Frozen Inspired Floor Decor!

"Uncle Mark, can we watch Frozen?!?!"  Do I have a choice?  Not really!  Actually, the first time I watched it I did tear up a bit, but let's not get into that.  If you have kids around, there's a good chance they LOVE the movie Frozen.  I decided to create some Frozen home decor for my nieces in my bid to become FAVORITE UNCLE OF ALL TIME!  This floor mat is a great way to bring a little bit of Princess Anna and Queen Elsa's decor into a room.  I used Kraft-tex Kraft Paper Fabric which is a heavy duty paper and fabric all in one!  Coat it several times with polycrylic and you can easily wash it with soap and water.  Have fun!  "And yes, you can watch Frozen AGAIN!" 

Queen Elsa holding up her new painted floor mat!

Part of the castle that inspired this project.

Right by the door.

See the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Print out of stencils above on standard copy paper

Kraft-tex Kraft Paper Fabric

Americana Acrylics in Baby Pink, Slate Gray, Purple Cow & Baby Blue

Sewing machine

Minwax Polycrylic

Paintbrushes

 1.  Print out your stencils on standard copy paper.

2. Fold them in half and cut them out.

3.  Unroll about 30" of Kraft-tex Kraft Paper Fabric.

4.  Fold the four corners in 2". 

5.  Fold all edges inward 1" to create neat, finished corners.

6.  Zigzag stitch the edges down all the way around the mat.

7.  Lightly trace your stencils on the mat with a pencil.

8. Start to fill in your design with the Americana Acrylic paint. 

 Keep going!

9. When you're done painting, coat the entire mat with 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic letting it dry for at least 15 minutes in between coats.

You're done! 

Happy Thurs-DIY!

It's Thurs-DIY and time to see what my crafty friends have been up to this week!  Hop around and get inspired to make a last minute Mother's Day gift or something to spruce up your summer wardrobe.   

Margot Potter makes beautiful stamped Queen Bee earrings: http://icanmakemetalstampedjewelry.com/queen-bee-earrings/  

Debi Beard rocks rainbow loom sunglasses: 

http://debisdesigndiary.com/diy-rainbow-loom-sunglasses-starring-my-adorable-nieces/

Cathy Attix gets us ready for spring with beautiful bow flip flops:  http://www.trinketsinbloom.com/bow-flip-flops-diy-1/

Makeover a thrift store chair with this Galaxy Fabric DIY:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9UKwUWN-PQ&list=UUt4zycubX8BJZ8pZhZ4w8ow

Cathie Filian makes the perfect necklace for Mother's day:  http://www.plaidonline.com/mother-s-day-pearl-and-pendant-necklace/5448/project.htm                                  

Turn dollar store bamboo trivets into spring's hottest tribal accessories!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9UKwUWN-PQ&list=UUt4zycubX8BJZ8pZhZ4w8ow

 Check out this Kate Spade inspired jewelry by Heather Mann:  http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/05/tutorial-make-a-floral-statement-necklace/

 What a welcome!  A stenciled Walkway by Crafty Chica:  http://www.craftychica.com/site/2014/05/paved-stenciled-walkway/

Galaxy Chair and Fabric DIY

A few weeks ago I found this chair at a thrift store and decided it was coming home with me, even though I didn't really have a project for it.  Then I remembered that I've been wanting to find a way to make GALAXY FABRIC and thought.......perhaps these two would be the perfect fit.  I used RIT Liquid Dye to create my fabric.  Just fill a spray bottle with the dyes and create your galaxy.  It was really easy, too.  For the stars I got to channel Jackson Pollock with some Dazzling Metallics in Silver.  

Before and After

Here's the video tutorial

YOU'LL NEED

Thrift store chair

Washed heavy cotton fabric

RIT Liquid Dye in Wine, Denim Blue and Black

E-6000 Glue

Dazzling Metallics in Silver

Spray bottles

Paintbrush

Staple gun

Krylon gloss black spray paint

 1.  Wet your fabric with a spray bottle.

2. Fill a spray bottle with Rit Liquid Dye in Wine.

3. Spray your fabric as shown, don't cover everything, just two big lines.

4.  Fill your spray bottle with Rit Liquid Dye in Denim Blue.

5.  Spray more of your canvas, but not all of it.

 6.  Fill your bottle with Rit Liquid Dye in Black.

7. Spray your fabric leaving some areas Wine, Blue and some white.

8.  Let your fabric dry a bit, then fold it and microwave it on clean newspaper for 2 minutes.

 9.  Rinse your fabric until the water runs clear.

10.  Microwave the fabric again for 2 minutes.

11. Water down some Dazzling Metallics in Silver.

 12.  Splatter the dyed fabric to create stars.

13.  Remove the seat cushion, dust and dirt from your chair.

14.  Trace the pattern for your chair back (if you have one) and cut it out.

 15.  Lay your chair back on the fabric and cut around it adding 3" all the way around so that you can wrap it around and staple it on the back.

16.  Staple on 4 sides of the back, then in between each of the four staples.

17.  Fill in the gaps with staples all the way around and then trim off the excess fabric.

18.  Lay your seat on the fabric and cut around it adding 3" all the way around.

19. Staple the fabric around the seat cushion to the underside and trim of the excess.

20.  Spray paint your chair in Krylon gloss black.

21. Glue the back of the chair on to the chair with E-6000.

22. Replace the upholstered seat cushion and you're done.

Bamboo Trivet Jewelry DIY

Have you seen the bamboo bead placemats and trivets at the dollar store?  I've been buying them for a while in hopes of designing the perfect project for them......and I finally did!  This spring, global style is the big trend and these beads were the perfect canvas for a painted, tribal jewelry DIY.  I love the simple black and white design, but you could also paint colorful polka dots, stripes or small flowers.....It's up to you. Just make sure to use Americana Acrylic paints.  This is a terrific project for kids, too.  

Stack up a few and you'll be right in step with spring fashion!

Try different color combinations, too.

My niece, Ani, rocking her new jewelry!

Some of what we're seeing in fashion this spring.

See the video tutorial here.

You'll Need

Americana Acrylics

Bamboo beaded trivets or placemats

Plastic beads

Nylon cord

Elastic thread

Paintbrush

Superglue

Toothpicks

1. Take your trivet apart and separate the beads

2. Paint designs on each side of each bead in black.  Keep it simple. 

3.  Using white paint and a toothpick, dab tiny dots on the areas you painted black

4.  Add superglue to the end of your nylon cord.  This will make it stiff and you can use it like a needle to thread the beads. 

5. Alternate your painted beads and plastic beads to create your necklace

6.  Tie a knot when you're done and secure the knot with a tiny dab of super glue

7.  Pick out enough beads to wrap comfortably around your wrist

8.  String them together with elastic thread

9.  Tie knots and hide the knots inside one of the beads and you're done!

Thurs-DIY!

It's Thurs-DIY, my favorite day of the week! Check out the 9 amazing projects me and my crafty friends put together just for you!  Summer is just around the corner and we have plenty to keep you and the kiddos busy.  Have fun!

NINE AWESOME WEEKEND PROJECTS!

Cathy Attix creates a PAINTED NO-SEW TOTE!  Now that I've given up plastic grocery bags, I'm thinking she needs to make me a few of these!

The awesome Margot Potter creates super cool BOTTLE CAP NECKLACES in just 10 minutes. 

The Crafty Chica (Kathy Cano-Murillo) rocked my world this week with this beautiful 

FAUX MEXI-EMBROIDERD SHIRT.  "WOW!" is all I can say.

 Make super encrusted SPARKLY SEQUIN SNEAKERS (in any color) with my special technique.   

They're washable, too! 

Springs hottest trend is big, bold cuffs and I show you how to make them out of cardboard!

COUTURE CARDBOARD CUFFS

Debi Beard turns a buoy into a pendant light.  These are just amazing!

BOUY PENDANT LIGHT 

Jader Bomb makes beautiful VINTAGE WOOD LABELS 

Cathie Filian rocks these DECOUPAGE CANNISTERS with beautiful papers and zipper trim. LOVE! 

Heather Mann makes the cutest STENCILED OWL PILLOW! 

Make sure to hop around and say hello to these lovely people.

Happy Thurs-DIY!