DecoArt

Faux Fireplace // Turn a Cork Board into a Chalkboard

15 · Dec 20, 2013 · 3 Comments

The post brought to you by DecoArt // We have moved TWICE in the last year. Yea, good times! Along with new homes, we have also become renters for the first time ever. We decided that when we moved the family to Nebraska that we weren't in a huge hurry to buy a new place. We wanted to rent for a while to see if the Cornhusker state stuck, 'cause… You never know. To be honest, I'm kind of loving renting right now. If something breaks, I don't have to figure out how to fix-it… I have a lovely landlord who takes care of it. One thing I don't like, being stuck with less than ideal style choices in the house.

We were super excited to have a fireplace and a mantel for the first time in a while. However, our landlord had recently added a weird fake electric fire insert to the fireplace and totally ruined the whole look and feel of the thing. I scratched my head trying to figure out how to still decorate the fireplace without the dorky insert killing the whole effect. I decided to cover it with a chalkboard and create my own faux fireplace!

Now, of course I can't find a chalkboard that will fit just right for the size and shape that I was looking for, but that's NO PROBLEM with the Americana Chalkboard paint from DecoArt. You can make ANYTHING into a chalkboard!

I found a cork board at Target that was perfect. The size, the shape and even the frame were perfect… The question, how well will cork work as a chalkboard? The answer, amazingly well! Here is how I made it…

Supplies

Cork board

Americana Chalkboard paint – Black

Americana Multi-Surface Satin – Black

Sponge roller

Sponge brush

Chalk

Pencil sharpener

Directions

Now, this is the easiest pant project EVER!! Take your cork board and lay on a flat surface. Gather your supplies…

Start with the Mulit-Surface satin. You don't even need a paint bowl, just pour a bit of paint on the board and roll-out. Cover the whole cork board…

I used my foam brush to do the edging. Once that paint was dry, (it only took about 20-30 minutes) I repeated the process with the Americana Chalkboard Paint. I made sure the whole board was covered and then let it dry.

Now this is the hard part… Even though the paint is dry, you need to wait for two days before you season your chalkboard. Your paint needs time to cure and to fully set, so give it time to do just that. After two days, you then need to season your chalkboard.

What is seasoning? When you use a chalkboard, you don't want to have ghost images left behind when you erase them. If you draw or write on a chalkboard before it has been seasoned little particles of chalk will fill in what ever holes are in the board. Little minuscule holes that you can't see, but the chalk undoubtedly will find, move in and never leave! In order to avoid that, you rub chalk all over the board and "season" it. That way you fill in any possible holes before you write on it and thus prevent any ghost images left behind.

Place the piece of chalk on it's side and rub all over the board. Then with a paper towel, rub the chalk into the board.

Now, your chalkboard is ready to use. I commissioned my talented daughter Hannah to draw a fire for me. She has WAY more talent than I have when it comes to that kind of work.

Then all I had to do was place it in front of the fireplace insert and voilá the problem was solved! Now, I have a cute fireplace that I can finally dress up!

I placed a few birch logs that I bought at Michaels in front to add to the illusion. I think it turned out super CUTE!!

The "May your Days be Merry & Bright" hand painted sign was created by At Home with K, she is a local artist here in Lincoln and her work is SUPER CUTE!! You should check her out.

I made the stockings myself and even though it's a little late for this year, I will post a tutorial and you can save it for next year if you are interested. They turned out super fun and you won't believe what I made them out of.

Disclaimer // I am part of the DecoArt Core Blogger Group. I received product and payment for this post.

From Napkin Rings to Beautiful Wreaths, Five Festive Ornament Frame Ideas

11 · Nov 24, 2013 · 11 Comments

This post brought to you by Michaels Craft Stores // I have always been a fan of the Ornament Frame, they are just perfect for creating all kinds of goodies for the holidays. I've given them as personalized gifts for years. This year, Michaels challenged me to come up with FIVE different "out of the frame" ideas for crafting with ornament frames.

Merry Christmas Banner

We will start with my Merry Christmas banner. This one was last minute inspiration, but turned out to be one of my favorite projects. I used my Silhouette Portrait to cut letters out of gold vinyl and then affixed it to the face of the frame. Then, this is the good part… I found these super cute gift bags at Michaels that I just fell in love with. I thought they would be a great background for the letter frames to make a fun banner. SUPER cool and SUPER easy to make. You don't have to cut any paper just use the bag as is as your banner background!

This year's hot trend is using both silver and gold together so, I thought the silver frames would look fantastic with the gold accents.

The banner looks perfect in my new GIANT shadow box…

Personalized Napkin Rings

This idea was super simple and will add a little flair to your holiday table. Just use a little chalkboard paint on the face of the frame to make a chalkboard surface. Glue the frame onto a basic napkin ring and you're set.

Use a chalkboard maker to personalize your stylish napkin rings. You can even use a 3D Glue Dot to temporarily affix your frame to the napkin ring. At the end of the night, add the ribbon back and send the ornament home with your guests as a party favor.

Decorative Wall Art

This piece was so fun to make. I again employed my Silhouette Portrait to help with this project. I cut several holiday images out of their gold vinyl and affixed it to the face of the frames. Then I glued the frames to an inexpensive silver charger that I found at Michaels. I LOVE how this turned out!!

Accent Element

This one is SIMPLE… I used one of the ornament frames to add a little accent element to a sign that I had created. Again, I used my Silhouette to cut the 2013 out of gold vinyl and affixed it to the frame. It was a great addition to my shadow box display…

Personalized Gift Tag

Last, but not least… I created a decorative gift tag that can be used over and over and over. I used one of those cute tiny gift bags that I had left over from the banner, cut it to size and then placed that inside the frame. You can then use dry erase or chalkboard makers to write the name on the tag and voilá, you have a stunning gift tag that anyone will love!

Well… there you have it. 5 different ways to create with a simple ornament frame. Did that get your imagination running? What would you make? Take a little time to "think outside the frame" and create something fun with some ornament frames!

Disclaimer // This post was sponsored by Michaels Craft Stores. I receive product from Michaels in order to create the projects in the post.

Black & White Halloween Pumpkins for The Great Pumpkin Challenge

28 · Sep 4, 2013 · 15 Comments

The Great Pumpkin Challenge brought to you by Michaels Craft Stores // I CAN"T WAIT FOR FALL!! I've thoroughly enjoyed summer, ate it up really but, I'm over the heat and the bugs and I'm ready for those cool crisp fall days. More than anything I'm ready to start decorating for fall and all the fun holidays that come with the cool temperatures. Not too long ago, Michaels sent me some of their famous pumpkins and invited me to participate in The Great Pumpkin Challenge and this is what I came up with…

A classic black & white Halloween display. As much as I love color, there is just something stunning about black & white when it comes to Halloween. Here's a breakdown of each pumpkin…

This one is just a simple decorative ribbon that I found at Michaels and wrapped it using small t-pins to secure the ribbon at the top and bottom of the pumpkin. Super easy!!

Love, love, love this one that I stenciled using Black DecoArt Patio Paint and their Mixed Media Stencils. This one was a little more challenging. I pinned the stencil to the pumpkin and then carefully laid each section of the stencil down onto the pumpkin using my finger to press each section down. Going section by section, I used a makeup sponge as a pouncer and carefully went around the clock, making sure not to overload the pouncer and it turned out great. Slow & steady wins the race on this one.

I also painted an orange pumpkin black with the Patio Paint. This stuff is amazing!! This was ONE coat…

I'm going to be using that paint a whole lot more now that I know how amazing it is.

For my polka dot pumpkin I used the DecoArt Patio Paint again, on the inside of the pumpkin and then a Hot Knife from Micheals to cut out the polka dots. That tool is a must when it comes to working with this type of pumpkin. It cuts like butter!!

These two are just wrapped in ribbon with a couple of cute bows. For these I used t-pins and a couple of glue dots to secure the ribbon in place. Again, super easy.

What's your favorite way to dress up your pumpkins for Fall or for Halloween? Michaels is hosting a fun Great Pumpkin event on October 5th from 1:00-3:00. For $6 your kiddos can design their very own pumpkin and there will be a face painter on hand for even more festive fun.

A little intimidated to carve you own pumpkin? Not to worry, Michaels is also offering professional carving services at their store. You can choose from 25 designs and then personalize them as well. Prices start at $19.99 and if you want it by Halloween, you need to place your order by October 13th.

So… What are you going to create for The Great Pumpkin challenge this year? Take some photos and tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can see what you create!

Striped Straw Jar with DecoArt Glass Paint Markers and Diet Coke

0 · Aug 14, 2013 · 5 Comments

This post brought to you by DecoArt Glass Paint // For the 2nd time in 10 months we are MOVING!! Needless to say, I am excited to finally be in a home that fits our family better, but the idea of packing up and moving again is not very appealing AT ALL! We knew this move was going to happen soon, so we didn't unpack a ton, so this move should be easier than last time.

One thing I did learn last time, is that you need to create a system that really works for you. A system that is productive, smart and provides yourself and your helpers with LOTS of rewards. For me, one of my favorite treats is a Diet Coke. I just LOVE the stuff! I would drink it like water if I could get away with it. I love the flavor, I love the bubbles and quite frankly there are times when there is nothing better on this planet than a good, cold Diet Coke. Because of that, it is a great motivating treat for me. More than almost any little treat. If I know that a Diet Coke is at the end of the chore, my git-up, gets a going.

That's why for this move I created a Diet Coke Station with a few fun little items to dress-up the station to motivate myself and all of my helpers during the drudgery of packing…

I used my handy chalkboard clipboard and then dressed-up a Ball jar with some red stripes for my straw jar with DecoArt Glass Paint Markers and then set-out to move mountains. The striped jar was super simple to make, here is what you will need to do…

Supplies for the Striped Straw Jar

Ball wide mouths 1 1/2 pt. jar
DecoArt Glass Paint Markers – Americana Glass Paints are available at Michaels, JoAnn Fabric and Craft Stores, Pat Catan's Craft Centers, A.C. Moore, Beverly's, and other fine craft retailers. Click HERE for more information on Americana Glass Paints.
Tape – I used a thin washi tape but any type of washi or painters tape will do.

Instructions for Striped Straw Jar

Before you begin, you need to prepare your glass jar by cleaning it with alcohol and let dry. Then apply the tape to the jar to create your desired stripe look…

I wanted nice thick stripes but you may like a different style, so don't tie yourself down to my look. Next, the super easy part… Color on your paint using the DecoArt Glass Paint Markers. No mess, no fuss, they are perfect for this kind of project!!

Carefully remove the tape once you are finished and let dry for a few hours. Add your stylish straws to the jar (I found mine though Pick Your Plum) and voilá… Grabbing a Diet Coke has just been kicked up a few notches!

Looking for a great deal on Glass Paint? DecoArt has a rebate just for you guys!!

// Click on image to find full rebate offer //

Looking for some more inspiration? We have a whole slew of talented bloggers who have also come up with some fun DecoArt Glass Paint projects. Click through to find all kinds of Glass Paint love…

Disclaimer // I am part of the DecoArt Core Bloggers and have received payment for this post along with free product. I am also a Brand Ambassador for Diet Coke and have received free product. However, all thoughts, ideas and opinions are my very own!