Spring Candle DIY

 Looking to add a touch of Spring to your décor? This is a super easy project & it uses one of my favorite crafting items... napkins!

I recently discovered the store Pop Shelf...just in time for them to go out of business. While they were still open, I bought some of their taper candles with a plan to give them a makeover for Spring.

The most important part of working with paper napkins, in this case decoupage, is separating the layers. If you don't, they won't adhere properly.

I added an even coat of ModPodge to the bottom half of each taper candle. 

After cutting the napkin to size, allowing for a slight overlap, I placed the napkin over the wet ModPodge. I added ModPodge over the napkin where the overlap would be, then coated the entire napkin with more ModPodge. I left the bottom portion of the candle uncovered where it will insert into the candle holders.

I found these cute tiny clay chips at Hobby Lobby. Since they match the napkin perfectly, I decided to add them to the candles.

I poured the chips out onto parchment paper.

The 3 inches above the napkin got a generous coat of Mod Podge.

Then I rolled the candles in the clay chips.

Any areas that appeared too bare, got more ModPodge & more chips.

I  really like the texture from the clay chips. I'll be sharing the real reason I bought them soon!

Linking To:

The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors, The Answer Is Chocolate, Flutter Buster, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction,  Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers, The House On Silverado

Christmas Wine Bottle Stoppers

 After doing a project last Spring using oyster shells to create art for Easter, I had a lot of shells leftover. You can see that project HERE. I scoured the internet looking for other projects to create with the shells. I found a lot of posts that used oyster shells to make wine bottle stoppers. So, here's my version...

I can't begin to tell you how many projects I've done using napkins to decoupage, so this was right up my alley!

I first paint the inside of the shell with white acrylic paint to cover up the dark spots. If I had skipped this step, the dark areas would show through the napkin.

I left the back of the shell natural.

When using paper napkins to decoupage you need to separate the layers. If you don't, the napkin won't adhere properly. Typically they have 3 layers, but sometimes there are 4.

For my first stopper I used this cute Christmas napkin with pretty little houses. I cut out a section of the napkin with the part of the design I wanted to use. I cut it larger than the shell. You need extra because of the curved nature of the shell.

I added a coat of ModPodge to the inside of the shell, placed the napkin on the shell, then used my finger to gently press the napkin into the shell. The napkin can tear easily when wet from the ModPodge so you need to avoid rubbing back & forth.

Once the napkin was pressed down, I used a soft brush to give the napkin a coat of ModPodge.

I let the ModPodge dry completely, then tore away the excess napkin. It helps to wet your finger with water, rub along the edge, then tear.

Using my finger, I added Gold Gilding Wax to the edge of the shell.

I used hot glue to attach the shell to the stopper.

I knew the hot glue wouldn't be enough to secure the shell long term, so I added a layer of resin, covering the glue & the edge of the shell.

When adding the resin, I did one side at a time to prevent drips, curing each side of resin under the blue light that came with my resin kit.

After curing, when the resin was hard, I used a stiff brush to cover the glue & resin with the gold gilding wax.

I didn't like that the stopper was silver & the accent on the shell was gold. So, I changed the silver to gold with the gilding wax.

When it's time to put Christmas items away, I'll have this one that I made with a napkin that can last throughout the whole winter season.

These stoppers are so fun to make. And, they'll make great gifts!

Linking To:

The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors, The Answer Is Chocolate, Flutter Buster, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction,  Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers, The House On Silverado

Bunny Carrot Basket

 I love Easter. I love an easy craft project. So, I absolutely love an easy Easter craft! And, it doesn't get much easier than this decoupage craft.

I started with this little basket. It has a rope loop on the back so it can sit or be hung on the wall.

I painted the basket with the color, Fluff, from the Dixie Belle Paint Company. I didn't want full coverage. I wanted a little of the basket color to show, so I only did one coat.

It's no secret that I love to decoupage with napkins. As a matter of fact, I've become quite the patterned napkin hoarder.

After perusing my stash of Easter napkins, I settled on this simple, little bunny to add to my basket.

When using napkins for decoupage, you have to separate the layers or it won't adhere properly. Most napkins have 3 layers.

Once I separated the layers, I tore the napkin around the bunny. I could have left more of the white background because, since I painted the basket white, it will disappear.

I could have used ModPodge as my decoupage medium, but I grabbed my Dixie Belle Clear Coat & used that to adhere the napkin to the basket. Once the napkin was on the basket, I gently used my paintbrush to push it down into all the crevices of the basket.

Now, you can see why I painted the basket white. If I hadn't, the bunny would have blended in with the original color of the basket.

I used some paper to fill the basket about 3/4 to the top. Then I used Spanish Moss from the dollar store to fill the basket to the top & added some little carrots that I got at Michael's

Super easy. Super cute!

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers, The House On Silverado

Mixed Media For Valentines Or Anytime

 What do you think of when you think of Valentine's Day? For me, it's flowers & candy. This mixed media project includes flowers, but not candy... I'm on a diet! And, the colors make it perfect to keep displayed year round.

I started by painting a 10" x 7" wooden heart with the color Fluff from the Dixie Belle Paint Company.

I cut a piece of decoupage tissue paper from Re*design With Prima, called Zoey, to fit across the top of the heart. I applied the tissue paper to the heart using Dixie Belle's Clear Coat, but you could use ModPodge.

I used a 120 grit sandpaper to remove the excess paper. I placed the sandpaper at a 45 degree angle to the edge of the heart & used a downward motion to sand off the paper.

I stenciled a design on the rest of the heart using the color, Gravel Road. I like to use a makeup wedge to stencil. I off loaded most of the paint to prevent the paint from bleeding under the stencil. I could've added a second coat to get good coverage, but I wanted more of an irregular, worn finish.

I added two greenery stems, from Prima, by putting a little glue at the base of the stems. 

I placed a floral cardboard sticker at the top of the greenery. I didn't trust that the sticky back would hold, so I added some glue.

I glued two flowers onto the heart, letting them come off the edge of the heart.

I added a pretty butterfly cardboard sticker to the flowers.

I could've stopped there and it would've been fine, but let's keep going!

I added a second butterfly & another cardboard sticker that says, "Bee-you-tiful" to complete the Valentine.

You can use any colors for this project, so if you're not a fan of red & pink in your decor, you can pick colors that work for you.

Just about anything goes at my house. Can you tell I like color?

Linking To:

Ginger Snap Crafts, Chic On a Shoestring,  Simply Sweet Home, The Cottage Market,  Funky Junk Interiors,  Sugar Bee Crafts, Flour Me With Love, The Answer Is Chocolate, Skip To My Lou, The Thrifty Home, Flutter Buster,,  Finding Silver Pennies, Our Hopeful Home, My Thrift Store Addiction, The Painted Hinge, Yesterday On Tuesday, Confessions Of A Plate Addict, My Uncommon Slice Of Suburbia, Creatively Beth, My Hubbard Home, County Road 407, Pieced Pastimes, Southern Sunflowers