S'more Girl - Keeper of the Cocoa Bar

Look at the cuteness !!!!

LOL   I don't know, guys, there's just something 

about her that makes me smile! 

So, let's not beat around the bush, let's just get to her!

She's made from this set of dice from the Dollar Tree, which I painted with my Kilz white chalk paint.  I will tell you that it took 2 coats, but went on nicely and dried quickly.

The second picture is of a wooden plaque-type base which had a beveled edge that I painted the top portion in Decoart Americana color Milk Chocolate, and the bottom portion (the graham cracker part) is done in Decoart Americana Coca.  

I believe I found this one at Joanns.

Once the pieces were all dry, I hot glued one die to the base.

To make her arms, I took 3 pieces of jute twine about 10" long, I knotted one end about a 1/2" from the end, and began to braid.  Once the braid was complete, I knotted the other end about the same so that I had one long braid.  I laid the braid on top of the die, and hot glued the braid to the center.

Then, I began to paint her head and face.  Using the same Milk Chocolate color, I freehanded some wavy lines on her head to look like melted chocolate and then filled it in.  Her "sprinkles" I painted in white, Decoart Americana color Electric Pink, and Waverly chalk paint in Crimson.  Her eyes were dip dotted in black and her mouth was done in black as well.

Once she was dry, I hot glued her head on the bottom die on top of the braid.

Her earmuffs were pompoms from the Dollar Tree, and the "band" to connect them was a red sparkly pipe cleaner from DT cut to the length needed.  I'm so sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this, but it's not hard to figure out.  I believe in you guys !! 

For her peppermints, I got a box of white chalk, also from the Dollar Tree, and some red ribbon I found at I believe, Michaels.  This thin red ribbon is pretty common, and I'm sure you can find it at any craft store.  Then, starting at one end, I glued it down and then wrapped it around the chalk.  I glued the other end, trimmed it off and voila!....peppermint sticks!

I hot glued her peppermints to the base and her front, and then glued her "hands" so that it would look like she's holding it.

And, that's it!  She went together fairly quickly, only took an hour or so, not counting dry time, and I gotta tell you....she makes me smile every time I walk by her!

I really hope you'll give this one a try!

I think I'm going to make others, maybe holding different candies or something.  We'll see!  You just never know where my little brain will go! hahaha....It can get scary in there!

As always, if you have any questions/comments about this or any project, please feel free to drop a note below, or, come find me on my Facebook page --> My Artfelt Moments

and, drop me a line there!  If you make one, please post a picture on my page so I can see and celebrate with you!

Thank you for spending some of your day with me today, 

you have blessed me with your presence!

I am grateful and YOU are loved!

With my heart,

Dollar Tree Christmas Towels Revamp

 

If embellishing is wrong, I don't wanna be right! lol

I can't help it.  I can't leave things alone! 

Case in point, I love these towels from the Dollar Tree!  Love them!

Buuuuut.....they were plain, and I'm an "over the top" kinda girl!

Out came the glue gun in this quick, easy, no-sew project!

Let's do it!!!

So, I found these....but, ignore the gnome one...I haven't done anything with that yet.  It will probably become a pillow.  

But, I digress.

The trees on the other 3, GORGEOUS!  Flecks of sparkly gold just grabbed me, and I knew they needed to be in my kitchen!

And, I'm a sucker for the ticking fabric, so I had that in red already on hand in my stash.

I started by cutting a strip of fabric 5" tall.  I did 5" strips, because in time, the fabric will fray more and I'm going to let it, but when it frays to about the 1" mark, I'll put some fray check on the corners so it doesn't fray completely. Although, I did get the fray started by pulling a few threads.

Next, I laid my strip on the towel and cut to length, while leaving enough of an overhang so I could wrap it to the back.  

It was around 1/2" or so. 

Using Surebonder Fabric gluesticks, I glued the ticking fabric to the towel across the bottom having them overlay around 1/2".  I just eyeballed it, and then I finger pressed the overhang in half and glued that part to the back.

Now, because my Mackenzie Childs obsession is completely out of control, I needed to add the checkered ribbon.  If I had had some REAL MC ribbon, I would have used the 1" here, but this adorable checkered ribbon from Hobby Lobby got the job done nicely!

Then, of course, it needed a bow. lol

And, I made sure to dovetail those ends...it's important!

Lastly, pushing that envelope as far as I could, I added a gold bow to the tree!  I couldn't help myself! lol

Voila!  The towel part (done twice because there were 2 towels) of the revamp is complete!

Then, came the drying cloth! lol

Normally, the Dollar Tree will have drying cloths (to put clean dishes on while they dry) to match their towels, potholders, etc.  I haven't seen one to match the trees.  Sadness.

So, ok ....I have more Surebond! ;) 

I took the 3rd towel and folded in half, and starting at a corner, I

began to glue the 3 open sides.

Once the gluing was done, I cut another piece of ticking, but around 1 3/4" wide.  Finger press it in half lengthwise to form your crease, and then lay your glued towel edge in the open end.  Glue down length-wise to the front and back.  The corners just fold like you're wrapping a gift, and you'll get a pretty mitre.  Then, glue it down.

And, that's really it!

Here is the completed project!

This project could not have been easier, and with the Surebond, they should be able to withstand washing.  Although I probably won't use them, they'll just hang in the kitchen looking cute! lol

If you have any questions/comments about this project or any other, please feel free to drop a comment below, OR, come see me on my Facebook page --->  My Artfelt Moments

and leave a comment there!  And, if you do make these, drop me a picture there so I can see and celebrate with you!

Thank you for spending part of your day with me today!

You have blessed me with your presence!

I am grateful and YOU are loved!

With my heart,

Gumball Machine Ornament

 

Ahhhh....the infamous gumball machine ornament!

I'm sure you guys have seen these around for forever, and I sure wish I knew who originally came up with it because it's precious and I  would love to give them credit!

But, juuuuuust in case someone hasn't seen it, and because it's ridiculous how quick and easy they are, I figured I'd share!  

Truly, it couldn't be any easier!  

Start off with a package of mini solo cups from the Dollar Tree.

And, a package of mini ball ornaments.  You can grab these pretty much anywhere, but I thrifted this pack for .69 so I had them on hand.

Hot glue the ornament to the top of the upside cup.

While I really do want multi-colored pom-poms to put in them, I'll have to grab some on my next trip back to Dollar Tree.  The red and gold filler balls (also from the DT) were what I had on hand, so I tried them out!  I don't hate them !! ;) 

Next, to add the "metal" front like a gumball machine has.  This might be where I've added my "touch", because I'm not sure I've seen it before, but who knows! haha  I just knew that it needed something.  So, using silver glitter paper from Walmart, I cut a strip approx. 1" wide and 2" long.  I used the bottom of a cup to trace the curve so that it would fit snug under the ornament.  Before gluing it down, I folded it about 1/4" just so it would have that "lip" to it.  Then I hot glued around the curve, and in the center of the piece that would lay on the front of the cup.  

Then, it just becomes a matter of filling them up and added a hanger!

Oh, I almost forgot....I did use a can pop top and hot glued it to the front, and then I colored in the 2 holes with black Sharpie.

That's it, guys!

Seriously, they went together in about 15 minutes!

Quick, easy, and ADORABLE !!!

I hope you'll make some, and I hope that you'll come back and show me when you do!

As always, if you have any questions/comments, feel free to drop a comment below, or come find me on my 

Facebook page --->  My Artfelt Moments

Thank you for once again spending some time with me today and for blessing me with the gift of you!

I am grateful, and YOU are loved!

Until next time and with my heart!,

Dollar Tree Deer Makeover

 

My newest Dollar Tree Makeover!

I saw this deer, and just knew he needed that Mackenzie Childs touch!  I could see on his face that he wanted it !!! hahaha

I gotta tell you guys....the artisans at Mackenzie Childs just inspire me so, so much !!! Their details and caliber of workmanship just astound me!  And, while I may never reach that level, I hope that I at least let them know how grateful I am for their inspiration!  If you guys have never visited their website, do yourself a favor and click here:  Mackenzie Childs !  You won't be sorry !!

So, back to our deer!

I found this guy at my local Dollar Tree, and....I just loved him!

I loved him completely gold, but me being me, I can't leave anything alone ! hahaha....so I broke out my trusty Waverly white chalk paint.

I did no prep work on him.  I liked the texture that the glitter gave him, so I just left it and painted over it!

I knew I wanted him edged in the gold, so I began painting about a 1/4" in from the edge. And, I filled him all in!

Next, I grabbed a sharpie and began drawing lines.  I knew that because he was pretty big, he could handle a bigger "grid", so I used my ruler which is a smidge over an inch wide, and starting in the center, I drew a line down each side of the ruler.  Then, I used each line as a marker for the next one, moving my ruler to draw my vertical lines first and then started back in the center to draw my horizontal lines next. 

I did use a fine line pen to draw the inner line of his ear and tail, and I just drew some stripes in to fill those areas.  I wanted them different from the checks.

Next, was to begin painting my checks.  I used FolkArt black and a 3/4" flat brush from Plaid Online to fill them in.  

Then, using Yellow Ochre, Medium Hauser Green and Black Plum (all from DecoArt Americana), I used one color at a time to make my "streaks" in the blocks.  I also did both white streaks in the black checks and black streaks in the white checks.  That probably sounded confusing and you may need to read it again ! haha

Once everything was dry, it was time to embellish!

Always my favorite part!  I took a piece of tartan plaid ribbon from the Dollar Tree, cut off a section and rounded the bottom edges a bit for his saddle blanket.  Then, using wide gold ribbon (also from Dollar Tree), I cut a piece about 5" long, and twisted it where it would rest on each corner and in the center of the blanket to edge it out.  Then, with a thin gold ribbon also from the Dollar Tree, I put 2 bows.

I hot glued all of them in place and then used bits and bobs from around the studio to give him some greenery at the top and a bell around his neck.

To hang him, I did hot glue a pipe cleaner with a craft stick over it to the back!

And, that's it!  He only took a couple of hours, and I just couldn't love him more!  I hope and pray that I make the artists at MC proud! I wanna be them when I grow up !!! lol

Here's my little guy in the Parlor, and I love him so much, I think he might even need some "friends"!! (*wink wink*)

As always, you have blessed me with your presence today! Thank you for spending a piece of your day with me!

If you have questions/comments about this project or any project you see here, please don't hesitate to message below, or come find me on my Facebook page -----> My Artfelt Moments and message me there !

Don't forget to subscribe here and "like" my Facebook page so that we can make some more fun stuff together in the future!

Until next time, keep sharing your gift with the world!

With my heart,