Artist Pillows DIY

When I was a kid my mom had a poster of the very famous Blue Nude by Matisse in our hallway. I loved it. Many years later I was wandering around the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris and was surrounded by several of Matisse's famous cutouts.  They were HUGE and took up entire walls and I was completely blown away! The Museum of Modern Art in NYC is having a Matisse exhibit until February and if you can get there to see it, I'd recommend it.  As a tribute to this amazing artist, I decided to create some pillows inspired by his beautiful paper cutouts.  I hope you enjoy them.

I love the shapes and the mix of colors

A fun way to have art in the room that's not on the walls!

Watch the video tutorial here!

Some inspiration

 YOU'LL NEED

Heavy white cotton fabric

Cotton broadcloth in different colors

E-6000 Stitchless Iron On Glue

Pillow stuffing

Iron

Sewing machine

Scissors

Matisse inspiration

Lightly draw out the shapes on the colorful broadcloth fabric and then cut out

Figure out the placement on your pillow fabric

*I made my pillows 20" x 20"

Carefully squeeze the E-6000 Stitchless glue around the edges of your cutouts 

 Iron the cutouts in place until the glue disappears

Pin the back of the pillow over the ironed-on cutouts

Using 1/2" seam allowance, stitch around the pillow and leave an 8" opening so that you can turn it right side out

Clip the corners at an angle

*Clipping the corners leaves less bulk in the corners when you turn it right side out

Stuff the pillow and stitch closed

If you want to, create yarn tassels for the corners in different colors and stitch them on

Done!

Twinkling Branches Room Divider DIY

Not long ago I got obsessed with a light-up room divider made with branches.  I finally (after weeks of hunting and gathering) was able to figure out how to put one together....and here it is!  Did you know that it's nearly impossible to photograph twinkling lights!  We must have styled this 14 times before we got these photos.  BTW, now is the best time to gather up your white lights and tree branches! 

This looks just beautiful in the evening

Watch the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

6 - 24" long 1"x3" pine boards

6 - 60" long 1"x3" pine boards

24 -1 1/4" wood screws

18 - 3/4" wood screws

Drill

4 - 2" long hinges

Thick galvanized wire

Wire cutters

Americana Decor Chalky Finish in Rustic and Serene

Paintbrush

Wax

Sanding block

12 - 60" long branches

See the STEP by STEP photo tutorial here!

Happy #ThursDIY! Tons of Gorgeous Holiday Projects

Happy #ThursDIY!  We're back after a week of eating turkey and pie.  Check out the fun projects my friends and I have created for you this week.  We've got recycled ugly sweaters and Christmas trees made from cardboard...How fun is that!  Make sure to hop around and say hello from me, OK.

Debi Beard rocks an ugly Christmas sweater and makes a gorgeous scarf!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olesBKqA1eg

Check out my latest Ikea hack here:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olesBKqA1eg

Cathie Filian makes an everlasting gingerbread house......Just perfect!  https://www.plaidonline.com/everlasting-gingerbread-house-with-collage-clay/5804/project.htm

How about hosting a cookie swap?  Aunt Peaches shows you how AND she upcycles some plastic wrap boxes for the event!
http://www.auntpeaches.com/2012/12/boxn-and-cookie-swapn.html

Heather Mann shares how to make cork angels for our Christmas trees:  http://dollarstorecrafts.com/2014/12/make-cork-angel-ornaments-with-recycled-items/

The marvelous Margot Potter upstyles a basic tree skirt here: 

http://diydoyenne.com/target-christmas-tree-skirt-diy/

Stephenie Hamen makes a beautiful shadow box that is just a joy to behold: http://mycraftyadventures.com/2014/12/02/day-10-happy-little-tree-shadowbox/

Cathie Attix shows you how to embellish your jeans with crystals......Just lovely!   http://www.trinketsinbloom.com/crystal-embellished-jeans/

Make recycled cardboard Christmas trees for your able, mantle or to hang on your own tree:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opwydDht7jE

Jader Bomb rocks the mason jar with Chalky Finish paint and some cute little ornaments!
http://jaderbomb.com/2014/12/01/mason-jar-christmas-gifts/

Fornasetti Ikea Hack

There are many reasons I love shopping at Ikea (cinnamon rolls, meatballs, soft serve)..... I also love the furniture because it's easy to embellish and alter!  This week I'm taking a basic Ikea chair and giving it a Fornasetti inspired makeover with just a few images and some E-6000 Spray Adhesive.  Since I discovered this non-toxic spray adhesive, I've been going a little nuts with it.  It makes decoupage super easy.  I was able to make this chair in just a couple of hours, spray paint and all.

One of my lovely new Fornasetti inspired chairs

You can use this technique on mismatched chairs for an amazing look

Watch the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Ikea Chair

Clip art images of your choice

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Black Krylon spray paint

Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint in Gold

Krylon metallic gold paint pen

Minwax Polycrylic 

Spray water bottle

Paintbrush

Image of Lina Cavalieri

  She was a famous opera singer who is featured on many of Piero Fornasetti's pieces.

Clip art butterflies to print out

St. Peters Basilica 

Spray paint your chair black

Cut out your clip art 

Spray the front of your clip art pieces with water

Spray the back of your clip art pieces with E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Adhere the images on your chair and flatten with a dry cloth

*This will also take off some of the moisture

When the images are dry, carefully edge the chair with a gold Krylon paint pen

Using Gold Americana Multi Surface Satin, tape and paint 3" up on the foot of each leg

Coat the entire chair with Minwax Polycrylic Clear Gloss and let dry

Done!

Recycled Cardboard Christmas Trees

I love making ornaments and table decor from recycled materials.  It's inexpensive and everyone can join in the fun for practically no money at all.  You can't beat that!  I make these trees about 5" tall so they're perfect for ornaments, but you could make them 12" - 15" tall for a table or your mantle.  Wrap them with lights or garland and you'll have something even more amazing.  Hey, I'd love to see what you're making this holiday season....Why not send me a photo at MarkMontanoNYC@aol.com and let me share it with everyone?!

Sprinkle some epsom salt and you have the perfect setting!

Cover them in book pages or music sheets

If you don't want to paint ornaments, why not use stick on rhinestones?

Watch the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Glue gun 

Ruler

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paints

Cardboard

Craft knife

Paintbrushes

1/4" wide ribbon

Stick on rhinestones

 Figure out the size you want your tree by simply drawing a triangle

Trace the triangle 3 times, side by side

Cut out the shape with a craft knife

Score the other two lines so that you can bend it in shape

Hot glue the ends together

Trace the base on more cardboard, cut and glue it in place

 Create garland with hot glue

Paint the tree a green of your choice

Dry brush gold over the garland and along the sides

Paint multi color dots or stick on rhinestones for ornaments

Try covering your tree with old book pages or music sheets

Spray torn sheets with E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Dry brush the edges with metallic gold

Paint dots in your favorite color

Hot glue a ribbon bow to the top

Make them in several sizes for your mantle or table decor!

Merry Christmas!

Tattooed Plaster Hands (Fornasetti Inspired)

Have you seen that awesome plaster of Paris hand project made with rubber dishwashing gloves?  Well I finally decided to try it and make a set of Fornasetti inspired decorative plaster hands.  These would be great for displaying jewelry or just to have as a conversation piece on your table.  Either way, they are super fun to make and I think they look fantastic!  Hey, when you get a chance, google Piero Fornasetti and see his amazing body of work.  I think you'll love it.

My trio of tattooed hands!

I can't decide where to put them in my house

Some pieces by Fornasetti (one of my favorite designers)

Watch the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Plaster of Paris

Minwax Polycrylic

Clip art images

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint in Cottonball

Drill

Jigsaw

Staple gun

Rubber gloves

Paintbrushes

 Draw a 3" diameter circle on the scrap wood

Drill a hole on the circle's edge so that you can insert the jigsaw blade

Cut out the circle with the jigsaw

Staple the rim of the rubber glove to the cut out hole

 Fill the matching glove with water and pour it in a mixing bowl

Add the plaster until it is the consistency of pancake batter

Pour it in the glove, squeeze out any bubbles, and let dry overnight

Cut out the clip art images

 Remove the plaster hand from the rubber glove *You'll have to cut it off

Paint the plaster hand with the Americana Multi-Surface Satin in Cottonball (white)

Spray the images with the E-6000 Spray Adhesive

*Clip around the images so that they lay flat on the curved areas of the hand

Coat everything with Minwax Polycrylic and let dry