arts and craft Archives - Page 23 of 74

Clay Skull Place Cards

Jaime here from That’s My Letter today getting ready for a Halloween birthday party with these clay skull place cards. I have two kids with birthdays that straddle Halloween which is reason enough to throw a Halloween themed Sugar Skull birthday party. We looked high and low for skull shaped place cards and finally decided to make our own.

I used oven bake clay which is super easy, fun, and allows you to make any shape you desire. We used white clay to mimic skulls but the color options are endless!

I attached the clay skulls to black goblets which serve as place cards and prevent the kids from mixing up their drinks! When the party is over, simply insert a key chain and the kids can take home the clay skull as a favor.

Materials:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

skull printout
scissors
oven bake clay (Sculpey is my favorite.)
non-stick mat work surface
rolling pin
x-acto knife or similar straight edge for cutting clay
straw
foil
sandpaper
acrylic paints
paint brush
key chains

Instructions:

Step 1: Print out clip art skull (use this one or search google for your favorite) and cut out.

Step 2: Roll out the oven bake clay to approximately 1/8″ thickness and large enough for your skull pattern.

Step 3: Place the skull pattern on top of clay and cut around outside edges using an x-acto knife.

Step 4: Make a hole for ribbon or key chain using a plastic straw. You can also depress the clay where the eye sockets should be using a pinky finger.

Step 5: Bake as directed on clay packaging.

Step 6: Clean up rough edges using sandpaper for a smooth finish.

Step 7: Using acrylic paint add names. Tie onto glasses with ribbon or insert a key chain.

Ready for your next Halloween party!

The name tags make a cute keychain favor after the party and look great on their backpacks!

Thanks for reading along and I hope you enjoyed this quick craft.

~Read more of Jaime’s tutorials~

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August 31, 2016/2 Comments/by Jaime Costiglio

arts and craft, Decorating, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, Upcycling

Rustic Wine Crate with Rope Handles

Have you ever stumbled across a wine crate and wondered what you could do with it? I have just the idea for you and it will take less than an hour to create. Today I’ll show you how to make a Rustic Wine Crate with Rope Handles. This is a great decor item that doubles as storage. And you can also use this as a gift basket if you fill it with goodies.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Wine crate or wooden box
Dark brown stain (Minwax Early American is the stain I used.)
Paint Brush
Paper towels
Damp rag
Rubber gloves
Medium Grit (120 grit) sandpaper
Sisal Rope
Scissors
Drill
Drill bits

Instructions:

1. Clean your crate with a damp rag. Then brush the stain on and let it sit for a minute.

2. Wipe any excess stain off with paper towels.

Add a second coat if you like a darker colored crate. Allow it to dry thoroughly. (This might take several hours or overnight depending on your humidity. Hand raised…hot and humid North Carolina dweller here.)

3. Sand any words and printing on the crate until you start to see some of the wood coming through. Be careful not to sand too deep and expose the bare wood. Wipe off the crate.

4. Mark the location for the rope handle on the sides of the crate. Be sure to measure the same distances from the top and edges on both sides.

5. Choose a drill bit slightly larger than your rope. Drill holes at the marks.

6. Insert one side of the rope through the hole.

7. Tie a double knot inside the crate to keep the rope from slipping back through.

8. Determine how long a handle you desire and tie a single knot in the middle of the handle.

9. Feed the other end of your rope through the other hole and tie another double knot on the inside of the crate.

10. Fray the edges of your rope by untwisting them.

Fill your crate with magazines, blankets, or décor goodies and display it proudly!

Better yet, fill it with several gifts to create a unique gift basket. Keep with the wine theme by adding some wine, crackers, cheese, and nuts.

Easy tutorial right? How many of you are running to your local wine shop and begging for wine crates now? P.s. I’ve seen them at Costco, too.

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August 1, 2016/28 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

arts and craft, Decorating

Make Your Own Street Sign

Do you have a favorite street or a town that brings you fond memories? Don’t you wish you could have a vintage sign from that place? But, what are the chances of stumbling across one in an antique shop? Probably slim to none. You could steal a sign, but you’d probably get thrown in jail. Instead let me show you how you can Make Your Own Street Sign!

Materials:

Thin Wood Plywood (or metal)
Paint
Pencil
Ruler
Round object
Vinyl
Painter’s Tape
Credit Card or Burnishing Tool
Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint
Sandpaper
Van Dyke Brown Glaze
Antiquing Wax
Jigsaw or Metal Shears
Drill with Drill Bit

Instructions:

Use the round object to trace curves on the corners of your board. Cut out the shape you want using a jigsaw (for wood) or metal shears (for metal sign.)

Paint your sign background the color you like.

Create a stencil using vinyl and a vinyl cutter, or make your own stencil with freezer paper.

Lay transfer tape on top of the vinyl stencil.

Mark a light pencil line on the sign where you want the bottom of the letters to line up.

Lightly mist the front of your sign with windex or water with a little soap in it. This will help you position your stencil without it sticking right away.

Pull the stencil up…

…and position it on to the sign. When you are happy with the placement, use a credit card or burnishing tool to press the vinyl stencil onto the sign.

Pull the transfer paper off. Push any remaining air bubbles out of the stencil.

Cover any exposed portions of your sign with painter’s tape.

Lightly spray one coat of spray paint onto the sign. Let it dry and lightly add a second coat to get full coverage.

Once completely dry, remove your stencil.

Lightly sand the letters to gently distress the sign. (After all, you want to make your sign look old and authentic.)

Dab some glaze onto the corners of the sign.

Lightly dab the glaze until you get a slightly dirty and aged look.

Add antiquing wax on the edges of the sign for a more aged and authentic appearance.

Drill two holes in the upper right corners.

You can hang your street sign with two small brad nails.

And now you have an authentic looking aged street sign.

Our street sign adds to the memories on our gallery wall in the living room.

Want to learn how to install your own gallery wall? Here are 12 Tips to Create the Perfect Gallery Wall.

Have a great time Making Your Own Street Sign and stay out of jail. 😉

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July 29, 2016/3 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

arts and craft

4×4 Picture Frame

Sometimes the amount of scrap wood I accumulate can seem a bit excessive. I have a hard time letting go of all those little pieces because I know they have potential to become something more. I have big plans for some scraps, but little projects can be fun too. A 4×4 picture frame is a great way to use up some left over 4x4s.

This is such a quick and easy craft. Don’t blink or you may miss it.

Materials:

4×4 Scraps at least 1″ thick
Glue for a matte finish or Glossy Mod Podge for a shiny finish
Small Paint Brush
Picture – make a duplicate at your local photo counter to keep the original intact
Dark Furniture Wax or Stain

Instructions:

Pick your scraps. They should be big enough to stand on their own (at least an inch thick.)

Stain or wax your wood (leave the face unstained where you will display the picture.) For small projects, dark wax can be easier than stain because you can wipe it on with a rag. Throw it away when you are done and there is no cleanup.

Next, cut your picture to match the 4×4 and cover the face of the 4×4 with glue.

Place the photo and smooth with a towel.

Cover the photo with glue and let dry.

Find the perfect place to display your new 4×4 picture frame.

These would be fun to put up in a workshop. If I ever get mine neat enough for a decoration, these are definitely going to find their way in there.

~Read more of Jillian’s tutorials here.~

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July 13, 2016/5 Comments/by Jillian Grennon

accessories, arts and craft, Crafts, Sewing

Summer Garden Flag from a Dollar Store Placemat

I have to admit, I’m a little addicted to making garden flags out of fabric placemats from the dollar store (The Dollar Tree to be exact.) In fact this flag was made using all materials from The Dollar Tree. I bought fake flowers, bar towels and a placemat to make this summery flag. Best of all, you could make this flag with or without a sewing machine.

If you missed my previous flags, this was our winter flag: