Rock Painting

Instructions on how to paint rocks.



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Rock Painting

Well, I haven't posted in a long, long time. But I just did a cute craft with my kids over the weekend that I thought I'd share. I found this craft to be very relaxing because we did it outside, and the weather was awesome over the weekend.

Here's what you need:

A large flat rock (stepping stone size)
Assorted Acrylic Paints
Paint Brushes
QTips

1.) Wash the rock and let it dry to remove dirt.
2.) Paint the rock with any design that you wish.

Now I used QTips to paint Go Cubs on the rock, I found that easier than using the paint brush.

When they were all dry I put them in my garden. I have different rocks around my garden in my front yard and I replaced one with the yellow flower one that I painted.

The 2 rocks on the top are my 2 daughters', and then mine is on the bottom.

Update

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. Mine was great, very busy though because we had Easter at my house. :)

Unfortunately, most of my Easter eggs are gone, and they were not eaten by me. LOL. Sometimes kids are so funny as to what they like to eat!

Coloring Easter Eggs

Do you color eggs for Easter? I love doing this, it's so much fun!

My family actually never hid the real colored eggs though. We always
hid the fake ones. Mostly because someone always ate the colored ones
before Easter even arrived.

I read in my paper reviews of different types of Easter egg coloring
kits. I never realized that there were so many to choose from now.

After going to the store this past Saturday, I chose the trusty Paas
Coloring kit. Lol, which I took a picture of with my way cool digital
camera. :o)

Now I just have to buy some eggs and we'll be ready to decorate. If they
come out well I will probably post a picture.

Happy Coloring!!

Quick and Easy Easter Craft

Here's a great idea for a quick and easy Easter craft!
By: Jamie L.
What you need:
*small baby food jar
*colored Easter grass
*2 mini ducklings (usually sold in packs of 12 or 24 at craft stores)
*hot glue gun
*ribbon (if desired)

1.) Clean and dry your baby food jar.
2.) Insert colored Easter grass into baby food jar, it's okay if some is coming out the top.
3.) Put some hot glue on the bottom of the mini duckling and press into Easter grass gently, repeat for the 2nd duckling.
4.) Be careful to not smash them into the jar, you want them to appear that they are sitting on top of the grass.
5.) Tie a ribbon around the jar if desired.

The one that I made sits on top of my entertainment center with all of my other Easter doo-dads.

Photograph Mosaics and Markers in Your Scrapbooks

Author: Mia LeCron

An attractive technique for placing photographs into scrapbooks is the photograph mosaic. Mosaics stretch photographs into an artistic rendition of the original photograph. Maps can also be stretched in this way. This method might be employed to create a funky look for a friend scrapbook or as a background for someone who likes computers, GIS, or geography.

A basic cropping technique is used to create a photographic mosaic. Simply cut a photograph into evenly spaced squares. Then, glue the squares onto the background leaving an equal space between each square.

A white background or a background matching the background color of the photograph will add to the effect. A background of a contrasting color will reduce the spaced out effect of the photograph.

A marker is a seeming obvious tool for writing and embellishing on scrapbook pages. Markers are easy to draw with and can be used to color in portions of lettering, in borders, or to create accents. Unfortunately, regular markers tend to smudge and bleed through scrapbook pages.

Nonetheless, there are a few brands of markers (Markers Pigma and Color Workshop Blo Pens) available in craft and office supply stores that do not smudge or bleed. These markers are also acid free, fade resistant, waterproof, and available in a variety of colors.

Mia LaCron is the founder of 101-scrapbooking-tidbits.info - http://www.101-scrapbooking-tidbits.info - devoted to helping individuals record, store, and preserve their most cherished memories via the art of scrapbooking.

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Luxury For Less : Decorating on a Budget

Author:Camen Natschke
Get ready to have the home of your dreams on your terms and budget! Luxury for less is so easy when you follow the 10 easy ideas outlined below:

Get Creative: Get your creative juices flowing! Probably the most important part of making the most of your budget and still achieving luxury for less. See beyond the ordinary. A pile of broken dishes is not worth crying over! Pick up the pieces and make a mosaic pattern for that old coffee table in the garage. Learn to approach your décor with fresh eyes Greenery & Florals. Use greenery and florals to add freshness and impact to your décor. If strategically placed they can also hide ugly flaws such as the air return vent.Get Inspired. Don’t let your budget limit your options. Determine what you need and/or desire and find a way to make it a reality. If you are looking for the luxury of an upholstered headboard but can not find it in your budget to buy one, then learn to make it yourself or enlist the aid of a friend who can. It’s all possible to achieve you just need to be inspired to find a way!

Light It Up: Don’t underestimate the importance of good lighting! It’s no wonder that famous actresses refuse to be filmed unless the lighting is perfect. The wrong lighting can exaggerate flaws , visually change colors of any décor item, or worse yet make a perfectly beautiful room look terrible. Experiment with the lighting in your rooms until you achieve the effect you desire.

Paint, Paint & More Paint. Painting is a very easy and cost effective way to update your interior. A fresh coat of paint can drastically impact the look of your home. Used correctly paint can create an optical illusion and make you room look larger or cozier. You can create the illusion of high ceilings or bring the ceiling down visually, by simply using paint.

Re-Arrange: So easy and possible to do in an afternoon. This is another way to get maximum impact without putting a dent in your wallet. Try configuring your furniture layout until you are pleased. Sometimes you really don’t need new furniture you just need to place it correctly to make it look like you did buy new furniture.

Re-Evaluate: Take the time to inventory your décor. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much you really do have! Once you know what you have you can decide what to do with it. If you have a wingback chair in your bedroom collecting old clothes and dust, then re-evaluate it! Maybe you need to move that chair to complete a perfect conversation area in your living room.

Re-Move: If you don’t use it or will have no use for it, then remove it! Donate it to your favorite charity, ask a friend if they can put it to good use or if it is a total loss, toss it! Don’t crowd your home and life with “dead” pieces, it will only cause you grief and frustration.

Re-Finish: If you have pieces that are in good condition and still functional then give it a face-lift. Re-upholster that old tired sofa or strip the paint on that chest of drawers and either stain it or paint it to make it new again!

Re-cycle: Before you throw anything away, think about how it can be given a second life. We all have clothes in our closets that we have put there to be forgotten. Well think about using that old bridesmaids or prom dress as fabric for your fabulous new pillows. Again learn to approach the ordinary items in your home with fresh eyes!

About the Author

Carmen Natschke is a designer, speaker and co-founder of Room In A Kit LLC. She is passionate about decorating and has shared that passion with hundreds of women through her Decorating Divas workshops and seminars. To read more decorating articles by Carmen visit (http://www.roominakit.com).

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