DIY…Christmas Chalkboard

DIY…Christmas Chalkboard

Christmas in July…

Last week it was so hot that when I went out at 9:00 in the evening to water my flowers it

was hard to breath.  It was so hot that our unheated pool felt like bath water.

Summer’s in full swing and vacation (for me) is fast approaching.

And with all the things I could or should be doing, I felt like making a Christmas Chalkboard.

It’s not too early?  Is it?

The Christmas Chalkboard is really easy to make…

and would be a wonderful gift for those of you thinking ahead.

And if you’d like…you could make it a two sided chalkboard and really get creative.

       

Here’s how I made the Christmas Chalkboard…  

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Little League Champs

Watching Little League Baseball games are fun…

When they move up from tee ball to coach pitch, it’s a really big jump.

They go from playing in the dirt to actually making some good plays.

Watching the growth from the first games to the last is amazing.

This adorable group of 6 year olds made it all the way to the final championship.

And won 1st place.  I couldn’t be  prouder.

(FYI…My layout was made using paper and stickers from Paper House Productions.)

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For summer fun…click on Slimer ad below

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How to Create an Easy Pickled Finish with Vintage Effect Wash

How to create an Easy Pickled Finish with Vintage Effect Wash from Deco Arts.

I had this unfinished wood tote that I wanted to use the new Vintage Effect Wash on.

My first thought was to just give the tote a cool white wash using the paint.

But after further thought and a little experimentation, I decided to warm up the look by

staining it with a Walnut Gel Stain first.  I love the way it turned out.

This would make a great garden tool holder, picnic caddy, or my favorite…a Craft Tote.

DIY Pickled Crate

Supplies Used:                (*affiliate link)

 Directions:

  1. Lightly sand the wood crate if necessary.
  2. Paint or brush crate with DecoArt Americana Walnut Gel Stains Paint*.
  3. Rub off excess stain with soft clean rag.  Allow stain to dry.
  4. Apply Decoart Vintage Effect Wash Grey* onto crate with brush allowing the stain to show through.   Wipe with clean soft rag if necessary.  (It’s that easy!)
  5. If desired, add stenciling onto the crate.
  6. Apply a sealer to protect the finish.

The Love Beyond Words Pickled Crate was sponsored by DecoArts.

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Painting Basics

A Gnome Hello

The sun is shining…it’s a perfect day for a Gnome Hello.

My sweet little gnome was made using a page from my Gnome Life Mini Coloring Book.

I water colored the images using my dye inkpads.

Tip…I apply the ink onto a piece of acetate and pick up the ink with my Water Brush*.

Here’s what I used: to make the card…    (*amazon affiliate link)

  • Gnome Life Mini Coloring Book*
  • 22737 Art Play Paintables-Occasions (ADORNit)
  • 22747 Art Play Paintables-Wish on Stars (ADORNit)
  • 22496 Mustard Pixie Dots 12” x 12” paper (ADORNit)
  • 22487 Gray Pixie Dots 12” x 12” paper (ADORNit)
  • Cardstock:  White, Blue Metallic
  • Mini White Brads*
  • Water Brush* or Paintbrush
  • Various Inkpads

The Gnome Hello card was sponsored by Adornit.

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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!

Architextures Vintage Market Collage

Vintage Market Collage

I had so much fun playing around with the 7 Gypsies Architext Paper Pad*

It’s my new favorite.  It reminds me of going to the Flea Market with my daughter.

So much Vintage Goodness.

The project was basically put together with paper, glue and chipboard.

To begin…I glued the background paper to a thick piece of chipboard for stability.

I can easily add it to an 8″ x 8″  frame later if I want too.

I added several layers of chipboard on the back of each of the images to give dimension.

I also aged each piece by rubbing Vintage Photo Distress Ink* to the edges using a

Ink Blending Tool*.    (*amazon affiliate link)

My favorite piece is the vintage crate.  I added the second layer of chipboard with three small

strips, so that I could leave an opening on the top to add dried flowers from last years garden.

So realistic, it looks like a teeny tiny crate.  I just love it.


                  7 Gypsies Architextures Paper Pad

The Architextures™ Paper Collection was inspired by the all the wonder of found objects, displays, signs, sayings, artwork, creative bliss and sheer beauty found at vintage fairs, flea markets, salvage yards, barn sales, antique shops, old book stores, garage sales, market days and more.

Such a fun collection.  Makes me want to go treasure hunting.

Notice the 7 Gypsies Mini Library Drawer* in the background of the picture?    (so stinkin cute)

The Vintage Market Collage was sponsored by Canvas Corp Brands.

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Guest Room Closet Make-Over equals More Crafty Storage

When your grown child moves out and gets married…

sometimes it takes awhile years to get all the crap stuff out of their old room.

After my daughter got married, I decided to make her room into a Guest Room.

Every time they’d make the trip back home,  I’d guilt her into taking a little bit

more of her stuff home.

Eventually, I stacked all the remaining stuff neatly in the closet.

When my her little brother entered his teen years and would clean his room…

Where do you think it went?  You guessed it, in the Guest Room closet.

This year I finally decided to claim that space for my own.

Have I ever mentioned that I’m a spoiled crafter?

With all the wonderful things I receive in being part of a design team…

I have a lot of stuff that just won’t fit into my 8″ x 10″ office/workshop space.

After a lot of purging and last month’s Neighborhood Garage Sale…

the last of the junk is mostly gone and I’m finally finished.  (for now at least)

The first thing I did was after emptying the closet was to add this large

IKEA Kallax Bookcase Room Divider*.  (amazon affiliate link)

I forgot to take into consideration the upper shelf brackets when measuring the closet

to make sure the cubby unit would fit.  So…instead of just moving the ugly old metal shelf,

we added a nice wood shelf to match.  This picture was taken while my husband still had

the doors removed.  (sorry about the blurry picture)  The doors we’re such a pain to put

back on that I never got a finished picture of the closet with the doors off.

We also got 6 of these Threshold 13″ Fabric Cube Storage Bin* from Target.

I love using bins.  Everything’s neatly contained and it looks pretty.

I labeled each bin using these Small Flexible Pouches* and Pear Clips* from Deflecto.

Besides all the extra storage…I now have room for finished albums, camera bag and more.

The space on the side of the unit I use for storing my lighting equipment and tripod.

We also purchased two sets of drawer inserts for the Ikea Kallax Bookcase Room Divider.

(Ikea Insert with 2 drawers, black brown*)  I love having the drawer inserts for smaller items.

You may have noticed there’s still a few toys left in the closet.  (always a work in progress)

I used the Deflecto Rotating Carousel Organizer* for my Lego storage.  (the boys love it)

For now, the Guest Room Closet is done.  I will admit that this has been a several month

process.  It feels so good to have my extra stuff organized and easy to find.

 “This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.”

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My Americana Crafternoon…

Yesterday, I had an amazing time with a few of my crafty friends thanks to an opportunity to

host an Americana Soiree from Adornit.

The weather was beautiful for a get together and I decided to hold our Americana Crafternoon

in my Garage/Party Room.  A couple degrees cooler would have made it perfect, but, no one

complained.

We crafted and talked…  (and made some really cool projects)

Even my little buddy stopped by at the end and helped me finish one of my projects.

And the best part for me…

because everything was pre-kitted and ready to go, I even got to sit down and make something.

I had a wonderful time.  Thanks, ladies, for coming over and crafting with me.

Next time, I’ll remember to take a group picture.

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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

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