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DIY Craft Ideas: Chalk Paint Benefits

Chalk Paint does not mean it is made from chalk, but rather was named so because of its velvety, matte finish that gave it the appearance of chalk. One of the greatest features of chalk paint is that it contains low volatile organic compounds (VOC) and has no odor making it environmentally friendly and safe for your health or that of your children. Chalk Paint can also be used for interiors and exteriors. If you are interested in learning more about some DIY craft ideas using chalk paint, think about using it in these different ways.

Spruce up your Furniture

Are you looking for a new way to bring life into a piece of furniture in your home because it seems like your furniture is crying out for a new look? Well look no further, as Chalk paint offers you the great opportunity to update your furniture with a new look such as an antique, crackled finish or even a smooth and contemporary finish. Chalk paint gives the opportunity to easily offer your furniture an upgrade from your regular colors of brown or black. If you decide to use chalk paint for furniture, it is important to also purchase the wax as this will help protect it and provide a sheen that enhances the color.

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Add a Different Texture to your Walls

Because of the versatility of chalk paint, you will be able to add different textures to your walls to create a faux painted wall. You are able to allow the chalk paint to sit out and become thicker to create a different texture to your walls or you can add more water making it an option to use as a wash for your walls. Chalk paint also dries quicker than other paints making the time in between coats lesser.

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Add a new Look to your Flooring

Chalk paint is great for painting your floors or bringing out the grain in your wood flooring showing the natural look that your floors may contain but was not able to be seen so easily. Even if you do not have wood floors, you can still use chalk paint on your floors because it applies to literally almost any surface from metal to plastic or wood to terracotta, the options are available.

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Now that I have shared with you the many uses and benefits that chalk paint can offer your new DIY project, I can’t wait to see how this new trending paint inspires you and what you will create next.

For more DIY craft ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

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4 DIY Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Sweet & Tasty

One of the quickest ways to a father’s heart is through his stomach. Some great sweet and tasty ideas that you could make this Father’s Day are baked goods such as chocolate covered pretzels, whiskey and bacon brownies, or even chocolate bark.

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Handmade Firewood Tote

A unique idea for this Father’s Day is creating a firewood tote out of scrap fabrics and two wooden sticks. This useful gift is sure to make your father’s life easier as he is bringing in wood for the winter to warm the house.

Image via: Readymade.com

Homemade Shaving Cream

If you are not able to sew or perhaps baking is not your forte, you could consider making a shaving cream for your father. Not only is this thoughtful, but depending on the type of shaving cream you make, it may have great benefits for your father’s skin.

Image via: foodformyfamily.com

Comic Book Coasters

Finally, comic book coaster are a great idea for fathers that are big kids at heart, enjoy comics as a hobby currently, or once enjoyed them. If you are thinking of this choice, take old comic books or buy some from a comic book store along with corkboard for a great start to creating this unique idea.

Image via: www.brit.co

This Father’s Day surprise your father with a one of a kind gift that you were able to design yourself. Some of the greatest gifts are those that we are able to make ourselves. Your father will not be disappointed!

For more Father’s Day gift ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

DIY Craft: How to Make Lace Doily Bowls

Here is an easy way to turn lace doilies into bowls:

Materials:

Lace Doilies

White glue

Water

Food coloring or fabric dye (optional)

Plastic wrap

Plastic or glass bowls

How to make:

1. You can make bowls with white doilies or dye them at home in a range of vivid colors. You can use food color or fabric dye to dye your doilies.
2. Dissolve a few drops of food color in 1 cup of water and soak your doilies. You can add a few more drops of color to get the desired result. Let the doilies dry overnight before proceeding to the next step
3. Make a mix of 1/4^th cup white glue and 1/4^th cup water and soak the doily. It should be well covered with the glue mixture
4. Take a plastic bowl and place it upside down on your work table. Cover it with a plastic wrap. This is the mold for your doily bowl
5. Lay the glue mixture soaked doily on the plastic covered bowl and press it down well so it takes the shape of the bowl
6. Leave it in a cool, dry place overnight or until it is completely dry
7. The doily bowl can now be gently removed from the plastic mold

You can also use an inflated balloon to create the doily bowl and then pop it to remove the hardened doily. Your doily bowls can be used to store jewelry, display spring flowers or to simply decorate your mantel. Have you ever made DIY Craft: Lace Doily Bowls before? Aren’t they cool?

Have you ever found interesting vintage goodies at a yard sale?

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.  

Image via: DIY Home Sweet Home

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DIY Craft: How to Make your Own Cookie Cutters

Materials

• An empty, clean soda can
• Scissors (heavy duty work the best)
• Adhesive tape, duct tape or glue
• Work gloves (recommended)
• Pliers (optional)
• Paper and pen (optional)

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How to make your own diy cookie cutters

After having emptied and washed out the soda can, carefully cut the top and bottom off. Wearing protective gloves is highly advisable, since aluminum edges can cause serious cuts.

Now cut stripes out of the soda can. They should be about 1 inch or more. You can cut the can lengthwise, which will give you larger strips for larger cookie cutters. You can always make smaller stripes by cutting the ends of the longer stripes so they will suit your purposes. Also, if you would need larger strips, gluing some strips together is an option.

Fold both ends lengthwise towards the middle. That way you won’t have any sharp edges. Keep in mind that you are aiming to have an even, flat edge for better cutting. Use the opposite edge of a dinner knife or similar to even the edges out. You could fold just one end, in order to have one sharp cutting edge, but in that case you should be extra careful when cutting your dough. Also if you are not folding you have to be extra careful to cut the soda can evenly in the first place. If it not as even as you need it to, you could try smoothing it out with sanding paper. Not folding the ends at all is another option, but that will leave you with two cutting edges. Lining one edge with some duct tape might keep your hands safer. If you go with the not folding option, you can cut thinner stripes for easier handling.

Image via: Tasty Kitchen

For ease, trace your shape onto some paper. Try to keep your shape simple and keep in mind that you will be making cookies with it, so imperfections are totally accepted.  After having traced your shape, you can use a piece of string to measure the length of metal strip you will need. Cut the metal strip a longer than your string, because of the bending. Now, use your template to bend the metal strip. You can use pliers to help with details, any cylindrical object for curves (like a pencil or a glue stick etc.) and a table’s edge for corners. Search your household for anything that could work. Another tip is to have a solid object of the desired shape and use it to by “wrapping” your metal strip around it, in order for it to take on the shape of the object.

After finishing with the bending part, you can move on to glue the two ends together. For this you can use some glue (food grade if you want), or adhesive tape. You can even use a stapler to stick the ends together. Ready!

Image via: Carbivore

All you need now is your favorite sugar cookie recipe. The possibilities with these diy cookie cutters are literally endless. Don’t forget making a little fish to use when making your favorite goldfish cheese crackers!

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.