Spring and Easter Decor: Peep My Eggs

 

Hey look...I made something! I picked up these thick wood eggs last year at Dollar Tree and never got around to using them, so I broke them out this year to play with. I don't know if any of the stores have them again this year. I also picked up some carrots I'll play with this week.

Supplies:

• Large Wood Egg Shapes
• Scrapbook Papers
• Peeps Candy Containers
• Mod Podge Matte
• Assorted Self-Adhesive Gems

I chose some yellow ombre paper from my stash, traced the egg shape, then cut out. 

I went around the edges of the egg shapes with Waverly Multi-Surface Paint in Maize. 

I applied the paper cutout to the egg shape using Matte Mod Podge, then used my Cricut Mini Press to ensure good adhesion. 

These rainbow strips, I cut from a sheet of paper from the "Candy Brights" paper stack from Michaels. Applied with Mod Podge, then trimmed the edges with scissors. 

To finish, I sanded the edges with this "sander thingy" I picked up at DT, then sealed it all with one more coat of Mod Podge. 

I found these Peeps candy holders at Dollar Tree this year and, of course, now wish I'd bought another set! I also found this sheet of multicolored gemstones. I glued one to each of my prepared eggs, then added some gemstones and VOILA!

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Using My Doodles as Decor: Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull

My doodling addiction continues. Introducing Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull, the newest additions to my doodle collection and Halloween decor. I've been wanting to incorporate some Dia de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) touches and these were an easy addition. I printed them out and framed them in black and gold painted frames to match my color scheme of black and white and  gold.  

I started my drawing by tracing a simple skull outline. I knew I wanted to give her a floral crown so I drew the flowers on top of her skull first and then kind of went wherever my pen took me. This is what I find relaxing about this. I just kind of go wherever in an image, usually without a plan and just feel my way through. 

Georgina was done first, but Georgie was named first. I'd texted him to my son, he asked if he had a name, I said "you name him" and he named him Georgie. Georgina was kind of a no-brainer after that. 

I followed the same process for Georgie, took me a while to get the hat right. If I'm adding an element like that I'll do it in pencil first, then go over it in pen but the Zentangling itself I just go for with the pen. 

The frames were inexpensive plain unfinished wood I had in my stash. I painted with a couple coats of black paint, then dry brushed with gold. 

Now, lest you think I'm allergic to color, I did color each of these in my Recolor app. 

Thanksgiving 2014 Banner: Cornhusks are Back!

This week's link party is still going strong here so please link up! 

Sharing my Thanksgiving mantel for this year. You might recall my Cornhusk Wreath shared here.  I had some cornhusks left over and couldn't wait to play with them some more. 

Life is always challenging. This year has been no exception. Yet despite challenges, we have much to be thankful for. So it seemed an obvious choice for a banner.  The banner was pretty simple. I cut the letters THANKFUL from metallic brown paper using my Cricut ( Expression...not Explore...trying to win one of those or if anyone wants to hook me up with the Cricut people!) and matted as shown on cream and gold card stock . 

I have a container full of punches I haven't used in a while and found this one that looks like acorns so punched the bottom corners of the cream cardstock. Used gold glitter washi tape to edge the top of each panel. 

I decided to make some cornhusk leaves and  feathers. Feathers are really popular right now and they fit right in with my idea.  

I cut leaf / feather shapes from cornhusks, coated them with Mod Podge to make them less brittle and edged the tips with gold glitter paint. I used Martha Stewart gold. 

I attached my leaves / feathers to the bottom of each letter using my glue gun and added a punched maple leaf to a couple of the  letters 

For some of the letters I did leaves. For others I did feathers. Same shape as the leaves but I notched the edges and cut some additional feathers from kraft cardstock. 

I'm happy with the mix of rustic and glitz. I also had fun re-mixing pieces from prior years.  Some of my favorite pieces from my mantel this year: 

Script Tissue Paper Pumpkin from 2012 and turkeys I found at JoAnn's for 75% off a few years ago and painted. 

Dollar Tree glass candles ( wrapped in Dollar Tree tissue paper) that I did for New Year's 2014 and ended up keeping out all year. More JoAnn's turkeys. My white pumpkins from Halloween are still holding on. Just a little longer little guys. 

And this year's Cornhusk Wreath

Less than two weeks to T-Day! 

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Winter Wonderland Repurposed Storage Jar

We visited our favorite little antique town this weekend and while there, I picked up a clear glass storage jar. Maybe it was seeing all of the vintage Christmas displays in the stores but I immediately had an idea mind for my jar which also provided another chance for me to bleach  more bottlebrush trees. You can check out this post for more on the trees.

For this project you will need:

• Large glass storage jar with removable lid
• Bleached bottlebrush tree
• Epsom Salt
• Jingle Bells (large and small)
• Snowflake pick
• Wood Word or letters

After cleaning up your jar, glue the bleached tree to the bottom.

I put a big glob of hot glue on the bottom of the tree since I wanted it to stand firmly in the jar. Once the tree’s glued in, pour in some of the epsom salt and then drop in a few of the jingle bells, add more salt. When satisfied with the depth, place the snowflake pick and phrase inside the jar. I sprinkled some iridescent glitter on top.

Cover the rim of the jar with a coordinating washi tape, twine, and ribbon, and then tie a few jingle bells to the ends.

It’s sitting on my Winter Wonderland vintage mantle with my other bleached trees.

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Bleached Bottlebrush Trees

I love the look of vintage holiday decorations and have long wanted some vintage bottlebrush trees. I’m automatically drawn to displays of them in stores. I am not always drawn to their price so once again, I decided I could make my own.  SO easy. Another why didn’t I do this before project.

You will need:

• Bottlebrush trees. Can be found at hobby and craft stores or where Christmas villages etc are sold. I bought a big bag at JoAnn’s last year for 75% off after Christmas knowing that I wanted to make some this season.
• Household bleach.
• Water
• Container
• Time
• Spray adhesive
• Glitter

I googled around for some hints on how to bleach the trees. All of the instructions were similar: mix equal parts bleach and water in a container; submerge trees, wait. Time is the tricky part and my conclusion is you just have to keep an eye on your trees vs an absolute amount of time. One tree took 15 min. Another the same size took 30. Just bleach until they’re the color you want. I wanted natural but may do some more and stop at pale green. I've seen tutorials where people have dyed them all kinds of colors or used spray inks etc.

Mr. Chocolate only looked at a little oddly when I told him I was bleaching trees. He just doesn’t ask anymore. What’s weird is the color bleaches out but the flocking stays on the trees.

While the trees were drying from their bleach bath ( rinse with plain water once you get the color you want), I made their bases by wrapping some wood spools with washi tape.

When the trees were dry, I used a spray adhesive (Elmers) and silver and iridescent glitter. Spray, sprinkle, turn, repeat.  Then hot glued them to my spools.

They’ll likely end up on my mantle but since I’m a diehard about not decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving , I haven’t totally decided yet.

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