Oyster Shell Cross DIY

 On a recent beach trip, I saw a lot of art created using oyster shells. So, with Easter coming, I used the inspiration to create some crosses.

I could have asked some restaurants at the beach for their discarded oyster shells, but didn't want to drive home with the stinky shells. So, I ordered some from Amazon that were already scrubbed & sanitized.

The first thing I did was to give the inside of the shells a coat of white paint. This will keep the dark spot where the oyster was attached to the shell from showing through the design.

If you know me, you know I'm a hoarder of patterned napkins. I love using them in decoupage projects. So, I picked a pretty patterned napkin & separated the layers until I was left with a single layer. If you don't separate the layers, the napkin won't adhere properly.

I cut the napkin a little larger than the size of the shells. If you cut it the exact size, it will end up too small once pressed down into the curved shell. I cut the napkin about a half inch larger than the shells all the way around.

I added a coat of Dixie Belle Paint Company's Clear Coat to use as my decoupage medium. You could also use ModPodge. I covered the inside of the shells with the clear coat, & while wet, I added the napkin. I started pressing the napkin down from the center of the shells working my way out to the edges. I did not rub back & forth! This could tear the napkin. So, I gently pressed the napkin down with my finger.

Once the clear coat was dry, I wet my finger & rubbed along the edges of the shells to remove the excess paper.

I added more Clear Coat over the napkin to seal it. Once the clear coat was dry, I used my finger to add Dixie Belle's Gold Gilding Wax to the edges of the shells.

I also added the gilding wax to the edges of a wooden canvas that I had painted with Dixie Belle's paint color, Farmhouse Green.

Once everything was dry, I glued the shells onto the canvas using E6000. E6000 will hold things in place forever, but it takes awhile to set up. So, I let the canvas lay flat overnight.

I intended this project to be for Easter, but with the napkin I chose, it can stay out all year.

I never seem to be able to stop with just one project. And, since I had more shells, I made a couple more.

For one, I used a napkin that reminds me more of Easter since it features bunnies.

I added the bunny shells to a canvas that I painted with the color, Daisy.

I also created one where I reversed the paint & paper. I covered the wooden canvas with a black & white check napkin. I painted the shells with the color Peony, added gold to the edges, then added the shells to the decoupaged canvas.

I have plenty more shells. Just waiting for more inspiration to hit to see what I do with them!

Linking To:

The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors, The Answer Is Chocolate, Flutter Buster, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers, The House On Silverado

Bunny Carrot Basket

 I love Easter. I love an easy craft project. So, I absolutely love an easy Easter craft! And, it doesn't get much easier than this decoupage craft.

I started with this little basket. It has a rope loop on the back so it can sit or be hung on the wall.

I painted the basket with the color, Fluff, from the Dixie Belle Paint Company. I didn't want full coverage. I wanted a little of the basket color to show, so I only did one coat.

It's no secret that I love to decoupage with napkins. As a matter of fact, I've become quite the patterned napkin hoarder.

After perusing my stash of Easter napkins, I settled on this simple, little bunny to add to my basket.

When using napkins for decoupage, you have to separate the layers or it won't adhere properly. Most napkins have 3 layers.

Once I separated the layers, I tore the napkin around the bunny. I could have left more of the white background because, since I painted the basket white, it will disappear.

I could have used ModPodge as my decoupage medium, but I grabbed my Dixie Belle Clear Coat & used that to adhere the napkin to the basket. Once the napkin was on the basket, I gently used my paintbrush to push it down into all the crevices of the basket.

Now, you can see why I painted the basket white. If I hadn't, the bunny would have blended in with the original color of the basket.

I used some paper to fill the basket about 3/4 to the top. Then I used Spanish Moss from the dollar store to fill the basket to the top & added some little carrots that I got at Michael's

Super easy. Super cute!

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers, The House On Silverado

Preppy Peony Paint Pour

If you lived through the preppy era, then you'll remember that pink & green were very popular colors. And, when I was deciding on what to do with this wooden egg cutout from Signopoly, I decided to NOT go with the traditional Easter pastels & go preppy.

I wanted to combine a paint pour along with a decoupage paper. I used painters tape to divide the egg is half so that the paint from the pour wouldn't flow where I was going to put the paper.

I wanted to use the Peony Pattern Rice Paper from the Dixie Belle Paint Company's Belles & Whistles line & picked the colors I felt went best with it...

Peony, Soft Pink, Limeade, & Caviar.

I mixed the paint with Floetrol Paint Additive to thin them out & help them flow.

I began layering the colors in different areas of the egg.

I tilted the egg in different directions until the paint covered the top section of the egg.

I gave the paint overnight to dry, then pulled off the tape. 

The tape did its job perfectly & no paint seeped underneath.

I applied the rice paper using ModPodge, then went over it with a brayer to smooth it out.

I sanded the edges of the egg to remove the excess paper.

I added Tacky Glue between the paint & the paper...

Then I added a ribbon. 

The preppy peony Easter egg...

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407

Decoupage Easter Decor With Napkins

 If you've followed me for awhile, then you know how much I love to use napkins for decoupage. If there's ever a napkin shortage, just come to my house. I have quite the collection! And, HomeGoods doesn't help my addiction. Not only do they have a section in the store with napkins, they have them strategically placed in the long line you have to stand in to check out. So, of course, on my last visit I had to buy 6 packs of cute Easter napkins.

I bought the napkins to make coasters (which I did) but I had a couple of other projects in mind as well.

 I've always seen peat pots used in decor & thought some of the napkins I bought would be perfect for that project. So, I ordered some peat pots...

I didn't want solid coverage, so I dry brushed them with white paint.

The napkin I used was 3 ply, so I separated the layers until I was left with a single sheet. If you don't separate the layers, the napkin won't stick properly.

I tore around the part of the design I wanted to use, then used ModPodge to apply it to the peat pot.

Since the background color of the napkin is white, it doesn't show on the white paint, & looks like the design is painted onto the pot.

I formed Spanish Moss into a nest shape, placed it into the pot, then added an egg.

I love how it turned out & see a lot more projects with peat pots in my future!

I used a second napkin for a super easy project on a little wooden block house that I picked up at Target. These little houses come in packs of 3 different sizes.

I painted the wood white...

As with the last project, I separated the layers, & added ModPodge to the block, then applied the napkin.

I sanded the edges to remove the excess napkin.

I could have stopped there & it would've been cute, but I cut out the words, Easter Blessings, in vinyl using my Cricut Maker, & added them to the block.

Easy, inexpensive, adorable!

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407

Bunny Trail Sign DIY

 Living in the country, there's no shortage of rabbit sightings. So, I don't need a sign to tell me where the bunny trail is, but I couldn't resist creating this cute sign for Easter.

I started with a wooden sign blank from Signopoly.

I wanted a vintage feel for the sign so I gave it a crackle finish. I wanted the cracks to be dark, so I first painted the sign with the color, Gravel Road, from the Dixie Belle Paint Company.

Once the paint was dry, I added a layer of Crackle medium. The crackle medium is very thick, so it needs to dry overnight.

The next day, I painted over the crackle with the color, Tea Rose. The cracking starts to happen pretty quickly, so the key to being successful with crackle is to not overwork it. If you go back and forth with the paintbrush, you will fill in the cracks as they begin to form. So, I load my brush & go as far as I can with one smooth stroke.

I created the design in Cricut Design Space. There was not an arrow that went well with the font I used so I created one by turning 3 I's & a V on their side & joined them together.

I made a stencil with my Cricut Maker by cutting my design out using adhesive backed vinyl. I placed the stencil on the sign, then used a makeup sponge to apply the color, Coffee Bean. I used a pouncing motion to apply the paint.

I used very little paint to ensure that the paint didn't bleed under the stencil. The first coat always looks bad...

It took 3 coats for perfect coverage...

It's time to be on the lookout for the Easter bunny to come hopping down the bunny trail!

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407