Crafts

Last week when I showed you the Mini Monogram Pedestals I mentioned I had made two more projects using my Martha Stewart Crafts supplies.

I had so much fun crafting I ended up creating three separate projects and then chose my favorite to go with the Plaid promotion.

Well, here’s the 2nd of the three crafts I made… Are you ready for it?

I found this tiny pink tray at the Target Dollar Spot (I think it was $2.50) and thought it was so cute! It’s just perfect for my daughter’s room to house all her little lotions and perfumes.

I used some Spray Adhesive for Stencils on the back of the stencil to help hold it in place. Worked great but next time I’ll probably spray outside instead of in my office! lol.

The stencil stuck to the side of the tray so I wasn’t fussing with it and worrying about it slipping and sliding all over the place.

I used a sea sponge to dab the paint onto the stencil.

Then I took some glitter paint and used my finger to dab it all over the stencil.

I used the pink paint first because the glitter paint was transparent with pink glitter in it and I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to see the stencil pattern.

The end result is a pink-on-pink glitter tray perfect for a 7 year old.

The stencil didn’t turn out perfectly (probably operator error) but I think it adds to the charm of it. I only stenciled one side because the process took patience (which I seriously lack) and I was pretty much ‘over it’ by the time I finished the one edge.

I still think it’s cute though and I would still use stencils in the future. I just need to practice being more patient.

I’ll share craft #3 tomorrow.

Did you see these trays at Target? Fess up. Did you buy any? It’s okay if you did. They are cheap and cute!

The dining room is getting tinkered with again. What I really want to do is finish those chairs (!!!) but that requires W-O-R-K which is kind of a turn-off for me. Ten chairs = very overwhelming.

(Can you tell I’ve been painting them though? hint hint)

I still want this room finished though, and I’ve got this big ol’ blank wall staring me down mocking me.

I’ve been trying to figure out what to put here, but all my ideas seem to compete with the curtains, which I want to be the star of the room. I don’t want anything on this wall that will distract from the curtains. Instead I want something that will enhance them.

I bought these shallow decor bowls from ikea at least a year ago. I was going to put them up on the shelves in the dining room but I never liked how they looked up there.

Ikea had three different sizes to choose from so I bought one of each. Once I ix-neyed (pig-latin for nixed) the idea of putting them up on the shelf they’ve been stuck in my decor closet just begging for a home.

Then one day an idea smacked me right in the face. What if I took those three bowls and hung them on the wall? It would fill the wall, and the bamboo is subtle enough to not take away from the show-stopping curtains.

They needed something though. Something that would make them less blah that would help enhance the orange curtains without overpowering them.

So I painted the edge and back side of the bowls bright orange.

It’s very subtle, but as you walk by the room your eye catches the edges of the bowls just enough that it really ties them together with the curtains.

Painting these shallow decor bowls was so easy, but I did learn a few tips along the way that I want to pass on to you.

Gather your supplies:
* ikea hultet bamboo bowls
* tangelo orange Americana craft paint
* primer
* clear gloss spray top coat
* paint brush

The first thing you want to do is PRIME the area you are going to paint (unless you are going to use spray paint).

Tip #1: I didn’t prime the first time I painted the bowl and the paint scratched right off. The bowls are coated with some type of clear finish and the craft paint will not stick to it. You must prime first!

I literally had to wash and scrub the bowls to get all the orange off. Learn from my mistake. When in doubt, prime.

Once the primer is dry you can begin painting. I used tangelo orange by Americana craft paint.

Tip #2: It’s easier to just paint the edge than to tape it all off first. If you have a steady hand, these ikea bowls have a pretty crisp edge that is very easy to follow. Just make sure you use a flat paint brush that edges well.

It took me three coats of paint to get this deep orange color that wasn’t streaky. Be patient and apply several coats.

I chose craft paint instead of spray paint for three reasons. 1) I already had it in my stash, 2) I didn’t have to tape off the bowls before painting, and the most important one, 3) I could do it in my living room while watching TV.

Once the bowls were dry the paint was very FLAT. And it didn’t feel soft and creamy. And it wasn’t shiny at all. Welcome to the world of craft paints, Allison. Dur.

So I gave them a few coats of super glossy clear top coat. I LOVE Rustoleum 2x spray paint (comes in paint, primer, and top coats).

The finished result were three shallow bowls with just a subtle hint of orange. Not overpowering, but enough to make these somewhat boring dishes really POP.

The room before the dishes:

Aaaaaand after:

Here’s how I hung them.

My favorite thing about this project is that it gives a very earthy vibe to the room, but is still fun and bright. Sometimes bamboo bowls and the like are too boring, but the orange edge gives it just the oomph it needs.

I also love that it’s such a subtle accent that you just catch a glimpse as you walk by. It’s one of those details that you notice but don’t realize you notice. Know what I mean?

Sometimes the most subtle details that don’t jump out at you end up making the room.

Now if I can just force myself to finish those chairs already…

Source list: Chandelier, shelves, 4-piece chair art, curtains, curtain rod, table, candlesticks, paint, moulding

Here’s how I hung them.

Last week I got to enjoy a perk of being a pro-blogger. Plaid sent me a mother-load of Martha Stewart Crafts supplies to play with! There’s nothing like a box full of paint, paintbrushes, stencils, and other craft supplies to get my heart a-thumpin’!

I had so much fun crafting and creating that I actually came up with three separate projects for this campaign. However, it would be picture over-load, so I’m saving the other two projects to share with you later this week.

I am so stinkin’ excited about these Mini Monogram Pedestals. I love how they turned out! This is such an easy project and would be a great Mother’s Day gift.

To make your very own Mini Monogram Pedestals you need the following supplies:

Martha Stewart Crafts Supplies:
Raspberry Ice Craft Paint
Habanero Craft Paint
Carrot Craft Paint
Jonquil Craft Paint
Surf Craft Paint
Paint Brush Set

Other Supplies:
3″ piece of wood (mine are 3″ x 2.5″)
Mini Candlesticks
Strong bonding glue (I used Gorilla Glue)
Silhouette Cameo
Black Vinyl and transfer paper
sandpaper
clear protective finish

To create these cute Mini Monogram Pedestals you’ll first need to gather your candlesticks and wooden blocks. I found the mini candlesticks in a 4-pack at a craft store and the blocks are leftover scraps from all the custom artwork I create and sell.

Using your strong adhesive, glue the candlestick to one side of the wooden block. Dry fully before moving on.

I primed my pedestals with spray primer, but it’s not necessary. Now it’s time to use these vibrant Martha Stewart Crafts craft paints! I hate wasting paint, so instead of squirting it out onto a plate and risk wasting any, I added drops of paint as needed directly onto my pedestals.

Once all your pedestals are painted allow for them to dry.

Meanwhile, I used my Silhouette CAMEO to cut out three different Monogram Letters. I peeled the letter away leaving just the negative space.

Apply vinyl to your pedestals. If you don’t have a vinyl cutter you can easily free-hand these letters or print them on the printer, trace them onto your wood, and then paint them.

I added the next color of paint inside the vinyl…

…and waited {impatiently} for the paint to dry. Watching paint dry is about as fun as watching water boil.

Once the paint was dry I peeled the vinyl off then used a small paint brush for a few touch-ups here and there.

I already love them but I think they need something else… Distressing! I very lightly sanded each one using extra-fine sandpaper.

Once sanded I sprayed each pedestal with a Satin finish Clear top coat to protect them. The end result? A cute Mini Monogram Pedestal that will dress up any shelf or desk.

I tried a few different color combinations and I really love the contrast of each one.

I think the “A” is my favorite. It’s so classic in Habanero (red) and Jonquil (light yellow). I love the big Pottery Barn font letter.

These were so fun to make I think I will make a few more.

I am going to make some without the candlesticks as well so I can spell out fun words to hang on the wall.

I made the “K” for my daughter. Here it is in her {no where near finished} bedroom.

That’s all there is to it!

I want to leave you with a quick tip about storing craft paints. If you’re like me and store your paints upright in a container, add a blob of paint to the top of each lid to easily identify the color!

Thanks so much to Plaid and Martha Stewart Crafts for sending me all the fun supplies! I’m definitely sold on the Martha Stewart Crafts line and plan to purchase more products in the near future.

Connect with Plaid Crafts today to see more projects using the Martha Stewart Crafts Line:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/plaidcrafts (@plaidcrafts)
Facebook: http://facebook.com/InspiredByPlaid
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/plaidcrafts

(Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a paid campaign with Plaid and Blueprint Social. The opinions in this post are my own.)