Fabulous Fabric Tape

 I have EVERY kind of tape you can imagine!  Not kidding. Boxes and boxes of it and when washi tape became popular I went NUTS. When going through my tape the other day I realized there was one tape I didn't have and that was fabric tape....so I made some with my Xyron Creative Station. If you ever need to tape something together, come on over....I've got your back!  Check out how I made it in the video below and don't forget to MAKE YOUR MARK!

Love the way this looks on practically everything!

My Xyron Creative Station turns anything into a sticker...even fabric! 

I used smaller pieces in my art journals.

Watch how to make fabric tape here!

OR watch it on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/l1TtmNoVVNQ

Xyron Creative Station: https://bit.ly/2yuW31n Awesome Gel Press Products: https://amzn.to/364hn95

What can I say? You're stuck with me!

Have a wonderful day, everyone! xo, Mark!

Extra Summer Seating - Thrift Store Steal

Painted or stenciled, you can have some extra summer seating for a song with a few thrift store finds. I grabbed these for $5 each and I love how they gave life to my back patio. Love it!  I used my Cricut and permanent vinyl to make the designs BUT you could just paint and stencil, it's up to you.  Just have fun, use lots of color and MAKE YOUR MARK! 

Watch how to make them here! 

This Ryobi sander saves my life EVERY day! Make sure to give your seats a good sanding before you begin. Trust me on this!

I mixed two colors together for the seat, but one is fine, too! 

Love you all!  x, Mark

 

I save everything...envelopes, newspaper, cardboard tubes, plastic & glass containers and burned out light bulbs. I boarder on hoarder BUT I do try to use everything I save in my craft projects.  These pears were my desperate attempt to use up a few of the bulbs I have been saving over the years and I'm so happy with they way they turned out.  When I was finished I thought of 100 other ways to decorate them, but that's for another day.  Upcycle, recycle and reuse as much as you can my awesome friends!  Now get out there and Make Your Mark!  xo

I used decorative paper but book pages would look beautiful, too!

Some of my decorative papers

The foil helps smooth out the screw thread area but it's not 100% necessary!

Watch how I make them here!  I used a Xyron Creative Station which turns everything into a sticker, but regular white glue would work, too.  I find my Xyron makes it easier and less messy!

Aren't we a pear!  Love you all!

Mark

 

Beaded Wire Christmas Ornaments

I know it's a little late for this but still had to post it because Valentine's day is around the corner and these would make beautiful hearts!  Happy New Year everyone!  I swear I'm going to try to blog a bit more this year. It's been hectic moving into this new house but I'm almost ready to show it.

A little wire and some leftover beads (from John Bead of course) and you can make the most amazing ornaments, or hearts!  Love you all!  

MAKE YOUR MARK!

Aluminum wire is one of my favorite things to work with!

        Watch how to make them here OR watch how to make them on you YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fj9NgQKJwyc
Here's everything I used to make them with links:
Czech Glass Beads: https://bit.ly/3n1axNG
John Bead Aluminum Wire: https://amzn.to/36kZXuF
Large Czech Bead Mixes: https://bit.ly/2WRRH09
MY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

So easy! Just create your shape with large wire and then add beads to thinner wire and wrap!

Love the way they catch the lights on the tree, too!

Sending you all the love today!

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!

Scrap Wood & Scrap Fabric Fridas

Waterslide decals and iron-on tshirt transfers are my jam!  Growing up I used to make elaborate stencils with contact paper and spray paint the shapes on my t-shirts because there was just no way to make an at-home transfer.  Now, with a home computer and inkjet printer you can transfer ANY image onto almost any substrate.  I used waterslide decals on raw wood and tshirt transfer paper for these funky Frida Art Dolls.  Holiday gifts are already being made my sweet friends!  Watch how I made these and perhaps they'll inspire you to create some of your own.  Heck, use photos of your kids with fun paper doll bodies.  If you can make it on a computer you can print it out and transfer it.  Have fun and Make Your Mark! 

The fabulous Fridas!

I used scrap wood for the paddle dolls.

Everything I used for this project:

Hiipoo Inkjet T-shirt Transfer for Dark Fabrics: https://amzn.to/2W68BrM

Hiipoo Inkjet Waterslide Decal transfers: https://amzn.to/3eJRS41

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

Watch how to make them here OR

Watch how I made these on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/6AJWeanvm30

Make these smaller for ornaments and hang them on your holiday tree!

Take part in ART!

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!

Earth Day Tree & 6 Earth Day Ornaments

April 22nd is Earth Day!  It's a day to raise awareness about pollution and to celebrate the environment of our blue planet!  Personally, I try to celebrate the earth EVERY day and more importantly I try my darndest to use upcycled and recycled materials in my art.  I know it's hard, but truly every little bit helps.  Did you know that 8 million tons of plastic go into the ocean every year?  Our oceans are so important and we're just destroying them.  In honor of Earth Day 2021 I'm making an Earth Day Tree using upcycled materials and things that fall off of my tree in the backyard!  Use what you have sweet friends and always Make Your Mark!I used a tomato cage as the base and it worked perfectly!  The plaster ornaments are my favorite!

Everything I used for this project:

Royal Talens Amsterdam Acrylic Markers: https://bit.ly/3sgqFtw

Royal Talens Amsterdam Acrylic Inks: https://bit.ly/3wSLCy7 AND https://bit.ly/2QgiqAyMY AMAZON STORE: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

Watch how to make my Earth Day Tree here or watch how to make it on Youtube here:  https://youtu.be/HNa0LiDRgMc

A close-up of my earth day ornaments using plastic lids and salad clams, twigs and seashells

Don't have a sketch pad to doodle in?  Try colorizing some fallen leaves!

Dripping ink on plastic lids is mesmerizing AND they make beautiful ornaments!

This project reminds me of mycelia which impact 90% of the growing plants on our planet.

I love seashells and have always thought they are the true jewels of the sea!

Happy Earth Day!