February 28, 2011
Make It Monday: Whimsical Fruit Centerpiece
It’s still winter in so many parts of the world, but my mind is already moving towards spring and summer projects. I was surfing the other day for some cool ideas and found this whimsical painted fruit by Sara at Creative Jewish Mom. Sara says it will “make them smile” and it definitely did me! It’s such a fun litttle basket, and you can freestyle it – no professional skills required. Go here for the full entry and to see what Sara used to make the fruit.
Tip - The fruit is actually Styrofoam! Our best paint for Styrofoam is Apple Barrel. It gives great coverage.
Posted in Apple Barrel, Home Decor, Make It Monday | Leave a Comment »
February 25, 2011
TGIF Project: Quick and Easy Modern Vases
Blue is my favorite color, so of course I’m enamoured with these bold and modern glass vases from Cathie and Steve for Plaid. I promise you quick and easy projects for the weekend, and these deliver. You simply need a few FolkArt Enamels colors and some glass vases (which you can get from the thrift store). You won’t believe how quickly you can make these; the longest part of the process is the drying time! Find the complete instructions here.
Posted in Budget Crafting, FolkArt Enamels, Home Decor, TGIF Project | Leave a Comment »
February 24, 2011
How to Create Crackled Backgrounds for Your Photos
Welcome to another installment of ASK PLAIDIE LADDIE!
Plaidie Laddie, loyal Plaid pooch and one of our blog contributors, wants to answer your most burning painting questions. Every week he’ll pick a question out of his virtual mailbag and answer it (with a little help from me, since he only has paws). This week’s question:
“Dear Plaidie Laddie, I love taking photos. Are there any fun backgrounds I can create with my leftover craft paint?” -Kathy J. from California
Dear Kathy, First of all, I discovered your answer on StumbleUpon. If you haven’t ever tried it, it’s a great social bookmarking tool that allows you to mark your favorites and then finds you additional favorites based on your selections. It rocks! I bookmark a lot of painting sites, and I found one with your answer.
A recently did a post on creating fun backgrounds for your photography, and one of them I particularly liked: the crackle background. Christie uses FolkArt Calypso Sky (one of my favorite colors!) and some additional supplies to create the beautiful background you see above. There are also some other interesting techniques you could use with craft paint for more stunning backgrounds. Visit the entire entry , and have fun creating!
Sincerely, Plaidie Laddie
Posted in FolkArt Acrylic, Technique Thursday, Tips & Tricks | 1 Comment »
February 23, 2011
All About Gallery Glass Clings!
Spring Break is heading your way quickly, and you may need to plan some “craftivities” for the time at home. Have you ever tried Gallery Glass clings? You know the clings we’re talking about; the colorful ones that you stick to the window and let the light shine through. They are not only fun to look at, but they are fun to make! We have a huge library of them at PlaidOnline, like the whimsical butterfly above. Or how about a flower and ladybug?
For more Gallery Glass cling ideas, go here. You should also visit our new Plaid blog for even more Gallery Glass ideas and inspiration!
Posted in Gallery Glass, Home Decor, Kids | 3 Comments »
February 22, 2011
Tuesday Huesday: Pin-up Punch
I posted a very similar palette to this one here; it was my “Bright Organization” palette. Then I spied this set-up in Big Style and I got completely excited, because I was again inspired by the bright (and slightly different) color palette. I chose FolkArt last time, but this time I’m giving you some Apple Barrel colors to ponder. They are so cheery, and you might possibly have a nook that needs a re-do with some wonderfully colored craft items, no?
This palette was created using Apple Barrel colors (from left to right): White, Kiwi, Pumpkin Orange, Orange
Posted in Tuesday Huesday | 1 Comment »
February 21, 2011
Make It Monday: St. Patrick’s Day T-Shirt
Is it just me, or does it seem like we get through one holiday and then another is quick to come right afterwards? I find it so difficult to keep up sometimes! That’s why I appreciate simple crafts like this one – crafts that aren’t too complicated and make a big splash. We’re only a few weeks out from St. Patrick’s Day, so you might want to craft up a little something to wear. This shirt uses only one FolkArt Fabric color and the pattern is provided, so it’s easy-peasy. Go here for the project.
Posted in Fashion/Wearables, FolkArt Fabric, Holiday | Leave a Comment »
February 18, 2011
TGIF Project: Traditional Poppy Vase
Blue is my favorite color in the whole world, especially blues of the turquoise variety. That is one of the things that lead me to fall in love with this gorgeous Gallery Glass vase by Cathie and Steve. You can definitely use it for flowers (the Gallery Glass is on the outside), and it also makes a gorgeous piece for home decor purposes once the flowers are removed. You don’t have to lead, so it will take you about 20 minutes to whip up. Find the complete instructions here.
Have you been to our new Plaid blog, ? It’s by our resident expert Carol Smith, and there are all sorts of ideas (and patterns) to get you started. Please pay us a visit!
Posted in Gallery Glass, Gift Ideas, Home Decor, TGIF Project | Leave a Comment »
February 17, 2011
Loading Your Paint Brush
We’re going to switch up Technique Thursday a bit – rather than simply presenting painting techniques, we’re doing an online “column” called:
ASK PLAIDIE LADDIE!
Plaidie Laddie, loyal Plaid pooch and one of our blog contributors, wants to answer your most burning painting questions. Every week he’ll pick a question out of his virtual mailbag and answer it (with a little help from me, since he only has paws). The first question:
“Dear Plaidie Laddie, How do I load my paint brush? What is the right amount of paint to put on my brush?” -Linda K. from Kansas
Dear Linda, I’ll answer your question in a few parts – I’m first going to show you the wrong way to load your brush. NEVER dip the brush straight down into your paint puddle all the way up to the ferrule (silver part that holds the bristles onto the brush). You will quickly gum up your brush and will make it difficult to clean. You will also have a lot of paint to spread out on your project - this technique can get messy very quickly!
This is the correct amount of paint to have on your brush. Only go about halfway up the bristles with your paint. It’s better to have less paint on the brush and come back for more than to have too much.
The way Plaid designers load their brushes is to dip the bristles lightly but firmly into the side of the puddle of paint and then pull out. Turn over and repeat if you need more paint.
Practice a little and you’ll get the hang of it. Hope I’ve helped!
Sincerely, Plaidie Laddie
Posted in Technique Thursday, Tips & Tricks | Leave a Comment »
February 16, 2011
Make Your Own Fairy Nursery Wall Clock
I spotted this amazing wall clock on Crafting with the Stars – and it made me so happy. I had to visit the creator, Lindy from , because I wanted to see the tutorial of this clock and then more of her beautiful work. As I scrolled through the pictures, I noticed that she used both Apple Barrel and FolkArt paints for her creation. I was so excited that I had to share! I think you are going to love it too, and might even be inspired to create one of your own. Visit Lindy for the complete tutorial.
Posted in Apple Barrel, FolkArt Acrylic, Home Decor | 2 Comments »
February 15, 2011
Tuesday Huesday: Fresh Start
This kitchen layout from the latest issue of House Beautiful pleases me. It’s so fresh and so clean, and I LOVE LOVE the ceiling. It seems kind of busy at first, but then with the white cabinets it just all comes together. Those plates on the wall add such a perfect touch, especially with the aqua that is such a perfect accent. I love how all of these colors just work, and it is such a fresh look – perfect for a painted project.
This palette was created using FolkArt Acrylic colors (from left to right) – Forest Moss, Hauser Green Light, Classic Green, Calypso sky
Posted in FolkArt Acrylic, Tuesday Huesday | 3 Comments »
