~ Re-Cre8tions ~
~ Re-Cre8tions ~
The Green Glued Grass of Home
The Green Glued Grass of Home
I wanted to create a lawn runner for my tablescape but found tiles of faux grass a bit more than I wanted to spend. Once again, Dollar Tree came to the rescue. For just $9, I was able to purchase 3 place mats and 6 packets of green scrub pads (each packet contained 5 pads) to create the runner I wanted to place beneath my portable Hibachi grill...the focal point of my Father's Day tablescape.
I laid out the 3 placemats, horizontally, so that the ends of each touched one another and taped them to create one long base for my runner. Then I hot-gued a scouring pad along side one another until the full runner was covered and simulated a strip of lawn at the center of the table
Shadowbox Collage
Shadowbox Collage
Credit: craft.lovetoknow.com
If you have military memorabilia tucked in a box, a drawer or a trunk, showcase it in a shadowbox collage. The size of the shadowbox depends on the amount of items you want to display. Here, the box is lined with a map of where the serviceman was stationed. His dogtags, service stripe and medals are proportionately placed alongside his photograph.
This project is so easy. You already have the items. All you need is the shadowbox which is available at any craft store. Perfect to display any collection of items for any occasion.
Broaching the Napkins
Broaching the Napkins
In keeping with the vintage 1950's theme of my table, i decided to repurpose some brooches in my collection and use them as napkin rings. I pulled the napkin from the center of its' square, gathered it mid way and pinned each one closed with a jeweled ornament.
From Strainers to Sombreros
From Strainers to Sombreros
The strainers that I used to create the stanchions for my Academy Awards table came in a set of 2. One small (used for the stanchion) and one large. Because I am one that does not like anything to go to waste, I put them aside for future use. What I did not realize at the time was that the future would be here before I knew it... and Cinco De Mayo would mark the day.
I am lucky enough to be able to have a certain vision when I look at something and the larger strainer just seemed to scream SOMBRERO.
I used the same process I did when making the stanchions from the smaller ones. Mod Podge in hand, I primed the strainer with white tissue paper first. After that was dry, I molded the strainer with green tissue paper and embellished both the rim and neck of the dome with adhesive gems.
After it was completed, I realized that these did not have the turned up brim synonymous with authentic sombreros, but I was still pleased with it.
This project would also work well to create hats for an Easter, Kentucky Derby or Mother's Day table.... so you just might see it used again next year when those holidays arise.
Creating The Stanchions
Published 4/21/21
Creating The Stanchions
Published 4/21/21
Red Carpets are always flanked with stanchions that distinguish the linear perimeter allocated for Celebrities to traipse, while flaunting their designer wardrobes and seduce the paparazzi. So I felt that including them would be imperative to authenticate my tabletop decor. But, I had never seen any other than floor based, so I had to determine the best way to re-create them.
While searching for ideas in Dollar Tree, a sink strainer caught my eye. It would be perfect to create the base of the stanchion and due to its' sieve-like structure, a screw could easily be run through the center of its' dome to adhere to a narrow dowel that was cut to size and drilled to accept the screw.
I covered both the dowel and strainer in a gold foil tissue paper then, once they were fully gilded, re-adhered the screw through the bottom of the strainer to connect both pieces.
I cut six orbs from of a strand of beads and found 6 washers to create the top of the posts for my stanchions. Screw eyes were ideal to insert into to the holes that once were used to thread the balls to the bead strand. I made 6 stanchions in all, creating 2 sets of three. Four would act as the bookends to the sets and the remaining two would act as the anchor between them.
After painting the washers and screw eyes in gold, I twisted the screws into the balls... 4 with one screw and the remaining 2 with a screw on each of its' sides. I then hot glued the washers and beads and their extensions to the tops of the dowels and let them dry.
The last step was to attach the red cords through each eye of the screws and knot them tight....
And then there were Stanchions
Dressing up the Drinks
Dressing up the Drinks
Why shouldn't the stemware carrying the champagne at this glitzy affair be adorned in anything less than Tuxedos, Ermine and Pearls? So I channeled Edith Head, Hollywood's famous Costume Designer during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and designed the simplest, chic attire for the faux crystal that would be gracing each setting.
The tie was made of simple black ribbon, the "ermine", a strand of marabou feather boa, both adhered with a glue gun. Adhesive beads simulate the tux studs neclace and earrings.
Eggciting Coloring
Published April 4, 2021
Eggciting Coloring
Published April 4, 2021
The coloring of eggs coincides with the Easter holiday. For years the PAAS Home Dyeing Kit, complete with color pellets, and wire egg dipper was the way to go. All we had to supply was the white vinegar and the vessels to color the eggs. Truth be told, I am not a fan of hard boiled or deviled eggs, so I never color too many…But… I like to be creative when I do. This year I tackled some new methods in addition to the traditional PAAS Home Dyeing Kit to see what the end results would be, promising to use no more than 4 eggs for the challenges.
Method # 1: The Standard PAAS Home Dyeing Kit. I colored two eggs in a vibrant blue and orange. The directions noted they should stay in the dye for at least 5 minutes, but I wanted a deep saturated color, so I left them in for 15.
Method #2: Shaving Cream and Food Coloring. Add Shaving Cream (Whipped cream if you will eat the egg later on), to a bowl and swirl in food coloring. Once the colors are mixed, bury the hard boiled egg into the mixture for at least 20 minutes, wash and voila, a marbleized pattern emerges. In my case, pink and blue hues.
Method # 3: Add rice to a Tupperware container and food coloring to the rice. Mix thoroughly (I used a wooden chopstick). Add the hard boiled egg to the Tupperware container, seal with lid and shake vigorously for at least a minute. This produced my light green egg.
Once I had colored my eggs in the three fashions noted above, I could not help but bling them out by decorating them with colored rhinestone self-adhesive strips…Faberge eggs they are not, but they did add a bit of sparkle to the nest.
Design Your Own Place Settings
Decoupaging your Own Plates and Creating Placemats
(Published March 20, 2021)
Design Your Own Place Settings
Decoupaging your Own Plates and Creating Placemats
(Published March 20, 2021)
Decoupaging Plate Project
Searching for the perfect pieces to compliment your tablescape can sometimes be costly. You might easily find what you need on line, but it is more than you want to spend and will they arrive in time? Once again, Dollar Tree has the perfect solution. Don't let this project overcomplicate your mind...It is so much easier that it sounds.
Pick up the number of plain glass dinner plates that you will need for your setting as well as a package of dinner napkins with the design that speaks to you (i recommend a print that fills the whole napkin), a foam brush and a bottle of Mod Podge (make it 2). Be sure to clean both sides of the plate with glass cleaner and alcohol so that it is crystal clear. It's also best to wear gloves so that no oils from your fingertips interfere with the process.
Open your napkin and remove the 2nd ply. It is easier if you bend the teeniest tip of one corner and rub as you would a produce bag, until you see the ply separate. (Trust me, that ply is always there even if you think it is not). Do this with all the napkins you will use so they are ready when you begin to *Mod Podge. Once all the napkins are ready, turn the glass plate top side down. You will be decoupaging the back of the plate. Use a disposable plate as a palette and pour some Mod Podge onto it. Dab your brush into it and cover the plate moderately... not too thin and not too thick. Keep in mind that this will dry clear. Place the napkin over the back of the plate and carefully rub down the center of the plate, trying to rub out any creases (don't fret if some remain...it happens). If you rub too hard, you might tear the napkin so work gently as you apply pressure. Better to have creases than tears. Now start pressing the napkin down all the sides of the plate, again taking care to smooth out as much of the napkin as possible. Let it sit a bit. After a while, take the plate, face up and cut around the rim to remove the access napkin so all you see is what is pictured in Illustration #2 below. Once your plates have all been completed, give the covered back side a coat of Mod Podge for a finished affect and let all dry completely.
I used Mod Podge Gloss-Lustre-Lustre for the plates shown below. Though they were dinner size, I knew I would be using them as chargers and they would not need to be immersed in water to be cleaned. If you want these to be permanent plates that you can eat off of, use the Diswasher Safe Mod Podge and be sure to give a liberal final coat around the rim so that no water will ever seep through.
The AMAZING part of this project is IF you use the Mod Podge version I did, you can EASILY place the plates under hot water and the napkin will simply peel off, returning back to its original blank canvas for use again when you need to showcase another theme or design.
Decoupaging Glass Plates
Decoupaging Glass Plates
Glass Dinner Plate​
Glass Dinner Plate​
Decoupaged Plate
Decoupaged Plate
Easy To Re-use
Easy To Re-use
Creating a Charger/Placemat
Creating a Charger/Placemat
These are featured in my Spring Scape. I needed them to place beneath the decoupaged plates.
They seem to double as a Charger/Placemat.
(Published 3~20~21)
These are featured in my Spring Scape. I needed them to place beneath the decoupaged plates.
They seem to double as a Charger/Placemat.
(Published 3~20~21)
Before
Before
I purchased a package of 14" scalloped cakeboards at Walmart and 2 sheets of bright yellow posterboard at Dollar Tree.
After
After
I traced the boards, then carefully cut them out and adhered the shapes to the cake board with a glue stick.
With this project, you get two for the price of one, Repeat the process with another color posterboard and glue them to the other side....
