Tag: paint

DIY Heart Handprint Painting for Valentine’s Day

Welcome back friends!

My little girl hasn’t quite reached the age of exchanging multitudes of valentines amongst her classmates and/or friends so I thought we would create a few fun pieces of artwork instead! These heart handprint paintings are the perfect Valentine for moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles; the sky is the limit!

Let’s have some fun and get painting!

SUPPLIES
  • Small mounted canvas (large enough for a handprint)
  • Foam paint brushes
  • Acrylic paint
  • Heart shaped paper, small
  • Scissors
  • Sticky tape
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Select the colors you would like for a background, this can be one or more dependent on your preference.
  2. Squeeze dots of the background paint color(s) you selected on the canvas in any pattern you prefer. I was going for a gradient look so I arranged my dots from light to dark.
  3. Using a a foam paint brush, you and your little one can spread and blend the paint over the canvas in back and forth strokes.
  4. For a completed look, paint the edges of the canvas if you have not already done so, then set it aside and allow it to fully dry.
  5. Print and cut a heart out of paper and use sticky tape to attach it to the dry canvas.
  6. Select the colors you would like to use to create the handprint, this could be one color or more, we did six, one for each finger and another color for the palm!
  7. Using a different foam paint brush for each color, brush the colors onto your little one’s hand. Gently press the painted hand down on the canvas, aligning the heart under their palm.
  8. Gently pull the hand away, then peel away the heart if it did not come off onto the hand.
  9. If needed, use a small paint brush to touch up the edges of the heart, then allow the painting to dry.
  10. Enjoy!

DIY – Bat Silhouette Pom Pom Painting

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is making things that delight her; I want to create fun, educational crafts for her that are made with love and will be loved! This week we’ll be creating pom pom paintings of bat silhouettes for halloween! 

I remember when I was a kid we made halloween crafts at school and my mom would bring them out every year as part of our halloween decor. It made me feel super happy and proud that she would take the time to save and display my art every year and that is the feeling I want to inspire in my own daughter.

Let’s get painting!

SUPPLIES
BatSilhouettePatternDownload
  • Bat silhouette pattern (see above)
  • Printer paper
  • Scissors
  • Scotch tape
  • Black cardstock paper (8.5 x 11”)
  • Clothespin(s)
  • Pom poms
  • Sunset colored paints (I used red, orange, purple and yellow)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Print this bat pattern I’ve created and cut the bats out.
  2. Break off several small pieces of tape, roll them into cylinders, and use them to attach the bats where you want them on the black cardstock paper.
  3. Pour non-toxic sunset colored acrylic paints into a pie plate (or something similar) and set out a pom pom for each color.
  4. Use a clothespin to grab one pom pom at a time, or one clothespin per color.
  5. Allow your little one to dab the paint around and over the bats to their heart’s content.
  6. Allow the paint to dry and then gently peel off the bats to reveal their silhouettes!
  7. Hang it up and enjoy! 

DIY – Ghost Pom Pom Painting

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is making things that delight her; I want to create fun, educational crafts for her that are made with love and will be loved! This week we’ll be creating pom pom paintings of a ghost for halloween! 

I remember when I was a kid we made halloween crafts at school and my mom would bring them out every year as part of our halloween decor. It made me feel super happy and proud that she would take the time to save and display my art every year and that is the feeling I want to inspire in my own daughter.

Let’s get painting!

SUPPLIES
Ghost PatternDownload
  • Ghost pattern (see above)
  • Printer paper
  • Scissors
  • Scotch tape
  • Black cardstock paper (8.5 x 11”)
  • Clothespin
  • Pom pom
  • White paint
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Print this ghost pattern I’ve created and cut it out of it’s frame, then set the frame aside.
  2. Cut the eyes and mouth out of the ghost shape.
  3. Break off three small pieces of tape, roll them into cylinders, and use them to attach the eyes and mouth where you want them on the black cardstock paper.
  4. Pour non-toxic white acrylic paint into a pie plate (or something similar) and use a clothespin to grab ahold of a pom pom.
  5. Place the ghost pattern’s frame around the edges of your cardstock page and dab the pom pom in the white paint, then dab it around in the edges of the ghost’s shape to create a dotted pattern for your little one.
  6. Remove the frame and allow your little one to dab the paint away to their heart’s content.
  7. Allow the paint to dry and then gently peel off the eyes and mouth to reveal!
  8. Hang it up and enjoy!

Transformed Power Wheels – Barbie to Jurassic Park Jeep

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is making things that delight her; I want to create fun, educational toys for her that are made with love and will be loved! I loved dinosaurs as a child and quite honestly I still do! I see that interest piquing in Zoey too and of course I’m going to encourage it!

I was always fascinated by power wheels as a child and envious of any of my friends who owned one! When my parents found this one at a thrift store, I jumped at the chance to get one for Zoey, but it needed a little work! As you can see it started out as Barbie themed, and while I loved Barbies too this was the opportunity to try something new!

Let’s create a Jurassic Park themed power wheels! Please feel free to use this information to breathe new life into an old toy and, if you have any new tips, please feel free to share!

SUPPLIES
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Using a screwdriver, dismantle the toy as much as possible without breaking anything. If a piece is not coming off and you’re worried it will break if you force it, don’t force it, and don’t worry! Painter’s tape and paper are your friends!
  2. Remove any old stickers and completely wash/clean the plastic toy and it’s pieces, then allow to dry.
  3. Wipe the toy down with rubbing alcohol to prepare the surfaces before painting, then allow to dry.
  4. Spread flattened cardboard (or something similar) in a well ventilated space to protect the floor.
  5. Paint the removed items first, taking care not to pile the paint on too thickly, instead try misting it on and applying multiple layers.
  6. Tape and paper the wheels surrounding the hubcaps, then paint the hubcaps red in layers.
  7. Once you’re satisfied with the hubcaps, and they are fully dried, you can cover each whole wheel with a disposable bag.
  8. Flip the car over and paint the undercarriage first with whichever color you choose.
  9. Once you’re satisfied with the undercarriage and it is fully dried, you can flip the car back over and place it on the cardboard directly or place it on a couple of sawhorses.
  10. Tape up anything you do not want painted, i.e. the pedal and shifter.
  11. Paint the base layers first (where any surrounding paint can be covered with top layers) and allow to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry a bit before painting another. I started with the red of the dashboard/windshield piece, then the gray of the front bumper.
  12. Using painter’s tape, bags and/or paper, cover the painted items that cannot be removed once they are completely dried. I covered the dashboard/windshield piece, but left the steering wheel exposed. I also covered the front bumper.
  13. Once these layers are covered, paint the next layer up and allow to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry a bit before painting another. For me, this was painting the steering wheel gray.
  14. Using painter’s tape, bags and/or paper, cover everything painted that cannot be removed. In addition to the previously covered items, I also covered the steering wheel with a disposable bag after it was completely dry.
  15. Once everything is covered, paint the body of the toy and allow it to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry a bit before painting another.
  16. Gently remove all of the coverings and reassemble the Power Wheels Ride On Jeep.
  17. Carefully peel and stick the Jurassic Park Jeep Wrangler decals to your Jeep.
  18. Let’s go find some Dinosaurs!

DIY Red and White Striped Christmas Box

Christmas is nearly here and we love celebrating every moment!

What better way to celebrate than having a Christmas box! Now when I first heard of these, they were and are referred to as Christmas Eve boxes and presented on Christmas Eve for the family to enjoy, but then some of the items can only be enjoyed for one to two nights before Christmas is technically over, so I’ve decided to just call it a Christmas box and we can present it a week before Christmas to really enjoy its contents!

SUPPLIES
  • Wood crate
  • White acrylic paint
  • Red acrylic paint
  • Foam paint brushes
  • Painter’s tape
  • Matte varnish
  • Embellishments (optional)
  • Hot glue (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Paint every other beam of the crate (outside and inside) with white paint and then allow it to dry.
  2. Repeat step 1 until the desired brightness of the paint is reached.
  3. Once the paint is dry, use painters tape to tape up and protect the edges of the white beams or anywhere else where the red paint may drip or bleed.
  4. Paint the remaining beams and the sides of the crate (outside and inside) with red paint and then allow it to dry.
  5. Repeat step 4 until the desired brightness of the paint is reached.
  6. Carefully peel off the painter’s tape and coat the whole crate with varnish, this may take two coats to reach the desired coverage.
  7. If you have any embellishments like an ornament or two, carefully glue them on with a hot glue gun and allow it to dry.
  8. Fill it up and enjoy!

If you’re looking for ideas to fill your new Christmas box with here are a few to spark your imagination!

  • Candy
  • Cookie mix
  • Festive hat(s)
  • Festive pajamas
  • Festive plushies
  • Festive socks or slippers
  • Gingerbread kit
  • Holiday-themed books
  • Holiday-themed movies
  • Hot Apple Cider mix
  • Hot Cocoa mix
  • Mug(s)
  • Ornament(s)
  • Savory snacks
  • Sweet snacks

Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider

Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider

This little Fisher-Price Ready Steady Ride On has seen better days! It was ridden hard and well-loved by its previous owner. Once outgrown, it was set to the side of the road for my Aunt to find and bring to me for my daughter. Zoey wasn’t quite ready for it yet, so I left it sitting outside for another year, yikes! Now she’s ready to scoot, and it’s time to give this toy a makeover!

Please feel free to use this information to breathe new life into an old toy and, if you have any new tips, please feel free to share!

SUPPLIES
  • Fisher-Price Ready Steady Ride On or similar
  • Krylon Fusion All-in-One spray paint
  • Cardboard (optional)
  • Newspaper or scratch paper
  • Disposable bags
  • Painter’s tape
  • Screwdriver
  • Sandwich bag (to hold the screws)
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider
  • Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider
  • Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider
  1. Using a screwdriver, dismantle the toy as much as possible without breaking anything. The Ready Steady Ride On was mostly made to click together and stay there! I was only able to remove the bottom of the front axle with the front wheels, the cupholder, the dashboard and the seat.
  2. Completely wash and clean the plastic toy, then allow it to dry.
  3. Wipe the toy down with rubbing alcohol to prepare the surfaces before painting, then allow it to dry.
  4. Spread flattened cardboard (or something similar) in a well ventilated space to protect the floor.
  5. Paint base layers first (where any surrounding paint can be covered with top layers) and allow to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry before painting another. I started with the chrome pieces: the axles, basket, cupholder, dashboard and wheel hubcaps. 
  6. Using painter’s tape, bags and/or paper, cover the painted items that cannot be removed. I covered the basket with paper and tape, wheel hubcaps with painter’s tape, and the top of the front axle with bags and tape.
  7. Once this layer is covered, paint the next layer up and allow to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry before painting another. For me, this was painting the handlebars, seat, and tires black.
  8. Using painter’s tape, bags and/or paper, cover everything painted that cannot be removed. In addition to the previously covered items, I also covered the handlebars with paper and tape, and the wheels with bags and painter’s tape.
  9. Once everything is covered, paint the body of the toy and allow it to dry completely. This may take a few layers so be patient and wait for each coat to dry before painting another.
  10. 10.Gently remove all of the coverings and reassemble the Fisher-Price Steady Ride On.
  11. Scoot, scoot and enjoy!

*This was my first time painting plastic and a learning experience. Heavily used pieces like the wheels normally would not be painted because the paint is much more likely to chip and flake off. I did this for aesthetic reasons and my daughter is only using the scooter indoors. Even so, the paint on the wheels is working its way off slowly in some places. There are other methods (suggested to me after I finished the paint) that may help paint adhere to the plastic better, but I have yet to try them and want to test them before recommending.

Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider
Refurbished Fisher-Price Ready Steady Rider

DIY Chalkboard – Made from a Vintage Wall Frame

DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.Years ago, I purchased an old empty frame from a Goodwill store. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to use it for, I just knew that I loved the decals on each corner and wanted to fix it up and give it a home. After years of procrastinating while the frame sat around and gathered dust, I finally decided to paint it and create a chalkboard.

DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.First, remove and sand one side of the mounting board to smooth it out. Once it’s as smooth as you prefer clean it off and prime it, then begin layering coats of chalkboard paint until you’ve reached your desired chalkboard depth and texture.

Scuff the frame with sanding paper all over to allow for the paint to adhere better. Clean the frame and prime it, then begin layering coats of white paint until you’ve reached your desired depth of color (or lack of color in my case since I used white); I used acrylic paint.

DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.Once both pieces are dry, you can reassemble the frame. Before writing or drawing on the chalkboard, you’ll need to prime it by coating it with chalk.

DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.As you can see I just wrote the first thing that came to my mind here, but I intend on leaving this frame up as decor year round and changing it for different events, seasons or holidays!

DIY upcycled chalkboard made from vintage wall frame.