Gumball Wreaths

 I found a cute craft on a website (instructions linked here) I found through Pintrest and decided to try it for myself. I wrapped a foam wreath form with fabric and then hot glued the gumballs on one by one. WARNING: gumballs and hot glue do not part easily. Once I had a gumball glued down, I could not pull it off again without a pair of pliers that destroyed the gumball and still left the glued portion stuck to the fabric. So although my spacing wasn't perfect there was nothing I could do about it. That's OK with me since, although I try my best, I'm not the type that has to intentionally add flaws to my projects in an act of (false) humility. My flaws are all natural, Baby. Rant warning. (I have heard artists and architects claim to add flaws to their design because no one is perfect but God. Well, yes, that is true, but I seriously get irritated at this claim. I don't think the Lord expects people to intentionally hold themselves back from perfection, since our natural mortal state will do that for us. Intentionally adding flaws and pointing them out to claim humility is just old style humble-bragging. I'm so good, I had to add flaws!)

 [Clears throat, steps off soapbox.] 

ahem.

 The gumballs on the original site were all painted one color, which was very cute, but I liked all the colors so I just sprayed them with clear acrylic for a finish.

 I'm not sure how well this would hold up outdoors even with the acrylic coating, so I have it hanging indoors.

Here's my smaller Valentine's Day version.

They are so cute I could just eat them. No need though, I have lots of leftover gum.

Anyone need any gum?

Vine Tables

After I finished my penny table that replaced my glass coffee table, I was wanting to replace my matching glass end tables. I decided not to make penny end tables since I was out of epoxy and that stuff is pricey. I found a matched set of mildly damaged end tables at the thrift store for five dollars each. I fixed the loose legs, sanded and primed. They are the type with a diamond shaped wood grain in the center of the table top and therefore hard to paint. I chose to use the rest of my oil rubbed bronze spray paint left over from the penny table for the tops and painted the legs in teal. I wanted to stencil a design on the top in teal as well. I bought a stencil and practiced on cardboard over and over and eventually decided I have zero talent for stenciling. It seems a little silly and I know this will sound like a humble-brag. I have an art degree and can draw and paint my own designs just fine, but I really wanted to stencil since it is supposed to be fast and easy. After some frustration, I gave up and hand painted the tables. They have an identical design so I'm only showing one of them. I had to paint the design over three times to not be transparent over such a dark color.

For any one hand painting or stenciling a design, I make this recommendation: to not do it over a spray painted background as the margin for error is very slim. If you mess up, it would be easier to touch up with regular paint, than wait for the whole thing to dry, then tape over all but the offending spot and spray to cover. I was very careful to not have to do that, but like I said, I had wanted a quick craft and this took some time. After the tables dried I coated the top in polyurethane and called it good.

 A couple weeks later I got this sweet little seventies style bedside table for ten dollars at the thrift store. I needed it hold up my printer. (since the top of our desk is apparently dedicated to holding all kinds of loose papers.) I used the same teal paint and dirtied up the surface by dry brushing on some wood stain, then varnished over the top. I use the drawers to hold printer paper and scratch paper.

 Next time: Gumball Wreaths.