Tag Archives: crafts

Autumn Subway Canvas

When it comes to seasonal decor, I tend to stick to Winter/Christmas. And by “stick to” I mean Make It Look Like Santa’s Workshop / A Wintery Wonderland Exploded In My House. I. Love. Christmas Decor.

But, I have to admit that I’ve recently had a hankering for some Fall-inspired touches around the house. In the past, I think I’ve been turned off by the predominantly brownish color palette of Fall decor, but with the recent metallics trend… now that’s a seasonal bandwagon I can get on! Whoo! Whoo! (wait, sorry, that’s a train sound. What sound does a bandwagon make?)

Anywho, I came across this seasonal Subway art on Pinterest…

from Antsi-Pants blog

and decided this was totally something I could decorate around. She’s even got glittery pumpkins right next to it! Yessss!

This is actually a printable that can be downloaded (for free!), but I had a Craft Itch that needed to be scratched. I decided with some paint and scrapbooking accessories, this could easily become a personalized piece. So I made a trip to Michael’s, picked up some supplies, and got to work!

I picked up an 11″ x 14″ canvas and figured I’d need at least eight words/phrases to cover it. I made a list of all of the Autumn-related words I could think of, then narrowed down to the ones that best represent what I love about the season.

I wanted a variety of fonts, so I purchased stencils and 3D sticker letters. I also decided to free-hand some of the words, which I saved for last so that I could fill in remaining spaces as needed. I started with the stencils, tracing them lightly with a pencil.

Then I added the 3D sticker letters, free-handed in the remaining spaces, and added a few “accessories” in the form of the sunflower, pumpkin and leaf stickers. Just to add some extra pizzazz!

I’m surprisingly pleased with how it turned out! And how relatively easy it was to do! A little bit more time consuming (took me about 2-2.5 hours from start to finish), but fun and worth it.
I already have plans for a Christmas one 😉

It hasn’t found a permanent home yet, but I have a few other Fall ideas in my mind that I’m hoping to pull together this weekend!

Where do you stand on seasonal decor?

Update: found this fun Fall Decorating Link Party from The Lettered Cottage! Check out all of the other bloggers’ awesome fall decor ideas!

The Lettered Cottage

Coaster Crafting

I have a fun little DIY to share today! This project requires just a few supplies and is relatively quick to assemble, once you have everything laid out.

I originally found this craft on Pinterest last year (this original link is broken; you can find similar instructions here), and had wanted to make them for Christmas gifts. But time got away from me. I dug it out last week over the Labor Day holiday weekend, when my friend Katie and I decided to have a Girl’s Night In and craft (maybe I’m just getting older, but this is really an ideal way to spend a Friday night, haha!)

Supplies:

– 4×4-inch ceramic tiles (mine were leftovers from the kitchen backsplash in our previous home)

– Mod Podge

– Foam brushes

– Clear acrylic spray sealer

– Scrapbooking paper (could also use wrapping paper, wall paper scraps, greeting cards… whatever floats your boat!)

– Sticky-back felt or felt furniture pads

Directions:

Cut paper(s) into 4×4-inch squares; or trace your tile onto the paper for a more accurate measurement. Apply a layer of Mod Podge to the tile, then lay a paper square on top and smooth it over. At this point, I flipped the tile over and trimmed off any excess paper. Once trimmed, apply another layer of Mod Podge over the paper. Let dry. Once dry, spray tiles with the clear acrylic sealer according to sealer instructions. Add felt pads to the bottom, and voila! You have a new set of coasters to keep or gift!

Bonus idea: Gift them with a mason jar of home-made hot cocoa or chai tea mix. Yum!

I got too caught up in wine and girl talk to remember to take pictures of the “During” process (sorry!). But here are some “glamour shots” of the “After”:

Best Dresser-est

After my recent crafting adventure, I had the itch to do more plate- and bowl-painting. So I thought I’d paint up a few pieces to keep my perfumes organized.

I picked up a variety of white  porcelain appetizer-sized plates and small dip bowls at Pier 1 (the bowls were $1-$2 each! can’t beat that!). I chose to use silver paint leftover from my last project.

Loving polka dots right now!

And the look of a gilded the edge on a small scalloped bowl…

Here are a few “glamour shots” of the finished products:

They add a nice touch of “bling” to my dresser. We’re kind of at an impasse about how to decorate our bedroom, so in the meantime, I’ll just accessorize with a few little things!

Getting My Craft On

I have to confess something before I get on with this post.

I have a love/hate relationship with crafting. (whew! I said it)

I am easily seduced by DIY ideas. I imagine wildly creative sessions with editorial-worthy results. The reality? I usually jump into things without planning. I make huge messes. I get discouraged easily. I have a vision of the results that the reality never achieves (in my opinion). And to top it off, my husband has a ridiculously good eye and hand for crafting/drawing/design. Which usually means he completes the project to perfection as I pout in the corner (yes, I am totally embarrassed to admit this).

But I am determined to change this. First by carefully planning the craft before I even step foot in a Michaels or Hobby Lobby. And second by trying to remind myself to take things slowly and have patience throughout the process. It’s a work in progress, but so far, my new mantra has yielded a presentable front door wreath, and my latest endeavor: painted bowls to house office supplies on my desk.

The inspiration for these bowls came from the lovely Ez over at Creature Comforts. You can view her version here.

I wanted to play around with a few different dishes, so I purchased some basic white oven-safe ceramic/porcelain ones at Target, all for very reasonable prices. I couldn’t find the same brand of paints at my local Michaels crafts store that Ez had used, but I found a comparable brand that stated it would work on porcelain/ceramic. I knew I wanted pinks and oranges, since those are the colors I want to use in my office. I also picked up a metallic silver to add some bling, a variety pack of brushes, as well as small round sponging brushes, all from Michael’s.

I laid out all of my dishes, wiping them down with rubbing alcohol first to ensure they were clean.

And then I got to work! With a little planning first, of course! I started with the bowls, as they seemed easiest. I squirted a dollop of paint into the center, selected a brush (I used a fan brush for the pink and a more rectangular/basic brush for the orange) and started swirling paint up the sides.

I wanted to get more creative with the plate and the mug. After a failed attempt to stencil the plate AND the mug, I scraped the paint off and decided on an easier design: orange polka dots for the plate, using one of the sponging brushes, and pink chevrons for the mug. However, the chevrons didn’t turn out as planned either. After one sorry-looking row of zig-zags, I just went with the artistic swirly all-over brushstroke look. And then added some silver polka dots for good measure.

Here’s a finished shot, complete with office supplies!

I can’t wait to pull the rest of my office together!  I think these would look perfect on a white wood desk, mixed in with a bouquet of fresh flowers!

These would also be great for storing other little trinkets, keys, jewelry, etc. Or just as a colorful accent on a coffee table!

 

 

**Note: this paint is NOT food-safe! Please do not use it on dishes/items that you would serve food on/in.

There are two ways to “cure” this paint: the first is to let it air cure for 21 days; the second is to wait 48 hours, then place item(s) in a cold oven, set the temperature to 325-degrees, bake for 30 minutes, and allow to cool before removing. I intended to do the oven curing, but wound up letting them sit for 21 days.