It’s summertime, which means it’s time to brighten up your home with florals! We all love the fresh variety, but with this fun and easy craft project, you can enjoy a bouquet on the table all the time. If you’re having a birthday party or summer party, your guests will love doing this DIY project together.

Learn how to make the most of A Makers’ Studio’s newest DIY craft bundle by following along with Amy Howard in this week’s Maker Monday video.

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED

To make your own beautiful floral frame, you’ll need the Watercolor Floral Frame Bundle, which includes:

• 2 oz Blessed Rescue Restore Paint
• Season Stencil
• Believe Stencil
• Spreader
• Sponge Brush
• Artist Brush
• Hey Y’all Gel Art Ink (sample)
• Hold your Horses Gel Art Ink (sample)
• Over Yonder Gel Art Ink (sample)
• Lord Have Mercy Gel Art Ink (sample)

You’ll also need bowls or containers to hold your paint, a cup to clean your artist brush in water, and a picture frame to decorate. (Pro tip: Amy found hers at Target for only a few dollars!) You can easily rescue and restore inexpensive frames from Goodwill, garage sales, or home goods stores.

HOW TO CREATE YOUR FLORAL FRAME

1. Remove the glass and backing from your rescued picture frame.
2. Shake up your Rescue Restore Paint and pour a small amount into a bowl or container.
3. Load up your sponge brush and paint your frame using long, clean strokes. Whether your frame is raw or has an old finish, the Rescue Restore Paint will work on it! It also has no strong smell or VOCs. Be sure to protect your clothing with an apron!
4. Let your first coat of Rescue Restore Paint dry for about 15 minutes. Then, apply a second coat of paint and let that dry.

5. Place portions of the Season Stencil on your frame. Amy suggests letting the flowers fall off the edge of the frame for a pretty visual effect. Once you’ve positioned the flowers where you like, remove the stencil’s adhesive backing and stick them to your frame. 

6. Load up your spreader with Hold Your Horses Gel Art Ink and apply it on top of the stencil, using pressure to make sure it goes through.

7. Let the Hold Your Horses ink dry. 

8. Once it’s dry after about 15 minutes, add a quote to the frame’s glass. Apply the Believe Stencil to the center of the glass.

9. Load up your spreader with Hold Your Horses and apply it on top of the stencil, pushing through to the glass.

10. Now, it’s time to paint the flowers! In another bowl or container, mix a small amount of tap water with Hey Y’all using your artist brush.

11. Load up your artist brush with paint, dab it gently on a dry surface like a paper plate or spare cardboard, then fill in some of the flowers on your frame.  

12. Once you’re finished with Hey Y’all, swish your artist brush in a cup of clean tap water to rinse.

13. Repeat steps 9 and 10 with Over Yonder and Lord Have Mercy. To get a pretty green color, mix a bit of Hey Y’all and Over Yonder together before painting.

14. Relax, have fun, and enjoy painting your frame!

Once it’s completely dry, your floral frame is ready to be hung on the wall or placed on a countertop to brighten up your space. Isn’t it the cutest?

DON’T MISS A MAKERS’ STUDIO NEXT DIY PROJECT

Did you love making this fun frame? Amy does this every week, live at 10am on Mondays. All you have to do to see next week’s project (and all our previous ones) is to Like and Follow our Facebook page so you don’t miss out. Join next week’s live video for more tips and techniques to help you make the most out of your exclusive Maker Monday kits!

You love your home, but there are a lot of empty walls in it. You’d love to dress them up, but buying art and empty frames can be pretty expensive, and they feel so impersonal. Does this sound familiar?

Why not rescue a frame from garage sales or Goodwill and make it your own with our latest Inspirational Frame Bundle? With some paint and stencils, you’ll create your very own customized photo frame that will look beautiful on your walls. They also make great gifts for Father’s Day, birthdays, and holidays!

To see how Amy Howard transforms a couple of rescued frames and follow along with your kit, be sure to watch this week’s Maker Monday video:

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED

To make your own family photo frame, you’ll need the Inspirational Frame Bundle, which includes:

• Little Black Dress 2oz Rescue Restore Paint
• Metallic Gold ChalkArt™ sample
• Metallic Copper ChalkArt™ sample
• Peace And Joy ChalkArt™ sample
• Spreader
• Sponge Brush
• Be Still & Know stencil

You’ll also need a container to hold your paint and a photo frame with backing and a wide mat. If you find a great frame with broken or missing glass, that will work too!

CREATING YOUR PHOTO FRAME

1. Take apart your rescued frame and separate the frame, mat, and glass.

2. Pour a small amount of Little Black Dress into a container. Paint your mat in long, clean strokes with your sponge brush. Allow it to dry for about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Cut your stencils apart but do not remove the adhesive backing yet. Lay the stencils down where you want to place them on the mat.

4. Next, blend small amounts of the Metallic Gold ChalkArt™ with the Metallic Copper ChalkArt™ to create a beautiful rose gold color.

5. Remove the adhesive backing to your stencils and place them back down on your mat.

6. Then, load your spreader with your new rose gold mixture and apply it to some of the stencils. Be sure to use a little pressure so that the rose gold pushes through the stencil to the mat.

7. Use the same technique and a clean spreader to apply Peace and Joy ChalkArt™ to your other stencils.   

8. Remove your stencils to wash them and let everything dry. To clean up any paint spots, simply take a clean rag, dip it in water, and wipe it off your mat.

9. Find a family picture and reassemble your frame!

Et voila! Your beautiful keepsake frame is ready to hang and enjoy.

DID YOU LOVE THIS KEEPSAKE FRAME TUTORIAL?

On this week’s live video, Amy shares even more tips and tricks for using the amazing products in this bundle, so make sure to follow along. And don’t forget to watch Maker Monday each week — all you need to do is “Like” and follow our Facebook page. Each Monday at 10am, you’ll get more advice from Amy on how to make the most of your Maker Monday bundles.

Whether you’re a day-jobber with a crafting side hustle or crafting and making is your full-time business, it can be hard to commit to doing what you love every day. But the truth is, changing jobs, coming up with a new idea for a side business, or avoiding committing to your specialty within your Maker business are all signs that you haven’t really found your strengths yet.

If we want to have successful lives, and to truly live (and work) with purpose, we have to focus on the work that makes us feel valuable and satisfied. So how do we do that?

GET HONEST WITH YOURSELF

While we talk about being honest with ourselves and acknowledging that our dreams are to be a creative entrepreneur, we often don’t share that dream or commit to it. We also don’t show the full extent of our excitement or interest in our craft. Why? Because we think it sounds silly, or because we don’t want to jinx it.

But we crave purpose, and for some of us, crafting and making is our purpose. That’s why committing to what you want to do, and getting clear on what you want to do, is the best way to build a thriving creative business and a happy life. This honesty will allow you to pursue what makes you feel most fulfilled, and that’s something that will keep you coming back day after day, year after year. But to get honest with yourself, you have to know which questions to ask.

FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS

According to Susan Sorenson, a writer for Gallup.com, “The best way for people to grow and develop is to identify how they most naturally think, feel, and behave — their talents — then build on those talents to create strengths, or the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance.”

When it comes to your creative business or interests, what are your greatest strengths? Do you have a special knack for teaching people how to create their own artwork, or can you create DIY décor comparable to what’s sold in trendy boutiques? Also ask yourself: What are you more passionate about than anything else in the world? Do you get worked up talking about different paint brushes and tools, or could you talk all day about DIY products? The answers are limitless, but they’re usually the first thing that pops into your head after you ask the question, so don’t overthink it.

In these two answers lie what you need to make a truly successful Maker business that you’re fulfilled and sustained by. You don’t have to leave crafting to be a weekend hobby; it can be front and center in your life — and just think how much happier that would make you!

You can pair your strengths, those things that you’re better at than others may be, and your passions, those things you can talk about until you’re blue in the face. Once they’re paired, you have an unstoppable foundation that will help you differentiate your Maker business, as well as fuel your in the process.

So what can you do to get clear on those strengths and passions?

GET CLEAR ON WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT

Answer the questions below to get an idea of your strengths and passions, and how you can combine those to create a stronger, more successful, more fulfilling Maker business.

1. What am I most gifted at?
2. What about me stands out to the people around me?
3. Where do I thrive that is different from most?
4. What value drives me more than anything else in the world?
5. What do I find myself thinking about more often than anything else?
6. When I have free time, what work do I gravitate towards?

Don’t shy away from being honest with yourself about where your current position aligns with your purpose, or where you really want to be in your heart of hearts. Remember, too, that our dreams always seem bigger than we are in the beginning. The answer to all those rising fears is to start with persistent and measurable steps and to remember why you started by keeping in mind those passions and strengths you just listed.

What’s more elegant and classy than etched glass? Plain glass can get a whole new look with a simple etching application, which is why we created something new for Maker Monday: The All Things Etching Bundle. In the bundle, you get A Makers’ Studio Etching Cream, a stencil, and an artist brush that you need to take glass from dull to decorative.

Don’t know what glass etching is? Etching is a process of essentially “eating away” at glass to wear it down to a flatter, less translucent material. Glass etching cream is permanent and dishwasher, microwave, and food-safe. Glass etching works on anything made from glass, including Pyrex dishes, plates, cups, vases, champagne flutes, serving dishes, mirrors, and more.

If you want to learn how to etch glass with beautiful quotes, monograms, or even decorative designs, this episode of Maker Monday (and our All Things Etching Bundle!) is for you:

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED

The All Things Etching Bundle, which includes:

• Etching Cream
• Be Still stencil
• Artist brush

You’ll also need a glass surface of your choice, whether it’s a vase, a plate, or something else!

HOW TO ETCH GLASS WITH ALL THINGS ETCHING BUNDLE

Lay your stencil on your glass surface, paying close attention to how well your stencil sticks. Feel free to use tape if you’re worried about etching on the edge of your stencil, too. Shake your etching cream really well, as it does settle over time. Then, dip your stiff artist’s brush into the etching cream and paint it on very thick. You may need to apply the etching cream multiple times to get thicker layers on your stencil, even up to 1/8th of an inch! Also be careful to not get etching cream anywhere but on your stencil, as it will leave etching marks wherever it touches. The more you agitate your etching cream with your brush, it will break down the glass faster and make your stencil transfer much more successful. Leave the cream on for 3 to 5 minutes, then pull your stencil off. Make sure to wash your stencil and artist brush with soap and water, then they can be used for another etching project!

Your new glass design is also ready to use in 45 minutes to an hour. Pretty simple, huh?

MORE FROM MAKER MONDAYS

Etching gives glass such a classy, high-end look. Etch virtually any glass surface with this etching cream, whether it’s for your home or for a gift. Because it’s such a simple technique, you can do this as a quick addition to your potluck dishes, before delivering flowers in a glass vase, or personalizing glasses for a party! The options are endless, so get creative and share your ideas with us.

Wall art is about more than filling space or matching your existing decor. It should also be about filling your home (or office) with things that lift you up. That’s why we love this Reminder of Hope wall art project. Using plaster, ChalkArt™, and some beautiful stencils, you can create a one-of-a-kind message that reminds you to always keep the faith.

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED

• 10x10 surface
• Rescue Restore Paint in Gathered (2oz)
• Cute As A Button ChalkArt™ 
• Can't Never Could ChalkArt™ 
• Venetian Plaster
• Hope Faith stencil
• Spreader (2)

You will also need a small spray bottle, scissors, a bowl, and a spoon. To see how Amy Howard herself recommends creating this wall art, make sure to watch this week’s Maker Monday video:

CREATING YOUR TEXTURED WALL ART

1. Mix your plaster with water, using 2 parts plaster to 3 parts water. You want it to be the consistency of thicker sour cream.

2. Once your plaster is properly mixed, use your spreader to apply a thin coat of plaster to your surface. Also apply consistently, scraping the excess as you go. Allow it to dry.

3. Cut one spreader into 3 parts.

4. Spray your dried plaster surface with a little bit of water.

5. Using one spreader, apply your Cute As A Button ChalkArt™ in different sections of your board. The water will make it easier to pull the chalk paint across the plaster, as well as leave an authentic, aged appearance.

6. Overlay plaster on the chalk paint, moving your spreader (loaded with the plaster) lightly up and down and from side to side. Continue to add plaster until you only get a small peek-through of the Cute As A Button blue paint.

7. Next, lay in Can't Never Could ChalkArt™ and repeat Steps 5 and 6. Apply this layer only in small, choppy strokes — do not cover the entire surface. This paint will dry very light, but you don’t want a lot of it.

8. Using your third spreader, apply the Gathered Rescue Restore paint lightly to your surface. Use this paint layer to blend the gray, blue, and plaster, making sure to apply as thin as possible and to leave negative space (with no Rescue Restore paint).

9. Continue to add colors and plaster until you are satisfied.

10. Once all the layers of plaster and paint are completely dry, cut the Hope Faith stencil and lay it on your surface in the lower right quadrant. Then, paint the “Hope” text using the Can't Never Could ChalkArt™ using a clean spreader.

11. Remove the stencil, wash it and lay flat to dry.

Of course, Amy shares a ton of tips and extra insights on this project, so make sure to tune into the Maker Monday video below.

If you want more great tips like this, and want to keep learning how to make the most of your Maker Monday kits, follow us on Facebook. Then, tune in on Mondays at 10am Central for these fun tutorials!

We’re looking forward to crafting a beautiful life with you.

Your home is a place where you feel most comfortable, safe, and loved. What better way to tell that to your guests than with a sign that says “Love Grows Here”? This week on our Maker Monday on Facebook, Amy is showing Makers how to create a lovely piece for your home or loved ones. This artwork makes the perfect housewarming project, whether for yourself or someone else!

MATERIALS YOU’LL NEED

• 10x10 wood surface
• English Walnut Gel Stain
• Peace and Joy ChalkArt™
• Metallic Gold ChalkArt™
• Love stencil (sold out)
• Alphabet stencil
• French Script stencil
• Sponge brush
• Artist brush
• Spreader

You will also need printer paper, scissors, and a hot glue gun.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR “LOVE GROWS HERE” SIGN

1. Apply the English Walnut Gel Stain to your surface with your sponge brush, using consistent strokes. Allow it to dry.

2. While your gel stain dries, apply the French Script stencil on blank printer paper and paint the stencil with the Metallic Gold ChalkArt™ using the spreader in your kit. Clean your spreader and allow the paper to dry.

3. Lay the “Love” portion of your stencil about three-quarters of the way down on your board, allowing room above for your flowers. Apply the Peace And Joy ChalkArt™ with your spreader, then remove the stencil. Wash it and lay flat to dry.

4. With your artist brush and the Peace and Joy ChalkArt™, freehand a string in the top third of your board. This “string” will hold your flowers.

5. Use the Alphabet stencil to stencil the words "grows here" underneath the word "love."

6. Cut circles out of the paper with the French script on it. Then cut the circle into a spiral. Roll up the paper from the inside edge to create a flower. Once you have your flower shaped, use your hot glue gun to glue the flower to your board.

7. For the other flower, cut out petal shapes and then cut a slit in the bottom of each “petal” so you can connect them. Once your flower petals are connected, glue the edges together and hot glue it to your board.

Of course, if you want more of Amy’s tips and tricks, tune into the Maker Monday video, which is recorded on our Facebook page.

MORE FROM MAKER MONDAYS

Don’t forget to watch Maker Monday on our Facebook page every Monday at 10am Central. Amy will be there each week to give you tips on your next kit or Maker project, so “Like” and follow us so you can see her!

We’re looking forward to crafting a beautiful life with you.

This week on Maker Monday, Amy is showing us how to create our very own feather art using the Feather Art Fun Maker Monday Kit. Check out the video on Facebook and follow this step-by-step tutorial to create a feathery piece of art that will give your décor wings!

What You’ll Need

Feather Fun Art DIY Kit, which includes:

• Watercolor paper
• Well, I Declare Gel Art Ink
• Hush Your Mouth Gel Art Ink
• Blessed Rescue Restore Paint
• New Baby 9x12 stencil
• Spreader
• Sponge brush
• Artist brush

Other materials you may need (or want):

• An old frame with a mat to repaint
• Gilding Size
• Gold Leaf

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN FEATHER ART

If you choose to use a store-bought or already-finished frame, skip Steps 1 and 2.

1. Take your frame apart and paint the frame with your Blessed Rescue Restore Paint, making sure to get consistent coverage with a sponge or chip brush.
2. Paint the inside bevel or outside lip of your frame’s mat with Hush Your Mouth Gel Art Ink. Make sure to water it down with one part water, one part paint for a beautiful watercolor layer. Set both the frame and mat aside to dry while you work on your feather art.
3. Place the feather stencil on your watercolor paper where you would like it.
4. Apply Hush Your Mouth Gel Art Ink to sections of the feather stencil with your spreader. Do not cover the whole stencil, as you’ll be filling in the rest with the other Gel Art Ink color. 

5. Apply Well, I Declare Gel Art Ink to the remaining sections of the feather, blending the colors together to completely fill in the stencil. Let both layers of Gel Art Ink fully dry before moving on.

6. If you want to add Gold Leaf to your feather art, apply Gilding Size to a few accent areas on your (fully dry) feather. Allow the Gilding Size to come to tack, meaning oily and slightly sticky, but not wet. Then, lay down a section of your Gold Leaf on to your feather. Using a dry chip brush, flake away extra Gold Leaf.

7. Cut down your watercolor paper to fit your frame and mat. Then, attach your finished watercolor feathers to the back of the mat and place everything back into the frame.

Look at that beautiful work of art! With the help of this Maker Monday DIY kit, you’ll have a lovely feather painting (and frame) to show off in less 2 hours. If you want more step-by-step directions or you like following along as Amy works, check out this week’s Maker Monday video below.

If you want to see more easy tutorials and learn more about how to make the most of your Maker Monday project, tune in every Monday at 10am. Follow our Facebook page to get notified when we go live!