No Sew Cactus Pillows

I've been seeing cute cactus pillows all over the web for a year now and it was finally time to try to make a few to give as gifts.  The best part about this project is that it's NO SEW.  Seriously, not one single stitch AND all of the raw edges are neatly covered.  Use this technique with leftover fabrics to make all kinds of pillow shapes. Use a different fabric on each side and really mix them up.   Remember, use pom-pom trim, add ric-rac to everything and always Make Your Mark!

Perfect for a little southwest feel!

 Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse and Fray Lock

Colorful fabrics

Pillow stuffing

Ric rac trim

Straight pins

Cardboard or foam core

Pom pom trim

 

HERE'S HOW

1.  Pin and cut your cactus pattern on folded fabric so that you have both layers

2. & 3.  Place the pillow on cardboard and glue around the edges, leaving a 5" hole at the base of the cactus, using E-6000 Fabri-Fuse 

4. Using more Fabri-Fuse, glue pom pom trim around the edge of the entire pillow keeping the trim in place with pins around the curves

5. & 6.  Flip the cactus over and cover the raw edges by gluing ric-rac trim around the edges with a thick line of E-6000 Fray Lock and let dry

7.  Stuff the pillow at the base using a chopstick to push the stuffing in all the areas of the pillow

8. & 9.  Use more Fabri-Fuse on the 5" opening and pin the layers together with clothespins until it dries

Enjoy!

Cardboard Gingerbread House Ornaments

Two weeks before Thanksgiving I decided to give up sugar so that during the holidays I could splurge a few times without guilt.  It's been rough!  I wanted to make gingerbread houses this year but the fact is, they wouldn't have lasted a day with my sugar addiction.  Nope, homeless tiny elves would have carried a grudge all year and we couldn't have that.  I opted for some simple non-edible cardboard houses for my tree.  They look good enough to eat, but trust me on this, they're not tasty.  Hey, if you can figure out a way to hinge the roof or base, you'll have an amazing gift box!  Remember to recycle, make ornaments and always Make Your Mark!  

Love the simplicity of this project!

It takes a village!

Resting in the branches

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Pattern for the ornament

Glue gun

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in White Gloss

Cutting knife

Cardboard

HERE'S HOW
1. & 2. Cut out the paper pattern and trace it on the cardboard
3. Make sure to draw the score lines on the cardboard, too.
*not just the outline of the pattern
4.  Cut out the shapes with a craft knife or heavy duty scissors
5.  Lightly score along the score lines
6. & 7.  Bend and glue the pieces together to create the house
8.  Place the base of the house on cardboard and trace around it to create the "floor"
9.  Cut and glue the "floor" of the ornament on the bottom
10. & 11.  Draw the details on the house and grab some E-6000 Allure in Gloss White
12.  "Ice" the gingerbread house with the Allure until you're happy with it
Glue a ribbon on top and hang from your tree!

Funky No-Sew Christmas Stockings

Grab some funky fabric and make some NO SEW Christmas stockings for friends and family.  Not everyone is a fan of red and green, so I say GO COLOR CRAZY and make stockings just right for a Christmas in South Beach!  Hot pink faux fur and lavender pom pom trim are the perfect combo to rock this holiday but I also included a traditional red and white version, just in case you're not into punk rock stockings.   Remember buck tradition, make messes and always Make Your Mark!

Pom poms, ric rac and faux fur....Oh my!

 My traditional red & white version

Skip the ric rac for a more subtle, punk rock stocking!

Watch how easy they are to make here!

   

 STUFF I USED

Faux Fur

Funky upholstery fabric

Ric rac and pom pom trims

E-6000 Fabri-Fuse and Fray Lock

Clothespins

HERE'S HOW

1. Pin and cut the stocking pattern on folded fabric

*You need a front and back

2.  Glue the pieces together with E-6000 Fabri-Fuse

3.  Starting (and stopping) 4" down from the mouth of the stocking, glue pom pom 

trim around the very edge of the stocking

4. & 5.  Flip the stocking over and glue ric rac trim over the raw edge of the stocking 

using E-6000 Fray Lock

6.  Cut a piece of faux fur 10" x 18"

7. 8. & 9.  Add a thick line of E-6000 Fabri-Fuse along each 18" edge, fold each edge over 2" and place books on top until it dries

10.  Cut an 8" piece of ric rac, fold it and glue the loose ends to the inside corner of the stocking

11.  Using a generous amount of Fabri-Fuse, glue the folded faux fur around the top of the stocking and place a book on top until it dries.

Merry Christmas!

Light Up Christmas Stars

You must have a TON of boxes by now!  Why not pull out a few from the recycling bin and make some light up Christmas stars?!  Cover them in your favorite decorative paper, wrapping paper or even tinfoil.  Use a simple LED light that you can find at almost any dollar store and you've got something magical.  Remember.......recycle, make magic and always Make Your Mark!

 Love the foil papers from DCWV!

Glowing and gorgeous!

Hanging outside on my front porch

Watch how to make them here!

 STUFF I USED

E-6000 Spray Adhesive (no odor)
Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Glitter

LED Lights

Foil paper (or decorative paper)

Cardboard and Pattern
Scissors, craft knife, pencil and ruler

HERE'S HOW
1. Print and cut out the patterns
2.  Cut 5 in cardboard using a craft knife or scissors if you can do it without bending the cardboard
3. & 4.  Score along the lines on each piece and bend to shape
5.  Glue the flaps together and hold in place with clothespins while they dry
6.  Trace and cut the 5 decorative pattern paper pieces
7. & 8.  Spray the back with the E-6000 Spray Adhesive and mist the front with water
9.  Glue to the cardboard star
10.  Add a decorative edge with the Allure Glitter in a matching color
11.  & 12. Add an LED light in the center back and hang from a decorative cord or ribbon
Done!

Scrap Wood Christmas Stars!

Yup, I'm that guy who will grab something right out of your trashcan......Toss some decent scrap wood from your last home repair project and I'll grab it before you change your mind and run back outside to get it!  I made these stars with just a few feet of scrap wood and WOW do I love them.  They work with my Christmas decor and I'll be able to use the gold and white star throughout the year.  Remember.......make messes, dumpster dive and always Make Your Mark!

Turn it into a centerpiece!

 Put your candles in a glass container to keep the wax from dripping on the wood!

Watch how easy they are to make here!

STUFF I USED

Scrap wood

5-Point star pattern

Jigsaw & sander

E-6000 Glue

Large Americana Decor Stencils

Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Everlasting and New Life

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

Cosmetic sponges

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Trace the pattern 5 times side by side (sharing a side to reduce cuts) and then cut them out with a jigsaw

3. & 4.  Paint each diamond shape with Chalky Finish in a color of your choice

5.  When dry sand the edges and corners

6.  Glue the pieces together to create the star

*If your pieces don't fit together perfectly you can glue a small scrap of 1/4" thick plywood on the base......Nobody will see it!

7.  Try painting them in different colors

8. & 9.  Stencil over the stars with metallic gold or silver

Sugar Skull and Loteria Ornaments

This year I wanted to make something special for my family for Christmas instead of the usual book, rare vodka or beer subscription.  I went with handmade, Mexican ornaments for their trees.   It's rare I get into production mode with a project because I create 8 different projects per month for my job....but this one got me to sit down for an afternoon and REALLY enjoy the process.  You could use copied, vintage photos of family members or even images of Frida Kahlo for this project.  Just remember to have fun, make your gifts and always Make Your Mark!

 Ok, I had to make a few for my tree!

 This is one of my favorites

Watch the process here! 

 STUFF I USED

Americana Acrylics

Americana Decoupage

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint

DecoArt's Glamour Dust

Copies of sugar skulls and Loteria cards

Christmas ornaments

HERE'S HOW
1.  Cut slits around the image so that it adheres flat to the curved ornament
2. & 3.  Add decoupage to the back of the slit image and after that mist the front with water to relax the paper
4.  Position on the ornament and then add more decoupage on top
5.  Paint leaves and flowers around the image with Americana Acrylic in Snow White
6. & 7. When the white is dry paint over the leaves and flowers with vibrant colors (got nuts)
8.  Embellish with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints
9.  You could also use white glue and sprinkle the ornaments with glitter
Hang and enjoy!

Vintage Sewing Christmas Ornaments!

A while back I saw a beautiful Christmas wreath made out of vintage sewing notions and it got me to thinking......If you can make an awesome wreath with vintage buttons and pattern paper, why not a chic sewing ornament?  I've been sewing my entire life and I definitely had the stuff for it!  Also, a while back my friend Margot sent me some vintage patterns that she picked up at a thrift store so I had everything I needed.  You can grab patterns for 10 cents at some places!  Just look around.  I'm also sharing some vintage pattern images for you to download and print if you can't find any right away!  Remember to celebrate the holidays, recycle thrift store items and always 

Make Your Mark!

So fun to make!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED
Clear ornaments
Vintage patterns (thrift store)
Vintage Pattern Illustrations
Tape measure copied on card stock
DecoArt Glamour Dust
Americana Decoupage in Gloss
Dollar store sewing kits

HERE'S HOW
TO MAKE THE FILLED ORNAMENT
1. & 2.  Cut the pattern paper in strips and fill a clear ornament
3.  Copy, reduce and cut out a vintage pattern illustration
4. & 5. Mist with water and decoupage to the ornament
6.  Add shimmer with DecoArt's Glamour Dust
7. & 8.   Copy a white tape measure on cardstock and glue around the ornament
9.  Glue on sewing notions from a dollar store sewing kit and matching buttons
TO MAKE THE COVERED ORNAMENT
10.  Decoupage pattern paper on the ornament
11.  Add a layer of Glamour Dust in Gold Glitz
12.  Cover in cardstock tape measures and sewing notions