Whimsical Candle Holders Update

It's that time again for the monthly Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge, where a group of creative bloggers come together to share their lovely transformations of a thrift store item. Who doesn't love thrift store upcycle projects - whether it's actually creating one or admiring how an item from a thrift store was transformed!

The Rules:

• Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
• There's no monthly theme.
• There's no budget to stick to.

I've had this pair of candleholders I got from Goodwill for sometime now.  

They were only a dollar a piece so I couldn't pass them up. However, they've been hidden away, sitting on a cluttered shelf and I basically forgot about them until I went looking through my thrift store items for something to re-make! Maybe I should have left them on the self - I never really liked the candleholders - don't ask me why! Perhaps it's because they're chunky and plain and don't really seem decorative enough! But things are quite restricted now because of the covid virus and I can't go thrift store shopping or craft store shopping, either. And to make matters worst, it's been rainy and cold what seems like for weeks now, so no outdoor spray painting for me! 
That doesn't leave me with too much I can do with the candleholders except decoupage them! Ok, then!

Well, that didn't exactly work out the way I thought it would! After cutting out strips of napkin paper to decoupage .  .  .

around the middle area, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't eliminate all the wrinkles for the napkin to lay flat and look nice and smooth! Yuck! 

 
So plan #2:  Cut out the harlequin type designs in strips of colorful purples .  .  .

and decoupage them onto the body of the candleholders for a fun, 
whimsical look!

How's this for whimsical?

Oh, and to take this whimsy look to the next level, glue the harlequin type design onto candles for a matching effect! Lol!

Want to hear the best part about this update - if I get tired of looking at these, just soak in water to remove! You bet!

And now for more thrifty goodness!
Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!

Angela | Simply Beautiful By Angela

 Beverly | Across the Blvd 

Gail | Purple Hues and Me 

Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home  

Chas | Chas' Crazy Creations

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No Sew Ribbon Utensil Holder DIY

No-Sew Ribbon Utensil Holder DIY

We all know that the most important and meaningful times are spent with family! At the moment, we are sheltering at home and practicing social distancing. We pray for solutions and an end to this terrible pandemic. While we are hunkering down, it's important not to forget the little things that help to brighten our days. And if you didn't realize, it's so easy to set a beautiful table, making mealtimes special and decorative with items we have on hand like this no-sew ribbon utensil holder!

Supplies needed to make this:

4" wide Ribbon

1.5" Ribbon

Scissors

Fabri-Tac fabric glue

Ruler

               

 Begin by cutting a strip of 4" wide ribbon fifteen inches long.  The ribbon I'm using is wired, but any wide ribbon will work. Fold both ends over 1/4 inch. Press to close with the ribbon wire or add glue to seal ends. Then fold bottom up five inches to make a pocket.  

Add Fabri-Tac fabric glue to side edges and press together to seal and close. It takes just a few seconds for the fabric glue to set and dry.

Add a small decorative bow with dovetails to embellish the pocket - I used my Mini Bowdabra to make one, but you can easily make it by hand using two strips of ribbon - one, folded into loops and the other, dovetailing the ends - and then tying together with wire from the ribbon. 

So quick and easy!
What a pretty handmade flatware holder! 

 So easy to dress up your table setting with this adorable 

no-sew ribbon utensil holder!

Have fun making lots!

I am thrill to be apart of this Creative Craft Blog Hop created by Chloe @ Celebrate & Decorate! It's a great way to be inspired by an array of creative bloggers - both new and old! 

 Be sure to stop by and check out all of the blogs listed! 

The next blog hop is to Carol @ Bluesky at Home

See all the lovely inspirations by “hopping” to visit all of  these  awesome creative and innovative blogs!

Celebrate & Decorate l At Home With Jemma
Hearth and Vine l My Hubbard Home 
My Thrift Store Addiction l Home is Where the Boat Is
The Painted  Apron l Chas' Crazy Creations
Harbour Breeze Home l My Family Thyme
Sustain My Craft Habit l Birdz of a Feather
Decorate and More with Tip l Our Crafty Mom
Design Morsels l White Arrows Home
Create With Cynthia l Debbee's Buzz 
Calypso in the Country l B4 and Afters 
Purple Hues and Me  l Bluesky at Home
Raggedy Bits l Faeries & Fauna Craft Co. 
Elle Marie Home  l Zucchini Sisters

Mom's Upcycle Metal Box

Mom's Upcycle Metal Box

It's time again for our monthly Pinterest Challenge

The purpose of the Pinterest Challenge is to motivate all the participants (and you too) to not just pin, but to make it happen! This month's challenge is about Mother's Day or projects geared towards the women in our lives.

My mom loved storing her special trinkets in decorative metal boxes! And she also loved cats. We had lots of cats and kittens while growing up! So when I saw this adorable napkin of a flowered cat, I thought of my mom and I knew I had to decoupage a metal box with the cat napkin! There are lots of pinned decoupage projects covering metal boxes, especially Altoid tins  and this project was inspired by the Pinterest pin I found here.



Besides the tin box, you will also need Mod Podge - I used Matte but gloss would work too.

A pretty napkin .  .  .

White acrylic chalk paint and brush to cover the top .  .  .

then, you'll have to separate the 3-ply napkin to reveal just the top pattern napkin. 

Next, paint on a layer of mod podge and center the napkin on top, gently smoothing it out. Let dry. Then add another layer of mod podge on top of the napkin. 

Lay a plastic zip lock bag on top to help smooth the wrinkles out with your fingers. Gently remove the plastic and let the top dry.

 While the top was drying, I thought it would be an interesting design to add white stripes to the bottom box. I didn't want to paint the box completely. To do this, painter's tape was applied in a somewhat random stripe pattern around the sides of the box .  .  .

 and the exposed metal painted white .  .  .

 and then the tape quickly removed before drying. Allow paint to dry thoroughly.

 Seal with a few coats of gloss varnish for a nice finished look!

Have fun filling with all kinds of mementos or tchotchkes of or for your mom!

TO JOIN NEXT MONTH’S #PINTERESTCHALLENGE, CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP ⇒ May Pinterest Challenge



For more Pinterest inspired projects from this month's Pinterest Challenge hosts, check out the links below ↓

My Pinterventures • Across the Boulevard 
Cookies Coffee and Crafts • Farm Girl Reformed

Slices of Life • Decorate and More with Tip

Purple Hues and Me • Life Beyond Kitchen

Modern on Monticello • EyeLoveKnots
Create with Cynthia • This Autoimmune Life

 Mom Home Guide

Stone Cottage Adventures • Teadoddles
Our Good Life

Now, let's see what the other hosts have created ⇓⇓

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Mother's Day Favor Bag DIY

Every month a group of bloggers are challenged by C'mon Get Crafty to create a new craft or project from their own stash of goodies! 

Because of Covid -19 pandemic and sheltering in place, we are all probably making projects with what we have in our stash. I know I have plenty of decorative cardstock and ribbon plus the rest of materials listed and that's basically all it took to make this adorable Mother's Day Favor Bag! Perfect to make for a table setting or just to give and celebrate Mother's Day!  And the best part is that the design possibilities are unlimited for making your own!

Materials 

Double sided decorative cardstock
Regular cardstock
Ribbon – 3/8″ wide
Paper bone scorer
Fabric-Tac fabric glue
Favor bag template
Scissors
Mini Bowdabra tool, bow wire and ribbon to make the bows (optional)

To begin, this is what the cardstock looks like that will be on the outside of the favor bag. I love all the sayings and quotes about Mother! I think it is so cool and uplifting for what's going on in the world!

Next, you need to create a simple template like this one:

Then trace and cut out on a decorative double-sided cardstock.

Fold cover bag on bottom fold lines using a bone folder.

Create an inside box template .  .  .

then trace and cut out on another sheet of cardstock. Score all lines and fold. Cut 1″ folds on left and right sides.

Apply glue on inside flaps and fold together to secure box. 

Glue bottom and 4" sides of box to inside bag cover and let dry.

 For handles, cut and seal two 20″ strips of ribbon. Glue one end on cover bottom 1″ from edge, wrapping around in a U shape and gluing on bottom 1″ from edge on opposite side. Repeat for second ribbon handle. Add glue to portion of ribbon handles on cover, front and back and press together. I made simple bows with dovetails using my Mini Bowdabra, gluing them on the ribbon handles just below the cardstock bag edge.

And finally, fill with some of your favorite treats!

Check out more awesome creations you might be able to make from your own stash! #CraftRoomDestashChallenge

Let's meet this month's bloggers!!

C'mon Get Crafty | Slices of Life

Domestic Deadline | Across the Blvd

Chas' Crazy Creations |  Sew Crafty Crochet

Created Homemade | Purple Hues and Me

   If you'd like to join in the Craft Room De-Stash Challenge, you can request to join our Facebook group here!

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Sunshine Yellow Foam Flowers DIY

"Where Flowers Bloom, So Does Hope"

                                                     - Lady Bird Johnson

One of the best things about Spring - the season of renewal - is seeing all the pretty flowers  - whether they're fresh or faux. And in these trying times if fresh blooms are not available, why not make your own! It's a wonderful way to uplift your spirits and keep yourself busy as you shelter in place!

Foam flowers are quite easy to make! You only need a few items:

• Foam Sheets
• Square templates - cardstock in various sizes (2-4")
• Scissors
• Iron
• Hot glue
• Acrylic paint (optional)

For these flowers, I used a few old packs of foam sheets I had on hand from the Dollar Tree. I don't think they sell them like this anymore but the sheets are nice and thin, perfect for flowers.

To begin, cut out the foam into squares using templates. I wanted my flowers to be rather large so I started with a four inch square, two 3 inch and two, 2" squares.  

And then folded the squares two times. 

Next, cut out a petal shape starting at one fold, curving around to the next folded side. 

Open the folded square to reveal the four petals shape. Trim petals around folds to make them more define. 

Place petal on iron for a few seconds to soften and curl the edges. 

Continue to shape petals by using the round end of a tool and pressing down in the center on a soft pillow or sponge, and twisting the edges, as if tearing. Repeat the steps for all the petals. 

To make the center bud, loosely gather one of the smallest petals, dabbing closed with hot glue. 

Cup the opposite petal and glue the edges around the first petal. 

Continue cupping the third and fourth petals around the first two and seal edges with hot glue to form the center bud.

Assemble the flower by applying hot glue to center of the largest petal and placing the next size on top. Continue attaching each petal to the center with glue in gradual sizes, staggering the petals until .  .  . 

the flower is formed. 

Isn't this beautiful! 

Cut out leaf shapes and use the tip of a phillips screwdriver to add leaf lines. 

Use scissors to serrate the edges for a realistic look. 

Soften the leaves by placing on an iron for a few seconds and then twist to shape.

Rub on acrylic paint with a damp towel to shade the leaves. 

Cut out sepals to encase the flower at the bottom the same way to make the petals, except cut a center point instead of curving. 

Then heat .  .  . 

and twist .  .  . 

and then glue on the bottom of the flower. 

They look just as pretty as real flowers!

Meet this month's co-hosts!

Across the Blvd | Purple Hues & Me

Stone Cottage Adventures | Slices of Life

Domestic Deadline | Chas' Crazy Creations

Sum of Their Stories | Cookies, Coffee, & Crafts

Coastal Bohemian

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