July Fourth - Easy Kid DIY

 I cannot believe it's July 1st and that we are already looking at the Fourth of July weekend! This summer is flying by! We have some tentative plans for the weekend. Pool time, taking in "School of Rock" at Theater in the Park if the rain holds out, and a family cookout on Monday. And, as always, we will adorn our table with darling DIY placemats that McKinley made several years. 

But, what started out as a fun DIY fireworks project, turned out to be the most adorable tablescape focal point. As McKinley was trying the toilet paper fireworks painting project, midway through his creations, my husband had the brilliant idea to take them and have them laminated after they dried! It's a minimal cost DIY, one that takes truly minutes to create, and one that will last a lifetime!

Here's what you need:

At least three toilet paper rolls depending on how many kids are participating, red, white, and blue paint, heavy white paper, paper plates, and wet wipes! And a little patience as it can get a little messy! I lined my table with a throw away table cloth.

To get started, cut the end of one toilet paper in small slits all the way around the roll. Only on one side and cutting roughly half way up the roll. Take the slits you cut and flip them up on their edges so you create a flat end. This will be the firework and the end you place in the paint.

Next, load up your paper plates with your paint. Dip each end of your toilet paper rolls in the different paint colors and apply to your white paper. Let them get as creative as possible. And make sure to layer some of the fireworks over each other so it resembles the ones in the sky.

Set aside to dry. Make as many as you want. Like I said, we had McKinley make five for our placemat idea. We took the completed project to UPS for the lamination. So easy and convenient! Done in minutes. 

Have a blast when setting your table. 

Honestly, this is a last minute DIY that you will use over and over again. Make them today and use them on Monday! They are that fast! You can also use them on Memorial and Labor Day weekend.  

Another darling idea just came to mind! Find an inexpensive white table runner or table cloth and use a stencil paint to create a larger canvas for your kids creation! I'm off to find one now!

Happy Fourth of July!

XO,

Andrea

DIY Springtime Pom-Pom Tree

 I have the cutest DIY for your Easter table that can be used as a centerpiece throughout the rest of spring. I’ve seen them all over internet and the price is crazy! One was listed for $58!! Want to know how much I spent on mine? $9! How did I only spend $9, you ask? All I needed were the pom-poms. I found this extra large bag on Amazon, but you can get smaller versions at your local craft store. It’s a super fast project, it took me less than two hours from start to finish, and it was on my kitchen table upon completion. 

To create the Pom-Pom tree, you just need a few materials and they are easy to get your hands on. You’ll need small twigs, pom-poms, hot glue/gun, and a container to place the twigs in. I found all of my twigs in my front yard, thanks to the high winds we’ve been experiencing lately, and sprayed them with disinfectant in case there were bugs. I also used white rice as a way to keep the twigs stable inside my vase. I loved using a smaller Shatto milk jug as a my vase. Get creative. This is a whimsical project after all.

Let’s get started! I started by placing the rice inside the container and then arranging my twigs inside the vase. You can use full twigs if they create a nice base or several smaller ones to create a fuller look. I did both. From there, you start gluing the pom-poms onto the branches. Place them where you feel it looks best and in any color order that makes you feel happy. It’s all about esthetic. Whatever you feel looks best, works best! So easy, right?

And once you are done, it’s ready for the table! Make it centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table. Add it as a decoration on a side table to add a little spring to any room. And the best thing about it, you can use it year after year! Just wrap it in bubble wrap to protect the branches from breaking while in storage. I love a craft that can be used year after year!

And there you have it! A springtime Pom-Pom tree fit for your Easter tablescape! And you can make it late as Saturday for use on Sunday! What do you think? Is this something you think you can create this weekend? 

Happy Spring!

XO,

Andrea

                                                        

Creating with Chalkola

 It is no secret I love to craft! And I love working with as many materials as I can. So when Chalkola reached out and asked if I would be interested in working with one of their products, I jumped at the chance! At Chalkola, their philosophy is “live a vibrant life” and who can’t get behind something so simple? And vibrant is definitely a word I would use to describe their products.

I was gifted their pack of 40 Chalk Markers and they are amazing!! Just like chalk paint but in a marker. They can be used on several non-porous surfaces like glass, chalkboards, and for most of my projects, aluminum or tin! For the non-artist, like myself, I used stencils for my guides when creating my projects. However, if you are good with free handing anything, you are going to love the ease of these markers!! 

Want to know something equally as cool? If you want to create something new, after you’re done with the Christmas signs like mine, you can remove the chalk marker from the material you originally used!! The marker is made with high quality water based ink, which is washable! The markers are smudge free, which allowed for a clean design that quickly dried within minutes. And when you’re ready to do a new project, using a wet paper towel should help remove the ink from almost any non-porous surface. Full disclaimer, I tried the wet paper towel on the tin surface and it worked great! As did a baby wipe. The chalkboard was a different story. A magic eraser worked the best. Just barely wet it and use some elbow grease. You should be good to go!

So here are a few additional tips for using these awesome markers! If you are using a stencil, which is what I used for all of my projects, make sure to outline the template with a piece of chalk first! After using the chalk markers with the stencil, and because they are paint based, it smeared the stencil design outline because it ran under the stencil itself. It was an easy fix, if the design outline was visible. I could clean it up easily with a toothpick, but it was tedious and time consuming. The chalk outline allows you to prep the design, go over it with the marker color of your choice, and once dry, wipe away the excess chalk lines! So easy! Check out the process!

Here is the example of the project that bled under the stencil template. I used the magic eraser and it pretty much removed the marker. You can see a small hint of the design, but once the new was added, it's not as noticeable.

Using the chalk as my initial outline worked best for me!

And these are some additional projects I made with the chalk markers on tin and chalkboard. I love them!

I am obsessed with these markers and can’t wait to create more with them. I have an old glass window that’s been sitting in my garage and I haven’t had a clue what to do with it. Once I get it cleaned up, I can use the glass as an ever evolving sketch pad!! Stayed tuned for a possible project! 

You can purchase the Chalkola Chalk Markers directly from their site or on Amazon. And check out the other products they offer. What would you do with these markers? 

Happy Crafting!

XO,

Andrea

I was gifted these markers by Chalkola, but all opinions expressed are my own!

DIY Spring Embroidery Hoop Wreath

As of this week, spring temps are in the air, which means it's time to start changing out that winter decor! I did just that this past weekend with my front porch and now I have this adorable spring wreath to add! Last week on Better Kansas City, Belinda and I chatted about how cute and festive these wreaths are and just how easy they are to make! Here's how you do it!

You're going to need wooden embroidery hoops, and as luck would have it, they come as a set! When embroidering, quilting, or cross-stitching, you would use both of these hoops to help hold your fabric taut and in place. For this project, you get two wreaths for the price of one! YAY!

Next, pick all the decorating pieces that speak to you in terms of spring, or any other season you want to place on your wreath. I made one for spring, Christmas, and Mardi Gras, and I'm currently working on one for summer. In addition to the items you've picked, you're going to need floral wire. Make sure you get the floral wire that works best with your project. I picked up both green and silver depending on how much greenery I used or something that was more white based. Additional items you might need are wire cutters, a glue gun, and something to hang your wreath with, if you decide not to leave it as is. Looping thick ribbon is a great option.

Let's get started!

As you can see, I went with all things pastel, especially pink! Pink orchids, a pink, yellow, and white pom-pom garland, and darling pink bunny ears! 

Start by finding the place where you want to start on the wreath. For this one, I knew I wanted my orchids to line just one side of the wreath, leaving the other side open. I clipped off the stem to the best length for the wreath and began wrapping my silver floral wire all along the end to secure the orchid to the wreath. 

After you secure the end of the stem to the wreath, start wrapping the wire around the orchid all along the wreath, making sure to keep the wire tight, but your loops don't need to be too close together. Making sure the orchid is adhered to the wreath is key. 

Once I had the orchid attached to the wreath, I started adding the garland. Luckily, the garland was already wired so it was easy to add to the wreath.

Again, find where you want it placed on your wreath. I decided to bunch the pom-poms around the stem at the base of the wreath to cover the start point. Move the garland up and along the side of the wreath, making sure to fluff and cover up any empty spaces you see. 

Once you have everything in place, take a step back and look at the wreath from a slight distance. If you see that it needs a little more here or a little less there, adjust as needed. One thing I did was wrap the garland in between the flowers to add some depth. 

When I saw these darling bunny ears, I knew they would be the center/focal point of my spring wreath. And even though they are bunny ears, I don't think it screams Easter. This way, you can put it out now and keep it up well into spring. But, I have my summer wreath ready for when the weather calls, so the bunny will eventually have to go! 

I cut the stem of the pick to just under the ears and used a glue gun to adhere them to the wreath. This is the only piece that's glued, so if I decide to take it apart to create something new, the glue will easily come off. And, because it's on the back, you won't see if there's a slight flaw. You can use all of these pieces again and in very different ways. It would be a cute floral arrangement. Or, you could place the garland around a large round candle, place on a pedestal and cover with a glass cloche topper. 

And here is the final product!! It's darling! So sweet and screams spring!!! I hung this on one my parents doorknocker for the photo, but would definitely use a wreath hanger or a teacup hook that I have on the front of my house for year round wreath use! 

And that's it! So easy! And like I said, I made a Christmas and Mardi Gras version. Check them out below! 

A great DIY that is seasonal or year round depending on what you design! And what's great, a project that can be taken apart and the pieces upcycled for a completely different use! Love a versatile project!

Check out the Better Kansas City segment here to see Belinda and I working together on the summer hoop!

XO,

Andrea