Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Colorful Dollar Store Frames

I finally bought a stack of the flat wood frames I keep seeing on every trip to the 99c store!  I admit that they sat around for a week before I finally figured out what to do with them.  I grabbed a little funky scrapbook paper and paint and created a wall filled with some serious color & happiness.  I'm sure you have everything on hand to make these, so grab the family and get making.  They're only a buck and not every craft project has to cost a fortune, right!  
Now get out there and Make Your Mark!
 My stack of happiness!
So much color!
Where do I start?
Watch how to make them here!
 STUFF I USED
Americana DuraClear Gloss Varnish
Americana Acrylics
Fun scrapbook paper
Americana Decoupage
Dollar store wood frames
 HERE'S HOW
1.  Trace around the frame on the scrapbook paper
2.  Cut out and make sure it fits perfectly
3. & 4.  Paint around the frame edges on the front and paint the entire back in a matching color
5.  Add Decoupage medium to the front of the frame and adhere the cutout
6.  Add two coats of gloss varnish when dry waiting 10 minutes in between coats
Can't wait to fill these with black and white photos!

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Magazine Gel Press Jewelry

Grab your Gel Press and some old magazines and go to town transferring images for everything from journal pages to jewelry!  These Gel Pressed jewelry pieces might just be big enough for Iris Apfel!  Today I'm sharing how to make your own beads and print funky images on a Gel Press.  Go to town with technique and use plenty of color!  Remember, be a creative wild child and always 
Make Your Mark! 



Watch how I made the jewelry here!
STUFF I USED
Drill press for a rotary tool.....This is optional if you're good with a drill OR have your own wooden beads to cover with images
Americana Acrylics
Americana DuraClear Gloss Varnish & Matte Decoupage
1/2" x 1 1/4" wood trim
Elastic beading thread
Wood bangles

HERE'S HOW
1. - 3.  Cut the 1/2" x 1 1/4" trim into 1" long pieces and sand them so they're smooth
4.  Drill two holes through each 1" bead
5.  Paint the wood bangles and beads with Americana Acrylics in your favorite colors
6. & 7.  Spread DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics on a Gel Press and press down a high contrast magazine page for a few seconds
8.  Carefully remove the magazine page to see a reverse image on the Gel Press
*You'll get the hang of it! 
9. & 10. Spread a lighter color over the image on the Gel Press and then remove the image on paper
11. & 12. Cut your favorite parts of the images to decoupage on the beads and bangles
13. & 14. Coat the beads and bangles with DuraClear High Gloss
15.  Thread the beads with two strands of elastic thread
16.  Tie two knots and hide the knots inside one of the beads
Wearable Pop Art!
Like wearing candy!

Friday, May 18, 2018

Resin and Yarn Bowls DIY

Did you ever make a yarn bowl when you were a kid?  Just a little glue and yarn and a plastic bowl and you were good to go.  The trouble with those 3rd grade yarn bowls is that you can't really put anything inside of them and after about a month, they're back to being a pile of crunchy yarn.  Still, I think they're just beautiful!  I decided to see if I could add a little epoxy resin to the mix, just to see if they would be sturdy enough to fill with fruit.....Guess what?!  It worked like a charm!  A little epoxy resin and these yarn bowls are hard as a rock.  Remember to kick it up a notch and always
Make Your Mark!
 Adora-bowl!  Get it?!
My blue period!
Sturdy enough to fill with oranges, apples or lemons!
Watch how to make them here!
STUFF I USED
Sponge brush
Yarn in different colors
Water
White school glue
 HERE'S HOW
1.  Mix white school glue with a little water and mix
2.  Cut bundles of yarn about 24" in length
3.  Saturate the yarn (a few strands at a time) in the glue
4. & 5.  Strain the yarn between your fingers and artfully wrap around the silicone bowl
6.  Dry in the sun
7.  Mix the Glaze Coat according to directions
8. Sponge all of the yarn with the Glaze Coat until it's soaked 
and then cover while it cures over night
9.  Remove the yarn bowl from the silicone bowl and clip the excess resin drips
Done!
 Ready for summer!
Pretty in pink!
Crazy colorful!

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Vintage Postcard Pillows

I buy postcards wherever I go.  I can't help it.  My photos are all terrible and postcard pictures are always perfect!  I love sending them to friends, too.  Now, I'm not the first one to make a postcard pillow, but I really wanted to see if I could print fabric on my home printer....You know what?!  YOU CAN and it's fantastic!  The key is using a thin, flat cotton and lacquer fixative to set the ink when you're done.  I can't wait to use this technique on anything and everything!  Remember to experiment until you come up with something amazing and always Make Your Mark!
Sending these out in little boxes!

Watch how I made them here!
STUFF I USED
Spray Adhesive
Vintage Postcard Images
Sewing Machine
White cotton & colorful cotton fabrics
Poly-Fil Stuffing
Home printer
Spray Lacquer
 HERE'S HOW
1.  Press your white cotton fabric as flat as a sheet of paper
2. & 3.  Spray a sheet of copy paper and adhere it to the fabric
4.  Carefully cut around the fabric so it's the exact same size as the copy paper
5. Print your image as large as you can on the fabric on your home printer
6. & 7.  Peel the paper away from the fabric and fix it with a clear lacquer
8.  Cut colorful pillow backs in cotton fabric
9.  With the postcard facing in, stitch around the fabric leaving a 3" opening for stuffing
10.  Turn the pillow inside out
11. & 12.  Stuff with Poly-Fil and stitch closed
Done!

Wish you were here!

Friday, May 11, 2018

Scrap Wood Table DIY

Here's a project to help you get rid of some of that scrap wood you have piling up!  I was about to discard my small scraps and then I started thinking about patchwork quilts and a few of the projects I've made over the last few months.  It hit me that I could makeover a table with a patchwork feel by using up my little scrap wood pieces!  After staining each piece in different green & blue variations, I sanded the edges to distress it a bit.  Love the look so much!  My favorite part the different wood grains going in all different directions.  Remember to use up your scraps and always 
Make Your Mark!
 Scrappy & happy!
Like a patchwork quilt!

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT HERE!
STUFF I USED
1/4" thick scrapwood
Thrift store table
Minwax spray lacquer
Sander & Jigsaw
 HERE'S HOW
1.  Make sure you have enough scrap wood to cover the table top
2.  Cut down the pieces so that the fill the entire table 
3. Start with the bigger pieces first and then cut down the smaller scraps to fit the little spaces
4.  Put it all together and take a photo so you have a record of the pattern
5.  Sand each piece so they're nice and smooth
6. - 8.  Stain and wipe each piece with different colors of Unicorn SPiT
9.  When dry, sand the edges for a distressed look
10.  Use a matching color of Unicorn SPiT to paint the bottom of the table
11.  Carefully glue each piece in place on the table top
12.  Spray the entire table with several coats of lacquer
Patchwork perfect!

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Oil Slick Vases

It has been my lifelong obsession to figure out how to paint an oil slick. You know, the rainbow swirls of color you see floating on top of black oil....They are mesmerizing!  Recently Unicorn SPiT created a sparkling version and BOOM!  Something clicked.  I experimented for a few days before I came up with this process and it ended up being super easy!  Don't you just love it when your craft space doubles as a science lab?!  Remember to experiment until you get it right and 
always Make Your Mark!
 A dash of sunlight and BOOM!  Color!
Glazed perfectly with a spray acrylic!

Watch how easy they are to make here!
STUFF I USED
Krylon flat black spray paint
Glass vases
Rust-Oleum Gloss Lacquer
Cut up kitchen sponges
 HERE'S HOW
1. Spray your glass vases flat black and let dry
2.  Sponge Golden Gosling on various parts of the vase
3.  Sponge Starling Sasha on a bit more of the vase blending, but not overlapping the colors
4.  Next sponge Lavish Lovebirds
5.  Finally sponge Violet Vulture and Sapphire Swift to completely cover the vase
*Blend the colors here and there so there is a nice transition from one to the other
6.  When dry, spray with a clear, high gloss lacquer and let dry
Voila!
Happy decorating!

Friday, May 4, 2018

Trash to Treasure Table DIY

To celebrate "Trash to Treasure Month" I'm turning some discarded chairs into beautiful stenciled side tables with just a little paint and plywood.  Wood chairs make the perfect set of table legs and you would be surprised at how many chairs get tossed that are perfect for this project.  I'm using these on my front porch this summer but might bring them inside for a party....We'll see!  Remember to give things a second chance and always Make Your Mark!
 Ready for company

Love my Fleur Medallion stencil from DecoArt!

Watch how I made them here!
STUFF I USED
Old wood chairs
Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Woodland Green and True Teal
1/2" thick plywood
Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass
Jigsaw and Sander
Masking tape
Fleur Medallion stencil from DecoArt
 HERE'S HOW
1. Draw a line just above the base of the chair along the back
2. & 3.  Cut off the back of the chair with a jigsaw and then sand
4.  Cut 20" x 20" squares for the table tops
5.  Trace and cut 4" wide 20" long scalloped trim for the sides of the table tops
6. Sand each piece so they're nice and finished
7. & 8. Glue the pieces on the sides of each 20" x 20" table top using Amazing Goop II Max
and let dry
9.  Center the chair legs on the base of the table top and glue together with more
Amazing Goop II Max
10. & 11. When dry, paint the base of each table with Woodland Green and True Teal
12.  Paint the table tops with Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Grey Taupe
13.  Using 1" wide masking tape, adhere strips all around the scalloped sides of each table
14.  Paint more Gray Taupe on each side of each piece of tape
*This allows the taupe paint to seep under the tape, create a 
perfectly crisp barrier for your stripe color
15.  Paint black in between each strip of tape and remove the tape when dry
16.  Go over each edge with a metallic gold paint marker
17.  & 18.  Using Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass, stencil the DecoArt Fleur Medallion in the center of each table and on each corner
Tray chic side table
Table with a striped skirt