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

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

Repurposed Wagon Cactus Garden

My first project in the desert! Fitting that it would be a cactus garden don't you think? 

Mr. Chocolate was cleaning up some stuff around The Mumster's house and there was a little red wagon destined for the junk pile. I snatched it up and immediately had an idea for a little cactus and succulent garden. I picked up a can of Rustoleum hammered bronze paint and went to town. 

This was the sad little wagon. All oxydized and rusty. And it could have worked as is but I wanted it to be a more desert color. 

I wanted to preserve the wheels so I cut a plastic bag in half and wrapped around the wheels to prevent them from getting painted. 

One good coat of paint made all the difference! The paint had primer and color all in one and is designed to prevent future rust. 

I was so happy with the outcome that I almost just left the painted wagon alone and unfilled. But no!

I picked out small cacti and succulents that I liked, and found some cool green stones on sale at JoAnn's. 

I spread a layer of the stones on the bottom to help with drainage, and then planted my cacti and succulents randomly. I finished with a layer of the rocks and voila. 

I don't exactly have a green thumb so desert plants may be just the things for me . They are pretty hearty, self sufficient, and little fuss!

Happy Earth Day! Recycled Project Roundup

Happy Earth Day! For us it's also the birthday of our best friend Kristine who we lost far too young. She was a teacher, loved kids, and LOVED Earth Day. So in her honor, here are some projects from my Repurposed Ideas Pinterest board that are perfect for Earth Day and use things we all likely have laying around the house. 

Paper Crafts:

We all have magazines laying around so these projects from DIY Sweet Home is a way to use them to make some pretty things: 

More magazine ideas here from Picky Stitch: 

Got jeans? Who among us doesn't have some too big / too small / too holey jeans? 

How about this jean pocket phone charger holder from DIY & Home ? 

Who can't use an extra totebag? This one comes from a roundup of "21 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Old Jeans" at Tip Hero.

Boxes and Tubes: 

Keep your pencils and your thoughts together while re-using cereal boxes. Turn them inside out , leave them plain, paint, add paper, doodle, or use the fronts with these ideas from One Good Thing By Jillee. 

Use toilet paper tubes and Washi tape to make a pretty phone holder. Details at Easy Peasy Creative. 

One too many Amazon boxes ? Make a pretty storage basket. Elizabeth Joan Designs will show you how. 

Got Milk (jugs)? 

LOVE these Votives from Bliss Bloom Blog !

Now that I'm living in the desert, I'm going to have to get creative about snow this Winter so making some from repurposed milk jugs is on my list! From Eve of Reduction. 

Water and Soda Bottles: 

101 Days of Organization has a great roundup on what to do with these that seem to multiply like Tribbles. 

Think of all those little things ( paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, pushpins) you could store in a pretty little bowl made from a water bottle? From Dishfunctional Designs. 

Jars: 

Here's a two-fer idea. Repurpose empty jars ( or you can buy a matched set of mason jars) and embellishe with pine cone flowers, perhaps from a nature walk. From Uncommon Designs . 

I recognize these jars because they are from my husband's favorite jam. So will definitely have some of these to play with ! From Make Calm Lovely. 

I hope I've given you some inspiration!