home decor projects

Chevron Give Thanks Printable Decor

How are those fall mantels coming along? There are so many options for decor this time of year, that I have been overwhelmed with choices and unable to decide on anything. Today, I share with you the chevron “give thanks” printable, as well as a step by step for how I created the plate that is bring all of this together… Finally.

Supplies:

Click here for printable…

Plate or MDF candle holder (I got mine at Michaels recently for $3

Super 77 or your choice of adhesive
Wire or jute and staple gun (glue gun if you are using glass or plastic plate) if you want to hang your plate
Medium grit sand paper (150)
Lint free cloth

Instructions:

Lightly sand your plate and wipe away debris with a damp, lint free cloth
Measure the inner circle diameter of your plate, and size the free printable accordingly. Mine was exactly 7.5 inches. Print image on glossy photo paper and let dry 10 minutes before moving to the next step
Cut out using black circle outline as your guide (which you should have sized to match the diameter of the inner circle)

Spray Super 77 or other mounting spray on surface of plate and back of image, BOTH.
Press image down onto center of plate, making sure you get placement right before making contact. This stuff really sticks.
Use palm of hand to smooth image down from the center out.
To hang, I stapled jute to the back with my staple gun.

You may want to seal with a layer of mod podge for protecting the image. I was too eager to hang it up, so I skipped this part, but should do it for when I change my mantel and store this for next year.

Super easy project and I love how it looks. What do you think?

Make Crepe Paper Garland – {A Girl and Her Scout}

by Johnnie Collier

I have developed quite the crush on garland lately, just cannot get enough. The wide array of supplies used to make it never ceases to amaze me. This project is perfect for you DIYers who love decorating with things you have on hand to create simple beauty from the everyday. Please welcome Allison!

Hello All! My name is Allison. I am the one-woman show behind hoop~da~loop (www.hoopdaloop.etsy.com), my Etsy shop of whimsical party decorations and unique gifts, and my little blog A Girl and Her Scout (www.agirlandherscout.blogspot.com). I am passionate about creating handmade party supplies and creating fun events that ooze personality with a dash of crazy! I am so pleased to share a little DIY with you guys today that is EXTREMELY customizable for your needs and really affordable and simple! See how to make these Crepe Paper Tassel Garlands in four easy steps below.

Materials:

Crepe paper in any colors of your choice
Scissors
String of any kind (I am using natural jute, but yarn, thread, hemp… it all works just as well.)

Step one: Cute a few strips of crepe paper (in a square or rectangle shape). Depending on how large you want to make your tassels, you can cut them at whatever length. I suggest starting with five inches. You can also make your tassels thicker and thinner. I like to mix it up, but start with using three rectangles to get the hang of it and play with it from there.

Step two: Cut the crepe paper longwise almost to the middle on both sides. (be sure to snip the ends if they are connected like mine!) See photo below.

Step Three. Twist the crepe paper in the middle tightly, gradually bending it into a loop and twist that a couple of times to make sure it stays in place.

Step Four: String them on your string of choice!

You can make these as long and as short as you want. Hang your garlands in a nursery, at a wedding, or even attach them to lollipop sticks to create a cake topping. The possibilities are endless! And don’t forget- you don’t have to attach the tassels to the string. You can put them on lots of things like this pail I have in my shop (http://www.etsy.com/listing/82681548/custom-wedding-favor-tin-wedding-favor). This would look really cute with some saltwater taffy for a wedding favor.

What will you use your tassel garland for?

Fall Pennant Bunting DIY

by Johnnie Collier

Paper pennant bunting is super easy to make, and adds instant festivity to your decor, whatever the season or occasion. This holds true for Halloween and harvest accessorizing too. I used scrapbook paper in fall colors that will go with both Halloween and Thanksgiving so that I could leave it up until time for Christmas decorating. Read on for this no sew, no glue paper bunting tutorial, complete with cut file template for Cricut!

Supplies:

Scrapbook paper
Die Cut machine, or scissors to cut freehand
circle hole punch
jute

Instructions:

Download template jpg for use with 12×12 inch paper and die cut machine, here.

Pull the image up in SCAL and cut triangles out of coordinating patterned papers.
Punch holes with hole punch near top 2 corners of each triangle and insert jute string from front back in left side hole, then bring it through right side hole back to front. Continue this until all your triangle are strung…

Hang and enjoy. You can stencil word on there if you want, or otherwise embellish.

DIY Apothecary Set

by Johnnie Collier

If someone in your household happens to acquire a surprise piano for his birthday, congratulations. You have just inherited a lovely surface and area to express your creative DIY skills. Yesterday I showed you the music quote subway art (click here for free printable). Today I will demonstrate how to create these cheap and easy dollar store apothecary jars.

Supplies:

5 inch round wooden plaques (got mine at Michaels)
candle sticks
glass jars from dollar tree
black spray paint (I used rustoleum oil rubbed bronze from Lowe’s)
E6000 craft glue

Instructions:

Spray paint your bases and candle sticks and let dry

Glue candlesticks to bases and glass jars to candlesticks. And you are done… Magic!

Put them in place and fill them with whatever. I love how these look, and the fact that their fillers can be changed out to coordinate with the seasons, for a year round accent. Snatch up those goodwill candlesticks and jars and make your very own!

Plaid Painted Pumpkin

by Johnnie Collier

Are you as obsessed with decorating pumpkins as we are here at SBLC? What a fun time of year for creative festivity. There are some amazing painted pumpkins circulating out there. I was inspired by some of the plaid painted designs to create my own. Grab some painters tape and join me!

Supplies:

Painters tape, pumpkin, acrylic paint in colors of your choice

Instructions:

Tape off stripes and paint! I just randomly placed my stripes as I went. No plan. You may want to have a plaid pattern in front of you for inspiration, or just wing it. When you switch colors, make sure the paint is dry before applying tape over it. I used my handy heat tool to speed along the drying process. Simple as that!

What do you think. How are you decorating your pumpkins this year?

Dimensional Polka Dot Pumpkins and Fall Porch

by Johnnie Collier

Not all unintentional crafting outcomes are craft fails. Sometimes they are happy accidents. Here, I had planned on using vinyl paper punched circles as stencils to create black pumpkins with orange polka dots. However, my circle paper punch kept snagging on the vinyl, cutting choppy and irregular circles. This led to my unplanned, but loved, dimensional dot pumpkins. Tutorial below!

Supplies:

Pumpkins (I used craft pumpkins from Michaels)
Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint by Rustoleum, or color of your choice

Circle dimensional stickers – I think I got mine at Michaels, but I am sure they have them anywhere there are stickers. They don’t have to be cute, just puffy. You are spray painting over them.

Instructions:

Apply dimensional stickers in desired patter onto clean, dry pumpkin.
Spray paint entire pumkin and enjoy!

The orange crackle pumpkin I made using the technique I showed you here. The urns are plastic and came from Lowes for $6 each. I spray painted them with the same black I used on the dimensional dot pumpkins.

Some window bunting from Halloween patterned cardstock, and harvest bomb is now complete. The girls love their front porch, and aside from a brief unpleasant encounter with the parking police, I had a blast. Before and after…

Martha Stewart Pumpkin Transfers

by Johnnie Collier

Last minute pumpkin decorating is a cinch with Martha Stewart Pumpkin Transfers. If you are looking for a quick, no carve way to create festive Halloween decor, this is a great option. Several designs are available, from spiders to witches to traditional pumpkin faces. A $4 package will adorn several pumpkins with crisp, clean lined transfers in no time.

Supplies:

Pumpkins
Martha Stewart Pumpkin Transfers
Damp Paper Towel

Instructions:

Remove the desired transfer from perforated sheet

Peel away clear protective sheet

Place image side down on clean, dry pumpkin

Pat white backing paper with damp paper towel, making sure to wet entire surface of backing

Slide backing away carefully, leaving transfer

That is it. Way simple. I used these pumkins for part 2 of Harvest Bomb. SO fun!! Stay tuned this week to learn about the $12 urns, and dimensional polka dot pumkpins…

Recycled Magazine Page Bowl

by Johnnie Collier

At it again. Today I have some new tips to share with you that will make these projects easier. They are still time consuming as all get out, but with a couple of extra steps you can be sure to get beautiful results with your magazine strips everytime.

Here I showed you how to fold and coil strips. I have been folding and gluing for awhile now, and I am finding it much easier to use 1/4 magazine page sections to make the strips. They are easier to fold, and look neater (since they are not as thick) than the 1/2 page method I showed you in the link above. I use a paper cutter to cut a stack of magazine pages into quarters lengthwise (the vase in the pic is sitting on 1/4 pages).

The next tip is so helpful. If you dip each strip in glue, let them dry, then spritz them with water, they become easier to work with and shape into your desired creation. It kinda becomes like working with clay! To do this, I put 2 parts elmers glue, one part water in a vase like the one above (which I got at the dollar tree). I dipped the strip in, flipped it over and dipped the other half and ran it through 2 fingers to remove excess glue. Then I placed each strip on a non stick craft sheet. Wax paper would work too.

I let them dry for a couple of days, spritzed them with water in a mister bottle, and began coiling and shaping. SO much easier this way. I still sealed the final piece for durability and strength.

For the bowl, I started with a coil at the center, then made a rounded corner square by cutting strips in graduated lengths and creating the four corners. Once I had the corners in place, I began coiling around the entire shape, working up and out to make the bowl. Hard to explain, but you can see what I did in the pics. Working on a video tutorial!

Fall Front Porch Reveal

by Johnnie Collier

I have shown you a pumpkin and wreath here and there. Now for the full reveal. This porch was DIY frugal all the way. Using supplies you probably have on hand, some fall foliage from your yard, and some creativity, you will be well on your way to a cozy, welcoming autumn porch.

Save old paint cans and paint them in fall colors. Here I used masking tape to create the stripes on the black can. I gathered the husk from the ground at a local park to put in the can. The pumpkin I spray painted black, painted acrylic blue over that, then rubbed off in most places with a dry towel. I love the distressed look that came out of it. I wrapped some orange cotton yarn around the stem and threw a hand stamped tag on there.

Here are the blue crackle pumpkins from the post linked above. Easy and quick, you check it out if you like the look. The spray painted white gourd is adorned with self adhesive scrapbooking border. What I love about this part is that I actually grew the squash. Can’t say I have ever grown my own home decor until now!

Here is another paint can with white stripe painted on, as well as a white pumpkin with black crackle stamp like the blue above. The give thanks pumpkin came from last year’s fall decor. I spray painted over the white pumpkin with its vinyl lettering, then removed the vinyl, leaving white words on black pumpkin.

There you have it. Frugal fall decor possibilities are endless. What are some of your favorite ideas?

Easy Blue Crackle Pumpkins

by Johnnie Collier

This time of year brings a parade of creatively embellished pumpkin decor to fit any style out there. I have posted on SBLC’s facebook fan page some of my favorites over the past week, eluding to my recent pumpkin painting marathon. This project was inspired by Beth at Home Stories. Here is her version, using crackle medium. Today I will share with you an alternative way to create this faux crackle effect with using stamps. The result is beautiful with fewer steps involved, and greater control over the amount and placement of the cracks.

Supplies:

Fake or real pumpkins, gourds; I got my pumpkins at dollar tree and the gourds from my garden
Spray primer
light blue acrylic paint for the pumpkin, black for the stem
Staz on jet black ink pad
Flexible crackle texture stamp

Instructions:

Remove the stems from the plastic pumpkins and spray on white primer. When that is dry, paint over primer with light blue acrylic paint. I used Martha Stewart craft paint in Sky Blue.
While that is drying, paint the stems you black.
When pumpkins are dry (I used a heat tool to speed this along), ink up your texture sheet and randomly apply crackle stamp to surface. You can go for just a little crackle, to a heavy effect. If you go overboard, you can always paint over the stamp with blue. The flexible stamp allows you to get into the curves and depressions.

That is it! I thought up this technique after a botched attempt using crackle medium, and I am thrilled with its simplicity and effectiveness. What do you think? What are you doing with pumpkin decor this year?

Chevron Give Thanks Printable Decor

Make Crepe Paper Garland – {A Girl and Her Scout}

Fall Pennant Bunting DIY

DIY Apothecary Set

Plaid Painted Pumpkin

Dimensional Polka Dot Pumpkins and Fall Porch

Martha Stewart Pumpkin Transfers

Recycled Magazine Page Bowl

Fall Front Porch Reveal

Easy Blue Crackle Pumpkins

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