3 Thrift Store Revamps I just love!

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I’m always trying to find a way to create something from very little. I think true innovation in crafting is found when you find a way to get a high end look from very simple materials. Today, I thought I’d share three ideas that just WOW me in their simplicity and beauty.

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I just love this revamped old painting from Design Sponge that makes something unnattractive very sophisticated and cool! You could total use Tulip® Soft Paint (perfect for canvas) to paint over a giant canvas that you purchase at the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Actually, I was in the Salvation Army a few weeks ago (I actually think they have cheaper stuff than Goodwill) and there was a gigantic 60″ canvas just like this for only $8 bucks! I can’t say that this idea would fit into my current décor, but perhaps in the future I will need to visit this idea!


These thrift store plate mirrors from Craftynest are so fabulous and so easy to make! If you didn’t like the color of a plate set, you could totally spray paint it a solid color as well. I love that it’s as simple as gluing one thing to another! How easy is that?

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I am enamored with this decopauged bunny from A Soft Place to Land. It seems that we all have knick knacks that are tired and boring. I just love that you can make them look like a clean and classic or alter mixed media piece with tissue paper, collage papers, or fabrics! Along the lines of this idea, we created some for the iLoveToCreate booth using Collage Pauge Instant Decopauge™ (that’s a cat I Collage Pauged below…the dots are tissue paper cut with a paper punch). Cheryl Ball decopauged a dog figurine for the show using fabric and it looked just as cool! On a somewhat related note, hop over and read how she upgraded a necklace with nail polish. I saw it today in person and it totally wowed me! You have to go see here. I love colored enamel soooo much.

Collage Pauge cat

Hope you found these revamped ideas inspiring. What thrify projects have you seen that totally blew you away?

Until next time Swellions!

Alexa

Graffiti Glam Earrings

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graffiti glam earrings

Here’s a quick and easy project I whipped up using gift cards! OK, ok…I admit it, I actually stole these gift cards. I figure it’s not the worst thing I could do; however, you could ask them if you could have them, which is what I’ve done on a couple of occasions. You could also use old membership cards or the like. It’s not that hard to find those plastic cards, ya know?

I wanted to create a fun, recycled project and I love the thickness and clean lines I can create with these cards. Word to the wise, though…cutting into them, I couldn’t get a clean shape (like a star or heart) with scissors. If I had used an exacto, I could have achieved better results. Anyway, here’s what I did to create them!

Graffiti Glam Earrings

Supplies:
– Plastic gift cards
– Tulip Soft Paints in various colors
– Tulip Glam it Up Crystals
– Tulip Cordless Heat Setting Tool
– Spray paint in desired color
– newspaper
– Straight pin
– Corner rounder tool
– Scissors, exacto, or paper cutter
– Collage Pauge Instant DecoPauge (sparkly)
– paintbrushes/toothbrush
– small jump ring
– ear wires
– round nose pliers

Instructions:

1. Lay plastic cards down on newspaper. Spray one side according to can instructions. Once dry, flip over and spray other side. Let dry.

2. Take sharp knife or scissors and scrape off (sparingly) lines into paint to reveal card design/colors below (kinda like scratch art).

3. Cut card into desired shape. Use corner rounder (if desired) to create contoured corners (this will also help it from poking you while wearing).

4. Load paint brush with paint and flick onto shapes in random design. I actually brushed some on in certain areas and wiped it off to add additional coloration. Let dry.

5. Apply Sparkly Collage Pauge on top to add gloss and sparkle. Smear over all areas with your finger or foam brush. Let dry.

6. Apply crystals in desired patterns using heat setting tool.

7. Poke hole using a straight pin at top of each earring. Loop jump ring through hole and close. Then attach ear wire.

8. Proudly wear your recycled creation!!

Hope you enjoyed this project. It was fast and fun and a great way to get the grungy/glam look that is so popular these days!

Until next time Swellions!!!

Alexa