Crafts

As I get older I feel like I’m becoming more of the crunchy granola type.  Let’s just get along and sing “Kumbaya” around a campfire, okay?  Now I’m not one to slather on patchouli or forego shaving, so I thought a cute DIY peace sign wreath for my door would be the next best way to make a statement that love and kindness dwell here.  

And oh yeah, baby, this thing is groovy.  And adorable.  Just how I like my craft projects.  

Supplies Needed for a DIY Peace Sign Wreath

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• Wooden peace sign
• Wooden heart
• Leather cording
• Wooden beads
• Stapler
• Chalky finish paint in this color, this color, this color, and this color
• Chip brush
• Floral stencil or laser cut paper
• Thumbtacks
• Hammer

How to Make a DIY Peace Sign Wreath

You can make your own version of this DIY peace sign wreath so easily!  

Step One: Hammer Thumbtacks to the Peace Sign

First, I gently hammered thumbtacks all the way around the unfinished wood peace sign.  I did this to give the peace sign a little bit of dimension.

It looks funny like this, but it will look much better!

Step Two: Paint the Wooden Peace Sign

Next, I painted the entire peace sign with a coat of this dark gray paint. 

Step Three: Dry Brush Contrasting Paint Over the Dark Paint

Once the gray paint dried, I lightly brushed some of this paint on top.  

Then, I painted the wooden heart this color.

Step Four: Stencil a Pattern on the Wooden Heart

Next, I stenciled a floral pattern onto the heart using this color of paint.  

Once it dried, I fastened it to the peace sign with leather cording.  

Step Five: Create a Wreath Hanger

Then I strung some wooden beads to the leftover leather cording, and stapled that to the top of the peace sign, on the back, to create a hanger for my wreath.  Notice the poor stapling job . . . it took quite a few tries to get that to actually work.

And that was all it took to make this cute DIY peace sign wreath!  I really love how this project turned out; it might be one of my favorites!  

The best part was that after I’d hung it up and stood there admiring it, my little guy said to me, “Mama, I really like that steering wheel you put on the door.”  

He is definitely my biggest fan.  🙂

Peace out.

-Bre

Air dry clay (basically, PlayDoh for grownups), is one of my favorite craft supplies!  It’s inexpensive and you can do so much with it!  Take these air dry clay keychains, for example.  They’re super cute and fun to make! 

This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Before we get down to the nitty-gritty of this project, let me fill you in on one of my favorite craft supplies!

What Is Air Dry Clay?

Air dry clay is EXACTLY what it says it is- clay that dries when left out in the air!  You don’t need a kiln, and you do not bake it in the oven (unless the package tells you to do so).   Some air dry clays even warn you NOT to bake in the oven – so pay attention to that!

Traditional air dry clay lets you create the project and let it sit out for several hours to several days to dry fully.

What Is the Best Air Dry Clay Brand?

Coincidentally, some time after I wrote this blog post, I got a job working for a company that sells air dry clay! 

I loved that job and learned so much about this craft supply.  One major lesson was that there are lots of brands of air dry clay on the market, and some are REALLY bad! 

My personal favorite air dry clay brands are Supreme air dry clay (it is inexpensive, dries extremely tough, and comes in great colors like natural, terracotta, and black), and Hearty Clay air dry clay (it is so lightweight – almost like a marshmallow – and has an ultra-white color).  I really think these are the best air dry clay brands around!  

What Supplies Do You Need to Make Air Dry Clay Keychains?

To make these clay keychains as shown in this post, you’ll need the following supplies:

• Air dry clay
• Clay lettering set
• Small-shaped clay cutters
• Clay texture sheets
• Needle or some other object capable of poking a hole through the clay
• Large jump rings
• Key rings
• Optional: tassels, charms, or other embellishments
• Acrylic paint
• Metallic wax (I used this gold wax and this rose gold wax)
• Small paintbrushes
• Small pliers
• Rolling pin or clay roller kit

How to Make Air Dry Clay Keychains

I did this project with my kids one afternoon, and they were SO excited to be using some of my craft supplies.  This would be an awesome project to make with older kids as a camp or scouting activity. 

(If you’re interested, another great project to make with kids is these Air Dry Clay Pressed Flower Plaques or Air Dry Clay Garden Markers.)

Step One: Roll Out the Air Dry Clay

So first, I took a chunk of clay and rolled it flat and about 1/4″ thick.  Use a rolling pin or a clay roller kit (which is great if you work with clay a lot!).

Step Two: Cut Out Shapes in the Clay

I used the clay shape cutters to cut out several shapes and sizes.  

Step Three: Emboss Letters and Textures in the Clay

Next, I had fun using the clay letter embossing tool and the textured pattern pieces to make all different kinds of designs on my shapes.  

Step Four: Poke Holes in the Clay

Once I finished embellishing all of my shapes just the way I wanted them, I found a random tool in a drawer and used it to poke holes near the top of each shape.  (Any idea what that thing is?)  

TIP: when you do this, make sure you poke the holes near the top of the clay, otherwise it will be very hard to fit jump rings through the holes once the clay has dried.  Some of mine were a little too far down, and they were unusable as a result.  Womp womp.  

Step Five: Wait for the Clay to Dry

Next came the hard part.  I had to wait just about two days for my creations to dry!  That felt like an eternity.  For a person who has real issues with patience, this was a test.  

Step Six: Paint

Luckily, I survived the two-day clay-hardening period and lived to paint my clay creations with all the different colors of acrylic paint.  

Once the paint dried, I applied metallic wax to some of them for some added shimmer and shine!  

Step Seven: Add a Jump Ring and Key Ring to the Clay Keychain

Finally, I added a jump ring through the holes in each piece of clay and then attached the key rings to each.  

Small pliers will be really helpful to get these pieces on the keychains.

On some of the key rings, I added some cute tassels, too!  I kinda love them and want to put tassels on everything.  

So easy and so fun.  If you can get past the waiting 48 hours for the clay to dry, you’re golden.

I really enjoy using air dry clay, and I think you will, too!  If you liked this project, too, I’d love for you to pin it so you can find the directions later!  

 

Make a pretty DIY indoor herb garden planter box and enjoy your favorite herbs year-round!

The CRAZIEST thing has happened in my household.  My kids have become thrift shop lovers – I’m talking “Mama, can we please go to Goodwill today” thrifting junkies.  In our house we call it treasure hunting, and I couldn’t be happier that my kids are hopping on the treasure hunting train.  

On a recent trip they each scored some cool jewelry boxes (my son calls his a treasure box), and I got some random stuff, including this nasty wooden box.  

Why did I buy this ugly box?  I don’t know.  I just did.  My kids were buying stuff and I wanted in on the action.  So I picked this lame-o thing.

And as the story goes, it sat there on my craft desk for many days until one night the idea popped into my head to turn that beat up wooden box into a cute DIY herb garden for my kitchen.  

Since we are in the midst of a perpetual winter in Chicago, we’re turning to growing herbs indoors this year.  And now, my ugly wooden box is a refreshed and cute mini herb garden! 

Supplies Used to Make an Indoor Herb Garden

This post contains affiliate links.  Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

• Wood box (if you don’t find one while thrifting, you could purchase this new wood planter box)
• Paint: Rustic Brown chalk paint; Yesteryear (gray) chalk paint; Relic (dark gray) chalk paint
• DecoArt Crackle Medium
• Foam Brushes
• Cup pull drawer pulls
• Drill
• Herboristerie graphic
• Freezer paper
• Herb plants or herb seeds
• Potting soil / potting mix
• Optional: terracotta pots, sandpaper

How to Make an Indoor Herb Garden

Whether you’re starting with a premade box or building your own, these steps will be the same.

Clean the wood box (if needed).  Once it’s dry, paint it with brown chalk paint.  

Next, I paint on some crackle medium and let it dry.  This will give the planter box an especially aged look.

Once the crackle medium is dry, paint on a coat of light gray chalky finish paint.  

It is so fun to see the paint finish crackle right before your eyes as it dries.  This gave the box a really weathered and old look, which I love!

Next, download this awesome graphic from The Graphics Fairy, and transfer it to the outside of the box using the freezer paper transfer method.  

If you’re not familiar with the freezer paper transfer method, it’s a way of getting a printed image (or typography) onto another surface by transferring the ink jet printed image to that surface. It’s very cool, especially if you’re after a handmade or vintage look.

It came out much lighter than I wanted, so I grabbed some of the dark gray chalky finish paint and went over the transferred graphic in certain spots.  I used a tiny artist paintbrush and painted right over it in parts.

Once that dried, I lightly sanded the text to give it a weathered look.

Next, add hardware to the sides of the box for a fun look.  

Finally, it’s time to add some awesome herbs to grow in your kitchen (or wherever)!  Plant them in terracotta pots like I did, or drill drainage holes in the bottom of the planter box and fill it with potting soil to plant them right in the box.

The great thing about this DIY herb planter box is that it can easily be moved. Sometimes I’ll put it in the kitchen window for direct sunlight, and other times I’ll move it to where it’s not as bright light. I’m still learning where herbs grow best in my home, and this planter box is making it easy to experiment.

This was a great project for my kids to watch because they saw me transform one of our thrift shop treasures into something else that’s awesome and that can be used in our home!  

They’re also super excited about growing edible plants right in our kitchen!  

I really hope this means they’ll want to eat the food I cook that uses the herbs.  

If you enjoyed this thrifty upcycle, please pin or share it!  And, if you’re looking for other herb garden ideas, check out my outdoor hanging herb garden project!  

In the crafting world, what is better than pom poms?  I mean, really . . . I know they are just tiny balls of yarn, but they’re so.darn.cute!  And the pom pom craft options are just endless.  You can add them to anything for a whimsical embellishment, or turn them into a creation of their own!  Whatever your pom pom preference, you’re sure to find some ideas you’ll love in this roundup of fabulously fun pom pom crafts!

Just writing this post made me feel happy!  These projects are all so delightful.  If you see any that inspire you, please visit the source and pin from their post!  I know they’ll appreciate it!

Pom Pom Rug via Make and Do Crew  

Pom Pom Branches via Crafts by Amanda  

Pom Pom Container via Ciburbanity  

DIY Pom Pom Pillow via Making it in the mountains.  

Pom Pom Pushpins via Average But Inspired  

Pom Pom Keychains via A Bubbly Life  

Pom Pom Decorated Baskets via Home-ology Modern Vintage  

Pom Pom Garland via DIY Beautify  

Pom Pom Bookmarks via Raising Up Rubies for Everything Etsy  

Pom Pom Topiaries via Little Miss Celebration  

Pom Pom Hairpins via Sugar Bee Crafts  

So the question is, which of these pom pom crafts will be your next project?  You can make any of them with store bought or homemade pom poms, so get to work!
-Bre

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE THIS PEG DOLL FAMILY CRAFT PROJECT!  

Let’s transform common craft store supplies into a beautiful DIY Jewelry Holder. I’ll show you how easy it is, and how to get a faux rust paint finish, too!

Thank you to Modern Masters for sponsoring this post!  The project and opinions are all my own. Also, this post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

I used Modern Masters’ Metal Effects Rust Kit to create a gorgeous rusty iron scrollwork DIY jewelry holder.  It looks like a piece you’d find at your favorite flea market, don’t you think?  

I bet you’d never believe that my “rusty iron scrollwork” was actually an unfinished laser cut wooden plaque that I bought at the craft store, would you?  

Yep, that’s how it looked when I started with it!  But it didn’t take long to transform it into a rusty work of art.  Using the Modern Masters Metal Effects Rust Kit, I gave it a whole new look (or should I say old look)!  

First, I brushed on a coat of the Metal Effects Primer that came in the box.

After that dried for about 30 minutes, I put on another coat of primer.

After I let that sit overnight, I painted on the Metal Effects Iron Paint.  It went on almost black, which made me a little bit nervous.  My scrollwork definitely did not look rusty at this point!

After that dried, I misted the entire surface with a couple coats of the Metal Effects Rust Activator.  

After about 45 minutes, a rusty finish began to appear right before my eyes.  It was so exciting!  Once all was said and done, I had a gorgeous and authentic-looking piece of rusty scrollwork.  

I sealed it with the Metal Effects Sealer Permacoat Xtreme that came in the box.  Then I used wood glue to attach it to a painted piece of scrap wood.  Once that dried, I fastened some cup hooks and a dowel to the board, and turned the piece into a jewelry holder!

Look at the variation in tone and color!  Isn’t it gorgeous?  This is NOT a finish that you could achieve with paint alone.

The amount of product in my Metal Effects Kit is enough to complete several more faux rust finish projects for indoors or outdoors.  I can’t wait to use my leftovers on some cool items for my “garden” (by garden I really mean dirt patch.  No green thumb here.)  

What would you be most excited to give a faux rust finish to?

Have you been bitten by the adult coloring book bug?  I am amazed at how this craft trend is still going strong!  I guess it makes sense; it’s super relaxing and you can create some gorgeous artwork once you’re finished.  

But let’s be honest – are you really going to display your finished coloring pages on the fridge next to your kids’ drawings?  Probably not.  You need ideas for finished coloring pages, and I’ve got one!

Let me show you how to turn adult coloring pages into colorful magnets!

Supplies Needed to Make Finished Adult Coloring Page Magnets

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

• Mini canvases
• Small magnets
• Adult coloring book or adult coloring book page (you can find free ones to print online)
• Colored pencils
• Spray adhesive
• Small decorative brads
• Acrylic paint in colors of your choice (I used this brand)
• Paint brush
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Scissors or paper cutter

Instructions for DIY Magnets with Coloring Pages

This is a super easy coloring book project idea, people!  First up, give your coloring book page some life by coloring it however you like.  

If you have any little ones at home with you, color with them! This was a great activity to do when my son was home from preschool!.

Once you’ve finished coloring, cut your masterpiece into squares slightly smaller than your blank canvases. I cut mine to be about 2.5″ x 2.5″ to fit nicely on my 3″ canvases.  

Next, paint the outer edges and around the front of the mini canvases.

Once the paint has dried, spray the backs of the cut up coloring book page with spray adhesive. Affix the coloring book pages to the fronts of the mini canvases.

For some decorative flair, poke small holes through the fronts of the canvases and add decorative brads through the fronts. Flatten them at the back.

Hot glue magnets to the back of the canvases.

And you’re done!  You now have a socially acceptable way to display your coloring book pages on your fridge.  😉  

Quick, easy, and fun!  

So what do you think of this finished coloring page idea?  Will you be turning your adult coloring book pages into magnets?