Sunday, January 25, 2015

Pretty Little Birdie



Hi!,

Playing around with some ink effects from DecoArt®. Four easy steps to update a plain little tee shirt dress.
Paint image on paper from your printer
 
Pin in place


Iron to set image


Add some detail and lace and it's finished!



#decoartinkeffects, #upcyclelittlegirlsdress, #imagetransfer



Saturday, January 24, 2015

Brick Never Looked So Cute

Hi!
I wanted to make some cute little pieces of art to hang on a chicken wire frame I recently made to showcase the upcoming holidays. View my complete tutorial on The Chattering Robin's Blog






Friday, January 16, 2015

Chalk Paint Gives New Life to an Old Screen

Hi!,
I am back into the studio after a week of vacation and couldn't wait to show you the project I just completed.

This very tired tri-fold wooden screen was crying out for a makeover. I took the panels apart before starting to paint it. I cleaned each panel with a damp cloth to remove any dust or dirt.


 My paint of choice was Americana Decor chalky finish paint . I painted the entire  screen with the color rouge, then the front of the louvers with relic.These colors matched perfectly with a side table that I already have. Happy Dance!!

 I used a chip brush for applying the chalk paint. These are very inexpensive and you can find them at the dollar store, craft, and Home Depot. The bristles are ideal for getting that shabby chic distressed look.




When the screen was dry I painted a DecoArt vintage stencil on to the bottom of the middle panel using Americana Decor chalky finish paint in the color relic.

 Make sure you have your stencil taped down securely using an easy release tape. Painters tape works great. You will want to use a stencil brush to apply the paint. 

TIP: Blot most of the paint off the brush before applying to the stencil. This helps prevent paint from bleeding under the stencil. Do several light applications for best results.


 I try and get in the habit of cleaning my stencils and brushes right away. I use DecoArt brush and Stencil cleaner. 

TIP: I found that a hanger with clips on it works really well for hanging your larger stencils to dry.





 I wanted to add some interest so I dry brushed Americana Decor chalky finish in the color vintage in between the slats. You can also see that I distressed the piece by lightly sanding in spots.

Tip: Refer to the link (dry brushed) for other helpful hints and more ways to distress your piece.





I finished my piece by applying Americana decor creme waxes (clear and golden brown)
with a soft brush and working the dark brown into the corners to give it an aged look.

Tip: Use the clear first in places where you want to keep the original base color, then the dark.



When I put the sections back together I decided to change the way the screen folded to soften a corner of my dining room. I love the way this turned out!



Friday, January 9, 2015

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Printing with Gelli Arts®: Paper Mache Bowls with Gelli™ Prints!

 I saw these bowls and fell in LOVE! 
 I cannot wait to get started on using those bits and pieces of Gelli prints I refuse to toss.

Printing with Gelli Arts®: Paper Mache Bowls with Gelli™ Prints!: If you're eyeing your pile of Gelli prints and scraps, wondering what you might do with all that  luscious paper...think paper mache bo...

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Whoo Hoo !!





I am so excited to announce that I am now on the Creative Paperclay design team!

Thursday, January 1, 2015

A New Year

Last night I reflected on my life the last year. The word that came to mind was WOW!

Sometimes life is moving along so quickly that we fail to stop and really reflect. New years eve seems to be the one time that we actually take that moment. This last year I reached many of the dreams that I had wanted to fulfill many many years ago. I realized I had tucked them away deep in my soul as something that was never going to happen. Apparently the soul does not give up even when the mind does.

So on this first day of the new year remember to dream those dreams. Tuck them away for now if you must. Don't listen to the negative. Believe. Your true self will show you the way. Enjoy the journey!

Shari