Vintage Bird Ornaments

Grab some cardboard and some old book pages and make these super cute vintage bird ornaments! Copy a book page if you don't have a damaged book you can use.  Most of what you need to make these ornaments you probably already have, too!  Use curling ribbon or string if you don't have satin ribbon or use scrapbook paper over the cardboard bases if you don't have a stencil. So many variations and Christmas is right around the corner.  I'll bet your friends would love a couple, too.  Happy holidays and always Make Your Mark!

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Cardboard

Wire

Small jingle bells

Americana Acrylics

M Squared Stencils

Americana Decoupage

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Glitter

Cosmetic sponges (for stenciling)

Book pages

 HERE'S HOW

1.  - 3.  Trace, cute and glue together 3 cardboard birds

4.  Cut book pages 1" larger than the bird pattern (all the way around) 

5. - 7.  Mist with water and decoupage to each side of the bird making sure to cut slits so that the edges fold over to the other side

8. - 9.  Stencil and embellish with paint and glitter

10.  Bend a loop on a 5" piece of wire

11.  Push it through the center of the bird and bend a loop on the other side

12.  Hand a bell on the bottom with a jump ring and tie a ribbon on the top to hang

Bird pattern
Cut 3 in cardboard

Merry Christmas!

Alice in Wonderland Garden Plates

I'm a huge fan of MacKenzie Childs, the amazing ceramics and hand painted furniture makers from upstate New York.  When I saw the collection of enamel botanical plates, I was immediately inspired to create a set with my own favorite vintage floral images.  Instead of using a black and white checkerboard accent, I opted for a distressed harlequin.  For some reason these plates remind me of Alice in Wonderland, so that's what I called them.  Order up some wood plates from Walnut Hollow, print out my images here, and you can have a set of amazing chargers for years to come!  Remember to make your dinner table amazing and always Make Your Mark!

 I can't wait to host a dinner with these!

 I love the mix of prints!

Table set for four!

Watch how I made them here! 

STUFF I USED

Wood plates from Walnut Hollow

Americana Decoupage

Gold Paint Pen

Americana Acrylic Paint

Dura Clear Gloss Varnish

Flower prints

Spray bottle with water

HERE'S HOW

1.  Paint the plates front and back and let dry

2.  Carefully cut out your prints

3. & 4.  Trace the curved edge on each piece and cut

5.  Match the curved edges of the cutouts to the edge of each plate and crease the cutout along the center rim of the plate

6.  Clip the cutout up to the crease leaving the rim of the plate in tact

7. Mist the cut outs front and back

8. & 9. Spread Americana Decoupage on the back of the moist image and adhere to the plate

10.  Once you have your plate the way you want it, carefully draw a gold rim around the edge with a metallic paint marker

11.  Coat each plate with Dura Clear Gloss Varnish and let dry

12.  Serve up some dinner!

I think Alice would approve!

Make Your Own Paint By Number!

Did you know that you can turn any image into a paint-by-number?  Well you can and it's pretty darn easy, too!  I couldn't decide whether I wanted to paint trees (my favorite) or cosmetics or robots.  As you can see, the trees won my heart!  Just pop your images into PBNify.com and you're on the way.  Now, the success to a good paint-by-number is how you frame it.  Paint by numbers can look super cool or, well.........I'm just going to say it......tacky.  These Walnut Hollow birch wood rounds were the perfect way to mount and frame my trees.   I love the natural bark around the edges!  Now pull out those paints and make yourself a paint by number!  

Oh, and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 You don't have to be perfect when you're painting trees!

Watch how I did it here!

STUFF I USED

Walnut Hollow Birch Rounds

Images of trees to turn into a paint by number

Americana Acrylic Paints (they come in every color you'll ever need)

Decorative screw rings

Printable canvas

HERE'S HOW

1.  Head over to PBNify.com and turn your image into a paint by number by following the instructions

2.  You'll want to pick 8-9 colors max or it can get very confusing!

3.  Print your line drawing on printable canvas or heavy duty paper

4.  Press a sheet of paper over a birch round to make a creased shape and then cut it out for a pattern

5.  Center and cut the canvas using the paper pattern

6.  Glue the canvas to the birch round

7.  Using the PBNify palette as your guide, pick out your Americana Acrylics to match

8.  Draw out numbers and squirt some corresponding paint colors to keep yourself organized while you paint

9. - 11.  Now get painting and enjoy yourself!

12.  Screw in a decorative hook when you're done and sign the back Picasso!

Mixed Media Affirmation Stones

Not sure about you, but I often need a little reminder on my desk to be more positive.  The work day can be a grind and as the day progresses, I can get a bit grumpy!  These affirmation stones not only look happy, but they're a colorful reminder to be a better human being.  Make one for someone you love and see if it makes a difference.  Remember, make messes, have fun and don't forget to 

Make Your Mark!  xoxox

My new favorite paper weights!

Courage is my favorite!

(Check out this LIST of words)

See how to make them here!

Stuff You'll Need

Americana Acrylic Paints

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paints

Brushes

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Printed affirmations

Smooth stones

Book pages

Americana Decoupage in Gloss

1. & 2.  Cut large circles in book pages, clip the edges and apply to your stones with E-6000 Spray Adhesive

3.  Pick out some fun Americana Acrylic Colors

4.  Paint the face of the stone a light color and edge it in a contrasting color

5. & 6. Trace and fill in a heart in the center

*add shading with either black or white

7. & 8.  Add flames and dots around the heart with short paint strokes and Allure

9.  Add another layer of flames with another color of Allure

10.  Dot around the edges in black

11.  Decoupage your affirmations on the heart

12.  Try different color combinations 

They look amazing if you seal the entire stone with Americana Decoupage in Gloss

Love the Americana Neons!

Nothing like Allure to add some Dimension to your painted projects!

Let's Make Art! Warhol Inspired

A very long time ago, when I first moved to NYC,  I scammed my way into an art opening in SOHO and literally bumped into Andy Warhol!  I actually BUMPED-IN-TO-HIM!  The most I'd hoped for that evening was a table filled with good cheese and some free wine, but that night turned out to be sooooo much more.  I'd always been obsessed with everything Andy.  I loved his handwriting, his shoe illustrations and his huge, colorful portraits.  Today, just for kicks, I'm turning Julie and I into Warhol portraits.  I love this process and I hope you do, too.  Remember, have fun, make messes and don't forget to Make Your Mark! 

Come on, I couldn't just make one!

Watch the process here!

Stuff You'll Need

Your image printed out on transparent paper (Acetate)

*I use PicMonkey to alter my images

Americana Acrylics

Small canvases

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint

E-6000 Spray Adhesive

Paintbrushes

Warhol inspiration

Here's How

1.  On PicMonkey, make your photo black and white and then pump up

the exposure and contrast

2.  Print out on transparent paper and cut around the image

3.  Place the image on the canvas and pencil around the details

*Trace around it, draw in the eyes, lips, chin, and any details that show up

4. 5. 6. & 7.  Paint in the details with Americana Acrylics

*Use a Warhol portrait as a guide

8.  When the paint is dry glue the transparency over the painted canvas

9. Fill in the details with more Americana Acrylics in matching colors

10. 11. & 12.  Add details with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint