Every once in awhile I get a wild hair.  I was daydreaming about milk glass and how much I really like the effect of chalky painted color inside of a glass vase. 

Then it hit me:  why not painted candles?  I remembered I had some leftover paint specially designed for glass from this project, and some extra glass jars just collecting dust, and I saw some microwaveable candle wax at the craft store, so then my brain started spinning totally out of control. 

Here’s what I came up with:  custom painted glass candles personalized with my own design.  A great gift for Mother’s Day ! 

Read the rest of this entry »

Sneak Peek of Final Product:

There are many ways to cover a corkboard with fabric – this I have done, but I was curious about making a fabric covered magnetic board, so I started poking around online.  In doing my research, I saw that there were not a lot of fabric covered magnetic boards out there, but I did find some where the crafty creator is actually cutting steel for inside of a frame. Perhaps I am lazy, or just a bit chicken when it comes to cutting metal, but I just wanted to cover a magnetic board that I found at the local office supply store. 

Supplies:

1. 18” x 24” magnetic dry erase board from office supply store
2. Heavy duty nickel sized magnets from hardware store (not from office supply, those are too weak)
3. 5/8 yard of cotton fabric of choice (the thinner the better, but not transparent)
4. Decorative brads (or shells, or glass rocks, or whatever you choose to glue to your magnets.)
5. Decorative ribbon for “frame” and for optional hanging. 
6. Hot glue gun

Start by ironing your cotton fabric to remove any creases.  Then lay your magnetic board on top of the fabric.

Begin gluing the fabric to the top of the magnetic board.  (Note: This is easier to do if your fabric has some sort of pattern or stripe that you can follow to align the fabric as you glue.)  Then glue the bottom, and then glue the sides.  Go slowly, because you don’t want any puckering and you want your fabric pattern to be straight. 

My magnetic board came with tiny brackets for hanging on the wall, so I cut into the fabric where I wanted the bracket (16” apart is the width of most wall studs).  Then I glued around the bracket to solidify the fabric edging, and to secure the bracket in place. 

While your glue on the board dries, take your magnets and hot glue the brads on top of the magnets.  [Note: these magnets are powerful, and dangerous around small children, so I would not do this project around, or for, anyone under the age of 5]. 

Allow your new magnets to dry, and turn back to the ribbon “frame” on your magnetic board.  Lay out your ribbon, and glue it slowly, while you trim up the corners.  Apply glue underneath all of the ribbon and let dry. 

Optional:  If you do not want to use the brackets to hang your board, you can add a ribbon trim, like pictured below.   Make sure you use a lot of glue to secure the bow in place.  [Pretend the glue is collagen, and the bow is Meg Ryan’s lips and pump away !  Sorry Meg, I still love ya.]    

So here’s how it looks when it’s complete.  Total time is about 90 minutes. 

Idea Gallery:

Gal’s Office: Do a larger version of this with a dramatic patterned fabric and elegant ribbon, and use antique buttons or scrapbook “jewels” for the magnets. 

Guy’s Office:  Cover the board in slate gray, and make magnets out of polished rocks.  Or would he prefer beer bottle caps?  :-)

Boy’s Room:  For a pirate theme, find a fabric with a map pattern, and make magnets with gold coins.  If your boy loves cars, make a “racetrack” on the board  with gray or black ribbon, and find miniature cars for his magnets.  Zoom zoom.

Beach Style:  Find a cotton linen fabric, then make magnets with shells or sea glass. 

Kitchen:  Find a fabric that compliments your kitchen, then make magnets out of miniature food items found at your local craft store,  or from anything metallic that matches your hardware.

Mudroom/Home Organization Center:  Anything goes.

If you do this project, send me your photos and I will post them !

Oh, and check out these different style handmade magnetic boards on Etsy. These are very chic.  Also, look at Little Birdie Secrets version of a magnetic board.  And also her separate post on fabric covered button magnets.  Love them!

I’ve owned a dozen clear glass plates for about 10 years. I was about to donate them to the Goodwill thrift store when I saw a photo in a recent BH&G magazine of a plate painted with a bird stencil. This inspired me to paint my stash of clear plates for the first meeting of my newly founded Martini Book Club. I wanted to make a monogrammed plate with the initials “MBC” for my club.

Here’s a peek at my final plate:

I went to the local craft store and purchased paint made specifically for glass and ceramics.

Read the rest of this entry »

Here, I added some velvet ribbon and paired it with some bronze satin ribbon. I attached a brown flower embelishment.

Blue candle wanted a bit more bling, so I draped it with a necklace, and placed it on my vanity. It was happy, until…

Next came the leftover bronze candle from Christmas. What to do?

Have you ever considered using your candles as jewelry holders? Here, my bronze candle sits in my master bedroom, wrapped in some simple brown raffia and it holds some of my favorite chandeliers.

Spring is near, so why not dress up a beautiful green candle and set it next to some spring bulbs?

Oh, la la, so haute. I bought the above necklace in a vintage store in New Orleans ten years ago, and it is so sexy underneath my Rodin “Kiss” statue (I paid $10 for that statue in Paris years ago. Such a touristy souvenier, but I love it!)

Simple nail heads paired with those earrings I never wear, above now pay tribute on my dining room console.

Next, it had some fun in my sixteen year old stepdaughter’s surfer themed room.

Finally, sea blue candle and her sister were covered with floral ribbon and brads, and will be packaged in cellophane and become gifts for my girlfriends.

I never liked pink until I had a baby girl, and then pink just becomes part of your DNA after that.

Here, pink candle tries on some of mama’s jewelry, and poses in Junior CG’s room.

Pink candle found its home on display next to my daughter’s collectibles, after being embellished with pearls and rhinestones. Another version of this would make a great wedding or baby shower gift.

Oh, the places you can go with a plain vanilla candle.

Above, I attached a floral pin I had sitting around in my accessories stash. Here, vanilla candle poses on my living room mantel.

Some leftover golden decor from Thanksgiving has been trimmed, and glued, to these taller vanilla candles. They reside above my fireplace in my family room.

Master bedrooms need a lot of candles. This one has new neck wear and sits on my husband’s highboy dresser.

This vanilla candle is trying on some bronze ribbon and one of my favorite summer bracelets.

Vanilla candle finds a resting place in my downstairs half bathroom, showing off some of my other favorite summer bracelets, and reminding all who enter of the time.

What are your ideas for making your candles fabulous?

.