Crafts

Over the weekend we had some of the most glorious weather in Chicago.  It was in the 60’s and sunny.  That is unheard of in February!  People were out and about, and it was clear that everyone had spring fever!  Taking a cue from mother nature, I decide a spring-inspired project was in order and so I made an adorable moss monogram shadow box.  
This was a really fun project to put together and it did not take a long time to make. That’s my favorite kind of project!

Supplies Needed for Moss Monogram Shadow Box

Please note that some of these links are affiliate links.  To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

• Wood shadow box (or empty wood toy container, like I used)
• Craft paint in the color of your choice (I used Patio Paint in Deep Buttercup)
• Spray adhesive
• Scrapbook paper in the colors and patterns of your choice
• Moss initial
• Colored mini brads
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Scissors
• Foam brush
• Sandpaper
• Small pins

Instructions for Making a Moss Monogram Shadow Box

First, sand down any rough edges on your wood shadow box.  I used an empty Melissa & Doug toy container, so if you have one of those lying around, put it to use!  (I love to re-use those containers!  See how I used them in these No-Maintenance Vertical Succulent Gardens!)  

Next, paint the outer and inner edges of the wood shadow box.  Cut scrapbook paper to fit the inside of the shadow box and attach it to the inside back with spray adhesive.  

Now it’s time to make some small paper flowers to attach to the front of the moss initial.  To do that, first cut a strip of scrapbook paper about 1″ wide and as long as you want.

Fold it into an accordion.  

Hot glue the center of the accordion together.  Then  bend the bottom two pieces of the accordion outward and hot glue.  Repeat the process with the top two pieces of the accordion.  Add hot glue to any areas of the paper flower where there may be gaps.

After the flower has dried, open a small, decorative brad and put it into the center of the paper flower.  

Hot glue the flowers to the front of the moss initial.  If desired, secure the flowers even more with small pins.  Hot glue the moss initial into the shadow box.

And that is all you have to do to create an adorable moss monogram shadow box of your own!

I just love this project and think it brings the promise of spring with it!  If you like it, I hope you’ll pin it so that you can make it later!  

-Bre

If You Enjoyed This Project, You May Like This As Well!

DIY Wood Plaque Picture Frames  

Wood plaques are a craft store staple.  They come in a million shapes and sizes, and are pretty darn cheap.  I always wondered what to do with them though; they seemed kind of pointless if you ask me.  That is until I had an idea to turn them into cute wood plaque picture frames with the help of some adorable patterned scrapbook paper and metallic paint.  And here they are as my entry for this month’s Monthly DIY Challenge!  

In case you’re unfamiliar with the Monthly DIY Challenge, each month some of my favorite blogger friends and I get together to create different projects that revolve around a common item or theme.  In the past, we’ve used things like wooden crates, cork, and plumbing pieces.  This month we all were challenged to use metallic paint.  You can check out all of the projects by clicking the links at the bottom of this post, but first, here’s a sneak peek!  

Supplies Needed to Make Wood Plaque Picture Frames

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

• Unfinished wooden plaques in shapes and sizes of your choice
• Patterned scrapbook paper (the thicker the better)
• Metallic craft paint (I used Dazzling Metallics in Dark Patina; Dazzling Metallics in Mink Pearl; and Americana Multi-Surface in Gold)
• Mod Podge in Glossy Finish
• Foam Brush
• Scissors or Paper Cutter
• Small metal clips
• Elmer’s ProBond Glue
• Sawtooth hangers and/or small easels

Directions to Make Wood Plaque Picture Frames

First, sand any rough edges on your wood plaques.  Mine had crazy splinters all over the place, so be careful!  Once you’ve done that, wipe off any sawdust.  

Next, measure the front surfaces of your wood plaques and cut the scrapbook paper slightly smaller than those dimensions.  Using a paper cutter makes this step so easy!  If you don’t have one but craft regularly, you need to get one!  I have had mine for over ten years and use it all the time!

Then paint the beveled edges of the wood plaques with the paint colors of your choice.  I used metallic paint because that was the theme of this month’s challenge, and I LOVE the colors I chose!  Metallic paints come in so many more colors than your typical silver and gold.  I am totally obsessed with this Mink Pearl color.  Anyway, make sure to paint a little bit around the edges of your plaques’ front surfaces so that unfinished surface will not show where your paper is a little smaller.  

After the paint has dried, use a clean foam brush to apply a thin, even layer of ModPodge to the front surface of your plaques.  CAREFULLY put the scrapbook paper into place on the plaques.  Take care to put the paper down smoothly, and try to avoid getting any wrinkles or bumps in the paper.  You want it as smooth as you can get it!  If you do get any bumps or wrinkles, try to smooth them very carefully.  The thinner your paper the more likely you are to rip it.  

After the bottom layer of ModPodge has dried, apply a thin, even layer of ModPodge to the top of the scrapbook paper.

Once that has dried, use a little of the Elmer’s ProBond glue to attach a metal clip to the top of each plaque.  Hot glue will not work for this; you need something sturdier!  This ProBond glue is my absolute favorite for bonding different types of objects together.  It works fabulously!  

Finally, attach a sawtooth picture hanger to the back of each plaque if you want to hang them on the wall.  If you plan to display them on a table, simply pop them onto tabletop easels.  

And that’s it!  These are a fast project, but they’re really cute.  

You could make them so festive for holidays with themed scrapbook paper.  You could also use them in a different way, such as to hold notes or small printables.  

Thanks for checking out how I used metallic paint on my wood plaque picture frames for this edition of the Monthly DIY Challenge.   Now that you’ve seen what I did, I hope you’ll visit my friends’ posts, too!  Then make sure to pick up some metallic paint and get to work on your own shiny project!

How to Make an Oversized Faux Metallic Alphabet Letter DIY Wood Photo Plaque DIY Fixer Upper-Inspired Dutch Tulip Crate Wood Plaque Picture Frames How To Create A Faux Galvanized Metal Finish Easy Gold Poster Clips Faux Aged Metal Storage Box Copper Dipped Planter Pots DIY Gold Scalloped Vase

Also, be sure to check out this other post on Creative Ways to Display Photos, which I think you’ll love!  

Have you guys ever seen those adorable customized peg dolls that you can buy on Etsy and other creative places like that?  I have been obsessed with the idea ever since I saw it, so of course I had to try my hand at making my own peg doll family.  It was the MOST FUN craft project I’ve done in a while, and I love my little personalized peg doll family!  I bet you’ll want to make one, too!

It’s the perfect little dose of happiness over my kitchen sink.  And very realistic too, I might add.  Right down to the womanly hairstyle my husband has and my long flowing ponytail.  (OK, I wasn’t as skilled with the paintbrush as I’d hoped.)

Supplies Needed to Make a Personalized Peg Doll Family

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

• Wooden peg dolls in the quantity of your family and in varying sizes (Here’s a family with five kids for a bargain price!!)
• Acrylic paints in several colors (think about hair color, eye color, and clothing choices for your family members)
• Artist paintbrushes in a variety of sizes
• Baker’s twine
• Fabric scraps
• Backer for your peg doll family (I used a galvanized metal heart from Michaels)
• Elmer’s ProBond Advanced glue

Instructions for Making a Personalized Peg Doll Family

So this is really a pretty easy project.  As long as you have a steady hand and some patience, you can do this.

I started by painting very simple colors on my peg dolls.  The girls got one solid color (for dresses), and the boys got two colors (pants and shirt).  

Once the “clothes” dried, I painted on some embellishments, like buttons, a collar and ruffle on my peg daughter’s dress, etc.  

After that, things started to get real.  I had to paint eyes and hair.  The girl hairstyles weren’t so bad.  I gave myself a nice flowing ponytail like you see on models, and my peg daughter got a cute little bob.  Very stylish.  (Very unrealistic.)

Then I painted my peg husband’s hair.  He, unfortunately, got a pseudo-bob / mullet look.  Kind of like the time he had me cut his hair in law school when we had no money and he could not pay for a real hair cut.  So I guess his is somewhat realistic.  My peg son’s turned out a little better.  Lucky him.  

I thought my peg family was just adorable, until I realized I had painted my own face on sideways.  See, this particular peg doll I used had a special place for the face (it was lighter in color than the rest of the head portion of the peg doll), and I managed to paint half of the face on that designated spot and the other half off of it.  So if you do this project, make sure you look for designated face spots on your peg dolls.  You’re welcome.

Once everything was dry, I used my favorite glue to adhere everything to the galvanized metal heart.  This stuff sticks anything to anything.  It’s the best!

After my peg family was firmly in place, I glued some baker’s twine to my galvanized metal heart.  

Then I cut fabric scraps and glued them on to make a little pennant banner.  Adorable.  

Aren’t we a cute family?

So even though we have our flaws, such as strange hairstyles and faces on the side of our heads, we’re a pretty good-looking family.

And if you want a fun project to make for yourself or as a gift for someone else, I would recommend making a personalized peg doll family of your own.  It has the potential to become your favorite family “photo” yet!

-Bre

Oh, chalk paint; one of my greatest loves.  My heart skips a beat when I get a new container of it or start new chalk paint projects.  For real.

If you haven’t hopped on the chalk paint bandwagon yet, I’m thinking it could be because you think it’s really only used for furniture.  And let’s be honest – painting a piece of furniture can be a little scary.  

But the good news is that because chalk style paint is the most fabulous type of paint on earth, there are tons of chalk paint craft ideas out there for those who do not want to paint furniture!

And I searched high and low to gather up some of the best and most creative chalk painting projects to help inspire you to try the stuff out (or to use up your leftover paint)!  

Why do Crafters Use Chalk Paint?

There are so many reasons chalk paint is perfect for crafters!

First off, chalk paint coverage is exceptional. You can typically get the look you want with one coat of paint (two at the most), when other types of paint take multiple coats. And . . . no primer is needed with chalk paint!

In addition, chalk paint has super adhesion properties, which makes it so easy to paint over almost any type of surface (even plastic)!

Can I Make My Own Chalk Paint?

If you don’t happen to have any chalk paint on hand, no worries! You can turn latex paint or acrylic paint into chalk paint! And, you only need a few simple ingredients.

To make your own chalk paint, simply mix together 1 cup of paint, 1 tablespoon of calcium carbonate, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir these items together VERY WELL, and you’ll have your own chalk paint!

If you want to make less than one cup of chalk paint, simply reduce the ratios of ingredients.

Do You Have to Seal Chalk Paint Used on Crafts?

The answer to whether you have to seal chalk paint used on crafts is: it depends!

If you’re painting something that won’t be touched or used a lot (say, for example, a picture frame), you probably don’t need to seal it.

If you’re painting something like pencils or a serving tray, you will want to seal the chalk paint. Polycrylic (non-yellowing sealer) is always a great choice for sealing chalk paint craft projects.

Creative Chalk Paint Crafts Ideas

Now that you know a little bit more about chalk paint, I just know you’re going to love these chalk paint crafts ideas and chalk paint DIY projects! 

To get the full tutorials for any of these projects, just click the link to be taken to the original blog post!  Also, these projects are PERFECT for doing with spray chalk paint (check out my review of chalky finish spray paint!).

17 Amazing Chalk Paint Crafts

Try one or all of these chalk paint crafts! These creative painting projects will help you use up leftover paint, or get started using chalk paint!

Chalk Painted Stripe Pillow

This chalk paint DIY idea is a great way to update or dress up a throw pillow! That's right: you can paint fabric with chalk paint! See how White House Black Shutters did it in her project tutorial.

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Chalk Paint Vase Makeover

I bet you have lots of leftover florist vases sitting in a cabinet somewhere, don’t you?  Give them a breath of new life with some chalk paint like Pet Scribbles did!

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Chalk Painted Grapevine Wreath

Grapevine wreaths are a staple in wreath making, but sometimes you don't want the wreath to be brown! To help my grapevine wreath stand out, I used chalk paint to actually paint the wreath! Spoiler alert: you have to water down the paint to make this work. I share all the grapevine wreath tips and tricks in this post.

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Chalk Paint Frames

These fancy gold frames were painted with chalk paint, and then turned into gorgeous chalkboards.  You could keep yours as picture frames or do what Christy did to give them a different purpose!

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Chalk Paint Candlesticks

Update candlesticks in minutes with chalk paint! Read more to see how Roxanne painted these candlesticks without distressing them, and how she sealed them.

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Chalk Paint Pencils

You'll have the write stuff if you give your pencils an adorable, custom look with chalk paint like Blooming Homestead did!

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Chalk Painted Silver Trays and Plates

Plates and serving platters are a thrift store staple!  Freshen them up or antique them with chalk paint like Canary Street Crafts did, and you have unique wall decor in an instant!

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Chalk Painted Lamp Makeover

Give an old lamp a new look with a coat or two of chalky paint.  So much cheaper than buying a new one! Would you guess that this was once a dated shiny brass lamp?

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Chalk Painted Basket

Baskets are perfect candidates for a makeover with chalky paint!  Follow Nicole’s tutorial to achieve a washed look on any old basket you have lying around.

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Chalk Paint Garden Pots

Add some color to the garden or porch with chalk painted pots!  Our Southern Home fills you in on how to properly seal them so that they will withstand the elements.

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DIY Sign or Art with Chalk Paint

If you’ve got a plain piece of scrap wood lying around, turn it into a special work of art for your home with some chalky paint.  Emily from Table and Hearth made a special anniversary gift for her husband!

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Chalky Finish Paint Serving Trays

A plain wood tray doesn’t have to be plain if you give it a color injection with chalk paint!

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Chalk Paint Jewelry Box

Such a perfect project to use up some leftover chalk paint!  Plain wooden jewelry or keepsake boxes are a great makeover candidate for a little bit of paint.

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Chalk Painted Mirror Frame

This project inspired me to repaint the mirror hanging in my foyer!  It was time for an update!

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Mason Jars Painted with Chalk Paint

What could be easier than chalk painting some mason jars and using them as decorative objects around the house?  ModPodge Rocks blog shows you how and gives some great tips, too.  The options for mason jars are endless!

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Repurposed Chalk Painted Shutter

It’s easy to upcycle an old shutter or door with chalk paint!  Use it as a decorative accent or pop on some baskets and turn it into a functional piece like Brepurposed did!

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Chalk Painted Magnet Board

Turn a plain magnet board from Ikea (or anywhere else) into a piece of functional art for any room with chalk paint!

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So are you ready to put your paint brushes to work?  I hope these chalk paint crafts and chalk paint projects inspire you to get painting!

Bre