Wood Sealer (optional, but recommended if you're keeping it outdoors)
Instructions:
You can watch the whole process in the video below, or follow along with the following instructions:
1. Place the stencil on top of the wood stump and use a make-up sponge to apply a minimal amount of white acrylic paint in an up and down dabbing motion to prevent it from seeping under the stencil. When finished, remove the stencil and allow to dry.
2. Use the sponge brush to quickly apply a coat of wood stain.
3. Use paper towels or a rag to wipe off the excess stain. Don't worry if you stain looks really dark at this point. It will lighten up as it dries an is absorbed more into the wood.
4. I probably could have waited for this to dry more, but I'm impatient...so I just started to lightly sand it to give it a more rustic, shabby finish. And we're done! Just allow it to dry thoroughly before applying a wood sealer if you plan on keeping it outdoors or just want some added protection on it.
The above video is part of a "Summer Fun" craft collaboration with some friends of mine, go check out their videos for some other crafty ideas for your summer:
Disclosure: Erin is a paid consultant and has received products from Faber-Castell to evaluate. However, the opinions expressed are entirely her own and based on her use of the products.
This post contains affiliate links. If you buy from these links it won't cost you a penny more but Erin will make a little bit of money (not enough for a pony).
I've mentioned previously that I wanted to get back into the habit of art journaling daily. So last night I figured now is as good a time as any and grabbed my smaller Dylusions Art Journal and sketched out one of my outside succulents before my Husband and I started talking and planning out some summer stuff.
So then this morning I knew I wanted to stay in the groove and so I added some watercolor to it.
Woo-hoo! First day done!
How are YOU keeping art in your summer?
This is NOT a sponsored post, but it does contain affiliate links to products I use and love.
I'm so glad I'm sharing this cute garden flag with you, because to create it you need to do a couple of ScanNCut techniques that I get emailed the most about: importing SVG files and cutting burlap. So if you're curious on how to do those things and how to make this flag then check out this video or follow along with the instructions below.
Open ScanNCutCanvas and then click on the SVG button.
Choose your .svg file, and then click “ok”.
And there's your bunny!
Now just like other shapes you can resizes her by first selecting her, and then dragging out the handles. If you hold down the “shift” key while you drag it it will keep the same aspect ratio, and if you don't then when you drag it you can distort the ratio. So get your bunny resized how you like it...mine is about 8” wide by 10” tall.
Step 2 – Saving the .fcm file
Type in a name for your file and then click the “download” button, then click on the name...in this case “bunny.fcm” and then direct it where to save the file (I recommend you save it to your flash drive so you can pop it into your ScanNCut and get cutting). And then click “close”.
Step 3 – Cutting out burlap bunny
(settings: blade depth 7, cut speed 3, and cut pressure 9. Use the standard mat and place the burlap face up on the mat (fusible back down). Always perform a test cut. -My settings may vary from yours)
If you plan on ironing on your bunny onto your placemat then prepare your burlap by cutting it to size and then ironing on you iron-on fabric applique sheet and then smoothing it onto the standard mat.
Insert your flash drive into the ScanNCut, choose “patterns,” then “saved data,” then pick the USB symbol and scroll through the designs you have stored on your flash drive until you find the one you just created, click on it, and there you go!
You can now cut it out...click “ok,” then press “cut” and then “start”.
Step 4 – Removing the burlap bunny from the mat
You can now carefully remove the burlap bunny off of the mat. Because of the inconsistencies with burlap fabric you may come across a knot in the fabric that doesn't cut through all the way. If any points stick apply gentle pressure to separate it or use your scissors to trim it.
TIP: Now your mat is probably really hairy! Remember to take an alcohol free baby wipe to it later to remove all that fuzz.
Step 5 - Creating fabric flowers
I like to rip fabric, there's something therapeutic in doing it!Take a strip of fabric about 1” - 2” wide and tie a knot in one end. Now place the short tail of the knot in your non-dominant hand and then start to twist and wrap the fabric around the knot using your glue to adhere it into place. Keep going around and around the flower allowing whatever side and edge of the fabric you want to show until your flower gets to be about the size you want and then snip off the end of the fabric. You can just glue the little remainder under the flower.
Now that it's done you can also glue down the tail now if you desire.
Step 6 – Ironing on & placing pieces onto the flag
Next you'll want to figure out where to place everything on your flag so you can iron it on. When I iron my bunny onto it I'm also going to iron down the top edge about an inch so I can create a sleeve for my garden flag holder to slide into.
Now as I was figuring out where I was putting everything I realized that I wanted a bit of green leaves on there too...so I cut out this design on some green fabric backed with a iron-on fabric applique sheet, it's a great design since I can just snip it in half and have two branches of leaves.
After I cut that out, I then ironed the bunny and the leaves onto the placemat. I also ironed that top edge under about an inch. Glue down just the edge of it so it forms that little sleeve for the garden flag holder to slip into.
Step 7 - Glue on the flowers!
Figure out where you want your flowers and then glue them on.
A handy tip if you're using a crocheted placemat like mine is to place the paper backing from the iron-on fabric applique sheet under your design so the glue won't stick to your table top.
Now just slip your flag onto to your flag holder and you're done!
Disclosure: I am a paid consultant for Brother International Corporation and have received a ScanNCut from Brother to evaluate. However, the opinions expressed are entirely my own and based on my use of the product.
Affiliate Links - Some of the links in the posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission...and it won't cost you a penny more. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. Thanks for purchasing through these links, it keeps this blog up and running!
My project for the Mixology Crafts blog today is beautifying a flower pot I've had for quite awhile. {You can get the free tutorial on how I created it here.}
The plant that's in the "welcome" pot is a basil that I got a Trader Joe's for super cheap and thought that we would have used it all up right away, but there was a bit left that I planted and it took off like crazy. The container is close to 5 gallons so although it doesn't look like it from the photo, it's quite large now.
In other "exciting" gardening news...my jalapeños are getting bigger!! I'm so excited!
