Crafts Archives - Average But Inspired

July 17, 2018 by Bre

How to Paint a Straw Tote for a Trendy Summer Bag

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!

May 14, 2018 by Bre

How to Make a Bold DIY Tissue Paper Mug

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

March 28, 2018 by Bre

The Easiest DIY Trinket Dish Ever

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

March 8, 2018 by Bre

Pretty Vintage Paper Mache Bunny

I just love how Target always finds ways to make my bill higher than it should be. On my most recent trip, for example, I tossed this unfinished paper mache bunny into my cart without giving it a second thought. She felt right at home amongst the toilet paper and socks.

After bringing her home and staring at her for a couple of days, I felt inspired to give her a new look, and now my Vintage Paper Mache Bunny looks like this – perfect for spring decor! Keep reading and I’ll teach you how to make one of your own.

Supplies Needed for a Vintage Paper Mache Bunny

Some of these links are affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

How to Make a Vintage Paper Mache Bunny

Begin by cutting a newspaper into tiny strips. Once you have a big collection of strips, paste them to the unfinished paper mache bunny with Mod Podge.

Once the newspaper is dried to the bunny, put a topcoat of Mod Podge all over the bunny.

After that dries, water down some gray acrylic paint and lightly cover the bunny so that the newspaper words are muted but still visible. I think the words give the bunny some character and vintage-looking charm!

Add some light pink paint in the inner portions of the ears.

When the gray and pink paints are dry, cover the entire bunny with a coat of Glamour Dust glitter paint. This will give the bunny a beautiful shine when the sunlight hits it! It’s a really subtle glitter and not overwhelming. However, if you don’t like the glitter look, you could leave the bunny as-is, or seal with another coat of Mod Podge.

Finally, hot glue moss and paper flower stickers around the bunny’s head to create an adorable flower crown. This is my favorite part of this bunny!

And that is all you have to do to make a beautiful Vintage Paper Mache Bunny for your spring or Easter decor!

This easy project is one that you can leave out until summer! It’s not overly Easter, so you can pass it off a little longer than some other decorations.

I guess that, in the end, I’m glad I have no self-control in Target and that I bought that unfinished paper mache bunny, because this project is pretty sweet and will add a little cuteness to my spring decor.

-Bre

You May Also Enjoy This Spring Bunny Gumball Machines Project!

March 1, 2018 by Bre

How to Make Faux French Enamel Number Tags (That Look Like the Real Thing!)

I know I’ve said it a million times on here before, but I’m gonna say it again – I LOVE making simple updates to my decor with inexpensive items and supplies. A few years ago I made a set of chalkboard wall hooks for my front entryway (you can see that post with its embarrassing photography here – wait until you see how much my skills have improved!). I got tired of the chalkboard look, however, and needed to give it a new look. I wanted to add French enamel house numbers, but at over $20 a piece, that was too pricey. So I got to work and made my own Faux French Enamel Number Tags that look pretty close to the real thing!

Supplies Needed for Faux French Enamel Number Tags

This post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Oval wood cutouts
Acrylic paint (white, black, brown, orange)
Vinyl number stickers OR number stencils and black paint
Mod Podge (glossy finish)
Dark brown wax
Paintbrushes
Stencil brush
Drill
Material to hang or affix your French enamel number tags (I used decorative furniture nails to fasten mine to the wall hooks)

How to Make Faux French Enamel Number Tags

Start by painting the oval wood cutouts white. Regular acrylic paint does the trick for this step.

Once dry, place your number stickers onto the ovals or stencil your numbers onto them. I cut out numbers with my Silhouette Portrait but you absolutely do not need a vinyl cutting machine for this project! Regular black number stickers or stencils and paint will work perfectly!

Once all of the numbers are in place and/or dry, cover everything with a coat of Mod Podge in glossy finish. This is meant to give the ovals a glossy look like enamel. You don’t want them to be dull or they will look less realistic.

After they’ve dried, apply brown wax in strategic areas (like around the outside edges of the ovals), to help give the faux enamel number tags an aged look (you can see it on No. 47 in the below photo). I used this type of brown wax, which is what I use on furniture projects and had available. If you don’t use brown wax regularly, buy a less expensive brand of wax like this!

The brown wax will dry quickly, and then you can add some faux rust to the enamel tags with paint! I got a little carried away with my “rust” and wish I wouldn’t have put so much on. I’d recommend applying the paint very sparingly and in small areas to see how you like the look. You can always add more, but you can’t always take it away! All you do is dab a thick coat of black paint with a stencil brush, then a thick coat of brown paint over that, and then a little (but thick) dab of orange paint to create a bumpy rust look!