DIY Burlap Crafts » DIY Inspired
10th May2013

8 Fun and Easy Ideas for Stencils

by Dinah Wulf

I must say that stenciling is one of my favorite craft projects to do.  It’s a fairly simple task, especially when you know a few tips or tricks.  It is also very versatile in that you can use it for small and large projects, from place mats to furniture.  Here are eight fun and easy ideas for stencils I’ve done in the past.  All of which have complete step by step photo tutorials.  I hope you try them out!

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Stenciling with Burlap

Recycled Jar Tea Light

This is a tutorial for stenciling a monogram on a lantern made from a recycled food jar. I still have this displayed in my living room today.  It also makes a fun personalized handmade gift.  Fill it with tea lights or candy and give it to Mom for Mother’s Day!

Stenciled Wall Art

I made this initially as a prop for my daughter’s birthday party one year, but now it hangs in her room by her bed.

Burlap Stenciled Place Mats

Also a great handmade Mother’s day gift idea, these stenciled burlap place mats are a hit every time I bring them out to use for my guests.  Make a set of four to eight to give to Mom or Grandma.  Consider using words that remind you of her!

Stenciled Furniture

Stenciled Dresser

This is one of my first DIY projects I posted on this blog.  In hindsight I may have done it differently but you learn as you grow, right???

Upcycled TV Tray Table

One of my more recent projects, stenciling TV trays gives them a little upcycled flair.

Other fun Stenciling Projects

Stenciled School Spirit Shirts

I made these shirts with my best friend, Jenny for her daughter’s school spirit shirts.  Check out the post and Jen shares how she made he own stencil!

Recycled T-Shirt Bunting

I made this for Thanksgiving last year, but it’s a great tutorial for any type of banner or bunting you need for parties or holidays.  Make a “Happy Mother’s Day” one for mom!

Shoe Box Lid Wall Art

My thriftiness at its finest, I made this SUPER cheap wall art for my guest room!

I hope you try these projects!  Feel free to share some of your ideas in the comments!  Happy stenciling!

Ideas for stencils, easy stencil ideas, stenciled furniture, stenciling on fabric

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19th Dec2012

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow

by Dinah Wulf

Flea Market Coffee Bean Sacks

I purchased these coffee bean sacks from a flea market a while ago.  They have been sitting in my craft closet just waiting to be transformed.  Ever since we remodeled our patio, I knew I wanted to make this Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow.  I knew it would look fabulous on my new outdoor furniture.  It also helps that the wood looked perfectly refinished thanks to Teak Master.  Here is how it turned out.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (1)

So, you know my issues with sewing.  So here is the spot where I make a disclaimer… since I’m not confident in my sewing skills, this is not a tutorial (in my head anyway), it’s rather a post showing you how I made this.  I’m not sure if it’s right or wrong.  I just know how I happen to make it!

First I cut out the area of the coffee bean sack that I wanted to showcase.  I cut it about an inch and a half wider and longer than my pillow.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (2)

I pinned it inside out using straight pins.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (3)

I broke out my sewing machine and… yep… you guessed it… sewed in a straight line, leaving an opening for the pillow.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (4)

I turned the pillow case right side out and inserted the pillow.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (5)

Next, I pinned the opening to make it easier to hand stitch.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (6)

Finally I hand stitched it closed.  The beauty of working with a burlap sack is that you can’t really notice the hand stitching.

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (7)

Voila!  Now you have a fun Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow!  Here are some after photos.

Burlap Sack Pillow

 

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Outdoor Pillow (8)

If you need some tips on how to care for burlap, I have a few for you!

Here are some more fun trash to treasure ideas and tutorials!

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18th Dec2012

DIY Lighting Knock Offs

by Dinah Wulf

When I first started blogging I knew what I wanted my “brand” to be.  I knew that I wanted to inspire people to save money but in a creative and beautiful way.   What I also wanted was to focus on recycling and reuse.  Whether it’d be from transforming a thrift store find, or thinking twice before throwing that glass spaghetti sauce jar away, I wanted people to be inspired.

The following examples from fellow bloggers are EXACTLY what I’m inspired by.  And I must say there are so many Bloggers who I follow and respect and are SUPER talented (like these fab five).  These five DIY Lighting Knock Offs were once drab and now with some imagination and flare, have transformed into beautiful retail store looks for {much} less.

This is an Anthropologie inspired lamp made with strips of burlap and hot glue. She was also inspired by an original post by Tater Tots and Jello.

This glass jug lamp West Elm knock off was made by The Thrifty Abode from a jug she had for a few years.  It cost her $18, while the original lamp is up to $150!

Tip: If you are thrift store shopping and see two fabulous matching lamps, BUY THEM! It’s very hard to find two of the same lamp for some reason!

This is another Pottery Barn knock off executed fabulously by Musings from a French Cottage.  In her tutorial she finds Salvation Army lamps for $5.00 apiece.

The Family Room Design Studio did a DIY lighting knock off of a lamp designed by Mary McDonald.  I have written a post in the past of getting the look for less of one of her room designs (she’s awesome by the way).

Finally, this one is from one of my favorite retail stores (for inspiration anyway).  The Remodelaholic  did an amazing makeover on her existing dining room chandelier.

So think twice before buying that retail store lamp, drive to the closest Salvation Army and perhaps take on a DIY lighting project yourself.

BTW, please stop by and visit these blogs…there are so many amazing ideas!

 

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12th Oct2012

Burlap Scrap Wreath

by Dinah Wulf

OK, I’m calling this a Burlap Scrap Wreath because not only is it made out of burlap scraps; this wreath is also made out of craft scraps.  It is made out of plumbing insulation, burlap left over from my burlap stenciled placemats, frames from my daughter’s butterfly themed birthday party, tulle from my daughters Alice costume for Halloween this year, and a ribbon I saved from a birthday present last year.  So, technically, since I recycled items I already had this wreath cost me less than $1.00!  I had to purchase the plumber’s insulation tube for $1.97, but I cut it in half to make two wreaths.

Materials:

  • 3’ plumber’s insulation tube
  • Duct tape
  • Burlap
  • Hot glue
  • Small frames
  • Computer (optional)
  • Tulle scraps
  • Ribbon

First, I made the wreath out of the tube by securing it with duct tape.  I have made this wreath and this wreath out of this tube and it works great.  I would suggest wrapping the entire wreath with duct tape, once you massage out the lumps and get the perfect circle.  That’s the key, massage and maneuver the wreath until you get the perfect circular shape.

Note: If you are adding decorations on the heavy side, reinforce the entire wreath with duct tape before decorating it so it maintains shape.  It’s not necessary if you are making wreaths similar to my other wreaths using plumber’s insulation.

Next wrap the wreath with burlap strips.  I used hot glue to attach each strip.  After the wreath is wrapped, you can begin decorating it.  I painted these dollar bin frames black and printed out the letters of my last name to but in each frame.  I also made burlap flowers and hot glued a cluster to the right side.  I added some white tulle as well to add some contrast.

Finally, I used a ribbon to hang my wreath.  That’s it!  Hope you like my wreath that cost me less than $1.00! Hope you try it out!

 

 

 

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10th Oct2012

How to Make a Burlap Flower

by Dinah Wulf

I heart burlap.  It’s pretty.  It’s natural. It’s cheap!  I made a wreath out of burlap scraps from my craft closet.  I’ll show you the tutorial (and the wreath) later, but I felt like I needed to write a separate post on how to make a burlap flower like the ones for my wreath.  They are quite easy to make and can be used as embellishments for several craft projects.

Warning: I think I got arthritis in my hands from making these… geesh!

Here are the materials you need:

  • Approximately 3”X18” burlap strips (one per flower)
  • Hot glue sticks
  • Hot glue gun
  • Scissors

Note: I say “approximately” for the strips because any size actually works as long as they are long and narrow.  I used scraps, so some were smaller than others.  It also depends on the desired thickness you want.

First fold your burlap strip in half lengthwise.  Begin rolling the strip in a tight roll to create the center of your flowers.  This part is a little tricky to explain so hopefully the pictures help.  Start turning & folding the burlap to form petals while pinching the base of the flower.  It takes a little bit of practice, but as you get used to it, it’s nice to have varying sizes and shapes.  No two flowers will look alike, but they will still look cohesive.

Once you have your flower, carefully turn over your flower, tightly holding it in place.  I trimmed the bottom so it was neat and free of loose strands.  Using your hot glue gun, “seal” the folds together.    After I applied the hot glue, I used both hands to pinch the bottom and blew on it to speed up the hardening time.  If you want to finish it, cut a small circle of burlap to fit the bottom and hot glue it.  I bypassed this part because mine were going to be hidden for my wreath.

Also, consider using these burlap flowers as a vase filler.

Stay tuned for my scrap burlap wreath!

 

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26th Sep2012

DIY Pumpkin Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

It’s officially fall and I can feel it in the air.  I love it!  I have so many fond memories growing up in the changing seasons.  I think they are even fonder now since I have been living in Southern California with essentially no season change at all!  I thought I’d put together some fun DIY pumpkin inspiration.  There are so many unique and creative ideas out there!  Here are a few of my favorites.

This adorable upcycled pumpkin made out of a book is by WhimsyWorkshop.  They’ll make it made to order or you can try it yourself??

I think these crushed velvet pink pumpkins are fabulous.  They are Pretty In Pink!  I don’t sew very well, but I think I could give these a try!

Leave it up to Martha to come up with this one.  Make a lace pattern on your pumpkin.  I don’t know about you, but if I decided to take this one on, I’d do a craft pumpkin instead of a real one so I wouldn’t have to do it again next year!

Chevron is all the rage…it’s everywhere!  Carpets, pillows, even furniture and walls; why not chevron pumpkins?

Check out this pumpkin cooler perfect for a Halloween party.  Simply cut, hollow, and insert a glass bowl with ice.  Brilliant!

How cute is this autumn bunting made of burlap flags and a cute little linen pumpkin applique?

This chenille pumpkin is lovely.  I say, try making it out of a thrift store sweater or blanket!

Glitter those pumpkins up!  Simple and fabulous! If you are taking this one on, I have some glittering tips of my own.

 

 

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24th Sep2012

DIY Fall Wreath Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

Ouch my eyes hurt!  I just spent the last, I don’t know, hour looking at Etsy for some DIY Fall Wreath Ideas.  Oh man!  There were some good ones and there were some bad ones with a capital “B”.  I looked at 3200 wreaths to be exact and that wasn’t even a fraction of what was available.  There were wreaths made out of every material from tulle to yarn and burlap to branches.  There were even wreaths made out of recycled materials like cork, coffee filters, and book pages.  There were wreaths made to look like Elmo and Mickey Mouse and wreaths made out of baseballs and flip flops…yes…flip flops.  That one may be a submission on regresty.com.  Yikes!

I’ve been trying to think of a fall wreath project to make and I’m stuck.  Anyway, I narrowed it down to sixteen of my favorite.  As you can see I was kind of drawn to burlap and yarn.  My favorite is the Halloween one made out of gauze…it’s fantastic!  I think I’d like to incorporate my house numbers in it but I’m not sure.  But now after looking at 3200 of them, I’m even more stuck…Ugh.  Here goes…

What about you?  Do you have any ideas for me?  Help!

 

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19th Sep2012

Summer 2012 Project Round Up

by Dinah Wulf

September 22nd is the first day of fall!  I wanted to end the summer with a recap of some of my favorite DIY Inspired’s summer projects and party inspiration.  Here is my top eight summer 2012 Project Round Up.

  1. Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath – Full step by step photo tutorial for a wreath I made out of an old book, a coat hanger, and branches from my back yard.
  2. DIY Cake Stand – Make your own cupcake stand or party serving tray with thrift store finds.
  3. Owl Themed Invitations – A detailed step by step tutorial and YouTube video on how to make these adorable invitations with moving wings for an owl themed party. This is perfect for a baby shower or kid’s birthday party.
  4. Summer Birthday Party – A butterfly and garden inspired birthday party complete with a cupcake decorating station and stacked hot dog bar and hot dog recipe suggestions.  Also check out a short three minute YouTube video of the complete party details.
  5. Stenciled Butterfly Wall Art – An easy way to upcycle an old unwanted painting with burlap, stencils, and butterflies perfect for a little girls bedroom.
  6. Junk Drawer Crafts – Make magnets out of bottle caps, paint color swatches, Scrabble tiles, and old plastic gift cards, perfect for stocking stuffers or a fundraising event.
  7. Repurposed Plant Hanger – A whimsical butterfly inspired chandelier made out of a unwanted plant hanger.
  8. Recycled Jar Tea Light – Make your own tea light lanterns out of recycled jars and burlap for less than $1.

I had so much fun this summer creating these projects.  These were just eight of my favorites.  I’m looking forward to the fall and the upcoming Holidays!

 

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11th Sep2012

DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light

by Dinah Wulf

I’m pretty sure I save every single jar after it’s empty.  Pickle, spaghetti sauce, salsa… I don’t discriminate.  The Mason jar is beautiful but I think it gets too much credit (don’t get me wrong, I’ve done several Mason jar crafts in the past and I still LOVE them).  For this DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light, I decided to use a pickled beet jar.  Yes, I eat pickled beets…yum!!!

Materials:

  • Jar
  • Burlap scraps
  • Scissors
  • Wire or a wire coat hanger (I used 20 gauge because it’s easy to work with)
  • Spouncer
  • Craft paint in the color of your choice
  • Stencil of your choice
  • Wire cutter
  • Pliers
  • Hot glue
  • Tea Light

First, cut your burlap so that it fits nicely around your jar.  Next, stencil your burlap and set aside.  Wrap your wire around the mouth of the jar several (4-5) times depending on the desired thickness.  Cut another piece of wire for the handle wrapping each end securely around your wire circle as shown.  Place the wire circle with handle around the mouth of the jar.  Locate the ends of the wire circle and pull taught.  Pliers may help.  You may have to massage the circle accordingly.  Tuck in the ends of the wire.  Finally, hot glue the burlap around your jar and insert and light your tea light.

I thought six of these spelling out “boo” and “eek” would be really cute on the mantel for Halloween.  Hope you try it out!

 

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09th Jul2012

Stenciled Butterfly Wall Art

by Dinah Wulf

Recently, I wrote a post on DIY Butterfly Wall Art from items I found in my craft closet.  With my daughter’s garden themed birthday party coming up, I decided to make another craft scrap art piece.  I wanted to use it as part of the decorations at her birthday party, as well as hang it in her room after.

Once again, I didn’t have to buy anything new.  I had every item already sitting in my craft closet.  I even had another ugly painting that I inherited when my husband and I moved in together.  If you don’t have an old ugly painting, blank canvases can be purchased at any craft store.  Also consider going to a thrift store and recycle an old one.  It may even come with a frame you can reuse.

Here is what I used for my Stenciled Butterfly Wall Art project.

  • Old painting or canvas
  • Burlap
  • Staple gun and staples
  • Craft paint
  • Spouncer
  • Stencils
  • Paper plate
  • Glue gun and glue sticks
  • Craft Butterflies

I started off by covering the painting with burlap that I had from my Stenciled Burlap Placemat project by attaching it with a staple gun.  Make sure you pull the fabric taught as you staple it.  Next, I laid out my stencils and butterflies in the order I wanted them placed on the canvas and took a digital photo of it.

I stenciled my daughter’s name on the bottom right and stenciled a butterfly in the center.  Check out my Stenciled Burlap Placemat project for stenciling tips and tricks.  Next, referring back to my digital photo, I hot glued each butterfly onto the canvas.

Both quickly and easily I have a unique and personalized party and room decoration that didn’t cost me a dime!!

 

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11th Apr2012

Burlap Stenciled Placemats

by Dinah Wulf

I love the rustic look of burlap and I wanted to try and make my own placemats. I decided to make them more unique by stenciling them.

I got these beautiful stencils from iStencils. They have a full unique line of stencils for walls, clothing, airbrushing, and just about any kind of craft. I originally thought about creating a custom made stencil and found that Stencils Online can do that by simply providing the art work.  They will even make custom stencil quotes that are perfect for painting on walls. Ultimately I decided to go with the alphabet letter stencils.  There were SO many fonts and styles available to choose from and finally I settled on 3 inch upper case industrial letters for this DIY project.

Here is how I made my Burlap Stenciled Placemats. I will share some burlap and stenciling tips along the way.

I purchased my burlap at a fabric store for $3.99 a yard, and of course I had the 40% off coupon.

An average placemat is 18.5” by 12.5”.

I found it easiest to use an existing placemat as a guide to cut your burlap BEFORE you wash or clean it.

Burlap Tip #1 Washing: I recommend hand washing burlap instead of machine washing.  You can machine wash it in COLD, however be prepared for a messy lint trap and a lot of fraying. More on cleaning burlap to come…

Cut out the desired amount of placemats.  It’s OK to cut two placemats at a time.

Burlap Tip #2 Fraying: Use a liquid seam sealant like, Fray Check to stop the burlap from fraying.  Protect your work surface with cardboard and keep the sealant out of reach from children.  Allow it to dry completely (about 30 minutes).

Burlap Tip #3 Wrinkles: Next, using spray starch iron the wrinkles out of your burlap placemat.  I used a linen (high) setting and it worked nicely.

Now, leaving the cardboard to protect your surface, you are ready to start stenciling.

Stenciling Tip #1 Brushes: Different paint brushes work; however I highly recommend using a spouncer, especially for this project.  It looks like this.

I am using acrylic craft paint for this project.

Stenciling Tip #2 Paint: For small craft projects like this, the less paint you use, the better.  Apply two light coats (in general) to maintain clean lines. Also consider using tape or another adhesive to help keep your stencil in place. I personally didn’t use any because the iStencil I have was easy to control.

In an up and down dabbing motion, gently  but firmly apply the paint.  One coat works perfectly for this project.

I am stenciling words, so started with the last letter in each word first on the bottom right hand corner of my placemat.  The iStencil makes it so easy to align each word.  Allow these letters to dry (ten minutes-ish).

 

Stenciling Tip #3 Cleaning: In the meantime, make sure you wash your used stencils with a gentle soap and water and allow it to dry flat.

Burlap Tip #4: Take these placemats outside and give them a shake!  Shake off the excess burlap debris.  Trust me, you’ll thank me later…

Here are a few AFTER photos of my Burlap Stenciled Placemats.

 

 

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26th Mar2012

Natural Fibers Inspiration Board

by Dinah Wulf

I love projects using natural fibers like, sisal, burlap, jute, and rope.  It’s eco-friendly, chic, and inexpensive.  What more could you want? It also goes with several types of décor styles from industrial to rustic and from nautical to French country. So, I created a Natural Fiber Inspiration Board for actually several reasons: 1) I am obsessed with Pinterest and Houzz and I can look at pictures for hours, 2) I wanted to share my favorites with my DIY Inspired readers, 3) My blog is my virtual diary, and also my virtual to do list.

I decided that it would be fun to do my own versions of inspiration boards so for now, I’ll try and use Monday’s posts for that… we’ll see how long that lasts!

I did my best to find the correct DIY tutorial for each photo.  Some of the photos on this inspiration board are from Etsy.com or other online retailers, so the link will tell you where you can purchase it (woo hoo!), because sometimes we don’t have time to make everything ourselves! Scroll all the way down; the links are below at the end of the post.  If there is no link, I couldn’t find it. Sorry! However, hopefully the photo itself will still give you some do-it-yourself inspiration anyway!

Links for Natural Fibers Inspiration Board DIY Tutorials

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