Painted Storage Box Craft

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Roeshel

Organizing the desk top / homework station for the back-to-school season? A small storage box keeps school and homework accessories within easy reach but not on display.

Materials:

FrogTape® Multi-Surface
acrylic craft paints and foam paint brushes
spray laquer
wooden box from craft store (or DIY)

What to do:

Tape off a design using your FrogTape. Stripes, checkers, plaid, triangles. So many options!

Using a credit card, gift card or just your own thumbnail, burnish the edges of the tape. Meaning: make sure the edges of FrogTape are good and stuck down with no gaps.

Now the fun part: paint each section. YOU customize colors to coordinate with decor or season.

While paint is still wet, carefully remove FrogTape. Then let the paint dry.

Give it a quick light spray of lacquer and let dry.

*Optional: embellish with washi-tape and decoupage, add a drawer knob, drawer pull or leather handle, adhere something from the junk drawer or little plastic animal using hot glue, add vinyl decals or stickers. Get creative!

Use as a pencil box, for keepsake treasures, to store note or recipe cards, for organizing an essential oils collection, to tuck on a bookcase filled with bookmakers and highlighters, to keep cords handy or for a unique way of wrapping gifts.

It’s perfect for storing 70 15ml Young Living essential oils (more if you’re mixing in 5 ml sizes). Great idea for incentives, prizes or gifts – and YOU customize it to coordinate with your home.

Disclaimer: I received compensation to complete this project for using FrogTape® products. All opinions, projects and ideas are based on my own experience.

DIY Book Ends

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Roeshel

Back to school time! Time to restock the desk area for homework assignments and school projects. Add cute set of DIY book ends to perk things up.

As a part of the Michael’s Makers team, I have the opportunity to create a monthly themed project. This month’s challenge is “Back to School”. A bit of a ‘challenge’ when your nest is empty but these will work in grand-baby boy’s nursery too. 😉

What I used:

4 wood blocks
wood glue and clamps
scrapbook paper and scrapbook cards
multi-surface acrylic craft paint and foam brush
gloss finish decoupage and foam brush
{thin} washi tape
letter A
letter Z
hot glue gun & glue

What I did:

Start with applying a bead of wood glue to each block to create an “L” shape. Clamp, wipe away any excess glue and let dry.

Once glue was dry, I removed the clamps and applied a ‘white wash’ look using a foam brush and multi-surface acrylic craft paint. I only applied one coat so that the wood grain still showed through. Let dry.

Cut scrapbook paper to size for inside of the “L” shape and the outside of the vertical wood piece. I used scrapbook paper and cute patterned scrapbook cards.

Apply a coat of decoupage to one side at a time as a glue. Place scrapbook paper onto decoupaged surface. Smooth out air bubbles. Apply another coat of decoupage over the scrapbook paper, sealing it. I brushed on the decoupage in the same direction as the wood grain. Repeat decoupage + scrapbook paper to all sides. Decoupage will go on with a ‘milky’ look but dry transparent.

Add washi tape to sides, smooth out bubbles/make sure it’s adhered. Apply a coat of decoupage to seal. *There’s also the option to apply the decoupage before the washi tape to act as a ‘glue’.

Apply a second coat of decoupage to all surfaces. I let mine dry overnight.

Attach wood “A” and “Z” using hot glue gun. Wouldn’t they be cute with succulent planters, plastic animals, vases, figurines instead too?

Once hot glue sets, you’re good to go!

Ready for keeping school books within easy reach and an organized desk top. Useful, functional book ends that coordinate with your home office, library, reading room, craft room, nursery or homework station…love it!

See MORE ‘back to school’ crafts from these blog friends:

An InLinkz Link-up

Teachers – It’s time to start planning for the new school year and Michaels has all of the ideas and supplies you need to create a one-of-a-kind classroom, plus you get a 15 percent discount on all classroom purchases!

In addition to the products available for teachers, parents and students can find organizational tools to keep on track throughout the year as well as project ideas to personalize school supplies

Check out Michaels’ Back to School Pinterest Board to find fun and creative project ideas to kick the year off right!

As a member of the Michael’s Makers team, I receive a gift card to complete and share fun craft challenges.

DIY Pipe Fitting Wooden Coat Rack Tutorial

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Roeshel

This little seating area is great for putting on shoes and a quiet pet resting place and I love the vintage mould (I think that’s what the chalkboard is hanging on) but you know what? I was ready for a change. Surprise, surprise! haha!

Time to get creative and since we love pipe and wood projects for a bit of a rustic industrial style (see this), those are the materials I used to create a pipe fitting wooden coat rack.

What I used:

Three 3/8 inch galvanized flanges
Three 3/8 inch 90 degree elbows
Three 3/8 inch black caps
Three 3/8 inch x close steel pipe nipples
Twelve 3/4 inch sheet metal screws (these fit nicely for securing the flanges to wood)
RustOleum Universal Metallic spray paint + primer (oil rubbed bronze)
Scrap 1 x 6 pine board
RustOleum Ultimate wood stain (Kona)
RustOleum Ultimate polyurethane
2 drywall anchors and screws (to secure to wall)

What I did:

1. I connected my pipe fittings in this order: flange, nipple, elbow, nipple, cap.