Fancy Canister DIY - Upcycled Jar Makeover

The rule in my house is give everything gets 2nd life!  Jars, cans, newspaper, cardboard & plastic containers never end up in the garbage UNLESS they truly can't be repurposed.  I have tons of these Nescafe instant coffee jars and they are my absolute favorite to makeover.  A little tissue paper for color and some images printed on your computer will give you an amazing set of mini canisters to show off in your space.   Currently these are on my kitchen counter waiting to be filled, but I have a feeling they'll end up in my craft house.  Rescue those craft supplies headed for the garbage bin and you'll never be bored, my sweet friends!  Oh, and always Make Your Mark!

Love these so much!

Big plastic beads make the perfect knobs!

Everything I used for this project:
Xyron Creative Station: https://bit.ly/2yuW31n E6000 Spray Adhesive: https://amzn.to/2ThaMn1 E6000 Glue: https://amzn.to/2VfF248 My favorite molds: https://amzn.to/2wNM06M Images I used: http://www.markmontano.com/p/fancy-canister-images.html

Watch how to make them here OR
Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/XrsXutUbNn0

Hot glue is malleable so you can easily shape it to the curve or bend of a jar!

Do the Can - Can - Canister!

Pop Art Postcards

 How many Amazon boxes do you get per week?  I probably get 3 - 4.  That is a lot of cardboard and truthfully, I feel pretty guilty about it.  To assuage my guilt I try to make as many projects as I can out of cardboard.  Check out my cardboard tile projects!  These postcards are an EASY way to send out some happy mail and use up tons of cardboard.  The kids can join in and learn how the old folks used to communicate before texts and emojis!  Make someone's day by sending them a funky, handmade postcard and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

You ROCK!  I swear, you do!

Americana Neon paints from DecoArt make me super happy!

E-6000 Spray Adhesive and E6000 PLUS are my go-to adhesives

Make your own rubber stamps with toy foam letters and E6000 Plus!

Watch how to make them here!

Can't wait to send these out!

Wish you were here!

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!

Mixed Media Vintage Circus Art

I love everything about a vintage circus.  The ruffled collars on bike riding bears, the harlequin patterns on nightmare-inducing clowns and the huge red and white striped tents.  I love it!  Recently I was ogling beautiful images on Pinterest and found a beautiful butterfly art piece by Debrina Pratt.  It was so inspiring I decided to take the concept and make a little vintage circus art piece of my own.  Not much needed for this except some cardboard, wire and a few wood blocks which I've seen at most craft and dollar stores.  Heck, you could even use a rock for a base if you wanted.  Grag my images HERE.  Make it wonderful and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

These make me very happy!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Vintage Circus Images (HERE)

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

E-6000 Glue

Wood Blocks

Cardboard

Stamp Pad

Wire and Wire Cutters

 HERE'S HOW

1.  Glue the printed images to cardboard

2.  Carefully cut out each piece

3.  Glue graphics to the wood block

4.  Distress the edges of the cutouts and wood blocks on an ink pad

5. Cut wire in various sizes

6.  Glue the wire to the backs of the cardboard cutouts

7. Mark where your pieces will be placed on each block

8.  Drill small holes for the wire

9.  Add more E-6000 Glue on the end of the wire and insert in the drilled holes

Showtime!

Any mix of images will do!

On with the show!

Gel Press Mixed Media Vases

Do you have a collection of glass vases cluttering up your pantry like I do?  I just can't seem to pass up a free centerpiece, thrift store find, roadside rescue or yard sale vase.  HELP ME!  Fortunately I find them a constant source of inspiration for my projects.  This week I decided to turn them into colorful, mixed media vases with my Gel Press.  I LOVE the way they turned out, too! For this project I allowed myself to go nuts with color and stencils and techniques, not caring about the results and just having fun.  There is something wonderful about creativity without boundaries.....It's feels like flying.  Remember to let your creativity go crazy without expectation and always 

Make Your Mark!

Clippings from my garden!

I could have made 100 of these!

No two are the same!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Gel Press & brayer

Americana Acrylics

DuraClear Gloss Varnish

Copy paper

Americana Matte Decoupage

Glass Vases

Various stencils

HERE'S HOW

1.  Squirt 3 colors on your paint on the Gel Press

2.  Spread them with your brayer

3.  Press the paper on the paint 

4.  Carefully pull up the paper and let dry

5.  Try different color combinations

*I like working with lighter colors for the first layer

6.  Add some darker, contrasting colors on the Gel Press

7.  Lay down some stencils on top of the paint

8.  Press a previously Gel Pressed sheet on top of the stencils

9.  Carefully lift to expose the beautiful patterns

10.  Try different color combinations and different stencils

11.  Transfer to the previously Gel Pressed sheets

12.  Cut the sheets to fit a vase making sure to add 1" long slits along one edge

13.  Mist the paper with water

14.  Spread the decoupage medium on the back of the Gel Pressed sheet

15.  Adhere it to the vase and adhere the slit tabs around the underside of the vase

*Mix different Gel Pressed sheets and color combinations to get the design you want 

16.  Seal each vase with DuraClear Gloss Varnish when they are completely covered

Fresh!

These make me happy!

Mixed Media Scrap Wood Dolls

Not long ago I saw some art dolls made by Mary Jane Chadbourne and I immediately wanted to learn how to make them.  Mary Jane is a mixed media artist who does incredible work and when she starts teaching again, I'll register for every class!  Every once in awhile you run across an artist who's work speaks to you......and for me, Mary Jane's work just flipped my switch.  As intimidating as mixed media pieces look to make,  I somehow managed to figure out a process that's pretty easy to follow and gives consistent results.  Once you start, you'll develop your own process that works for you, but everyone needs a starting point.  Remember to save your scrap wood, use all of your favorite techniques and always Make Your Mark!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Scrap wood blocks

E-6000 Spray Adhesive & E-6000 Glue

Americana Acrylics

Rubber stamps & Ink pad

Book pages

Vintage images

Glamour Dust

Beads, buttons and flowers

 HERE'S HOW

1. & 2.  Cover the wood blocks with book pages using E-6000 Spray Adhesive

3. & 4.  Give the book page covered blocks a color wash and paint the small triangle

5. 6. & 7.  Cut out vintage images and glue them to the painted blocks

8.  Press the corners of the wood blocks into a stamp pad

9.  Stamp images around the sides and in the blank spaces

10.  Add a wash of color to the body

11.  Paint stripes on the hat

12.  Glue buttons, letters and flowers to the body and tip of the hat with E-6000 Glue

13.  Wrap a metallic pipe cleaner around the base of the hat

14.  Attach keys to the base of the body with eye screws

15. & 16.  Glue a butterfly wings print out to cardboard and cut out

17.  Glitterize the wings Glamour Dust

18. When dry, glue all of the pieces together and you're done!

Join My ATC Swap!

Thanks for your interest in participating in my ATC SWAP!  We have lots of amazing artists participating so far and I'm going to make this as easy as possible for you.  Guidelines below!

Here's how it works:

CARDS ARE DUE BY FEBRUARY 10TH

(See mine for some ideas HERE)

GUIDELINES

*Create 5 cards with a LOVE theme for this trade

*Must be 2.5" x 3.5" in size and no thicker than 1/4".   Playing cards work very well as a base. You're also welcome to use heavyweight card stock or chipboard cut to size as long as it's heavy.

*Entries should use a DecoArt product and be layered with other papers, buttons, embellishments or fabrics.  Think layers and texture!  If you live out of the country and have no access to DecoArt products you can still join us!

*The back of your trading cards should have your name , the title of the work, signature and date.  You can include contact information or your social media info if you want to, it's up to you.  This is a terrific way to make new friends, so I would do it.  

I'm including an example of what I'm using on the back of my cards and you're more than welcome to print it out and use this for the back of your cards.  

PLEASE SEND CARDS TO:

Mark Montano ATC

2126 Cove Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90039

*Place your ATCs in a clear baggie with your name clearly written on the baggie.

*Include in your package a self-addressed stamped envelope/mailer with the same amount of 

postage that cost to mail them...(usually about $2.60 for a bubble mailer)

Please make sure to PRINT your return address on the empty mailer that will be returned to you.  You are addressing your own return envelope

*Write your RETURN ADDRESS on the left corner of this return mailer too!

*If you live in another country, please make a small donation for postage on my YouTube page to cover the cost of your package from the U.S.  Usually about $4
You can do this with the SUPPORT THIS CHANNEL button on the right side of the home page.
If you don't have that button, you can contribute via PayPal at MarkMontanoNYC@aol.com

Thanks so much and I hope you join us!

Thurs-DIY!

A few pretty things from around the web that caught my eye.  Love the sea glass candy and you'll never guess what those fabric pumpkins have underneath!  Hop around and make some new friends.  All the links are below.   

xo, Mark

TheCraftedLife makes the most glamorous tissue box!  

Lia Griffith makes a beautiful coffee filter backdrop!

Pla give us a mixed media tutorial!   

Sea Glass Candy DIY!

Cathy Attix makes a Dolce & Gabbana inspired doodle shirt!  

Check out these easy to make fabric pumpkins by APieceOfRainbowBlog!

Magical inspiration!

Some magical inspiration from around the world and web.

Lamps designed by Geraldine Gonzalez.  These are magical.  You could almost do a version of them with white paper lanterns.  I really like sea urchins and the look of jelly fish.  Some day I'll share the story of when I got stung on the face by one!

Peter Pan cut out on top of lamp....Magical!  Any silhouette really could work for this.  It reminds me of those glow in the dark stars stickers that we used to put on our ceiling.

And how about this for a birthday party? Spearmintbaby.com  I want to make these for my besty's daughter.  

A version of the wrapped wine bottle which I think works perfectly.  I think the mix of colors is just beautiful.

HandyWoman.com

Wood and Wool Stool from Morocco.  I think this is a wonderful crochet project.  It just WORKS.

Flickr.com

What's not to love about this clutch?  I mean WHO, WHO wouldn't want this?

Irregularchoice.com

For a 150 more craft projects ranging from lamps to accessories, grab a copy of 

THE BIG ASS BOOK OF CRAFTS 2!