Dollar Store Frame Upstyle

Printing out vintage botanicals on watercolor paper is a wonderful way to create beautiful art for your home.  I LOVE how much beauty they can add to a room.  In fact, my entire dining room is filled with botanical drawings and big plants and it makes me VERY happy!  These works of art started out as dollar store frames and with a little decoupage and hot glue, you can have something AMAZING to show off. Check out the video below to see how it's done and then get out there and

MAKE YOUR MARK!  xo

Dollar store frames and hot glue...Yup! 

Crumpled tissue paper glued to almost anything always looks amazing!

Everything I used for this project:

Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Clearly Aligned Decor Stamps in Linear Floral: https://bit.ly/3A3Epfv Decor Mould in Regal Trimming: https://bit.ly/3xjXeJE Decor Ink Pad in white: https://bit.ly/3yoC8LE Watercolor Confections in Terrain: https://bit.ly/3A2eFA3 Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Carbon Black: https://amzn.to/3yk1w4V

Watch how I made this here OR

watch tons of other videos on my YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkMontanoDesigner/featured

It is wonderfully relaxing adding watercolor to black and white botanicals!

Creativity is the key, my wonderful friends!

See you soon! x

Gorgeous Happy Mail Ideas!

Ask anyone who knows me...I love to write letters.  I'll stick anything inside of an envelope and glue almost anything to the outside.  If it looks like an absolute crazy person put it together, well, then you'll know it's from me.  I'm obsessed with mail and how our postal system works and I love that you can slap a stamp on something and that it takes a journey across the sky to someone you love.  This particular project reminded me of Gustav Klimt, one of my favorite artists.  I love his use of gold leaf in his work and I thought these envelopes, with their metallic gold patterns, gave that Klimt-esque feeling.  Do you like to send Happy Mail? I'd love to hear about what you make in the comments!  Sending all of you big hugs and a nudge to get out there and MAKE YOUR MARK!

The bottom of a votive candle glass and some sprigs from my garden 

make the most beautiful faux wax seals!

I used my Gel Press to get all of these amazing colors and patterns!

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95 DecoArt Gold Paint: https://bit.ly/3dQbqmA & https://bit.ly/36kH8UY Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Stencils I used: https://amzn.to/3jWwoUP

Watch the video here OR

watch how I make these envelopes on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/PxmkKffTuIU

Nothing like getting a beautiful, handmade card in the mail, right?!

Hot glue with my "M" seal...Just love that one!

This seal was made with a brass button attached to a small dowel!  

Write on, my crafty friends!

BOHO SCRAP FABRIC FLOWERS

Raise your scissors if you have a box of scrap fabrics that you just can't toss?  I see a lot of scissors in the air right now!  Well, grab that box and start making these colorful BOHO SCRAP FABRIC FLOWERS!  Slap them on everything from gift bags to your favorite hat. Heck, they would even make a fun kid's award ribbon.  Use Christmas colors and you can even use them to decorate a funky boho tree.  I put these together with a simple glue gun and if you follow me, you know my glue gun of choice is a SUREBONDER.  I just love their products and they have a detail glue gun that will knock your socks off!  Now, are you ready to get out there and MAKE YOUR MARK?!  I know you are!

Just love looking at all the colors!

Yep, I went a little nuts making these!

Watch how to make them here or 

watch this video on my YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/7B-cJckxSNM

Put them on a gift bag or turn them into the most fabulous greeting card!

Just have fun with color!

You've got the flower power!

Beautiful Happy Mail Ideas

You might know by now that I love happy mail.  I love making it, sending it and getting it!  These Gustav Klimt inspired pieces are from my latest batch.  I even went faux wax seal crazy with hot glue and foliage from my backyard.  I used the bottom of a flat drinking glass and some good, clear hot glue from Surebonder!  It's a great way to seal a letter and it looks just beautiful!  Why not make someone's day and send them a little hello with a stamp on it?  I'll bet you'll get one in return!

My stack of Klimt inspired stationery

Hot glue "wax" seals using the bottom of a glass

Why not add a seal on the card inside, too!

Love the look of this little daisy!

Everything I used for this project:

Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95 DecoArt Gold Paint: https://bit.ly/3dQbqmA & https://bit.ly/36kH8UY Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Stencils I used: https://amzn.to/3jWwoUP ART SPRAYS...Put these in a spray bottle: https://amzn.to/3jWNBNV MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make this Klimt inspired happy mail here!

Surebonder makes colorful glue stiks in every color you can think of!

Make someone's day and send out some happy mail!

Gorgeous Decorative Eggs

When Easter season comes along I stock up on plastic eggs, fake grass in every color and a ridiculous amount of malted eggs.  When I get home from said Easter shopping trip, I realize that I have more plastic eggs than I can ever use, tons of fake grass from the year before and my big butt doesn't need any more malted eggs.  Still, it's a yearly tradition!  This year I decided to decorate some of my extra large plastic eggs for a coffee table Easter display.  I think they're so fancy and nobody knows they're just plastic eggs and hot glue!  Check out the video below for instructions.  Now get out there and Make Your Mark!

Toss them in a silver bowl with branches from your yard!

My happy trio!

Everything I used for this project:

My silicone molds: https://amzn.to/2wNM06M & https://amzn.to/2wubCVZ Large Easter Eggs: https://amzn.to/3dOq7Yt Americana Acrylics: https://amzn.to/2UFQwgQ Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ My favorite glue sticks: https://bit.ly/3dNqVwm Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass: https://amzn.to/2UPX1h0

Watch how to make them here OR watch how I make them

on my YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/HOANM0nQwOI

I used my Americana Acrylics for the base color.

Happy Easter!

New Year's Eve Statement Necklace

I miss being a fashion designer.  It was everything I ever wanted since I was 13 years old, and my time in NYC making clothes was magical.  One of the best parts of putting together my runway shows was creating the jewelry pieces.  For my shows, it was the bigger the better!  This piece is an homage to that time in my life.  It's big, bold and perfect for a party!  Can you believe that hot glue was used to make the roese? It's such a great way to make jewelry components and it's much quicker than you think.  I may just wear this piece around the house with my bathrobe.  Wear what you want, my fabulous friends, and always Make Your Mark!

Big, bold and beautiful!

It reminds me of Victorian mourning jewelry

I learned how to hammer aluminum wire for this piece.  So much fun!

Everything I used for this project:

Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ John Bead Aluminum Wire: https://bit.ly/2J6TqYN John Bead Faceted Glass Beads: https://bit.ly/rondellestrands John Bead / Crystal Lane Faceted Teardrops: https://bit.ly/33iKXJ9 John Bead / Crystal Lane Faceted Oval: https://bit.ly/2JaiGh1 John Bead Jump Rings: https://bit.ly/3o1syst DecoArt Metallic Lustre in Silver Spark: https://bit.ly/3q14nMy Redesign With Prima Silicone Molds: https://amzn.to/3mZn01h & https://bit.ly/37NHkwb MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make this necklace here OR

watch how to make it on my  YouTube channel here:  https://youtu.be/qWEJSlPI3bc

DecoArt's Metallic Lustre is amazing stuff!  A great way to bring out the details of a molded piece.

Happy New Year!

Hot Glue Geodes

Have you ever gone geode hunting?  It's basically looking for rocks, but it can be quite exciting if you put wine in your water bottle!  That said, once you find what you think is a goede, you may never know until you get it open.  To break open that rock is impossible.  Cut to me finding a way to make my own geodes in the kitchen with my hot glue gun and crushed fish tank glass.  So much easier and you can make them any color you want.  Imagine what you want, my sweet friends, and then make it, I say!  Now get out there and MAKE YOUR MARK!

My first set of faux geodes

Add a little glitter to make them sparkle even more!

Everything I used for this project:

Surebonder Glue Guns & Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Crushed Glass: https://amzn.to/3jvtFhg Silicone Bowls: https://amzn.to/2TljQYu www.DecoArt.com MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make them here OR 

catch the video on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/61sgybdFxtM

I dipped mine in sand to give them a more rock like outer shell

My nephews and nieces are obsessed with these!

Heavenly hot glue geodes!