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!

Mermaid Tiara DIY

Are you a mermaid at heart?  Why not show everyone how FIN-tastic you are by making yourself an awesome mermaid tiara?  With a little hot glue, some seashells and acrylic gems you'll be swimming in compliments!  Between quarantine and wildfires I think we need to just do whatever makes us feel fantastic, don't you?  Make magic, my sweet friends, and always MAKE YOUR MARK!

 Crowning glory!

 Things I used for this project:

Surebonder Glue Gun & Glue Sticks: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ

Wilton (Blue) Silicone Sealife Mold:  https://amzn.to/2wNM06M

Watch how to make it here OR

Watch how to make it on my Youtube channel here: https://youtu.be/0uOmlYcslR4

 Glob on the glitter...The more, the better!

 Fin-tastic!

Faux Quartz Pendants

I always have a glue gun at the ready when I'm working. It's quick, versatile and much sturdier than clay when you fill silicone molds with it!  These druzy crystal necklaces took a while to formulate...At first I wasn't sure how to get the look I wanted so I tried everything from making a glob and rolling it in the crushed glass to putting the glass in the mold first and then filling it with hot glue.  In the end, the simplest way worked out.  See the video below. My favorite part of this technique is spreading the glitter on the base of the mold with a brush...it looks like a metal coating when you pop out your crystal!  Experiment like a kid, sweet possums, and always Make Your Mark!

Druzy afternoon

I used decorative crushed glass for the light pink version and crushed glass (in my crafty coffee grinder) for the other colors

STUFF I USED FOR THIS PROJECT
Surebonder: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano Marabu Alcohol Inks: https://bit.ly/3dcKlrR Silicone Molds: https://amzn.to/2Au94tt & https://amzn.to/2YDN4nH Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass: https://amzn.to/2UPX1h0

Use different sized sifters to get different sized "crystals"

Gently sprinkle it on the glue and leave it alone for a few minutes, even if you don't want to!

Watch how to make these here OR

watch the video on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/bwXuaE7D7dU

Marabu Alcohol Inks are perfect for adding color to crushed glass!

Just lovely! 

Vintage Pins Made with Hot Glue

Last year I started working with Surebonder, the makers of amazing glue guns and wonderful glue sticks!  I've always loved their products, but I finally got to meet up with the powers that be and they challenged me to use their hot glue in unconventional ways.  Since January I've been hunkered away in my craft lab going nuts!  These hot glue brooches were really fun to figure out, and when I did I couldn't stop making them.  A smooth silicone mat & some favorite images and you're on your way to having a jacket full of funky pins!  Now, a lot of people ask me about wearing hot glue jewelry in the heat and my answer is always is, "Unless you live on the sun, you'll be just fine!"  Low temp glue melts at 250° and  high temp glue sticks melt at 400°.  That's pretty hot, baby!  Figure out different ways to use things you already have and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

Some of my favorite images!

A little ribbon bow looks amazing on these!

You can grab pearl trim almost anywhere!

A super smooth silicone mat is crucial to being able to see the images!

Here's what I used:
Smooth/Shiny Silicone Mat: https://amzn.to/2M2Q870 Surebonder: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make them here OR
Watch the video on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/VVoI7QmvQ3w

Even strips of scrap fabric make terrific little bows!

Pin it to WIN it!

Hot Glue Beads

My glue gun is ALWAYS ready to go...ALWAYS!  I may need to start wearing a holster with a very long extension cord soon.  Lately I've been obsessed with lampwork beads but, if you follow me, you know I'm not a huge fan of working with molten glass.  Molten hot glue is a totally different story. Turns out a messy glob of glue covered in glitter on my work table was just the inspiration I needed to conjure up these shimmery faux glass beads.   Adding a coat of clear varnish when they were all done made them even more glasslike, too!  I tried using paint on the inside, but it didn't dry as quickly as the Marabu Alcohol Inks, so I stuck with those for color.  The inks work perfectly!  Experiment like a madman, my creative friends, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 A little fine glitter makes everything better!

 Gold spacers work beautifully with these beads!

I LOVE my Surebonder glue gun!

Surebonder Hot Glue Products: https://amzn.to/3bOpfiZ Marabu Alcohol Inks: https://bit.ly/3dcKlrR

Watch how to make them here!

Watch the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/5BSYywN4l1Y

Love my Marabu Alcohol Inks! 

Just Glue-tiful!

Electric Bracelets - Upcycled Cardboard Craft

This project harkens back to 2nd grade art class (FYI, my favorite class ever) where we took yarn and tinfoil to make awesome works of art to adorn every fridge in my hometown.  Well, at least until the turkey hand project took over.  I kicked this one up a notch for my fresh and funky fashion friends and used aluminum tape and gorgeous Marabu Alcohol Inks which come in fantabulous colors.  The best part about this project, for me, is that I get to upcycle cardboard and make them in all different wrist sizes!  Your waste bin is the best place to find craft supplies, my resourceful friends!  Now get out there and Make Your Mark!

 Serious colorful fun!

 For a fantastic, fashion-y night out!

EVERYTHING I USED FOR THIS PROJECT:

Marabu Alcohol Inks: https://bit.ly/3dcKlrR

SUREBONDER DETAIL GLUE GUN: https://amzn.to/2tJxueL

ALL the SUREBONDER PRODUCTS: https://amzn.to/2Rw5kNt

Aluminum Tape: https://amzn.to/38XjQ6n

DuraClear Gloss Varnish: https://amzn.to/2U0CVkb

Watch how to make them here!

Try using just one or two colors!

 I used stripes, but you could use any design!

I love the nightlife! I like to boogie!

Hot Glue Bracelets DIY

I've been hooked on filling silicone molds with hot glue for a while now.  It dries super quick, is stronger than clay, doesn't have the odor of most epoxy resins and it's flexible.  Don't get me wrong, there's a time and place for other silicone mold fillers, but I'm a hot glue loyalist!  Now that I have my huge, high temp glue gun from SUREBONDER, I'm basically filling up every mold in the craft house.  For these bangles, I created a base from a plastic container and then made sure to connect everything so it would be one, solid piece of hot glue all the way around.  Grab a little black base paint and Enchanted iridescent paint from DecoArt and you'll be sure to Make Your Mark!

 Iridescent shimmer created by the new Enchanted paint from DecoArt!

 LINKS to the molds I used HERE

Watch how to make them here!

 Look at that shimmer!

Too good to be glue!