Tag Archives: DIY

An Upcycled Mantle Clock

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I thrifted a mantle clock awhile back, thinking I would paint it and update it a bit. The clock mechanism was broken and I didn’t want to buy a new one, so I decided to turn it into a somewhat neutral winter decoration. Mine looked similar to this one.

The first thing I did was remove the plastic clock face. I cleaned it well, then decoupaged printed tissue paper onto the back instead of the front. This will help keep the tissue nice and make the front easy to keep clean.

Once the tissue paper was dry, I sealed the back with Mod Podge and let that dry. Then I painted over the tissue with white chalk paint to give a white background that would make the design stand out. I let that dry. I missed getting a picture of that and I was afraid to try to pop it back out of its frame after decoupaging. I thought it might tear the paper. But just know that one coat of paint over the dry tissue is all you need.

I then cleaned the clock with Windex and my idea was to dry brush white chalk paint over it. That looked terrible as the base was way too dark. So I let that dry, then drybrushed over the white with a green called “Cupboard Green”.

To drybrush you get a little paint on a brush (I use a chip brush you can get at Dollar Tree, Walmart, etc.)

Then using a paper towel, I dabbed most of the paint off, then I went over the piece, a little thicker than I did the white. This allowed some of the white and the original dark brown to show through for a beautiful distressed result.

I placed it on top of my china cabinet with some vintage looking snowmen and the “book vase” I made from 3 of my childhood story books. They are just tied together so they aren’t damaged at all. It is now holding a small Christmas tree. I love changing what it holds for the different seasons and to be able to see these books on display.

Stringing Along A Oui Yogurt Jar

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I’m always trying to find ways to use the Oui yogurt jars. This idea was inspired after seeing someone do something similar with a mason jar using string. Any type of jar will work with beautiful results.

So I gathered up my supplies and went to work on this quick and easy project.

I took the ball of string I bought at Walmart and cut maybe 50 12” lengths of string. I might have used more or less, so you could cut less and then cut more as you go.

I then folded the pieces of string in half and hot glued them around the bottom edge of the Oui jar, side by side.

The results look like the photo below.

I then turned the jar over and fanned the strings out. I then twisted each set of 2 strings and brought them straight up and over the top edge and glued them to the inside.

I was now ready to make a label. I cut a piece of dropcloth and frayed the edges then used a number/letter alphabet stamper I bought on Temu and inked the words I made. I then stamped them onto the label. I really like the small stamper as you can do an entire word or words and keep them straight to stamp.

I also made a little riser using an end piece of an old 2×4. I loved the original green end so just distressed it a bit with sandpaper and added legs (Woodpecker peg dolls) I stained. I stamped a couple of designs across the front.

In no time at all I had a beautiful little decorated jar I can use in so many different ways. I just added a faux flower bloom for this one.

A Vintage Spice Rack Gets a Modern Look

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I thrifted a vintage spice rack at an estate sale awhile ago. It was in great shape and I don’t think the jars had ever been used. I knew I could update it and make it work for today’s kitchen decor and be functional as well.

I also ordered some spice jar labels from Temu for it. They arrived, so it was time for this makeover.

Today, I cleaned the spice rack well, took off the eagle and stars and painted the spice rack with black chalk paint (3 coats), then distressed it. A friend from one of my groups collects eagles, so I am sending the little eagle to her for her collection.

The secret for no brush strokes with the chalk paint I use is thin coats.
Even an emery board will lightly distress wood.

I then sealed it with Wise Owl Salve.

I took the old labels off the jars. They all, except for two of them easily slid off by soaking them in hot, soapy water. Only two required a little scrubbing. I then applied the labels I thought people would use most often.

This spice rack now has an updated modern look.

Flower Pot “Bling Sticks”

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These “bling sticks” dress up potted plants or flower arrangements. I used green wire I think I got from Dollar Tree (it was very bendable and soft to work with). I threaded all kinds of beads from old necklaces, etc. to the green wire and then wired the bling to a skewer from Dollar Tree with thin wire for support.

One of them looks so pretty in the ceramic watering can full of faux purple flowers on my deck.

Remove Shoes at the Door Sign

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Many people take their shoes off at the door. It seems as though Dollar Tree has noticed this and has started stocking Wall Art politely asking visitors to do the same.

If this is something you practice, I have taken their Wall Art and applied it to a piece of one of their MDF thin boards with a natural wood look.

This board had a pumpkin cut out on it. I measured how long it needed to be and removed the pumpkin area. I scored it with a box cutter and broke it off, then sanded the edges.

I removed the extra vinyl on the wall art and then used transfer paper to pick up the words and images.

I notched the edges of the board using a pair of scissors for a more decorative look and added a decorative string to hang it.

It makes a very simple and neutral reminder.

Lamps Made from Dinosaurs and My Little Ponies

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My husband has a background in working with electricity and has been loving scouring Goodwill, thrift stores, estate and garage sales looking for the perfect lamps, and lampshades, dinosaurs and My Little Ponies to create these character lamps.

He’s been having so much fun I’m starting to wonder if he will ever run out.

But here’s what he has created so far. Im starting with the last one because if you press the button on the belly of the green dinosaur, he roars. 😂

Dollar Tree Inspired DIY

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Everyone is always using high end stores as inspiration and creating projects that sometimes turn out better than the original. I did that this evening, and even I was blown away by the results.

It all started with this little Reed diffuser from Dollar Tree.

I was putting away some bags with Dollar Tree purchases and got distracted. Lol

First of all, I’ve had a little gold metal riser for a year or two. I never knew what I would do with it. Today, I used it to put my hot melted candle wax jars on, so it was handy (I hadn’t put it away yet, either. 🙄)

I took three little glass vases out of one of the bags. They were the only three I saw at Dollar Tree one day so I got them, not knowing what I’d use them for, either. I really liked the bit of gold around the top of them.

I also found two packages of reed decor. I have found these before and have them in my upstairs bathroom in a vase. I really like the neutral look of them.

Then I remembered I bought a Reed Diffuser at Dollar Tree awhile ago and hadn’t used it yet. It had the Eucalyptus scent.

So, of course, I had to act on an idea that came to me.

I added some RubnBuff on the rims of the vases to enhance the gold a little more and also added it to the edges and feet of the riser.

I poured the liquid from the diffuser evenly into the three jars and divided up all the reeds into the jars, making sure I saturated the ends well. Then I arranged the jars on the riser. They fit perfectly!

I’m so glad I stopped what I was doing and put all these things together. I really like how this turned out! It’s so much prettier than just the little Reed Diffuser all by itself. It looks and smells perfect in my downstairs bathroom.

A Chicken and Rooster Upcycle

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I found a chicken planter and a rooster that would hold a vase at two different thrift stores in the last few weeks. I decided they both needed updating using a concrete look technique.

The first thing I did with the chicken was spray him with Mod Podge pearlized glaze. Any sealer would work or even spray paint. I sprayed it to help the paint adhere well since the pottery was a bit shiny.

Next, I mixed chalk-style paint with baking soda and began daubing it on all over. This gives it a nice texture and no brush strokes. I gave it two coats, letting it dry in between.

After two coats of the baking soda and chalk paint mixture. I don’t have a photo, but I sprayed it with a coat of Mod Podge. This will help keep the antique look I’m giving it from soaking in which would make it hard to remove if needed.

Next, I did a little dry brushing with the gray paint. I would daub it on and use a baby wipe to blend where needed.

That’s it. I now have a chicken planter with a concrete look.

Now, for the rooster – I finished him much in the same way using the baking soda and white chalk- style paint mixture with a little different type of antiquing.

I learned the rooster was made of resin. I knew it wasn’t metal or wood. I had someone tell me to scratch off a bit of the bottom and if it was white underneath, it was resin…it was white!

I daubed the white chalk paint all over him. I only used one coat and wasn’t worried about full coverage because I liked the colors underneath and didn’t mind them coming through a bit.

Once dry, I used sprayed the rooster with this clear chalky spray. This will help me when I apply the glaze and will let me remove excess.

I applied the metallic green glaze to make it look like the rooster had been outside in the weather for years and had moss growing on it at one point.

I also applied a bit of turquoise paint for some patina.

The rooster was now ready to be added to a garden display.

A Dollar Tree Candle Makeover

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I’ve been seeing crafters use the tall Dollar Tree candles and melt them to create new candles in pretty containers. I had everything I needed to try this out. I am thrilled with the results. In fact, I shared the one I made for myself on my Facebook page and already have a request to make another.

The candle in the glass holder is from Dollar Tree. I ordered wicks from Temu and I had this wooden bowl. I love thrifting wooden bowls so I had several to choose from. The fragrance oil is “Egyptian Musk”. I love the fresh clean smell. I found it on Amazon.

I had seen many crafters stand the candle in a pan of water and put it on the stove on low until it melted. Today, though, I saw a technique of placing the candle on a cookie tray in the oven at 300°. It took about 18 minutes to melt mine.

I hot glued the wick to the bottom of the bowl while the candle was melting and got it ready for the wax.

It is ready to pour.

After I poured the wax into the bowl, I added two capfuls of my fragrance oil and stirred it around a bit with another skewer.

I should have curled the extra wick around a skewer and laid it on top of the bowl to keep the wick upright, but didn’t remember to do that until after I poured the wax. Next time I will do that before pouring.

I then let it cool and trimmed the wick.

I love how my candle turned out! I can’t wait to make more!

Rub On Transfer Slippers

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I have been experimenting with adding designs on some rubber bath slippers I bought on the Temu app. These were a great buy, but I am also seeing these at Dollar Tree, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, etc. Today’s experiment is applying rub on transfers to them. This has become my favorite way to give bath slippers a unique look.

Today, I’m highlighting the rub on transfer technique because I love how they turned out and I believe this to be the most durable method. I did seven pairs this way, once I did the first pair using the rub on transfers. I used Dollar Tree rub on transfers and a set from Temu, but any brand should work just as well.

I know they are super durable because I applied one of the transfers where I didn’t want it on one pair and I couldn’t remove it. I tried scraping and picking it off with my fingernail and tried using soap and water. I couldn’t budge it. So, I ended up applying another transfer over it. I actually like the shadowed look it made. 🙂

These are really easy to apply, especially if you have used rub on transfers before. If you haven’t, they remind me of the type of stickers when I was young that you would lay down on a piece of paper and they rub over the top plastic piece with a pencil and the image would transfer to the paper. That’s it!

I like to keep all the bits and pieces of the rub on transfers I don’t use on a project and use them another time. Today was that time. I picked out the ones I wanted to use and a pair of pink slippers and then started applying them to the different sections on these slippers.

I cut the first piece I wanted away from the sheet. It has a white backing on it to protect the transfer. You don’t want to remove that white backing yet as you don’t want the transfer sticking to anything until you are ready to use it or you will ruin it.

Then I removed the white backing, placed the transfer where I wanted it and used a flat stick I had that came with another type of transfer and rubbed on the plastic until the image released. A popsicle stick or even your fingernail would work, After it releases, I then used the plastic sheet to “burnish” it into the rubber, meaning rubbing it in to make sure it adhered well.

That’s all there is to it! I continued adding transfers to each section. I applied a little Wise Owl Salve (or any clear wax would work) to protect the transfer, but I really don’t think it is needed.

Examples are below of my other experiments…. decoupaging napkins (I did another blog post on that technique) and using Dollar Tree Wall Art.

The first experiment was with decoupaging napkins. They were pretty and turned out nice and I wear the pairs I made myself around the house all the time. They were fun to make and fun to wear. They do not slip off your feet at all. Here’s a link to my blog post on them.

https://sharsumpaint.com/2023/05/18/decoupaged-slippers-wow/

The other experiment was using Dollar Tree Wall Art. I found a beautiful flower and foliage design and cut it to fit a different type of slipper. I love how it looked on this blue slipper. This Wall art is removable, so…. If it starts coming off after a bit, simple remove it and you’ll still have a neat pair of slippers or go to Dollar Tree and get another Wall Art for $1.25 and make another unique look. 🙂 I then used bits and pieces left over and made another Wall Art pair. I did not apply wax to these as they are removable anyway. Both turned out very cute.

But, as I mentioned earlier, the rub on transfers are my favorite!!!! Which te unique do you like best?