Abstract Painted Gift Tags

Back when I was a kid, I thought it was so cool to have a summer birthday. You didn’t have to go to school, the weather was hot, and something like a pool party or going to an amusement park was an option. So, while my mom did make strawberry cupcakes for all my classmates on my birthday, just being at school kinda sucked. Now that we’re all adults, it doesn't really matter as much. We all probably have to work on our birthdays anyway (cue the crying) so it's now an even playing field. For that next birthday king or queen, how about a handmade gift tag for their present? It’s incredibly fun and easy to make- anyone can do it!

*This post contains affiliate links.

You will need:

Colored cardstock (similar here)
Paper punch (similar here)
Embroidery floss (similar here)
Acrylic paint (similar here)
Glue gun (similar here)
Scissors (similar here)

Directions:

1. Cut out your tags from the card stock in your choice of colors. You'll need 2 pieces of cardstock for each tag you're making. I used the same color for both sides.

2. Paint abstract designs using your choice of paint colors on one of the cardstock tags. For the designs, I kept it simple with xoxo, lines, dots, etc. You can be as simple or as complex as you want.

3. While the paint dries, cut a piece of embroidery floss for the tag.

4. Glue the embroidery floss on the back of the tag, then glue on the blank tag to create a seamless background.

That's it- you're done! Now add a to: and from: so your recipient knows who to thank for their awesome new present. Hang it on their gift, and get ready to see their face light up. Everyone likes a present!

I always love adding a homemade touch to my gifts because it really makes them more personal, especially in a world where everyone just gets each other gift cards! So, what do you think about these DIY gift tags? SO simple, right?!

DIY Painted Wood Necklace

A few months ago, my boss went to Mexico and brought me back this really pretty necklace. I liked it a lot, but as soon as I saw it, I thought about how cute it would look with a pop of color! It’s such a fun shape, and the two-toned wood was awesome! Adding some rainbow paint took it to the next level for me, and made it match much more of my closet. It’s super easy to do if you have any jewelry, especially souvenirs, that aren’t quite your style!

*This blog post contains affiliate links.

You will need: 

Wood necklace (similar here or here)
Nylon cord (here)
Painters tape (here)
Jewelry closures (here)
Jewelry tools (here)
Paint in your choice of colors (similar here)
Scissors (here)
Paintbrush
Pencil & marker

Directions:

1. Decide on your pattern and tape off your wood pieces. If your tape is super sticky, you may want to make it less sticky by putting it onto something and pulling it off, like your pants, so that it has some lint as a buffer.

2. If your necklace is like mine, now you cut it off the string. I wanted to be sure the lines for the tape matched up before cutting.

3. Paint 2 coats. I only did the front and sides so that I didn’t have paint against my skin/clothes but it doesn’t matter either way. Whatever you prefer!

4. Pull off the tape while paint is still wet and let dry fully.

5. String your wood pieces back onto the string and tie a knot on the ends if necessary

6. Add your closures after deciding on the appropriate length for the string.

I love making over items I already own to make them fit my style better. It’s so nice, especially with sentimental items that don’t get much use. What do you think about this project? Do you plan on making over some wooden jewelry sitting in your closet? Let me know in the comments below!

DIY Colorful Abstract Artwork

Nothing makes a house a home quite like artwork. It really completes the look and helps to show some personality. Unfortunately, I've got a whooooole lot of empty space on my walls, and I really want to change that! Or, I guess fortunately... since now I get to have some fun with artwork! For starters, I made this super easy abstract artwork using a spare canvas I had and some paint. It was basically free! The best part about this type of art is that you can really get creative and free by painting any way you like! For those that want a similar look to mine, here are the steps that I took.

You will need:

Canvas Panels (here)
Paints (similar here)
Metallic gold paint (here)
Brushes (similar here)
Newspaper or similar to cover workspace

Directions:

1. Using a large paintbrush, start painting thick lines of your first color. I went from light to dark, since it covered better. I tried to cover as much of the canvas as I could the first time around.
2. Using a thinner paintbrush, paint smaller strokes of all the colors once again. This is a good time to try to cover any blank spots.
3. Once I painted all the thinner lines, I went over them again lightly with a dry brush to “blend” the colors and make it less streaky. 
4. Using a medium thickness brush, paint on some white paint to lighten up the whole look. Be sure to have enough on the brush so that you’re adding some white, not just smearing around the paint already on there.
5. Add more thin strokes of color to reduce the giant white streaks, then grab a wide brush for your gold accent.
6. Paint on your gold strokes, then add more white if you want it to be a little lighter once again. And you’re done!

To hang up your canvas, add a hanging string using glue or purchase some inexpensive 3M Velcro. You can also put it in a frame!

DIY Painted Notebook

This weekend I went to Michael’s to grab a few items for upcoming projects, and I had a sketch book on my list. I realized that I didn’t really have anywhere that I could keep all my project ideas together, so I usually scribbled on a sheet of white paper that ended up who-knows-where when it came time to actually create the project. One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to be more organized, so I knew I had to take care of this! However, when I went to Michael’s I didn’t love the selection of sketchbooks available. I grabbed this one because it was the most affordable at $5, and figured if it couldn’t be cute, at least it was cheap. WELL… while creating another paint project, I realized that this notebook (with its canvas-like surface!) was wishing for a new look. Lo and behold- here it is! I love this sketchbook now, and I can’t wait to use it for my project sketches, room upgrades, and any ideas that pop into my head! Best of all, it’s so easy and cheap to make with products you probably have on hand!

Related: DIY Rainbow Alphabet Blocks

You will need:

Notebook (from Michael’s, or here)
Paints (similar here)
Metallic gold paint (here)
Brushes (similar here)
Newspaper or similar to cover workspace

1. Open your notebook to the center and place it pages-down on your workspace. Paint on thick strips with your first paint color. I wanted to do a rainbow palette, so I decided to do half the rainbow on one side, and the other half of the colors on the other side.
2. Paint your whole notebook cover as much as you can, and let dry just a little. I thought it looked kinda mehhh without a pop of color, so I went back and took 1 color from each side to add a jolt to each side. 
3. Using your white paint, add some thick stripes to your notebook cover. I found that the white ended up with a cool rainbow effect, so I used it to paint the spine.
4. Add your pop of gold to the notebook and spine if you’d like. Let dry fully, then go back and do any necessary touch-up.

You can spray it with a finishing spray to seal it, or just be careful with it. You can also get a small pouch for it so it doesn’t chip paint everywhere.

Related: DIY Polly Pocket Iron-On Tee

Related: DIY Zebra Party Tray

Related: DIY No Sew Embellished T-Shirt

I'm really loving this sketchbook now! It's so cheery and fancy. It really encourages me to create more, and I love taking a sketch break to think up new ideas, spruce up a room, or just brainstorm! How will you use your notebook? Let me know in the comments below!