Inside A Makers' Studio
Fun Fall DIY
The perfect cutting board for the upcoming FALL season. This stencil will create a fabulous background on any surface. Watch Lianep from DIY Beauty on Purpose as she takes you step by step on this fun DIY decor!
Products Needed:
Additional Supplies:
- Masking Tape
- Scissors
HOW TO
Step One - Prep!
Use masking tape to divide the cutting board into two sides. Overall, you can place the tape in the middle making the sides equal or however you would like. Lianep placed her masking tape at an angle.
Step Two - Paint!
Paint one side with the One Step Paint. You may pick other colors than what Lianep used. Remove the masking tape as soon as you are finished painting.
Step Three - Stencil!
Once the paint is fully dry, fold the Floral Fireworks Mesh Stencil in half. Lay it's backing over the side of the cutting board that hasn't been painted. Rub the stencil firmly into the wood to make sure it is adhered very well. To protect the painted side you can put some masking tape over the paint to avoid getting the Chalk Art on it.
Use the Angled Squeegee with the Heart of Gold Chalk Art to spread the paste over the Stencil, making sure to cover all areas. If you used masking tape to protect the painted side remove it first before removing the stencil.
Once done, slowly peel the stencil away from the cutting board (if you see any unpainted areas as you're removing the stencil, just lay it back down and add more paint over that area). Once fully removed, immediately wash with warm water and mild soap or put into a bath of water to soak. Once all of the paint is washed off of the stencil, lay it adhesive side up to air dry.
Once the cutting board is fully dry we are going to cut the Floral Mesh Stencil out of the stencil pack. Place the stencil on the painted side. Rub the stencil firmly into the wood to make sure it is adhered very well. Use the Angled Squeegee with Slow As Molasses Chalk Art to spread the paste over the Stencil. Once you are finished, slowly peel the stencil away from the cutting board and clean the stencil.
Step Five - Enjoy!
Now you can enjoy this beautiful fall décor in your kitchen, as a centerpiece to your table, sitting on your counter, or a a gift to a friend!
How To: Wood Block Pumpkins
It's (almost) fall y'all! We have fabulous new Mesh Stencil designs dropping for the season. Watch Lianep from DIY Beauty on Purpose use the NEW Birds and Buttercups Mesh Stencil to create wooden fall décor pieces. Don't miss it; we can't wait to see what you make!
Shop What She Used:
- Birds and Buttercups - Mesh Stencil
- Angled Squeegee
- English Boxwood - One Step Paint
- Midnight Dreams - One Step Paint
- Ballet White - One Step Paint
- Well I Declare - Gel Art Ink
Additional Supplies:
- Wood Blocks
- Short Wood Branches (for pumpkin stems)
- Jute or Twine
- Fall Leaves (fake or real)
HOW TO
Step One - Prep!
Cut a 2x4 or other scrap wood into three rectangles (one tall, one medium, one short). Overall, they may be as tall or short as you like. Lianep made hers 11", 9", and 7" tall from tallest to shortest.
Step Two - Paint!
Paint each block a different color using the One Step Paint. You may pick other colors than what Lianep used, and you could also paint each block the same base color.
Step Three - Stencil!
Once the paint is fully dry, peel the Birds and Buttercups Mesh Stencil off of it's backing and lay over the front of the first block. Rub the stencil firmly into the wood to make sure it is adhered very well.
Use the Angled Squeegee with the Gel Art Ink to spread the Ink over the Stencil, making sure to cover all areas.
Once done, slowly peel the stencil away from the wooden block (if you see any unpainted areas as you're removing the stencil, just lay it back down and add more paint over that area). Once fully removed, immediately wash with warm water and mild soap or put into a bath of water to soak. Once all of the paint is washed off of the stencil, lay it adhesive side up to air dry.
Once the stencil is fully dry, repeat as desired on the other wooden blocks.
Step Four - Decorate!
Attach the wood branch pumpkin stems to the top of your painted wooden blocks. You may drill a hole and use a dowel to attach or you may use hot glue.
Take several strands of the jute and tie them around the base of the pumpkin stem. Add in the fall leaves by tying the stems in with the jute or hot gluing to the top of the wooden block.
Step Five - Enjoy!
Now you can enjoy this beautiful fall décor on your porch, as a centerpiece to your table, sitting on your counter, or a a gift to a friend!
For more fun tutorials and products, visit our blog at A Makers' Studio.com!
Floral Gilded Mirror
This DIY takes a plain or thrifted mirror and turns it into your favorite piece of décor. Decorate your home with custom pieces made yourself with just a few products from A Makers' Studio. Whether you enjoy a sleek modern look or an antique vintage vibe, our new line of Decorate Molds are a must have.
Products Needed:
- Acrylic Glacier Resin Bundle
- Your Choice of Decorative Mold (we used My Flower Garden and Rose Garden)
- Gilding Size
- Your Choice of Leaf (we used Gold Leaf)
- Resin Measuring Cup (or any disposable cup on hand)
- Artist Brush (or any small paint brush)
- Chip Brush (or any medium sized paint brush)
- Light and Dark Wax (optional to antique)
Step 1
Measure Out Resin/Hardener Mixture and Mix
To make your final piece more flexible (if applying to curved surfaces), simply pour in your mixture of 60% resin with 40% hardener and mix well for 3 minutes. Pour into the mold and allow to dry overnight. Pop out your design and apply with super glue to your frame, furniture, or decorative object.
The recipe to make the resin very hard and inflexible would be a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener. Measure to ensure exact mixing ratios. Your working time is 20 minutes once mixed. Your gel time is 30 minutes. Allow the surface to dry for 6-9 hours. For crafting, your through dry time is 10-14 hours. We recommend letting it cure overnight.
To make your final piece more flexible (if applying to curved surfaces), simply pour in your mixture of 60% resin with 40% hardener and mix well for 3 minutes. Pour into the mold and allow to dry overnight. Pop out your design and apply with super glue to your frame, furniture, or decorative object.
The recipe to make the resin very hard and inflexible would be a 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener. Measure to ensure exact mixing ratios. Your working time is 20 minutes once mixed. Your gel time is 30 minutes. Allow the surface to dry for 6-9 hours. For crafting, your through dry time is 10-14 hours. We recommend letting it cure overnight.
If you prefer using air dry clay in lieu of resin, you will notice some shrinkage and cracking. Be aware that air dry clay will not give you the detail that you can get with Resin.
Step 2
Pour mixture into your choice of Decorative Mold and let cure overnight. Pop out of the mold once hardened.
Step 3
Use the Artist Brush to apply Gilding Size all over the mold (or to specific areas you want to gild), and let it come to tack (very sticky / not completely dry). This takes about 10-15 minutes. You can tell the Size has come to tack when you touch it and the skin of your finger comes away with some resistance.
Tip: Gilding Size is like glue, so be sure to keep the edges of your jar very clean so it can be easily opened in future.
Step 4
Once the Size comes to tack, open your leaf booklet and peel back the first tissue. Hold it by the spine of the booklet with your hands on the tissue, not the leaf. Lay the leaf face down on the mold. Burnish (rub) in one direction with your hand while the booklet is still on the leaf you just laid. Remove the booklet and repeat if the mold was not completely covered. Overlap each additional sheet just slightly so as to hide lines.
Take a Chip Brush and smooth in the same direction as you burnished to take away excess leaf. After the larger chunks of leaf are detached you can rub a little more vigorously with the chip brush o remove smaller sections of the leaf in the details.
Repeat this same process on the edges of your mirror, taping off 1/2" from the side. Apply Gilding Size, let it come to take, apply your leaf, burnish, brush away excess, and peel away your tape to reveal a clean gilded edge.
Tip: You may re-use the excess leaf being brushed away!
Step 5
Using hot glue or super glue, apply your mold pieces to the corner and edges of the mirror (or place wherever you'd like). They may also be overlapped if desired.
Step 6
If a more antique look is desired or you want to tone down the leaf a bit, apply Light Wax in a cross hatching motion with a Chip Brush (offload onto cardboard before applying). Allow to come to tack (20-30 minutes), and then apply Dark Wax the same way but lightly only over about 20% of the surface. Allow to come to tack (20-30 minutes), and then buff with a t-shirt or lint free rag.
Finally
Hang in your home, gift to a friend, and Enjoy the Bragging Rights of the beautiful mirror you made yourself!
Check out amakersstudio.com for more creative tutorials and to browse our other products.
Do you have more of a desire to refinish furniture or transform larger pieces? Take a look at our sister company, Amy Howard at Home, for furniture paints, antique finishes, specialty techniques, and more.
DIY SALT DOUGH GIFT TAGS | Using Clear Stamps and Gel Art Ink
These Salt Dough Gift Tags are so elegant and unique. Create these to impress your gift recipients this year! Watch as Amy & Michelle show you the best techniques for creating these tags.
Supplies:
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Salt
- ½ Cup Water
- Blessed – Rescue Restore Paint
- Gel Art Ink – Grass Is Always Greener
- Gel Art Ink – Bless His Heart
- Gel Art Ink – Blowin Up a Storm
- Gel Art Ink – Hold Your Horses
- Clear Stamp – I Love You/Family
- Clear Stamp – Foliage
- Foam Dome Brush
- Cookie or Biscuit Cutters (or some other round object)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt.
- In a smaller bowl, mix together water and ½ cup Rescue Restore Paint Blessed.
- Then pour paint mixture into larger bowl of flour/salt mixture. Mix together until large ball forms.
- Place ball of dough onto floured surface. Using a rolling pin, work the dough until it is between ¼ and ½ inch thick.
- Use cutters to create tags, placing them on a sheet of wax paper.
- Using a pencil or back end of an artist brush, create holes for threading string through.
- Then place a dab of Gel Art Ink on a clean surface and load the foam dome brush by dabbing it with an up and down motion, offloading as you go.
- Carefully dab the ink onto the stamp, using the same up down motion. Be sure to wipe off any excess ink that gets on the rim of the stamp.
- Now carefully place the stamp straight down onto the tag, applying medium pressure to ensure it stamps evenly.
- Then lift stamp straight up washing it with lukewarm water once done.
- Optional: You can add little red dots/berries by using a small brush and Bless His Heart Gel Art Ink.
- Allow tags to fully air dry for 72 hours, flipping them once daily.
