Thursday, June 25, 2020

Decoupage Napkin Flowers on Glass

I've had this clear glass jar with lid for sometime now. I bought it and other glass containers for my nieces' sweet sixteen candy buffet that I created. I love the shape of the jar and although it's perfect on its' own, I wanted to dress it up a bit - by decoupaging it with pretty napkin hydrangeas cut-outs!

I love to decoupage but I wanted to leave this container clear and not paint it. Usually, paint is used to define the images of the napkin and to make them sharp and distinct on whatever you are applying it to. But I wanted a more transparent or translucent look - like the flowers were floating on glass. And fortunately, the Mod Podge I used dried clear to make that possible. Noteworthy: I used Mod Podge Matte because it was what I had on hand, so this piece is for decorative purposes only. But you can use Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge which allows it to be used indoors or outdoors and safely cleaned by hand or in the top shelf of a dishwasher once cured following directions. 
   

Materials Used:
  • Glass container w/lid
  • Rubbing alcohol/paper towels
  • Decorative hydrangeas paper napkins
  • Hydrangeas petal paper punch
  • Matte Mod Podge or Dishwasher-Safe MP
  • Soft small paint brush
  • Printer paper/small scissors
  • Skewer stick
Begin by thoroughly washing the glass container and lid with dish detergent and water and then dry. Wipe with a alcohol soaked paper towel to remove any soap residue, dirt and oil. Let dry.

Now it's time to punch out the hydrangeas petals! Because the paper napkins are soft and difficult to get clean, sharp edges when punching, printer paper needs to be used. So, cut out 3" squares of paper and insert one on the bottom of the puncher . .  .
and then insert the napkin .  .  .
and finally, another paper on top of the napkin. In other words, the napkin is sandwiched between two sheets of paper to get a clean punch-out cut.
Then punch the petals out. You will probably need a skewer stick to lift and remove the paper cut-out .  .  .
and then the napkin petal cut-out. Be careful - even though the paper helped punch out the napkin, some edges may not be completely cut. Use small scissors to cut out any stuck pieces.
Then remove the plain layers of the napkin from the back of the printed cut-out.
 Position the hydrangeas petal on the glass and brush a small amount of Mod Podge behind where you want it to go and place on top, smoothing out with a small brush. Continue around the glass creating a beautiful random hydrangea design - applying decoupage, laying down the cut-out hydrangea petals and finally smoothing them out. Let dry, once finished with the placement.
Repeat the process for the glass top .  .  .
 applying decoupage and then the hydrangea cut-out designs. Let dry when finish.

And finally, add a few more coats of Mod Podge over the design to seal allowing it to dry between coats. 
What a fun way to add pretty designs to glass containers and tops!
Perfect and lovely for just about anything in decor!

Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!


I am thrilled to be a part of this Creative Craft Blog Hop created by Chloe @ Celebrate & Decorate and Andrea @ Design Morsels!
It's a great way for all of us to be inspired by an array of creative ideas and projects!
If you've hopped over after visiting Mary @Home is Where the Boat Is, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on decoupaging flowers on a glass jar and lid! The next blog hop is to Jane & Sonja @Sustain My Craft Habit. I'm sure you will love their awesome creation!

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












Decoupage Watering Can Flower Pot

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.
Who can resist a vintage looking watering can at a thrift store for a great low price? I know I can't! That's why I snatched this one up at a local Goodwill store for three dollars long before the pandemic struck! The thrift stores in my area still haven't opened yet. So I'm very fortunate to have this piece to update for this month's Thrift Store Challenge!
You can find metal watering cans just about everywhere in crafting. Most are painted and then decoupaged. I love the look of "plain ole watering cans" - they remind me of times growing up when I had to "water the plants" for mama! And they came in so many different sizes and types! These days, most watering cans are made of molded plastics and there's not much you can do with them - except water your plants and flowers! But there are still lots of metal cans available, too!

I found these beautiful napkins online and knew right away the picture on them belonged on the watering can I had been holding on to! It was of an old metal can holding a patriotic floral arrangement! Here's how I added the napkin design to the watering can -

Gather together:   
  • Galvanized watering can
  • Decorative napkin
  • Matte mod podge
  • Soft small paint brush
And then begin by cleaning and washing the watering can with mild dish detergent to remove any grease and or stains and dry. Next, measure the area around where you want to place the napkin on the can -  about six inches! I had a clear bowl exactly 6" across, so that worked out fine for placing it on the napkin to tear the design out. Sharp edges you get with scissors just wouldn't do for this!
Then separate the design layer of the napkin from the plain layers. 
Next, lay the napkin design down on the outside of the can for fit .  .  .
and apply a layer of matte Mod Podge onto the can surface. 
Place the napkin design on top of the MP, smoothing out from the center to edges using a soft brush.. Apply additional MP while smoothing out wrinkles. 
Sometimes, I like to dip my finger in MP to also help smooth out wrinkles, too.
Using a plastic bag to help smooth any wrinkles out helps also!
Once dry, apply additional layers of Mod Podge to seal. 
I love how the metal shows through the napkin - as if the design is painted on!                                 
Perfect to hold floral arrangements!
Pin This, Please

Meet the Hosts

 Allyson | Southern Sunflowers - Beverly | Across the Blvd  
 Emily | Domestic Deadline - Kathleen | Our Hopeful Home


Our Thrift Store Upcycle group of bloggers is looking to expand -- and we need your help! Why not consider joining in our thrift store upcycle challenge on the last Thursday of each month? Make some friends while having fun and share your love of DIY with the world. It’s a win-win! Sound like something you’d be interested in? Just leave a comment at the end of this post with your contact info and a link to your blog. Someone will get back to you right away. We can’t wait to meet you!


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

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Soda Can Hydrangeas Wall Art

 I love hydrangeas, but unfortunately, they're only around for the summer! Here's a fun way to create a lasting impression of a favorite flower using soda cans. There are lots of pins of flowers made out of soda cans. This is just one of my favorite crafts inspired by Pinterest as I have made other types of flowers out of soda cans, herehere and here.  I love that this one uses craft punches to create the flowers and so did I! 

Materials:
Soda Cans (aluminum) 
Utility knife/craft knife
Craft Scissors
Hydrangea petals punch
Needle nose pliers
Leaf template
RapidFuse all purpose adhesive
Chalk and acrylic craft paint/brush
Skewer stick
Floral wire
Coat hanger
Floral tape
Ice pick
Canvas board (12"x12")


Disclosure I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, this post may contain links. I may receive a very small commission at no cost to you! The affiliate money I earn helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

To get a smooth sheet of soda can aluminum: *Caution: You may want to wear gloves for this! Carefully cut off one end of a clean soda can using  a utility knife and craft scissors. 

 Make a vertical cut with scissors across the can to get to the opposite can end to remove.
Cut an even edge, removing any slivers or jagged edges. 
Once you have the aluminum cut, smooth out the curve of the can by rolling aluminum in the opposite direction or rolling on the edge of a table or countertop. 
To make the petals, insert the aluminum piece into the petal punch so you can see that the aluminum is under the petal shapes completely and then punch the petals out. Once the petals are punched, adjust the aluminum to punch more or remove the excess using small needle nose pliers to pull the aluminum out.
As you punch out the petals, arrange them so you'll know how many you'll need for your flower design.
Then paint each petal with white chalk paint .  .  .
and let dry.
After the chalk paint dries, paint the petals with various colors you like to mimic  hydrangea petals.  Use floral wire attached with glue on the back of petals to a few to add dimension to the flower design.



For placement of the flower on canvas, begin with cut out pieces of a clothes hanger shaped as stems and painted green. Glue onto canvas using a quick dry multi-purpose glue (RapidFuse). Arrange a few small floral wire stems at the tip of the main stem and attach smaller hydrangea petals .  .  . 
then arrange the larger petals into a flower - attaching the floral stem wire ones first, using floral tape to the larger stem, and then gluing on the single ones next.
Draw leaves freehand using the tip of an ice pick on soda can aluminum - adding veins and painting green. Let dry and attach with glue to stems. 
And the hydrangeas wall art is done! 

Pin This,Please! 
         m
Looks perfect next to paintings done by my mother-in-law who inspired me to craft.

Welcome to the Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop hosted by Erlene @ My Pinterventures.  If you aren't familiar with the Pinterest Challenge, it's a monthly event that challenges us to not just be pin hoarders, but to make it happen by creating a few!  This month's challenge is All About Summer or July 4th Projects.

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


Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop Image




Now, let's see what the other hosts have created ⇓⇓
You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!
Click here to enter

Monday, June 15, 2020

Twisted Patriotic Napkin Vase


I love working with paper napkins!  There're some really beautiful designs available and they come in the prettiest patterns that can be used to transformed  just about anything - furniture, bottles, jars, boxes, frames, and dishes, you name it!  So many ways to use napkins for craft ideas in home decor! Like this patriotic vase! It's made out of twisted paper napkins using plain water. Can you imagine?

Let's start with red, white and blue patriotic napkins - perfect for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday!
Cut in half, along the fold and remove all plain layers from the print side  .  .  .
then spritz with water (pattern side down) on a waterproof work surface like a glass cutting board.
Next, roll the napkin together lengthwise (pattern face out) You can apply additional water if needed, although these napkin colors bled .  .  .
and begin twisting the ends in opposite directions with fingers.
Once the napkin is completely twisted, stretch to straighten and lay on parchment paper to dry. I made about 40 napkin twists for the first section of the vase and put the twists outside in the sun to dry for about 45-60 minutes.
While the napkin twists are drying, cover a round bowl in plastic wrap. Use masking tape to secure the plastic to bowl. Mark on the bowl where you want to stop wrapping the napkin twists. Once the twists are dry, place a generous amount of fabric glue on the center outside bottom of bowl and begin twirling the napkin twists around the bowl. Apply fabric glue along the base of the twists, as you wrap.
Continue  wrapping and adding napkin twists while adding glue around the base of the napkin twist, as you wrap the bowl. 
Be sure to wrap the twists as close together as possible, while keeping the rows evenly pushed together.
Stop wrapping where marked and smooth the end of the last napkin twist into the previous row using glue to blend together and make less noticeable. Remove the entire napkin twist vase by loosening the plastic wrap and place on parchment paper until dry (outside in sun).
 For the second bowl, allow space for the vase opening before beginning to wrap the bowl just like with the first bowl.   
Continue wrapping and gluing as before, ending where marked. Gently remove the napkin twists section from the bowl, removing plastic wrap and let dry. 
To connect the two napkin twists bowls together for the vase - place the open bowl on top of the closed bowl, adjusting fit, then apply a generous amount of fabric glue around the top edge of the closed bowl. Pinch the two bowls together. holding in place for a few seconds to secure as you move around the edges. Once the fabric glue has dried, apply several coats of Modge Podge to harden and seal the napkin twists. Let dry. 
   What a fun way to make a decorative patriotic craft!
Celebrating the red, white and blue! PS - The flowers are made out of toilet paper - my tutorial can be found here on FaveCraft 

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy Crafting!