Friday, March 30, 2018

Mid-Century Cardboard Tile Table

Recently I saw a beautiful mid-century tile table at a high-end thrift store for a small fortune.  Well, not a small fortune, an ACTUAL fortune!  I decided to see if I could replicate it with some inexpensive materials, just for fun.  I used cardboard for the tiles and some simple hair pin legs instead of the tapered wood legs.  Once I poured the resin over the tiles I couldn't believe how much they looked like REAL tile.  It was a wonderful surprise.  Remember to always look for alternatives and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
I'm ready for a classic cocktail!
Not sure about the rug, but it matches!

Watch how to make it here!
STUFF I USED
3/4" plywood for the table top
Tacklife tools:  Jigsaw, Drill & Sander
Cardboard
HERE'S HOW
1. Paint cardboard in several different colors
2.  Cut the cardboard in 1" x 1" tiles
3. Create your table shape in paper and then trace onto the plywood
4.  Cut out the shape with a jigsaw
5.  Paint the table top (I chose a battleship gray)
6.  Cut some of the tiles in half and glue them along the outer edge of the table with E-6000
7.  Glue tiles inward, row by row and adding some solid rows of gold and yellow toward the center
8.  Adhere 2" wide masking tape around the table to create a wall
*Make sure it's adhered all the way around the edge
9.  Press the tape under the table all the way around
10.  Follow the instructions for mixing the Glaze Coat and then pour it on the table
*I used 1 quart for this project
11.  Spread the resin evenly on the tiles with a sponge brush
12.  Pop the bubbles with a long arm lighter or small torch then cover and cure overnight
*Watch the table for about 30 minutes since air can get trapped inside the cardboard tiles
13.  Remove the tape and smooth out the rough edges with a sander
14.  Mix a small amount of Glaze Coat to cover the rough edges and let cure overnight
*This will make the sanded edges look like glass again
15.  If you want you can paint the edges with more Vintage Brass
16.  Screw the hairpin legs on the base and you're done!
The Glaze Coat is like Glass when it cures!
So happy with this!
Don Draper might have had one of these!

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Easy Rope Bowls

What happens when you try to sew a rope bowl and fail miserably?  You search for a fail-safe alternative!  I really did give it my all and decided to whip out my industrial glue gun, a few plastic bowls and some colorful paints and go to town.  I think these are going to look amazing in my craft house filled with yarn or on the patio with a funky cactus.  Gotta say, the contrasting colors inside each bowl actually kicked the plain old rope bowl up a notch!  Remember to search for alternatives and always try to Make Your Mark!
 Bowl-ing!
Can't wait to fill these with yarn!

Watch how to make them here!
STUFF I USED
Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint
Large Glue Gun with 1/2" thick glue sticks
Thick rope
Plastic bowls
HERE'S HOW
1.  - 3.  Paint the insides and the outer rim of the plastic bowls with a bright color
*I used Americana Decor Outdoor Living Paint since it works beautifully on plastics
4.  Start glueing the rop about 1" down from the rim and work your way up to the rim
5.  Glue the rope around the rim and over the 1st part of the rope
6.  Continue gluing down to the base
7.  Coil the rope around the bottom of the bowl, cut the rope and glue the end in the very center
8.  Try a two-tone bowl with 3 rows of one color at the top rim
9.  Add an alternate color starting at the third row and finish like the blue bowl
 Go crazy with color!
You could bowl me over!

Friday, March 23, 2018

No Sew Quilt

Last month on a FB Live I was challenged by Thai Thompson to make a no-sew quilt project.  I seriously had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I'm so glad I took the challenge!  Not one single stitch was used to put this together....NOT ONE!  Immediately I remembered the honor I had making a quilt with the ladies of Gee's Bend for the show While You Were Out.  I loved their graphic patterns and bold use of color and because of that experience, I based my quilt on their work.  Challenge yourself at every turn, possums and don't be afraid to Make Your Mark!
 Tacked to the fence like art!
Perched on my wood pile!
 Ready for a picnic!
Watch how to make it here!
HERE'S WHAT I USED
60" Wide Colorful Cotton Twill
*2 1/2 Yards each of 6 colors 
Iron and straight pins
HERE'S HOW
1.  Create a puzzle box pattern on a 16 1/2" x 16 1/2" square
*Trace & cut at least 3 copies of this pattern
2. Create a plain 19" x 19" square pattern
3. & 4.  Layer the cotton twill and cut 12 16 1/2" x 16 1/2" squares
*2 of each color of cotton twill
 5. Layer the cotton twill and cut 24 19" x 19" squares
*4 of each color
6. & 7.  Cut the "puzzle box" pieces in fabric 
*all 12 layers
8. & 9. Place the puzzle pieces on a 19" x 19" square and glue them in place with E-6000 Fabri-Fuse
*Mix the colors and glue the pieces about 1/4" apart
10.  You'll need to create 12 squares with puzzle pieces
11. & 12.  Fabri-Fuse the squares together side by side
*My quilt was 3 squares by 4 squares
(part 2 below)
 13.  Glue the remaining 12 19" x 19" squares together to create the back
*3 squares by 4 squares
14.  Cut the batting to fit on the quilt and trim if necessary
*The Fairfield batting it thin so I used 2 layers
15.  Fabri-Fuse the first layer of batting to the back of the quilt
16.  Glue the 2nd layer of batting to the first
17.  Fabri-Fuse the top of the quilt to the top layer of batting
18.  Pin all around the edge of the quilt
19.  Cut 1 1/2" wide fabric strips
*enough to circle the entire quilt
20.  Glue the strips to the edge of the quilt with 3/4" hanging over the edge
and let dry
21.  Flip the quilt and iron the remaining 3/4" over the edge of the quilt and glue in place
So ready to be displayed!
Rome wasn't quilt in a day!

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Roadside Rescue Chair Makeover

Do you ever just pull over to the curb and check out a pile of furniture ready for the heap?  I do it all the time!  I've found some amazing pieces casually tossed out by people who were moving, redecorating or just plain tired of something that was in great condition.  These discarded pieces are the perfect canvas for every crazy idea I want to try...because they are free.  Free equals fearless in my book!  This chair looked so sad outside of a local law firm in my neighborhood and I had to bring it home just to play around with some new techniques and to see if I could change the vinyl up a bit. It's not totally my style, but I'm still pretty happy with the results.  Don't be afraid to dumpster dive and always try to Make Your Mark! 

Handsome and ready for a change!
Light blue vinyl...Why not?!

Learn my techniques here!
STUFF I USED
An old vinyl upholstered chair
DecoArt Patent Leather Paint in Turquoise
Americana Decor Stencils
Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint in Keepsake and Bestow
Americana Decor Light Satin Varnish
Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass
HERE'S HOW
*Before you start make sure to remove all dirt and dust
1.  Paint the leather with DecoArt Patent Leather in Turquoise
2.  Paint the wood with chalky finish in Keepsake
3.  Coat the chalky finish with Light Satin Varnish and let dry
4.  Paint over the details with chalky finish in Besto
5. & 6.  Wipe away the Bestow before it dries with a rag to expose the details
*The Bestow will fill in the cracks and highlight any details & creases
7.  Stencil the seat with Vintage Brass
8. Stencil the upper part of the legs with more Vintage Brass
Have a seat!
I may put this back in front of the law firm where I found it.....Just to see if they will love it again!

Friday, March 16, 2018

Floral Lampshades with Unicorn SPiT

I snagged some simple lampshades at a thrift store for a song and you know me, if I can paint it or glue something on it, it's not safe! It's just how I live my life, friends.  I pulled out a few of my favorite adult coloring book pages for a pattern inspiration and then went nuts with my stash of Unicorn SPiT.  I used floral pages, but any pattern would work.  You might try copying the page and coloring it before you jump into painting the lampshade. This way you'll know how you want them to look.  I think they give a stained glass feel and that's just fine with me.  Remember, if it's not tied down, embellish it!  Oh, and always Make Your Mark!
 Flower power!
 Brightening a corner of my kitchen

Watch how to make them here!
STUFF I USED
Plain fabric lampshades
Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss Black
Clothespins 
Pompom trim
E-6000 Fabri-Fuse
HERE'S HOW
1.  Trace the shape of the lampshade on the back of the adult coloring book page and cut out
2.  Tape it inside the lampshade and put the lamp inside
3.  With the lightbulb on, trace the pages lightly with a pencil
4.  Trace over the pencil lines with Allure in Gloss Black and let dry
5. - 9. Slightly water down your favorite colors of Unicorn SPiT and start painting the flowers and leaves
10.  When the shades are dry, spray them with Minwax lacquer and let dry
11.  Using E-6000 Fabri-Fuse, glue mini pompom trim around the rims of each shade
12.  Hold in place with clothespins while they dry
 Brilliant and blooming!
Spring has sprung!

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Dolce and Gabbana Inspired Purse

One of my YouTube subscribers challenged me to make a Dolce and Gabbana inspired purse and she even sent me photos of her favorites to inspire me.  Now, even though mine isn't an exact copy, I think the idea is still there and I'm pretty happy with it.  This is an idea that you could use on all kinds of accessories!  The base is a thrift store find, but after a few minutes on the internet I realized that finding a pink purse is about the easiest thing in the world, so don't panic!  I even think a mint green or light blue bag would work well, too.  Start making your spring accessories so you're runway ready and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

This is the original
Ready for a spring day out

Watch how to make it here!
STUFF I USED
Pink thrift store purse
Small butane torch or long arm lighter
 HERE'S HOW
1.  Mix a small amount of resin according to directions
2.  Pour in the silicone molds you want to use and pop the bubbles with a blow torch
*Let cure overnight
3.  Spray paint the resin pieces with metallic gold
4.  Cut the printout the shape of the front of the purse
5.  Arrange your gold resin pieces around the rose printout and trace around the inside
6.  Cut out the pattern
7.  Using Americana Fabric Decoupage, adhere it to the purse front
8. Using E-6000 Glue, add the gold resin pieces to the purse and let dry
9.  Add some pieces to the strap as well
Runway ready!

Friday, March 9, 2018

Gel Press Mixed Media Vases

Do you have a collection of glass vases cluttering up your pantry like I do?  I just can't seem to pass up a free centerpiece, thrift store find, roadside rescue or yard sale vase.  HELP ME!  Fortunately I find them a constant source of inspiration for my projects.  This week I decided to turn them into colorful, mixed media vases with my Gel Press.  I LOVE the way they turned out, too! For this project I allowed myself to go nuts with color and stencils and techniques, not caring about the results and just having fun.  There is something wonderful about creativity without boundaries.....It's feels like flying.  Remember to let your creativity go crazy without expectation and always 
Make Your Mark!
Clippings from my garden!
I could have made 100 of these!
No two are the same!

Watch how to make them here!
STUFF I USED
Gel Press & brayer
Americana Acrylics
DuraClear Gloss Varnish
Copy paper
Americana Matte Decoupage
Glass Vases
Various stencils
HERE'S HOW
1.  Squirt 3 colors on your paint on the Gel Press
2.  Spread them with your brayer
3.  Press the paper on the paint 
4.  Carefully pull up the paper and let dry
5.  Try different color combinations
*I like working with lighter colors for the first layer
6.  Add some darker, contrasting colors on the Gel Press
7.  Lay down some stencils on top of the paint
8.  Press a previously Gel Pressed sheet on top of the stencils
9.  Carefully lift to expose the beautiful patterns
10.  Try different color combinations and different stencils
11.  Transfer to the previously Gel Pressed sheets
12.  Cut the sheets to fit a vase making sure to add 1" long slits along one edge
13.  Mist the paper with water
14.  Spread the decoupage medium on the back of the Gel Pressed sheet
15.  Adhere it to the vase and adhere the slit tabs around the underside of the vase
*Mix different Gel Pressed sheets and color combinations to get the design you want 
16.  Seal each vase with DuraClear Gloss Varnish when they are completely covered
Fresh!
These make me happy!