Black & White Halloween Craft Pumpkin Tutorial

When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers... tis time to make this awesome black & white craft pumpkin, yo.

Okay, that's not quite how it goes. But it doesn't matter. We're going to take the moon's advice and make this pretty pumpkin... yo. ;)

You Will Need...
First, we need to gather supplies. Even Cinderella had to start with a pumpkin. If it was good enough for her, it's good enough for us! I got mine at Hobby Lobby. You can also find similar pumpkins here. You could potentially use a thrift store plastic or foam pumpkin, too... as long as you can stick images to the surface. Just keep in mind if it is a bright orange, you might want to paint it first.

You will also need:
- Romance Writer Scrap Pack from My Porch Prints (for the papers)
- Black & White Halloween Scrap Pack from My Porch Prints (for the images)
- Mod Podge (I used glossy)
- Foam Brushes
- Black Lace (optional)
- Fabric Flowers (optional)

Decoupage
To begin, cut or tear your papers into small pieces, about 1-2 inches in size. I tore some of mine. Others I cut. I didn't want them identical, but rather of various sizes and shapes. Pour your Mod Podge into a paper bowl and use your foam sponge brush to apply the Mod Podge to a small area of your pumpkin. Then place one piece of paper over it. Using the brush, apply another layer of Mod Podge on TOP of the piece of paper.
Tip: If parts of the paper won't lay flat, I used a craft stick to smooth it down.

Layer Papers
Repeat the process, layering the papers over each other. You can use a few different papers, or just one, whatever you like. I layered a few different kinds of paper.
Tip: I left the bottom uncovered because no one would see it.

Add Halloween Images
To add the black & white Halloween images, carefully tear around the images you want and use the Mod Podge in the same way you applied your paper.

Finishing Touches
When finished, allow to dry for a few hours. Then use the black lace to tie a tag to the top of the pumpkin. Embellish with black & white fabric flowers. All done!

DIY Scrabble Tile Wall Decor

*Please note we are not professionals. Projects and products depicted in this blog are not to be taken as advice, but as inspiration only. 

ALSO NOTE: I cannot offer advice about this project. This is just to show you how I created the project for my own personal use.

How I Made My Own Over-Sized Letter Tiles Wall Decor
Hubby and I are recently empty-nesters. Well, not exactly. Our older daughter has moved into her own place in a city about 40 minutes from us. And our younger daughter is currently traveling with a missions group. She will return this summer for a month before leaving again for another year. So, basically Hubby and I are on our own.

It was really hard at first. Both our kids left within a month of each other. We went from being a family of four, to a couple again. As young parents, we'd dreamed of the day when our kids would be independent, and Hubby and I could finally have a chance to travel and "date" again. But I never realized how much a family dynamic changes when the kids grow up.

I decided I wanted to celebrate the fact that we're still a family, even if parts and pieces of us are scattered a bit. So, I'm working on a gallery wall above our basement stairs. Part of that wall is our names in over-sized Scrabble style wood letter tiles.

You've probably seen these on Pinterest. If you've thought about doing them, I say go for it! These turned out even better than I'd imagined. Here's how I did it.

Cutting My Tiles
Hubby cut the tiles from 1x6 boards. They measure 5.5 x 5.5 inches. He even sanded the edges for me. Gotta love that man! If you don't have the time or tools to do this, check out these pre-cut wood squares on Amazon.
I goofed on how many tiles we needed. I counted each letter in our names, but forgot that some of the letters would be shared (like the K in the girls' names). So I ended up with a few extra tiles.

Painting The Tiles
Next, I had a decision to make. I've seen these tiles in many different finishes, and I really like ALL of them. Should I leave the wood natural? Stain it dark brown? Gray? Paint it black with white letters? The possibilities! I decided to do a combination style for a distressed grayish-white look that would match my farmhouse decor. I began by painting the tiles with white SATIN latex paint--just the front and sides. The back I left plain wood.

Printing & Tracing
Next, I printed the letters/numbers out on paper and colored on the back with a pencil. (I'll include the printable letters at the end of this post). I then traced these onto my tiles. I filled the letters in with black craft paint. The numbers were so small, I decided to fill these in with Sharpie. The marker dries out pretty fast. Each letter/number takes two coats of paint.

Sanding The Edges
The next step was to sand the edges of each tile. I used a sanding block, but you could use an electric sander, too. I wanted just a bit of raw wood on the corners and edges for the next step, which is gray stain.

Staining Over The Paint
I used rubber gloves for this next part. I wore an apron, too. Using a brush, I applied wood stain in Carbon Gray to the sanded edges, and all around the sides of the block. With a cotton towel, I wiped the stain away and also rubbed it into the wood, spreading it lightly around for an antiqued finish.

Hanging My Tiles
Now I had all my tiles, and they looked even better than I'd hoped! But I had a dilemma. How do people hang these on the wall? One at a time? That seems crazy! I came up with a plan to use a thin piece of wood to connect the tiles and create one giant piece of art. Hubby agreed and did all the hard work. He then attached a couple saw-tooth hangers to the back for hanging. Did I mention I love that man?

All Done!
I did a quick layout on the floor to see where other pieces would fit with my tiles. I am planning to add a few more things, like the word "family" and maybe the letter S or number 4. But I love how it looks on the wall!

So, what about you? Think you'll give this project a try?


*Please note we are not professionals. Projects depicted in this blog are not to be taken as advice, but as inspiration only. 

Want more ideas? Check out my post on How to Transfer an Image to Wood.
To download the printable letters, click each one and right click to save the image or print it.
Please note the size. There are 4 letters on each 8.5x11 inch printable sheet. So each letter fits in a space that is approximately 5.5 x 4.25 inch.

 

 

How To Decorate A Bookshelf For Spring

How to Decorate a Spring Bookshelf
I have a love-hate relationship with our built-in bookshelves. When we first moved into our lake house less than a year ago, I was so excited for the built-ins. All that storage! Of course, it meant downsizing our furniture and getting rid of some beloved pieces. The trick is, these built-ins aren't very versatile. I can't exactly fill them with all my "junk" because it makes them look very messy.

And the space between shelves is kind of small. I can hear what you're thinking. "They're adjustable, dummy. Just move the shelves!" Well, when we moved in, we were in a bit of a hurry. Hubby had just transferred from Wisconsin back to Iowa, and we needed a house lickety-split. So, I set my kiddos to painting double-quick. And, if you adjust any of these shelves, you will find an unpainted stripe behind them. I know. I need to fix that, but I'm kind of swamped with other projects at the moment. So... the shelves stay where they are. For now.

The good news is my tiny, static shelves mean I get to bring you decorating known-how for your own bookcase.

Here are some tips for decorating your bookshelf for spring:

Color
I chose a color scheme that goes well with my farmhouse style and with spring: white, black, gray and tan with a smidge of greenery thrown in. I played with the idea of using my robins eggs (which are aqua colored), but they just didn't match. Too many colors make a space look cluttered. A nice, neutral scheme gives it a clean look.

Theme & Style
Don't go overboard with a theme, but incorporate it using your style. My style is farmhouse and my theme is spring. So, I incorporated elements of spring like birds, greenery and flowers into my existing farmhouse elements which include wire baskets, galvanized metal, wood signs and old books.

Choosing Decor
When decorating this shelf, I collected my favorite things and made a pile on my dining table, choosing what would fit best in my space and with my colors/theme. Some items didn't make the cut. It's important to tell yourself, "I'll just use this somewhere else." Also, a bookshelf is for displaying items, not storage. If you have a gazillion tatty old paperback books (like I do), store them out of sight. Despite its name, a bookshelf does not often store actual, readable books. The books on my shelf are vintage collectibles, chosen for their aesthetic. If you do need to store books or other items, try hiding them in crates or baskets.

Spacing
This is the trickiest part of decorating a bookshelf. How to make it look full, but not cluttered. Clean, but not skimpy. Balanced, but not too matchy-matchy. I played around with my collection of items, trying things here and there. I used the triangle or zig-zag method. The wire baskets form a triangle or zig-zag pattern. So do the wood items with words: "garden" "herb garden" & "bloom". I also scattered birds, greenery and flowers throughout. When decorating your shelf, try grouping like items on your table, then place them in the zig-zag/triangle pattern on your shelf to draw the eye back and forth up the shelf and give balance. Don't place two large items close together. I also like to put larger items on the bottom to anchor the shelf, and smaller ones on top to draw the eye upward.

Create Groupings
Use smaller items in conjunction with larger ones. I filled a galvanized tray with vine balls, a small moss topiary and a bird in her nest. I also used books as a base for holding other items.

Final Tips

• Don't forget those spring touches of greenery, flowers and birds & nests! Other spring themed items might be vintage garden tools, Easter bunnies, eggs, flowering branches, etc.
• Shop your house for items in your color scheme: crates, baskets, bowls, pitchers--anything can be cute when paired with other items.
• If your books don't match, think about painting the covers or covering them with craft paper. Turn the spine toward the back of the case, letting the faded pages show.

Remember above all to showcase your own style and have fun!

Farmhouse Cabinets To Inspire You

Ideas for Farmhouse Cabinets From 10+ Bloggers!
For Valentine's Day, some girls get flowers or chocolates or jewelry. Me? I get a big old farmhouse cabinet! Yup. My  hubby knows me very well. Flowers fade, but farmhouse is forever! :)

My Valentine cabinet is an antique beauty. I can tell it has a lot of history because of the style of glass and the type of nails and hardware. Plus, it's in pretty rough shape. So, the question is, what to do with it? Should I try to restore it? Or paint it? or leave it as-is with all its rustic charm?

I decided to round up ideas from some of my favorite bloggers to inspire me. I hope they inspire you, too!

Amber Oliver

Pretty Handy Girl

Southern Revivals

A Brick Home

Our Crafty Mom

Roots & Wings Furniture LLC

Tracey's Fancy

Green With Decor

Pinterest Addict

Petal & Ply

H2O Bungalow

Love Birds Valentine Mantel

Love Birds Valentine Mantel
I used to get really excited for Valentine's Day, not so much for the romance aspect of it, but because of Valentine boxes at school. When I was a kid, I went all out with my box designs. And later, when I had my own kids, we would make the coolest boxes. One year we made a grandfather clock out of cardboard that had a working clock mechanism inside! It was as tall as my daughter. Another year we made a box out of real chocolate!

These days, my kiddos are grown up. I miss the tradition of Valentine boxes, getting to be creative and make something beautiful. So, I decided to pour that energy into decorating instead. This mantel is a fun mix of vintage and handmade with a "love birds" theme.

 The bird and cage canvas art is something I made a few years ago using plaster.

These cute little topiaries were thrift store finds.

I found these corbels at an antique show and got them for a steal!

You can download this printable banner PDF FREE! Just click the link at the bottom of the post.

Download the Valentine banner by clicking HERE!