Wooden Bunny DIY

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I was in Target and saw these adorable wood bunnies for just $5.00 a piece and they had three styles so I immediately started thinking of all the ways I could make them adorable but settled on neutral paint and absolutely love them!  You could certainly do so much more than just paint them a solid color but for me I wanted them to just blend in and be simple and sweet.  Such a fun and easy little makeover!

I simply sanded each bunny lightly to smooth the edges and then chose three colors of paint which ended up being white, light gray and charcoal gray.  I let them dry then sanded them lightly so reveal some of the wood and then coated them in Special Walnut wood stain to give them an aged look.  I then painted some little beads to coordinate with the bunny colors and then put those on a strand of twine and tied it around each bunny and then added a cute little carrot that came from floral picks at Michael's.

Aren't they just the cutest little things!?

So easy to make them over and they are still available at Target!  

If you want to purchase them click HERE.

I also have found several items on Amazon that would work for this project as well:

Wooden Bunny

Another wooden bunny option

Chalk Paint

Wooden Beads 

Carrots

Twine

Personalized Easter Basket with HTV World

If you aren't following Paper, Paint and Pine on Instagram you should!  You can also visit the Shop for paper goods and some handmade wooden items like Key to Decor Beads?

I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.

 I don't know if you've heard but I have a new niece.  She's 4 months old and it's her first Easter!  I am looking forward to having a basket for her filled with cute girly things however I needed a cute basket first.  I searched Pottery Barn Kids and they were cute but didn't wow me so I decided to go the inexpensive route and make my own.  Two of my favorite things...budget friendly and a craft!

  Have you guys heard of HTV World?  They are a shop that specializes in all kinds of Heat Transfer Vinyl!  Here is what they say about their shop:

 "If you’re looking for some of the best heat transfer vinyl on the market you’ve come to the right place. We carry Siser heat transfer vinyl.

Heat Transfer Vinyl World let’s you shop your way. By COLOR. Choose your base color and see hand-picked accent colors that complement any color for any project. Never get stumped again and find colors that work for you.

HTV World is dedicated to making your shopping experience a breeze."

They have such an easy way to shop because every color gives you several coordinating colors and styles of heat transfer that will go with your pick.  I loved shopping with them and they have a great assortment of styles and the quality is top notch!

 I found my cute little bunny basket at Target in their dollar section for and knew I had to do something to make it just a bit cuter so I went straight to HTV World and snagged some colors that would work perfectly for her basket.  I went with pale pink, white glitter and solid white but didn't end up using the solid white for this project so I'm sure you will see another post down the line where I use it.

 I used my Silhouette machine to create the decal using just her first name and then mirrored the image and cut it out of the pale pink and then the glitter white.

  Once my HTV was cut I did the weeding (taking off excess material around the letters) and prepared my iron to get it ironed on.  I dumped the water out of my iron so there wouldn't be any steam and set it to the linen setting and let it get good and hot.  

 I then placed my decal using the glitter htv first and due to it being a curved surface I did cut the word in half to make it a little straighter. 

I placed my basket over the end of my iron so I had a surface to press the basket and decal on.

 I then placed a thin piece of fabric over the decal to protect it from melting onto my iron.  I just use a tshirt and just use one layer of it and it works great.

 Once the tshirt was covering it I placed my hot iron on it without moving it too much so it wouldn't move the htv.  Once I knew it was secured enough to the basket surface I started slowly moving my iron over it while applying pressure and then once the backing was coming off the vinyl I slowly removed it and had an adorable basket!

 After I did the glitter layer I then placed the pale pink layer over top of it but moved it just slightly over so the white glitter would just peak out.  Most people would probably put the smooth vinyl down first and then do the glitter but I wanted the glitter to just be an accent.

 How easy is that?  So simple but creates the cutest little basket for so cheap!
 

 Isn't it so cute?  I just love that little accent of glitter sticking out!

Moral of the story?  Go visit HTV World for your heat transfer projects!

Happy Easter!

Do It Yourself Faux Robin's Eggs

Oh where has the time gone?  I feel sad that I haven't blogged in such a long time but also I feel like so much work goes into blogging and sometimes I wonder if anyone is reading because most the time I get very little response to my posts.  That all being said I miss sharing my creative adventures with you.  I thought I'd kick off with a super simple project for spring or Easter.

I know a lot of places are carrying solid wood eggs or even just white plastic eggs and either would work for this project.  I used solid wood eggs from Target.  I found them in the dollar spot so you can't beat the price. I then bought a bottle of acrylic paint from Target in a color called Robins Egg.  Perfect name for this project.

 Perfect for your spring decor!

I picked up this brush at Lowe's Home Improvement and love it for anything that is round like finials or beads or candle sticks...you get the idea.  Makes brushing paint onto round object so much easier!

I painted all the wooden eggs with 2 coats of the acrylic paint and let them dry well before I started adding the spots that a typical Robin's Eggs have on them.

These are perfect just with the plain paint on them too so feel free to stop at this step!

Just start lightly dabbing the paint on with your toothpick.  I went through a couple toothpicks because they would flatten out and the spots got too big but that is fine if you like that look.

Don't worry if all the dots aren't the same size or if they get a little smeared. They don't have to be perfect because in nature they wouldn't be perfect either.  That is it!

Put them back in the cardboard holder or a cute egg basket and you are all set with another cute decor item for spring!

 Don't mind the large black TV behind this little vignette...it just happens to be where I needed to add a little something to spring this area up.

  Happy Spring my friends!

Don't you love a quick and simple DIY?  I know I sure do! 

Faux Barnwood Tutorial

It has been way too long since I sat and wrote a blog post but after putting several videos up on my Instagram I had quite a few messages asking me to share this technique.  I have missed blogging and the community of friends I've made here but haven't felt much motivation to write a post until now.  Here is to hoping I get back to it regularly!

Now on to what this post is really about...Faux Barnwood!  
I have this ugly desk and shelving unit in my office and have been dying to get something new but just hadn't found anything that would give me the same amount of storage so I had planned on building something or making an Ikea trip and buying individual pieces and building around it.  However that day didn't happen and I was getting more and more tired of looking at the awful laminate so I woke up one day and knew just what I wanted to do with the furniture to give it a new life.  So I got my white paint and got started but then I didn't like how white it was so I hopped on Pinterest and looked up faux barnwood and found several great tutorials but most weren't using laminate but real wood so I knew I'd have to do a lot more than just using stain. I decided to just go for it because worst case scenario was to paint right over it if it didn't turn out.

 

 I started with the desk first and as I got started I was convinced I had ruined it and it'd never turn out but two days later and about 12 paint colors I was in love!  Don't worry you will not have to use 12 paint colors if you decide to do this and it will not take you 2 days like my first try did.  Once I realized the colors and technique I liked I was able to do my shelving unit in less than an hour and my work table surface in just about 45 minutes.  

 I am going to give general paint colors in the list of things you need however I will tell you exactly what colors I used.  I know you may not have access to each of these colors so just something similar will work.

You will need:

Sandpaper

Old t-shirt or rag

Gloves

Primer (I like Zinsser)

White chalk paint or any white paint you like

Rustoleum Carbon Gray Wood Stain or something similar

Black Paint

Dark Gray Paint

Brown Paint

Beige Paint

Light Gray Paint

Chip Brush

Valspar White Wood Stain 

You will want to do one light coat of primer over the surface you plan to use this technique on.  I didn't do anything thick but wanted to make sure there was at least a little bit of primer to cover the laminate.

Once the primer has dried you will use your Rustoleum Wood Stain in Carbon Gray.

I started with a chip brush but found that it was much easier to just use an old t-shirt and rub the stain in that way.

I didn't do a thick coat of stain and wiped as much off as I could.  Honestly I liked it just like this but still wanted to add some color/dimension to it which is where the other paint colors will come in.

Even though you saw all kinds of colors in the photo above these were the ones I ended up using.  This is kind of a trial and error process so if you have other colors you want to add in I say go for it and know you can always just paint over it if you don't like it.

I only used 1 chip brush for the entire process.  It doesn't hurt for the colors to blend into one another so that is why I only used one brush for the whole project.

You will start with any color you want and very very lightly make swiping motions all over the desk with the desired paint color.  I did this in quick sweeping motions and then once all the paint was off the brush I went back and blended it in by rubbing over it with the brush.  Basically just blending it in so the streaks weren't so harsh.  I did this with each color and then blended the whole surface with an old t-shirt so that it really softened the look.  I then went back with some of the colors and added a little more and then blended it again.  I did this until I was happy with the look.  Don't worry if you are layering a ton of paint.  Also do not give up if you think it's not looking right.  I thought it looked horrible and almost threw in the towel many times but I'm so glad I didn't.  There really isn't an art form on this but just keep at it until you are satisfied with the appearance.

Once I was please with how the surface looked I used a sanding block and sanded the whole surface to soften it a bit more.  I then went back over it with more of the Rustoleum Carbon Gray Wood Stain to blend it all together even more.

As you can see here once I went over it with the Carbon Gray it softened the surface so much.  I went back and added a little touch of color here and there just to add a little more "streaking" that the carbon stain may have blended in too much.  You wouldn't have to do this step though.

Second to last step is to use the Antique White Wood Stain from Varathane and go over the entire surface.  Again I used an old t-shirt for this and really used some pressure when rubbing it in so that it blended the colors really well.

The final step is to seal it with Polyacrylic.  I used 3 coats of this to really protect the surface.  It gives it a nice smooth finish and because I used Satin it has just the tiniest bit of sheen to it.  

That is it!  Don't let this project intimidate you because I promise it's easy.  It's really just layering and playing with it until you are pleased with the results.  I know you can do it! 

 This was a labor of love but I sure do love how it turned out!  It was definitely worth the time and energy I put into it because I love the end result and so has everyone else that has seen it so that is a major win!

Soda Carrier Halloween Treat Basket Revisited

This is a post I did for a previous Halloween season but I loved how it turned out and it made such a great gift so I thought I'd share it again for any of you that didn't see it the first time around.
. . . 
I am always trying to think of unique gifts that allow me to get crafty.  I also think that everyone likes to get a gift that you've put some effort into.  This originally started out as a teacher treat idea but we have 5 teachers this year and this was getting pretty pricey to do for 5 different teachers.  I decided that these were going to a few special people that I needed a little something for.  I also decided that I'd do a variation on it for teacher gifts.  

I also love a good printable so this allowed me to create this cute "Trick or Treat, Smell my feet, give me something good to eat" gift tag to share with all of YOU!  You can use this for all different treats and for all different people--coworkers, teachers, your child's classmates, Sunday school teachers, etc.  I am planning on doing the same idea but on a smaller scale for classmates and my son's teachers.  I think I'm going to just package the smaller version in cellophane bags and attach the tag with a cute piece of ribbon or baker's twine.  Easy peasy, don't you think?

You will need:

4 Pack soda carrier 

Spray paint or something to cover your carrier box in

Embellishments such as washi tape, ribbon, stickers, etc.  Most everything you see in my project came from Michael's.

Treat Tag that is available as a FREE download at the bottom of this post

I first filled the inner section of my box with tissue paper so the paint wouldn't get inside and then I covered the handle with tissue as well so that it could be left the orange stripe.

I then used cheap black spray paint and covered the entire box (including the bottom).  I used several light coats and let each dry before applying more because I wasn't sure if the cardboard would wrinkle if it got too wet.  Let the box dry completely.

I removed the soda bottle labels with adhesive remover and then washed them with soap and water to get rid of any residue.  Once they were dry I used this awesome washi tape that came from Michael's.  It's all "drink" related so it was more than perfect for these bottles of soda.  I then added a single sticker to the top of the bottle and I added orange and black baker's twine right around the top of the bottle for an extra pop of color.

I then wrapped the top of the box with a piece of washi tap and added a cute sticker to the handle.  It's not very noticeable with all the treats in it but when they empty it out it looks more finished.  

I then used 3 different patterns of washi tape to wrap around the entire box.  This adds a nice pop of color as well.  The tape may not stick right if your paint isn't completely dry.

I filled my soda carrier with 2 bottles of soda and the 2 empty holes with lots of Halloween candy.  I also didn't like that the sucker label was so bright so I just covered it with a piece of washi tape and it fixed it perfectly!

I added a cute little paper banner by attaching it with glue dots.  This also came from Michael's.  I then printed and cut my treat tags and attached the tag with a cute black and white chevron clothespin.

 This project looks so cute and like it might have taken a lot of time but honestly other than the spray paint and removing the labels from the soda it was done in about 15 minutes at most.

The Trick or Treat Tag was designed by Itsy Bitsy Paper (yours truly).   The little witch feet graphic were provided by Doodles First.

 Lots of great Halloween treats are packed in this little soda carrier.  I was surprised at how much candy it took to fill the holes up.  If you were low on candy just fill the base of each "hole" with tissue paper or paper shreds and then it won't require so much.

 *Update:  This washi tape may not be available anymore since this is a repost from a previous Halloween season.
 This is probably my favorite part of this whole project.  I was so excited when I saw this drink inspired washi tape at Michael's and knew I had to buy it but had no idea what I was going to do with it.  It was the perfect addition to this little project.  I am thinking that for the school teachers I'm going to use plastic bottles of orange soda and relabel them with this tape.  I don't trust my son to carry a bunch of glass into school!

Happy Halloween!

 This little Halloween treat tag just made for the perfect pop of color on the completed Soda Carrier.

  

The free treat tag printable is for personal use only!  Jut download and print on an 8.5x11 inch sheet of card stock and cut down to size.  Perfect!

Witch Feet Tag Download

Chandelier Makeover

 If you follow along with me on Instagram (and you should!) then you know I'm a tiny bit obsessed with Edison Bulbs!  I realize it's a trend that may not stick around long but I really wanted to change my light fixture above our dining room table to one that had Edison bulbs in it but didn't want to make a big investment for it since it is a trend that I may tire of.  So I started brainstorming and thought about just painting the one that is there and removing the glass globes and then adding Edison Bulbs.  It worked beautifully and now I love it.

I was never a real big fan of this chandelier but we bought it in a hurry because our previous chandelier started burning the ceramic little cup holder things (Makes no sense I know but believe me it was bad news).  This one was good enough for awhile but I grew tired of it pretty quickly.  I had been looking for some time to change it out to a prettier one but just didn't want to spend a fortune on a new chandelier.  That is where a little Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint comes in handy!

 To do this you will need:

A chandelier that you don't like anymore

Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint

Chandelier chain in oil rubbed bronze

a handy man to do the electrical or if you are lucky enough to know how to do it go for it!

Edison Bulbs or Vintage Bulbs

 I started out by removing all the glass globes and stuffing the light sockets with paper towels so no paint got into them.

 Spray several coats of Oil Rubbed Bronze on the entire chandelier.  I even sprayed the cord so it would all match.

 I picked up a chandelier chain so that I didn't have to paint our previous one because I knew it may chip and get yucky when we were hanging it and boy am I glad I did this.

 Thread the cord through the chain to prepare to hang it.  Ours always had a bunch of extra cord at the bottom so my husband shortened the cord before we put it back up and it looks so much better now!

 I picked up my bulbs at Marshall's for under 6 bucks and if you have shopped around for them you know that is a great price.  I wanted to have the bulbs that were a little more elongated but they have lots of different shapes you can choose from.  I have heard Amazon has a great selection of them for a reasonable price but I've never looked.

 That is it!  As long as you can remove it and reconnect it safely then you can makeover a chandelier too!  Please if you do change one make sure you turn off the power at the breaker box.  It's not enough to just switch the light off at the switch.

 I just love on these vintage bulbs how the filament shows.  I originally were going to cover the threaded part that holds the bulb but then I decided I kind of liked it so I left it as it is.

It is hard to get a photo of the light when the bulbs are turned on so you may not be able to tell there are lots of little filaments showing and I just love that.

Super cheap way to make over a dining room chandelier and I now love it but won't feel too bad if I decide I no longer want the vintage bulbs and switch it out because I didn't spend much on this transformation.