Although this project is similar to the trivets I painted (found here), when I saw these coasters at West Elm, I couldn’t resist the idea of painting them.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: coasters, gold spray paint, acrylic paint, brush
Time: 1 hour
Materials: Cloth, bleach, q-tip/or paint brush
Before you begin, make sure you are in a well ventilated area and that you have something between the cloth and your working surface as the bleach will bleed through. Keep your design simple and don’t expect it to be perfect! 
*Note that your design will not show up immediately, it takes about 10-15 seconds for the bleach to develop.
Time: 15 minutes + overnight dry
Materials: glass pieces, paint, scrap paper for drying surface
This week’s project was inspired by the Make It column on Design Love Fest.
Time: 15 minutes
Materials: doormat, paint, circular sponges of various sizes
Although week fifty-two of this project is quickly approaching, I am still learning something new with each craft I attempt.
Time: 35 minutes
Materials: picture frame, acrylic paint, gold spray paint, primer
1. If the wood on your frame is treated with a paint or sealer, acrylic paint on its own will bubble and not stick (see above). Don’t worry though— there is a solution!
2. After wiping off the paint with a paper towel and reevaluating my color choice, I sprayed the frame with a coat of white primer. After it dried, I was able to apply the acrylic paint without any issues.
3. Tape of the sections of the frame you’d like to paint gold. A few layers of paper will help cover the parts of the frame you’d like to remain untouched. 
After my painted planter round-up, I knew it was only a matter of time before I took on the project for myself.
Time: 1 hour, including dry time
Materials: clay planter, paint, pva, glitter, brush, plant
1. Start by painting the inside of your planter. You don’t need to paint the entire inside, just the top half and a bit of the lip since the plant will take up most of the space.
2. Once dry, move to the outside.
3. If you want to add glitter (it’s not as tacky as you would think!), make sure the outside paint is dry, otherwise it will stick where you don’t want it. Since PVA dries quickly, divide the rim in segments, brushing on the glue/glitter as you go.
4. Wipe of any extra glitter, pot your plant, and you’re done!
Lining your envelopes is a quick way to add a personal touch to a letter, but buying printed paper can get expensive. Here are some quick tips and tricks to making your own envelope liners.
Time: 45 minutes
Materials: plain white paper, paint (I used watercolors), brush/q-tip/eraser
*Q-Tips will give you a textured and imperfect polka dot
*Twirling an eraser will make more dramatic and messy polka dots.
*For a cleaner line, draw your design with water color pencils then go over with a wet brush.
*Don’t feel afraid to experiment! Once you’re done, you can choose the ones you like the best.
I will be the first to admit that this project is not for the faint of heart. Maybe it was my choice of glue, or the texture of the rope, but making this candle holder was no easy task. Be prepared for a lot of sitting, holding, and sticky fingers. For a more colorful take on this project, head on over to Joy of all Crafts.
Time: 2 hours + overnight dry
Cost: $7-$9
Materials: rope, scissors, crafters (tacky glue that dries clear), hot glue
1. Build up your base by wrapping and gluing rope in a spiral fashion. Make sure your layers stay flat, otherwise your holder will sit lopsided.
2. Once your base is as big as you want it, start building up. It helps to add pressure by sandwiching the layers together as you go.
3. Don’t be afraid if your glue is visible, it should dry clear. Keep wrapping until you reach the desired height, but don’t clue the final section of rope down.
4. When you’ve reached your stopping point, let the rope sit overnight (your hands might need the break!). When dry, place the final part of rope on the inside and secure with a dab of hot glue.
Time: 45 minutes
Cost: $4-$10, depending where you get your materials
Materials: plain mugs, paint markers
Cork stamps may not give you the perfect shape, but they have a unique texture you can’t find in rubber or acrylic stamps.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: champagne cork, ink, carving tool
1. Draw your image on to the cork. It’s best to stay with easy shapes since cork is somewhat of a tricky material to carve.
2. *Tip* Once you have enough surface area carved away, it helps to color over your shape to get an idea of how your work will stamp.
Not too long after I bought these trivets from Ikea did I realize I didn’t really want to use them as they were intended. Thanks to a little splash of paint and three tiny nails, I now have wall art/cork boards for my studio.
Time: 1 hour
Cost: $4
Materials: Ikea cork trivets, tape, paint, nails
Time: 2.5 hours
Materials: canvas/cotton bag, paint, circular sponge
*tip* If you want to save time, buy more than one circular sponge of the same size. Otherwise you will have to rinse in between each color each time you stamp a side.
1. Fill the inside of your bag with books for a smooth hard surface. If you happen to like your books don’t forget to protect their covers from paint with a thick sheet of paper.
2. If you’d like there to be order to your polka dots, a straight edge will help keep everything in line.
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