Boho Heart Ornaments DIY

My tree is all about bright colors this year and these soft, boho heart ornaments are just the ticket to make it POP!  I used neon colors on my Gel Press and embellished them with glitter Allure from 

E-6000.  I'm excited to be bucking tradition this year and going nuts with a tree that is filled with things that make me feel the joy of the season.  I say, do what makes you happy and

don't forget to Make Your Mark!  

Watch  how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Gel Press

Cotton fabric

Sewing machine

Poly-fil Premium Polyester Fiber Fill

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Lime Glitter, Metallic Orange and Pink

Americana Acrylics in Sizzling Pink, Pink Explosion, Scorching Yellow, Torrid Orange

Electric Blue, Laguna Blue Aqua Sky

Pom poms

Beads from BeeBeeCraft.com

HERE'S HOW

1.  Dot your Gel Press with Americana Acrylics in Sizzling Pink, Pink Explosion, Scorching Yellow and Torrid Orange

2.  Distribute evenly with your brayer

3. Press & pull the cotton fabric

4.  Dot the Gel Press with Americana Acrylics in Electric Blue, Laguna Blue & Aqua Sky

5.  Spread evenly

6.  Place a stencil on top

*I used the Floral Corner Motif Stencil from Tracy Moreau

7.  Press the fabric on the Gel Press again and transfer the stencil by

gently pressing the fabric on the stencil

8.  When dry, cut two hearts from the Gel Pressed fabric

9.  Stitch them using 1/4" seam allowance making sure to leave a 2" opening

10.  & 11. Stuff with Poly-fil and stitched closed

12.  Wrap a tassel maker with matching yarn

13.  Tie the bundle at the top and a contrasting yarn around the neck

14.  Slip off the tassel, cut the loops and trim

15.  Stitch a tassel, pom pom and bead to the tip of the heart

16.  Embellish with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint

  Bo-ho-ho-ho-ho! 

Cardboard Loteria Ornaments

I'm all about having a colorful, Mexico/Boho inspired tree this year and these Loteria House Ornaments are going to be perfect for it!  I've included all of the printouts I used AND the pattern for the house so all you have to do is print out the images, cut out some cardboard and start gluing!  Try using photos of your family or pets or even vintage Christmas cards for this project.  It's up to you and your amazing creativity!  Remember to make a few of these ornaments for your friends...Oh, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 Use any kind of image you want!

The Allure Glitter looks amazing on these!

Watch how I made them here!

STUFF I USED

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Wire & Craft Bells

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint

Loteria Images (below)

Cardboard

Glue Gun

Papel Picado Images (below)

HERE'S HOW

1.  Trace and cut the patterns in cardboard (below)

2.  Score along the score lines

*This makes bending them into shape so much neater

3.  Glue the pieces together

4. & 5.  Cut and glue the loteria images to the sides of the house using E-6000 Spray Adhesive

6. & 7. Cut and glue the papel picado triangles to the roof and base

8.  Poke a hole in the exact center of the base

9.  Glue the pieces together

10.  When dry, accent the edges with Allure Glitter or Gloss in matching colors

11.  Attach a bell to the end of a 5" long wire and thread it through the house from the bottom 

through the point on the roof

12.  Bend a loop on the roof and hang

Print these for the sides of the house

Print for the roof and base of the house

Print on standard size paper

Feliz Navidad!

Holiday Forever Wreath

Happy holidays, friends!  It's that time of year when we decorate everything we can to celebrate the season.  I wanted a wreath that I could leave up year round (not just for the holidays) on my little California craftsman house, but I couldn't find anything I truly loved.  As usual, I decided to take matters into my own hands and get crazy making my own metallic leaves on my Gel Press.  I used Oly-Fun fabrics from Fairfield world because I love the colors and they have a stiffness that works perfectly for this project!  Have a wonderful holiday season and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Love how it shimmers!

Watch how to make yours here!

STUFF I USED

Oly-Fun Fabric from Fairfield World

Gel Press

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

DecoArt Dazzling Metallics

Pool Noodle

Glue Gun

Wood Sign

Print out on standard copy paper

 HERE'S HOW

1.  Tape the ends of a pool noodle together to create a wreath

2.  Lightly score the edges so that it creates a perfect circle

3.  Wrap the wreath in 3" strips of Oly-Fun fabric in Hot Fudge using 

a hot glue gun to keep the pieces in place

4. Cut 8" x 10" pieces of Oly-Fun in Clover, Kiwi and Sea Green

5. Grab your Gel Press

6.  Load it with different colors of DecoArt Dazzling Metallics

7. Press and pull several sheets of the Oly-Fun on the Gel Press

8.  Trace the leaf patterns on the back one of the pressed sheets

9.  Stack, pin and cut several layers of the Gel Pressed Oly-Fun fabric

10.  Edge the leaves and add veins with Allure Dimension Design Adhesive Paint in different matching colors.  I used Copper Glitter, Gloss Brown and Gold Leaf

11.  Hot glue the leaves around the wreath

12.  Decorate the wreath with a wood word and a huge metallic bow

Welcome!

Mermaid Jeans DIY

Finally there is a way to add sparkle, shimmer and shite to your clothes that won't flake off and is still washable!  Yup, that's right, you won't get glitter everywhere AND it's washable!  Huge thanks to my assistant, Julie, for modeling these sparkly, mermaid-esque jeans (and skirt) for me!  This project is so easy and I can't wait to try it with some funky stencils, too.  Remember to have fun with your clothing and to always Make Your Mark! 

 Love the shimmer!

 Looks fun on a jean skirt, too!

Watch how easy it is to do here!

STUFF I USED

Krylon Matte Black Spray Paint

Unicorn SPiT Sparkling

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Shiny Clear

Dark Denim Pieces

Old Sponges

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2. OPTIONAL:  Spray the shimmer area with matte black spray paint

*I sprayed the hems and up the sides of the jeans and skirt

3. & 4.  Mix equal parts Allure Shiny Gloss and Unicorn SPiT Sparkling in different colors

5.  Stir thouroughly

6. - 9.  Using a small sponge, dab the jeans with the different colors

*Pile on the mixture until you're happy and don't worry, it won't start sparkling until it dries!

These mer-maid just for you!

Summer Sun Hats DIY

I've had these hats sitting in my craft house for a year and I was finally, FINALLY inspired to do something with them.  I did some research on early Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali hats and versions of these kept popping up.  The sunglasses hat has been interpreted by several designers over the years. I figured, why not bring back some 1930s glamour?  

 Remember to wear sunblock and always Make Your Mark!

My awesome assistant Julie!

 Time for some high fashion!

 Watch how to make them here!

Happy Summer!

Let's Make Art!

I wanted something a bit more whimsical for my kitchen so I decided to give the new DecoArt Premium Acrylics a go and paint something bright and happy.  Gotta be honest here, I'm not really a painter and when I sit down at a canvas, I'll use any paint that's within my reach.  We're talking house paint, outdoor paint, multi-surface.....whatever is in reach that has the color I want.  A few weeks ago DecoArt sent me their new line of tube acrylics and WOW are they lovely to work with.  The colors are just beautiful, too.  This painting was pretty easy and you could easily change the colors to match your decor.  Remember to sit down and get creative every once in a while, get your Bob Ross on and 

always Make Your Mark!

Why not hang art on the fence?

Watch how I painted it here!

 STUFF I USED

Canvas

Americana Premium Acrylics

Allure Dimension Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss Black

Paintbrushes

Template

 Print and use to sketch out the design

HERE'S HOW

1.  Using the template, sketch out the design on your canvas

2. Paint the lower half of the canvas in Pyrrole Red

3.  Paint alternating stripes in a mixture of Yellow Green Light and Titanium White

4.  Paint the rest of the stripes in a mixture of Cobalt Teal Hue and Titanium White

5. Paint several of the flowers with a mixture of Quinacridone Magenta and Titanium White and the outer edges with the pure Quinacridone Magenta and blend where they meet

6.  Paint the centers of the rest of the flowers with Vermilion Hue mixed with Titanium White

7. Paint the outer edges with Hansa Yellow Light

8. Blend the orange and yellow flowers with more Vermilion Hue

9.  Add more white to the mixture of Quinacridone Magenta and Titanium White and lighten the centers of the pink flowers

10.  Paint the leaves with Green Gold and Yellow Green Light and Titanium White

11.  Paint the stripes on the vase with Carbon Black

12.  Outline the flowers, leaves, stripes and vase in Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss Black

Nothing like an afternoon painting flowers in the back yard!

Let's Make Art!

I've always loved Vera prints and patterns......Always!  So many artists are inspired by this amazing woman who dominated style in the late 50s, 60s and 70s.  Recently I found an amazing Vera scarf with the most beautiful flowers (see below) and I decided it would make a fun "Let's Make Art" video.  I love this classic 70s color combo, too!  I'm also pretty sure my parents had bedsheets in this pattern.  Remember.....Have fun. Make art. Make messes!

xoxo, Mark

I love color!

Try a smaller version and then go BIG

Follow along here to see how easy it is

Vera inspiration!

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in black

Americana Acrylics in Tangerine, Foliage Green, Carousel Pink and Snow White

Canvas

Paintbrushes

My inspiration!  A 1970s Vera scarf

1.  Paint the entire canvas green

2.  Using the template below, pencil in the flowers and fill in the shapes with white

3.  Paint over the white with the tangerine on the sunflowers

4.  Paint the centers of each flower in light pink (mix white with carousel)

5.  Using the brush sideways, paint petals around the round flowers

6.  Use a light pink for the outside and go darker as you add rows toward the center

7.  Fill in the smaller flowers with different shades of pink

8.  Use the black Allure to create scallops in a circle for the center of the larger Tangerine flowers

9.  Outline the leaves and add veins in each petal

10.  Using a smaller scallop, create the centers of the round pink flowers

11.  Outline the petals starting in the middle

12. Outline the smaller blooms and add a dot in the center of each

Print out and use as a guide for the painting