DIY Vintage-Look NOEL Wall Art

Posted on December 6, 2015 by Roeshel

‘Deck the halls with boughs of holly…fa-la-la-la-la-la”…well, I did that once. Holly is quite scratchy! Ouch! Guess what?! Hometalk.com and CountryLiving.com are hosting a Home for Christmas themed blog hop! Oh my Christmas! Time to belt out your favorite Christmas carols, top your cocoa with some marshmallows and to get inspired! Grab your slippers and get your pin-finger ready while you’re at it!

Once the Christmas tree was all decorated for the holidays,

I needed a little holiday cheer for above the mantel. The stormy beach portrait that’s there most of the rest of the year really wasn’t going to work. So I decided on a “NOEL” idea for filling the empty space. Did you see the cute wooden circled monogram letters at Michaels? I knew I wanted to do something with them. This is the perfect project!

Materials I used: (I’ve included some affiliate links so you can find the supplies easily and to maybe add a little jingle to Santa’s wallet.Ty!)

extra large monogram wreath letters N – O – E – L
craft paint and foam brushes (I chose berry red and forest moss)
paper towels
velcro picture hanging strips
TransTint dye (Note: a bit on the pricy side, but this dye is AWESOME! It’s water based so it’s not oily and makes for a gorgeous wood stain. Tip: Easiest clean up ever! Just let brush dry and hide styrofoam cup on a shelf in the basement/out of the way. Dye will evaporate. Simply add water and resume use on your next project!) That bottle is going to last YEARS!
paint or chip brush

What I did:

1. I gave each letter two coats of paint and let dry. Note: One coat/dry brushing would actually look fantastic too! I wish I was a little more carefree. One coat/dry brushing means step 4 is going to look WAY better…so adopt a technique as if you’d had an extra cup of eggnog. Tip: If hanging in a grid pattern and using two colors like I did, paint the N and L the same color and the O and E the same color to avoid one color on the left, one color on the right. Mix it up!

2. Sand the edges, distress as desired.

3. Next, add a drop or two of TransTint dye to water in a styrofoam cup, more TransTint dye for a darker tone if desired. TransTint dye WILL stain fingers and work surface. I recommend wearing gloves and protecting your work table with layers of newspaper or a tarp or old vinyl table cloth or if you live in a warmer climate (lucky you…make up the guest room for my impending arrival!), work outside.

4. Dip the brush into the TransTint dye, tapping excess from the brush. Randomly brush, fling, stipple, drip (get messy and creative – have fun!) the TransTint dye onto the painted wooden letters. Wipe away or dab with paper towels as needed. Sprinkle TransTint to create a “dirty, worn, aged” finish.

5. Let dry TransTint dye dry overnight.

6. Optional: Secure a small holiday wreath to the “O” with a ribbon for a touch of texture.

7. Hang and display using velcro picture hangers. You might want to grab a level while you’re at it.

I love the worn, aged finish. Vintage goodness! What do you think?

See MORE holiday DIY and decorating inspiration from these sweet and talented HomeTalk friends:

Loading InLinkz ...

3 Ways to Wrap Odd Shaped Objects – Holiday Hack Challenge

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Roeshel

The Michaels’ Makers December Challenge is “Holiday Hacks”, how to creatively tackle everything the holidays might throw at you! Some helpful ideas for making holiday prep go smoothly. And I’m sharing 3 ways to wrap odd shaped objects. For example: a toy that’s got part of a box package, jewelry and a stuffed animal/ball.

these odd shapes…

now look irresistible…

Challenge: How to Wrap Difficult Objects

1. Gift wrap idea with a little handmade DIY touch: create a gift using a gift. Add jewelry or small gifts to a fillable ornament (this one comes in two pieces that snap together) with some filler (crinkled shredded paper or pine & berries). Embellish with a hook and bow. Almost too cute to open, isn’t it?

these…

wrapped this way…

Love that jewelry shown above? Me too! Shop HERE (affiliate link). Don’t forget to grab the coupon below!

2. DIY! Create your own custom gift bag using your supply of wrapping paper for difficult shaped objects.

Instructions:

Gather supplies: wrapping paper, scissors, tape and gift.
Cut a piece of wrapping paper that fits around the gift.
Fold paper so seams meet in the center.
Tape seam.
Fold bottom up, making sure that the folded area fits the depth/width of the gift.
Open folded area and shape paper to create a diamond.
Press seams with your fingers to create diamond shape.
Fold down top and bottom of diamond to meet in the center, overlapping a bit.
Tape seams. This creates the bottom of the gift bag. Tape well!
Open gift bag.
Place gift into the bag.
Fold top down.
Tape the package closed.
Embellish with ribbon, bow, tag.

All set for giving!

3. And the obvious: A gift sack! Not just any ordinary gift bag, this adorable gift sack (available at Michaels) is a cuter option than the traditional gift bag AND something that will get use year after year. A re-usable gift! Love it! Perfect for oddly shaped gifts OR toting your stash of gifts on the go.

Cute, right? I love gift wrapping and these ideas are so helpful when it comes to solving the challenge of oddly shaped presents. Want to see more Holiday Hacks?

Michaels has so many holiday project ideas with instructions at Michaels.com, including gift wrapping, home décor, last minute gift ideas, hostess gifts and more.
Check out the other four holiday hack topics and the unique ideas from more creative Michaels’ Makers on the Michaels’ blog, The Glue String.

Loading InLinkz ...

*I received a Michaels gift card to complete this challenge. All ideas are my own. 😉

Grab a coupon!

DIY Thanks Sign Tutorial

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Roeshel

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! Hosting Thanksgiving dinner? It’s a bit late for this tutorial but there’s always filing it away for next year. Make up this easy sign to add the finishing touches on your Thanksgiving decor.

What I used:

12 x 24 piece of plywood
FrogTape®
paint and foam paint brush
wooden letters
hot glue (or wood glue and clamps or screws)

What I did:

1. Paint wooden letters if needed and let dry. Mine came from the craft store dollar section pre-finished.

2. I taped off stripes using FrogTape Multi-Surface. I made a larger stripe in the middle to create a darker background since my letters are lighter in color.