Showing posts with label DIY projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY projects. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

DIY Truffula Trees or Truffula Flowers (Dr. Suess' The Lorax)



Making Truffula Trees from Dr. Suess' THE LORAX ... is super easy and SUUUPPPER CUTE!!



First things first

Purchase List

1.  Spanish Moss
2. One Large Clay Flower Pot
3.  Floral Foam Topiary with Wooden Dowel and Base
4.  Floral Tape - Brown and White
5.  Clear Tacky Glue
6.  Scissors
7.  (2) Long Boa Strands



 First wrap the wooden dowel with the White Floral Tape


The tape will stick to the dowel and there will be no need for Tacky Glue





Wrap the brown tape over the white tape leaving a gap between each wrap.




Glue along crease of the topiary foam sphere and begin wrapping your boa around the seam of the sphere.





Wrap the boa til the end finishes in the middle of the sphere.  Secure the end with tacky glue and begin wrapping the other side of the sphere.  You will have a full fuzzy top that resembles a Truffula Tree or Truffula Flower.






Sunday, January 12, 2014

An Annie Sloan Makeover - Painting Tile Around Fireplace and Bathroom Tubs

For those of you who are familiar Annie Sloan Chalk Paint , you know that this paint is AMAZING!


Did you know that Annie Sloan Chalk Paint has many applications beyond wood.  Among all the amazing pieces of wood that I have had the privilege to paint for either myself or a customer, I have also used Annie Sloan Paint on canvas, metal, fabric, walls and now tiling.

The paint is an easy to use paint however a little care must be taken when applying on other surfaces beyond woodscapes.  I will demonstrate some techniques and additional products that I used to refinish the tiling around our lakehome fireplace.

Here is the original fireplace tile.  The tiles on the bench are ceramic, red and brown 4"x 4" squares.  The grout seems to be a gray color.





First Step towards transforming tile color with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is

1. Tape your edges with Blue Painters Tape.







2.  Begin Painting your first coat of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Pictured Old Ochre) I went with the grain (Horizontal).  In addition, take one section at a time. I highly recommend not going over the same spot more than twice. The paint is drying while you are painting and it will gunk up (Sorry ... only word that I use when this happens).  I usually took one tile at a time and made sure that I worked the paint into the grout lines.  Use a Annie Sloan paint brush.  Especially when working the paint into the grout.



3.  After the paint dries (touch and look to see if the paint is still wet).  Sand in between coats.


4.  There are many different techniques you can do to give the tile a distressed worn look.  I wanted to pull out some of the deeper colors and black undertones of the wood by dry brushing (Annie Sloan Graphite) over the top of the sanded 2nd Coat of Old Ochre.  


(Note:  Apply very sparingly if you want a very subtle undertone.  I dip very little paint on the tip of the brush and blot on a paper plate before applying the paint.  Flatten the brush and do very long strokes to give a dry brushed effect.  Less is more if subtlety is what you are going for.)


5.  After to dry.  Then apply a thin top coat of Old Ochre Paint.





Make sure all paint is perfectly blended in the grout lines as well on the tile.  
Any excess needs to be sanded back.  

6.  Sand very lightly on edges and across tile to pull out black undertones.  In addition add some distress around cross sections and edges.


When you distress to your satisfaction.  Begin the process of applying the Clear Topcoat.  I like the Artisan Enhancement Product line.  Please use it very sparingly otherwise it will take a few hours to dry.  Any tackiness is an indication that it is still drying.  Applying sparingly will give you the same effect as slopping it on.  

In addition, the clear topcoat will have a milky look when applying it.  However, it will dry clear.



I used a very small amount on the top of the can.  In addition, I also used a topcoat brush to apply the paint.  I tend to not mix applications with the same brush.  It is meant to do one job and that is what I use it for. 


7.  Once the topcoat has dried.  You can either apply a thin clear wax coat.  I, however, was satisfied with a very thin coat of wax and finished the project by buffing the wax into the tile.


I love Annie's buffing brush.  It is amazing and very easy to take care of.  As long as you make sure wax or topcoat does not get stuck on the brush... it should last a very long time.

Once buffed to your satisfaction.  

Your tile should be transformed and complete.  


Here are the before and after pics!  I am so thrilled with the turn out and how easy it was to do.  My tile was transformed in a matter of hours.  




























Saturday, November 16, 2013

A How to Host a Baby (BABEE) Bee Shower for your little Mommy of a Baby to Bee

A BaBee Shower...





French BA' BEE Shower 





Ideas.... I D E A S ....

Having a BEE themed Baby Shower.... go the distance .. host a French themed bee shower.


First thing is first... Start shopping for French Bee Themed Items.

French Bee Design

1.  Utilize a Clip art or Design like you see above.

2.  Pick Soft Yellows, Browns, Dark Greys, Off Whites Tones in Fabrics and Ribbons

3.  Burlap - Burlap Wide Ribbon for Table Runners, Potato Sack Material, Burlap String and Burlap Fabric can be purchased at any local fabric store.

4.  Clear Vases and Jars for Displaying brightly colored candy

5. Topiaries and Yellow Sunflowers, Daisies and wispy grass for centerpieces

6.  Wooden Baskets

7. Focal Points for Your Guests to Admire the Expectant Mommy to Bee








Greenery Purchased at Walmart for $5.99 per sunflower




Banner and Paper Items can be purchased as a bundle which includes

1. Mommy Advice Cards
2. Thank You notes
3. Bottle Wrappers
4.  Banners 
5. Bee Table Tags
6.  Candy Wrapper 








Wooden Baskets to Display Gifts or Use for Housing Diapers for the Mommy to Bee

Purchase This Basket at your Local HomeGoods


Yellow Puffs and Yellow Paper Laterns accented with Bee (Jolee's Scrapbook Stickers) Stickers from Michaels Hobby Store

Purchase at Your Local Party Store

or 





TO Create adorable Bee Accents....

Grab some foam balls, Use acrylic Paint and create bee stripes in Yellow and Black, Add Thick Black Jewelry Wire, Shape into Wings and Antennas and Voila' ... Decorate your Bee Figures







GO BEE Crazy Over the Dessert Table



Candies in Yellow Wrappers 
Lemon Heads
Whoppers
Yellow Sugar Pops
Carmel and Chocolate Wrappers
Yellow and White Candy Sticks
Yellow Wrapped Saltwater Taffy


Add Lemon and Chocolate Macaroons



Idea for a BEE Hive Cupcake came from


We had a local Chicago Baker Create 

Chocolate Cupcakes
Hexagon Sugar Cookies with Raw Sugar Topping
Caramel Frosting
Caramel Glaze in a Bag and added as accents in the corners of Sugar Cookies
Created Chocolate Melts French Bee Shapes

(Print out a French Bee on a piece of paper, lay your wax over the paper, melt chocolate and trace shape, Allow to Dry, remove cooled chocolate bee shape and place around dessert items)




This Cake WAS BEE- UTIFUL!!!

Contact Your Local Baker for  an Amazing Bee Themed Cake ........







Here is our Bee -UTIFUL Mommy to Bee in Full Bloom!