Posts tagged ‘Craft Project Ideas’

November 19, 2010

TGIF Project: Imperfect Painted Pumpkins

by Jacki Schklar

imperfect painted pumpkins

Pumpkins–they’re not just for Halloween anymore! This is an easy project made from craft pumpkins, paint (I used FolkArt Acrylics and FolkArt Metallics), Extreme Glitter and Mod Podge. It’s great for trying those color combos you have been eyeing but have not had a project requiring all the colors you want to use!

I made the “purples” one for me and the red one is for my mother. They were both basecoated with a dark color and then striped. I was happier with my messier stripes than the ones I had painted more straight! My purple one is more muted; it is covered with Mod Podge Brushstroke with some silver FolkArt Extreme Glitter mixed in.

My Mom likes things bright and bold, so I painted hers with broader strokes and instead of muting with an all-over coat of Extreme Glitter, I used some Gloss Mod Podge mixed with a little Gold Shimmer Mod Podge over the basecoat, and painted the stripes over that. I then went back over the big stripes with matching colors of Extreme Glitter, and once again, the glitter paint looks best with imperfections.

I love paint and I love this technique because it lets the paint colors be the center of attention, not a detailed design. I might try it on some dollar store fruit, or a flowerpot. What other surfaces do you think this “imperfect stripes” technique would work well on?

November 4, 2010

VIDEO: Paint a Better Birdhouse with Candie Cooper

by Jacki Schklar

painted birdhouse project

Sometimes working around all these craft products and projects will put you into a crafting frenzy, I tell you! Part of my job at Plaid is to assist with producing videos. After editing this video, it was just too much for me to resist.  So that very day, I started my own birdhouse painting project. I followed most of Candie’s instructions, but used some Red Extreme Glitter dry brushed on the roof instead of the Outdoor FolkArt Metallics  that she has used. And mine is for my 6 year old nephew, so I added a dinosaur instead of a bird. The dinosaur has green paint with just a little Emerald Green Extreme Gliter mixed in for a bit of glimmer. I occasionally mix Extreme Glitter right into FolkArt Acrylics, more or less glitter depending on the desired effect. Now my nephew, Ari, will be the only kid on his block with a painted dinosaur birdhouse!