SACRED SECRETS SKELETON SHRINE

Happy Almost Halloween Everyone!

I am so proud to be a member of Andy Skinner's Creative Design Team!  

Halloween and Christmas are my favorite times of year to create home decor pieces.  There are so many things to grab your attention and inspire you to just let your creative imagination take over and explore the possibilities!

This month, I am featuring a project using Andy's very inspirational Sacred Secrets Grey Board Kit from Tando Creative, DecoArt Media line of products and some of Andy's Stamps from Stampendous. I hope you'll take a few minutes to check it out as there are lots of fun techniques and tips.

Here is a sneak peek at what awaits you on Andy's Blog. 

Click HERE to be taken to the complete pictorial tutorial.

Thanks for stopping by and take time for yourself to PLAY and experiment in the world of Mixed Media.

CHRISTMAS REMAKE OF OLD DOLL HIGH CHAIR

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I recently visited a flea market and found an adorable little 18" wooden doll high chair for $5. It was in remarkably good shape. When I saw it hanging on a peg, I immediately saw it as a little sparkly Christmas high chair. So, I scooped up my treasure and brought it home with me.  

Yesterday was the day I finally got to spend the time it deserved to bring this little forgotten high chair back to life!

Typically I absolutely LOVE the traditional Christmas colors of red and green. But this little guy was screaming "Retro TEAL!" So I spray painted the chair with a teal paint and let it dry.

(This photo shows the napkin the I used on the chair:  snowflakes and snowman on the chair and peppermint stripes to wrap the little rods on the chair).

I added one of my favorite DecoArt Media products: Vintage Effects in white. There are all sorts of ways you can apply it but I chose to lightly dampen a cloth and wipe it on, adding more as I went until I reached the white wash effect that I wanted.  

I found an adorable Christmas napkin that I wanted to use. I removed the back two layers of white tissue from the napkin; leaving only the top layer. I tore around the snowman image. You tear the napkin edges because they blend into the base much better when not given a nice cut edge. I brushed DecoArt Media Matte Medium (a clear glue and sealer) onto the area of the seat that I was adding the snowman. 

I laid the napkin image in place being sure there were no wrinkles and then brushed the Matte Medium over the image to seal it. I then added more random snowflakes around the snowman using the same method: tearing around them and then applying them with the Matte Medium. I also added snowflakes on a bar across the top of the chair and also on the front of the lifting tray of the chair using the same method. You can gently heat set these to speed up the process. Once dry, I added a bit more of the Vintage Effects over the seat and the other areas to better blend everything together.  

Then I added the stripes to the little rods by painting the bars with Matte Medium, adding the stripes and then painting over them with Matte Medium to seal them in place. You can gently heat set to dry them or let the dry naturally. I did not add more Vintage Effects white wash over them.

Next, I added Holly Green, Light Green and Candy Cane Red Stickles over the snowflakes and the snowman to give this little chair some real Christmas sparkle. Let the Stickles air dry completely. 

Once that was finished, I used a bit of DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics Cadmium Red Hue and my finger to highlight the edges of the chair.  I think it really adds a lot and pulls everything together.

The little tray lifts and it also needed some Christmas cheer! Using a couple of Tim Holtz stamp sets, I stamped "Merry Christmas" onto a plain piece of white tissue paper using Wendy Vecchi's Carnation Red Archival  permanent Ink.  I stamped the holly onto the plain white tissue paper using Wendy Vecchi's Leaf Green Archival permanent ink. Heat set the ink and then tear around the words and holly.  Glue them in place using the Matte Medium and then brush over them to seal them. Again, you can gently heat set this. I added the Stickles to these images as well and let them air dry. Once dry, I added the red paint along the edges with my finger.

Here are a couple of pictures of the finished chair.  This will be so adorable sitting next to my vintage Christmas tree in my entry way this Christmas. I'll probably have a little vintage Santa doll standing in it.

Thanks for stopping by! Be on the look out at flea markets and garage sales for little vintage things like this that you can completely redo and use as Christmas decorations and so forth. Just looking at this makes me happy and brings back lots of childhood memories of my own Christmases when I was a little girl.

FAUX AZTEC INDIAN POT FROM TANDO CREATIVE

Greetings Everyone!

I am SUCH a happy girl now that Fall is here!  It's my favorite time of year!

Today I am pleased and proud to announce a Faux Aztec Indian Pot that I have created and is being shared on DecoArt's Mixed Media Blog.  

Here is a sneak peek at this very colorful and fun piece:

This pot began as nothing more than Grey Board from Tando Creative's Round Pot Kit.  It's a very durable kit and I was amazed at it's strength and easy construction.  

If you're not familiar with Tando Creative's Products, I encourage you to check them out.  Their line of products, including their laser cut greyboard is nothing short of amazing!  Andy Skinner also has specialized Tando Creative pieces at his online store.  Check them out HERE.  

All of the textures and colors and stenciled designs on this pot are from DecoArt's wonderful line of products.  You can see the entire line of products used over on this pictorial tutorial post. Click HERE to be taken to DecoArt's Mixed Media Blog.  Check it out!

Thanks for stopping by!

FROM TRASH TO FARMHOUSE TREASURE

Happy Fall Everyone!

I am loving the cooler temperatures and "nip" in the air.  Before long the leaves will start turning and everything will be going to "sleep" for the winter.

Recently, I was staying at home and decided to pull out an old chair that I bought at a flea market a few years ago.  I bought the chair for $5. Even at just $5, my husband thought I was nuts. (haha)  I have to admit, it was in pretty bad shape.  But, when I looked at it, I could imagine it's place at a family table at one time and the many holidays, celebrations or simple family dinners this chair had been a part of.  It seemed so sad to me that this chair ended up in a flea market with just a $5 tag on it.  (Kind of like seeing someone's old family photographs in a flea market).

But now, I was not imagining this as a chair anymore but more as a decorative little table or plant stand.

So, I cleaned the chair up as best I could and pulled out my paint brushes, rags, and DecoArt Chalk Paints, Stencils and paint brushes.

I first gave the chair a coat of DecoArt Americana Decor Relique Chalk Paint.  It's a dark grey color and I love it.  After it dried, I brushed a coat of DecoArt Americana Decor Everlasting Chalk Paint over it and let it dry.  Next I randomly sanded the edges of the chair and some of the surface.  The grey began to peek out from underneath and I loved the weathered, peeled paint look I was getting.

Next I attached DecoArt's large 12 x 12 Cafe Paris Stencil to the center of the back of the chair and using the Relique Chalk Paint, I stenciled a portion of the design to the chair back.  

So far, so good!  I was loving this new "vintage farmhouse" look.

I measured an area for a table or plant stand top and glued three pieces of birch wood together.  Then I had my son saw cut them for me and router out where that original supports of the chair were.  

I painted this table/planter base the same way I did the chair; sanding and allowing the grey to peek out from underneath.  Next I placed my next DecoArt Americana Mandala 12 x 12 Stencil in the center of the top and taped it in place using painter's tape.  Just as I had done on the back of the chair, I used the Relique Chalk Paint to stencil this fabulous design on the table/planter top.

Isn't this just a gorgeous design?  And look at the crackled, sanded surface of the paint below!  I love it!

 I then wiped some extra of the Relique Chalk Paint around the edges random surface to add to the charm and "age" of the table/planter top.

I slid the table/planter bottom in place and "whalah!" my old, ratty chair was looking pretty proud and stylish once again!  I sprayed a clear matte sealer all over the chair (2 coats) to protect it.  This may end up on my front porch or back patio garden area when the weather is permitting.  Otherwise it will be in my art studio where I can enjoy it.

I've already got some plants sitting on it and I love the very sweet, homespun feeling I get from this chair!

Thanks for stopping by.  This is just a reminder that even old "junk" can be given a new, useful purpose if you just think about it and let your imagination take over.