Monday, December 12, 2022

Easy Vintage-Inspired Santa Garland





Learn how to decoupage paper napkins into an easy vintage-inspired Santa garland!


The other week, I ran into Marshall's looking for a particular Christmas gift and stumbled upon the most adorable Santa paper napkins.  Apparently, I'm all about vintage Santas this Christmas.

They had the cutest jolly faces and vintage-inspired vibe that I couldn't resist buying a pack.  I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to use them, but I knew I had to have them. 

Once I got home and took a look at a few of my craft supplies, I realized the napkins would be perfect for a decoupage project!

DIY decoupage Santa garland

WHAT IS DECOUPAGE? 

Decoupage is an art and refers to decorating an object with paper.

WHAT IS THE BEST GLUE TO USE FOR DECOUPAGE? 

There is a lot of different craft glues out on the market, but Mod Podge tends to work best for decoupaging.  It's thinner than Elmer's glue, dries clear, comes in multiple finishes, and is super easy to work with.  


SUPPLIES NEEDED TO DECOUPAGE PAPER NAPKINS

- Paper napkins (I found my Santa napkins at Marshall's)
- Saw 
- Sander or sandpaper
- Scissors
- Hole punch (I used a 1mm hole punch)
- String or jute twine 

HOW TO MAKE A DECOUPAGE PAPER NAPKIN GARLAND 

There are a variety of different materials and surfaces you can decoupage.  Today, I'm going to share how to make an adorable vintage-inspired Santa garland using paper napkins and cardstock. 

vintage-inspired Santa garland

STEP ONE: CUT AND PEEL APART NAPKINS

Cut napkins into the desired shape then peel apart the layers.  Most napkins are 2 or 3 ply and you'll only be using the top printed layer of the napkin.

The Santa face on my napkins was already pretty much cut out, but there was a small area that I needed to trim in order to separate my napkins. 
cut and pull apart napkins

STEP TWO: APPLY MOD PODGE TO SURFACE

Apply a thin to medium layer of Mod Podge to the cardstock, slowly place the napkin over the Mod Podge, and carefully press into place.  Gently pat the napkin to remove any unwanted air bubbles or wrinkles.  

I liked the vintage Santa image on my napkin and felt imperfections would just add to the vintage vibe, so I wasn't overly concerned about a completely smooth finish.  

apply mod podge to card stock

STEP THREE:  CUT OUT THE DECOUPAGE IMAGE

Allow the Mod Podge to dry for about 20 minutes then cut out each decoupage Santa image. 
cut out decoupage Santa

STEP FOUR: PUNCH HOLES AND STRING IMAGES 


I prefer the look of a very small hole, so I used a 1mm hole punch to punch holes in the top of each of my Santa faces then strung them together using white cotton string.  

TIP: Make a loop at each end of the string for easy hanging.
Punch hole in each decoupage Santa

string Santas to make garland
I strung my garland from a decorative antique window, but it would also look great hung from a mantel or house window.

DIY decoupage Santa garland

how to decoupage napkins

While I was in the crafting mood, I decided to also decoupage a piece of old scrap wood for a little different look.  

I cut the wood down to size then decoupaged a napkin to one side of the wood to make cute Santa Christmas art.  

how to decoupage a napkin onto wood

Decopouged napkin onto wood

If the image on your napkin is small enough you could also decoupage coasters (make sure to seal them with dishwasher-safe Mod Podge), wood ornaments, gift tags or picture frames.  Really, the project possibilities are endless!








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Tuesday, November 15, 2022

20 DIY Gift Ideas For Everyone on Your List





The best DIY gift ideas for every budget, every style and for everyone on your list!


Do you love giving or receiving DIY Gifts?  

DIY gifts are a great way to share your talents, get creative, add a personalized touch and in some cases save a few dollars. 

From yummy treats and fragrant soaps to vintage decor and snarky plant markers.  I scoured the internet to gather a variety of highly curated DIY gift ideas for everyone on your list!  

The best diy gift ideas

IMPORTANT NOTES TO CONSIDER BEFORE DIVING INTO DIY GIFTS 


1.  WILL DIY REALLY SAVE MONEY?  If your goal is to save money, make a material list and really asses if it's cost-effective.  Some DIY projects will actually cost more than buying a finished product.  

2.  WHAT DO YOU HAVE ON HAND?  Do you have leftover wood from a previous DIY project?  Fabric from a sewing craft?  Consider the inventory that you have on hand and how you could use or repurpose those materials to make affordable and creative DIY gifts. 

3. CONSIDER YOUR TALENTS.  Are you an amazing seamstress, baker or chef?  Do you have a knack for woodworking?  Think about your hobbies and talents and how you can use those skills to make affordable and one-of-a-kind gifts for friends, family, neighbors and teachers. 

4.  WILL IT CAUSE MORE STRESS?  The holidays are supposed to be a fun and festive time of year.  If making DIY gifts will lead to feeling more stressed then consider scaling back your projects and crafts or eliminating them altogether.  

5. MAKE IT A PARTY!  Host a fun Christmas craft evening and knock out a few gifts while also spending time with friends and family.   Enjoy yummy treats and share a few holiday drinks while making a fun and easy craft for your guests to take home. 


20 DIY GIFTS IDEAS FOR EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST



1.  Wine Bottle Candle 
DIY wine bottle candle, diy gifts
Source: Hello Nest 


2. Funny DIY Plant Labels 

DIY funny plant labels, diy gifts


3.  DIY Personalized Silhouette Necklaces 

DIY personalized silhouette necklaces
Source: The Nester

4. DIY Wood Doormat
DIY wood doormat, diy gifts


5.  Rock Road Map Keychain

Rock road map keychain


6. Marble Mugs 

DIY marble mugs, diy gifts

6. DIY Letterpress Keychain 
DIY letterpress keychain, diy gifts


7. Rope Camera Strap 

Diy rope camera strap
Source: Collective Gen 

8.  DIY "Antique" Cutting Board 
DIY antique cutting board
Source: Tidbits 

9. No-Bake Peanut Butter Truffles 

no-bake-peanut butter truffles

10. Adjustable Apron

diy adjustable apron, diy gifts


11.  Leather Tool Pouch 
DIY leather tool pouch, diy gifts

Source: Handmadiya

12. Heishi Bead Necklace 
DIY heishi bead necklace, diy jewelry


13. Buffalo Check Checkers 
diy buffalo check checkers, DIY gifts


14. DIY Marbled Clay Ring Dish
DIY marble clay ring dish

15.  Leather Decanter Labels
DIY leather decanter labels

16. Wood Hexagon Coasters
DIY wood hexagon coasters, diy gifts

17.  Modern Cake Stand
DIY modern cake stand, diy gifts

18. Homemade Beard Oil 
homemade beard oil, diy beauty gifts

19. DIY Peg Game With Brass Casings
DIY peg game with brass casings, diy gifts
Source: Sweet Pea 

20.  Marbled Soap
homemade marbled soap, diy gifts
Source: Homey Oh My 



Which DIY gift idea is your favorite? 

Are you looking for more DIY Christmas gift ideas?  Here are 15 more budget-friendly gift ideas for you to enjoy and consider. 








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Monday, April 4, 2022

Dollar Store DIY: Funny DIY Plant Markers





Add a bit of fun and snark to your indoor plants with these DIY funny plant markers! 


Who's up for a super easy Dollar Tree craft project? 

It's been quite a while since I've created a Dollar Tree project, so I decided to stop into Dollar Tree to see what I could find.  

The other week, I potted a few Pothos plants that I had been propagating in water and divided a Chinese Money Plant that sprouted a few new baby plants.  

I've been keeping an eye on them, so naturally, when I stopped into Dollar Tree I had plants on my mind and grabbed a Tumbling Tower game to make funny plant markers. 

DIY Dollar Tree plant markers


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Thursday, March 10, 2022

How to Make Vintage-Inspired Oil Paintings







  Learn how to make ordinary art look like vintage-inspired oil paintings in just a few simple steps!



Do you love the look of vintage oil paintings?  

Does your budget not allow for you to splurge on one-of-a-kind original artwork?

I love decorating my walls with unique vintage decor and one-of-a-kind art.  It's one of my favorite ways to personalize my house and make it feel more like home.  Unfortunately, original oil paintings and vintage art can be expensive and hard to come by. 

The good news is, you can get the look and texture of vintage oil paintings for a fraction of the price.

diy vintage-inspired art

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Sunday, December 12, 2021

DIY Neutral Christmas Decorating Ideas







Deck your halls this holiday season with these fourteen affordable neutral DIY Christmas decorating ideas! 


Christmastime is my favorite time to get crafty.  

How about you?  Do you like to craft holiday decor or give DIY holiday gifts

Keeping with my love of neutrals (you can see my neutral holiday decorated home HERE),  I scoured the internet for my favorite neutral DIY holiday craft ideas.  

Fourteen stylish Christmas crafts
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