How to make a Patriotic Red, White and Blue Etched Wine Bottle

Celebrate the holidays with a Red, White and Blue Etched Wine Bottle.

I’m getting ready for a Americana Crafternoon this week-end with a fun group of ladies

and thought I’d make up a few decorations.  As luck would have it, I just happened to

have an empty blue wine bottle.   I thought to myself, that would make a perfect vase.

I added red flowers to a 50 cent Garage Sale-Flag Basket and now I have a festive display.

Shop Dollar Tree for Red White & Blue Party Supplies*                      (*affiliate link)

To make the Red, White and Blue Etched Wine Bottle I used…             (*amazon affiliate links)

Directions:

  1.  Clean and remove the label off a blue glass wine bottle with warm soapy water.  (Dry)

 

2.  Mask off a 2 ½ to 3 inch section on the center of the wine bottle with blue painter’s tape.  Burnish the edges of the tape with your fingertip, the tape should lay flat against the bottle.

3.  Punch stars out of the etchall etchmask* Remove backing from the stars and stick randomly on the bottle.  Burnish the stars with your fingertips onto the bottle.

4.  Apply a heavy coat of etchall Etching Crème*   onto the bottle using the squeegee.

5.  Let crème sit for 15 minutes.  (You will need to keep an eye on the bottle to make sure etching crème doesn’t run past the blue painter’s tape.)  Scrape excess etching crème from the bottle and return the extra etching crème back into the bottle. It’s reusable.

6.  Rinse bottle with warm water to clean.  Remember to keep crème away from porcelain or ceramic tiles.  Remove tape and stars and dry.  The bottle will have a nice subtle etching.

7.  While I liked the subtle look… I decided I wanted something a little bit brighter for my patriotic bottle.   I dried brushed white acrylic paint over the etched surface.  Wipe off excess paint with a damp cloth for a white washed look.  The paint only sticks to the etched surface.  (How cool it that.)  It really makes the stars pop.

8.  Re-mask the bottle with the blue painter’s tape, this time covering the etched surface.  Paint the bottom of the bottle with the colonial red spray paint.

10.  Mask a small section on the top of the bottle and spray with gold spray paint.

11.  Cut a small black vinyl rectangle and round two of the corners with the corner punch.

12.  Stencil the word “welcome” from the family words stencil onto the black vinyl using a stencil brush and the multi-surface acrylic paint.

13.  Use the gold paint pen to add a thin border around the black vinyl tag.  Punch a small hole on the top of the tag and tie onto the neck of the bottle with ribbon.

Enjoy the party with friends.  (maybe even empty another blue wine bottle)

      

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Create a Beach Votive with a few Dollar Store Treasures.

Create a Beachy Votive with a few Dollar Store treasures.

A cheap and easy beachy decoration.

A great way to display those small shells collected on vacation.

I purchased the Parmesan Cheese Shaker* and a Flameless Candle Votive*

To make the Beachy Votive here’s what I used:                             (*affiliate link)
Disclaimer:  This blog uses ads and affiliate links.  If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog.  Thanks for your support!

Directions:

  • Wrap wire around a pencil for a spiral handle.

  • Using the needle nose pliers, make a small loop on each end of the wire.

  • Find two small shells with natural holes on the end.  Tie them together with a small piece of string.

  • Thread burlap ribbon through both looped ends of the wire and tie around the top of the parmesan shaker.  Add shells on string as you knot the ribbon.
  • Glue top of broken shell onto the knot of the burlap ribbon with Beacon Fabri-Tac Permanent Adhesive*.
  • Add approx. 1″ of sand into the parmesan shaker.  Add small votive and shells.

The Beachy Votive looks good with or without the lid.

SRM Planner Stamps

I’m a list maker and a planner.   

So…when I got the chance to play with some SRM Planner Stamps,

I jumped at the opportunity.  I received the Wedding Plans Set from SRM and even

though there’s no wedding plans in my future, it was fun to play.

Today, I’m participating with the lovely ladies of Designer Craft Connections in our

June Blog Hop.  For more inspiration and to see what the other ladies have created

go on over to the Designer Craft Connection blog and start hopping.

Is wedding Plans in your future?

   

   

I’ve created a Round Up of my favorite Wedding projects from Sue’s Creative Workshop.

Click on picture for project details and instructions.

Shop Handmade – The Wedding Store

Disclaimer:  This blog uses ads and affiliate links.  If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog.  Thanks for your support!

How to make a 4th of July Centerpiece with Fireworks, Flags, Banners and Pinwheels

What do you think about when you hear the words “4th of July”?

For me it’s… White picket fences, fireworks and the good old red white and blue. 

Or a 4th of July Celebration Centerpiece with Fireworks, Flags, Banners and Pinwheels all

rolled into one.   I created this 4th of July centerpiece a couple years ago, since it’s one

of my favorite projects, I thought I’d share it again.   Enjoy!

How to make a 4th of July Centerpiece…

Products Used:                 (*affiliate link)

Directions:

  1.  Paint the round disc with Navy Blue paint.

2.  Cut two 1” x 12” strips of the red striped paper and one 1” x 2” piece. Adhere to the side of the disc with double stick tape roller.

3.  Die-cut 7 fence sections.

4.  Paint 15 round toothpicks white. (set four aside to use later.)

5.  Cut 11 toothpicks in half. Glue one toothpick half on each end and middle of the fence with the pointed end facing down.

6.  Insert fence sections onto the top edge of the disc.

7.  Paint the 4” cube red.

8.  Cut five 3 ¾” x 3 ¾” pieces of Navy & Ivory dot paper. Adhere to the sides and top of the cube. Glue cube to center of the disc.

9. Paint two bamboo skewers white. Cut skewers to 5”.

10.  Glue small blue beads to top of each skewer.

11.  Create small ½” flags from scraps of paper and cardstock. Adhere onto a 12” piece of blue and white twine.  Tie ends of the twine to top of the skewers to make a flag banner. Insert into disc.

12.  To create Bottle Rockets:  Paint two bamboo skewers red.  Cut two pieces of red striped paper 1 3/4” x two. Wrap around pencil to curve paper. Remove pencil and roll tightly to form a small tube. Wrap a 1/2” strip of navy dot paper around tube.  Glue a small piece of twine inside of tube to create the bottle rocket wick. Glue tube onto red bamboo skewer and insert into disc. Create second bottle rocket for other side of the disc.

13.  Punch two 3” Navy and Ivory Dots scalloped circles.

14.  Cut two strips of red card-stock: 1 1/4”” x 12” and 2 1/4” x 6 1/2” . Adhere the two strips together to form one long 2 1/4” x 18” strip of red card-stock.

15.  Using scoring board and scoring tool. Score card-stock every 1/4” down the entire length. Fold strip accordion fold. Glue ends together with a strong adhesive to form a cylinder.

16.  On a flat surface, gather the bottom of the cylinder tight while spreading and pushing down on the top to create the Rosette.

17.  With a strong adhesive, attach one of the scalloped circles to the center of the Rosette. Hold into place until the adhesive starts to hold.

18.  Turn the Rosette over and attach the second scalloped circle onto the other side of the rosette.

19.  Create a second smaller rosette using a 1” x 12” strip of red striped paper. Score strip every 1/4”.  (repeat steps 16 and 17)

20.  Glue blue button into center of the rosette to hold in place. Glue onto center of the scalloped circle. Add star sticker to center of button.

21.  Paint a bamboo skewer with Navy paint. Cut into a 5” piece. Insert into back of finished Rosette.

22.  Insert finished Rosette into top of the 4″ cube.

23.  Create small pinwheels by adhering two pieces of 1” x 1” paper together.  On each corner, cut diagonally two-thirds of way to square’s center, dividing each corner into two points. Bring every other point to center so that the points overlap. Glue into place.

24.  Glue small red button to center of each pinwheel.  Glue onto white painted toothpick and insert into base.

25.  Create and print computer generated “CELEBRATE” and “4th of July” onto white card-stock.  Cut and layer to size and adhere onto picks and skewers and insert onto centerpiece.

This project was created for and sponsored by Smoothfoam and Canvas Corp Brands.

For more summer fun…click on Slimer ad below

Slimer

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Almost Famous…

My grandson said to me the other day while he was sitting at my desk,

“Grandma you’re famous.”

“No, honey, I’m not”, I said.

“But… Grandma, you’ve been in a magazine”.

Well now dear Nicholas… so have you.

I received the very last issue of Craft Ideas magazine in the mail today.  (insert sad face)

Along with two projects, I also had the honor of being the Contributor Spotlight.

You can read my interview with Molly on page #96.

Now we’re both almost famous.

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Mini Gardening with the Boys

Several years back when Nicholas was a little bit older than Warren we started our annual

tradition of creating a mini garden.  Now that Warren is 3, I decided that this year,

he needed to make one of his own.  I found this cute Woodland Garden Kit* (affiliate link)

from LeisureArts.com.  It was a great start for Warren’s garden.

(LeisureArts.com was generous and sent me a Woodland Garden Kit to use in this post.)

The kit retails for $12.99 and comes with so many cute accessories to add to your mini garden.

A great value, cheaper than buying everything separately.

I had all the supplies and plants ready to go and the boys quickly got started on their gardens.

They loved digging in the dirt, putting in the flowers and decorating their gardens.

We added a hedgehog, garden gate, bridge, mushrooms, wood slices, rocks and cute little

garden signs.  (All included in the Woodland Garden kit.)

We were having so much fun, even Grandpa joined in on the fun.

Mini gardens make such a fun family project.

I do believe Warren’s favorite part was the water bottle. 

He loved spraying everything, including himself.

Nicholas was more serious about his mini garden.  (this is his 4th year making one)

You can read about and see Nick’s first garden here.

Warren and Nick’s Mini Gardens

I love doing special these projects with the boys.   After the mini gardens were finished, they

ran around the yard spraying each other (and occasionally me) with the water bottles.

They keep life fun!

FYI…  LeisureArts.com also has a Fairy Garden Kit in addition to the Woodland Garden Kit.

and for more Summer fun from Leisure Arts…  (click on picture below)

Friendship Bracelets

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Adult Coloring Book - BIG

Memorial Day Sale at Sizzix

I know how everyone loves a good sale.

So I thought I’d pass this one along just in case.

Disclaimer:  This blog uses ads and affiliate links.  If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog.  Thanks for your support!

DIY a Colorful Garden Chair for your Gnome

diy-a-colorful-garden-chair-for-your-gnome-2

A Colorful Chair for Colorful Little Gnome…

Every year around this time, my Grandson and I start making our mini gardens.

It’s our special annual tradition.

Last year, we added a Gnome named Mr. Elfsnail.

This year, I decided to create a chair for him to sit on while working in the garden.

We take our gardening seriously.   Read about Mr. Elfsnail’s garden.

For Mr. Elfsnails chair…

I found this cute little wooden chair in the toy area of Dollar Tree and knew it’d be a cute

mini garden chair for my gnome.

How to make a Colorful Gnome Chair

Supplies Used:
  • Miniature Wood Doll Chair
  • DecoArt Americana Paint:  Watermelon Slice, Marigold, Olive Green
  • DecoArt Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paint:  Night Sky, Cotton Ball
  • Paint Brush
  • Sand Paper
  1. Lightly sand any rough spots off the chair.
  2. Paint the chair in a variety of colors.
  3. Create small flowers on the top of the chair by dipping the end of the paintbrush in paint and adding small dots as the petals.

Chair measures 3″ tall.

I might have even left it here (glued to the tree) if I didn’t think it’d drive the boys crazy.

A little fun and whimsy. 

For a dollar and some paint, it might be fun to let the boys paint a chair of their own.

For more summer fun… click on ad below ↓

Slimer

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ADORNit: “Embrace Each Day” card

A bright and cheerful card for all you Moms out there.

It doesn’t matter if put your feet up, take a walk, plant those flowers or hug those little ones…

What ever you need to do to embrace the day.  (fyi…I plan on doing all the above)

Happy Mother’s Day.

Card Details…                                                                          (*affiliate link)

This card was sponsored by ADORNit as part of being an ADORNit “it girl” ambassador.

Disclaimer:  This blog uses ads and affiliate links.  If you choose to make a purchase using one of the links, I receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) that helps offset the costs of maintaining this blog.  Thanks for your support!

Life’s a Journey

Of all the goodies I received from ADORNit as part of being an “it girl”  this wood plaque

was the first project I wanted to tackle.

So…on a night when I had so many things I could/should have done,

I spent a relaxing evening just painting.

I haven’t done this in such a long time.  It was just what I needed.

I started with this plain life’s journey plaque from ADORNit.           (measures 11″ x 13″)

I used a small flexible nail file to run through the grooved channels to clean it up a bit.

I base coated the entire plaque with gray acrylic paint.

Having the gray paint, deep in the grooves of the plaque, works as the outline between colors

to make the colors stand out.

For me, having grooved channels made it so easy to paint and stay in the lines.

FYI…You might want to seal coat your project once your finished.

I’ll be honest… I’ve never been camping in my life. 

I’m not sure what drew me to this plaque so much.

My idea of roughing it is a bad hotel room.

Hmmm…Maybe if I had a cute little camper like this, I might even try it.

Life’s a Journey, Make the Most of it!