Gingerbread Week: Repurposed Cardboard Gingerbread Wreath

 

Welcome to Day Four of Impromptu Gingerbread Week! This may be my favorite project and it's something anyone can do and without a cutting machine or tools beyond an X-ACTO or other sharp blade, a paint pen, and some puff paint! If you want to get fancier, add in some glitter and embellishments. 

'tis the season for shipping boxes so the main ingredient is definitely on hand! 

Supplies: 

• Cardboard Shipping Box
• Pencil
• Kraft Knife or Sharp Scissors
• Paint Pen
• Puffy Paint
• Misc. Embellishments 

I cut up a box into three different sizes/shapes. You could do them all the same, or each one different...totally up to you. 

Then I just went to town with a paint pen. I also found some chipboard embellishments in my craft hoard, I mean stash, dry-brushed a little with white paint, and added those to some of the pieces. 

I went over top with puff paints and added some dots with acrylic paint. And of course, I couldn't resist adding some rhinestones because...ya know.

I had a wire wreath form from Dollar Tree on hand, and some burlap ribbon in my stash that I thought would be perfect for this, so I wrapped the wreath form with it. 

You could also skip this step and make a wreath form out of more cardboard or other materials. Use what you have!

To construct, I started with one of the tall houses and then alternated the shapes and covered the wreath! 

I didn't want any of the base showing through so spaced the larger pieces and then used the smaller pieces to cover any gaps. 

And DONE! 

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Welcome to Vintage Charm Party #517!

Creatively Crafty Linky Party #276

Sundays on Silverado #276

Holiday Decor Refresh: Hot Cocoa Bar Sign

 

Several years ago I made a Cocoa Bar sign and last year I meant to update it and never got around to it so I did it this year. I wasn't sure if the vinyl that was on there for those years would come off but off it came with an X-Acto knife!

Supplies

• Sign To Repurpose
• Acrylic Paint
• Digital Cutting Machine and Image
• Vinyl
• Embellishments

This was the original which I forgot to take a picture of before I removed the washi tape that was under "BAR".  I removed the lettering with an X-Acto knife then lightly sanded the surface. 

After sanding, I used white acrylic paint to cover the surface. Once dry, I applied a second coat since you could still see a shadow of the lettering. 

As the paint dried, I chose my image in Cricut Design Space, sized, and cut the vinyl. 

After weeding the vinyl, I applied the transfer tape. 

Then positioned on my sign and applied the vinyl. 

In my stash, I had a package of what I originally thought were loose snowflakes but turned out to be a garland. No problem...snipped a few from the string to finish my project and positioned atop the sign, then glued down with hot glue. 

Now I just need to make this year's batch of cocoa and marshmallows for Mr. Chocolate! 

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Sundays on Silverado

Creatively Crafty Linky Party #227

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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Holiday 2020: Peppermint Crackle Framed Printable (Plus Hanukkah Printables)

 

Happy Hump Day Makers! Excited to show you how I used one of the Christmas Printables I shared yesterday and below, you'll find some Hanukkah themed ones I also made. 

Supplies: 

• Frame. New, Thrifted, or Stash. Mine was one I had on hand
• Acrylic Paints. I used Apple Barrel Bright Red and Craftsmart White
• White Glue. I used Elmer's
• Painter's Tape
• Printable

The frame I used has a beveled inner edge and I decided that I would leave the outer edge black so I taped this off using painters tape. Painted the remaining exposed frame with the Bright Red. This took a couple of coats. You can make this completely opaque with additional coats but since I was going for a crackle finish, I was fine with some of the black streaks showing through. 

Next you'll apply a medium coat of white glue. This is the same process I used for some Halloween Girlfriend Gifts so you can click here for the detailed instructions.  

The key here is to have your brush strokes go in the same direction. When your glue is not fully dry, brush on the white paint in the same brush stroke direction as your glue. 

You will see the crackles start to form as the paint dries or you can speed it up with a warm ( not hot ) blow dryer. DO NOT USE A HEAT / EMBOSSING GUN. Your paint will bubble.  Once your top coat is dry, remove the painter's tape. 

Here you can see the remaining black outer edge of the frame. 

I imported my printable into my graphics program, sized accordingly and printed on a transparency. You can also print on paper. I chose a sheet of cardstock from the White Satin paper pad by Recollections (Michaels) that wouldn't be too busy behind my transparency but still give it a little more depth if that makes sense! Trim transparency and cardstock to fit inside your frame. 

Et voila!

As I mentioned above, I also made some similar Printables for Hanukkah!

Hanukkah

Dreidel

Menorah