Bottle Cap Sacred Hearts

I love visiting and shopping in Mexico...LOVE IT!  The color, the weather, the art...it all sings to my heart.  Since my yearly trip to Puerto Vallarta was cancelled, I had to create my own Mexican art to feed my soul.  What I love about this project is that it's just scrap wood and bottle caps.  I printed out the images on my computer, added a little glitter and, for a minute, felt like things were right in the world.  Do what you can to stay sane during this crazy time, sweet friends, and 

always Make Your Mark!

These have my heart!

Loteria and Frida images were my choice, but change it up if you want!

A Dremel is the perfect carving tool!

STUFF I USED:
DecoArt Top Coat: https://amzn.to/2CeRXfv Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint: https://amzn.to/3fBHuJk Images to print: http://www.markmontano.com/p/bottle-cap-sacred-heart-images.html MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make them here or
watch this video on my Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/hRNb003wQa0

Enlarge to desired size

Create with your whole heart!

Sacred Heart Shadow Box DIY

I just got back from Puerto Vallarta and loved every minute of my time in Mexico.  I adore everything about the Mexican culture...The color, the music, the food and the creativity.  It was such an inspiring trip!  These Mexico inspired sacred heart shadow boxes were made with ALL of the doodads in my craft box. I went nuts with color, buttons, glitter and whatever else I could find.  I love a project like that!   I used some simple dollar store frames to create the "box".  Just stack 2 together, glue on the back and you're ready to fill & decorate!  Use what you have, my creative friends, 

and always Make Your Mark!

 I'm wrapping these and giving them as gifts this year!

I used a wooden heart but you could put almost anything inside 

I copied Loteria pages to decoupage on the sides of the frame

Watch how to make them here!

 Tuck paper or ribbon flowers on the inside corners for even more texture & color

Shrine on, my friends!

Mexican Tin Hearts

My first version of Mexican Tin Hearts from a few years ago is still getting tons of attention so I decided to up the game a little and try a few different techniques for this version.  I love the versions I see for sale, but I'd go broke buying every one of them.  Instead, here's an inexpensive way to make your own. Head to the hardware store and grab some aluminum flashing and serrated edge scissors and you're halfway there. Also, if you have some thin cotton gloves, that can be helpful.  I tend to scratch myself when I'm cutting the flashing.  Have fun, make art and don't forget to 

Make Your Mark!

 My trio of hearts

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Aluminum Flashing and Serrated Blade Scissors

Hot glue and glue gun

Prima silicone molds

Americana Acrylic Paints

DecoArt Matte Metallic Paint in Vintage Brass

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

E-6000 Glue

Loteria Images

Pattern for heart and frame

Print on standard copy paper

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Trace and cut the heart and frame from the aluminum flashing using serrated edge scissors

and making sure to cut off the sharp points on the flames

3.  Trace a loteria image in the center of the frame, cut of the corners of the frame piece (to the corner of the tracing) and then bend each side upward

4.  Paint the flame part of the flashing black and the base in a light color of your choosing 

5.  Paint flowers, leaves and teardrops using a small round brush around the heart

6.  Paint gold teardrops on the flame with Matte Metallics in Vintage Brass

7. & 8.  Accent the flowers and teardrops with different colors

*The more color the better!

9.  Paint the outside and inside of the frame piece in two different colors

10. & 11. Using Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint, dot all around the edge of the heart, around the edges of the frame piece and along the top of the flame

12.  Glue the loteria card inside of the painted frame piece

13. & 14.  Fill the Prima silicone flower mold with hot glue, remove the flowers and 

paint in different colors

15.  Dry brush the flowers with the Matte Metallics

16  Glue the frame and the flowers on top of the painted heart

La Sirena, my favorite!

All in all another heart on the wall 

I'll bet your friends would love one!

Mexican Folk Art Bottle Cap Crosses

I adore Mexican folk art!  The color, the happiness, the textures, all of it.  Because I have so many bottle caps left over from an ambitious Ebay bid,  I REALLY needed to use them for another project or 2 or 3 or 4......  These bottle cap crosses fit the bill.  Lucky me, I even scored some discarded 

1" x 1" wood pieces at the construction site near my house so all in all, this project didn't cost much to make.  You can even print out the bottle cap images from the  Internet on your home computer. You can find everything from butterflies to saints just ready to print out and use.  Whatever strikes your fancy, really.  Remember, have fun, explore other cultures and always

Make Your Mark!

Color burst!

Displayed on my patio

Watch the video here!

Stuff I Used

Craft bottle caps (try Amazon.com)

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gloss

DecoArt Liquid Glass 

Scrap wood

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints

Bottle cap images

Here's how

1. & 2. Glue your wood pieces together to make a cross with E-6000 and then paint in a color you like

3. & 4.  Embellish with other colors and add dimension with Allure

5. & 6.  Print and cut your bottle cap images and then glue them inside the bottle caps with regular white school glue

7.  Fill them with a small amount of DecoArt's Liquid Glass and let them dry until they are clear

8. Glue the bottle caps to the painted crosses and let dry

Folk Art!

Mexican Tin Folk Art DIY

I love Mexican art!  I always have.  When I was a kid my parents would go to Mexico and bring back all kinds of fantastic treasures.  Once they brought back these super scary tapped tin masks with marble eyes....I loved them!  Years later when I was shopping for art supplies at the hardware store, I scored a roll of aluminum flashing (they use it for roofing) and immediately 

thought of the tapped tin projects I could make.

Make sure to cut the tin with serrated edge scissors or tin shears so that it's not sharp to the touch!

I framed loteria images, but you could use anything!

Make them in different sizes

Make sure to add sequins and glitter, too!

Watch the short video tutorial here

Watch my 2018 updated version!

YOU'LL NEED

Aluminum flashing

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints

Loteria Images (below)

Pattern of Heart (below)

Serrated edge scissors or tin shears

Needle nose pliers

E-6000 Glue

White school glue

Plastic cabochon flowers

Sequins and glitter

Paintbrushes

Hammer and large nails

Scrap wood

Trace and cut your pattern in aluminum flashing using serrated scissors (or tin shears)

Cut out a loteria image and trace around it adding 1/4" all the way around

Cut off the corners and bend them upward with pliers to create a small frame 

Using a large nail and scrap wood, tap a design into the heart

*Tap a hole through the top so you can hang it when you're done

 Paint your heart with Americana Multi-Surface Satin in vibrant colors

Paint your small frame to match

*Click HERE for inspiration

When dry, glue on the flower cabochons and the frame with E-6000 glue

Using white glue, add the loteria image

Add more glue to add sequins and glitter inside and around the frame

 Print and cut

Print and cut