Thursday, March 28, 2019

Fluffy Easter Egg Pillows...No Calories!

When I was a kid, Easter was serious business in our family.  My grandmother is a devout Catholic and sang in the small church choir so she had the perfect view to make sure EVERYONE was at church and paying attention. These days, Easter is that time of year when my diet goes out the window and I find myself sitting in my car devouring Cadbury chocolate eggs and wondering where it all went wrong.  Despite all that, I love all of the egg crafts surrounding this holiday.  Who doesn't love a beautiful egg?  These (no calorie) fluffy egg pillows are the perfect way for me to celebrate.  My favorite part was stenciling my own fabrics!  If you can't find what you need, my sweet friends, figure out a way to make it yourself and don't forget to 
Make Your Mark!
Sweet and fluffy!
Bright pastels are my jam!

HERE'S WHAT I USED
Pom Pom Trim
Grosgrain Ribbon
Cotton Fringe
So Soft Fabric Paints from DecoArt
Stencils
Poly-fil Stuffing from Fairfield World
Cosmetic Sponges
Watch how to make them here!
Perfect for the little ones!
Happy Easter!

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Home Printer Pop Art DIY

When I first moved to NYC I was nearly penniless.  Like many college students, every cent I earned went toward rent, tuition and tons of top ramen!  To decorate my apartment I would repaint/recover furniture & lampshades found on the street, make floral arrangements from flowering trees in my neighborhood and enlarge vintage clip art images on the copy machine at my part time job.  I would tape the images together and create huge clip art posters for my walls and I absolutely loved the way they looked.  If I was lucky, sometimes I came across a refrigerator box and was able to mount the pieces on cardboard for an extra special look.  I wouldn't trade that time in my life for anything.  For this project I revisited my copy machine days, but this time I used 99c store frames for the separate pieces.  Use what you have, my friends, and don't forget to 
Make Your Mark!
 Nothing like a little Frida to inspire me!
Lady Gaga...Why not!

STUFF I USED
Gel Press
Gel Press Impressables Rose Mandala
Americana Acrylics
E6000 Plus
Dollar Store Frames
1/4" Plywood Base *Cut to the size of your 9 frames
Watch how to make these here!

Make ART!

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Mixed Media Tri-fold Postcards inspired by Mark Hearld

I go through creative phases each year. Some months I'm all about making jewelry and other months it's about paper and rubber stamps and still there are times when it's nothing but sewing and fabric projects.  That's what I love about my job.  This week I tackled some happy mail with my seriously-growing stash of rubber stamps and stencils.  I was looking at a book, illustrated by Mark Hearld, and I was totally inspired to make these tri-fold postcards!  You never know when or how inspiration will hit so when it does, sit down and get busy and enjoy the ride.  Make art my friends and don't forget to
Make Your Mark!
Almost ready to send!
 Seal up with some washi tape

STUFF I USED
Americana Acrylics
E6000 Spray Adhesive
Manilla Folders
Rubbers Stamps & Stencils
Kid's Sticky Foam
Watch how to make them here!
 Send one to support our troops here:
https://www.supportourtroops.org/cards-letters

Write soon!

Monday, March 18, 2019

Cardboard Tile Mosaic Trays DIY

It's been over a year since I've been making cardboard tile mosaics and I love the results.  The weight of the cardboard makes everything much more manageable and since you can paint the tiles any color or pattern you want, there's nothing you can't create.  I grabbed these trays at Dollar Tree and they were perfect for this makeover.  I probably should have snagged a few more!  After I was finished I thought it might have been fun to add some tiny pearls or seashells into the mix.  Either way, cardboard opens up a world of possibilities for mosaic. Find different uses for your recyclable items and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
 Love the brown mixed with light blues and greens
My "broken" tile pieces
A glint of sun on the shiny resin
STUFF I USED
DecoArt Pouring Medium
DecoArt Galaxy Glitter
Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints
Famowood Glaze Coat
Dollar Store Trays
Cardboard
School Glue
Long Arm Lighter
Watch how to make them here
 Cut the tiles so they look "broken"
Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Spoon Jewelry DIY

My grandmother knew right away that I was a little more artsy than the average kid my age.  Instead of making me go outside and play in the dirt (HELL NO!) I got to hang out with her and sew in the dining room.  Every once in a while, on a very special day, she would give me a bag of broken jewelry pieces from her stash.  It was like pirate booty!  To this day I'm obsessed with anything that sparkles.  Grab those broken bits and make yourself some of these funky spoon necklaces.  So much fun to make and great gifts, too.  Reuse as much as you can, my loves, and don't forget to 
Make Your Mark!
I made so many, I'm done with my Christmas list!
Add tassels and big stone beads at the ends!
Don't forget to use the handles, too!
 Watch how to make SPOON JEWELRY here!
 These cameos came from the 99c store
Enjoy!

Friday, March 8, 2019

Vintage Botanical Mirror DIY

 I love this mirror so much that I've decided to redecorate my entire bathroom around it.   The nice thing about this project is that you can make it in any size you want.  Just have the pieces cut to size and glue them together with E6000 Plus.  I got super messy painting this frame so I tried something new called Workman's Friend Superior Barrier Skin Cream which protects your hands from paint and glue.  Just put it on like lotion (it does make your hands super soft) and when you're done getting messy, the paint washes right off!   Get creative and get your hands dirty, my friends, 
and don't forget to Make Your Mark!
Perched on my patio 

STUFF I USED
Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Bestow, Cherish, Reminisce, Preservation, Treasure
Americana Decor Creme Wax
Americana Decoupage in Matte
E6000 Plus
1" x 4" wood: 2 - 28" pieces & 2 - 14" pieces
16" x 22" Mirror
Small laser cut dollar store frame
Optional: Dremel
Watch how to make it here!

Color is everything!
Happy Spring!

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Boho Leather Cuffs DIY

Get a few friends together and make these simple, painted boho leather cuffs to spice up your summer wardrobe!  Not only are they comfortable to wear, but you can customize them in any way to fit your own personal style.  Glue on some gorgeous turquoise cabochons and kick them up a notch.  Super unique gift idea for the holidays, too.  Have fun possums and don't forget to
Make Your Mark!
 Using stencils made these super easy to make!
 Try your own art if you're not a stencil fan!

STUFF I USED
Stylin Paints from DecoArt (Great for leather, fabric and pleather)
E6000 Plus
Watch how to make them here!
E6000 Plus has all the properties of regular E6000 and NO ODOR!
Boho beautiful!

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Faux Patina Mirror DIY with Unicorn SPiT

Michelle Nicole, the inventor of Unicorn SPiT, took some time out of her day to teach me how to make an easy faux patina on plastic.  I love this technique so much and it took no time at all.   I've seen these mirrors everywhere from dollar stores to thrift stores, but they look just awful in plain white plastic.  That said, after this faux patina, I'm in love and may never look at another cheap plastic frame the same way again.  Everything has potential, my friends, especially YOU!  
Now get out there and Make Your Mark!



Watch how to make it here!
STUFF I USED
Copper Metallic Spray Paint
Americana Matte Spray Sealer
 Try hanging 2 next to each other for impact in a bathroom or dressing area!

From $8 to priceless!