DIY Dry Erase Board

I love coming up with my own DIY projects but I also enjoy when I stumble upon a brilliant (yet easy) idea on Pinterest, which is where I found this project.

Needed:

~ Frame (I used this 12 x 12 one from Michaels) ~

~ Fabric or patterned paper ~

~ Dry erase marker ~

Remove glass from frame, insert "backdrop" for your board, replace glass, done.

Ridiculously easy, right? You can use any size frame you desire, I used the 12 x 12 because most of the scrapbook paper I wanted to use was that size. Which leads me to another point. You can switch out your backdrop design whenever you want to change it up.

I can use my DIY dry erase board to organize my blog projects.

A daily to-do list....

As well as a weekly menu guide. 

The possibilities, styles, and placements are endless. 

~ B

DIY Wine Torches

One of my favorite things to do is to spend time on our back patio, sipping wine, listening to music. Basically catching up with my husband and relaxing. Where we live we can enjoy sitting outside from about May through October. Because of the amount of time we spend on our back patio, I'm always looking for ways to spruce up that area (see painted pots post for example). One night, while sipping on some red wine, I was gazing sadly at the empty bottle when I realized I could use it to add some lighting to the area. 

~ Empty, clean wine bottles

~ Stencils

~ Pouncers

~ Paint (acrylic or any that works on glass)

~ Marbles or stones (enough to fill up about half of each bottle)

~ Lamp oil

The stencils I used were already adhesive and designed for glass surfaces, however, stencil adhesive can be found at most craft stores.

I wanted a gold metallic type paint. Because many metallic types of paint can be a bit thin and lack color, I got a gold metallic as well as a mustard yellow and mixed them to achieve the color I was looking for.

 

Painting on a curve can be tricky but as long as the stencil is secured and flat, it can be done.

Each bottle received a bottom trim stencil, a main middle stencil, and a small top stencil design. The stencils had a few different patterns so I was able to mix and match for the different bottles. Glass is the most forgiving surface to stencil because any little mistake can be corrected with a simple scrape of a toothpick.

 Using glass marbles, shells, or any typical candle/vase filler, adds weight to the bottle and takes up room, requiring less lamp oil. Each bottle was filled half way with glass marbles and the rest with lamp oil. 

I use the above wicks which I found at Winelight by Vintage Concepts. They have various types but I chose the rosebuds because they were on clearance and I love me a cheap deal.

Once I inserted the wicks into the bottles, I made sure to let them soak in there for about 30 - 40 minutes before I lit them.

This project was relatively easy. I already had all the wine bottles, which I certainly did not consume over one weekend but rather over an extended period of time*, one set of stencils, some paint, marbles, and lamp oil.

*My mother reads this blog.

Now I'm going to go out back and enjoy them.

Cheers!

~ B