Valentine's Day Goodie Jar

I love to upcycle ... here's a painted

Valentine's Day Goodie Jar ~

I don't usually skimp on chocolate,

but we've been battling snowy roads and

the dreaded flu ... somehow extra

chocolate evaded my consciousness as

I shopped for chicken soup and Be Kool strips

these past two weeks.

(I'll have plenty of time to stock up

before Valentine's Day!)

Supplies: empty jar with lid

Acrylic Paints: Red, White, Black, Yellow

Tracing paper and Transfer paper

(to transfer design to painted jar)

Masking Tape
Mod Podge (for sealing)

Use masking tape to tape off the

top and bottom of the jar ~

so you can paint a large band with

a 1:1 ratio of red and white paint.

(or use pink paint ... but I didn't have any

of that in my household stash

so I had to go all Old School and use

my paint mixing skills).

Paint the jar lid with the same color.

Use transfer paper to add the

main pattern lines to the painted strip.

Forgive me for not taking more
step-by-step photos ... perhaps my fever
was getting to me.

 

I painted the entire outline of the bee
with white.  Once the white paint
dried, I add the detail lines with the
transfer paper and painted
the bee black with yellow stripes.
I added tiny pink hearts to his wings.

 

Base coat the heart with red paint.
Once the red paint dries,
you can add the lettering with
the transfer paper and go over the
transfer lines with a thin brush
and black acrylic paint.
I also used the black paint and the
thin paintbrush to outline my
entire design ... you could use a 
Sharpie marker if you prefer.

Once everything has dried completely,
I coated the lid and the painted
surface with Mod Podge to
protect it from chipping off.  No
one likes chipped paint in their chocolate!
 
~ Peace and Happy Upcycled Jar Gift ~

DCC Blog Hop ~ First Monday!

~ Designer Crafts Connection

FIRST MONDAY post! ~

Costume Jewelry ~ Making a Brooch

When I use the word COSTUME in

costume jewelry, I am really

talking about the type of costume

one would wear if one were on stage ...

say ... in a Church Lady number,

for example.

 These are three of my favorite Church Ladies.

I just love these girls.

This Church Lady in particular

needed a brooch that was big

but not distracting.  ?

 I bought an inexpensive ring with a large

filigree base from the discount

 jewelry store.  I found a string of pearls

at a flea market and cut the string

to remove the pearls.

I used a needle and upholstery thread

to attach the pearls to the ring,

until the ring was completely covered.

 Then I used wire snips to remove

the adjustable metal ring band

from the back of the ring,

and I applied a hinge pin with E6000

adhesive.  Perfect ...

Quite big, actually, and yet not

distracting.  Cool.

Check back on March 9th and hop

through the web ring to see what our creative

group of artists and designers

made with Buttons Galore! buttons! 

~ Peace and COSTUME Jewelry ;) ~

~ Makin's Clay® Blog Hop ~

Welcome to the Makin's Clay®

Blog Hop

where 12 designers have

been given some awesome Makin's Clay®

products and creative license to ...

... well, create!!! 

My mind went in nine different directions

when I received all this wonderful

product, and you have a chance to win some, too!

Makin's Clay® is offering a price package

valued at just over $111.00

with products including clay, tools and a Memory Frame Kit!

To enter,leave a comment on the  

Makin's Clay® Blog telling us which project you liked best

on the blog hop.  The winner will be randomly drawn

from all entries on or about October 24th.

We will announce the winner

on the Makin's Clay® blog

so please check back Thursday,

October 25th to see if you have won!

 I was definitely in the holiday spirit ...

I made a Santa frame:

and a pair of candy bucket pokes

for Trick or Treating:

 

 

(You could poke these into a pot of

mums and they'd make a great teacher's gift!)

 

~

 

 To make the Santa frame,

I painted an unfinished frame with

two coats of light green acrylic paint.

 

 Once the paint was completely dry,

I sanded the frame lightly with a sanding

block.  (Paint raises the grain of

the wood, so I like to smooth it down

with a sanding block before I move on).

 I wanted the Santa faces to look like

they were "tumbling" or "blowing" across

the frame, so I found a wispy stencil and

applied it to the frame with white

acrylic paint.  Once the paint was dry,

I sanded the frame again and wiped it with

a clean towel to remove the dust.

 I used two sizes of the Makin's Clay®

ice cream cone cutters to

make the Santa faces.

 I would have used white Makin's Clay®

for all of my Santa faces,

but I'd already gone through all my white

clay. (I had way too much fun with this stuff!)

 Since the clay can be sanded and

painted once it's dry,

I used some of the terra cotta clay

to make the rest of my Santa faces.

Once the cut out shapes had dried

completely, I painted them with acrylic

paints in red, white, and flesh tone.

 

 Once the paint was dry,

I used a nail board to file the edges.

I like to remove some of the paint,

I think that's a fun look.

~ I also think glitter is fun,

so I applied some glittery red paint

to the Santa hats.~

 Next, I used a Snow Writer

(which is puffy paint in a tube)

to apply Santa mustaches and to

give the hat a "furry" white band.

Once the textured paint had dried,

I dipped a tooth pick into black

acrylic paint and dotted the eyes; then

I arranged my Santa faces onto

the frame and attached them

with craft glue.

I also made some Halloween characters,

and those were really easy, too!

First, I painted two wooden paint stirrers

with black acrylic paint.

Then I rolled out some terra cotta Makin's Clay®

and used the Makin's Clay® wheel

to cut the clay into strips.

 

 Place one painted stirrer in the

center of the strip of clay,

 then fold the clay over the stirrer

and press the edges together

to seal them.

 Fold the pressed edges to the back

of the stirrer and smooth with

your fingers.

  To make the bolts that hold on

Frankenmonster's head, roll a small log

of clay and cut it in half with

your Makin's Clay® tool.

His nose is a tiny ball of clay,

and his hair is a narrow strip of clay

trimmed with the clay wheel.

The Witch's nose and warts are

three balls of clay.

Once the clay has dried completely,

(approximately 24 hours)

paint Frankenmonster's head green,

his bolts gray, and his hair

black.  Dip the handle of a paintbrush

into black paint and dot the eyes.

To finish, I used a liner brush

and black paint to give Frankemonster

a big smile and a scar on his

forehead with tiny stitch marks.

 

The Witch's face, nose, and warts

are purple.  Dip a paintbrush handle

into black paint to dot the eyes.

Make a flat circle of Makin's Clay® and cut

away triangles to create a star.

Once the star has dried, you can

paint it with orange glitter paint.

To finish the Witch,

I used the liner brush to give her

a big smile, and one little tooth.

I also painted the warts with black paint.

 

I tied a scrap of black tulle to the

Witch's head, and applied the glittered

star shape with craft glue.

I hope you find these projects inspiring!

Please use the DCC Blog Hop

blinkie at the top of this post to

hop forward and see what the other

eleven designers have created.

Don't forget to enter to win by leaving a comment

 on the  Makin's Clay® Blog

telling your favorite Makin's Clay® project!!

~Peace Out~

   

DCC Blog Hop - SEPTEMBER

Welcome to the DCC Blog Hop!!

The topic for September is vintage. 

I have several vintage items awaiting
a fresh coat of paint ... I sort of collect things
like luggage, trunks, and chairs.
I can't help it.  It's a fetish of mine.
I haven't actually painted any of these items yet,
because until I know exactly what I
want to use them for, I don't want to change the
way they looked when they first called my name from
those dark, dusty corners of flea markets
and antique stores.

Anyway, this month's blog hop inspired me
to search for old ... wood.  I know.
I'm weird.  I just love old wood.  The older,
the more coats of paint showing, the better.
I actually look for chips and dings 
and rough edges - those are
my absolute favorites.
I think Doc turned four shades of purple the
first time I brought lengths of old crown
moulding home from a flea market.  His love
of antiques veers more towards the
already stripped, sanded, and refinished models.
I like my antiques rough.  Rustic.  With character.
(Sometimes, I have to remind him
that it's written somewhere in the marriage
paperwork that he should love, honor, and
tolerate my flea market finds,
regardless of their condition).
:D

Just so you know, I turned those split and peeling
old lengths of crown moulding into hook racks -
one for wet beach towels in our little "pool house"
and several in my garage to create
my own version of a mud room.  To hold
the plethora of backpacks, knapsacks, tote bags,
overalls, and seasonal coats and jackets
that litter my life.  Did I just say litter??

 Ah, but I digress.  This month I was on
the lookout for wood.  On my first day of scavenging
all the local flea markets, my dad happened
to ask me, "what is it that you're looking for today?"
"Wood" I said, "old planks of rough, dirty wood!"

 "Well," he says, "why don't you take a look
at what I've got up there in the shed?  I saved all
the old redwood planks from the remodel a few years ago."

 Oh. My. GOSH!!!
Who could have known I need only look as far
as my parent's shed??  Who, I ask you??
I did take a look at what he had up there in the shed,
and it was wonderful!!  1" and 2" thick planks
of old (1940s), painted redwood siding in several
lengths.  "What length do you need?" asked
my wonderful father.  I'm pretty sure there
was the glow of a halo over his head that day.
"About 25"!" I say, "or thereabouts."
"I'll cut them for you, but not today."


Hm.  The glow of that halo faltered.  But not much.
Two days later I had this:

 
* YAY *
So. Many. Ideas!!
But first, it is football season.
Our team played their first game this weekend,
and I thought I'd make something
for those big ol' boys that live in my house.

 Something sporty.
Sportsman like. Appropriate for
sport, or to show sportsmanship.  

 So, I sanded the loosest paint chips off;
and I brushed a sealer onto the front and the
sides of the board paying extra attention to the
split corner and to the edges of the
remaining paint, to make sure I got a good
coat of sealer onto those areas.


 Next, I made a quick pattern
of the letters, and then of the team mascot.
I had to play with my pattern
placement until I found a pleasing arrangement.

... or ...

I shuffled a lot more than this,
but got so engrossed I forgot to take
more photos.

I taped my pattern in place,
and placed transfer paper
between my pattern and my wood.
Then I outlined the main pattern lines
with a stylus (or you could use a paintbrush handle).

I base coated the main pattern lines,
like the mascot shape and the lettering.
Then I shaded around the letters and sanded
the whole piece thoroughly.

Next, I added color to the bottoms of each letter
and added detail lines to the mascot.
 I sanded the surface again, to distress the
finish, and then I wiped all the dust off
with a clean rag.

I outlined all my details with a liner
brush and thinned black paint.
Then I sealed the entire piece with a
matte finish varnish.

 +++ Go Pokes!!! +++

Here's what Doc said when I held
it up across the length of the barn for
his inspection:
"Wah - ah - ah - ow!!"
(His "wow" actually had four syllables).
Then he stepped forward for a closer
look and said, "I want this for me!"

"It is for you!" I said.
hee hee HE's my biggest fan.
 
Peace and Vintage Wood Signs :) 


I hope you liked my spin on
crafting with vintage pieces!
Click on the Designer Crafts Blog Connection
blinkie at the top right of this post to
hop through our list of fabulous
designers and see other creative versions
of vintage crafting.