Color Buzz

Child-Friendly DIY Mother's Day Gift: "Tree" Jewelry Display

by Veronique Habermann

Kids love to make gifts themselves, especially for their moms. Here is a fun and easy project that kids will love as it involves a  favorite child's past time: gathering sticks and stones! Many thanks to Ann’s adorable son Jack who helped me with this project!

Friday Project Series: How to Paint a Stencil Door Mat

by Veronique Habermann

Boston Legacy 2005-9A	Dove White 7002-7

Here is an inexpensive way to spruce up a “boring” but useful grass door mat. I included a template of the flowers, but the world is the limit as far as motif choices for this project. Have fun with this version or your own and send pictures of your finished mat. We’d love to see it!

Friday Project Series: Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards

By Veronique Linnett


Nothing is sweeter than homemade Valentine’s day cards. They are much more personal that a store-bought item! (except for maybe a diamond, come to think of it…)

For this Friday Project Series, we’d like to demonstrate how you can make the perfect Valentine’s Day cards using Valspar paint. This splatter-friendly project would be great to do with your kids. Just make sure you use a big drop cloth!

Here’s what you’ll need:

Valspar Paint
     -La Fonda Fireberry
     -Pink Burst
     -Grand Hotel Geranium
     -Warm Pink
Pinking shears
Red satin ribbon
Glue
Water
2’’ chip paintbrush
Drop cloth
White card stock
White paper
Hair dryer

To begin:

 

- Once the space is covered with a drop cloth, alternatively dip your brush in assorted shades, then splatter on the white paper.
- Once you have reached a look you like, let the paint dry. If needed, use a hair dryer to move the process along. 
- Lightly draw heart shapes on the splattered paper with a pencil to help with the cutting.
- Cut out hearts using pinking shears.
- Fold a the card stock and glue hearts on the front of a blank card.
- Glue a few inches of red ribbon on each side of the card for added detail.
Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday Project Series: Stay Organized with Chalkboard Paint

By Veronique Linnett


As a single mom, one of my top priorities this year is getting more organized. Nothing is more frustrating than needless errands to pick up something I forgot to pick up the day before. I’ve tried keeping shopping lists, but I often misplace them. To solve this problem, I decided to add a chalkboard in my kitchen where I and my teenage son can track the items we need from the store.

To create this simple and usable item, you’ll need the following: 

 - Valspar chalkboard paint
- a paint brush
- blue painter’s tape
- a level (bubble) ruler
- a used credit card

Follow these simple steps to create the kitchen chalkboard:

- Determine the area you want your chalk board to cover.

- Trace a rectangle on the wall with the bubble ruler to make sure it is straight.  

 - Tape along your tracing.

- Using a used credit, apply pressure along the side of the tape that will be painted to seal the edges.

- Apply paint with the brush, making sure you smooth out brush strokes.

- Add additional coats as needed. 

- Once dry, peel tape off gently.

- Wait 24 hours before writing on your new chalkboard.

You can watch the process from start to finish here:

Friday Project Series: Jewelry Display

By Megan Leblond

I can not stop singing praises for Valspar's Brillant Metals Collection! After painting my den in a metallic, I am moving on to other smaller projects throughout the house so I can incorporate the look even more.

One project I’d like to share is an elegant jewelry display made from an old ornate frame or inexpensive current model, or purchase some over-the-top crown molding (they will make the cuts for you) from your local home renovation store. 

To create a beautiful jewelry display, follow these simple steps:

1. Choose some colorful images for this collage project.

 

2. Collect a picture frame, fabrics, papers, ribbons, hooks, decorative nails, picture frame and cork board. You can also use silk flower elements in your jewelry display—something small that could hold a ring or earrings.

If you would like your display to have plush aspects purchase some batting and pins to attach 'pillowed' sections.

 

3. Purchase tester pints from the Brilliant Metals Valspar collection.

4. Paint the picture frame with the metallic paint. Affix the cork board to the back of the frame.

5. Paint any of the cork board that you would like to show through.

6. Cut and collage fabrics, images, and papers onto the cork.

7. Use a hot glue gun or tacky glue to create a backdrop for your jewelry display. Affix the papers and fabrics to a thin cork board available at your craft store. This way you may poke earrings or nails easily into your design.

8. Create plush sections by pinning or nailing fabric covered batting in place.  Upholstery nails work beautifully and are decorative.

9. Layout an interesting pattern. I have chosen the woman's basket for a ring tie, and her sleeve for a hanging heart pendant—I’ve been told I wear my heart on my sleeve many times!

 

10. Add fine nails, ribbons and hooks for your jewelry.

 

Voila! You have created a beautiful showcase of your collection that will be pleasing to you and interesting to others. Being able to view your collection will make it easier to more creative with it when you are creating looks with your wardrobe.

Stars

By Michele Coppin

Every time I come to New York, I expect to see stars, especially around the holidays.
 
Star: Noun
1. Any of the heavenly bodies, except the moon, appearing as fixed luminous points in the sky.
 
2. A conventionalized figure usually having five or six points radiating from or disposed about a center.
 
3. Figure used as an ornament, award, badge, mark of excellence
 
4. A person who is celebrated or distinguished in some art, profession or other field.

5. Someone who brightens up your life.
 
This last trip, I saw a caroling cowboy on Times Square,



Shrek in a Christmas hat frolicking around Union Square,

Friday Project Series: Frosty Christmas Eve Luminaries

By Veronique Habermann  

 

There is a growing Christmas Eve trend in my neighborhood surpasses my expectation each year. When it first began, only a few houses lined their property with luminaries on that special night. More recently, I have been surprised and enchanted to see the snowball effect it has created as more and more families participate each year.

 

Last year, in particular, it seems that I was able to drive back from my family Christmas dinner through a mile of uninterrupted light-bordered streets. It was magic. My little nephew was with me in the car and he looked awestruck looking out his window. I told him that it was Santa’s landing strip! I love the community spirit of this tradition, and I hope it is a trend that will be here to stay.

 

If you’d like to make luminaries this year, you will need:

 

-         Brown paper lunch bags

-         Tea light candles

-         Rice or sand

-         An exacto knife

-         Leftover white paint (We use Valspar’s Dove White)

-         A paint brush

-         Water

-         Pencil

-         Templates (you can download HERE)

-         A drop cloth

 1. 2.

 3. 4.

Paint each bag with the white paint and water. As you paint every side of the bag over the drop cloth, it creates unevenness, which is good—a very cool, frosty and organic look. It is a very quick process.

 

When the bags are dry, insert a piece of cardboard and draw a letter from a word you want to spell or a holiday shape (You can even use this template). Then carefully use exacto knife to cut out the shape.

 

Place a handful of rice or sand at bottom of bag.

 

Once the bag is upright, I like to roll top of bags to give them a little more body.

 

Insert a candle, line bags outside, wait for dawn and lit them up. You can reuse the same luminaries year after years.

 

Happy holidays and enjoy!

Friday Project Series: Recycled Gift Wrap

By Veronique Habermann

In these times of economic hardship and awareness of the environment, I thought it would be nice this year to wrap my gifts in the recycled boxes and bags I have been saving for a while. Here is what you need – but be creative. There is no limit here:

• Assorted sizes of recycled shipping boxes (with online shopping, we all end up with so many!)
• Assorted packing material
• Recycled ribbons (any color)
• Raffia strings (50 cents at craft store)
• Recycled jewelry boxes
• Assorted sizes of recycled paper bags
• Valspar spray paint in metal silver
• Valspar spray paint in glitter gold
• Valspar spray paint in metal glitter copper

Make sure you tear off all shipping labels on boxes. Also, work in a well-ventilated area and unlike me, wear latex gloves!

Let your creativity guide you and spray paint your gift wrapping and packages in solid colors or use our stencil templates from last week’s DIY holiday cards post to create a design. Add on bows, raffia strings and ribbons for extra flair. And remember, be sure sure to let everything properly dry before wrapping all of your presents!

 

 

Voila! Have fun!

Friday Project Series: Simply Spray Paint Magic

I’m having dinner at my house over Thanksgiving weekend (I’m spared the actual Thanksgiving dinner thanks to my mother-in-law!). But don’t worry, people will still be coming over, and I want to give them something nice to eat and also something to feast their eyes on!

I couldn’t believe how gorgeous this project turned out!  I’m so excited. The real beauty is how easy it is... and how inexpensive!

It’s all in the art of spray paint. First, you go gather things from the yard, or in the case of my friend Susan, something from the produce section of the grocery store. You then pick a favorite metallic spray finish.  For this, I chose silver.



Get on the gloves and in a well-ventilated space, start spraying and let the magic happen. I spray painted leaves, branches and pine cones.



For the acorns, I went with copper, just to give a little dimension.



My friend used silver spray painted on apples, which turned out beautiful.




Then comes the fun of setting it out on the table and lighting the candles. Voila! The added beauty of working with objects from the yard is that you can pack them up and use them year after year. Even during these tough times, we have so much to be thankful for. Adding a little sparkle to the table reminds us of the good things ahead. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Friday Project Series: Painting an Altar

By Michele Coppin



To celebrate the Day of the Dead, Mexican families create beautiful altars in honor of their loved ones who have passed away. The photo of the departed is placed in the center surrounded by ofrendas - offerings of food like bread, fruit and drinks.

Paper flags knows as papel picado lend a festive quality to the shrine. Common themes include birds, floral designs and skeletons. They are displayed for celebrations such as weddings, Easter, Christmas and the Day of the Dead with vibrant pinks, oranges and purples.

The altars are also covered with yellow marigold flowers known as campazuchitl. Like bursts of light, these glorious flowers are believed to attract the departed souls.

Candles and incense are also lit, lending a spiritual and intimate quality to the altar. What makes this tradition unique is that every altar is different because they reflect the personalities of the deceased and their family.





Colorful skulls and skeletons made of sugar are often incorporated into the design. They are adorned with festive dress and musical instruments, adding humor and reflecting positive memories of the loved ones.



Some shrines are devoted to national heroes or beloved artists like Frida Kahlo.



Rather than decorating with spooky witches and ghouls this Halloween, I’ve decided to embrace my Mexican heritage by making an altar for my father. Here are the simple steps:

First, I chose a photo of my papa smiling, which I placed on my mantle.



Next, I drew calaveras on paper which his grandchildren decorated. They used bright cheerful colors to honor their grandfather and it meant a lot to them to share in this process.







Then, I made paper flags into elaborate designs from tissue paper.



To make the paper flags yourself, all you need is multicolored tissue paper, white drawing paper and scissors. Place the white paper on top of tissue paper for stiffness.





Fold into four sections with the drawing paper on top and sketch a pattern or design on the white paper. Then cut out and separate each section carefully. Finally, string them together to make a long, colorful banner.

Along with my paper flags, I added some ofrendas of bananas, apples, and a few seashells.

Finally, I placed yellow and orange flowers and candles around the altar. The final result is beautiful and moving. It serves as a reminder that his life and life in general are meant to be celebrated.