Add Light with DIY Decor

2/27/2017

When your home decor needs an upgrade, but expensive, ready-made items aren’t in your budget, DIY projects can be an easy and affordable solution for revitalizing rooms in your home. One simple way to enhance the character of a room is with lighted elements, such as these Glitter and Light Canvas or Frosted Ball Jar with Doily projects.

Add Light with DIY Decor

(Family Features) When your home decor needs an upgrade, but expensive, ready-made items aren’t in your budget, DIY projects can be an easy and affordable solution for revitalizing rooms in your home. One simple way to enhance the character of a room is with lighted elements.

Add a glistening, on-trend look with a lighted canvas, which features twinkling lights that dance on shimmering glitter to lend a glam look to any room. The project, designed by crafting experts at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, can be adapted to any palette; just change out the color of the glitter to match the hues in your favorite room.

For a charming, subtle accent, this frosted jar and doily not only adds quaint flair – the jar also provides a soft glow of light. It’s perfect nestled on a shelf or sitting atop a dresser with similarly styled items.

Find more creative ideas to bring a touch of light to your home decor at joann.com.

Glitter and Lights Canvas
Crafting time: 3-5 hours
Skill level: Intermediate

Supplies and Tools:

Foam brush
18-by-24-inch canvas
Decoupage medium
Ultra-fine to coarse gold glitter
Craft knife
3 packages battery-operated warm white LED moon lights
Duct tape
Protected work surface

Instructions:

Use foam brush to cover entire canvas with layer of decoupage medium.
Working 12 inches from canvas, dust canvas with glitter. Apply glitter so bottom is fully covered, fading into less glitter at top to create an ombre effect. Apply additional layers of glitter to achieve a thick consistency at bottom. Mix types of glitters to create dimension.
Apply thin layer of decoupage medium over entire canvas to seal glitter. Tip: Ensure base layer is completely dry before applying top coat to avoid smearing glitter.
Poke small hole in back of canvas with craft knife. Push tip of moon light through hole and secure in place with duct tape. Repeat, adding holes and lights over entire canvas. Continue ombre effect by placing more lights at bottom of canvas and less toward top. Apply layers of duct tape to hold lights securely in place on canvas.

Frosted Ball Jar with Doily
Crafting time: 1-2 hours
Skill level: Intermediate

Supplies and Tools:

Ball jar (1-quart)
Frosted glass spray
Doily (8- to 10-inch diameter)
Spray adhesive
Hemp twine
1/8-inch ribbon
Battery-powered tea light

Instructions:

Follow manufacturer’s directions and spray Ball jar completely with frosted glass spray. Allow to dry completely.
Spray working side of doily with adhesive. Press doily to jar, smoothing out any wrinkles. Allow to dry thoroughly.
Use twine and ribbon to embellish top. Place battery-powered tea light inside.

SOURCE:
Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores

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5 fun ways to decorate for spring

2/20/2017

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(BPT) - Spring is the perfect time to shake things up with your home decor. As Mother Nature transforms her landscape with fresh buds and blooms, you're probably longing to refresh your home, too. These five easy craft projects are perfect family activities and the results will add touches of springtime throughout the house.

Rain boot wreath

Do you have a pair of rain boots your kids have grown out of? Use these as an adorable way to display silk flowers in the entryway. Simply select your favorite long-stem flowers from your local craft store (hint: tulips are perfect for spring). Have kids help arrange flowers inside boots and then hang with a large decorative ribbon on your door.

Thumbprint flower pots

Jazz up boring terracotta pots with acrylic paint and the tiny fingerprints from your mini helpers. Have kids wear a smock (acrylic paint can stain), then carefully dip fingertips into paint and press onto the pot. For example, red fingerprints can be turned into cute ladybugs with a few black details when dry. You can also use fingerprints to create flowers, butterflies and more.

Flip-flop welcome sign

Favorite warm-weather foot gear can be used to create a cute sign welcoming guests to your home. Buy four pairs of colorful flip flops from any dollar store. Line up and then adhere each side together with hot glue (eight flip-flops total glued together). On the heel of each sandal paint a letter from "Welcome!" When done, let kids adorn with colorful gems, stickers, and other fun spring details.

PEEPS spring centerpiece

PEEPS is the quintessential springtime candy, but is also great when used in crafts like this colorful centerpiece. Just follow these easy DIY directions and you'll create a centerpiece that will be a real conversation starter for kids and adults alike. For more project ideas, visit www.marshmallowpeeps.com.

Supplies:
4-inch cube vase
6-inch cube vase
Jelly beans
30 Gerbera Daisies or silk flowers of choice
20 PEEPS Bunnies

Directions:
1. Center one vase inside the other and insert jelly beans (in any colors you like) between the walls of the two cubes.
2. Place PEEPS on top of jelly beans, making sure to save a few for the corners of the vase. Don't be afraid to squeeze them into the space. You should have enough to fill in any gaps.
3. Gerberas are usually sold with plastic tubes on the stems for support. Keeping the plastic in place, cut the flowers to desired length and arrange them in the smaller vase.
4. Cutting shorter stems for the outside flowers and longer stems for the inner ones will give you a nice rounded top. And don't skimp on flowers: If you don't want to use that many gerberas, find a pair of smaller vases.

Pastel painted pine cones

Take kids on a nature walk and collect pine cones. Brush off dirt and allow to dry if moist. Then, lay out paper and have kids paint pine cones in festive pastel colors. Mint green, soft pink and sky blue are classic spring hues. Once dry, display in a decorative bowl and hang from strings in front of a window.

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Thoughtful Gifts: The secret to easy gift-giving

12/15/2016

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Thoughtful Gifts

The secret to easy gift-giving

(Family Features) When gift-giving has you stumped, turn to what you know: the characteristics and interests that make your recipient unique. A thoughtful gift that shows you recognize and care about the qualities that make your loved one or friend special is a sure winner every time.

For the Adventurer
Trying to match the thrills an adventurer finds in his/her outrageous pursuits can be a challenge, but a certificate toward a thrilling experience may just fit the bill. Whizzing through a zip line course or taking the plunge with a sky diving simulator are two ways to feed the need for adrenaline. With more and more cities adding these pseudo-extreme adventures to their local attraction lists, you can easily find an adrenaline-inducing activity that will excite your loved one. Tuck a gift certificate for the experience into a brochure, and if you find yourself intrigued, make the certificate amount good for an adventure for two.

For the Creative One
For many, adult coloring has become a fun individual or group activity and a creative way to de-stress during the hectic holiday season. As most artists know, the tools you use to create a masterpiece make all the difference, so why not arm your loved ones with the quality tools they need to bring their artwork to life? Help them take their coloring to the next level with the Prismacolor Adult Coloring Kit. Featuring a variety of coloring tools, including professional artist-quality soft core colored pencils, an illustration marker, a premier kneaded eraser, sharpener and a whimsical coloring booklet, this kit has everything adult colorists need. The colored pencils deliver a smooth application, superior blendability, subtle gradation and rich color saturation that will make their coloring pop.

For the Techie
Whether they’re waiting in line at 5 a.m. for the latest gadget release or scoping out the newest trends in tech, finding presents to gift your tech-obsessed friends and family is no easy feat. To determine the type of gift that suits them best, think about other activities they enjoy. For avid runners and fitness buffs, consider a personalized fitness activity tracker or smart watch. On the hunt for a gift for the music lover in your life? Maybe a portable speaker or pair of new headphones would catch their eye. If all else fails, a gift certificate to their favorite store is always a good option.

When it comes to giving meaningful gifts, focus on personal traits and you’ll quickly transform an empty list into one filled with possibilities for making this holiday season joyful and bright.

Family passing out gifts image courtesy of Getty Images.

SOURCE:
Prismacolor

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5 tips to embrace messes

5/4/2016

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(BPT) - Warmer months bring days spent outdoors, sweet treats and backyard barbecues. Spending time with loved ones outside can also mean many messes, big and small. With kids out of school, outdoor entertaining and keeping the house clean become serious challenges - even for the most organized families. Here are five easy hacks to keep your house (and kids) clean while embracing the mess.

DIY ice pop drip catcher

Kids love an ice pop after playing outside, but the melty drips can be a nightmare. To help catch drips and save clothes, simply insert the ice pop stick into the bottom of a paper cup or cupcake wrapper. Pull the ice pop all the way down and the catcher instantly serves as protection, saving clothes and hands from getting sticky!

Kiss stains goodbye, naturally

Summer fun usually brings stubborn grass stains to clothes. Easily remove pesky stains with pure white vinegar. Simply soak the stained area of clothing with vinegar, wash as usual, and voila - clean clothes without the use of harsh chemicals.

Keep sand in the sandbox

It's easy to forget to kick off your shoes after a long day playing outside. And even if you do, it seems as though sand, dirt, and other messes somehow manage to find their way into the home. To help keep dirt and sand outside where they belong, create a decorated shoe basket to leave at the front door. Your floor will thank you.

Combating faucet stains is a piece of cake

As you transition inside after a long day, first things first - wash your hands! Installing a faucet that resists fingerprints and other stains is a no-brainer. A faucet with SpotShield Technology such as the Delta Merge lavatory faucet helps resist unsightly water spots and stains while staying clean for longer periods of time. Available online and in stores such as The Home Depot, this faucet translates to less clean-up and more time spent at the summer barbecue.

Easy craft clean up

Not all fun is had outdoors. When kids are inside creating crafty masterpieces, keep the glue and glitter in one place by laying out an old sheet or piece of canvas on the floor or table. When the crafting is complete, simply toss it into the wash or garbage for quick and easy clean up.

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