Cereal Box Crafts #1 – Cereal Box to Postcards

Hi Everybody!

I hope this post finds you doing spectacular!  My next series of posts are going to be Cereal Box Crafts. They are so great to work with, every house has them and by converting one piece of trash into treasure you are helping this beautiful planet. Besides, art supplies can get pricey, so it is always exciting to find everyday items to reuse.

Last September I did a post on using old paperboard as a mixed media canvas. You can absolutely do this with a cereal box or the technical name “chipboard” boxes that food comes in. Here is a link if you would like to give it a go: Mixed Media Art on PaperBoard.

Today I am going to show you a fun way to customize post cards with a Cereal Box.

Supplies Needed:

  1. Cereal Box
  2. Scissors
  3. Mod Podge
  4. Gesso
  5. Ruler
  6. Markers
  7. Pencil
  8. Stickles Glitter Glue
  9. Glitter
  10. Blank White paper.

Instructions:

1. Grab your box, scissors and a ruler or an old postcard, and trace the postcard wherever you like on the box. If you do not have a postcard to trace use these dimensions:  At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

If you do not have a postcard to trace you can use the dimensions. At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long.

2. Trace and Cut.

Trace and cut

3. I chose to use the word Honey in my postcard. So I outlined the word with thick black sharpie. It gives me an extra thick boarder to work with. This step is optional.

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4. Next, Use Acrylic Gesso in white and some fine detailed brushes to paint everywhere but the word Honey.

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5. Once the Gesso is completely dry (it may take a few coats), use a pencil to write in your words. I chose: “Honey I sure do miss you”.

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6 Once your completely satisfied with your words, Grab your sharpie and trace. (Just fyi, you can erase on gesso, just be careful and go with the strokes.)

7.) Now Grab your Watercolors and paint all around your words. This takes some fine brushes.

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Don’t worry, It does not have to be perfect.

8. Once that is completely dry, Grab your stickles glitter tubes and fill in the words. I outlined my words in a black glitter stickles (not shown), then filled with Gold. The word honey was outlined in gold and filled with a brown. Then added some dots around the sides.

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Let Dry

9. While that is drying, Grab your white piece of paper. Trace another post card size rectangle. I then used scalloped edge scissors and chose to make the white paper a tad smaller than the postcard to create a border effect.

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10. I added a Post Card Stamp, but you can hand write this or use other stamps.

11. Use Mod Podge to attach once the front is completely dry. 15

Finished:

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Once it is all completely dry, its a good idea to put a spray sealer on the front side. It will protect the water color and all your hard work!

Also its a good idea, once all dry to stick it in a big book over night so it stays completely flat. Sometimes with all the moisture the paper will want to curl. If you have a tacky surface put the post card in wax paper or freezer paper before you put in the book so they don’t stick.

Here is another idea with Glitter. I did not write a tutorial on this one, but if you want one let me know.

Glitter Post Card!

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Can you imagine getting that in the mail!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

I would love to hear what you think or even better, see your projects!

Feel free to link up to your related blogs in my comments! I love to spread the word on artists!

Have a fantastic week!!

Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #4 Fabric!

Hello Everybody!

I am finally at my last Composition Notebook Cover post….for now.

If you missed any of the last 3 post on how to redo your notebook covers you can find there here:

  1. Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #1 Paper Decoupage https://goo.gl/qSGXIh
  2. Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #2 Gesso & Paint  https://goo.gl/nzdMIP
  3. Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #3 Yarn! https://goo.gl/Dbg4OJ

This week is the final post on Composition Notebook Redo’s. I thought it would be fun to finish up with some fabric. What is better to use than scraps! I am always looking for an excuse to use up scraps. I have this weird condition where I refuse to throw anything out, because I am absolutely sure I am going to need it one day. It’s not fatal but there is no cure and I do believe it was passed down genetically from my mother. ;D

So here we go!

Things you need:

  • Fabric Scraps
  • Mod-Podge or Elmer’s glue
  • Scissors
  • Optional: Stickles Glitter Glue or Puff Paint
  • Composition Notebook

Steps:

  1. Gather Supplies Gather Supplies
  2. Pick your favorite fabric scraps Scraps!
  3. Cut fabric into squares of various sizes. I was not careful in any way. You can cut perfect squares, I just chose to do the cover with a bit more random bits.
  4. Use a brush and add a layer of Mod-Podge or Elmer’s glue to a small area of your notebook. Then line up the squares and start to add fabric to the Mod Podged area. I started from the inside moving out so. That way if your scraps do not line up perfectly you can just trim the excess off.
  5. Keep adding squares… 
  6. Add Some More… Make sure all pieces are completely glued down, cover with mod podge again if you want to be extra sure.
  7. Keep on going.. add some more… 
  8. Until…It is finally all covered 
  9. Let dry completely.
  10. Once it is dry, I added a border line around all the small pieces with stickles glitter glue. I even highlighted the random scraps to fill in the weird gaps.
  11. let dry.

Ta-Da!! and Woo-Hoo!! DIY Quilt style composition notebook cover out of fabric.

Finished!

Finished!

Can you imagine the possibilities! All those scraps so little time!

What do you think? I would love to know.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Before and After

Composition Notebook RE-DO #3! YARN!

Hello Everybody!

Sorry this post is a little late. I hope everyone is having a great week!

Are you crafting? I would love to hear about your projects.

So over the last couple weeks I have been posting on different ways to update and redo your everyday composition notebook covers.

To recap, You can find week one, Composition Notebook Re-do #1 Paper Decoupage, Here: https://goo.gl/qSGXIh and

Week two, Composition Notebook Re-do #2 Hand drawn cover, here: https://goo.gl/nzdMIP

This week was a total experiment, and I will not lie, I almost gave up thinking it was going to be a craft fail, but I kept going and actually love it.

This week’s Composition Notebook Cover redo is with Yarn!

Now the yarn I had laying around I found in a clearance bin. Its called Red Heart Boutique Sashay in twist and platinum sparkle, you can still find it online if you like the look of this particular project. The description in Mary Maxim describes this yarn as “A unique kind of yarn with a touch of metallic that creates beautiful ruffle scarves and accessories with just one ball.” Its almost netted and has a neat effect.

Red Heart Boutique Sashay

Red Heart Boutique Sashay

Its not regular yarn but you can absolutely use regular yarn, it is just going to require a bit more patience and glue sticks.

Materials Needed:

yarn, scissors, glue gun & sticks, notebook

yarn, scissors, glue gun & sticks, notebook

  • Yarn (Any will do but I used: Red Heart Boutique Sashay in platinum sparkle and in twist Link to Yarn)
  • Scissors
  • Hot Glue Gun
  • Glue Sticks (at least 15)
  • Composition Notebook

This project is super duper simple. It requires more patience than anything, and you are working with a hot glue gun so if you’re doing this project with children keep an eye out.

Line up and glue

I chose to line up my yarn vertically. You can do whatever your heart desires. If you are using regular yarn you can make pictures and patterns.

So you just heat up your glue gun and start laying down strips of glue. I would work in small patches at a time.

short patches of glue

Lay out about a two inch or so line and then carefully lay the yarn on top. Try not to push right away, you will just burn your fingers, so wait a few seconds then you can lightly press.

I chose to lightly overlap the layers. I also kept the yarn bunched up not pulled out.

Keep adding glue and yarnKeep on going… I know it looks weird.

I did four lines of the twist color then one line of the platinum sparkle.

keep going!

Don’t give up yet…once you are finished with one side make sure the edges are secure and cut off the excess. If you glue around the notebook edge right against the edge then cut you will get a cute frayed look.

cut off the excess

cut off the excess

Now for the front!

But first…get up and stretch, go get coffee or do a few neck rolls, work out that neck so you don’t get a stiff neck staring at this project 😀

So back to the notebook 😀

Keep on gluin’…

Keep gluing

OK, so here is where I get honest. I ran out of glue sticks right at the point pictured above, D’OH!!!!!

If this happens to you, never fear, you can use Mod Podge like I did or Elmer’s glue or anything that will dry clear. I added a pretty thick amount to the remaining piece of the notebook then laid out the rest of the yarn.

Once everything is down…resist the urge to touch it. Just walk away for a few hours, once it has had time to sort of set then you can come back and lightly press everything down. Then walk away again until it dries completely.  (You can do the whole cover this way, but it will take a steady hand and more patience than I have). Hot glue is quicker and much easier.

and TA-DA!

Now you have this soft, fun, hippie, boho, right out of the 60’s awesome notebook. And when all those people ask you where you got such an awesome notebook, you can say “I made it!”

FIN

Who'da thought?

Who’da thought?

all done!

I am so glad that I did not give up and stop this project because I thought It was too weird in the beginning. I think this one is my favorite.

I learned two things from this project:

  1. Do not give up on a vision, not matter how silly it might seem in the beginning.
  2. Make sure you have enough supplies!

Have a wonderful week everyone. I hope you enjoyed this weeks project.

I would love to see any of your projects or hear what you think.

Keep Craftin’!

before and after

Composition Notebook Cover Re-Do #2

Hi Everyone!

I hope your having a fantastic week so far!

So last week was the first of a series of posts on how to re-decorate your composition notebooks. The first Composition Notebook Re-do was done with Mod Podge and different kinds of paper, then stuck mixed media style to the front and back covers.

If you missed it, you can find it here: Composition Notebook Cover Re-Do #1 (Decoupaged Paper Mix Media Style)  Composition Notebook Re-Do #1

This week’s re-do is all about doodles. I am going to show you how easy it can be to customize your composition book with your own artwork.

I love to doodle, I have notebooks full of random drawings, scribbles and doodles. So it was only a matter of time before they wound up on the front covers also!

So let’s get going 😀

Materials Needed:

  • Composition Notebook
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Sharpies or any Permanent marker. I use Micron by Pigma its Archival ink, which means its permanent and it also dries really quickly. Quick drying is important because the last thing you want is a big marker smear, its fixable but frustrating. I also use sharpies they work well also.  You also want to go with a finer tip, especially if your getting into detail. If not go with whatever you like. I try to keep a variety of sizes around.
  • Watercolors or Acrylic paint. (I used watercolor easy to work with, easy to fix mistakes, and dries fast)
  • cup of water for your watercolors
  • paint brushes
  • Sticklers Glitter glue
  • Acrylic Gesso
  • Clear Coat Spray Sealer

Steps:

Grab your Gesso and completely cover your front and back cover. You may need to do two coats. If you do make sure you let the gesso dry between coats.

Cover the entire front and back cover with Gesso and Let dry.

Cover the entire front and back cover with Gesso and Let dry.

Once completely dry Grab your pencil and start doodling or drawing.

Draw anything you like

Draw anything you like

And doodle some more…

Here are some tools I used to do the back. You don't have to free hand everything if you dont want too. Play with your supplies.

Here are some tools I used to do the back. 

and some more...

and some more doodling…

Outline everything in marker. Remember to use quick drying Archival ink or sharpies to avoid smearing.

Then go over everything with marker.

Then go over everything with marker.

outlined in marker

outlined in marker

Now it’s time to watercolor!

The gesso takes water color well .

The gesso takes water color well .

so therapeutic

so therapeutic

All done!

Once your done with the watercoloring, let dry completely.

Once dry, I used Sticklers Glitter glue to accent different places in the pictures to give it a little pop.

When your completely satisfied, spray your cover with Spray Sealer. This helps keep your cover from sticking to everything.

All Done!

There you have it!  A completely customized notebook! What do you think?

I would absolutely love to see how your projects come out.

Send me pics!

Come on back and check us out next week, when I do Composition Notebook Cover Re-do #3!

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Brandie Bell

Brandie Bell

Happy Cinco De Mayo Everyone!

I hope your having a great day and will have an even better night! So what is Cinco De Mayo? Well, many people think it is the Mexican Independence Day but that is actually on September 16. Cinco De Mayo celebrates Mexico’s triumph over the French at the Battle of Puebla. Which was a big deal, the French had not lost in a long time.

So here we are! Let’s Fiesta then Siesta!

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Here are a few things to get you set for a fun and traditional Cinco De Mayo Celebration.

1. Food!

Chips & Guacamole!

Guacamole dips is made of avocados, chiles, onions, tomatoes, salt and lime! Mush it all together and PA-DOW Guacamole!

Now instead of buying corn chips you can heat up some oil, cut up some tortillas into quarters, fry them in the hot oil until crispy and PA-DOW better celebration chips!

Tamales, Tamales, Tamales.

Looking for a recipe? Check out for lots of Tamale       Recipes. But just so you know… none will compare to my Gramma’s! – Food.com http://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-tamales-pork-15286

Chalupas!

Now you can go to Fast Food or you can go to WikiHow and make your own!! Love it!                                                                                   http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Taco-Bell-Beef-Chalupa-Supreme

2.  Loud Music!

Its just one day..so let it rip! Bust out the loudest Uuum Pa Pa, Uuum Pa Pa music you can find. Don’t have any you say?! Well here you go!

Got to LOVE Pandora: www.pandora.com/music/mexico

3. Crazy Lucha Libre Masks?

Well no…but Hey! Why Not! It’s a celebration! Not sure just how to make an awesome Lucha Libre Mask…

No Problem, click on over HappyThought.co.uk. This fantastic lady has not only given awesome instructions but there is also a free downloadable template! Its not too late Get printing!! https://happythought.co.uk/craft/printables/how-to-make-lucha-libre-masks-free-templates                                                                                          …no your NOT too old!

Have A Good Time!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

I love Frida

I love Frida

Oh and May the Fourth be with you!!