Watercolor Easter Eggs: Using A Paintbrush Techinique

Watercolor Easter Eggs: 
Using A Paintbrush Technique

Find your Inner Artist- Artful eggs

 If you're like me, always on the lookout for a new Easter-egg decorating technique, you will enoy the creative freedom you'll get from this technique:

Using a paint brush and watercolors, brush the color over the egg with a few simple brush storkes and then let the color do its own thing. The color will run, bleed and fade while drying.  That's what watecolors do.

Experiment while you create. Be artistic!

Photo credit: Michael Partenio

I developed this egg decorating project for Good Housekeeping magazine last Spring 

while working on concepts for our Easter photo-shoot. Brushstrokes of a variety 

of color mixed with water envoke a pretty pastel appearence.

Materials:
Tubes of water color paint in red, orange and yellow
3 bowls of water
3 small soft, pointed round brushes
White hardboiled eggs dyed in soft colors of pastel pink and yellow
Egg carton for drying eggs

In each bowl, mix approximately 1/2 inch blob of pigment with 

1/2 cup of water while disolving all of the pigment.

Using one color at a time, simply brush the color over and around the egg with one simple stroke. Then add another brushstroke of your next color, in another direction, until you have added 3, 4 or 5 storkes. The colors will bleed and run into each another while fading.  Place the egg into the carton to dry.

A large amount of eggs makes the most impact!

 Your studio might not look as chaotic as mine (above) but, experimenting is part of the creative process. Should you not like your design as you develop your technique, you can 

wash off the egg before it dries completely. Then wipe with a paper towel and start again.


For more Easter decorating ideas, grab a copy of Good Housekeeping April 2013 on the stands! 

Winter Log Centerpiece

Have The Winter Blues? Get Flowers! Part 2

A dding to last weeks post I decided I had to share another floral project that I created for the Good Housekeeping magazine feature.

With spring approaching crocuses, tulips and grape hyacinths making their debut not only in the garden but even sooner in small pots in supermarkets and garden centers.

So here's an idea for creating a small garden centerpiece using these tiny gems of spring.

PERECT FOR A PARTY!   This is the kind of project that needs some planning ahead, but it's not complicated. If your having a party, it would be worth scheduling some time to make this as your centerpiece. 

This is important! You need to be handy and very careful with a drill to make the holes on top for this project.  If you're not, Even easier, take the log to your local lumber yard or a carpenter and pay a pro to drill the holes for you!  It will take them no time at all.

How to make this centerpiece! 

Materials

A birch log, a size that will fit comfortably on a table. 

A drill aand a 1/2 inch drill bit 

1 block of wet floral foam

Pots of Hyacinths, crocus and tulips to cut flower heads, (available in supermarkets 

in February).  The key to this arrangment is picking these flowers that have thin stems that will fit in the drilled holes.

Prepare log 

Lay log where it naturally will sit with out rolling. 

Holding log firmly, drill 1/2" wide holes, 1" deep.  I drilled the holes 

( well my husband did!)  in an alternating pattern to give the design some depth.

A few hours before the party, soak the floral foam in water, then fill each hole with a small plug of wet floral foam you cut with a small sharp knife. Cut your flowers with short stems ( 2-3") and push the ends into the plugs of foam.

Add  small amount of water each morning to holes to keep flowers refreshed. Voila, a centerpiece everyone will be charmed by! 

18 day countdown - Make a recycled stocking

My collection of Christmas stockings is now approaching 150!  Every year I add to that collection with Christmas stockings I create for a photo-shoot or for members of my family.  We hang stockings on the mantle along with the rest of my holiday decorating early in the season. The stockings below are made from sweaters and are a family favorite.

These Nordic style stockings were the result of a shopping trip to a local consignment shop for the "Swedish Christmas" I produced for Good Housekeeping Magazine in 2010.  The sweaters cost between $8.00 and $20.00. Not bad for the beautiful look of a Nordic knitted stocking.

You only need basic sewing skills to make Christmas stockings like these!

1- First draw a stocking pattern on paper, a newspaper or even a brown grocery bag making sure to add the extra 1/2" seam allowance all around the sides.

2- Lay the sweater out flat.  Place your paper pattern on top where you want the  sweater pattern to appear on the stocking. Pin and cut.  Remember you have to cut two sides.

3- Use the sweater patterns to enhance the stocking, The border on the top of the red stocking was the  band at the bottom of the sweater.

4- Pin the Stocking's right side together and sew with the 1/2" seam.

5- Turn right side out!

Hang your Christmas Stockings with care!!!

Making a Summer Canopy - Using Milk Jugs and....

A while back I had a collection of old milk jugs in my garage. They had such a great look and history to them. Even though I could not figure out a way to salvage them, I could not stand the idea of getting rid of them.  I just needed time and I knew eventually an idea would click!

When I got a call from Good Housekeeping magazine asking me to design some fun summer DIY projects, I knew I had to use them in some way.  It was a blistering, hot summer day when I was working on the project ideas, so naturally the thought of a shady place came to mind.  A shady place; I had finally thought of a great solution to put the milk jugs to use!

Make a Garden Canopy

What you will need:

Sunbrella or outdoor waterproof fabric (buy the width of the fabric x desired length.)

Ours is 72" long.  Once you have all of the pieces this project is easy to put together.
(4) large size grommets and grommet kit * fabric stores like Joanne Fabrics
(4) closet poles cut to 72 inches
(4) vintage milk  jug containers  (flea market item, junk shop or at second hand shops)
(4) 40 Lb. bags of sand
(4) plastic 8" garden pots  ( you will find these at the garden center, these are the pots you buy your plants in at the nursery)
(4) large size T cup hooks  
(4) tent stakes
Twine

At each corner of your fabric add one grommet. 1" down from top of each closet pole screw in one T cup hook. The T cup hook will hold fabric in place at grommet.

The garden pot will help hold the closet pole in the milk container. The garden pot should fit snugly into the top of the milk jug container. Before placing inside you will need to cut a hole the exact diameter of the closet pole in the bottom center of the pot. When the pole stands upright in the container it will slide through this hole and be centered in the milk jug.

First stand pole in milk jug so it is vertical and centered. Pour sand into milk jug and around the pole.  The sand will give the jug extra weight and help hold the pole in place. Place the garden pot over the pole and slide down into place inside the top of the jug. 

Place all of the jugs the correct distance apart for fabric canopy. Make sure all of the T cup hooks are facing inwards. Hook the fabric to T cup hooks.

Staking canopy: At the top of each pole, wrap and tie one end of the twine (about 8').  Use the cup hook to anchor.  At the opposite end of the twine, attach the tent stakes.  Push the stakes into the ground pulling to hold the closet poles straight and the canopy taut.

Salvaging Flea Market Finds

If you are flea market junkie like I am, finding a purpose for all the junk you must have can be difficult task.  It’s easier to justify buying old collectibles like vintage rakes, birdhouses, and shutters when they can be recycled into a useful or decorative object.

Here are three ways I salvaged some fun finds from the Elephants Trunk flea market in New Milford, Connecticut:

Antique Wooden Rake Peg Rack

An old wood garden rake can have a new life and purpose as a peg rack.  Old garden rakes can easily be found at flea markets or a second hand shop. The key to this project is to make sure the claws are positioned at a 90 degree angle.  This is an attractive clever way to hang items you need close by, like the dog’s leash or your raincoat!

Bird Cage Hurricanes

Bird cages make fun decorative displays for candles. To create a festive table for a dinner party, gather a few cages and center them on your buffet or dinner table. Fill them with multiple heights of pillar candles to create a luminous, shimmering centerpiece.   

Around the base of each cage, add a few vines from the garden and let them trail along the table top.

  

Shutter Table

Who knew that old wooden shutters could be recycled so simply into the perfect outdoor summer table? Whatever your preferred finish may be, you can prepare your shutters by sanding, painting or staining them. Just make sure all four of your shutters are the same size.

The top and bottom of the shutter table is made from art stretchers. This is a creative, easy way to make a square top. The glass easily rests on the top inside the beveled edge.

What you will need:

4 shutters

8 art canvas stretchers  
16 screws
1 piece of glass for table top- cut to fit inside beveled edge of canvas frame

Stand all four shutters as you want them to stand as table bottom. The four shutters will make a square base.  Measure the distance from the outside of one shutter across to the outside of the other. Take that measurement and purchase art stretchers for the same or slightly larger measurement. (The stretcher measurement can be slightly larger, it just means the top will extend beyond the sides a small bit.)

The stretchers, when pieced together, will form a square frame.

Stand the shutters up vertically and place the frame on top of the four shutters.  Drill two screws evenly spaced through the frame on one side and into the top edge of the shutter to hold firm. Continue on all four sides. Turn the shutter over and do the same on the bottom.

Finish the wood stretchers with the same paint or stain as the shutter. You can have glass cut at a glass store.  Measure for a piece of 1 /4"glass that will fit inside the beveled edge of the frame.

All three projects appeared in Good Housekeeping magazine June 2011, photography by Michael Partenio

Create your own Fourth of July Wreath! DIY

Need a simple, yet impressive entrance for your home during your July 4^th celebration? These DIY wreath ideas will give your door a festive touch to wow all your guests on this holiday.

Nautical Rope Wreath on Door

This lovely rope wreath was the center of attention in the current Better Homes and Gardens July 2012 issue in the story called “Glory Days”.  The story had a nautical approach, so I was determined to create a wreath idea that revolved around this theme.  The rope was the perfect touch to create such a look.  It is easy to make, and here is how:

What you need:

24 Inch Lifesaving Ring (or use a Styrofoam ring for an alternate base)

175 Feet of Twisted Manila Rope 3/8 inches (Lowe’s)

Glue Gun

Two American Wave Flags on Wooden Dowel

Cut your 75 feet of roping into small pieces in order to make it easier to wrap the lifesaver ring (cut into approx. 25 ft pieces).  With one end of rope, glue gun end to back of ring and when dry begin to wrap around ring.  The rope on the inside of ring should be tight together with more space between the rope on the outside of ring. Glue end of rope on back and continue with new piece.  Flags can be glued at cross section and then glued down to lifesaver ring.  Then take some twine and wrap around cross section making an l l/2 inch wrap around.

Flag Wreath

In 2010, I created a 4th of July feature for Good Housekeeping filled with lots of DIY red, white, and blue projects.  This wreath is a favorite because it is so easy to construct. It also creates the perfect patriotic door decoration.

What you need:

Styrofoam wreath

Mini toothpick flags

  

Flag Garland

To add even more patriotic flare to your home entrance, you can add a simple garland draped around the edge of your door. Combined with the perfect wreath, you can easily create the ideal July 4^th look.

What you need:

Simple garland of rope

Mini clothespins

Flags

Daffodils - The Wee Tree!

While daffodils are blooming,  you might consider making this.
I came up with this simple arrangement for a Good Housekeeping Spring Issue. With just a few materials in hand you can be put this together quickly.

1 dozen Daffodils  about 12" of a pretty ribbon ribbon,  a rubber band, floral foam and moss.

wee tree

Tightly gather a bunch of daffodils and secure with rubber bands. Cut floral foam to fit inside small container and soak in water; insert stems. Cover foam with moss and wrap with bright ribbon.