Tami Loves Vintage

Creating Keepsakes With Vintage Treasures

Easy Faux Marbling

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I have a fun and beautiful project for you this week, friends! I am showing you how to use paint to create easy faux marbling. I love this technique and can’t wait to teach you how it’s done!

Whether you have a whole wall or just a small mirror that needs a makeover, this easy faux marbling is a fun way to make them beautiful! And, when I say easy, I mean E.A.S.Y! Since marbling has such an abstract look to it, you really can’t mess this up. In the video below I show you how to achieve this look. You’ll feel like a professional painter in no time. Even if you’ve never painted anything before!

Easy Faux Marbling

Have you been staring at an old table top, bathroom cabinet, or dresser thinking “ugh, I’m just tired of the way it looks”? I have a simple and fun treatment that you can use to give any surface new life! Marble gives such a beautiful and elegant look to any room. But it is so expensive, most of us can’t invest in the real deal. With a little bit of paint, though, we can get the same look for a fraction of the cost!

Some of you may know that I paint houses as a profession. From regular color changes to awesome treatments, I do it all. This marbling technique is a popular one and it is also one of my favorites to do. It’s so easy and it’s a ton of fun! And I’m totally serious when I say that anyone can do it. Once you learn how it’s done you’ll be able to transform any surface!

I use Country Chic paint for this project because it is my favorite paint. You can use whatever brand you like though. For this look what you need is a cream color and a beige/brown. There are lots of other marbling colors too but this one is my favorite. Once you have the technique down you can start to experiment with other shades!

Faux Marbling Supply List

  • Chalk based paint (I used Country Chic Cheesecake and Harmony)
  • Surface for marbling (cabinet, pillar, mirror frame, table tops, etc)
  • Chip brush
  • Primer (optional)
  • Painter’s tape (optional)
  • Feather

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Depending on the surface you will be painting you may want to add a layer of primer before you start your faux marbling. Once that dries, use the painter’s tape to tape off any areas you want to protect.
  2. Next take your chip brush and dip it in one of the paint colors. Use the brush to tap the paint on in a diagonal line. Leave a space between each line where you will come back in with the second color.
  3. Then use the second color to fill in the open areas, blend the two colors together by tapping your brush in between the two. Just keep dabbing and blending until you have a beautiful marble effect.
  4. Finally, take the feather and drag the edge of the it into the paint and then wiggle it across your project to make it look like a vein. If you are a little nervous about this try a practice swipe on a piece of paper first. It’s so easy and fun to do!

The Wrap Up…

That’s it friends, I told you this would be easy! And it’s oh so beautiful too. There are so many things that you can use this treatment on. Any type of furniture and anything you can paint can be marbled! Just don’t try it on the dog, he probably won’t appreciate it much. I always love the way this faux marbling turns out and I hope you do too!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

Making Steampunk Creations

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Many of you know how much I love collecting and making vintage treasures. Today I am making steampunk creations that are the perfect way to make use of your collection of small vintage items!

One of my very favorite things to do is to help people find ways to display their family heirlooms. So often we keep things from our loved ones because they are dear to us but they end up staying in a box in a closet somewhere. What I do is help people get those boxes out of the basement and incorporate those treasured items into their home. In the video below I’m making steampunk creations that are a fun way to display those random vintage items that many of us love but don’t know what to do with!

Making Steampunk Creations

For those of you who don’t know, steampunk decor is basically an elegant blend of of vintage items, many of which come from the Victorian and industrial revolution era. I don’t stick to any rules or eras when I am making my creations, I just chose items that I love and think work well together.

The items that I use for these pieces are true vintage treasures that I’ve collected over the years. Whenever I go to vintage markets I spend time digging through bins finding items that I love. You can do the same thing but you can also ask to go through your grandpa’s garage or your grandma’s basement. Those little items that come from our family members add so much beauty and sentimental value to these pieces!

Each piece is different

I give you basic instructions for this project but each piece is going to be wonderfully unique based on what items you are working with. Each piece is its own beautiful tribute to history and I love every one for its uniqueness. If you are like me, you already have a lot of treasures at home that you can use. If you don’t have items though yet, I can help! You can find several on my website that will get you started. If you have something in mind that you don’t see on the website you can message me on Facebook and I’ll see what I can find. And, you can become a treasure hunter yourself and hit up your local vintage markets!

Supply List

Steampunk Creations Instructions

  1. Start by laying out your fun vintage treasures. Lay your pieces on the door plate and move things around until you figure out how you want them arranged.
  2. Once you have everything placed, propped, and arranged how you want it start gluing your pieces down. Start by gluing your bottom pieces first and then build up any layers.

The Wrap Up…

And that’s it friends! These are very simple to make. The fun comes in digging through all the beautiful bits and putting your piece together like a puzzle. If you love the look of these pieces but don’t want to make your own. I can help you there too! There are some available for purchase in my shop that you can check out. I love these treasure compilations so much and I hope you do too!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

How to Paint and Distress a Front Door

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Painting is my specialty and I’m excited to share one of my favorite techniques with you. Today I’m showing you how to paint and distress a front door. I really love this look!

This is the time of year that we start thinking about what projects we want to tackle on outside of our homes. If you have been thinking about giving your front door a makeover I have a beautiful option for you! In the video below I show you how to paint and distress a front door and the results are fabulous! This method is a great way to make your door look fresh and clean but keep an antique, vintage look. You know that’s a combination that makes this vintage lover happy!

How to Paint and Distress a Front Door

One of the main features of curb appeal is the front door. It can add so much to the overall exterior look of your home. And, just like the interior of our homes, there are so many different styles and colors that we can choose from. I really love using this method because it gives such a beautiful vintage feel to any type of door and any type of home.

Even if you have a beautiful older home, a lot of times the door will have been replaced because the original one has withstood too much damage. And often the new doors are all one fabricated piece and not individual pieces of wood that have been crafted together. Whether that’s the case or you have a newer home with a newer door, this process lets you mimic that classic wooden door look.

Tips and Tricks…

In the video below I share some great tips and tricks for this process. One thing I really want you to know thought is not to be scared of giving this a try! If you don’t like how one part of the door turned out you can always go back in gently with the base coat and tone it down. Just start with a light hand when distressing and you’ll be fine!

Find an image of a wooden door you’d like to mimic

If your door is wooden you’re job will be even easier because you’ll just follow the natural grains and separations of the wood. If you have a door that is not wooden though, don’t worry! Just find an image online of a wooden door that you love and you’ll see how the wood is patterned and be able to mimic it. Just beware, looking up vintage wooden door images is a rabbit hole, there are so many gorgeous vintage doors out there! Don’t worry, I explain how to mimic the wood in the video too.

Supply List

  • Exterior paint in the shade for the door’s base coat
  • Paint brush
  • Painter’s tape
  • Black exterior paint (semi-gloss)
  • Paint pan
  • Water
  • Rag

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Start by taping off and painting your door the color you chose for your base. Allow the paint to dry before moving on to the next step.
  2. Next, use the painter’s tape to tape off the lines where the wood of the door separates. If your door is all one place then make it mimic wood by taping off where the wood pieces would be. (I show you this step in the video so if my words don’t make much sense here, don’t worry!)
  3. Now put a little bit of water in your paint pan then add a little bit of the black paint, you want about a 1:1 ratio. Use your brush to mix it, you want your paint to be nice and thin. Next, brush most of the paint off of your brush. I like to use a cardboard box for this step.
  4. Next start applying the black paint with a light hand, going with the direction of your wood grain (or how the grain would go). Do your horizontal lines first. Start at your tape and work outward. You don’t want solid lines here, you’re just adding what looks like wood grain. Use a rag to smooth out the paint if you need to. You want some heavy areas and some light. Again, you’ll see what I mean in the video.
  5. Once your horizontal lines are done you can start to remove the tape and then do the vertical lines. If your door has beveled edges be sure to hit the high points of the beveling with the paint.

The Wrap Up…

Whether you have a single or double door, a new home or an older one, you can use this method to beautify your front door. I love the look of this base color because it mimics burnished wood. But you can use any base color that makes your eyes and heart happy! I hope you love the results as much as I do. And, I would love to know if you try it!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

DIY Decorated Books

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I love using books in my decor, especially vintage books. Today I’m making my own DIY decorated books out of ones I found on my shelf. The results are beautiful books with a vintage look!

If you love books as much as I do, this project is for you! It combines two of my favorite things: books and vintage decor! These DIY decorated books are simple to do and use supplies that you may already have at home. All you need is a book you know you wont read again, some Mod Podge, a few old book pages, and muslin shreds. A few simple steps and you’ll be able to give beautiful new life to a book that was just sitting and collecting dust. That’s a big win in my book!

DIY Decorated Books

You know that I like to share all of the things that I love with you and this project is one of my favorites! These books are wonderful as display items, they look great on a mantel or end table. They are also great to give as gifts and can be used as a special photo album or scrap book. The pages still open at each section where the muslin shreds are tied and you could put photos on those pages. It would be a beautiful gift for a wedding or baby shower!

If you’ve been following me for awhile you know that I love to use muslin shreds. I add them to vintage bottles, books, and so many other decorative items. It is so easy to always have the shreds on hand for your craft projects. If you want to learn how to make your own muslin shreds, I have a post for that too. They’re super easy and you can do most of it while watching TV in the evenings!

Where to find your books…

Don’t worry friends, I wouldn’t do this process with just any book. I chose a couple of books from my shelf that I know I’m never going to read. If you don’t have any books that you’re willing to part with (and believe me, I get it!) you can browse the shelves at your local thrift store. Usually you can find books that there are zillions of copies of and you don’t actually care to read. I’ve actually scored some awesome vintage books while looking for books I’d be willing to craft with! Bonus!

Supply List

  • A hard cover book; any one will work!
  • Old paper pages (from books, catalogs, and anything else you have)
  • Mod Podge (I like the matte finish for this project)
  • Chip brush
  • Hole punch
  • Muslin shreds
  • Pencil or BBQ skewer
  • Add-ons like keys

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Start by covering one side of your book with Mod Podge. Then rip the old pages to the size and shape that you want and place them onto the book. this part is like a puzzle, use different shades of pages and different texts to add variety. As you add more pages, add more Mod Podge to secure them all in place. Repeat this process until the whole front cover, back cover, and spine. Continue to the inside of the front and back covers if you want to.
  2. Next, use the whole punch to punch holes in a section of the pages. Move the holes around for each section so they are alternating. (I show you exactly how to do this in the video!)
  3. Once all your holes are punched, take one muslin shred and use the pencil or skewer to push it through the holes of one section and tie it. Trim it if you need too. Then move on to the next set of holes and do the same. Repeat until all your holes are full.

The Wrap Up…

And that’s all there is too it! In the video above I also show you how to display books that have their binding removed. Sometimes vintage books don’t hold up so well but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be loved and displayed. I show you a super easy way to use them! I hope you love this project as much as I do friends, happy crafting!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

Painting Flower Pots

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I love this time of year! It’s finally time to start getting outside and enjoying the sunshine again. Today I’m painting flower pots to spruce them up and add some pretty to my back porch!

Terra cotta pots are great for plants. They are heavy enough to stand up to the elements but porous enough to keep the plants happy. The only problem is that I’ve never really liked the color of them. So I’m painting my flower pots and showing you how I do it. You know I love vintage decor so the method I use gives my pots more of an antique look. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Painting Flower Pots

I can’t wait to get outside and plant some flowers! It’s not quite warm enough yet but I can still have fun getting some old pots ready. I grabbed these terra cotta pots right off my porch and I’m using some paint and antique wax to give them a beautiful grungy look. This is really easy to do and you don’t need any painting experience to pull it off, I promise!

I love the look of those designer pots that you see in the stores. But, I don’t love paying the designer prices. By painting your own pots you can save a bunch of money and have more control over the look you want. If you like a lot off the mossy look, go nuts with it! Prefer a lighter look? Just use less paint. And, with the money you save by making your own, you’ll be able to buy more pots and really fill in your outside space!

Ways to use your painted pots…

The pots I made are going to be used a couple of different ways. I show you what I’m doing with one of them in the video below, it will be part of my indoor decor. I will be using the other ones for their traditional purpose: flowers! You could also use these for fake plants inside or outside of your house. Or, they would be a super cute way to display a fairy garden. You could also fill them with moss and arrange a few together (some standing, some laying down) and use them as decorative items inside or outside. There are so many possibilities!!

Supply List

  • Terra cotta flower pots (any size)
  • Paint tray
  • Cream colored paint (I used Country Chic’s Cheesecake)
  • Moss green paint (I used Country Chic’s Nocturnal)
  • Antiquing wax
  • Chip brush
  • Dry rag

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Pour your cream colored paint into the tray. Get some paint on your chip brush and then dab off some of the excess. You don’t want it super heavy with paint. Next, start lightly dabbing the paint onto your pot. As you start filling in, use a heavier dab. Keep going until you’ve covered and area with paint then move to another section of the pot and repeat. Continue until your whole pot is covered. Make sure to go a little bit down the inside and bottom of the pot too.
  2. Let your cream paint dry and then move on to the moss green. Use the same method to add the green around the bottom of the pot. Use a light hand for this part. Then go back to the cream paint and very lightly tap some on over the green. Next, go back in and add a light layer of the green again.
  3. Now use your finger or wax brush to add a little antiquing wax under the lip of the pot and use a dry rag to smooth it out. Add a little bit to the lip too.

The Wrap Up…

And that’s how to paint your flower pots to give them a vintage feel! I love the way these turned out and will definitely enjoy displaying them. If you don’t love the vintage grunged look you can still use this process! Just pick a few colors that you do love and go to town. However you decide to do this project I hope you have as much fun with it as I do!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

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Are you looking for new ways to decorate eggs? This year I’m thinking outside the box when it comes to Easter egg decorating ideas! I’ve put together a whole list of fun new ideas for you!

The old box of egg decorating dyes is fine but I’m ready to try something else, how about you? There are so many creative ideas out there! I was surfing Pinterest and got so inspired by the techniques I found that I wanted to share them with you! Some are easy and great to do with kiddos and others are true works of art. Whatever your skill level you are sure to find something you’re going to love! I have them all saved for you on my Spring Pinterest Board so you can easing find the ones you want to try!

Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

To make it easier I’ve separated these fabulous eggs into categories for you here. When you get to the Spring Pinterest Board they will all be mixed in together but you’ll also be able to see some of the other cute ideas I’ve found for spring decor.

Vintage Eggs

You know I had to start with some of my favorite vintage egg ideas! Sometimes “vintage” and “farmhouse” overlap so I’ve grouped them together here. Whatever you want to call them though, they are beautiful!

These are so lovely and wouldn’t require a whole lot of supplies. All you’d need would be some beautiful vintage paper, Mod Podge (or spray adhesive), and some twine!

I made these vintage eggs and I love how they turned out! I also did a blog post that includes a video tutorial so that you can learn how to make your own. There are so many variations that you can try with this method!

These moss eggs are so cute! I love the contrast of the natural green with the black and white of the other eggs. You could easily add the words with a permanent marker. If you don’t love your hand writing though you could also use a vinyl cutting machine to make the words. These would look great in a pretty whicker basket!

I absolutely love this idea! Depending on the colors and plants you use you could make these look vintage or fit with any decor style. I also think they’d look cute just wrapped in the plants! This article also teaches you about using natural dyes so that’s a bonus.

Fun for the Whole Family

This looks like a whole bunch of fun! You could also use shaving cream instead of whipped cream to achieve the same results. The littles in your life would have a blast with this sensory coloring technique!

Tie dye eggs!! This method uses brush pen markers to tie dye your eggs. I’m thinking that this would be far less messy for little fingers than the traditional cups of dye. Disclaimer though, I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t promise that it’s less messy. But, it sure looks fun!

I would have loved to do this one with my girls when they were little! It looks like fun and, with the rice, is another great sensory experience. You could also save the colored rice for the kids to play with again and again!

Hand Painted Eggs

This is where the art really comes in but don’t let that discourage you! Some of these are more abstract and actually easier to do than you’d think.

These look amazing and don’t actually require and painting experience! Some blobs of pretty color and a fine tipped permanent marker and you’re all set!

Love the look of brown eggs? This one is for you! And again, no real painting skill needed. Flowers are very forgiving for beginning painters, they don’t have to be perfectly shaped or symmetrical to still look like beautiful blooms!

These eggs would take a little more skill with a brush but I still wanted to share them with you. They’re so gorgeous and I know that some of you could pull this off!

How cute are these lady bugs?!? I love these little guys! The details of these are fabulous but I think they’d still be super cute even if you’re not a talented painter!

Other Great Egg Ideas

These are all unique and beautiful design ideas. I wish I had more room in my house so I could try them all!

Love a little bling in your decor? These gold foil eggs are a great way to add some shine! These also have a bit of an antique feel.

These are so unique and pretty! And it says right there in the picture that they are easy to do! This would also be a great way to use up some of your leftover yarn stash.

Tiny beads add so much depth and texture to these pretty eggs! This method could also be fun to do with older kids. I don’t think I’d set a pan of itsy bitsy beads in front of a toddler though. I fell like I’d end up still finding them in the house until next Easter!

These are just too cute! I love this idea and can’t wait to try it. You could stick with the traditional carrot colors or mix it up with other spring colors. Either way they’d be adorable!

The Wrap Up…

I hope you found some fun Easter egg decorating ideas that you’re excited to try! These are just some of my favorites and it was hard to narrow it down to these, there are so many awesome ideas out there! When you go to the Spring Pinterest Board to check these out, you’ll see even more egg ideas. And lots of other inspiration for spring projects. I hope you love what you see! Happy egg decorating and Happy Easter, friends!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage

Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

DIY Spring Door Hangers

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Spring is officially here friends! I’m so excited to get outside and enjoy the new life around us. Today I’m showing you how to make spring door hangers that are the perfect way to welcome the new season!

Many of you probably know that I love to decorate the inside of my house for the seasons. Today I’m branching out and focusing on the front door. These spring door hangers are adorable and they are perfect for those of us who live in colder climates and have storm doors. These cuties lay pretty flat which means they will fit perfectly between your two doors! In the video below I show you just how it’s done!

DIY Spring Door Hangers

When I closed my shop I had a bunch of adorable wood cutouts that were perfect for this project. I know that you probably don’t just have these laying around like I did but don’t worry! You can find wood door hanger blanks in many places. They have them at the craft stores and online. If you want to support a fellow crafter and small business, you can grab lots of cute ones on Etsy!

Painting your Door Hanger

Once you have your door hanger it’s time to paint! For this step you can just use your basic acrylic paint (available at craft stores and big box stores). When deciding on which paint colors to use, keep in mind the ribbon you will be using for you bow. The paint and ribbon colors don’t have to match exactly but you want them to compliment each other.

Once your paint has dried you’ll be able to add your stenciled letters. I use Chalk Couture because that’s my favorite. I love working with it and love the way it looks. If you would rather use something else though you can! Regular plastic stencils and paint would work fine. Or, if you have a vinyl cutting machine you could add your words as a decal. However you decide to go, I’m sure it will be adorable!

Supply List

  • Wooden door hanger blank (painted any way you like!)
  • Chalk Couture Paste and scraper
  • Spring transfer stencil
  • Variety of ribbon that matches your paint colors ( I used 1/4″ purple, 1/2″ purple, white string of tiny cotton balls, textured black and white check)
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Hot glue gun
  • Small fabric flower for the center of your bow
  • Hanger (I stapled a section of jute string to the back of mine or you can purchase an actual hanger and attach that. Whatever you use, make sure your staples/nails won’t poke through the front of your door hanger. You can add a piece of craft foam or cardboard to thicken that spot if you need to.)

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Start by choosing your door hanger blank and painting it however you like. Next, lay your spring transfer stencil over the painted door hanger and smooth it out. Then use your scraper to apply the Chalk Couture. Remove your transfer stencil and you’re ready to decorate your door hanger!
  2. Start by cutting your ribbons in similar lengths. If you are using wired ribbon, dovetail the ends. You can see exactly what I did in the video so you’ll have an idea. When you have all the ribbon you need, use the pipe cleaner to secure the center and attach the bow to your door hanger. If you don’t have a spot to wrap your pipe cleaner around, just trim the pipe cleaner and use hot glue to attach the bow.
  3. Use hot glue to attach your fabric flower to the center of your bow.
  4. Add your hanger to the back and you’re all done!

The Wrap Up

This is such a bright and fun project for spring! And, once you know how to do it, you can make these for any season. An Uncle Sam hat for Independence Day, a snow man for winter, there are so many possibilities! I hope you have as much fun with this idea as I did. Happy crafting friends!

Make sure you never miss a Live or discount for my website! Sign up here to receive texts and I’ll let you know when fun things are happening! https://my.community.com/tamilovesvintage Tami’s cell phone number 740-273-6693

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

Vintage Cardboard Bunny

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I just love crafting for spring! There is so much joy that comes with realizing that those happy days of new beginnings are right around the corner. Today I’m showing you how to make a vintage cardboard bunny and man is he cute!

This vintage cardboard bunny is really simple to make and probably uses materials you already have on hand! In the video below I show you step by step how to make this sweet spring decoration and it only takes me 20 minutes. A quick project like this means that you can make several if you want to! You can put them in different rooms or make one for you and one for a friend.

Vintage Cardboard Bunny

This is little bunny is such a fun project to make! I love the way it turned out and I love that it uses so many supplies that I already have on hand. I grabbed the cardboard right out of my recycling bin! If the cardboard you have isn’t corrugated, no worries. All you have to do is spritz it with water to dampen it and then let it sit for a few hours. After that, the top layer will peel right off. You may want to put something heavy on the cardboard while it’s soaking so that it stays flat.

Bunny Variations…

There are so many different ways that you can make this project! Obviously mine is meant to be vintage but yours doesn’t have to be. You could swap out the cardboard and book page for bright cardstock. The burlap could be replaced by raffia, drop cloth, or a spring patterned fabric. And the embellishments you use to decorate it can be anything you want! I just want to inspire you with the project idea so you can make it any way you like.

Finding your bunny template is simple to do too. You can just search for “bunny silhouette” online and you’ll get lots of options to choose from. Then you will just need to print it in the size you want and cut it out. I like the side shot because I can add a cute little tail to it but you could go with any angle you like.

Supply List

  • Bunny silhouette
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Blush (I used packed blush, not the loose kind)
  • Box cutter
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Cardboard scrap
  • Large book page
  • Burlap
  • Buttons (or skeleton keys, cabinet keys, square head nails, broaches…whatever you want to decorate your bunny!)
  • Brown coffee filters
  • Small doilies, paper shreds, paper mache egg (optional)
  • Hot glue gun

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Start by cutting out your bunny. Then rip a piece of cardboard to be your rectangular backdrop.
  2. Next take a large book page and rip the edges of that too.
  3. Then use a box cutter to cut a piece of cardboard (any kind) in a smaller rectangle than your back drop, this will be added to the back to give the piece more stability.
  4. Now lay your bunny on the book page and trace it. Then take the edge of your pencil and roughly shade the edge of the bunny. Then take your finger and smudge the line to soften it. Add in some whiskers and an eye if you want to.
  5. Next use hot glue to attach the stabilizing cardboard to the back of the corrugated cardboard and the book page to the front.
  6. Now use your finger to apply a little bit of blush to the inner ears and nose of the bunny.
  7. Next it’s time to decorate the piece. Add doilies so they poke out from the back. Cut a patch of burlap and add that to a top corner of the piece. Add your buttons and keys to the burlap.
  8. At a bottom corner glue down some paper scraps then add the egg on top of that.
  9. Next, take 2 brown coffee filters and scrunch up their bottoms together. Then cut about half of them off from the bottom. They glue them down where the tail of thee bunny would be. Fluff that out and you’re all done!

The Wrap Up…

And that’s it friends! I love the way this turned out. The look of the brown coffee filters is just what I wanted but you could absolutely use regular ones if that’s what you have or prefer. And don’t be afraid to try different things with your bunny. It’s just paper, if you don’t like it you can always try again. I can’t wait to see what you come up with, have fun crafting friends!

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

Paper Mache Bunny

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I just love spring crafts, especially Easter crafts! Today I’m showing you how to make an adorable paper Mache bunny that is so fun to do. And I use instant paper Mache so it’s so easy!

I know that when you hear the words paper mache bunny you probably think of a big ole drippy mess. It doesn’t have to be like that anymore though! Now you can use instant paper mache that works just like clay and is so easy to use. If you’ve never worked with this medium before this is the perfect project for you. This bunny is super forgiving, it doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact it’s the imperfections that make it so cute!

Paper Mache Bunny

Let’s talk about this amazing “clay” for a minute. I love this stuff because it gives that awesome paper Mache look but without all the paper, liquid, and layering. It basically behaves like a clay which makes it easy to mold into the shapes you want. Like cute little bunnies for Easter!

When the “clay” is wet it is a gray color but once it dries it becomes white. Leaving it as is fits nicely with the vintage look that I love but you can also paint it. For my bunny I did a mix, I used paint to add detail but left the rest raw.

What is this membership you speak of?

When you watch the video below, you will see exactly how I made my adorable bunny. In the video I also talk about my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. I want to mention it here because this video is an older one and there have been some great changes to the group since then.

First off, in the video I say that the membership is $27 a month but it’s only $15 now! Second, when you join the group you’ll get exclusive live craft tutorials from me every month but you also get access to all the past tutorials. That’s a whole lot of crafting fun! If you want to know more about the group you can find more information here. I’d love to see you in this super fun group of fabulous ladies!

Supply List

  • Instant paper Mache like CelluClay
  • Aluminum foil
  • Bobby pin or toothpick
  • (optional) paint. I used pink and black for my bunny
  • Small paint brush
  • Whiskers (I used bristle ends from an old broom but you can use anything you like!)
  • Rapid fuse glue
  • Ribbon for bow

Step by Step Instructions

  1. First, follow the directions on your box of clay to get it ready to use. Next, make 2 small balls with the aluminum foil. Then take the clay and form it evenly over the balls.
  2. On one of the balls start to form indentations for the eyes. Then form a little nose.
  3. Next make two foil shapes for ears. Don’t worry about making them perfectly, you’ll use the clay to shape them up well. Form the clay over the foil to make your ears. Add the ears to the head and then make a small tail. You want the tail to look textured so don’t smooth it down too much.
  4. Use a bobby pin or similar tool to carve in little whiskers.
  5. Lay the bunny head and body on a baking sheet lined with parchment to dry. You can either let it air dry or bake it in the oven to dehydrate the clay.
  6. Once the clay is dry glue the head onto the body and get ready to paint if you want to do that. I used pink paint for the inner ears and nose and black paint to do the eyes and mouth.
  7. Use the glue to add your whiskers and then use the ribbon to tie a cute little bow around the bunny’s neck.

The Wrap Up…

And that’s it friends! Once you get the hang of molding, this project is easy peasy. And, now that you know how to do it you’ll be able to make items for all of the seasons. Think about cute little snowmen and Valentine hearts! You may have noticed that sometimes it can be hard to judge how much clay you will need. If you have leftovers just try to think of a creative way to use it up. That’s easy for Easter, just roll it into eggs! I hope you love this project as much as I did. Happy crafting friends!

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

How to Make Rosettes

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I have a great little project for you today friends! I’m showing you how to make rosettes that are the perfect addition to any craft project!

Whether you’re a vintage lover like me or just like pretty things in general, having something beautiful that you can make yourself is always a win. I’m showing you how to make rosettes that add something special to decor and craft projects alike. You can make these match any color or style that you love. They can also be made in absolutely any size you like. As with most of my projects, there is no limit to where your creativity can take you with these!

How to Make Rosettes

These little rosettes may look complicated but they are actually one of the easiest things to make! The only trick to them is not getting burned by the hot glue. And, I have the solution to that problem! You just need to wait a quick minute after you apply the hot glue for it to cool a bit. Then you can still work with it while it’s flexible but not burn your finger tips. I show you exactly how to do this in the video below.

Picking Your Fabric…

Like I said, you can make these rosettes to match any style you want. It all comes down to choosing which fabric to use. I love vintage so I normally will use muslin (stained or plain), burlap, or ticking. If you love bright colors, pastels, or patterns just look for fabric that will be a good fit for you.

I love to keep an eye out at thrift stores and garage sales for old sheets, blankets, and other bits of fabric that I can craft with. There’s no point in spending top dollar for new fabric when I am usually shredding, staining, and wrapping with it. Plus, it’s a great way to do a little something for the planet by finding a new way to use old items. Repurposing is like a fun little game that I love to play every day!

The Finishing Touches…

When you’ve mastered the twist and wrap and have your rosettes all done there are a few things you can do with them. I love to add buttons or bling to the center of mine. You could also stack a small one onto the center of a big one for a layered look. When they’re complete you can use them anywhere and any way you like! They look adorable in wedding decor, gift wrapping, on lamp shades and pretty stools. You name it, you can put a rosette on it!

Supply List

  • Fabric of your choice (I used burlap, ticking, and muslin in this video)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Measuring tape
  • Embellishments for the center of your rosettes (like buttons, jewels, broaches, or earrings.) This is optional but oh so cute!

Step by Step Instructions

  1. Start by cutting your fabric into strips that are 1 inch wide and as long as you need it. For a small rosette I’ve used an 8″ strip for a really large one use a 30″ strip. For sizes in between adjust your length accordingly.
  2. Next put a dab of hot glue at the end of the strip. Wait for the glue to cool enough to handle then twist the end. Keep twisting your fabric and when you have a decent section twisted put another dab of hot glue and start wrapping your twisted fabric around itself.
  3. Keep twisting, gluing, and wrapping until you have completed your rosette. Be sure to wait for the glue to cool a bit before twisting and wrapping.
  4. When your rosette is complete you can use hot glue to add a pretty item to the center.

The Wrap Up…

I hope you love these rosettes as much as I do! You can see how easy they are to do. That means that you can make a whole bunch if you want to. I promise that once you start picturing how to use them you’ll want to put them on everything! I’d love to see what you come up with for yours so feel free to share your ideas with me, I would love that!

Looking for more decor inspiration? Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram! You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel so you never miss a video tutorial!

If you love creating vintage treasures as much as I do you can also join my membership group, Tami Loves Creating Vintage Treasures. There you will get exclusive tutorials that will teach you how to create beautiful and unique pieces that will fit perfectly with your vintage decor!

Tami Loves Vintage…

My name is Tami Neff and I would like to thank you for visiting my website. I hope you found many unique items to inspire you.  I love bringing you found vintage items to use when creating your treasures.  I have picked some of the nicest greenery around for you to use in your decor.  Please stop back often as we are always adding new items just for you.

tami

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