DCC Blog Hop - Fishing Bucket

~ Fishing Bucket ~

I have been trying to blog for days now.

Something is wrong with my internet.  Or maybe

it's my laptop.  I suppose I should just

admit it's user-error.

It's definitely FrUsTraTiNg!!! !!! !!!

That word could use some extra

exclamation points.  

Better late than never, I guess, here

are some step by step pics

of the big plastic bucket I painted for

my dad to put on his boat dock.

I started with a tall plastic bucket I

found at Wal-Mart.

I wanted my design centered over the logo,

 so I taped off an area with painters tape.

I used spray paint for plastic in Black,

and then I sprayed over the Black with Yellow.

I removed all the tape and transferred my design.

 

Transfer the main pattern lines by

sliding a piece of chaco paper underneath

your pattern.

I squeezed several shades of green onto

my palette and applied them randomly to the bucket.

Then I transferred the details

and added darker greens to shade and

lighter green to highlight.

I added some text and some Extreme Glitter!

Several coats of Mod Podge to seal my design.

I added a little bucket-topper ...

it's like a little tackle box or organizer

that fits perfectly inside the bucket.  I found

it in the fishing aisle.

It's fun.  It's functional.  It's sparkly!!

Who doesn't love sparkly fish??
~It also makes a great gift for Dad!~

Peace and Glittery Fishing Buckets

Santa's Replacement - Finished

I actually finished this weeks ago,
but I'm not completely happy with it
and I'm planning to paint over it.


I think that's an "artist" thing.
Or an "obsessive/compulsive" thing.
Whichever.
 

Here are my step-by-step photos:

 I decided to paint a fish that resembled
an actual fish that my kid
might have actually caught on his
actual fishing pole in the
actual lake.  This time.
Instead of the imaginary fish that I
have previously painted,
just because they made me happy.

I goofed.  So I fixed it.

Eh.
I think I'll live with it a while.
My kid actually did identify it correctly.
Immediately.
That does give me some satisfaction.
It's a Large Mouth Bass.
Just in case you weren't certain.
;)


Peace Out

DCC Blog Hop - JULY

It's that time again!

I cannot believe how quickly the months

are flying by.  July already??  Really?!

Today's DCC Blog Hop theme is ...

... vacation!

I made a quick frame from a few of our

souvenir sea shells from down by the sea shore. (!)

First, I purchased a ready-made frame

from the craft and hobby store.  It was like $1.00 or

something completely ridiculous.

I probably bought a dozen.

Paint it up!!

I chose a turquoise blue - one

of my new favorite colors!

I painted two coats onto each side of the frame,

then sanded the front and sides smooth,

and heavily sanded the edges to remove some

of the paint.  This distressed technique is my fave.

 I chose a sandy color for the sand,

and applied two coats.

The color of this paint is ... Sand.  ;)

Not a stretch.

I painted over the sand with

Extreme Glitter - Hologram.

To give the "sand" a more "sandy" appearance,

I dipped a damp toothbrush into

Dark Chocolate acrylic paint and spattered

the paint onto the bottom part of the frame.

Then I set it outside in the 105° heat to dry.

It took like four seconds. 

I painted a coat of Extreme Glitter in blue

over the turquoise background paint.

About the shells:

with so many wonderful helpers on the beach,

I bring home pail-fulls of shells.

Mostly broken bits and pieces.

I learned a technique after our first beach

vacation.  I learned this technique the hard, smelly way.

If you get my drift:

One must thoroughly rinse the shells and set

them out in the sunshine to dry

- preferably DAYS - before

one puts them in the pails to bring home.

Because sometimes there are still critters inside

these shells.  It's their home, you see.

And children who are excited to find these

treasures on the beach, are not inclined to ask

whether they can take the shells home.

They just do it.

We have been much more considerate

of these critters in recent years.

As in ... if "someone" has already claimed

the shell, we must put it back.

But, I digress ...

I chose three that looked pretty perfect,

and I coated them with some

Extreme Glitter - Hologram

to give them some shine.

I wanted to include one of the long-legged

birds we love to watch at the beach;

first I thought I'd just paint him on the side of 

the frame, but since I was going to

go all 3-Dimensional with the sea shells,

I thought it would be cute to do the same for the bird.

So, I chose a pre-cut wooden bird shape

and painted it white.  I added a small teardrop-shaped

Woodsies wooden cut out for the wing, and I

painted that gray.  Then I gave him an eye

and a beak, and some r e a l l y long legs.

'Cause those are fun.

I've often wished I had really long legs.

Oh, well ... vertically challenged I shall remain.

Although, I have found some really

fabulous shoes that make me LOOK taller.

(yay!!) 

I spattered the bird with the damp toothbrush 

and darker gray paint.  Then I attached

the bird to the frame with Aleene's Tacky Glue.

I used the hot glue gun to attach the

sea shells; because I had been painting for hours

and I was ready to take the final picture

so I could go home and make another batch of

Lemon Bars.  Hot glue dries faster.

Especially heavier items, like the shells.

So if you're in a big hurry, use it.

Otherwise, if you have a few minutes, I

LOVE Aleene's Tacky Glue.

It dries very quickly as well ... and worked

great for the lighter-weight bird and wing.

Whichever.

 I wrote out the word "vacation" on a

piece of scratch paper.  I traced

it onto a piece of tracing paper with a 

permanent marker.  This was my pattern.

Then I centered it onto the top of the frame,

and applied the pattern with chaco paper and

a stylus.

(For the record, the chaco paper is great for

transferring patterns.  You can use light

colored chaco for darker backgrounds, and

dark chaco for lighter backgrounds.

Then, after you've applied your paint, you

can remove any visible lines with

water or a white eraser.

Pretty AWESOME stuff, actually).

I will dedicate a post to lettering, I promise.

For this post, I will tell you what I

did.  I used my favorite lettering brush.

(it's a 1/4" flat)

and I painted over each pattern line

with the Sand acrylic paint.

Once the paint was dry, I took

the same brush, dipped in Brown this time,

and started at the bottom of each

letter and pulled up, lessening the pressure

on the brush as I pull up,

in order to leave paint just on the bottom

part of each letter.

I did the same with White -

starting at the top of each letter

and pulling down - leaving paint just on the

upper part of each letter.

Once dry, I shaded around the letters

with a turquoise paint a shade darker than

the base coat.  Then I took my liner

brush and Dark Chocolate, and outlined

the left and lower part of each letter.

Spatter with the toothbrush.

Seal with a high gloss varnish.

I don't have any photos printed,

they're all on tiny chips and they're in

storage.  So I couldn't add a fun pic to the frame,

and I kept the title general.

I could have used "South Padre Island"

or "Destin, Florida" or something

more specific ... with a date ... and that

would be a fun project for someday when I'm

looking for things like that to do.

That'll be the day I finally decide to put

actual printed photos inside actual

photo albums.  Or better yet, actually

ScRaPbOoK with my thousands

of photos.  I'm gonna do that some day, too.

I promise.

Peace and ... Vacation Photo Frames

Spring Basket Pokes

Happy Spring!!

 

I've made these cute paint stick pokes

for today's Blog Hop -

using paint sticks and pre-cut wooden shapes!

Check out more Spring crafts

by clicking on the Designer Crafts blinkie

to the right of this post!!

Here's what you'll need to make the chick:

 Paint the beak marigold and the body

lemon yellow.  Sand edges with a sanding block.

Paint the stick lemon yellow. 

 Blush cheeks with pink powder blush

and a cotton swab:

 Use Aleene's Tacky Glue to attach beak.

Eyes are dip dots of black.

Attach body to the paint stick with

Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Tie coordinating ribbon around the neck.

I added a light pink wooden heart

just for character.

 

 These are the wooden shapes you'll

need to make the lamb.

 Paint the ears and face black.

Paint the body white.

Sand the edges with a sanding block.

Blush the cheeks with pink powder blush.

Eyes are dip dots of white, then smaller dip dots

of black.  Attach pieces with

Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Attach body to paint stick.

Tie coordinating ribbon around the neck.

Here are the shapes you'll need

to make the bunnies:

Paint body and ears brown.

Paint muzzle with a lighter shade of

brown, and nose is pink.

Blush tops of muzzle with

pink powder blush and a cotton swab.

Blush inside of ears with

the pink powder blush, as well.

Sand edges of wood with sanding block.

Attach pieces with Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Eyes are dip dots of black.

Tie coordinating ribbon around the neck.

I can't wait to poke these in the kids'

Easter baskets!!

Peace and Spring Critter Pokes