If you’ve been in any stores recently or shopped online, then you’ve definitely noticed that straw bags are the must have this summer.  Every store has them and they’re all so cute!  Although I already have a small straw bag, I wanted a larger one for every day use (I carry around a lot of stuff on a daily basis), but I didn’t want a large price tag.  That’s why I decided to paint a straw tote and get a cute summer bag at a fraction of the price!  (No worries if you’re not into DIY’ing a straw tote for yourself; I’ve rounded up some of my favorite straw bags available now at the bottom of this post!)

This was a super simple project that left me with a darling straw tote, and I can’t wait to show you just how to make your own!

Supplies Needed to Paint a Straw Tote

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• Straw tote (I got mine at Michaels, but it’s out of stock online.  Linked bag is similar.)
• Multi-surface acrylic paints in colors of your choice
• Paintbrush
• Letter stencil
• Masking tape (to hold stencil in place)
• Scrap fabric (to make tassel)
• Embroidery floss (to make tassel)
• Pinking shears (to make tassel)

How to Paint a Straw Tote

Before I show you how I customized my plain straw tote, let me show you how boring it was initially.  (Want to see more of my summer mantel behind the tote?  Check it out here!)

I knew it could be so much cuter, so I grabbed my acrylic paint stash and got to work!  I began by painting a band of aqua at the bottom of the bag, simply following the lines in the straw as my guide.  

Then I found a letter stencil I’ve had for YEARS in my craft stash and taped that onto the bag.  I couldn’t get it totally flush with the bag, but I did the best I could.  

I chose a coordinating color of paint for the stencil and I got to work, gently applying the paint to the stencil and trying to prevent any bleed through from happening.  To do this, I used the stencil as more of a guide than an actual stencil.  

Thankfully there was no bleed through or smudges, and the tote looked great!

It was missing a little something, however, so I whipped up a fabric tassel with some scrap fabric.  To do this, just cut narrow strips of fabric with pinking shears, lay them on top of each other, fold in half and secure near the top with embroidery floss!

I covered the embroidery floss with another piece of scrap fabric for a more “finished” look.  

And that is all it took to upgrade a plain straw tote to a cute, personalized straw tote for summer!  

So what are you waiting for?  Summer will be gone before we know it, so paint a straw tote for yourself ASAP!  How would you customize yours?

No Time for DIY?  Why Not Buy?

Scroll through to see some of my favorite straw bags in stores now!  Images are clickable to shop!

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and The J.M. Smucker Company, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #1850Coffee #1850CoffeeatMeijer  http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

Every day I hop on the hamster wheel of life and grind out tasks for my job, my blog, and of course, my family!  Being pulled in so many directions all the time can be draining to say the least.  (I know you know what I’m talking about!)  That’s why I take ten minutes at the beginning of every day (before the kids get up), to drink a cup of coffee, enjoy the quiet, and think about what that day holds.

Folgers coffee has always been in my morning mug, but their new premium coffee, 1850 Brand Coffee, is my now filling my cup.

The 1850 Brand Coffee beans are fire-roasted and ground to bring out rich taste and aroma, and their unique blends deliver bold, yet smooth, taste.  I feel like I’m enjoying a coffee from a nice coffee shop every morning (minus any bitter taste)!  

Starting my day on a positive note is essential to my productivity, and that’s why I value my morning coffee time so much! Drinking my 1850 Brand Coffee from a mug as bold as my drink’s flavor profile is also a favorite way to get excited about the day.  

And guess what? This bold mug is the easiest thing to make!  Let me show you how. . . .

First, you’ll need to gather the following supplies:

• Plain mug (you can buy them at the dollar store!)
• Tissue paper
• Dishwasher-safe Mod Podge
• Paintbrush

Begin by ripping pieces of tissue paper into sizes that will fit on the mug.  

Paint a thin, light coat of Mod Podge onto the back of a piece of tissue paper and press the tissue paper onto the mug.  Carefully smooth any wrinkles, taking care not to rip the tissue paper.  

Once the mug is covered in tissue paper, let it dry for at least 20 minutes.  When the Mod Podge feels dry, cover all of the tissue paper with a coat of Mod Podge.  Let it dry and repeat this process at least one more time.  

Before putting your tissue paper mug through the dishwasher, make sure to read the Mod Podge instructions about curing!  

Would you believe that you can make such adorable coffee mugs with tissue paper?  Make a bunch and pair them with packages of 1850 Brand Coffee for a darling gift that any coffee drinker would love!  Or make one for yourself and enjoy your daily coffee in a colorful and happy mug!  

1850 Brand Coffee is available in four signature ground coffee blends or K-Cups, and will also be available in three ready to drink flavors!  And BONUS for those of you with a Meijer in the area: visit Meijer from 5/6 – 6/2 and take $1 off any 1850 Brand Coffee Product with the mPerk digital coupon (while supplies last)!

Remember that to live a bold life, you must first make a bold choice.  Back in 1850, J.A. Folger started something innovative to help the prospectors as they sought their fortunes, and today, there’s still no better way to hustle than by starting your day with a bold-yet-smooth cup of coffee.  Let 1850 Brand Coffee in a DIY Tissue Paper Mug fuel your original ideas, daily commitments, and new endeavors.  

If you agree, I’d love for you to save this image to Pinterest to help others find it!  

-Bre

Trinket dishes are one of my favorite additions to my home decor because they’re SO useful (hello, great place to keep rings and jewelry, and catch-all for random tiny things!), and because they can be so darn cute!  I have them near every sink that I use regularly and in other spots like on my dresser.  I decided to try my hand at a DIY Trinket Dish recently and had so much fun making this quick and easy but oh-so-darling craft, that I couldn’t wait to share it with you!  

Not only is this DIY Trinket Dish cute, but it is so useful!  The best part is that it was very quick to make and required only a few inexpensive supplies.

Supplies Needed for a DIY Trinket Dish

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• • Porcelain soap dish or small bowl
  • Pretty paper napkins (these are the exact ones I used!)
  • Mod Podge
  • Scissors
  • Paintbrush  

How to Make a DIY Trinket Dish

Begin by cutting apart a paper napkin with whatever elements of the design you want to use on the trinket dish.  You can see I tried to cut as close to the printed design as I could – leaving off as much white space around the design as possible.

Next, make sure to remove the second layer of the paper napkin.  All you want for this project is the top, printed layer of the design!

Once you’ve done that, spread a thin layer of Mod Podge onto the part of the soap dish or bowl where you’ll be placing your napkin pieces.  You should probably only do a little part of the dish at a time to prevent the Mod Podge from drying before you’ve placed anything there.

Gently place the napkin pieces where you want them and make sure to gently smooth the pieces down to remove any ripples.  Be careful not to rip the napkin!  

Once you have the soap dish or bowl decorated just how you like it, let the pieces dry.  After about twenty minutes/when everything is dry, cover the entire dish with another coat of Mod Podge.  It will look funky for a little bit, but it will dry clear!

Once the Mod Podge is completely dry, the white parts of the napkin blend in with the dish, and the printed design looks like it’s printed or painted right on there!  

If you’re not careful to remove the second layer of the napkin though, it won’t look as good!  I accidentally left the second layer on that green leaf on the side of the trinket dish (pictured below), and you can absolutely see the white around the leaf.  Bummer!  Oh well, the name of this blog is Average But Inspired – not Perfect But Inspired.  😉

Wouldn’t this make a fun ladies’ craft night project with your friends?  Anybody can do this and it’s so inexpensive!  Get that on the calendar!  You’ll be glad to spend time with your friends and walk away with a cute place to put your jewelry and trinkets.

-Bre