DIY mini St. Patrick's Day wood tags

DIY MINI WOOD TAGS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY

If you’ve been reading my blog you might know that my four daughters have been asking me to decorate more for the holidays…including St. Patrick’s Day decorations. Yes, that is a holiday they think I should decorate for too lol! So they win. I’ve truly been making an effort to have a more festive home even though daughter #4 totally rearranges everything.

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 have been eyeing these adorable mini wood tags on Pinterest for forever now. They are CUTE! They tie in with pretty much anything. You can add these wood tags to a wreath, to a welcome sign, on the mantle (I really wish we had one but I’ll just have to make a faux mantle one of these days) or my favorite- to a tiered tray. Those trays are seriously rustic home décor overload! I love them!! I need to add one to my coffee bar soon.

If you’re looking for fun green holiday themed to make with the kiddos try this easy St. Patrick’s Day suncatcher.

To make this completely from scratch at home you’ll need a few power tools. But, if you don’t have power tools to DIY this craft from start to finish you can grab a DIY CRAFT KIT here. I haven’t always been super comfortable using power tools, actually I was deathly afraid of them not too long ago. Now that I’m over my power tool phobia here’s what I recommend for DIY crafters.

DIY St. Patrick’s Day Wood Tags

Here’s what you’ll need

• mini wood tags

• stencil material

• transfer tape

• white paint

• 3 shades of green paint

• sandpaper

• antiquing wax

• chip brush

• paint brush

• stenciling sponge

• twine

• masking tape

• vinyl squeegee

• CRICUT FILE- four leaf clover

If you’d like the same file I used to create this set of 3 mini wood St. Patrick’s Day tags you can get my Cricut file here. It’s in my FREE resource library. It’s where I keep all of my FREEBIES like files, printables, patterns, and more. You’ll need the password because I like to keep it a little bit secret but no worries it’s super easy to get. Jut fill out the prompt and you'll get instant access.

Other helpful tools I used

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi sander

• Cricut cutting machine

• Cricut Access

• Cricut cutting mat

Watch the video or keep scrolling for step by step written/photo instructions for these wood St. Patrick’s Day tags.

Cutting your wood pieces

1. First you want to cut out your wood tags. I used my Ryobi miter saw to do this. Cut a 1x4 in to 3 5” long pieces. On the top of each 5” piece measure in 1” and make a mark. Set your miter saw to 45 degrees, line it up with your 1” mark and cut. Flip your tag over and do the same to the other side.

2. Now drill a hole in the middle of the top of each piece. This is for your twine holder to go through.

3. After you have that done give each piece a quick sanding. You don’t have to get crazy with this, it’s not a fine piece of furniture. I use 120 grit sandpaper for this and that’s it. Just enough to take off that shine it has when you get it from the lumberyard.

   WATCH THE VIDEO OF HOW I MADE THESE USING MY MITER SAW

Stencils

You can use any cutting machine to create your stencils. I use my Cricut Explore to make all of mine. If you use a Cricut you can get my cutting file here. I use Oramask stenciling film to make my stencils. While it is a little more expensive than other materials I have found it works the absolute best for stenciling.

Painting (the fun part!)

1. First a thin layer of white paint on each wood tag. Be sure it is a thin layer, you will still be able to see the wood grain through the paint. After the first thin layer is dry you can paint a second thin layer. You don’t want more than two layer of base paint on your wooden tags, or any painted wood sign. Too much paint will cause issues when stenciling with base paint peel up, which can be impossible to fix sometimes and honestly it just plain sucks to have to go back and fix.

2. After your base paint is completely dry you can apply your stencils to all three wood blanks. Apply your transfer tape to your stencils (if you bought my DIY CRAFT KIT this step has already been done for you). Peel the paper backing from your stencil/transfer tape. Go slow. Place your stencils sticky side down on the front of your painted wood tag. The front is just whichever side you prefer best ;). Using your vinyl squeegee, if you don’t have one you can use a plastic store rewards card, and rub the stencil to that it adheres to the wood. Slowly peel the transfer tape away from the wood leaving your stencil attached to the wood. I find that it works best when I roll the transfer tape away, check out this DIY PAINTED WOOD SIGN TUTORIAL for a closer look at how to do this.

3. Use masking tape to tape off the edges of your stencil so you don’t get paint on areas of the wood tags that you don’t want paint on.

4. Cut your stenciling sponge in half so you can use it in all three paint colors without mixing the colors.

5. Using one end of one of the sponges dip it in the lightest color of green. You need very little paint, the more paint you use the more paint bleed you will likely have. Dab your sponge onto one of your wood blocks where the clover is exposed on the wood. The coverage should be VERY faint. Let that dry and repeat up to three times. You don’t want to apply more than three coats as this could cause issues with paint peel up where you just stenciled.

6. Peel up your stencil and tape. Using an xacto knife helps to remove the middle piece of the clover.

7. Repeat steps 5 & 6 for your other two wood tag bases.

8. Let them dry.

Distressing

After your paint completely dries from stenciling you can start distressing your wood St. Patrick’s Day tags. I LOVE using antiquing wax for this process. Antiquing wax comes in a several different colors but my favorite its definitely the regular antiquing wax. Learn more about how to transform your DIY farmhouse style crafts with antiquing wax.

1. Using sand paper or your sander give a quick sanding to the edges, corners, and lightly on the front of each wooden tag. Wipe off and dust.

2. Take your chip brush and lightly dip it into your antiquing wax. Dab off the excess, a little wax goes a very long way. Much like you did with the sandpaper, focus on brushing the wax on the edges, corners, and lightly on the front of your wooden tags.

Adding twine

Probably the easiest step is adding the twine. Decide how long you would like your twine hangers to be. I think I measured mine at 12” or so. You’ll need 3 pieces, one for each wood tag. Feed one piece of twine through the hole in one of the wood tags then tie it in a knot.

You’re ready to display your St. Patrick’s Day wood tags in your home. I know it may seem like a lot of steps written out but really these are super easy and quick to DIY once you get going on them.

Like with all of my DIY tutorials if you have any questions please reach out. Leave a comment below or send me a message on one of my social media pages. You can find my links at the top.

Happy Crafting!

Do you love freebies? Don’t forget to check out my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY. It’s where I keep all of my FREE printables, files, and more. Go here to get instant access to my library

DIY stenciled rustic fall signs

DIY painted fall signs. How to make your own farmhouse style signs for your fall themed decor. These painted tiny signs are so perfect for coffee bars, tiered trays and mantles. This trio of hello fall, give thanks, and a pumpkin are hand painted in orange, black and white, the classic fall colors. This tutorial will take you step by step on how to make your own stenciled wooden signs at home.

Don’t you just love painted mini signs?! HELLO FALL, GIVE THANKS, and a picture of a PUMPKIN just scream I LOVE FALL! I placed mine on a rustic old window frame that has candy corn burlap draped across it and OMG it looks adorable! These mini signs are also perfect for tiered trays and coffee bars. How cute would these be paired with some wood bead garland painted in fall colors?

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 plan to hang these mini fall wood signs be sure to check out my post on how to quickly and easily attach a sawtooth hanger to wooden signs.

How to make painted wood signs for fall

Here’s what you’ll need

• 3 prestained 5.5”x5.5” wood blanks

• hello fall, give thanks, pumpkin image SVG files

• oramask stencil film

• transfer tape

• paint brushes

• stenciling sponge

• orange, white, and black acrylic paint

• vinyl squeegee

• sandpaper

• xacto knife

Helpful tools

• Cricut cutting machine

• Cricut green mat

• Cricut Design Space

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi sander

If you don’t have all the tools to completely make this fall craft from scratch you can order a DIY craft kit here. It comes with everything you need to make these wood signs at home.

ONE- the first thing you need to do is cut your wood into squares. I used a 1”x6” piece of pine, the actual size is 5.5” so I cut them into 5.5'“x5.5” squares. After you’ve cut and sanded your 5.5”x5.5” wood pieces stain them and let them dry for 24 hours. After they’ve dried sand around the edges, corners, and a light sanding on the front, be sure to wipe them down so you get all of the sawdust off of them. I LOVE my RYOBI CORDLESS SANDER , it is what I use for all of my wooden projects. But, if you don’t have a sander you can get the job done with 120 grit sand paper.

TWO- Cut your stencils out. If you want to use an SVG similar the ones in this tutorial you can go here to grab your SVG files. I’ve found that using true stencil film works best for stenciling wood signs. I highly recommend cutting the designs out on Oramask stencil film. I used a Cricut Explore to cut the files for this fall craft. I weeded them with an xacto knife once they were done cutting.

THREE- Now you can start painting! You want to paint each sign a different color. Start by painting a thin layer of paint on the front of each sign. You want to leave a small border around the edge. This should look kinda rough and uneven, it will give it lots of character when finished this way. Wait for the first layer to dry completely then paint a second THIN layer on top of that. I don’t recommend painting more than two layers of base paint. the more layers you have the more problems you will run into when peeling up your stencil.

Repeat this step for all 3 signs. Once they are all TOTALLY DRY you are ready for stenciling. They must be completely dry otherwise your stencil will not stick to the wood and it will be an ugly mess.

I don’t have pictures of how to do the next steps on the fall mini signs BUT I am sharing pictures of a similar craft that I made for winter themed signs. You can read the full winter themed tutorial here. Both sign trios have the same steps, the only differences are the stencils and paint colors, everything else is the same :)!

FOUR- Start by removing the paper backing from your stencil. This works best if you use a vinyl applicator {here’s what I use} or you can use a stiff store rewards card, I don’t recommend using your bank card as it could break during the process.

If you’re using your own stencils you’ll need transfer tape to transfer your stencil onto the wood in one piece.

Start by rubbing the front of the stencil with your vinyl applicator. Be sure you move in one direction.

Then flip it over and do the same to the back.

Now slowly peel the paper backing away from the stencil. This works best if you start at one corner and peel away at a sharp 90 degree angle. Go SLOW.

Before you start applying your stencils decided which stencil you will put on each board.

First, you’ll want to place your stencil where you want it on your board. I wanted mine to all be centered so that’s what I did but you can place them anywhere on the board you’d like. I just recommend keeping the image within the painted part of the wood.

Using your vinyl tool rub the stencil, using the same technique as before. Now SLOWLY peel the transfer tape {the clear sticky stuff} away from your stencil. I do this at a sharp angle and I will slowly roll it off of the stencil.

After you get the transfer tape off rub your finger along all the exposed stencil edges {anywhere there is wood showing thru}. this helps to get s good seal on your stencil.

FIVE- Now you’re ready to start painting your stencil! Use one end of your cosmetic sponge LIGHTLY dip it in the paint color you’d like your design. BE SURE TO USE VERY LITTLE PAINT, this is key to getting little to no paint bleed under your stencil. Dab the sponge on a paper towel a couple times then onto your stencil, do this till you have a very THIN even coat {you should be able to see thru the first coat}. LET DRY, repeat till you are happy with the coverage.

SIX- After you’re finished sponging the stencil you can peel it up immediately. I know all tutorials can vary with peeling the stencil up while the paint is still wet or waiting for it to dry. I have had the best luck peeling the stencil while the paint is still wet. Use an xacto knife or sewing pin to aid in this step.

As with all of my DIY tutorials if you have any questions please ask in the comments below:)

DIY cute ghost yard stake

How to make a super cute ghost for your outdoor Halloween decorations

Between my online business and being a mom to four little girls I seriously don’t know where I find the time to make things for myself but I do lol! Like this cute outdoor ghost stake I HAD to make for our front yard. I had been slacking the last couple years with holiday decorating. Usually I go all out but lately I just hadn’t been up to it. So for this fall I decided I was getting back in my holiday décor groove! And this adorable little ghost is just one small part of my DIY fall/Halloween decorations. Check out this DIY PALLET SIGN I made, it’s actually a school spirit sign but with our school colors it ties in perfectly with our 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. 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.

And this fun witch’s brew coffee mug I made using my Cricut and some vinyl. And just one more… this rusty pumpkin I made from mason jar lids. So cute!

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Real quick…if you have ever wanted to learn how to paint wood signs, the way the PROs do, you don’t want to miss my COMPLETE GUIDE TO SIGN PAINTING. It is a whole course that you complete on your time. I am teaching you EVERYTHING I know without you having to go through the headache and expense of trial and error. If you’ve struggled with paint bleed, designs not lining up, paint peel up, sticky residue left behind you are in for a treat! Click on the image below or go here for more info.

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DIY CUTE WOOD GHOST CUTOUT

If you don’t want to read the tutorial you can scroll to the bottom to watch the video tutorial or go here to watch it on my crafty YouTube channel.

Here’s what you’ll need

• WOOD {I used leftover OSB}

• RYOBI SCROLL SAW

• RYOBI BRAD NAILER

• RYOBI SANDER

• 120 GRIT SANDPAPER

• ORANGE, BLACK, WHITE, PINK ACRYLIC PAINTS

• WHITE & BLACK PAINT PENS

• SPRAY SEALANT

• PAINT BRUSHES

• ROUND FOAM BRUSHES

• GORILLA WOOD GLUE

• GLUE GUN

• ASSORTED RIBBON

• THICK STRING IN A COORDINATING COLOR

Fist you want to draw the outline of your ghost onto the wood you’re using. We had some leftover OSB so that’s what I used. I also used this same OSB wood to make this pallet sign on the letter cutouts. We had made triple loft beds for the older three girls and WAY overbought for the project lol! So now we have a full sheet and a half still left over.

Then cut out your design on your scroll saw. Honestly this probably would have been much easier if I used a jig saw BUT this is what I had to use and it still worked pretty good to get the job done.

Once you have it all cut out give it a quick sanding to knock down the rough edges. I used a 120 grit sandpaper on my Ryobi sander.

Then paint your ghost cutout all white. I didn’t paint the back of mine and I really wish I would have. I used a leftover paint we had in our garage but you can use acrylic for yours if that’s what you have.

After your white base coat is dry on your wood ghost you can start doing the artsy stuff :)! I like to sketch out my design before I start painting. This way if I make a mistake it’s much easier to fix it vs painting it, messing up big time, then wanting to throw it across the floor lol! I sketched out eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes, mouth, and then I used an off brand K-cup to draw my circles for the large polk-a-dots. {actually I painted the cheeks before I traced the circles but if I was thinking I would have traced those first}

To paint the cheeks you need pink and white paint and I also used a stencil brush but you can use a round brush for this step. Dip your brush into the pink paint then dip one side into the white, but just a little bit of white. Then swirl it around in a circle at the corner of each side of the mouth. Add more white if you need just a little more highlight in there.

Then paint the other facial details, except for the mouth. Somehow I forgot to paint the eyelashes so I did mine later but you can go ahead and paint those now too. I used a round brush for the eye painting and a fine flat brush for the finer details.

Now paint all the polk-a-dots. I used orange and black for my dots. I painted the large ones in with a paint brush. I used a medium sized round sponge brush {black dots}, a small sponge brush {orange dots}, and the wood end of the small brush for even smaller dots . I didn’t plan any of these out too much, just kind of scattered them wherever they looked best.

When the cheeks are dry you can paint the mouth of your wood ghost using black paint and a fine paint brush.

Add the white features to the eyes. I used a white paint pen and made a curved line on one side of each eye {be sure you are making them on the same side of each eye} and I added a dot towards the outside of the other side of the eye then a little accent dot right above that dot.

Using a paint pen I made a long dash line all the way around my ghost and I also added dashes on each circle. For the outline and all of the orange circles I used a black paint pen. For all the black circles I used a white paint pen. Btw….isn’t my little helper just the cutest?!! This is daughter #4 <3

Since this will be outside I sprayed mine with this indoor/outdoor clear satin Krylon sealant.

Attach your stake part to the back of your ghost using Gorilla wood glue and a brad nailer. I really like this Ryobi one I use. My husband has one that I would use before I got my own and omg what a world of difference. You can read more about why I chose to go with Ryobi power tools here for my crafty business.

I made a super simple pinwheel bow to make my wood ghost a little more girly. These are also super adorable bows to make for your little girls to wear in their hair. We have tons of these that I’ve made over the years for my own four little girls. Then attach the bow with hot glue.

Once the hot glue is totally dry you can stick your wood ghost in the yard. I absolutely LOVE the way this little cutie turned out! Even when our girls got off the bus they got so excited because she is just sooooooo darn adorable!

I have a few more of these wood yard decorations to make so be on the look out for a DIY CANDY CORN and a DIY FRANKENSTEIN wood stakes.

Let me know below what you think of this DIY HALLOWEEN CRAFT.

Watch the full crafty tutorial below

DIY free standing BOO cutouts using your Cricut & scroll saw

DIY- use your CRICUT to make BOO wood cutouts for Halloween

I don’t have the latest fancy Cricut Maker, but that doesn’t mean I still can’t create AMAZING projects with my older model, CRICUT EXPLORE. Especially when use it with my Ryobi scroll saw…pure magic happens! Ok, obviously not real magic but the projects you can create with this combo is everything to write home about!

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 wanted to add another DIY craft kit to my crafty line up for my online business and thought these BOO cutouts would fit in perfectly with the craft kits I already offer.

If you don’t have the tools to make your own BOO cutouts grab your own

—-> BOO DIY CRAFT KIT <——

After you read this tutorial check out how I finished my own BOO WOOD CUTOUTS

Here’s what you’ll need to cut out your own Halloween BOO wood letters

• CRICUT EXPLORE AIR

• CRICUT CUTTING MAT

• CRICUT ACCESS in CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

• RYOBI SCROLL SAW

• RYOBI SANDER

• RYOBI MITER SAW

• 120 GRIT SANDPAPER

• PINE WOOD {I used a scrap piece}

• PENCIL

• CARDSTOCK

Don’t feel like reading the tutorial? Catch the video below or click here for the DIY BOO cutouts tutorial using your Cricut & scroll saw

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First, design your BOO in Cricut Design Space. I used the font beefcake for the letter “B”. I used a ghost image in DS {design space} that is included in my Cricut Access monthly subscription plan. It had arms but I took those away using the slice function. I resized them too fit the piece of wood I was using so mine are 6”x3.25”.

Next, cut them out on cardstock. I used some scrap cardstock that I had leftover from a previous DIY project. After I started cutting them I realized that I really didn’t need to cut out two ghosts. So really you just need 1 letter B and 1 ghost. Don’t toss the middles of the ghost or B, you’ll need those for later when you paint them.

Now trace around your cutouts using a pencil onto your wood. I have TONS of scrap wood so I used a scrap piece that I had on hand. I used a 1” pine board that you can find at most home improvement stores. Check out the DIY SCRAP WOOD PUMPKINS I made using this same method. They turned out SO CUTE!!

You don’t need to trace around the middle cutouts because we won’t be cutting those pieces out. Remember to trace around your ghost twice ;)

After you have your Cricut cutouts traced it’s time to cut them out using your Ryobi scroll saw. If you don’t have a scroll saw you can use a band saw and maybe even a jigsaw but I’ve had great luck with cutting things out on my scroll saw so for now that’s what I’m sticking with.

Once you have them all cut out you’ll want them to be able to stand on their own. I used my miter saw to do this. My miter has a laser on it making it SUPER easy to line things up and to show me exactly how much I’m taking off. By cutting a sliver off the bottom with your miter saw you get a nice straight base so your projects are able to stand freely on their own.

SIDE NOTE: if you’re thinking about investing in a set of your own power tools you’ll want to read this WHAT ARE THE BEST POWER TOOLS FOR CRAFTERS. It wasn’t that long ago when I had some serious anxiety about using power tools so I wrote a little about that and why I’ve chosen the tools I have for my crafty projects and business.

Then just give them a quick sanding and you’re ready to paint them. I always use a 120 grit sandpaper and most of the time I don’t sand my projects to a super smooth finish. A little bit of bumps and divots just add to the rustic look ;)!!

There are so many projects you can do when you start pairing your tools together. Like this DIY MERMAID CUPCAKE STAND I made for my daughter’s birthday party this year. And a bonus is that she has a pretty awesome new room decoration she was able to decoration then hang in her bedroom after the party was over.

Check out the DIY BOO cutouts using your Cricut & scroll saw video tutorial below

COMING SOON…a complete guide to paint wood signs without the stress and headache of trial and error. Click here for more info

DIY make a wood CUPCAKE base using your Cricut

Use your Cricut & scroll saw to make a wooden cupcake base in the shape of a mermaid tail

I love throwing birthday parties for my four daughters. I love the excitement in their eyes when they see all the work and thought that’s been put into THEIR big day! I love sitting with them and planning out the details. And when the oldest three were much younger I LOVED making their cakes. As the years have passed though, I found my self getting busier and busier and it was just easier for me to run to Sams club and grab a cake from there.

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.

But this year when the second oldest was planning her birthday she asked if I would make her cake. I felt so honored. Really? She didn’t want a store bought cake but one that momma made! Seriously bring on the happy tears!

She had been pinning on Pinterest for a couple of months and decided she wanted a MERMAID cake! As soon as she said those words I knew what I was going to do to make that happen… MERMAID PULL APART CUPCAKES! So much easier than an actual cake and less mess on the day of the party. Years and years ago I did a similar one for the oldest daughter when she turned 4. I made pull apart cupcakes in the shape of a 4 and it was ADORABLE and SOOOOOOO easy!

Thank goodness for tools like Cricut and Ryobi, if I didn’t have those then her cake might have turned out a little….less than edible looking lol!

If you want more little girl birthday party inspiration be sure to check out these ADORABLE UNICRON party centerpieces I made using my Cricut too!

Don’t feel like reading the full tutorial? Skip to the bottom to catch the video or go here ——-> MERMAID TAIL CUPCAKE BASE on my YouTube channel

How to make a wood base for pull apart mermaid cupcakes

Here’s what you’ll need

• CRICUT EXPLORE AIR

• CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

• RYOBI SCROLL SAW

• RYOBI SANDER

• 120 grit sandpaper

• CRICUT CUTTING MAT

• 1” thick pine board {or whatever wood you prefer}

• masking tape

• 12”x12” cardstock

• pencil

First select your design in CRICUT DESIGN SPACE. If you are like me and create a ton of projects each monthly I highly recommend signing up for CRICUT ACCESS. You will have access to thousands of images, fonts, and projects for a small monthly fee…and it’s SO worth it!

Here’s the mermaid tail I chose in Cricut Access. I just simply searched MERMAID TAIL and chose one that I liked.

I chose the pink one on the bottom row. I really like that this one had some movement in it. But I didn’t really like the white spaces on the mermaid tail. So after I added it to my canvas I used the CONTOUR function to hide those white spaces. I also adjusted the size of the mermaid tail so that it was 11.45” wide. I left the size lock on so that it would adjust the height for me so that everything would be proportionate.

Since I was using cardstock for my stencil and I didn’t have a piece big enough I butted two pieces together and taped the seam so that it would be like one big piece. Feed your mat through your Cricut machine and press GO when the button starts to flash.

I used a piece of scrap 1x12 to make my mermaid tail cupcake base out of. I had some plywood which probably would have worked just as good {and would have been cheaper to use} but I knew I most likely wouldn’t use this again and I wanted my daughter to be able to use it to hang in her room after her party.

Trace your mermaid tail cardstock stencil out on your piece of wood.

Then cut the mermaid tail out using your Ryobi scroll saw. You can use a band saw, and even a jig saw for this step if you don’t have a scroll saw.

Then you want to smooth it out using your Ryobi sander. I used 120 grit sand paper on mine. I also slightly rounded some of the edges so that it wasn’t so pokey.

Add your cupcakes and decorate. I just slapped a little bit of frosting on the bottom of each cupcake to stick them to the board.

. I used a combination of purple, teal, and white for the frosting colors and I didn’t even use any fancy piping tips {I was a little pressed for time lol}. For under $10 I was able to make the cake of her mermaid themed birthday dreams!

Watch the video tutorial below on how to make your own MERMAID TAIL CUPCAKE BASE

DIY school spirit pallet style porch sign

DIY porch sign to show off your school spirit

It was an absolute PERFECT day in our small town today that I took a couple hours to make something for my own front porch. I could just feel the fall weather coming in and that reminded me that I needed to decorate for the upcoming season. Which totally meant that I NEEDED to make a new sign lol! Every year I try to incorporate a school spirit pieces on our porch, really it only makes sense because our school colors are ORANGE & BLACK but truly I do it because my husband and I absolutely adore the schools where we live.

The teachers are amazing, the staff in general is amazing, they take such great care of our girls while they are there for 8 hours a day. We can’t say enough nice things about our small town schools! So we show off our school spirit every fall blended into our fall décor.

I wanted a bigger sign than what I usually put out. The old one is a small 40”x5.5” leaning sign that honestly I’m tired of looking at lol! So today was the day for a new one! I had a pretty general idea of what I was going to do but I didn’t know it was going to turn out even more perfect than I planned!

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.

Here’s what you need to make your own school spirit rustic porch sign

• repurposed wood

• 7/16” OSB {oriented strand board}

• 1”x2” pine wood

• Cricut

• cardstock

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi scroll saw

• Ryobi sander

• hook & loop sandpaper

• Ryobi brad nailer

• brad nails

• paint brushes

• black acrylic paint

• orange acrylic paint

• white acrylic paint

First

You need to decide how large you want your sign, mine is approx. 24”x 22”. Then decide how large you want your lettering to be. I wanted my letters to take up a big portion of the base so I made my lettering roughly 11.5” wide and 14” tall each.

Measure out your wood base pieces and cut them to size using your miter saw. Then cut two pieces of your 1x2 a little shorter than the height of your sign. These are the pieces you’ll use to attach your pallet sign together. Place the pieces that you’ll be using for your sign face down on a flat surface. Then place your 1x2’s on it so it looks like the picture below.

Second

Use wood glue {I use gorilla wood glue} to glue the 1x2’s in place, then use your brad nailer to nail them down.

Third

Cut your letters out on cardstock using your Cricut.. The cardstock I had on hand wasn’t long enough so I butted two pieces together and taped the seam and it worked perfectly!

Fourth

Trace the letters onto your OSB. You can use pine for this but I chose OSB because we had this leftover from building TRIPLE LOFT BEDS for our older three girls…and yes, they came out AMAZING! I still have yet to write the tutorial for their U-shaped lofts but I promise, I will have it written before the end of the month ;)!

After you have them traced, cut them out using your scroll saw. Then give them a good sanding just on the front and around the edges. You won’t see the back so don’t worry about sanding that.

Fifth

Paint your letters. I chose to paint mine all black but you can get as creative with this as you’d like.

I wanted to add a pop of color to my sign so I painted just one of the boards orange, just lightly brushed over it so it was medium coverage.

Now add your letters to your sign. I didn’t align mine because I like the offset look. I didn’t bother gluing these down I just popped a few brad nails in each letter using my brad nailer.

Now for the fun part! I love making these adorable free hand painted garland. I wanted the color to pop so I painted the triangles white, then once those dried I painted over them with the colors I wanted them to be. At first I wasn’t going to paint any of the triangles black but once I started painting over the white with orange I decided to break it up a little with every third triangle painted black. Then I used the end of my paint brush to add polk-a-dots to them. So CUTE!

I just LOVE this rustic porch sign and it will tie in PERFECTLY with the rest of my fall décor.

I hope this inspires you to show off your own school or town spirit where you live. Let me know what you think below.

Click on the pic below to PIN for later

DIY embroidery hoop winter wall hanging

How to make an EMBROIDERY HOOP wall hanging for winter

Embroidery hoops are such a versatile craft tool. You can use them for the obvious of embroidery OR you can use them for so many other projects. Like a nursery mobile, a hoop to hold your screen for faux screen printing, or this fun winter wall hanging that you’re reading.

If you love the little pinecone accents check out this EASY PINECONE DOOR HANGER. And if you have little ones you HAVE to try this EASY & MESS FREE PINECONE ART! My older girls had SO much fun making their own pinecone paintings.

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.

Don’t have access to the right tools or just don’t have time to gather the supplies? No problem:)! I’ve put together this super easy craft kit just for times like this! Click I NEED A CRAFT KIT below to order yours from my Etsy shop.

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

• 9.25”x9.25” wood base

• sticks

• 6” embroidery hoop

• rustic bells

• assorted accents

• paint brush

• white acrylic paint

• twine

• floral wire

• Rustoleum KONA stain

• Ryobi sander {or 120 grit sandpaper}

Skip to the bottom to catch the full video tutorial

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First you need to stain your wood base and your hoop. I recommend using a quick dry stain. Let dry

Next, after your wood base is dry you want to distress it. I used my Ryobi sander for this step but you can use a piece of 120 grit sandpaper. Focus on the edges and corners and lightly sand the sides and front

Now paint your sticks completely white and the outer edges of your pine cones white. Use a dabbing motion when painting the pinecones.

Measure out how long you would like your bells to hang down then add a couple of inches. I made my bells to hang at staggering lengths.

Feed one end of the twin into the hanging part of the bell and tie it off. Repeat this step for all three.

After your stick are dry gather them together and wrap the green floral wire around the center. This will help to keep them together while you are placing the accents on. Then place your accent pieces on top of the sticks and wrap the middle section of the sticks and accents with twine.

Now glue down your embroidery hoop to your wood base. Apply glue to back side of the hoop {whichever side you prefer} then place it on your wood base and press down firmly.

Tie your bells around the metal part on the top section of the embroidery hoop. Pull this very tight. Add a dab of hot glue to the knot and pull it tight again.

Use your glue gun to glue down your accents. To get a secure hold, hold the accents in place till the hot glue is completely dry.

Trim down the pieces of twine from where you tied them onto the embroidery hoop and the you are done!

Check out the full video tutorial below

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 ;)

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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

Ultimate Dollar Tree birthday gift idea

The best kid’s birthday gift idea when you’re on a budget

It’s no secret that my girls and I LOVE the dollar tree. Seriously, we were just there today and when we got home my oldest couldn’t believe that we spent and entire HOUR in there and it literally felt like only 20 minutes had past lol! Yep…raising those girls right!

Our sole purpose of the trip was to find a couple gifts for the oldest daughter’s friends for their birthday parties. Raising a family of 6 isn’t a cheap task. So, things like friend’s birthday parties typically have a pretty small budget of $10 per kiddo. At Walmart $10 doesn’t get you much from the toy aisle or any aisle that a kid would be interested in anyway. But, I have to say over the years we have gotten really good at whipping up some amazing birthday gifts on the $10 budget. And I can’t wait to share the latest gift that comes in WAY under budget! Under budget meaning 70% lower than what we typically budget for friend’s birthdays.

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 was I able to create two gifts for kids for under $6?

Well, first the Dollar Tree. It is FULL of really amazing things that on their own may not be all that amazing but when paired with something else, like let’s say a personalized wood letter cut out, can be one of the best gifts ever! And second, I just purchased a scroll saw last weekend with the money that comes in from my handmade business so I used that to create the customized gifts for her friends.

My only regret is not buying a scroll saw sooner. If you’re curious about the one I purchased you can see more about the Ryobi scroll saw here. And if you wanna know about the other tools I have in my shop I’ve written a break down of which tools every crafter needs.

I used my Cricut Explore to cut out the letter E and the dog from cardstock. Then I outlined them with a pencil on a scrap piece of 1x8 that had been sitting on the wood shelf in the garage. Using my new handy scroll saw I cut out the shapes. Gave them a light sanding and they were ready to add to the items we picked up at the dollar tree.

Here’s what we picked up from the dollar tree

• 1 package of purple/pink 6 pk glitter

• 1 package of blue/green 6 pk glitter

• 1 package of purple/pink sequence

• 1 package of small containers

• 2 paint pots

We bought the small containers to fill with white paint and glue {which we have a TON of at home} . Since the paint pots don’t come with white paint and sequence doesn’t stick well to paint we thought those additions to the birthday gifts would be a good idea. I wrote on the outside of the containers which one was glue and which one was paint so there wasn’t any confusion when the birthday girl goes to use her new craft kit.

The glitters and sequence were individually wrapped so we pulled them off of the original packaging {they were just taped to the thin cardboard} and gave each birthday girl 4 glitters and 2 sequence.

To keep the birthday crafts looking somewhat professional I packaged the craft supplies in a clear goody bag {the party favor kind} that we already had left over at home.

I am so excited about this new DIY birthday craft idea! It’s absolutely perfect for the crafty kiddo in your life and it costs just a few dollars to create! I can honestly say that our girls loved this idea so much they each want their own.

———> Want more crafty gift giving ideas? Check out my post on these top selling kid approved DIY CRAFT KITS FOR KIDS

——> Also, you don’t want to miss this a great list of the PRE TEEN CRAFT IDEAS, because they can be so hard to buy for sometime

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.

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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.

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!

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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

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DIY hanging wood flag

I love patriotic décor. Not only because I truly love being an American but because it never goes out of season! You can leave it up year round and it looks perfectly beautiful and not at all out of place, unlike the wooden Santa I had hanging out in the living room five months after Christmas. Yes, that’s a true story! My grandma painted this amazing 5 ft tall Santa ages ago and I somehow overlooked him for months in our living room.

So unlike Mr. Claus, patriotic décor would not stick out like a sore thumb long after Independence Day has passed.

If you don’t have time to make your own be sure to stop by my Etsy shop and purchase your own handmade wood American Flag made by yours truly ;)

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, on to the tutorial.

Here’s what you’ll need

SUPPLIES

• 3- 1x4x12 {white and red pieces}

• 1- 1x4x13 {blue piece, top}

• 1” paint brushes

• Acrylic paint, red, blue, white

• baler wire {you can find this at a local farm store}

• 3 wood stars

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• 120 grit sandpaper

TOOLS

• RYOBI Drill

• RYOBI Drill bits

• RYOBI Sander

• needle nose pliers

• wire cutters

After you cut down your 1x4 into the correct sizes you need to give them a quick sanding. I use my Ryobi handheld cordless sander for this but you can use just sandpaper or a sanding block, although it will take a lot more work and more time. I purchased my sander fairy cheap at my local hardware store, one of the best $50 I’ve ever spent! After you have all the 1x4 pieces sanded give them a quick wipe down to get all the saw dust off.

Next you need to paint all the wood pieces and the stars. I only did two coats on each piece. To get the look that I did on mine you will need to paint all three stars WHITE, 2 of the 1x4x12’s WHITE , 1 of the 1x4x12 RED, and the 1x4x13 BLUE. Let them dry COMPLETELY between coats.

After everything is totally dry you need to mark your pieces where you will drill your holes. I am not a perfectionist so I just eyeball it. It’s rustic so it doesn’t have to be perfect anyway ;) I do this with a pen but if you’re worried about messing up you can use a pencil.

Not counting the stars, your pieces should have a total of 11 markings, 3 on the top of the blue piece where you will attach the stars, 3 on the bottom of the blue piece where you will attach the hanging white and red pieces, 1 on the top right of the blue piece and 1 on the top left of the blue piece where you will attach the baler wire to hang for displaying, 1 in the top middle of each white piece, 1 in the top middle of the red piece. I don’t typically mark the stars because it’s not necessary, the hole goes in the top of the star.

Now it’s time to drill. Your drill bit will vary depending on how thick your baler wire is. I always use a drill bit that is just a size above the wire size, that way the wire has room to move so that it’s not super tight. Be sure when you are drilling the holes in the stars you don’t get too close to the top. If you get too close you will crack the tip of the star and you won’t be able to use it. PRO TIP: place a flat discarded piece of wood under what you’re drilling into so you don’t drill into the table underneath.

Now it’s time to distress. Using your Ryobi sander sand around the edges. Here’s a good example on how I do this in my Dr. Seuss keepsake craft. There are some good close ups on sanding just the edges and rounding the corners of the wood to give it a perfect rustic look.

I only sand the 1x4 pieces. The stars are so small and fragile that yo don’t need to sand those, using the wax on them in the next step will work just fine.

Apply wax around all the edges, corners, and give them a light coat down the center of each piece. Check out my DIY rustic wooden pumpkins post on a more detailed way to do this using your chip brush. I love pretty much any brand of antiquing wax, they all work great! PRO TIP: cut the bristles down on your chip brush. You get a better outcome when the bristles are shorter and stiffer.

You’re almost done! The next steps are just assembling your pieces together. You’ll need your baler wire and wire cutters for this.

You’ll need 3 wire pieces cut to approx. 6”-7”. Cut your pieces short if you want less space from the blue piece to the hanging pieces, and longer if you want more space from the blue piece to the hanging pieces. Now make a loop with your plies on ONE end of each piece like pictured below.

These loops will go on the BACK of each piece.

Then connect it to the blue piece and loop the end just like you did before. This is what the BACK of your flag should look like before you attach your stars.

The star wire is slightly different. You’ll need a 3” piece for each star. One end you need to wrap a few times around your needle nose pliers. This doesn’t have to be perfect, mine never are. Leave the other end open.

Then feed the straight end of the wire through the front of your star then through the front of the boar where you drilled a star hole.

After you put your star wires through their holes on the blue wood you want to do the same thing and loop them on the back like you did with the other wires. Pictured below is BEFORE they are looped.

Add a piece of wire to hang at the top corner holes and you’re done! I know it seems like a lot of steps but it’s SUPER easy! I’d love to see pictures of your handmade patriotic decor, especially if you make this piece:)!!

DIY 4X4 Wood Firecrackers

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 am a sucker for a quick and easy simple crafts! These kind of projects give you an instant satisfactions because you don’t need to wait days for them to cure and you can even get the kiddos involved in the creative process because honestly there’s not a whole lot they can mess up with these little guys.

This project does require the use of some power tools but if you don’t have them handy you can purchase an easy craft kit from our studio. We do all the cutting, pre-sanding, drilling, and include all the materials PLUS printed of instructions on how to make them at home so you don’t have to come back to this page while your hands are covered in paint.

Here’s what you’ll need if you’re making yours totally from scratch…

• 4x4 wood blocks cut approx. to lengths of 4, 5.5, & 7 {you can pick this up at your local hardware store}

• twine

• 3 paint brushes

• acrylic paint in RED, BLUE, WHITE

• antiquing wax

• RYOBI cordless sander or sandpaper

• RYOBI miter saw

• RYOBI drill

• RYOBI drill bit

• baler wire {you can pick this up at your local farm store}

• wire cutters

• glue gun

If you prefer to order online I’ve attached Amazon links to most of the supplies above. You can purchase most of the supplies at your local Walmart and home improvement stores.

First you need to cut your 4x4 down to 4, 5.5, and 7 inch lengths. Some home improvement stores will do this for you but usually their blades are very dull and will splinter your wood badly. For this project the splinters would add a ton of character but I wouldn’t depend on this being an option for most of your other DIY projects.

My husband got me my own saw last year and I am LOVING it! Granted it was more money than I wanted to spend but it has been one of the best investments we’ve made in our business. Ryobi makes a really great line of tools, especially if you’re just using them to make projects for your home or running your own creative craft business like I do. This particular saw is great because it is a slider. It can cut anything from 1/2” pieces all the way up to 12” wide {and probably a little wider but I only cut up to 12”}.

After your pieces are cut you need to give them a quick sanding. Again, I use my trusty Ryobi tools for the job. I typically use 120 grit sandpaper for most of my projects. This is a good in the middle grit. If you want to get crazy you can sand with all the way thru the different grits but I don’t usually do this…I’m a busy momma of four 120 works perfect, lol!

After you have your pieces sanded be sure to wipe off all the saw dust. You don’t want this on the wood when you start painting.

Depending on the size wire you get will depend on the size drill bit you’ll need. Drill a hole in just the top of each piece of wood. I drilled mine about 1/2” deep.

Paint each of your blocks a different color. You’ll need one red, one white, one blue. I did two coats on mine. This is a good time to get the kiddos involved. They really can’t mess these little guys up. Be sure to let the paint dry COMPLETELY between coats. If you don’t your paint will likely pull away from the wood as you apply it on top of wet paint.

After both coats are dried you want to give your blocks a light sanding. Focus on the edges and the corners.

Using your chipbrush apply a light layer of the antiquing wax to the areas you sanded. You can do this as heavy or as light as you like. Remember a little bit goes a long way and you can always add more if you want to.

Now add a little hot glue to the end of the wire and quickly stick it down in the hole you drilled. Once they are dry and in place you can twist them if you’d like.

Wrap the middle of each wood block in twine and you’re done! Super easy!

I hope you found this craft as fun as I did! Enjoy your Fourth of July!

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DIY mini stenciled Christmas signs

Painting & stenciling mini wood Christmas signs

Do you LOVE those little mini signs like I do? They are so perfect because they don’t take up a lot of space, you can store them easily when they aren’t in season, and they are SO simple to make yourself.

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.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own at home. To make it even easier we’ve put together a CRAFT kit that has everything you need for project here.

HOW TO STENCIL ON WOOD

MAKE YOUR OWN MINI STENCILED WOOD CHRISTMAS SIGNS FOR YOUR RUSTIC HOME DECOR

You’ll need

3 - 5.5x5.5 wooden pieces {I got a 1x6 from the local hardware store}

stain, rags, and gloves {here’s what I used}

stencils {you can buy ours here, or make your own}

3 - brushes {you can use sponge brushes or here’s what I use}

white, red, & green acrylic paint {here’s what I used}

2 makeup sponges {you can pick them up at your local dollar store}

sander or 120 grit sandpaper

After you’ve cut and sanded your 5.5”x5.5” pieces stain them and let them dry for 24 hours. After they’ve dried sand around the edges, corners, and a light sanding on the front, be sure to wipe them down so you get all of the sawdust off of them. I LOVE my RYOBI CORDLESS SANDER , it is what I use for all of my wooden projects. But, if you don’t have a sander you can get the job done with 120 grit sand paper.

Now it’s time for the painting! You’ll paint each wooden sign a different background color. Start with a DRY brush and using a little bit of paint at a time apply a THIN coat of paint to one side of your board. Leave .25” border all the way around each piece. I don’t measure this, just eyeball it. This will give you that rustic uneven look.

After your fist THIN coat is totally dry you can apply the second coat, be sure to apply using the same technique as you did with the first coat.

Repeat this step for all 3 signs. Once they are all TOTALLY DRY you are ready for stenciling. They must be completely dry otherwise your stencil will not stick to the wood and it will be an ugly mess.

Start by removing the paper backing from your stencil. This works best if you use a vinyl applicator {here’s what I use} or you can use a stiff store rewards card, I don’t recommend using your bank card as it could break during the process.

If you’re using your own stencils you’ll need transfer tape to transfer your stencil onto the wood in one piece.

Start by rubbing the front of the stencil with your vinyl applicator. Be sure you move in one direction.

Then flip it over and do the same to the back.

Now slowly peel the paper backing away from the stencil. This works best if you start at one corner and peel away at a sharp 90 degree angle. Go SLOW.

Before you start applying your stencils decided which stencil you will put on each board.

First, you’ll want to place your stencil where you want it on your board. I wanted mine to all be centered so that’s what I did but you can place them anywhere on the board you’d like. I just recommend keeping the image within the painted part of the wood.

Using your vinyl tool rub the stencil, using the same technique as before. Now SLOWLY peel the transfer tape {the clear sticky stuff} away from your stencil. I do this at a sharp angle and I will slowly roll it off of the stencil.

After you get the transfer tape off rub your finger along all the exposed stencil edges {anywhere there is wood showing thru}. this helps to get s good seal on your stencil.

Now you’re ready to start painting your stencil!

Use one end of your cosmetic sponge LIGHTLY dip it in the paint color you’d like your design. BE SURE TO USE VERY LITTLE PAINT, this is key to getting little to no paint bleed under your stencil. Dab the sponge on a paper towel a couple times then onto your stencil, do this till you have a very THIN even coat {you should be able to see thru the first coat}. LET DRY, repeat till you are happy with the coverage.

Now peel up your stencil.

I use an xacto knife to get up all the little pieces. If you don’t have one of these a sewing pin/needle works great for this as well.

If you have any paint bleed just go over those with a small paint brush and your background color.

Now finish the other two and you're ready to put them up to enjoy this holiday season.

DIY wall sconce using 1x4's

How to make a pallet style wall sconce

I've always had a LOVE for the farmhouse style...even before it was a thing...so I am so excited that others are appreciating the simple and rustic look!  I've never been one to got out and spend a ton of money to redecorate, I was raised to use what you have or get creative and make something from things you have on hand or need to buy little supplies for {which is what lit our flame for our business}. 

I've had my eye on these mason jar holders for awhile now...almost 2 years! And I finally made time to create my very own. I knew they would be super easy but seriously I am kicking myself for not making them sooner. One of the easiest and quickest DIY's I've done in awhile. In less than an hour you can have your own set of hanging pallet mason jar holders too!

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.

If you like this pallet style décor check out my hanging flag wall décor diy tutorial.

Materials you'll need to make 1 PALLET STYLE WALL SCONCE

• 1X4X8

• Ryobi Miter Saw

• RYOBI Sander

• Ryobi Brad Nailer

• 1 1/4" brad nails

• Gorilla Glue Wood Glue

• 120 grit sandpaper

• 2 lint free rags

• Rustoleum Stain

• Large cup hook

• Pint sized mason jar

• mason jar hanger

STEP 1

Cut your 1x4x8 into 5 pieces.

3- 1x4x18

2- 1x4x10.5

{If you're making a set you will need to cut double the pieces}

STEP 2

Give al the pieces a quick sanding to knock down all the unclean edges. This will make applying the stain MUCH easier.

STEP 3

Stain your pieces. If you are painting them you can wait to do this till you have put your pieces together.

-I highly recommend Rustoleum stain especially this weathered gray I used on this piece.

STEP 4

I recommend sanding your pieces before you attach them together. You can use a sanding block or regular 120 grit sand paper but I prefer to use my Ryobi cordless sander. It's quick and does a GREAT job! Be sure to wipe your boards down with a lint free rag after sanding to get all the sawdust off.

STEP 5

Place your 18" pieces evenly in a row. Be sure you are happy with their placement.

STEP 6

Once you have your boards laid out how you like them take the 10.5" boards and run a bead of Gorilla Wood Glue down one of the sides. You will place it glue side down onto your 18" boards width wide {so you will have a 10.5" board going along the top and another 10.5" board going along the bottom}.

STEP 7

Now you will use your Ryobi Brad Nailer to nail them in place. This will give them the stability to last for years to come

If you don't have a brad nailer you can use a hammer and nail. It won't be as quick but it will get the job done. 

STEP 8

 Add a cup hook to the top middle of your board. To make it easy you might want to drill a small pilot hole to get it started. Be sure it's under the 10.5" piece, hang your mason jar and you're done!

It may seem like a lot of steps but I assure you this is an EASY PEASY project to give your décor some sprucing up!

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