Inside A Makers' Studio

DIY Gilded Splatter Pumpkins

October 11, 2023

Follow the steps below to create these chic, gilded pumpkins! These will look gorgeous in your home or on your front porch.

Supplies needed:

Additional supplies needed:

Pumpkins
Cardboard box

Instructions

1. Clean the surface of your pumpkins with a damp paper towel and allow to fully dry.

2. Apply 1-2 coats of Rescue Restore Paint, using long smooth strokes and always painting into a wet edge.

3. Once the paint dries, move the pumpkin into a cardboard box or protected area. Dip the artist brush into the size and begin to flick the brush, creating splatter patterns onto the pumpkin. This is abstract and there is no right or wrong way, so have fun with it and be creative! You may apply as much or as little of the size as you like. The more splatters you make, the more gold leaf will stick to your pumpkin.

NOTE: If you notice large globs start to form, wipe your brush off and then use it to soak up the excess size.

4. Once the size has come to tack (let sit for 10-15 minutes until slightly sticky to the touch) and has become translucent you can apply the leaf. Holding the spine of the leaf booklet with one hand, pull back the tissue with the other hand and lay the leaf down covering the area with size. Try not to touch the leaf with your fingers, but burnish (rub) into the size using the orange paper.

5. After burnishing (pressing and rubbing down firmly), lift the leaf packet up and begin removing excess leaf using a chip brush. This may take time since many of the splatters are so small, so keep at it until you see all the fun drops appear!

6. Continue to roll the pumpkin and repeat steps 3-5 until fully covered with leaf as desired.

7. Using the same artist brush, apply size to the stem, then repeat steps 4-5.

Finally, once you're done you can enjoy your newly created gilded pumpkins! Put them outside or inside your home and enjoy the compliments you will receive!

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Floral Gilded Mirror

August 11, 2022

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.

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.

Shop Our Acrylic Glacier Resin Bundle Here

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.

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DIY Gilded Charcuterie Board & Stenciling Furniture

May 26, 2021

You're in for a treat with this video! Learn how to make a stunning charcuterie board with our Gold Leaf and Classic Borders Stencil. You'll impress all of your guests with this beautiful board. Then stay tuned as Amy and Michelle show you how easy it is to stencil FURNITURE with our Mesh Stencils.

Supplies:

Additional Supplies Needed:

Wood Cutting Board (Hobby Lobby)
Painters’ Tape

Instructions:

Begin by cutting out the border design from the Classic Border Stencil. Then place the stencil at the top of a clean wooden board. Use painters’ tape (placing it on clothing first to remove some of the stickiness) to protect the outer edges on either side of the stencil.
Using the Foam Dome Brush, apply the Gilding Size by first offloading it on a piece of cardboard and using the same up down motion to apply it to the stencil. Quickly remove the stencil and wash it and the Foam Dome Brush in lukewarm water once done.
Once the size has come to tack (it will appear translucent) you can apply the Gold Leaf. Holding the spine with one hand, pull back the tissue with the other hand and lay the leaf down covering the area with size. After burnishing (pressing and rubbing down firmly) lift leaf packet up and continue the process until entire sized area is covered.
Using the Chip Brush, remove the excess leaf.
Once the Foam Dome Brush and stencil have dried, place the stencil slightly offset from the gilded design. Add painters’ tape on either side as done in step 1.
Then use the Foam Dome Brush to apply the Weybridge White One Step Paint to the stencil using the same up down motion. Once done, quickly remove and wash the stencil in lukewarm water. Allow the paint to fully cure for at least a few days.

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DIY GILDED SPOON REST

May 08, 2020

Love to cook but hate the mess? This is the perfect DIY project for you! While it won't make cleaning dishes any easier, using a durable spoon rest can prevent those messy utensils from making your kitchen countertops dirty. And who says that spoon rest can't be beautiful?

In this A Makers' Studio tutorial, you'll learn how to craft your very own gilded spoon rest in just a few steps.

DIY GILDED SPOON REST INSTRUCTIONS

Products used for this project are linked at the bottom of the page.

Step 1: Begin by placing a dab of Angel Wings Ceramic Paint onto a piece of scrap cardboard.

Applying Ceramic Paint | A Makers' Studio

Step 2: Using your Sponge Brush, load, and then offload it by using an up-down motion.

Using A Foam Brush With Ceramic Paint | A Makers' Studio

Step 3: Next, using the same up-down motion, apply the paint onto your stamp.

Applying Ceramic Paint To Stamp | A Makers' Studio

Step 4: Very carefully place the stamp in the center of your spoon rest, apply gentle pressure. Then carefully life the stamp straight up.

Using A Stamp With Ceramic Paint | A Makers' Studio

Spoon Rest With Ceramic Paint | A Makers' Studio

Step 5: Place in a cool oven and heat it to 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn oven off and allow it to cool inside the oven.

Step 6: Once cooled, use your Artist Brush and dip it into the Gilding Size. Then lay the brush on the edge of the spoon rest and press down to scrape off the size onto the edge of the rest. This should cause a large drip to begin running down the side. Continue this around the entire edge.

Applying Size With An Artist Brush | A Makers' Studio

Step 7: Once done, go back with a clean brush (or even a Q-Tip) to extract some of the larger puddles of size.

Be careful not to alter the shape of the drop, just remove the excess size.

Using An Artist Brush For Gilding | A Makers' Studio

Step 8: Once the size has come to tack (it will appear translucent) you can apply the Copper Leaf.

Holding the spine with one hand, pull back the tissue with the other hand and lay the leaf down covering the area with size.

Step 9: After burnishing (pressing and rubbing down firmly) lift leaf packet up and continue the process until it is all covered.

Step 10: Using a stiff brush, remove the excess leaf.

Removing Excess Gold Lead With A Chip Brush | A Makers' Studio

Now you're ready to get cooking!

DIY Gilded Spoon Rest | A Makers' Studio

To clean, hand wash with soap and water to ensure the longevity of your beautiful new DIY gilded spoon rest.

READY TO GET STARTED ON YOUR DIY PROJECT?

Here are the A Makers' Studio products used in the tutorial...

DIY Gilded Spoon Rest Tutorial | A Makers' Studio Products Used

Angel Wings - Ceramic Paint
Foliage - Clear Stamp (or any other Clear Stamp design you like)
Gilding Size
Pure Copper Leaf
Foam Dome Brush
Artist Brush
Chip Brush

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DIY CERAMIC FLORAL PLATES

May 04, 2020

Have you ever wanted incredible plate ware without that incredible price tag?

At A Makers' Studio, we're going to show you just how easy it is to craft your very own DIY ceramic dishes.

And the best part??

With our custom formulated Ceramic Paints, your DIY plate designs are food safe and washable!

DIY CERAMIC FLORAL PLATE INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Start by dipping your Artist brush into the gilding size and then using your finger to flick the size onto the plate.

Step 2: Once done, go back with your brush and carefully lift up any thick drops, maintaining the original shape of the splatter.

Step 3: Once the size has come to tack (it will appear translucent) you can apply the Silver Leaf.

Holding the spine with one hand, pull back the tissue with the other hand and lay the leaf down covering the area with size.

Step 4: After burnishing (pressing and rubbing down firmly) lift leaf packet up and continue the process until the entire plate is covered.

Step 5: Using a stiff brush, remove the excess leaf.

Step 6: Next, cut out sections of your Season stencil and place along the edge of the plate.

Step 7: Begin smoothing out any bubbles that are within the design, pushing them to the edges of the stencil.

Step 8: Next, place a dab of Black Ceramic Paint onto your Artist Brush and apply it to the stencil.

Step 9: Now carefully remove the stencil and immediately wash it with lukewarm water.

Step 10: Continue the process around the edge of the plate and onto another side.

Step 11: Once done, place in a cool oven and heat it to 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn oven off and allow it to cool inside the oven.

Step 12: Once cooled, place a dab of Tally Ho, Hot and Spicy, and Angel Wings on a piece of scrap cardboard and begin mixing together with your Artist Brush.

Step 13: Dip your brush into some water and then begin to paint in some of the flowers, just like paint by numbers.

If it is still too thick, you can dip your brush in the water again and mix it into the paint.

Step 14: Once you have added the coral color to desired flowers, go back and add a dab of Angel Wings to the mixture to create a lighter version.

Step 15: Begin applying it to the edges of each petal you have already painted with the coral color.

Step 16: Wash your brush off with water, then continue the process using the Smoke Got In My Eyes Ceramic Paint and any other combinations you like.

Step 17: Once done, place in a cool oven and heat it to 325 degrees for 35 minutes. Turn oven off and allow it to cool inside the oven.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN TO CRAFT YOUR VERY OWN FLORAL PLATE DESIGN!

Here are the A Makers' Studio products used for this tutorial...

Ceramic Paint – Angel Wings

https://amakersstudio.com/products/ceramic-paint-angel-wings

Ceramic Paint – Black

https://amakersstudio.com/collections/ceramic-paint/products/ceramic-paint-black

Ceramic Paint – Smoke Gets In My Eyes

https://amakersstudio.com/collections/ceramic-paint/products/ceramic-paint-smoke-gets-in-my-eyes

Ceramic Paint – Hot And Spicy

https://amakersstudio.com/collections/ceramic-paint/products/ceramic-paint-hot-spicy

Ceramic Paint – Tally Ho

https://amakersstudio.com/collections/ceramic-paint/products/ceramic-paint-template

Mesh Stencil – Season

https://amakersstudio.com/products/mesh-stencil-season-12x18

Silver Leaf

https://amakersstudio.com/products/imitation-silver-leaf-6-x-6

Gilding Size

https://amakersstudio.com/products/gilding-size-2-oz?_pos=1&_sid=7d17260f8&_ss=r

Artist Brush

https://amakersstudio.com/products/artist-brush

Chip Brush

https://amakersstudio.com/products/chip-brush-2-0

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HOW TO MAKE KINTSUGI COASTERS

December 13, 2019

There is a beautiful Japanese art form called Kintsugi in which the breaks in an object are seen as its history. There is something so meaningful in being broken but seeing it as a gift. These coasters are on-trend and so chic. They make the perfect gift or statement in your own home!

When we feel broken, all we have to do is cry out to our Lord and He will heal us and put us back together again. Psalm 30:2

Products used in this project:

- Gold Leaf

- Gilding Size

- Artist Brush

Step 1: Lay your tile on a hard surface and cover with a cloth. While wearing safety glasses use a hammer to strike the tile hard enough to break it. Remove the cloth and use it to carefully dust off any loose pieces.

Step 2: Using the Artist Brush apply Gilding Size to the broken edges.

Step 3: Once the size has come to tack, apply the Gold Leaf to the entire area covered with size. Be sure to burnish with tissue from the booklet.

Step 4: Use a strong glue such as Gorilla Glue to put the pieces of the tile back together. Allow to dry and then apply the cork backing to the bottom.

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