
I show you how to make paper from all of those old newspapers and magazines!
This is a terrific project for kids, too.
Stephenie Hamen makes a WONDERFULLY WICKED WREATH.....Wow I love this!  Is it possible for a Halloween wreath to be this stylish?!
Cathy Filian makes a fancy EEK Marquee Sign that is truly mantle-worthy! 
Make a super simple pom pom scarf to spruce up your fall wardrobe (and there's hardly any sewing!)
The perfect treat for trick-or-treat!
Heather Mann makes the cutest coin purses with the new Crafty Chica line with dollar store coin purses.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

How to Make Paper!

A few weeks ago I posted a photo of some handmade paper I've been working on and many of you asked to know how I made it.  Well, here you go!  I have two friends who inspired my paper making obsession. The first is Arnold Gummer who is a paper making genius!  The second is my friend Robert Mahar who gave me the skinny on how to create my own screens from inexpensive 
Ikea frames and by-the-yard plastic screen from the hardware store.  
A rainbow of colors
My favorite color.....green using marigold petals and leaves from my yard
Golden yellow and pinks with flower petals, large chunks of newsprint and gold flakes
Watch the video tutorial here!
YOU'LL NEED
Blender
2 flat frames
2 rubber bands
Newspaper or any recycled paper
Americana Acrylics (to color your pulp)
Plastic screen (1 yard should be plenty)
Large bin
Staple gun
Remove the glass and cardboard from your frames, you only need the frame
 Cut two pieces of screen the exact size of your frame
Staple one piece of screen to the flat side of one frame making sure it's taut
Sandwich the stapled screen in between both frames with a rubber band
*Flat sides together
Rip up about 2 sheets of newspaper or several sheets of copy paper
Fill your blender 3/4 full with water
Add Americana Acrylic Paint to the water
Blend until the paper becomes pulp 
*It will look cloudy 
 Pour the contents into a bin and add more water if you want 
With the plain frame on top, scoop the pulp from the bin catching it on top of the stapled screen
Carefully remove the top frame and place the extra piece of screen on top of the pulp
Using a sponge, remove as much water as you can from the pulp
Carefully peel the flat, wet pulp from the screen and place it between two sheets of newspaper
Place a pressing cloth on the newspaper and iron the flat pulp until it's dry and becomes a sheet of beautiful paper
*You can also let your pieces dry naturally overnight


Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Quick and Colorful Pom Pom Scarf

Need a fun scarf to spruce up your fall wardrobe?  Why not make one in minutes with stripes and pom poms!  These are so easy to make, you might want to make a few and wrap them for the holidays.  No need to sit there and stitch on each pom pom either.  E-6000 Fabri-Fuse makes it as easy as 1-2-3!  
Danielle sprucing up her basic jean jacket!
Twins!
Watch the video here!
YOU'LL NEED
Sewing machine
Pom Poms
E-6000 Fabri-Fuse
Scissors
2 yards striped fabric
 Fold your fabric and measure 12" to 14" inches along the length
 Cut it out
 Zigzag stitch along the edge using a wide stitch
 Glue pom pons along the edge of the scarf
Allow to dry overnight


Saturday, October 11, 2014

Marbled Pumpkins DIY

I love anything marbled....ANYTHING!  This year I decided to share my secret technique for marbling and show you how to use it on some real and fake pumpkins.  Once you master this, I promise you'll be addicted.  Happy Chic Halloween!
My Halloween table setting

Watch the video tutorial here
YOU'LL NEED
5" deep plastic bin
Pumpkins
Glass dishes
Krylon metallic gold spray paint
Rubbing alcohol
Paintbrushes
Paint your pumpkins with the Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Carbon (black)
Clean your glass dishes with rubbing alcohol
Paint the dishes with the black Americana Gloss Enamel
Bake the glass dishes twice for 30 minutes letting the oven cool in between baking times
*This will make them dishwasher safe 
Fill your bin with water
Spray a small amount of Krylon metallic gold spray paint on top of the water
Quickly roll your object from one end of the water to the other to pick up the gold paint
Let everything dry on newspaper





Wednesday, October 8, 2014

From Blazer to Couture Coat Dress

Ever wondered how to turn a blazer into a coat?  Well, with this simple tutorial you can easily turn a short blazer into a full length couture coat just in time for fall.  The best part about it is that there is hardly any sewing involved.  Grab some E-6000 Fabri-Fuse and some embellished lace fabric and you'll be runway ready in no time!
Danielle rocking her new lace Couture Coat Dress


Watch the video tutorial
YOU'LL NEED
1 Blazer
2 yards heavy cotton or wool fabric
2 yards embellished lace
Sewing machine
Scissors
Straight pins
Fabric chalk
 Lay one side of your blazer flat
Place the folded fabric under the blazer
*Line up the straight edges of the fabric with the front of the blazer
With a ruler, draw an extension on the fabric (I added 12" to this blazer)
 Once you've drawn the extension on the fabric, cut it out
Remove the pins and add 1/2" to the top of the extended fabric
Pin the pieces to the base of the blazer
 Zigzag both pieces to the bottom of the blazer using a wide stitch
Cut 8" up from the edge of each side of the lace fabric
Cut out several of the lace designs that are left in the middle of the fabric
Place the edge of the lace fabric on the extension of the coat and glue in place
Add pieces to the collar, cuff and anywhere you need to fill in 
Pin and glue in place and let dry overnight
Done!