Spring Plant or Basket Pokes

Happy Spring!

We had thunderstorms last night, and at least
one tornado touched down locally,
it's just that time of year!

Since I've been too busy sorting and packing
and loading and basically emptying my
house of all (most) things extraneous to
paint any fun spring projects,
I thought I'd share an old post.
Makes me want to paint something fun!

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/04/spring-basket-pokes.html

Fall ~ Halloween Inspiration

Hello everyone!
Rather than go into the long list of
reasons I've been away, I'll just launch
ahead into a Post of Inspiration!
I am already feeling excited about
painting new simple crafts for the holidays,
but until I can manage that,
here is a list of past Fall/Halloween ideas
along with a link in case you're
interested in having more information!
Enjoy!!

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2010/10/autumn-gift-tags-work-in-progress.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2010/10/skinny-scarecrows.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-plant-pokes.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2011/11/wood-slat-scarecrow.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/09/halloween-skull-magnets.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/09/mummified-pumpkin-jars.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/10/2x4-hallween-characters.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/10/glittery-halloween-bats.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2012/10/happy-witch-door-greeter.html

http://megpiedesign.blogspot.com/2013/10/easy-halloween-tees.html



Can't wait to start my Fall crafting!

~ Peace out!! ~

Dance Prop - Sign

Hi! It's me! Back from the ... road, I guess!

The title of my post is Dance Prop - Sign,

because, well, it's a sign that we needed for our

Nationals number we'll be doing in

Orlando next week; but more importantly ...

I got to paint!! I painted!!

I'm. So. Happy.!!

That's enough, I don't want to be too

wordy after being silent for so long, it might

throw us all into some sort of shock.

 

I tried to take enough step-by-step pics

so that explanations wouldn't really be necessary

for each photo. I always use tracing paper

and make a pattern of all of my letters/words first,

then I can play with spacing.  I chose the

granny/grampa pics because our number

is titled Church Ladies and it very much fits

our dance!  I included two pics (although not very

good ones ~ sorry) at the end, that I was able

to take during rehearsal last week.

Enjoy! 

This is the sign from March, which

replaced the sign from February,

and is now being replaced with a July version.

;)

Peace, Granny!!

 

~ Peace Out ~

One more photo if you've read this far;

today is my birthday.

This is the first pic I've actually been in

on purpose since my episode in December.

I mean, there's always that random

photo where I'm in the background talking

or chewing or making a bizarre facial contortion ~ 

those pics rear their ugly heads more often than

I'm completely comfortable with.

  I had lots of inflammation after

my emergency surgery, inside and out, and

I've had to change my diet and be religious about

it.  No sodas, no gluten ...I won't bore

you but it's been really tough, and requires

much longer stays in the grocery aisle reading

labels.  Which, by the way, are printed with such

unnecessarily tiny print ... and I already have

to hold the box out as far as my arm will

reach to read the label ... it's a long, long

trip to the grocery store, is what I'm saying.

I believe I'll start ordering my GF

foods online.  From the privacy of my own

home.  Where I can enlarge the print to

max x4000 and no one has to know.

Shh.  Don't tell!

 PPS  Yes, it's 1200 degrees outside

and I'm wearing my sweater.
I told you I was getting old!!

Smoothfoam(TM) Valentine's Day Hedgehog

Here's a quick and easy

Valentine's Day project ... this

would make a great centerpiece for the

classroom or the teacher's lounge!

Supplies: 8" Smoothfoam(TM) Half Ball

Acrylic Paints: Red, White, Black, Brown

Sharpie Marker, Ruler, Stylus

Tracing paper & Transfer paper

(to transfer face to body)

 Base coat the Smoothfoam(TM) Half Ball

with two coats of Red paint.

Once the paint has dried, transfer the

hedgehog's face to the body

using transfer paper and a stylus

(or the handle of a paintbrush).

 Mix the red and white paint together 1:1

and paint the hedgehog's face pink.

Use brown paint for the inside of

the ears, the nose, and the patch of hair.

 The eyes are dip dots of black paint.

Use the ruler and measure out

1.5" from the head in the center of the

half ball ... use the stylus to poke a hole

every 1.5" along the hedgehog's back.

Repeat this until you have enough holes

 for the number of suckers you need.

(I only needed twelve, but there's plenty of

room for more if necessary!)

Paint a small heart onto each hole.

Once paint has dried, use Sharpie marker

to outline all the details.  Insert

a sucker into each hole.

~ Peace and Happy Valentine's Day! ~

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 ~

Simple Snowman Gift Tags

Christmas has come and gone for 2013,

but we are still snowed in!

I made a super simple gift tag, and

it turned out so cute, I made dozens more

and thought I'd share:

Supplies:
Kraft cardstock and XL punch
1" sponge dauber
Acrylic paint: white, black
Dimensional paint: orange
Pink Powder Blush and cotton swab

 Punch out your tags ...
Dip your sponge dauber into white paint
and pounce ... either in the center,
or over to the side (I wasn't sure whether
I might want to add a name or a message, so
I pounced on the far side of the tag!)

Dip a stylus into black paint
to add the eyes.

 Use the cotton swab to
apply blushed cheeks to each
snowman head.

Add the carrot nose with the
orange dimensional paint.
To see a tutorial on how to make
these dimensional noses,
as well as the dots ...
click here.

Use the stylus dipped in black paint
to add the mouth.  Dipping the stylus before
each dot will give you same-sized dots.
To get dots decreasing in size,
dip once and dot two or three times
before redipping.  Experiment
on scratch paper first so you'll be happy
with your little black dots!

~ Peace and Happy Snowman Tags ~

Mini Canvas Ornament

Wordless Wednesday

~ Peace Out ~