Blocks Again

Wow these blocks are so fast to do when you use vinyl lettering.  

A friend wanted decor blocks in her last name.  I used scrap wood, but not 2 x 4's as done previously, but 2 x 3's. They end up being 2.5" squared blocks. I've made these using 2 x 4's see this post for details, but wanted to make the blocks slightly smaller since the last name is a bit long.

I trimmed the Stampendous stamp to fit, antiqued the edges using "Old Paper and "Chocolate" paper stain and then added vinyl lettering.

If you don't have vinyl lettering, you can make these using cardboard letters or any letter stencil see full details here.  

My painted blocks still need to be sanded down, but and a protective coat, but basically are done.

Do you "Case"?

Here's my moral dilemma when it comes to casing:  I LOVE other peoples projects immensely, but can't help feeling "oh, I want to to do that too".  So I often "case" them.  Is this wrong, especially if the item is something you've seen for sale on "Etsy"?

This is my first attempt with vinyl, as you can see, my second sentence is not straight, oops. Not as noticeable IRL, huh! 

Someone else put the time and energy into the project and came up with the idea, so is it wrong to borrow their idea?

They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, let's hope the "Etsy" artist I cased thinks so too.  Honestly, it wouldn't be something I would purchase on line any way, the shipping cost would be enormous.  Even if I were to see this in a store, I would think "I can make that, myself" and wouldn't purchase it.  Plus making it burns some of that anxious crafting energy.

I have to admit, I case all the time when card making, especially when I am in a pinch and I need something quickly.

Pallet Wood Shelf & Ledge Shelving

This project was made previously, but not shared until now.

Okay okay, so I know these shelves have been everywhere online, but I just had to have one.

This REALLY is the easiest pallet project.  You don't have to break down the pallet first woo hoo!  You simply cut off the section you want from the existing pallet, sand it down, paint it, stain it, or age it and away you go.  

You can go to Pallet Furniture DIY to see a version of this shelf turned upside with hooks on it.  Pretty cool

Pallet Wood Shelf tutorial found here by DIY Pallet Furniture.

Here's an art ledge shelf we made for Boo's room.  It's not made from reclaimed wood, but could be I suppose.  A few of the frames we removed the glass and added cork from the Dollar Store so the pictures can be easily swapped out.

I followed the direction for the ledge shelves found here at Ana-White.  GAWD I love this site, I want to make everything here.  We've started an outdoor sectional project from here, but sadly it is not done yet.

Halloween Pallet Wood Signage

Again from the Fall of 2013 - not previously shared, a Halloween sign using Pallet Wood.

 

I painted up my pallet wood canvas in orange and gave it a shabby chic sanding job.  I also added darker paint to the edges and corner for the aged look.

I used the acetone transfer technique found here or video here for the Keep Calm wording and the bat image.  I touched it up a bit with a marker, but left it pretty messy and blotchy.

Lastly I added a couple of coats of polyurethane since this is meant as outdoor decor.

Pallet Wood Pumpkins and Signage

Sorry, more pallet wood projects coming up.

I made these fun fall pumpkins - Summer 2013, but never shared them online.

I glued and nailed together strips of pallet the used a hand held jigsaw to cut a rough pumping shape.  Sand, paint, nail to a base and away you go. 

I cut the pumpkin stems from separate wood and glued onto my pumpkins, but have since seen online where they are part of the same pallet formed with the jigsaw.  If I make more of these I would follow that method, my stems keep breaking off.

I need to redo the bases with heavier wood too so they can with stand the wind in the fall.

And paint splatter in brown green cream and white, really made the pumpkin skin texture pop.

Adding spiders and faux spider webbing makes these guys last into Halloween too.

 

October 2010 Wtich Candy Stand REPOST

This witch candy stand was originally posted on my previous blog Savory Stamping October 2010. 

Funnily enough I have now 2015 seen stuffed fabric legs at my local craft store, who knew I was a trend setter. I have seen them used on wreaths and sticking up from outdoor pots.

I saw a Trick or Treat stand at a local Fall craft fair, two years in a row. Both times I mentioned to my hubby that I could make one myself, I finally got around to it.

This is a GREAT Dollar Store project. Believe it or not it only cost me approximately $5.00 to make this Trick or Treat goody bowl stand. The majority of the parts I already had in my craft stash.

Original post found here.

The only items I purchased for this project are all from the Dollar Store: the candy bowl, the "Come In... " sign, the cat, the broom and the green craft paint. The green tutu was from my daughters dress up bin, but was originally purchased from the dollar store. She gave me permission to re-purpose this for my project.

The stand was built with 2x4's and spare wood. I had orange canvas type fabric on hand that I painted for the the boots and legs, which I then sewed together, and painted with Acrylic craft paint. 

*I wouldn't recommend making little swirly toes on the boots as I did - once sewn it was almost impossible to right side out the fabric and stuff them. 

The stand or base was painted black and then I made my own green crackle paint using Dollar store craft glue.  Find the crackle paint directions here from Dollar Store Crafts.com. 

AGAIN - This witch candy stand was originally posted on my previous blog Savory Stamping October 2010.

Pallet Wood Bench & Tree House

Like I mentioned in the previous post.  I have been on a bit of a Pallet Wood binge.  I will be posting some of the projects I have made over the past few years.

The bench I made in the Summer of 2013 and the bird house was last summer, although I never got around to painting it until this Spring.  
 

This bird  house has seen a few incarnations and been given away as gifts to family and friends.

I aged the wood with a vinegar and steel wool solution, demonstrated here and used left over household paint for the top planks.
 

 

I made the crackle paint with Dollar Store glue, the cheaper the glue the better, but it can't be overly water downed glue.  Find the DIY Crackle Paint directions here.  ldjfd

Pallet Vinagar Jar Flower Holder

This is a project from last summer ~ 2014 ~

While perusing Pinterest I came across a cool flower holder using Pallet Wood.  I was on a bit of a DIY Pallet wood manic phase.

Any way, the Pinterest item was similar in style to the one I have made, but had 3 mason jars in the wooden holder.

I age my wood using the vinegar and rusted metal technique found here.

 I thought vinegar jars would be perfect, I wanted a holder for singular flowers like daisies, although hydrangea's look amazing in them too.  The burlap and "bloom" I came up with on my own.  Truth be told, I was desperate to try an acetone transfer technique and came up with a project just to give it a try.  I filled in my letters with a marker.  Unlike the video, I used an old plastic gift card to rub the image, not a knife.

 Here is a video by madebymarzipan that demonstrates the acetone transfer technique.  Remember font needs to be printed in reverse.

FYI - you can tranfer black and white photos with this method too.

Of course you could use vinyl lettering here.  At the time of this project, I didn't have any vinyl.

Fairy Garden Stump & House

Have you seen all the lovely Fairy Gardens around?  I have a broken pot that is just begging to be made into a Fairy Garden, but until I can get my hands on some succulents, this will have to do.

We have an old maple tree stump in one of our flower beds, my husband found a slice of discarded tree stump on the side of the road and placed it on top of our stump.  We've debated chiseling out a well for a bird bath or a flower pot, but have since decided this would make an ideal Fairy House and roof top garden.  

One step at a time, here is the front of the house I created.  I hot glued stones and twigs from the garden onto some scrap wood for an entrance roof.  The door is made from wood shims painted up Fairly style.  Some stacked up stones made for some cool steps.  Voila!

My daughter and I also made this cool Fairy House out of discarded birch branch that we smuggled home from one of our nature walks.

The top is cardboard formed into a cone shape and topped with Spanish moss.  The door are popsicle sticks.  We also make a cool little bench out of found thin twigs.  You can just make it out in the top right corner of the photo.

2 x 4 Word Blocks

Savory Stamping Original Post: October 2010 - BOO To You 

This was a super easy project. I cut the blocks from 2 x 4's. I painted them black with regular acrylic craft paint.  Then sanded down the edges for the shabby chic effect. On white card stock I stamped the background with a Stampendous block stamp in black ink, traced dollar store chipboard letters onto each block then filled in with marker.  (update, I have since started using cut vinyl letters using my Cricut.  You can use the letters straight on and add a protective polyurethane coat or use the negative of the vinyl and fill in the letters with paint.)

Here are some other projects done via the same method:

  

These blocks were paint speckled. I distressed scrapbook paper and painted the outlined letters.

Burlap Rose Wreaths

I made myself a Fabric Rose wreath using the tutorial found on You Tube by mamt4.  Linen can be expensive at the fabric store, so I buy painter's drop clothes from Home Depot.  I once made an entire slip cover for my couch with just two packages.

Sorry for the sideways photo, apparently it's a know Blogger issue.  Didn't do it on my old site, oh well.  I was going to wrap twine around a wood cutout letter, but found some already done at Michael's for just $ 2.50 each.

 

Recipe:

• grapevine wreath
• burlap ribbon - 1 or 2 colours (the blue roses are fabric remnants from another project)
• linen (I used drop cloth
• pearls
• twine covered letter (Michael's - $ 2.50)
• hot glue

Following the same recipe I made one for my Co-worker.  The grapevine wreaths at Micheal's looked awful, they were dry, crunchy and covered in leaves, so I had to settle with a larger size then my first wreath.  I actually think I like the larger wreath better.

Welcome / Profile picture

Hey, thanks for stopping by.  This blog's purpose is to display my crafting, card making and art projects.  I am a bit of a manic crafter and work in spurts, so please be patient.

When GOOGLE purchased Blogger, I lost access to my previous blog Savory Stamping which was mostly dedicated to card making.  I hope to re-post some of the craft projects in order to have a more accurate craft index.

So now for the crafts:

Last summer I was generously gifted with some old paned windows for FREE.  Can you believe it?  Two have found their way into the front of my shed and the third I have had a few visions of how to use, but reluctantly had to choose just one.

Using vinyl twine from Home Depot and a burlap wreath I made using Burlap ribbon hot glued onto a Styrofoam wreath form from Michael's. (Tip, use the glue on the burlap not the foam which will melt).  I wish I had several of these windows strewn about my garden.   I'll have to keep my eye out for more.

I love this dragon fly sculptures.  Can't take credit for it though, I purchased it from Serenity Country Candles.