Cardboard Clay - Upcycled DIY

So many cardboard boxes piling up right now, and though I love turning them into funky postcards, I thought it might be more fun to figure out a cardboard clay recipe.  It took a while and some tinkering around, but I finally did it!  The first batch had too much glue, the 2nd batch didn't dry right, the third batch was just right and dried hard as a rock!  So far I've just filled silicone molds with it, but I'll get around to making a bowl or covering an armature eventually.  Until then, why don't you whip up a batch and see what you come up with?  Have fun, upcycle and don't forget to

Make Your Mark!

 My colorful cardboard clay pins!

 Never bored with cardboard!

STUFF I USED

My molds: https://amzn.to/39P7v4U Americana Acrylics: https://amzn.to/2UFQwgQ E6000 Plus: https://amzn.to/30GJc4P Pin Backs: https://amzn.to/3dWSnp4 Triple Thick Gloss Glaze: https://amzn.to/2UIrD4e

Watch how to make CARDBOARD CLAY here!

Or watch it on YouTube HERE!

The sacred hearts are my favorite! 

 I think these would make an awesome necklace, too!

From boxes to brooches!

Electric Bracelets - Upcycled Cardboard Craft

This project harkens back to 2nd grade art class (FYI, my favorite class ever) where we took yarn and tinfoil to make awesome works of art to adorn every fridge in my hometown.  Well, at least until the turkey hand project took over.  I kicked this one up a notch for my fresh and funky fashion friends and used aluminum tape and gorgeous Marabu Alcohol Inks which come in fantabulous colors.  The best part about this project, for me, is that I get to upcycle cardboard and make them in all different wrist sizes!  Your waste bin is the best place to find craft supplies, my resourceful friends!  Now get out there and Make Your Mark!

 Serious colorful fun!

 For a fantastic, fashion-y night out!

EVERYTHING I USED FOR THIS PROJECT:

Marabu Alcohol Inks: https://bit.ly/3dcKlrR

SUREBONDER DETAIL GLUE GUN: https://amzn.to/2tJxueL

ALL the SUREBONDER PRODUCTS: https://amzn.to/2Rw5kNt

Aluminum Tape: https://amzn.to/38XjQ6n

DuraClear Gloss Varnish: https://amzn.to/2U0CVkb

Watch how to make them here!

Try using just one or two colors!

 I used stripes, but you could use any design!

I love the nightlife! I like to boogie!

Mini Art Journals DIY - Upcycled Cardboard & Gel Press DIY

My mom has a room in her house with every wall covered in shadow boxes filled with miniatures.  She's been collecting them since she was a little girl and they are fascinating.  I like tiny things, but that particular bug never bit me until I started seeing MINI ART JOURNALS on Pinterest.  Since I love to bind art books AND make art journals I thought, why not give this a try?!  The best part is that I got to use my Gel Press to make all the amazing pages for them in no time.  Working on a larger scale with the Gel Press and then cutting down the pages was a perfect way to get tons of color on the pages without having to start from scratch on each page.  Now I can stuff one in my canvas tote and take it to the coffee shop to work on it with my acrylic markers.  Art On The Go is the BEST, my creative possums!  Now get out there and Make Your Mark! 

THINGS I USED

Gel Press: https://amzn.to/364hn95

DecoArt Paints: https://amzn.to/2PAzk9H

My Amazon Store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/markmontano

3" x 2 1/2  Perfect size for your pocket or purse but you can make them any size you want!

I'm trying my hand at cardboard "rubber" stamps.  Still working out the kinks!

Watch how to make it here!

 Make several at a time.  Color copy your favorite pressed pages for filler!

Happy journaling!

Tin Valentines - Upcycled Cardboard DIY

This project hearkens back to grade school when we would glue yarn to cardboard and then glue tinfoil on top.  Damn I loved that craft!  My sweet mom has an entire closet filled with kids art projects that she considers the most valuable of her possessions...I'm sure there are still a few tinfoil/yarn masterpieces in there to this day!  But, I digress.  These are and updated version made with my new (and totally awesome) Surebonder detail glue gun and aluminum tape which is used for duct work.  You can grab the tape for a song at any hardware store and most 99c stores!  Here's a link to my awesome new glue gun!  Bring back the kids crafts for Valentine's Day and don't forget to 

Make Your Mark!

I really need a Valentine's Day Christmas tree for these!

A little bit Lisa Frank, right?!

Watch how to make them here!

The best part is sniffing the permanent markers!

Happy Valentine's Day, possums!

Vintage Heart Ornaments

Got some cardboard, beads and wire in your craft stash?  If so, why not make some vintage heart ornaments to give away this Valentine's Day!  This is the perfect project to use up that stack of Amazon Prime cardboard.  I used stencils to decorate my hearts, but you could hand paint them or decoupage images on them...Whatever you want!   Surprise your loved ones by hanging one from the rear view mirror in their car on Valentine's Day!  I have a feeling they would just love it. 

Enjoy the holiday of love and don't forget to Make Your Mark!

 YOU are the key to my heart...

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Cardboard & book pages

Americana Decoupage

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in Gold Glitter

DecoArt Stencil

Wire & wire cutters

Keys, ribbon & beads

DecoArt Extreme Sheen & Americana Acrylics in Cadmium Red

Optional: Glitter & Glue

HERE'S HOW

1.  & 2. Cut out cardboard hearts & glue them together in layers of 3

3.  Cut out book pages about 1" larger than the hearts all the way around

4.  After misting the book page with water, spread decoupage on it and place your heart in the center

 *Clip the edges and fold them over the side of the heart and repeat on the other side until the

entire heart is covered in text

5. When the heart is dry, stencil it with red acrylic paint

6. - 8. Embellish with Gold Glitter Allure or glue and glitter

9.  Bend a loop on the end of a 6" piece of wire

10.  Pierce the heart from top to bottom and bend another loop on the end of the wire

11.  Hang beads and a key from more wire from the base and a ribbon for hanging from the top

12.  Glue on a printed banner

 Ready for Valentine's Day!

Beauty and the Beast Castle Mirror

I'm absolutely sure that in a past life I lived in a castle.  It's the only logical explanation for my love of chandeliers, brocade fabrics and fireplaces that you could literally rent out as a NYC studio apartment.  Later this month Disney reinvents Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson and I seriously cannot wait to see it.  Disney asked that I create a little something to celebrate the release, so here it is......A castle mirror that can be made on a pauper's budget.   Hey, Belle fell in love with a beast, why not a cardboard mirror?  Remember to recycle, paint things brilliant metallic gold 

and always Make Your Mark!   

 I cannot wait to see this movie!

 For this version I added some extra rows of cardboard leaves

Watch me put it together here!

STUFF I USED

Dollar store mirror

E-6000 Glue

Allure Metallic in Gold Leaf

Americana Acrylic Paint in Sweet Mint

Americana Decor Metallics in Vintage Brass

Sponges

1/4" thick plywood (or cardboard) base

Cardboard scraps

Gems

HERE'S HOW

1. Create the shape of your base and then trace the mirror shape in the center

*This will help when you start gluing

2. & 3.  Cut diamond shapes in cardboard and then trim them into leaf shapes

4.  Starting at the penciled line, glue rows of leaves around and around working your way to the edge of the base

5.  Paint everything with Vintage Brass and let dry

6.  Embellish the leaves with Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint and let dry

7.  Add a light patina around the edges with the Americana Acrylic Paint in Sweet Mint using a sponge

8. & 9.  Randomly glue on gems around the mirror and then glue in the mirror using E-6000 Glue

Tale as old as time......

Cardboard Gingerbread House Ornaments

Two weeks before Thanksgiving I decided to give up sugar so that during the holidays I could splurge a few times without guilt.  It's been rough!  I wanted to make gingerbread houses this year but the fact is, they wouldn't have lasted a day with my sugar addiction.  Nope, homeless tiny elves would have carried a grudge all year and we couldn't have that.  I opted for some simple non-edible cardboard houses for my tree.  They look good enough to eat, but trust me on this, they're not tasty.  Hey, if you can figure out a way to hinge the roof or base, you'll have an amazing gift box!  Remember to recycle, make ornaments and always Make Your Mark!  

Love the simplicity of this project!

It takes a village!

Resting in the branches

Watch how to make them here!

STUFF I USED

Pattern for the ornament

Glue gun

Allure Dimensional Design Adhesive Paint in White Gloss

Cutting knife

Cardboard

HERE'S HOW
1. & 2. Cut out the paper pattern and trace it on the cardboard
3. Make sure to draw the score lines on the cardboard, too.
*not just the outline of the pattern
4.  Cut out the shapes with a craft knife or heavy duty scissors
5.  Lightly score along the score lines
6. & 7.  Bend and glue the pieces together to create the house
8.  Place the base of the house on cardboard and trace around it to create the "floor"
9.  Cut and glue the "floor" of the ornament on the bottom
10. & 11.  Draw the details on the house and grab some E-6000 Allure in Gloss White
12.  "Ice" the gingerbread house with the Allure until you're happy with it
Glue a ribbon on top and hang from your tree!

Constallation Organizers DIY

Spaced out at your desk?  Need to get a bit more organized?  Why not recycle a standard shipping box from the post office and make these awesome CONSTELLATION ORGANIZERS!  

My favorite part of this project is the stars made from stick-on gems.  These are perfect to spruce up your office or organize your locker.  

My trio of constellation organizers

These would make Captain James Kirk jealous!

Watch the video tutorial here!

YOU'LL NEED

Print out of constellations 

Americana Multi Surface Satin Paint in Black Tie

Paintbrush

Priority shipping boxes from the post office (or recycled)

Glue

Stick-on gems

Krylon Short Cuts in Silver or Gold metallic

Ruler

Craft knife

Assemble the box 

Draw a line from corner to corner with a pencil

Intersect the line 3 1/2" up from the base of the box on each side

Draw a curve where the lines intersect on each side

Repeat on the other side

Connect the 3 1/2" lines on the sides of the box

 Cut along the lines with a craft knife

*This will give you two organizers

Cut an extra piece of cardboard 3 1/2" by the width of your box plus 3"

Score 1 1/2" in on each side and bend to create flaps

Glue the flaps to the inside of the mouth of the box to create an area for pencils

Print in gray scale to save ink

Paint the entire box with Americana Multi-Surface Satin Paint in Black Tie

When dry, lightly draw your constellations in pencil

Mark over the lines with a silver Krylon Short Cuts metallic paint marker

Connect the lines with stick-on rhinestones 

Make hundreds of dots with the metallic paint pen to create the night sky

You're done!