Adult Coloring Book Dishes DIY

Still trying to figure out what to do with all of those beautiful adult coloring book pages you've been working on?  Why not create a set of dishes for yourself using dollar store glass plates!  These are dishwasher safe and you can eat off of them because all the work is done on the back.  Plus, you can use this technique for your most beautiful work!  Have fun and Make Your Mark! 

xoxo, Mark

See how easily they come together here!

Stuff You'll Need

Your favorite coloring book pages

Thick permanent marker

Americana Dishwasher Safe Decoupage

Americana acrylic paint in white (and other colors)

Rubbing Alcohol

Glass plates

Black paint pen

Paintbrushes or cosmetic sponge

Here's How:

1.  Clean the back of the glass plate with rubbing alchol

2.  Edge the plate with a black paint pen

3. Trace around your design with a thick black permanent marker

4.  Make copies of your page on white and in colors you like

5. & 6.  Carefully cut out your images and decide on your design

7.  Mist the front and back of your cutouts with water using a small spray bottle

8. & 9. Add the Americana Decoupage to the face of your cutout

10.  Gently place on the plate and clip the edges so they adhere around the curves

11.  When all the pieces are adhered, paint the back of the plate with white (or a color) using a cosmetic sponge

12.  When dry, coat the entire back of the plate with Americana Dishwasher Safe Decoupage

*follow the instructions for curing time

Disney Princess Purse DIY

When my niece asked for a "grown up" Disney princess purse, I have to admit, I was stumped!  A week later I had a pile of thrift store purses and Disney princess fabrics in my work space patiently waiting for it all to be magically put together.  I was hoping for the mice who made Cinderella's dress to show up, but no luck.  Well, a little fabric decoupage and Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive paints and we finally got there.  When I look at it now, I'm thinking it could have used some rhinestones.  Oh well!  Have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

I think it looks fantastic with Julie's pink hair!

  

See how it comes together here!

Stuff You'll Need

Vintage purse

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

Disney Princess Fabric

Americana Fabric Decoupage

Scissors

Paintbrush

1. 2. & 3.  Using a small oval pattern, cut out enough princesses as you'll need to cover your purse

4.  Arrange your pieces on the bag and figure out your design

5. & 6.  Coat the bag with Americana Fabric Decoupage

7.  Apply the images to the bag with more fabric decoupage

8. & 9.  Embellish with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints (puff paints)

*Both the Americana Fabric Decoupage and the Allure Paints are washable!

Pastel Goth Leather Jacket DIY

My fab assistant Julie is rocking some serious pink streaks these days and I have to say, they look amazing!  She's a huge fan of the pastel goth style so I decided to UP-style a jacket for her with a fantastic "My Little Pony" illustration by Miss Jedi Flip.  The jacket and her pastel goth style go together perfectly.  She wasn't sure at first, but she took the jacket home right after the photo shoot! Change up the images and heck, use sequins instead of flowers.....I don't care!  Just have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxoxo

The Allure Glitter paints totally make this project sparkle!

That pink hair is amazing!

I call this "My Little Pony" couture!

See how easy it is to make here!

Stuff You'll Need

Thrift store jacket

Faux Flowers

100% white cotton fabric

Lesley Riley Transfer Artist Paper

Iron

E-6000 Glue

E-6000 Fabri-fuse

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

*I used Metallic Violet, Metallic Rose Petal, Glitter Violet Jewel

Flat back gems

1. Print your image on the Transfer Artist Paper and then press it on white cotton fabric

2. Create a heart stencil to use as a guide for your image

3. & 4. Cut and glue your image on the back of the jacket with E-6000 Fabri-fuse

*This glue is washable and dry cleanable

5. Glue faux flowers around the image with E-6000 Glue and let dry

6. & 7. Embellish the design with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint (puff paint)

8. & 9. Add sparkly by adding rhinestones with more E-6000 Glue and a toothpick

"My Little Pastel Goth Pony" by Miss Jedi Flip

Thrift Store Tray Makeover

Do you ever see those stacks of cheap metal trays at the thrift store?  I get them for about $1 each and I keep buying them in hopes that one day I'll figure out what to do with them.  Well, I finally figured out a fun way to give them a makeover and I think they look fantastic!  A little bit of paint and some fabric is all you'll need.  Use them on a dresser, in the bathroom to organize, or put a doily liner on them and use them to serve things like cupcakes and cookies.  Everyone needs a tray or two!

Remember, have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

Tray Chic!

Love the way these look together!

Using the same fabric unifies the design

See how easy they are to make right here!

Stuff You'll Need

Thrift store trays

Fabric

Maxx Gloss in colors that match your fabric

Maxx Gloss in White China

Americana Decoupage in Gloss

Paintbrush

Scissors

Butcher paper 

 1.  Trace the pattern of the base of the tray on butcher paper

2.  Cut out the pattern in fabric

3.  Stir your Maxx Gloss thoroughly

4.  Paint the edge of the tray in Maxx Gloss (in a color you choose)

5.  Paint the base of the tray in Maxx Gloss White China

*This will make sure the fabric doesn't dull when you apply it to the tray

6. & 7.  Coat the base of the tray with Americana Decoupage in Gloss

8.  Carefully place the fabric on the base of the tray

9.  Coat the fabric with more Americana Decoupage and let dry

Done!

My new colorful summer trays!

Coffee Table Makeover

I finally broke down and hauled a big, ugly 70's coffee table up 3 flights of stairs to my house to make entertaining in the back yard easier.  After a while I realized it LOOKED like a big 70's coffee table and was in desperate need of a makeover.  In fact, it was screaming "PLEASE GIVE ME A MAKEOVER, MARK!"  So I did.  Now, I have to admit that I was stumped as to what to do with this huge chunk of blonde wood,  but then it hit me.....GO BRIGHT OR GO HOME.......So I added some wood slats to cover the crappy top and painted it Denver Bronco/Home Depot orange......and it worked.  Well, it worked for me anyway!  Hope you like it as much as I do.  Remember, have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

Pull up a chair and join me!

Sometimes it reminds me of an A&W!

See how I made it here!

Stuff You'll Need

Enough 1/4" x 2" or 3" wood slats to cover the top

Americana Chalky Finish in colors you like

*I chose Rustic and Heritage

Hammer and 1" nails

Sander

Putty knife

Paintbrushes

Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish

Since this table is outside, I coated the finished table with Light Satin Varnish

1. & 2.  Arrange your slats to make sure they cover the entire table top

3.  Paint the slats Rustic on one side and don't worry about the edges

4. Sloppily paint over the slats with a thick coat of orange and let dry for about 10 minutes

5.  After 10 minutes, scrape off the orange paint to get a chipped, aged look

6.  Sand the edges and face of each slat to expose bits of the raw wood

7.  Nail the slats to the table top

8.  Paint the base of the table Rustic and let dry

9.  & 10.  Paint the base of the table in Heritage, wait 10 minutes and scrape off with a putty knife

11.  Sand the edges of the base and parts of the legs to expose the raw wood

12.  Coat the entire table in Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish

Ready for a gathering!

Mermaid Bottles

I was recently given an old-tomato (that's what I call an ultimatum).  My other half said either I weed out my hoard of glass bottles or they would all magically disappear one day when I was out running errands.  I quickly started making bottle projects to prove that I needed every last one of them.  Then something amazing happened.....I started having a blast making bottle projects!  These are the first of many that I will share with you over the next few months.  I call these MIXED MEDIA MERMAID BOTTLES because, well, they have mermaids on them....duh!  The idea to use mermaids was my fab assistant Julie's, btw.   The best part about this project is that there are NO RULES.  Just go crazy with them until you're happy.  Just remember to have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

There are tons of mermaid images to print out from the web

I love using wine bottles, but you could use any shape you want

Watch how I made them here!

Stuff You'll Need

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

Images of mermaids

E-6000 Glue

Bottles

Seashells, pearls and gems

Americana Decoupage in Gloss

Glitter and holographic tapes 

*I used silver, blue and green glitter and blue holographic tape from the 99c store

Paintbrush

Teflon scissors if you can find them

*Teflon scissors are great for cutting tape because they don't get gunky

HERE'S HOW

1.  Spray paint the bottle in a shade of blue that you like

2. & 3.  Decoupage the image of the mermaid to the bottle with Americana Decoupage in Gloss

4.  Cut the silver glitter tape in triangles and place them around the mermaid image

5. & 6.  Continue cutting glitter and holographic triangles and placing them around the bottle

*Cover the entire bottle

7.  Add rows of stick on gems along the sides of the triangles emanating from the image and around the neck and mouth of the bottle

8. & 9.  Glue a few large gems around the image with E-6000

10. & 11.  Decorate around the triangles and along the strips of gems with the Allure

*I used Glitter Lime Shine, Turquoise Gloss, Metallic Jade and Glitter Green

12.  Add shells and pearls with more E-6000 until you're happy with it

Fill them with sand from your next vacation!

Learn to make the seashell stoppers here

Decoupaged Fabric Table Makeover

I can't stop dragging stuff home from the thrift store....I can't do it!  Tables, old silver, books, chairs.......I have a problem!  The one saving grace about this is that I have a job that actually requires me to haunt these places regularly so that I can create inspirational projects for all of you.  Still, I have no more room in my house, but that's another story.  Today we're tackling a simple side table with beautiful Ikat fabric I found at JoAnn Fabrics.  I used Americana Decor Maxx Gloss and some Americana Decoupage in gloss to put it all together.  In no time, this table went from drab to FAB.  (I love saying that)  Can someone please come over and take away some of this furniture?  Remember, make messes, have fun and don't forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

Tea for two

I love how the fabric instantly fixed up the scratched surface

The Americana Decoupage in Gloss dries to a super hard finish, too!

See how easy it is to do here

Stuff You'll Need

Thrift store table

Enough fabric to cover the top

Americana Decor Maxx Gloss (in a matching color)

*I used Caribbean Sea

Americana Decoupage in Gloss

Paintbrush

Scissors

Large sheet of butcher paper

Optional: Metallic Gold Paint Pen

1.  Press paper around the table top to create a pattern

2.  Trace around the crease with a pencil and cut out

3. & 4.  Pin to the fabric and carefully cut out the pattern

5. & 6. Pick a color of Maxx Gloss to match the fabric and stir thoroughly, don't shake

7.  Give the table 1 to 2 coats of Maxx Gloss (no need to sand, prime or prep)

8. & 9.  Coat the table top with Americana Decoupage

10.  Make sure there are no wrinkles and that the fabric is perfectly flat and in position

11.   Coat the entire piece of fabric with a generous amount of the Decoupage and let dry

12.  Optional:  Use a metallic gold paint pen to edge the table

Will you join me?

Colorful Wood Block Candle Holders

You must know by now that I'm a hoarder....I have an excuse to save almost everything!  My jar and wine bottle collection alone is reason enough to have me committed.  Since I'm constantly renovating my home and yard,  my pile of scrap wood makes me look like the crazy man in the neighborhood.  These candle holders were the perfect way to get rid of my stash.  I even made a few to give away as gifts this summer.  Paint yours in tons of different colors to match your decor.  They're terrific for a dinner table or to brighten up a fireplace mantle.  Just remember, make messes, have fun and don't

forget to Make Your Mark!  xoxo

Love 'em!

See how easy they are to make here!

Stuff You'll Need

4" x 4" wood pieces

2" x 4" wood pieces

Americana Multi Surface Satin Paints

Americana Decoupage in Matte

Sanding block

Drill with 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" spade bit

Paintbrush

Have a lumber yard cut 4" x 4" posts & 2" x 4"s to different lengths

1. & 2.  Mark the center of the 4" x 4" posts and evenly along the 2" x 4" pieces

3. & 4.  Using your feet as a stabilizer, carefully drill with the 1 3/4" spade bit about 3/4" deep

5.  Pick your favorite Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints

6. & 7.  Paint each side of each candle holder a different color

8.  When dry, sand the edges where they meet to give them a professional look

9.  Use Americana Decoupage in matte to give them a nice, sealed finish

I'm ready to entertain!