Magical Resin Crystals DIY

Do you love crystals as much as I do? I'm obsessed with them...The stories behind them, the powers they possess and of course, the beauty they have.  I decided to make some of my own crystals (using this amazing silicone mold I found on the internet) and fill them with gold leaf flakes and good thoughts.  Now I have my own special crystals filled with just the things that are important to me.  You could even put a personal charm inside that might mean something special to you!  Heck, fill them with whatever you like!  Remember sweet friends, stay creative and always MAKE YOUR MARK!

Marabu Alcohol Inks give the perfect amount of color and work 

beautifully with resin!

Everything I used for this project:

Famowood Glaze Coat Resin: https://amzn.to/30GJc4P Marabu Alcohol Inks: https://bit.ly/3dcKlrR Gold Leaf: https://amzn.to/3wxmrzZ Crystal Silicone Molds: https://amzn.to/3ug0JRq Aquarium Glass: https://amzn.to/3ibwDd2

Watch how to make them here OR watch how to make them (and many more things)

on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/x-etxhOZdhA

Try different color combinations and fill them with things like special jewelry pieces, saint medals or small stones from your last amazing trip!

While you're pouring the resin, think about amazing things that have happened in your life OR think about the things you want to happen in your life!  Yes, I know, very hippy dippy, but I love having reminders that our lives can be what we make them!

Wishing you all good energy and love!

Resin Butterfly Trays

Not sure how I ended up with 20 of these pressed tin trays from Dollar Tree, but I did.  Pretty sure instinctively I knew that one day inspiration would strike and they would be on hand for a project.  At least that's what my inner hoarder whispers every time I'm at the register or filling my cart late at night online.  While cleaning out my desk I found some beautiful butterfly printouts and it finally came to me...Butterfly trays!  A little paint and some resin in the base to protect them and they look like a million bucks.  Well, not a million, but definitely more than the 99c I paid for them.  Everything can be transformed and made more beautiful, my sweet friends!  Think of the caterpillar and the butterfly while you Make Your Mark!

I can't decide which to keep by my front door for keys and mail...Hmmm.

The perfect little holiday gift!

STUFF I USED:

Famowood Glaze Coat Resin: https://amzn.to/30GJc4P

Xyron Creative Station: https://bit.ly/2yuW31n

www.DecoArt.com

Enchanted & Enchanted Shimmer: https://buddlycrafts.com/search/?q=enchanted+DecoArt

MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make these trays here OR

watch the video on my YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/fKDjwLD7kEs

Using a Xyron Creative Station eliminates the misting and decoupage medium application!

A thin layer of resin looks absolutely beautiful and protects the paper butterflies.

The DecoArt Enchanted and Enchanted Shimmer are my new obsessions!

Tray jolie!

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!

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

Rose printout

Iron Orchid Designs Moulds

Glaze Coat Epoxy Resin

Rustoleum Metallic Gold spray paint

Americana Fabric Decoupage

E-6000 Glue

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!

Cardboard Tile Ikea Hack

On a recent trip to New Mexico I saw a simple tile table at the airport while waiting for my flight.  The tiles were unique and beautiful and I was totally inspired to make a tile table the minute I got home.  Pretty quickly I realized that beautiful tiles were expensive and not very easy to find!  I thought about painting some ceramic tiles but wasn't sure how scratch resistant they would be.  Finally I decided on painted cardboard tiles with a resin coating.  This project has opened up a new decorative tile world for me!  Remember, where there's a will, there's a way.  Oh, and always 

Make Your Mark!

My stenciled tile table!

I love the random mixed patterns

 

Watch how I made it here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Decor Satin Enamels

Americana Acrylic Paint

Stencils

Ikea Lack Table

4" x 4" cardboard tiles

Hammer and nails

E-6000 Glue

Cosmetic Sponges

1/2" wood trim

Famowood Glaze Coat 2 part epoxy resin

HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Measure, cut and nail the 1/2" trim around the table top about 1/4" above the surface and then fill the crevices with white glue

3. & 4.  Paint the table top and trim with Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Aubergine and the base of the table top and legs in Woodland Green

5. - 8.  Using Americana Acrylics and stencils, create your design on the 4" x 4" tiles with a cosmetic sponge

*I used two yellows for the base, then an orange for the harlequin and finally a light blue for the flower on top

9.  Glue the tiles in place on top of the Lack table

10. - 12. Mix, pour and spread the Famowood Glaze Coat on top of the table making sure that it doesn't spill over the 1/2" trim

13.  Pop the bubbles in the resin with a long arm lighter or a small butane torch and then cover and cure overnight

14. & 15.  Screw on the legs and you're done!

My chic cardboard tile table!

Thrift Store Table Makeover

Have you noticed how much hotel furniture is showing up at thrift stores these days?  This glass table was a bit scratched up, but it was only $15 so I snapped it up and decided to give it a makeover worthy of Kelly Wearstler (my favorite interior designer).  This paint technique is a mix between Italian marbled paper and flow painting and I have a feeling the next table I attempt will be even better than this one.   In the mean time, I'm in LOVE!  Remember to scour thrift stores, recycle as much as you can and always Make Your Mark!

 Rhapsody in blue

I love the bold splashes of color with the intricate marbling around the edges 

Watch how I made it here!

STUFF I USED

Thrift store coffee table

Americana Decor Satin Enamels

*I used Smoke Grey, Dark Denim, Steel Blue, Seaside Blue & Grey Taupe

Famowood Glaze Coat

Americana Decor Metallics in Silver

Water

Plastic cups

Toothpicks

HERE'S HOW

1. - 3.  Fill each cup with paint, add 10% water and stir

*I used 5 matching colors for this project and I propped the glass table top on wood pieces so that it would be about 1 1/2" above the table

4.  Paint the edges with one of the colors

5. - 7.  Pour each color in a swirl pattern on the table working from the center outward

8.  Carefully angle the table to allow the paint to mix and blend together

9.  Drag a toothpick back and forth every 1" across the table to create a marbled paper look

10.  Paint the table base in Americana Decor Metallics in Silver and let dry

11.  Mix the Glaze Coat according to directions, pout on the table and spread with a sponge brush

12.  Use a small torch or long arm lighter to pop the bubbles, cover and let dry

Assemble and you're done!

So chic!

Artist Side Table DIY

I was at Home Goods the other day and saw a VERY flimsy version of this artist's palette table and thought to myself, I want to make a sturdy version of this!   Since I always grab scrap wood and save old chairs, I had everything I needed to put it together.   My favorite part of this project was being able to use a broken chair for the table base!  Remember to think twice before you toss out old furniture and always Make Your Mark!

Looks so cute on the grass! 

 Watch how easy it is to make here!

STUFF I USED

Americana Premium Acrylic Paints 

Sander & Jigsaw

Famowood Glaze Coat

Old Chair

HERE'S HOW

1.  Create your pattern on butcher paper or a large piece of newspaper

2.  Trace your pattern on plywood

3. & 4.  Cut out & sand your palette shape

5.  Create your messy palette with Premium Acrylics

6. Mix and coat the table top with Famowood Glaze Coat epoxy resin and let cure

7.  & 8.  Remove the base from an old chair and paint black

9.  Screw to the underside of the palette table top

 Love how this matches any room!

Faux Agate Jewelry

My friend Deana always wears big agate jewelry and it looks amazing on her.   She reminds me of a New York gallery owner who is always decked out in the most daring fashion.  When I started experimenting with some real agate slices, I realized that the finished pieces were extremely heavy.  Probably too heavy unless you're Iris Apfel! That's when I got to work and designed a process to give the agate/geode look that weighed about 1/5 as much!  Plus, this is so much more fun than buying  expensive slices of agate and gluing them on jewelry findings.  Hey, I'm a DIY'er and I live to make things!  Remember to experiment, find alternatives and always Make Your Mark!

 Julie "rocking" my new agate jewelry

The bigger the better and light as a feather!

Nothing like a big, chunky ring!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Agate print outs

Gold Crafting Foil & Glue

Acrylic Clear Coat

Famowood Glaze Coat Resin

E-6000 Glue

Brass cuff and ring findings

Glitter and white glue

Silicone disk mold

HERE'S HOW

1.  Print out the agates and seal both sides of the paper with the acrylic clear coat and let dry

2. & 3.  Carefully cut each agate, edge with glue and add black glitter

4.  Add crystal glitter in the center if you want

*I find the glitter gives it dimension and makes it look more real

5. & 6.  Mix the Glaze Coat and pour about 1/8" into each mold

7.  Submerge the glitterized agate print and cover with a bit more Glaze Coat

*Aim for a little less than 1/4"  

8. & 9. Pop the bubbles with a small torch or long arm lighter (or heat gun), cover and let cure for about 6 to 8 hours

10.  While the pieces are still a little "bendy" cut around the agate shapes with some heavy duty scissors

*If you let them cure too much you will have to cut them with a craft knife and break off pieces.  This is much easier!

11.  Add the foiling glue to the edges of each agate and when dry, press the gold foil paper to the glue

12.  Glue the finished agate on metal bangles, ring findings or drill and hang on a chain

Pile them on!