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Showing posts with label art class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label art class. Show all posts

12.06.2022

diy gingerbread men + village wreath

painting,holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,makeover,DIY,diy decorating,thrifted,art class,gingerbread theme,gingerbread decor,gingerbread Christmas,gingerbread home decor,Christmas home decor,gingerbread holiday decor,gingerbread crafts,gingerbread house,gingerbread village,ceramic village makeover,Christmas wreath,Holiday wreath,diy holiday decor,diy home decor,tutorial
true to form, i've re-used one project in the creation of another!
you'll recognize these ceramic village houses and trees from my last post,
where i shared my 'gingerbread' makeover - with paint!
i love seeing how many ways i can use something,
and how i can expand a seasonal theme to encompass many different projects.

continue reading to learn some secrets about this one!

11.29.2022

it takes a (gingerbread) village

painting,holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,makeover,DIY,diy decorating,thrifted,art class,gingerbread theme,gingerbread decor,gingerbread Christmas,gingerbread home decor,Christmas home decor,gingerbread holiday decor,gingerbread crafts,gingerbread house,gingerbread village,ceramic village makeover.
how many of you have dreamed of making REAL gingerbread houses...
and then tried it? UGH! it's an exercise in futility, in my opinion!
(i'm a pretty good baker...
it's just getting them to stay together and upright that stumps me!)

i've found a totally 'deb' solution to that dilemma: 
just PAINT some ceramic houses to LOOK like gingerbread!

i took some little ceramic houses that i've had for a few years now
and gave them a simple makeover with brown and white paint
and now i have a darling 'gingerbread' village on my mantel
that matches the big 'gingerbread' dollhouse shared in my last post.

continue reading for details (and a peek BACK at how i used them before!)

11.22.2022

a 'gingerbread holiday' dollhouse

painting,holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,makeover,DIY,diy decorating,thrifted,art class,gingerbread theme,gingerbread decor,gingerbread Christmas,gingerbread home decor,Christmas home decor,gingerbread holiday decor,gingerbread crafts,gingerbread dollhouse,dollhouse makeover.
because i squeezed in my last Thanksgiving post on Friday of last week,
it's finally time to share holiday decor!

 this first project was inspired by some halloween decor that i saw online
and you probably saw it, too...
dollhouses painted as decrepit old haunted houses.

i saw so many amazingly creative 'takes' on that idea on social media,
and decided then to create a gingerbread dollhouse for Christmas.
and that idea launched an entire theme:

welcome to my 'Gingerbread Holiday'!

once again, i'm making use of elements i have on hand already
along with a few CHEAP additions from thrift & discount stores
to create a whole new holiday decor theme to enjoy.

continue reading to see the before shot and all the details...

5.31.2022

what i did with all of my May flowers!

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,tutorial,art class,creativity,garden art,buttercup,daisy, daffodil, dandelion,frangipani,gerbera,hibiscus,marigold,poppy,rose,sunflower,tulip,yarrow,zinnia,spring flowers,summer flowers,fall flowers,holiday flowers
after creating all of my flowers for the Instagram #flowermonth2022 challenge,
i decided that i wanted to enjoy them a bit longer...
so i combined almost all of them into one big flower arrangement!
but that's not all i included.

continue reading to see some interesting things tucked in with those flowers...

5.30.2022

May flowers: art challenge recap

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,tutorial,art class,creativity,garden art,buttercup,daisy, daffodil, dandelion,frangipani,gerbera,hibiscus,marigold,poppy,rose,sunflower,tulip,yarrow,zinnia,spring flowers, summer flowers,fall flowers,holiday flowers
over the past month, i've been participating in a creative art challenge...
the #flowermonth2022 challenge on Instagram
was sponsored by three artists,
with thousands of creative people around the globe participating.
each interpreted the prompts - an alphabetical listing of flowers - 
in their own style and method.
it has proved to be not just a fun exercise for me,
but also an educational experience,
as i've seen many variations on the themes in many different art mediums.

my own creations for this challenge
were all made from materials & elements that i have here at home - 
all reused, repurposed, recycled, and turned into flowers & foliage:

scrap paper, paint, paint pens, colored pencils, felt pens, fabric, gift wrap, 
wood blocks, vintage crepe paper, tissue paper, wire, sweaters, yarn, 
vintage jewelry, sewing pins, even plastic parts from dollar store flowers.

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,tutorial,art class,creativity,garden art,buttercup,daisy, daffodil, dandelion,frangipani,gerbera,hibiscus,marigold,poppy,rose,sunflower,tulip,yarrow,zinnia,spring flowers, summer flowers,fall flowers,holiday flowers
though my original plan was to make 12 different flowers, as shown here,
it quickly expanded to a plan for 14 blooms - 
and then i added one more at the last minute!

continue reading to see all 15 floral creations from my studio...

5.26.2022

May flowers: yarrow & zinnia

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,art class,creativity,garden art,tutorial,diy flowers, arts & crafts, May flowers, May flower challenge, zinnia, yarrrowflowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,art class,creativity,garden art,tutorial,diy flowers, arts & crafts, May flowers, May flower challenge, zinnia, yarrrow
it's a two-fer!
i don't have enough time left in the month to add more posts,
so this one is doing double duty.

the two last letters of the floral alphabet challenge - Y and Z -
just finished up on Instagram,
and i made a Yarrow blossom and some Zinnia blooms...

continue reading to see the easy ways i created these flowers
using everyday materials here in my studio...

5.07.2022

May flowers: gerbera

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,art class,creativity,garden art,tutorial,diy flowers, arts & crafts, May flowers, May flower challenge
May 7 Day 7: Gerberas

this is another 'trash to treasure' assemblage / collage project
for the May Month of Flowers art challenge on Instagram.
this sunny bloom grew right outta' my recycle bin!

continue reading to see how i turned garbage into art...

5.04.2022

May flowers: daffodil, daisy & dandelion

.flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,art class,creativity,garden art,tutorial,diy flowers, arts & crafts, May flowers, May flower challenge

D is for daffodil, daisy, and dandelion!
(and a bunch more, like delphinium and dahlia and daphne)

continuing with the May Month of Flowers art challenge,
i've shared those three on Instagram on May 4 / day 4 / letter D -
and thought i'd share them here, as well!
several are older projects, and a few are brand new - created just for this challenge.

continue reading to see them all and learn how i made them...

5.02.2022

May flowers: buttercup

flowers,art,wreaths,art challenge,diy decorating,up-cycling,spring,trash to treasure,re-purposing,paper crafts,painting,DIY,crafting,Instagram,art class,creativity,garden art,tutorial,diy flowers, arts & crafts, May flowers, May flower challenge
'chin up, buttercup!'
ever heard that one?

in my last post, i shared info about a May art challenge on Instagram.
i'm not posting a new project there every day,
but i did share my first one on May 2,
and i chose 'buttercup' for the letter 'B' prompt.

this was a new project for me, using materials in my existing stash,
and i had to work out the details as i went -
and now i'm sharing it as a tutorial here on the blog.

when i was finished making my buttercup, i added it to a larger art piece
that i had in mind when i chose this specific flower!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

5.01.2022

'month of flowers' May art challenge

flowers,garden art,paper crafts,painting,trash to treasure,up-cycling,re-purposing,crafting,DIY,diy decorating,art,art class,creativity,spring,wreaths,Instagram,art challenge, yellow flowers,yellow.
flowers are always on my mind in springtime...
and they are one of my favorite things to create.
this month, i'm excited to revisit some of the flowers i've made in the past
(and whooooo have there been a lot of them - some shown above)
and create different flowers for something NEW:

the 'May Month of Flowers Instagram Challenge'!

continue reading to find out the details!

10.29.2021

last-minute 'pumpkin party' decor

art,art class,color,color palettes,colorful home,crafting with kids,DIY,diy decorating,dollar store crafts, painting,fall,pumpkins,crafting,Pantone color of the year,embellished pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,decorating with pumpkins,painted pumpkins,ribbon crafts, paper party decor
ever wondered how deb's muses work?
here's an example of the crazy ways things connect in my brain:

while in the process of cleaning up my studio
(an Herculean task, let me tell you....)
i found a plastic bag filled with some yellow paper party supplies
that i had picked up while out thrifting - and promptly forgot about!
the paper goods were immediately removed from the bag,
and tucked into a drawer where i keep all of the scrap paper & magazine tearsheets
so i wouldn't forget about them again - i'm in that drawer at least once a day.

just hours later, i scrolled through social media and saw a photo of a big fat bow,
thought 'that's cute', and kept scrolling. then i stopped.
in my mind, the big fat cute bow merged with the paper party supplies,
and became 'a pumpkin party' in my imagination...
pumpkins bedecked with ribbons and bows in a 'party' setting.

the combination of the two - plus some stickers and more party decor - 
turned out cheerful, happy, and so easy to create
and it took me just minutes to assemble the vignette shown above...
which makes it a PERFECT last minute decor idea,
and a great 'no carve' pumpkin decorating project for kids.


continue reading for the details...

9.10.2021

make a 'harvest time' sign from a clock!

fall,wall art,painting,re-purposed,salvaged,up-cycling,art class,DIY,diy decorating,farmhouse style,industrial,rustic style,seasonal,thrifted,trash to treasure,wreaths,fall home decor, fall door decor,fall door wreath, fall wreath,handpainted signs,harvest time sign,wall art signs
here's a timely project for you: turn a wall clock into a sign!

with a 'harvest time' message, it's perfect for fall decorating
inside your home or on your front door...
and a great way to re-purpose a pretty but broken clock.

continue reading for the easy-peasy details...

6.21.2021

sunny garden plant markers

garden art,wall art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,wreaths,farmhouse decor, farmhouse style,summer home decor,home decor,summer door decor,door hanger,galvanized home decor.
this 'sunny' summer project is the third in a series...
designed to bring a fun, colorful vibe to my garden this season
and hopefully to inspire you to try something similar in your home!

every gardener loves to ID the plants they grow,
and this cute plant marker project is an easy way to use stuff around the house
to make an artful impact in the yard!

continue reading to see what i used and how easily these are made...

6.14.2021

sunny yard art

garden art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,diy garden art,summer home decor,summer decor,re-purposed garden art
welcome to part two of my 3-post sunny garden art series!

today i'm sharing the fun sunshine 'sculptures' that i created outta' old metal...
things.
i honestly don't know what they are. i found them at a junk shop.
they were galvie, so i bought 'em and brought 'em home.
then i never used them. 
until i imagined them alongside the sunshine 'wreath' from my last post! 

continue reading to see the start to finish details...
not to mention a COMPLETE RE-DO of these with a Disney theme!!!
garden art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,diy garden art,summer home decor,summer decor,re-purposed garden art, Disney

6.07.2021

sunshine door decor

garden art,wall art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,wreaths,farmhouse decor, farmhouse style,summer home decor,home decor,summer door decor,door hanger,galvanized home decor.

talk about sun salutations!
i was staring at some junk that was sitting in the garage the other day,
decided it looked a bit like something from a place i love,
and came up with another way to make a sunny project
that's perfect on your front door, wall, or even garden fence!

this is an easy one to make,
using only a few pieces of metal junk, paint, a wreath hanger, and some zip ties...

*** as a matter of fact, it's SO EASY that i just RE-DID this project
with a *bit* more of the original inspiration included! ***
continue reading for details on the original project AND the changes i just made...

6.01.2021

hello, sunshine!

wreaths,re-purposing,up-cycling,summer,diy decorating,DIY,art,art class,wall art,decorating,dollar store crafts,on the porch,outdoors,painting,thrifted,door hangers,door decor,straw hat crafts,straw hat wreath,boho hat,sunhat,summer home decor, summer decorating,diy summer decor.
summertime is here!
now that it's time to focus on sun, sand, and shenanigans,
let's bring some sunny summer vibes to your home decor!

i came up with a way to decorate a front door (or back door, or interior door!)
in just minutes with this 'fast, cheap, and easy' paint project...

continue reading to see several ways to have fun in the sun with this one!

3.19.2021

pop art paper posies!

art,art class,paper,paper crafts,flowers,crafting,crafting with kids,dollar store crafts,diy decorating,DIY,decorating,spring,trash to treasure,spring flowers,spring decorating,pop art,pop art crafts,black and white art,black and white flowers,pop art decor,line art,crafting with paper,spring flower crafts .
a recent creative challenge i am part of called for participants to share
how we've invoked the spirit of spring in our art.
well, my 'art' is craft - using re-purposed, upcycled, re-imagined materials.
and my first response was to think of my paper paint chip daffodils,
so i submitted a photo of those.

then i thought of another idea, and wanted to play with it...
since i love making somethin' outta' nuthin', i chose to use plain cardstock paper!

the result of my afternoon 'playtime with paper, paste and scissors' is something
that reminds me for all the world of pop art, like Andy Warhol's famous pixilated works.
it also makes me think of the art of Sina Trixx, an inventive design firm
(view their astounding pop art architectural creations on Instagram)

can black + white evoke springtime? yes! 
continue reading to see how...

3.12.2021

miniature wire nest charm

up-cycling,tutorial,trash to treasure,spring,salvaged,rustic,original designs,nests,neutrals,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,boho,art class,garden art,NeSts,wire,crafting with wire,wire sculpture,spring home decor,diy spring home decor,birdnests, jewelry, charms, bird nest charm
a search through some boxes unearthed a relic from my past
that's been in hiding for years...
when i saw it, i was inspired to make a larger nest using wire,
and i love how that turned out.

these miniature wire nest charms were an item i previously made and sold at vintage shows,
and this one is the original!
you can make one of your own, or as the perfect springtime gift!


continue reading for an easy tutorial...

3.08.2021

spring forward with a wire nest

up-cycling,tutorial,trash to treasure,spring,salvaged,rustic,original designs,nests,neutrals,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,boho,art class,garden art,NeSts,wire,crafting with wire,wire sculpture,spring home decor,diy spring home decor,birdnests,
let's spring forward! (pun intended - sorry, i couldn't resist!)
 
recently, i played with a new material to see if it would work as well as i thought it would
to create a new kind of bird nest for spring decorating.
(the fact that it literally LOOKS like a spring evaded me until i was typing this post!)
i have to say, i LOVE the result! 

 can't you just see this nest as a decor accent in rustic, farmhouse, and boho style rooms?!
it's an easy project that i think you'll want to try...

continue reading for my easy tutorial!

3.01.2021

dollar tree vase makeover

art,art class,painting,makeover,color,color palettes,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,DIY,diy decorating,flowers,dollar store crafts,spring,home decor,spring home decor, Pantone 2021,Illuminating Yellow,Ultimate Gray, yellow and gray decor,gray and yellow,Dollar Tree hacks,Dollar Tree crafts,Dollar Tree finds
even the smallest details matter...
when i saw these two funny little bud vases at Dollar Tree,
the sunshine yellow caught my eye.
the bottom half of them were not at all my style, however.

i bought them anyway!
 it's so easy to give store-bought items a quick makeover...

a few artful dabs of paint quickly remedied the problem,
and these vases now fit my palette and style perfectly.

continue reading for the before and after...