"SPRUMMER" Decor: Dotted Bowl Vases

 

I'm not a big Spring or Summer Maker. So I kind of combine the two seasons in my home decor because it overlaps both seasons. I'm a master word masher, so Spring+Summer = Sprummer!

Last year, I went bright with some Llamas I still love and did a little Tucson-focused theme. I added it to it this year with these bowl vases from Dollar Tree. 

Supplies:

• Fishbowl Vases, Dollar Tree
• Variety of Acrylic Paint Colors
• Dotting Tools, Paint Pens, or Pointed Brush

I grabbed a variety of paint colors and my paint dotting tools and this was a very "go with the flow" kinda project. 

I cleaned the outside of the bowl vases with alcohol, and then started dotting! I randomly went around the vase with white to start, then added colors from there. 

Shown here with yellow and turquoise added. 

Kept going until I was happy! Most of the paints I used are multi-surface use. I don't plan on these needing to go in the dishwasher, so I didn't "cure" them by baking them in the oven. 

For storage reasons, I don't glue things like this together because I like to use things differently so they just rest on these wide candleholders. Also from Dollar Tree. I filled them with some white rocks, and then placed some embossed metal flowers I also made last year atop the rocks. 

That's it! Mr. Chocolate claimed them as his because I don't usually do a lot of bright colors, and he is the King of bright colors!

What do you think?

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Home Decor: Lamp and Mirror Makeover

 

So I promise not everything I'm making and/or making over is black! In fact I have a couple of colorful projects to share coming up. But, today I'm sharing an easy update to an existing lamp and mirror. 

Supplies:

• Items to make over
• Craft Smart Multi Surface Premium Satin Paint, Black
• Martha Stewart High Gloss Multi Surface Paint 
• Craft Smart Metallic Paint Silver

I started with this brass Stiffel lamp we've had forever. I originally thought I was going to spray paint it but the weather's been iffy lately and I'm not exactly patient so I decided to test whether Craft Smart's multi-surface paint would do the trick. Boy did it! It went on very smoothly from the fist coat and I only needed to do two coats to get great coverage. 

LOVE this paint! The original shade was a parchment color and I wanted a different shape. We found this one at Target. I was very nervous I'd muck up a nice lamp but now, I love it even more! 

The mirror also went with our prior style and color scheme so it too got a makeover. 

I cut a circle of contact paper to cover the glass then painted it with a matte black paint, dry brushed with silver and then again with the Martha Stewart Gloss paint which added a bit of depth that's hard to see in the picture. 

I wanted to capture the essence of the original which wasn't a solid finish.  

I have plans to spray paint the table since we're moving away from the brass but need monsoon season to calm down since it's definitely an outside job! 

I'm very happy how they work with the Thrifted Candlesticks I've used on this same table, and am looking for some tall branches and vase fillers for my big vase (Pottery Barn) but didn't want to wait until it's all done to share!

Easy Home Decor Update: White and Silver Cactus Candleholder Makeover

 

Woo Hoo I did a project! After weeks of packing, moving, unpacking, I stole a little time to make something for our new home. We are getting there and have almost everything unpacked and put away. I have so many things I want to do but this was fairly quick and easy and I'm thrilled with the transformation. 

Supplies: 

• Ceramic Candleholder
• Acrylic Craft Paints

It doesn't get much simpler than this project but the transformation is night and day. We love saguaros. The one thing we knew when we left the Pacific Northwest with all of the majestic evergreen trees was that we needed to be able to see and/or be surrounded by saguaros. They're not as "everywhere" here in AZ as you might think with lots of farm and ranch land having been cleared and then used for home developments. We're thrilled that we have them around us everywhere now. 

I get to look at this big boy from my new craft room window! OK back to my project. We bought this candleholder a while ago and it was in my husband's office and I forgot about it until we were debating whether to keep it before we moved. I immediately saw an update in my head so it was a keeper. 

There was nothing wrong with it but the house is very modern, bright, and lots of gray and white so I thought that it could use a little updating. I applied a couple of coats of white acrylic paint to make sure none of the green still showed through. 

I almost left it all white but knowing where I wanted it to go, I thought a little gray or silver would be perfect. I used Folk Art's Metallic Silver Sterling to dry brush the ribs and arms. It takes a saguaro about 75 years to grow ONE arm! So the one I can see from my window has been around a long while. I just went down each rib and each arm with a light dry brush of the silver. I always keep a baby wipe handy in case an area gets too much paint. 

You can see there are some indentations in the candleholder as well so I dry brushed those to give it some depth and texture. It goes perfectly in our new kitchen. Just have to get a candle to put on it now! You might remember I painted my knife block a little while ago. You can see it on the counter by the stove in the background. 

VERY happy with how it turned out and glad we saved it. 

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Thanksgiving Decor: Gather Dollar Tree Sign

 

I know lots of people went straight from Halloween to Christmas decorating but I'm contrary and like having my Fall / Thanksgiving decor in between! No judgement...that's just me. I swear I'm going to end up owning every single one of these Dollar Tree signs but I can never pass them up! They're an easy way to decorate and easy to do whatever you want to them from paint to decoupage and many things in between. I decided to do this one in the palette I used for my Thanksgiving Cards. 

Supplies: 

• Gather Sign (Dollar Tree)
• Acrylic Paints in choice of colors. I used Delta Ceramcoat Mulberry and Craftsmart Bright Gold
• Dimensional Glue. I used Ranger Glossy Accents
• Craft Foil. I used Recollections from Michaels in Copper
• Coordinating Sequins 

I always start these by painting the interior of the letters, then the edges, then the back and front. For me, it helps ensure I don't leave bare spots in the nooks and crannies!

These take paint really well so it only took one coat. Next I dry brushed with the gold. 

I really wanted just a hint of gold so I kept it very light. After that, I added some copper accents using the same foil I'd used for the interior sentiment of my cards. 

NOTE: I thought plain Elmers was going to be enough because I was going for a very light effect with the foil...kind of like a dry brush...it was not! So I brushed on some dimensional glue ( Ranger Glossy Accents ). You can put the foil down almost as soon as you brush it on and then I burnished with the handle of a pair of scissors. 

I grabbed some bright gold sequins along with the metallic brown ones I'd used for my cards and just randomly placed them using the same Glossy Accents. 

You can get a better feel for the copper in this pic. I layered the sequins, using the large gold ones and then smaller brown ones. 

Easy. Pretty, Inexpensive. Three of my Crafting food groups! 

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DIY Wall Art

Art is subjective and therefore it's subject to what you like. I don't want Art majors and MFAs after me so that's my humble but subjective opinion but as a result, I'm not one to spend a lot of money on it (mostly because of reality!)  and my walls tend to be decorated with things I make. This project is no different. 

I wanted something for a bare wall in our master bath so when canvases were recently 50% off at Michaels I decided to play around with some paints and some gold leafing. I'd seen a couple of ideas on Pinterest that inspired me. 

Supplies Needed: 

• Pre-stretched canvas  (I used 18x24 from Michaels)
• Paints ( I used Acrylics)
• Glue (ideally, specific to leafing)
• Gold Leaf  (Art supply section of craft stores or where art supplies are sold) 

I went into my paint drawer and just pulled out a bunch of stuff. I gravitate towards neutrals and our bathroom is very neutral but I decided to stretch a bit and pulled out some blues as well. 

Next I applied the gold leaf to my canvas. There is a specific type of glue you're supposed to use with the leafing but I forgot I was out and wasn't going to the store. I used Mod Podge and let it get tacky but not dry and applied the leaf. Not perfect but it worked. 

Then I just kind of went to town with the paints. I brushed some and stippled some. And then brushed some more and stippled some more until I was satisfied. In some cases the gold leaf got a little muted by the paints ; in some cases not. After the paint was dry I added a little more leaf here and there. 

And since my canvas came in a two pack, I have another one to play with!

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