DIY rusty pumpkin from mason jar rings

How to make a rusty pumpkin from a mason jar lid

I’ll admit I have an obsession with MASON JARS!! Seriously though, who doesn’t in the days of rustic décor? But our family doesn’t just do crafts with them like this DIY LIGHT UP FAIRY JAR. Or these adorable DIY GLASS ETCHED MASON JARS. Other than storing food our family actually uses them as our drinking glasses. They are just so darn versatile! You can even buy these plastic mason jar lids so you don’t have to hassle with the two pieces that traditionally comes with mason jars.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Ok, so enough about how much I LOVE and use mason jars lol! Let’s get to the rusty mason jar lid pumpkin tutorial. These rusty pumpkins will tie in perfectly with your rustic décor. You can place these on the table as a centerpiece, on a mantle, sit them on a deep shelf, you could even put them on your front porch with the rest of your gorgeous fall decorations.

Here’s what you’ll need

• regular mouth canning jar rings

• twine

• glue gun

• felt

• wire cutters

• scissors

• stick

• rustic wire

• pliers

If you aren’t in the reading mood skip to the bottom to catch the full rusty pumpkin video tutorial.

You’re probably wondering…how do I make my canning jar lids rusty? I don’t have a tutorial up just yet for how to make your mason jar rings rusty. But don’t worry I’m working on it and it is SUPER easy! You basically just soak them in a mixture of vinegar and salt for a week or so. Take them out when you're satisfied with the rustiness. Rinse them off. And let them air dry. That’s it!

You can make yours as full as you like but I don’t like that super uniformed look that most mason jar ring pumpkins have. I use a few less rings than a lot of the other tutorials call for but the others are still gorgeous 😍. For mine, I used 12 rings but you can use more if you like that look better :)!

---

First, string your rusty mason jar lids on a piece of twine. Be sure they are all facing the same direction

Next, make your mason jar rings curve into a circle and place the stick in the center. Then move your rings around so that they form the circle shape of the pumpkin. Tie the twine in a few knots. Remove the stick. Move the rings around to where you like them.

Once you have your lids where you want them place a ring of hot glue around the base of your stick and place your stick back in the center of the lids.

Then cut a piece of your wire, fold it in half and use your pliers to twist the ends. Place some hot glue on the curved end of the wire and then stick it in where your stick is.

Turn your pumpkin upside down and add more hot glue around where the stick is. This will give it more stability.

Cut a circle out of either fabric or felt and glue it to the bottom. This will give it a more finished look.

Now you’re ready to display your perfectly rusty mason jar ring/lid pumpkin!

Check out the video tutorial below

Check out these other pumpkin themed crafts

Easy scrap wood pumpkins using a RYOBI scroll saw

How to cut out pumpkins from scrap pieces using your RYOBI scroll saw

Are you like me and have a TON of scrap wood on the wood pile? I seriously have a hard time tossing perfectly good scrap pieces. You just never know when a piece will come in handy. But I also know my crafty business is hitting it’s busiest season of the year and there’s no way I can hang on to all of those scrap pieces if I want a functioning wood working space. So I needed to find something to do with them.

I decided to make these adorable free standing wood pumpkin cutouts. They turned out even cuter than I imagined they would! So much that I added them to my DIY CRAFT KITS and they have been selling like crazy!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

How to use your Cricut and Ryobi scroll saw to make free standing wood pumpkins

Here’s what you need

• Scrap wood

• Pencil

• Ryobi scroll saw

• Ryobi Orbit Sander

• Cricut

• Hook & Loop sandpaper {I just used 120 grit}

• Cardstock
  

If you’re not in the reading mood skip to the bottom to catch the video tutorial ;)

---

First you want to cut out your pumpkins on cardstock. You can free hand them on your scrap wood pieces but honestly getting the sides even isn’t really a strong suit of mine lol. I used some scrap pieces of cardstock I had on hand to cut these out on.

After you cut your templates out trace them on your scrap pieces.

Next, making sure you are following the manufactures instructions, cut out the pumpkins you just traced using your scroll saw. If you’ve never used a scroll saw before this is a pretty easy project to start get some practice with. It’s a lot like using a sew machine. Just remember to go slow and the more you do it the better you will get at it.

After you have your scrap pumpkins cut out you’ll want to give them a light sanding. Try not to sand the bottoms too much as you don’t want the surface to get uneven so they won’t be able to stand.

After you have them sanded you can stain, paint, or decorate them however you want to match them to your décor.

These little guys are perfect for

• your own décor

• gift giving

• Thanksgiving Day hostess present

• ladies craft night

• mom and me craft {my four daughters and I painted these on a facebook live and they turned out adorable!}

• so much more

The possibilities are endless on how you can decorate these hand cut wood pumpkins.

Check out the VIDEO tutorial below.

Don’t forget to visit my YouTube channel and subscribe there so you never miss when I upload a new one.

Confused about what power tools to buy to make even more amazing crafts? This is a must read especially if you’re planning on starting a new business adventure with your handmade crafts click here ——-> WHAT ARE THE BEST POWER TOOLS FOR CRAFTERS?

DIY CRAFT KIT how to paint your standing wood pumpkin cutouts

DIY how to paint your free standing wood pumpkin cut outs

I’m LOVING these little wood pumpkin cutouts! Seriously, what’s not to love?! The polk-a-dots? The stripes? The raffia? Yup! I love everything about these handmade pumpkins. And I know yours will turn out just as adorable as these guys.

If you haven’t ordered your DIY PUMPKIN CUTOUT CRAFT KIT be sure to grab yours so you can get started on your fall décor.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

CHOOSE YOUR CRAFT KIT

BASIC KIT:
3 wood cutouts

PREMIUM KIT:
3 wood cutouts
2 oz orange acrylic paint
2 oz white acrylic paint
2 foam brushes
1 round foam brush
raffia
sandpaper

Please feel free to message me if you have any questions once your kit arrives. I want your DIY projects to turn out AMAZING and will help you in any way I can to make that happen. If you order from the website shoot me an email BUT if you ordered from my handmade ETSY shop please message me on there. In order to keep in compliance with Etsy all convos must be kept on their platform.

If you want to skip the written tutorial and get right to the video tutorial shoot to the bottom of this page and you’ll find my youtube thumbnail for the DIY wood pumpkin cutout craft tutorial.

Don’t want/need a whole craft kit? Here’s what you’ll need

• 3 wood pumpkin blank cutouts

• orange acrylic paint

• white acrylic paint

• paint brushes

• round sponge brush

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• sandpaper

• raffia

• wide painter’s tape

First you want to paint your wood pumpkin bases. I chose to paint the tallest and shortest pumpkins orange and the medium sized pumpkin white. Paint a THIN layer on all sides of each pumpkin. Once the fronts are dry you can paint a second THIN layer to get more coverage.

Next, after your base coat is completely dry, using your round sponge brush make polk a dots on your pumpkins. If using the same round brush to make the different colored dots do NOT rinse. You don’t want all that water in your foam round brush. Just dab it off onto a paper towel until all the paint is gone then you can use it in the second color.

TIP: to avoid a messy blog don’t push your round brush all the way down onto your wood pumpkin. Instead, lightly dab, even using a slight twisting motion works MUCH better to achieve a non-blobby polk a dot ;)!

Now for the striped pumpkin. I used wide painter’s tape to achieve this look. Tape off the bottom, lining it up with the bottom of the pumpkin { you can get out a ruler if you want this to be exact but honestly just eye balling it works great too}. Then I placed a piece close to the top, but not all the way at the top. I wanted a little of the stem to be white. Then I place another piece in between those two pieces.

Paint the areas that are not taped off. Paint two THIN layers, allowing them to dry in between coats.

TIP: to avoid paint bleed brush with the tape not into the tape.

Let all three pumpkins dry. Now’s a perfect time for a glass of wine!

After they are dry you can start distressing them. A good rule to remember when distressing is that you want to distress where things would naturally be worn. Around edges, corners, and lightly on the fronts. Use your sand paper and distress along the edges and lightly pass it along the front {I also lightly distress the back to keep the look cohesive}. Wipe the sawdust off with a lint free cloth.

Applying the antiquing wax really gives these little guys life! Take your chip brush and lightly dip just the tip of it into the wax, then brush off most of it onto a paper towel. You do this so you do not end up with way too much wax on your project. It is far easier to apply more than it is to remove it from your project. You want to apply the wax the same way you sanded your pumpkins. Focus on the edges and lightly brush on the front/back.

TIP: trimming down your chip brush will give you better control over the bristles and will prevent them from making your wax so wispy when you apply it to your pumpkins.

Tie a couple stands of raffia around the stems and you’re done! Trim the ends if needed. Since raffia tends to come in long strands you’ll want to cut the strands in half, and even in thirds in some cases. Then tie in a bow around the wood stem.

And you’re done! If you loved this tutorial please let me know in the comments. If you’re on social media don’t forget to follow me there FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST, YOUTUBE

Pin the image below for later ;)

Watch the full video tutorial below

Check out my other crafty fall tutorials

DIY Dollar Tree fall leaf garland

I just can’t get enough of fall décor! Especially when it literally costs me less than $3 to DIY! My four daughters and I went to the Dollar Tree last week to pick up some things for the oldest daughter’s friend for her birthday {see the fun dollar tree inspired birthday gift we made for her } and of course they had some of their Halloween and fall things out. So naturally we HAD to buy a few things to make some DIY rustic décor and a fun Halloween wreath that I can’t wait to start on. I’ve been on a DIY frenzy trying to get all my fall décor made before school starts back up. The last couple of years have had me so busy I didn’t decorate much for fall…or Christmas for that matter {aside from the traditional tree and stockings}. So this year I am making it my mission to bring the holiday explosion to our home, and I’m doing it the frugal way.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

How to make your own Dollar Tree Rae Dunn inspired fall burlap garland

Here’s what you need to make your own FALL burlap garland

• 2 packages of burlap leaves from the Dollar Tree

• twine/jute

• black acrylic paint

• white acrylic paint

• Cricut & cardstock to make stencils {or you can free hand these with an acrylic paint marker}

• scissors

• glue gun

• wire cutters {only if the wire will not easily come apart from the burlap leaves}

• 1 medium paint brush

• 1 small paint brush

• mini clothes pins

Cut out your stencils. I used a skinny type font and my Cricut Design Space. I made them 2.5” tall and cut them out of cardstock. Before cutting them out I made a line in the “A” so that the middle would stay attached while stenciling and I just free hand painted that small part in once I was done.

Remove the wire “stems” from the burlap leaves. For me, the brown ones peeled away super easy but the orange ones didn’t want to come off without taking the burlap with it. So, I used wire cutters on the orange ones.

Because these Dollar Tree burlap leaves are the exact same size you will want to trim up the brown ones so that you have and orange border going around them once you are finished. Just take a small amount off the edge, following the shape of the leaf.

Paint the brown burlap leaves white, even the back. The medium sized brush works great for this step. Let dry.

After the white paint is dry you can stencil on your FALL letters. I just held my in place and used a pouncing motion like I did on this stenciled canvas tote bag. Take care not to get outside the cardstock lines. If you need to you can use painter’s tape to tape the stencil off so you won’t have any bleed lines {just don’t press the tape down too much so it doesn’t mess up the work you’ve already done ;) }

Once your stenciled area is dry you can glue the white burlap leaves onto the orange burlap leaves. I only applied glue to the center of the white leaves. I didn’t want them to be completely glued down all the way around.

Measure out how long you need your burlap to be then add a few inches so you can loop the ends to hang. Attach your leaves with the mini clothes pins, or you can hot glue the burlap leaves directly on the twine.

Then you’re all done! SOOO super easy! And it was super inexpensive! Pair this with these rustic candy corns made from a 2x4 or this DOLLAR TREE painted pumpkin DIY makeover.

Check out the full video tutorial to these Rae Dunn inspired DIY burlap Dollar Tree FALL garland

Need more crafty fall ideas? Click here ——> for more DIY Halloween & fall decor

Dollar Tree pumpkins, how to give them a RUSTIC makeover

Frugal fall decorating, how to give a Dollar Tree pumpkin a rustic makeover

We’ve all seen them the bright orange pumpkins on the shelves at the Dollar Tree. You think to yourself ‘I could paint that up and make it look soooo much better’. Then fall comes and the darn ugly pumpkin is still sitting there untouched by your creativity. Yep…that’s me. I am totally that kind of Dollar Tree shopper and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

After having several of these little pumpkins sit on my craft room shelf for almost a year I decided what better time to give them a makeover than now?! Fall is almost here and I have been working like a busy crafty bee trying to gear up for this season. Check out my latest DIY, 2x4 candy corn they turned out SO stinking cute! AND you don’t want to miss this frugal find, Walmart clearance shoes, that I gave a total makeover to for my 3 year old to wear this fall. She absolutely LOVES them!

How to turn your DOLLAR TREE pumpkins into rustic perfectly distressed pumpkins

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand, including the pumpkins, but here’s what I used to turn my pumpkin from bright orange into rustic farmhouse.

• Dollar Tree ugly pumpkin

• white spray paint

• skewer

• gold chalk paint

• lagoon chalk paint

• antiquing wax

• chip brush

• paint brush

• paint tray

First you want to paint your pumpkin white. I used what I found in our garage but you can use any kind of white FLAT spray paint. Stick the skewer in the bottom of the pumpkin so you can hold the pumpkin and spray all around it. Let it dry before you put it down. I used a blow dryer to speed up this process.

Next you want to paint your pumpkin with your gold chalk paint. I broke 3 small pieces off of the skewer and stuck them in the bottom of the pumpkin so that it would stand up and not touch the table while I was painting it. Let that dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Once your gold chalk paint is dry you want to very lightly dip the tip of your brush into your teal/blue colored paint. I used a color called lagoon and on it’s own is VERY bright but when used as an accent color it is absolutely gorgeous! You don’t want to completely cover the gold paint but lightly brush over it leaving light streaks of the lagoon colored paint. This will dry pretty quick.

Next you are going to repeat the previous step but instead you are going to use antiquing wax and your chip brush. I added a little more wax than I did the lagoon colored paint to give it a more rustic look. TIP: trim your chip brush down to about an 1” and it will work MUCH better.

Once you’re satisfied with your coverage you are all done! I’m not totally loving the stem on this on so I might replace it with a stick from the yard but for now it will tie in perfectly with my fall décor! I paired it next to the glittery gold 2x4 pumpkins I made a while back.

If you loved this tutorial you will love even more of my DIY fall craft tutorials

Check out the full video tutorial below

DIY how to make 2x4 wood candy corn

DIY EASY 2x4 primitive wood candy corn

DIY primitive candy corn, aren’t they soooo cute?! The last couple of years have been a little busier than normal at our house and I haven’t been decorating for the holidays like I normally do. So this summer I decided I’m going to make time to get back into the festive decorating. And with that I need to make lots of new pieces to decorate the seasons with. Including these adorable wood candy corn. Check out this fun TRICK OR TREAT shelf sitter set I made a few weeks ago.

I’ve had these on my craft to do list for a looooong time and just hadn’t made time to make myself a set. And now I do! I LOVE them! They turned out even better than I thought they were going to! And I can keep them up for the entire fall season.

How to make your own set of primitive candy corn from a 2x4

And it was super easy to DIY. I was a bit nervous cutting the angles but I think they turned out so great!

If you don’t have the space or tools to DIY this from start to finish you can get one of my easy CANDY CORN CRAFT KIT. Everything you need to make these at home is included in your own candy corn craft kit.

Don’t have all the tools needed to complete this craft? Snag one of my easy DIY craft kit from my Etsy shop. Click CANDY CORN CRAFT KIT to get yours. Want to send it as a gift? During checkout mark that you would like to send it as a gift, leave their address and a sweet note to them and we’ll take care of the rest.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

If you want to make them from scratch here’s what you’ll need

• 2x4 cut into 4”, 5.5”, 7” pieces

• orange, white, yellow acrylic paint

• paint brush

• lint free cloth

• 120 grit sand paper

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• Ryobi miter saw

First cut your pieces into 4”, 5.5”, & 7” lengths. The angles I cut: 4”= 15°, 5.5”= 10°, 7”=10°. After you cut them give them a quick sanding. You don’t want to sand them super smooth as this will take away so much of the wood’s natural character. Be sure to wipe away the sawdust with a lint free cloth after you sand your candy corn.

Now paint all three with a thin coat of orange paint.

After the orange paint dries paint the bottoms yellow. You will likely need 2 coats for this. Let the first coat dry completely before applying the second coat.

Now, paint the tops white. Again, you'll need to paint two coats making sure your let the first coat dry completely before applying the second coat of white paint.

Once all of your candy corn are completely dry you can start distressing them with your 120 grit sand paper. Focus on the edges, corners, and lightly sand the fronts and sides. Then wipe the dust away with your lint free cloth.

Now you can apply your antiquing wax. A little bit of wax goes a VERY long way. Just like when sanding, you want to focus more on the edges and corners and give a light swipe with your chip brush on the fronts and sides. TIP: if you trim your chip brush down a little you will get a more stiff brush that you can better control your wax with.

If you don’t like the look of the antiquing wax you can opt for a clear wax. I LOVE antiquing wax and use it on TONS of my projects it highlights so much of the wood’s character. You can see the difference it makes. Check out my DIY American Flag tutorial where I use this same dark wax.

Now you’re ready to display them! I am soooo happy with the way these little 2x4 candy corns turned out {I think that’s the plural from lol}! I have a few more DIY fall projects yet to tackle before the season arrives so be sure to check back for more tutorials to make your own decorations for the upcoming season.

Catch the video tutorial below. If you LOVE it I would very much love if you would subscribe to my YouTube channel where I share all of my crafty video tutorials.

---

DIY clearance shoes, how to paint them for fall

I LOVE the frugal life. So when my friends tagged me in a post about our local Walmart putting select kids clothes and shoes on the $1 clearance rack I couldn’t get there fast enough! Thank you sweet friends btw! Boy did we find some good deals! Including these adorable little black shoes for my 3 year old daughter.

I had never painted on shoes before but I was up for the challenge. Such a perfect blank canvas and even if I mess them up they were only a DOLLAR so it’s totally ok and I wouldn’t feel one bit bad lol.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I’m sure I didn’t use the right kind of paint {I used straight acrylic paint, not watered down} but that’s ok. My daughter won’t be wearing them very long, she’s three after all lol so she’ll outgrow them in no time.

Here’s what I used

• acrylic paint

• clearance canvas shoes from Walmart

• paint brush

• round sponge brush

• assorted orange and black ribbon

• E6000 glue

• paint pens

Pin me for later

How to paint on canvas shoes for fall

1. REMOVE THE LACES before you start painting so you don’t get paint all over them.

2. THEME unless you are just going to let the creative juices flow as you go along it is best if you have a plan prior to painting on your canvas shoes. I had an idea right before I started painting and I ended up changing it up as I went because I wasn’t totally loving the way it looked. I painted more on the back and sides and moved the bows and added the front dots after I filmed this tutorial. I LOVE the way they turned out and more importantly my toddler does too!

3. PAINTING TIPS

• if you are painting on black shoes it is best to paint a base layer of white then once that’s dry paint the actual color you want. So on mine I wanted the backs orange, I painted them white first then after they dried I painted them orange. This will help your colors to not be dark and diluted.

• use a variety of brush sizes to fit your painting needs

• don’t use too much paint. Paint in thin layers and if doing more than one layer only paint over dry paint.

• paint pens are your friends <3 ! I used paint pens to add the lines on the candy corn and pumpkin after painting them their main colors.

• use both end of your paint brush. I used the non brush end of my brush to make the small dots on the front of the shoes. This was the perfect size for these cute little dots.

4. ADDING ACCENTS if you add any accents E6000 works great to have a long lasting hold. I’ll warn ya though, it doesn’t dry fast at all.

5. LACES I opted for a more untraditional lace for these shoes but you can keep the original laces in. I thought they would be too white for this pair so I traded them out for 2 thin pieces of ribbon in orange and black on each shoe. They actually hold up pretty well too! And this type of ribbon is really inexpensive so it wouldn’t cost much to replace if I need to.

Didn’t these clearance shoes turn out sooooo adorable?!!! I wasn’t sure how I’d like that they don’t match on the fronts but I actually do love it. It screams “I don’t have perfection issues” lol!!!

I hope you find this tutorial helpful for your shoe painting adventure! I’d love to see how yours turn out! Share a pic in the comments.

Check out the video tutorial below

DIY 2x4 painted Halloween blocks

Easy Halloween Craft for Adults

Oh my goodness! I can’t believe it’s already time to start thinking about Halloween! Last year I was so crazy busy I didn’t hardly have time to decorate our home for fall let alone get new craft kits put together and listed in our Etsy shop. So this year I’m getting a super early start on all my DIY Halloween décor. And I’ve started with this super cute 2x4 craft.

Already know you want this? Skip this article and get your DIY HALLOWEEN CRAFT KIT

I try to keep my craft kits pretty simple and easy to DIY and this one is no exception. This craft really takes me back to my childhood watching my grandma make all her primitive décor. She could free hand ANYTHING and it always looked amazing. But not to worry because with this craft kit you won’t have to free hand a single thing and your craft will turn out just as AMAZING!

So, what comes in this Halloween craft kit?

BASIC KIT includes
• 3 - 3.5x3.5x1.5 pre-sanded blank wood pieces
• 1 - 10.5x3.5x1.5 pre-sanded blank wood piece
• 3 stencils: ghost, pumpkin, frankenstein {no transfer tape attached as these are little detail and do not require it to transfer on to wood}
•wood stem
•fabric piece {color will vary}
•professional quality vinyl decal: Trick •or• Treat
•detailed instructions PLUS a video link for video instructions on our DIY website.

PREMIUM KIT includes
•basic kit
• acrylic paints: black, white, orange, green
•sandpaper
•3 sponge brushes
•stenciling sponge

---

Grab your girlfriends, some wine and catch up while each making your own set of these adorable ghosts, pumpkins, and Frankensteins.

Already have the paint/brushes and just need the wood and stencils? Perfect! You get to choose the type of kit you receive, pick from basic or premium. No matter which kit you choose it will come with printed picture instructions and a video link, in case you need a little more visual {which is totally the kind of learner I am!}.

Click the link ——> DIY HALLOWEEN CRAFT KIT to snag your craft kit before the holiday season so you are just as prepared as I am this year.

If you love more traditional Halloween décor check out these super cute DIY wood pumpkins

DIY 2x4 glittered pumpkins

How to make 2x4 glitter pumpkins

These 2x4 pumpkins are one of the easiest fall crafts you can make yourself. If the glitter and sea blue isn’t really your thing you can make these more traditional rustic orange and white pumpkins I posted last year. But I really wanted to make a set of nontraditional glittery pumpkins, well because why not? I love rustic décor but I also LOVE glitter! So I went for it and I’m so glad I did because they turned out soooo super cute!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional. This is just a way I can help add to our family finances to raise our four daughters. Please know I would never recommend a product or service I do not totally stand behind.

You’ll need a few power tools for this DIY craft and I recommend hands down using Ryobi power tools, you can read my article on what power tools does a crafter need?

No matter what style of decorating you have these pumpkins are really fun to make and if they don’t fit in with your décor you can always gift them to a loved one.

Don’t have time to DIY them but NEED them in your life? You can buy a set of these glittery pumpkins in our Etsy shop.

Here’s what you’ll need

• 2x4 cut into 7”, 5.5”, & 4” pieces

• wire {I picked mine up at my local farm store}

• sticks for the stems

• 1” strips of fabric {I used pieces from my fabric stash}

• bright blue acrylic paint

• gold acrylic paint

• gold glitter

• tape

• paint brushes

• round foam brush

• Mod Podge, matte finish

• glue gun

So, how do you make these gorgeous nontraditional fall glitter pumpkins?

First you need to cut your 2x4 into 3 pieces. You’ll need a 7”, 5.5”, and a 4”. These are the sizes I used and they seem to be the perfect size. Give them a quick sanding to knock down the rough edges. I used my Ryobi Cordless Sander for this but you can use a piece of 120 grit sand paper.

Next you need to drill a hole for your stems. I matched my stick up to a drill bit that was about the same size. Drill a hole in the middle of each top of your pumpkins.

Then paint each pumpkin. I painted the largest and smallest blue and the middle sized one gold. Be sure to let them dry COMPLETELY between coats.

Once your gold pumpkin is dry add a layer of Mod Podge to the front of it, be sure you get an even coat. Then add glitter right on top of that. I place paper under my projects when using glitter to catch the excess that doesn’t stick. Then I empty it back into the glitter container.

Using the round sponge brush add some circles to the smallest block. I used both ends of the brush to add two different sizes of circles.

Tape off the largest pumpkin so it has 3 stripes. Paint a thin layer of gold, let dry.

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the large circles then add glitter. Add a layer of Mod Podge to the gold stripes, add glitter, then peel the tape off carefully.

Add a dab of glue inside the hole you drilled then place the stick inside. Doing it this way will give your stick more stability.

Add a piece of rustic wire and a scrap piece of fabric and you’re done. Super easy!

Click below for the full video on how to make your own nontraditional glitter 2x4 pumpkins

What are the best power tools for crafters?

Power tools for the crafty girl

I haven’t always been super comfortable with power tools. In fact I didn’t use a miter saw with confidence till I was in my 30’s {which is crazy because I grew up with a grandma who most definitely knew her way around lots of heavy duty power tools that she had for her own crafty business}! My husband would do all the cutting because I was so afraid I was going to have a freak accident and cut my entire body in half…I know it sounds completely ridiculous but it was a very real fear that I had.

The problem was, other than my way over thought fear, was that my husband used to work out of town a lot and obviously couldn’t cut anything while he was gone. Our handmade online business was picking up major steam so, eventually I did get over my fear and I’m so glad I did because I was missing out on so much. Being able to cut anything to any size at any time has been a game changer for me and our family’s business.

Instead of going with the same brand of tools my husband has I chose a more budget friendly, less intimidating brand, RYOBI. I couldn’t be happier with this decision.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional. This is just a way I can help add to our family finances to raise our four daughters. Please know I would never recommend a product or service I do not totally stand behind.

So what power tools does a crafter need?

Here are the basic power tools I started out with

Miter Saw

I really LOVE this saw! If you plan on cutting anything wider than 7” then you absolutely need a 12” SLIDING miter saw. This saw also has a laser on it making it really easy to line up your cuts. My husband’s miter does not have a sliding arm and I can not tell you enough what a pain in the butt it was to have to flip all the boards that were over 7” because the blade wasn’t wide enough to cut through the entire width of the board.

CORDLESS SANDER

Another must have is a sander. I have used both the corder and the cordless and I prefer the cordless by far. Granted to have to keep batteries charged but you also aren’t confined to sanding near a power outlet. There are lots of times when I just need to sand a quick spot where I’ve made a mistake or I just need a quick distressing and it’s just so much easier to not have to mess with a cord.

CORDLESS DRILL

This is your basic drill but it is mighty. I use this almost daily and it has yet to disappoint me.

• BRAD NAILER

If you plan on using a nail and hammer to attach anything then you might as well save yourself some time and energy and pick up one of these. I use this tool a lot in my business. Actually, more than I thought I would. You can adjust the depth of which the nails shoot in and change up the size of brads you use.

• REPLACEMENT BATTERIES

  Replacement batteries are a must. I have 3 that I rotate and I really need more. Although they are a little pricey you’ll be glad you have at least 2. My husband had to convince me to get additional batteries because he knew how annoyed I’d be the first time I had to wait for the only battery I had to recharge. He was right lol! So thankful I have more than one battery.

So those are the basics. As you get more comfortable using these power tools you’ll probably want to add even more to your list like a scroll saw or this trim router.

I hope this list helps you to decide which power tools is the best fit for you.

The EASIEST way to remove labels from wine bottles

Remove labels from wine bottles the super easy way

Old wine bottles and glass jars can be used for SO many different craft projects. The possibilities are endless. Take an empty pickle jar and turn it into a fairy lantern or make an adorable set of pumpkins from wine bottles. But you’re probably thinking that removing the labels from the empty glass containers is just too much headache.

But, I’m here to tell you taking the labels off of glass is actually much easier than you think!

How to remove labels from glass bottles

Here’s what you’ll need

• glass with the label on

• hot water

• Dawn dish soap

• kitchen scrub brush (this is similar to the one I used)

Fill your sink with hot water, as hot as your hands can handle, WEARING KITCHEN GLOVES IS A GREAT IDEA BUT I DIDN’T HAVE ANY ON HAND FOR THIS TUTORIAL. Add a several drops of Dawn dishsoap

Apply Dawn dish soap all over the label then slowly submerge it into the water letting the inside of the bottle fill with water. You want your bottle to sink to the bottom and be completely submerged in the hot soapy water, not floating on the top.

Let it sit for at least 10 minutes. Lift the bottle out of the water and start peeling off the labels. It’s so important to know that not all labels are put on with the same glue and also, glue clings more to different label materials. Like with this bottle the circle label came off with no problems and took all of the glue with it. But the paper labels left some of the glue behind.

After you remove all of the labels from the glass bottle take your scrub brush and just give it a good scrub. The glue will come right off with the Dawn dish soap.

Once all the adhesive is gone, empty the bottle, rinse and dry it with a dish cloth.

Now you have a squeaky clean jar to reuse!

Want instant access to all of my printables, files, checklists and more? Grab the code to my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY by filling out your info below.

Easy pine cone door hanger DIY

How to make an easy pine cone door hanger

There are so many pine cone crafts I want to try but I thought I would try these adorable pine cone flowers first. I was really surprised at how easy they were to make myself and I plan to make SO many more!

If you’re looking for a more kid friendly project be sure to check out mess free pine cone art using a box. This was a favorite with our girls, and me too because it was literally mess free!

Here in the Midwest we have an abundant supply of pine cones so I didn’t have to search too far to find these little guys. I had great luck at my local park but here are some other places you can find pine cones *remember to always ask permission prior to collecting any pine cones

• family

• friends

• local nature park {although ours doesn’t allow this yours might}

• neighbors

• shopping malls that have pine trees in the landscaping

After you’ve collected your pine cones you’ll want to make sure they aren’t covered in gross stuff, honestly I just wouldn’t pick up the ones that need super cleaned anyway lol! Leave those for the critters. I personally didn’t clean any of the pine cones we collected because they were in pretty good shape but if your pine cones have visible dirt or anything it’s a good idea to clean them prior to use.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you’ll need

• pinecones

• acrylic paint

• paint brushes

• piece of old wood {I cut mine from an old discarded fence post}

• wire {I picked mine up at the local farm store}

• wire cutters

• sticks

Helpful tools

• glue gun

• RYOBI miter saw

• RYOBI drill

• RYOBI drill bit

How to make flowers from pine cones

First you need to break apart your pine cones. This is a little harder than it looks and takes a lot of patients. Using your wire cutting slowing wedge them into the pinecone where you want it to break apart then use those muscles to cut. You might have to do this a few times before it comes completely apart.

Now paint them. I just used a small paint brush and carefully painted all around the pine cone EXCEPT the middle. Leaving the middles unpainted they will look like adorable little flowers! I chose to paint mine in fall colors, red, yellow, and orange, but you can use whatever colors you’d like. I even painted the bottom as you’ll be able to see that once it’s glued down because it’s curved. I just did one coat on mine but if you don’t like the coverage of one coat on your pine cones you can give yours two coats.

I used an old piece of wood for my base but you can use any wood base you’d like. Because I wanted to hang mine I went ahead and drilled the holes using my Ryobi drill, for the wire to go through before I started gluing the pine cones and sticks down.

While my glue gun was warming up I laid out the painted pine cone flowers where I wanted them to go. See how gorgeous this old piece of wood is! It even still has the nails in it, see them on the right. Granted it’s a little warped but it’s perfect for a scrappy craft like this.

Then I used my wire cutters to cut the sticks down to size for the stems. I just eyeballed this, it doesn’t have to be exact. The sticks I used were pretty thin. You could also use some of the discarded pine cone pieces and make green leaves to glue by the stems. That would have made this project even better!

Then start hot gluing down all the pieces. I put a fairly good amount on the pine cones because they were heavier than the sticks and I didn’t want them falling off as soon as I hung the door hanger up. You’ll want this to totally dry before hanging just incase the glue underneath isn’t all the way dry you don’t want it to start slipping and your pine cone fall off.

Add your wire and you’re done. One of the easiest craft projects and you probably didn’t have to spend a penny!

---

Pin this for later

DIY stenciled beYOUtiful pallet style wood sign

HOW TO REVERSE STENCIL A WOOD SIGN

Being a mom of four little girls isn’t always easy. It’s definitely not constant tea parties and princess power all day every day like some think. It’s a ball of emotions, an unspoken comparison of one another, living in a world that constantly judges them for not being identical. People think that because you have a sister you should be so much alike. Your looks, your personality, the way you learn. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. But honestly our girls have shed some tears over this and it breaks my heart. I try to remind them daily that they are unique and one of a kind amazing humans. One way I try to promote self positivity with our girls is through our home décor.

I had this quote “ be YOU tiful” on our wall right by our front door for years. It was just a quick decal I made up using removable vinyl and after I put it up I was instantly under impressed by it. But I left it up because I wanted our girls to see that message every day when they walked out the door. To remind them that they are them, there is no one else in the world that could ever take their place. That God put them here to be them. Three years passed and I decided it needed to come down and I was going to make a much prettier version, a happier version, one that they will look at and rays of beauty will flow from it.

Click this link to buy your own handmade beYOUtiful sign on my Etsy shop

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand to make this but I’ve included the links where you can get some of these supplies. Yes, those are affiliate links but not to worry, you will not be charged anything extra if you make a purchase through them. They are just a way for this stay at home momma to help with the daily bills of raising our four little girls :)!

Here’s what you’ll need

• Prestained board. I used one I already had on hand {this one was an oops from an order}

• paint, I used the color lilac

• paint brush

• stencil

• Cricut design space

• cricut cutting machine

• RYOBI Sander
  

• paper floral accents ———> see how I made these hand cut paper flowers

---

First you want to come up with your design. I use Cricut Design Space for this. My computer wasn’t cooperating so I opened the saved file from the app on my phone and blue toothed my machine and phone together so I could cut it wirelessly {technology has come a long way since growing up in the 80’s and 90’s!}.

Fun note, I actually made this design for our third daughter’s talent show outfit. She was singing Scars to Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara which is an amazing song that tells girls to love all their flaws and imperfections, those are apart of their own beautiful.

If you’re thinking about getting a Cricut I recommend the Explore, click this link to read more about CRICUT EXPLORE AIR 2 {the difference between the explore and the air is that the explore does not have bluetooth built in so you have to buy this bluetooth cricut adapter, but the air’s have bluetooth already built in so you don’t have to purchase anything extra for it.} but any cutting machine you have that you’re comfortable using will work.

Follow this link to my YouTube channel for tips on how to stain a wood sign

Apply your stencil to a dry prestained board.

Then paint your board with whatever color you’d like. I wanted a big contrast between the stained wood and the paint color so that the stain would really pop. So I used LILAC colored paint. It’s not too pink/purple but it’s not white, our walls are white so I didn’t want to hang a white sign on the white wall. This color is perfectly shabby chic! See my YouTube video for a full tutorial on how to do this, how to stencil a stained wood sign.

After I stenciled my board and it was totally dry I added these adorable hand cut paper flowers. These little guys are so super easy to make! See my how to make hand cut paper flower tutorial for a step by step guide.

If you’ve been wanting to learn even more pro tips on how to make and paint wood signs be sure to get on my waiting list for my Learn How to Paint Wood Signs, all the tips the pro’s won’t tell you.

How to make paper flowers without a cutting machine

I absolutely LOVE my Cricut cutting machine and use it almost daily but there are certain projects when it’s much easier to hand cut things myself. Being a buys momma of 4 I don’t always have time to wait on technology lol. Because we all know when we are rushed for getting a project done something is going to go wrong, like the app needing updated or the computer taking forever to start…that kind of stuff always happens, never fails.

I appreciate the simplicity of making hand cut flowers. There’s no need for technology. Each flower turns out totally and 100% unique. And it’s just plain fun! These small flowers are super simple and make a great starting point of learning how to make flowers by hand. If you can cut a circle and hold a paint brush then you don’t have any worries!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand to make this but I’ve included the links where you can get some of these supplies. Yes, those are affiliate links but not to worry, you will not be charged anything extra if you make a purchase through them. They are just a way for this stay at home momma to help with the daily bills of raising our four little girls :)!

How to make hand cut paper flowers, no cutting machine required

Here’s what you’ll need

• scissors

• cardstock

• a small paint brush, pencil, or pen {you won’t be painting or writing with this}

• small beads

• LOW TEMP GLUE GUN
  

Start by cutting out three circles that are just a tiny bit smaller as the last one. I always cut the biggest one first then work my way to the smallest. I eyeball how big of a diameter I need for the space I’m filling. They will almost look like you are cutting out circles to build a paper snowman.

I chose cardstock to make my flowers out of but you can truly use any kind of paper you’d like. If you choose cardstock there are a few things you should know. One, it’s fancy a fancy name for thick paper {or at least that’s what I think of it}. Two, it comes in a wide variety of colors, thickness, prints, and textures. Three, it can be a little pricey but if you catch it on sale at Michael’s or any other craft store you can stock up at a really low price. This is what I do. Anytime I find cardstock on sale I grab what I can afford because I make so many different projects using cardstock. Like this DIY LIGHT UP FAIRY JAR , or this DIY VALENTINE’S DAY PALLET SIGN, or this adorable KIDS CATERPILLAR CRAFT. I used cardstock I had on hand to create all of those fun projects. And since I’m an impulse maker lol, I hardly ever plan my projects out ahead of time so having things on hand is just apart of my create process;)!

Taking your paintbrush, pen, or pencil and roll just the edges of each circle. I used a paint brush but a pen or pencil will work just fine too. don’t roll them too much as they’ll end up too curled under. If you don’t have any of these on hand you can always just use your finger to curl up the edges of your paper pedals.

This is what your circles should look like once you’ve rolled the edges. You can see they are starting to look like paper flowers already! I love you uneven the circles are, it makes them so unique!

Then glue the circles on top of one another, starting with the biggest circle as the base, the medium circle in the middle and the smallest circle on top. Just a small dab of hot glue from a low temp glue gun will work great. Add another dab of glue to top of the smallest circle and add some beads.

And your hand cut paper flowers are done. So cute right?!!! I added a few green leaves that I had already cut form a prior project using my Cricut cutting machine.

You can add these hand cut flowers to almost anything. I used them for this beYOUtiful sign that you can purchase in my Etsy shop.

Be sure to leave your pictures below of the gorgeous hand cut paper flowers you make using this tutorial.

Decoupage a wood hanger with a napkin

Decoupaging is much easier than most people think. And it can be done on almost any surface, as long as the surface stays dry. My grandma taught me this technique when I was just a small kid at her kitchen table and it’s one I’ll never forget. And according to good ol’ Google decoupage has been around since the 17th century and a household name by the 20th century. It’s so cool to find out little tid bits of history like this. While the materials they used were a little different than what I’m going to show you to use today it’s still pretty cool that we are using the same crafting techniques they used long, long ago!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Mod Podge, matte finish

• wood hanger

• scissors

• napkin {you can pick these up from the dollar tree}

• xacto knife

• vinyl squeegee

I did a Facebook live showing all my crafty people how to decoupage using a napkin and I uploaded the video to YouTube. Once you get used to working with delicate paper you will be able to decoupage anything! As soon as you start looking you’ll find there are so many beautiful napkin prints out there too. I like buying mine from the Dollar Tree {read more about the top 15 craft supplies I always buy from the Dollar Tree}.

First you want to be sure your wood hanger is smooth and clean. Your napkin won’t adhere to it if it’s dusty.

You need to separate your napkin. If it’s 2 ply you’ll have two pieces, if it’s 3 ply you’ll have 3 pieces. You ONLY need the piece that has the print on it.

Cut your pieces and work in small sections. Brush on a thin layer of Mod Podge, lay down your napkin piece, then smooth out with your fingers and your vinyl squeegee. Be sure to be super gentle. The last thing you want to do is tear your napkin or cause more wrinkles. Do this till your hanger is completely covered. Be sure while you’re working you aren’t leaving any air bubbles.

Then once your hanger is completely covered with the napkin you’ll need to brush on a thin layer of Mod Podge as a top coat. Don’t go back and forth as you will risk tearing the napkin. Just a light thin layer will do fine.

Here’s the video I did. Remember this was a Facebook live.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Top 15 craft supplies you should be buying from the Dollar Tree

The DOLLAR TREE!! I love this place and I actually buy lots of supplies here, especially ones for the kiddos to use. But don’t be fooled by that $1 price tag, not all supplies are a smart buy there.

Here are my top craft supplies that I personally most of the time buy from the Dollar Tree.

CRAFT ROCKS Usually they have a wide variety of rocks. You can find them in the ribbon section. I made some adorable UNICORN PARTY CENTERPIECES using these inside the buckets.

FAUX FLOWERS They alternate these out with the seasons and every year they get prettier! Our girls especially love the ones that have butterflies in them. Check out this DIY LIGHT UP FAIRY JAR and we used flowers picked up from the Dollar Tree on the outside. Super cute!

TISSUE PAPER You can use this for SOOOOOO many different crafts. This is what we use on the outside of those fairy jars.

WOOD SHAPE CUT OUTS this is a must buy here. I have yet to find any place that compares in price to the amount you get per package. Granted, these are thin but for kids crafts these are perfect. These little guys will keep our girls busy for a long time without the ouch effect on the wallet. They can add these to all kinds of arts and crafts projects.

GLUE Our house goes through a ton of glue. We let our girls experiment and explore their creative side often and they use SO much glue during their process lol!

MUFFIN TINS ok, I know this isn't a typical craft supply but read this post on the craft hack you need for your kids and you’ll understand.

SEASONAL BLANKS Every season the Dollar Tree comes out with super trendy, and actually cute, craft blanks. These are inexpensive and you don’t have to pay for shipping. Woohoo!

POM POMS they are all the rage right now and our girls go through them like crazy. Their colors are limited but they are super cheap.

SEASHELLS you can find these right next to the rocks and ribbon. You’ll be surprised what you can use these for. And you don’t feel the pain when your kiddo paints it up unlike the ones from your last beach vacation.

CONDIMENT BOTTLES I use these to hold my acrylic paint. They are half the price of buying them from Walmart and I’m sure WAY cheaper than buying them online. They have held up pretty well too. We originally bought these when we had our brick and mortar craft store, just to see if I’d even like using them for paint, and other than the caps being picked off by little hands they are in perfect working order.

WIRE WREATH FORM I have yet to find these cheaper any where else. These little guys can be used to make all kinds of different wreaths. Here is a 4th of July rag tie wreath I made using one of these wire forms.

WASHI TAPE the Dollar Tree has all kinds of different prints of washi tape. Our girls love love love to use this to decorate different things. One of their favorite things to use this for is decorating the front covers of notebooks.

STICKERS if you have a toddler who is sticker obsessed the Dollar Tree is the only place to buy these lol. And a side note if your kiddo gets these stuck to your floor a steam mop takes them up effortlessly {just a tip from one mom to another ;)!}

CRAFT STICK aka popsicle sticks. They have a fun colorful assortment too! You can use these for anything from applying AMOUR ETCH to etch glass to letting your kids just go crazy and make whatever their little hearts desire out of them. We always keep these guys on hand.

POSTER BOARD There are so many different uses for this outside of the school project. You can even use this to make a DIY light box for taking pictures in your own crafty business.

Now get to your nearest Dollar Tree and explore all it has to offer. Remember to go beyond the craft aisles as there are so many different things you can use that aren’t considered “craft supplies”.

Let me know below what your favorite Dollar Tree crafty supplies are ;)!

DIY Unicorn birthday party centerpiece

Our third daughter had her 8th birthday party recently and had her big heart set on a unicorn theme. I had $50 to make it happen {decorations, cake, games, and invites} and I wasn’t about to disappoint her so I set out on Pinterest to find all the things I could for a DIY unicorn party. Here’s the pin that inspired this centerpiece. Super adorable right?! But I wanted hers to look a little different, a little more whimsical and I wanted to spend the least amount possible. Which meant I needed to shop my craft stash before getting started.

Here’s what you’ll need to create you own at unicorn centerpiece

• small bucket

• dowel rod

• rocks

• felt

• glitter

• white balloon

• black vinyl cut outs of eyes

• white spray paint

• cardstock

• LOW TEMP GLUE GUN

First spay paint your buckets and dowel rods with white spray paint. Let dry completely.

Fill the bottom third of your bucket with crumpled up paper, leaving space in the very center to place the dowel rod. Place the dowel rod inside and fill the rest in with your rocks. I just used what we had on hand that was left over from previous crafts.

Next, blow your balloon up but not all the way. You want to try to get as round of a shape for it as possible. Then tie it around your dowel rod.

I free hand cut the ears, flowers, and horn. Not pictured, I cut the horn out of cardstock, glued glitter to the entire thing, and let it dry prior to this next step. Using your LOW TEMP glue gun glue them to your balloon. Place the glue on the felt first, wait a couple seconds, then place on your balloon. It’s important you use a low temp glue gun as a hot temp will likely pop your balloon.

If you’d rather use paper flowers this DIY PAPER FLOWER TUTORIAL might help you. They aren’t the exact same style of flower as the ones pictured in this tutorial but they are super adorable and you just might like them better.

I cut out the vinyl eyes using my Cricut but you can free hand these with a sharpie.

And that’s it! Our birthday girl was completely happy and loved all her unicorn decorations but these were her favorite! She so wished she could have kept them forever but sadly they deflated {and honestly I’m totally ok with that because the birthday girl would never toss anything if we didn’t make her}.

I hope this inspires you to make your own perfect unicorn decorations.

Check out the UNICORN TASSLE GARLAND I made to go along with her theme.

How to make an American Flag leaning porch sign

I just can’t seem to get enough of the patriotic décor these days! It started a few months ago when I made these fun fireworks from a wood 4x4 . Then I added this old classic to the blog, a hanging wood flag made from 1x4’s {you can find this handmade piece in my Etsy shop that sells like crazy this time of year}. And I had to make a tutorial of a red, white, and blue rag wreath. I tell ya, I’ve been obsessed lately with making these tutorials! And I have another one ;)!!!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand to make this but I’ve included the links where you can get some of these supplies. Yes, those are affiliate links but not to worry, you will not be charged anything extra if you make a purchase through them. They are just a way for this stay at home momma to help with the daily bills of raising our four little girls :)!

I promise this sign is SUPERRRRR easy!

Here’s what you’ll need

• 1x8x48 {4 feet}

• 1” paint brushes

• Acrylic paint, red, blue, white

• burlap

• masking tape

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• 120 grit sandpaper

• vinyl star cut out

• wire {I picked mine up at our local farm store in the fencing area}

Handy tools

• RYOBI Sander

• RYOBI miter saw

• needle nose pliers

• wire cutters

• cricut cutting machine

First you need to cut your board and give it a quick sanding with 120 grit sandpaper. I personally LOVE working with Ryobi Power Tools. For years I used my husband much more industrial strength tools {he works commercial construction so his tools need to be crazy powerful} till I found these little gems and I have no plans of ever letting these guys go!

Then you need to paint your ENTIRE board white. Do one very thin coat, once dry add a second coat.

If you’re using a stencil cut it out while your board dries. I use my Cricut but you can use any vinyl cutting machine. The star I cut out was approx. 6” wide. If you don’t have access to one you can free hand your star. If going this route I recommend using a pencil when you do the outline.

Apply your star stencil to your board. Then decide where you want your blue line to stop below it. Measure that distance and make a mark on each side. I made mine approx. 9” from the top.

Now run a piece of tape from side to side where you made those marks. This will help to keep your line crisp.

Paint the entire top area blue. I used a royal blue but any blue shade that you like will be perfect. I painted two coats of blue, allowing it to dry completely between coats.

Remove the star and the tape.

I at first planned to paint two stripes of white and two stripes of red going down my board…big mistake. It was not as cute so I had to repaint it. I had to paint the bottom part red, because it is far easier to cover white with red than to cover red with white.

Using the same measuring technique as above but going vertically instead of horizontally, tape off the bottom so you have three equal stripes. If I wouldn’t have messed my stripes up from the beginning I would have taped them off the opposite from pictured below and painted inside the tape lines red. Instead I had to make more work for myself. I hope that makes sense. Just like with the blue, paint two coats and let dry between coats.

Then peel off the tape. Go in with a small paint brush and fix any mistakes if necessary.

Using your sander, sand around the edges, corners, and give the front a super quick once over. Then you’re ready to apply your wax. Check out my DIY mini wood pumpkin tutorial for a more in-depth how to on applying antiquing wax.

Add a piece of burlap. I tied mine off with a piece of floral wire but you can tie yours in a bow or a knot.

I added a couple pieces of baling wire just to give it a little extra cuteness!

If you love this piece but don’t have the time to make it and NEED it in your life ;) you can purchase one personally made by me here ————> AMERICAN FLAG LEANING PORCH SIGN

---

How to make an easy burlap bow

Recently I made an ADORABLE red, white, and blue rag wreath. But I wanted it to look a little different from the spring rag wreath I made a few months ago. So I decided I was going to add a big burlap bow to the front of it. And omg it turned out so super cute!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand to make this but I’ve included the links where you can get some of these supplies. Yes, those are affiliate links but not to worry, you will not be charged anything extra if you make a purchase through them. They are just a way for this stay at home momma to help with the daily bills of raising our four little girls :)!

Here’s what you’ll need

• roll of burlap, I found mine at my local Walmart

• twine

• floral wire

• glue gun

• wire cutters

I had a roll of 5” wide burlap I picked up from my local Walmart last fall {burlap can be used for SOOOOO many projects so when it goes on sale at the end of a season stock up!}. I measured out approx. 28” in length to use for the bow portion of this.

Then fold it in half width wise.

Then fold it in half length wise and be sure to leave a crease in the middle.

Now unfold and loop each end to the other side so that it looks like the picture below. The crease you made in the step above will help as a guide to keep them even.

Flip it upside down

Pick it up and pinch the middle so it looks like the one below.

Cut 6” piece of floral wire and wrap it around the center a couple times. You will have most of it left over and you will need this to attach it to the wreath form. Be sure you end on the back side of the bow. Take you jute/twine and wrap it a few times right over the wire to hide it then tie it off on the back and cut off the excess.

This is what your bow should look like now.

Set your bow aside and add a loop of burlap to your wreath. You can make this as long or short as you need.

Glue the ends of your loop together. After this is dry you can move the seam to the back of the wreath to hide it.

Then attach the bow to the wreath itself. put the wire that is sticking out of the back and feed it through the burlap loop, the rag wreath and twist the two floral wire ends together. Trim the ends of your bow so that they are even lengths. I also fluffed out the bow on mine so that it didn’t look so flat.

What do you think? I personally LOVE the way it turned out and I can’t wait to make another rag wreath for the next season!

---

If you loved this tutorial check out some of my other tutorials I made using burlap and twine

View fullsize

DIY 4th of July rag wreath

I love the shabby chic look for many reasons but mainly because that look is totally imperfect just like me. I’m a busy momma to four little girls so there’s no room in our beautiful chaos for absolute perfection.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I needed a new wreath for our front door for the 4th of July. I have been truly slacking in the red, white, and blue décor the last few years and really needed a spruce up. But I didn’t have the time to make anything big and wonderful and it’s not in our budget to make a ton of new decorations. So I decided on a RAG WREATH for our front door and I’m so glad I did! If you like this tutorial check out the DIY spring rag wreath I made.

save on Pinterest for later

Here’s what you’ll need

• 5 fat quarters of fabric, I found these at my local Walmart and even better I got a few of them in the clearance aisle!

• wire wreath form, I found mine at Dollar Tree

• scissors

If you love the big burlap bow go here ———-> to my HOW TO MAKE A BURLAP BOW tutorial.

Working with one fat quarter at a time, unfold and don’t worry about the creases. You won’t be able to see these. Going along the bottom make a small cut every .75”-1”. If you want your tie pieces to be larger make your cuts farther apart.

Now rip each of those cuts all the way to the other end using your hands, not your scissors. This will give your fabric a frayed looked.

After you have all your small cuts ripped cut each strip into 3rds like the picture below. Because I am a far cry from a perfectionist none of mine were the same size. If you like things a little more perfect than this you can measure these out.

Repeat these steps for ALL the fabric quarters.

After you have all your pieces ripped and cut into thirds start tying them to your wire wreath form. To make sure I had enough fabric to cover the entire wire form I moved to the next section before it was full and did that for all the sections. Then I went around and filled in the blank spaces.

Be sure you are staggering out your fabric prints. You don’t want too many of the same print in one spot.

You can leave it plain and simple or tie a bow to it like the burlap bow I tied to this one.

What do you think? Super adorable and SUPER easy to DIY at home!

---

Check out these other 4th of July DIY crafts.