Enamel Dipped Utensils

While shopping at Cost Plus World Market recently I saw THESE awesome enamel utensils.  As much as I loved them at $12 for a set of 4 utensils that was out of my price range at the moment.  So I decided to grab some Americana Gloss Enamels paint and make my own Enamel Dipped Utensils.  

I found some similar looking utensils at Walmart in a pack of 3 for $1.99.  How's that for a bargain!

Supplies:

*  Stainless Steel Utensils {new or used}

*  Americana Gloss Enamels paint by DecoArt 

    {Indian Turquoise, Coral Blush, Bright Yellow}

*  Paint Brush

*  Painters Tape

*  Rubbing Alcohol

I began my giving the parts I'd be painting a wipe down with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol per the paint instructions.  Then I just taped them off to give them a crisp paint line with my painters tape.  

I used my brush to paint on several coats of gloss enamel paint, making sure to let it dry between coats.  Once dry completely you will need to let them sit and air dry for 4 days.  Then bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  Then they are ready to use.  

For some reason my yellow turned out a little bubbly, probably because I had to do a few more coats of the yellow than the other colors.  None the less the colors turned out brilliant and so fun for summer.  How fun would these be to give as a gift for a housewarming party, wedding, or just a fun surprise for a good friend.  

Felt Flower Hair Clips

I have showed you guys how to make these cute little Felt Flowers in several posts before, but today I thought I'd show you just how easy it is to create these Felt Flower Hair Clips.  They are perfect little accessories for your little ladies, for gifts, or to add to a cute tote.  

Supplies:

*  Felt {I use the 8.5 x 11" sheets from craft stores}

*  Fabric Scissors

*  Glue Gun

*  Alligator Clips 

I began by cutting three strips of felt for my hair clips.  You can do as many flowers per clip as you like, 1 or 3 per clip is my preferred look.  My strips were 11" long, if you'd like bigger flowers you will need to purchase felt by the yard.  If you do use the 11" sheets of felt they will create a 2" diameter flower.  For smaller flowers cut shorter strips.  I cut my three strips in to different widths, my largest is 2" wide and I just taper the width down from there.  

Using my glue gun I place a line of glue all the way across the longest side of my felt {only place the glue along one edge of the felt}.  Then I folded the other edge to meet the edge with the glue.  Using my fabric scissors I cut all the way across the felt strip on the edge that does not have glue.  I like to make my cuts 1/4" apart, but on my smaller flowers I like to cut a little closer.

Once I finished all my cuts I grabbed my glue gun and placed a small amount of glue on one end and began rolling my flower.  Place a bead of glue as you go to keep your flower together.

When all my flowers were rolled and ready to go I just hot glued them to a small scrap piece of felt in a cluster.  You may need to place some glue between the flowers after you glue the bottoms down to the scrap felt.  This will keep it sturdy and not floppy.  Then glue your choice of hair clip, I like alligator clips.

And there you go...really cute Felt Flower Hair Clips.  These don't have to be used as just hair clips, you can clip them on your purse or tote bag to add a pop of color for summer, or use them as a bow topper on a special gift or package.  

Chevron Summer Wreath

Last week I bought some great outdoor pillows from World Market and Target.  I'm trying to spruce up my front outdoor patio area.  So I decided I needed a new wreath to match.  Today I'm sharing my Chevron Summer Wreath with you.

Supplies I used:

*  Wreath Form

*  Chevron Burlap Ribbon

*  Chalkboard Paint

*  Small Canvas or Paintable Surface

*  Felt

*  Scissors

*  Foam Brush

*  Small Pins or Glue Gun

Here are the pillows I bought from World Market & Target that I used as inspiration for my wreath.  The red & orange pillows are from World Market and the long teal pillow is from Target.

I gathered a few pieces of felt from my stash and got busy cutting out some leaves.  I made a quick template with some card stock so all the leaves were the same size.  I then took a couple of the colors and created some notches in the leaves to give them a different look than the others.

Once my leaves were cut I wrapped my straw wreath {a total upcycle from a previous wreath I removed the decorations from} with my chevron burlap ribbon.  My ribbon didn't completely cover the wreath but that was okay because I knew I wanted to cover that area with the felt leaves.  If you have a large wreath form I suggest two rolls of the ribbon if you want it covered completely.  I used small pins to secure my ribbon to the wreath so I could reuse it somewhere after the season is over.  

I also used pins to attach my felt leaves to the wreath.  You can lay them out first to see the pattern you want to make, then pin them.  Once I had all my leaves pinned to my wreath it looked like this picture below.  

I then took an old canvas that I've had since high school, it's about 3 x 5" and it was the perfect size for a small welcome sign.  I painted it with my Americana Chalkboard Paint and seasoned it with chalk.  I then used a chalk marker to give it a nice clean look.  I'm hoping that it holds up well with our summer monsoon weather, but I can always just re-write the message if it washes away.  I attached my sign with hot glue.  I also used some hot glue and attached a soda pop tab to the back of my wreath for a hanger.

I really love how this wreath turned out, the colors really pop and go great with my new pillows.  Now I just need to add some accessories and potted plants to my area and it will be summer ready!

Hand Stamped {Schoool Principal} Keychain

Happy Friday Friends!  Today I thought I would show you the gift I made for our son's school principal.  He is retiring this year after 20+ years of service at the school.  I wanted to give a gift that was masculine and memorable.  So I gathered supplies to make this Hand Stamped {School Principal} Key Chain.  

Mr. C made a huge impression on our hearts in the past two and a half years that we've been at the school.  We transferred in to the school more than half way through our son's 1st grade year.  We went from a charter school with a terrible experience and decided to give public school a shot.  I'm so glad we did.  Mr. C went out of his way everyday to see how our son was adjusting, he knows every child's name by heart, and really encourages the students to succeed and do their very best.  And let me just tell you about the line everyday before and after school to give him a hug.  It's amazing to see the dynamic he's had with these kids.  

Here's what you need to make your own key chain:

-  Metal Stamping Letters

-  Hammer

-  Rubber Mallet

-  Bench Block

-  Pliers

-  Sharpie Marker

-  Rubbing Alcohol

-  Paper Towel or Soft Cloth

-  Dog Tag Charms

-  Large Jump Rings

-  Key Chain Ring or Clasp

Here is a run down of where I find supplies:

Harbor Freight Tool Store, Hobby Lobby, Beaducation.com, Artbeads.com

I'm not showing you how to actually hand stamp on metal today but here are some excellent tutorials on metal stamping.  

Easy DIY Hand Stamped Jewelry @ Lil Blue Boo

Jewelry Stamping @ Happy Hour Projects

Stamping on Metal @ Beaducation.com

Mr. C loved his gift and it's something that he can carry with him for a long time.  We are thankful that he has made our son's school experience just a little more special.