Personalized Wooden Picture Frames

Each year I get pictures of my son and give them to family in a picture frame.  This year I found wooden unfinished frames for $4.00 and decided to paint and personize them for each recipient.  I also made a moasiac wooden frame that hang the pictures from wires that I converted from dollar store “canvas” signs.

This was a great way to add a personal touch using colors and themes enjoyed by each individual for little cost.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Wooden Frame
• Dollar store “canvas” signs
• Acrylic paint – in desired colors
• Crafting jewels and scrapbooking adornments as desired
• Staple gun and staples
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Paperclips or small clothes pins
• Crafting wire
• Needle nose pliers
• Wire cutters

Since you don’t really need a step by step tutorial on painting the frames I will just provide instructions for building your moasiac wooden frame that holds pictures from wires.

1. Tear “canvas” paper off of the frames.
2. These were approximately 9 x 6 inches tall, so I measured 1.5 inches on each side to mount together with space in the center for a smaller picture.
3. Hot glue together and then add a couple of staples for added support.
4. Paint the frame as desired.
5. Staple each side where you want to secure the wire to hang your pictures cut wires and sucure wire using needle nose pliers to make a knot around the staples.
6. Use paperclips or mini clothes pins to hang pictures.

I love DIY because it allows for a personalized touch, but also if you think outside of the box you can do it for little cost too!  Happy Crafting and merry Christmas everyone!

Dave Matthews Band Fire Dancer Decorative Ornament

My sister is probably the biggest Dave Matthews Band fan to walk the face of this planet.  She’s been to so many of his concerts I think that she’s even lost counts, following him all the way to the east coast and back!  

With that in mind I decided to sculpt a Fire Dancer ornament to give her as a Christmas gift this year and I think it came out pretty amazing considering it was made from aluminum foil, sculpey and acrylic paint.

I separately sculpted the legs, torso and arms and pieced them together by smoothing out the clay together the same way I did in my Bumble sculpting (Mini Sculpting: The Bumble).  I screwed a small eye bolt into the head area to hand it before baking it.

After baking it and allowing it to cool off, I painted it red and yellow allowing the paint to bleed into each other to make an appearance of flames.

Jack Skellington and Sally Christmas Ornaments – Simply Meant to Be

OMy sister in-law is as crazed about the Nightmare Before Christmas as I am and loves Jack and Sally, So this year I made her a couple of ornaments for her tree.  These were particularly fun to make and I think really turned out cute.  I’m hoping they can brighten her spirits this year since she recently experienced the loss of her mother and is having a hard time year.
MATERIAL NEEDED:

• Blue and champagne colored glitter
• Black, white, and red acrylic paint
• Red yarn
• Clear jewelery making plastic string
• Sculpey
• Sculpey Bake and Bond
• Hot glue gun and glue
• Sculpting tools 
• Plastic ornament bulbs

Follow the instructions from my article for the Grinch Glitter Ornament.

Sally:

1. Paint almond shaped eyes horizontally using the white paint. Painting 2-3 coats until you can no longer see the blue coming through.
2. Trace the eyes in black paint and draw a small arch over each eye making her eye lids, then carefully add her eyelashes and under eye circles.
3. Add the black pupils to her eyes and once dry add a few white dots of paint for a sparkle in the eyes.
4. Add a round up turned half circle for her nose in black paint.
5. Draw her small heart shaped lips mixing a little red and black together for her lips.
6. Draw aine going over her left eye and the add horizontal lines running through it to make her stitches. 
7. Run a second line underneath that same eye running towards the back of the ornament adding stitch lines horizontally.
8. Add a line through her mouth running through the one under her eye and add the horizontal stitch marks.
9. Cut yarn to desired length and hot glue to the top of the ornament using a low temperature glue gun.
10. Put the ornament cap back on and hang up to enjoy!

Jack:

1. Paint his face in your desired look using black paint.
2. Using sculpey modeling clay, smooth out the shape of his bow tie on a flat surface adding each branch and smoothing it out. Add a small hole with the needle tool to the top of the head to run the string through.
3. Shape a small pointy heart for the bat head and using a ball tip tool press into the head to create eye sockets secure to the tie with sculpey Bake and bond and bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.
4. While baking, use your needle tip sculpting tool to poke a hole in the bottom of the ornament to run the string through.
5. Paint the bow tie black front to back and then add white lines.
6. Once dry, tie an end of the plastic string through the tie and knot it 2-3 times cutting off the extra end.  Run other end through the hole pushing it as far up as desired and then add a bit of hot glue to keep it in place.

These are fun and easy to make and are sure to be enjoyed by any Nightmare Before Christmas fan! I hope they’ve inspired you to make your very own!  Happy crafting and merry Christmas!

Commemorative Fingerprint Snowman Ornaments

A tradition in my family has been to collect an ornament each year, but ever since I discovered my love of crafting I have been making my own.  This year my son and I did a special collaboration with him lending me his finger tips to make my snowmen.

This is a really simple and cute craft that commemorates tiny fingers for future years.  

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Red glitter
• Mop and Glow
• Clear plastic or glass ornament
• Acrylic paint – white, black, blue, and orange
• Red wire ribbon

1. Pour Mop and Glow into the ornament and swish around the the inside plugging the end with your finger tip; empty the excess.
2. Pour red glitter into the bulb and plug the end with your finger tip and shake until glitter coats the entire inside; add more if needed continuing to shake.
3. Dip finger tip into white paint and make three dots on top of each other in the shape of a snowman.
4. Use a fine tip paint brush and dot the front with snowflakes. 
5. Draw a black line across the top of his head for the brim of the top hat and draw an hour glass shape filling it in black for the remainder of the hat.
6. Dot the eyes and add the buttons.
7. Using the blue paint, draw a line across the neck of the head and then two more going downward for the tails.
8. Draw the tree branche arms using black paint.
9. Paint the bottom white for snow on the ground.

This may be ane of my absolute favorites this year!  Happy crafting and merry Christmas!

Mad Tea Party Christmas Ornaments

Clean cup, clean cup, move down! 

I’m not crazy, my reality is just different from yours.

Off with her head!

I saw a version of these on Etsy a really long time ago and always wanted to have them because I always loved this movie as a little girl.  Now that I am a glitter ornament making diva I thought no time like the present – speaking of presents I’ll be giving them away for Christmas too.  

Maybe I will just have to make them for myself later on, but for now it’s the time of year to give and honestly it makes me feel really wonderful to give my crafts away.  I love the home made stuff, to me it shows how much you care about someone by giving them your time – anyone can make a quick meaningless purchase but home made involves customization and thoughtfulness.

These were really simple, you only need the following items:

• Clear plastic or glass ornaments
• Glitter – red, light blue, light green, and purple (most can be purchased at the dollar store!)
• Mop and Glow
• Acrylic paint – black, yellow and white
• Fine tip artists brushes
• Ribbon – black, green, purple, and light blue

Since they’re silhouettes they’re actually really easy and if you mess up just use a qtip to erase the mistake and try again!  You’ll be amazed at how simple they are to make, especially since the price tag on Etsy was fairly high for the amount of effort and cost of materials.  

For instructions on the glitter filling follow this link: DIY Glitter Ornaments.

Happy crafting and merry Christmas!

Football Fan Couple’s with Opposing Teams: Patriots and Seahawks

My brother and his girlfriend are adorable on game day.  They faithfully watch their teams while still respecting each other’s.  You visit them on game day and they’ll be hanging out on their couch watching football in their opposing jerseys, sharing playful banter about who’s team is the dominant one.

My brother is diehard Patriots fan and his girlfriend a Seahawks fan.  For Christmas this year I made them a sports sign for their front porch combining their teams.

Mayor of Halloween Town Upcycled Oil Lamp

This has to be one of my favorite upcycles that I have done.  I Originally created this Mayor of Halloween Town as a decoration for my niece’s 8th birthday party.  I got the idea from something I saw on Pinterest and I had this old Glade oil burning lamp that I always kept because I thought looked cute, but you couldn’t get the oil cartridges for it anymore.  I was so glad that I never tossed it out after I created this guy!

Materials Needed:

• Ceramic lamp with round base and lamp shade shaped top
• Acrylic paint:  Black, white, gray, light pink, orange, teal blue, red, yellow, purple, and golden brown
• Artists paint brushes
• Clear acrylic spray paint
• Painters tape
• PVC pipe 12-14 inches long
• Plastic 24 ounce yogurt lid
• Black spray paint
• Gray spray paint

1. Tape a line down the middle of each  side of the lamp shade.  Mix the golden brown paint with the light pink paint and paint half of the lamp shade for the side of his face that is flesh colored.
2. Paint the body gray.
3. Then the shirt, his badge, the other side of his face and teath white.
4. Paint the outside of the badge in a cog shape using the orange paint.
5. I originally used paint markers, but DO NOT do it if you plan on using the acrylic sorry paint to set the paint.  I did this and it made the paint bleed and I had to redo this entire step in acrylic paint. Paint his suit collar, buttons, spider tie, outline the badge, draw his eyes, teeth, brow lines, and write Mayor in black paint.  
6. Paint his lips red and add a small white circle to his eye.
7. Paint oval shaped eyes using purple paint and once dry paint smaller ovals in the center using yellow paint.  Outline the yellow in black paint and add black dots for the pupils making him looking up to the right.
8. Draw his nose in an upside down arrow shape in black paint.
9. In teal blue, draw a frowning mouth and paint a jagged black line through the center for his teeth.
10. Spray paint the PVC pipe and the lid black.
11. Glue the PVC pipe to the lid with hot glue and then tape off the top of the hat and paint the gray line on the hat.
12. Spray the Mayor with a clear acrylic paint and allow to dry.

1. 

Mini Sculpting: Yukon Cornelius

When I think of the Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer movie, it’s not just the iconic Rudolph that is important to my family.  My favorite is the Bumble and my husband’s is Yukon Cornelius, so of course for my festive Christmas display that I am creating I just had to sculpt him.  This has been a project that I have thought about doing for such a long time and now that I have a dedicated crafting space to work on  each piece in my spare time it has been a delight to watch them come to life.

I always make rough forms of my characters with aluminum foil after seeing this tip on Pinterest a while back – it helps the sculpture keep it’s form while your shaping it and it also doubles your supply of modeling clay!  If the clay gets too soft you should put into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to allow it to harden a bit for easier sculpting.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Sculpey modeling clay
• Aluminum foil
• Azure blue acrylic paint
• White acrylic paint
• Brown acrylic paint
• Light pink acrylic paint
• Golden Brown acrylic paint
• Black acrylic paint
• Red acrylic paint
• Light yellow acrylic paint
• Gray acrylic paint

TOOLS NEEDED:

• Sculpting tools (Darice 11-Piece Clay Cleaning Tool )
• Sculpey ABB02 Bake and Bond Sculpey Oven Bake Clay (Sculpey Artist Set: 2-Ounce Bake & Bond Bakeable Adhesive for Oven-Bake Clay, 1-Ounce Clay Softener, 1-Ounce Gloss Glaze)
• X-acto knife

1. Start by making a stump shaped torso and a oval ball of aluminum foil for his head and body.  Cover each piece with modeling clay and then add bake and bond to secure the head to the torso, smoothing the seems out with the side of the needle sculpting tool and your finger tips.
2. To form the bearded chin on the face, add a layer of bake and bond to the indented area between the torso and the head and then add a thick layer of clay smoothing it out with your finger tips and side of the needle tool.
3. Add a a flattened ball of clay to the top of his head and create a seem using arrow tip tool for his hat.  Scoop out the slightly flat shape with the scraping tool for the top of the hat creating the brim and then add a ball of clay for the pom pom.
4. Form the base of the arms and legs with aluminum foil and then add clay over the top; leave a small balls of foil to make feet on the legs.  For the legs add a generous amount of clay and use the scraping tool to separate the pants legs from the boots.
5. Add bake and bond to the area where each arm and leg is to be attached before each application of appendige.  Push into place and then use the side of the needle tip tool and finger tips to smooth and attach the arms/legs without seems.
6.  Roll out a string of clay for his belt and apply after adding bake and bond.  Then make a flat square and add to the front for his belt buckle.
7.  Roll out two more strings of clay thinner than the belt for his backpack straps and secure around his arms with bake and bond.
8. Make a ball of foil and cover with clay for his backpack and attach the same way as the head, but no smoothing out of the seems needed here.
9. Roll out some aluminum foil and cover with clay for the handle of his pick axe. Roll out more clay keeping the center wider and create points on each end.  Secure to the handle with bake and bond and smooth the edges with the side of the needle tip tool and your fingers.  Add a square of clay to the top using the same technique.
10. Roll out two balls of clay and flatten for his ear muffs, roll out a small string of clay to attach the muffs on the back of the head and attach with bake and bond.
11. Roll out two small balls of clay and flatten on a table, using the straight tip tool create a flat line and apply to his chest with bake and bond for his shirt pockets.
12. Make a small circle for his nose and cut in half, add bake and bond and smooth on the nose with the needle tool and the flat side of scoop tool.
13. Roll out two stings of clay to twist in place on his face for his mustache and attach with bake and bond.
14. Roll out a ball for his free hand and cut four fingers spreading them slightly.  Add bake and bond to the wrist and smooth out with the needle tool and finger tips.  Add a small stub for his them attaching it the same way.
15. Roll four rolls for fingers for the other hand and attach the same as the other hand, wrapping the fingers around the pick axe handle and then add a thumb. 
16. Use the metal brush to tap the beard and hair on his head to make the curly textured look.
17. Use the needle tool to make round dots for his eyes.
18. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
19. While baking, mix golden brown, light pink, and white paint together to make his skin color.
20. If you have color left over from the bumble, add a little dark blue paint (I mixed azule blue and white together), otherwise just mix white blue together for his coat.
21. Mix red and brown for his beard and hair.
22. Mix brown and black for the pick axe handle.
23. Once out of the oven and cooled, paint him according to the picture below.

Candy Corn Ghost Candle Holder with Black Cats

 

I have literally almost a dozen of the these candlesticks and battery operated candles that I purchased for other projects.