Tutorial: DIY Gift Bow

Tutorial: DIY Gift Bow

This tutorial will teach you how to make your own gift bows for all your Holiday gifts!

(Or just gifts in general!)

Items Needed:

• Ribbon (I used a 7/8" width ribbon that has the same color on both sides)
• Scissors
• Stapler and Staples (or use tape, but I preferred using a stapler)
• Double Sided Tape (you're going to need this regardless)
• Tape (Regular Tape)
• Ruler

Step One:

Using your ruler, measure out your ribbon and cut them into the following sized pieces:

• 3 pieces at 11 inches
• 3 pieces at 10 inches
• 2 pieces at 9 inches
• 1 piece at 3.5 inches

(You can alter the pieces in size, but make sure you keep the ratios within an inch from each other so you don't have crazy sizes that obstruct the bow shape.)

Step Two:

Take the 3.5 inch piece and create a circle by taping the ends together.

(For each of the other ribbons repeat Steps Three through Six)

Step Three:

Take one of the larger pieces (we will begin with one of the 11 inch pieces) and fold one of the ends over to create a loop.

Step Four:

Holding the loop firmly, create a loop with the other end, making sure that the loop is coming in from the opposite direction.

Step Five:

Make sure that both ends are creating tight points by making sure the ends are overlapping in the center.

Step Six:

Holding both ends together staple (or use double-sided tape) the ends directly in the center of the ribbon.

(As stated above, repeat these steps for the remaining ribbons.)

Step Seven:

Starting with the larger pieces, place the pieces between each other, as shown below.

Step Eight:

Staple (or tape) pieces together.

Step Nine:

Repeat the same process for all pieces, making sure you rotate them appropriately, until you only have the small 3.5 inch rolled piece left.

Step Ten:

Take the 3.5 inch rolled piece and apply a piece of Double Sided Tape to the bottom of it.

Step Eleven:

Place the 3.5 inch roll in the center of the wrapped ribbons (which should now have a bow look to it).

And you're done!

(I even made one in pink!)

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Tutorial: DIY Flag Party Favor

Tutorial: DIY Flag Party Favor

To celebrate my daughter's 1st Birthday, I'm really going out and making a huge deal about it. Which means, I'm going to throw her an awesome party and make sure that as much as I can create is all DIY. What does that mean to you? More tutorials! (Yeah!)

This tutorial goes over making Flag Party Favors to give your party, wedding, event, (etc.) gifts that bring a personalized touch to the festivities.

Since this tutorial is rather simple, I thought I'd go one step further and provide everyone with a PRINTABLE STENCIL of the exact stencil I used to make this.

Granted, I understand not everyone is able to print this out, so I've also provided the dimensions, so I really hope this helps.

Items Needed:

• Provided Stencil: Flag Stencil of customized design of your creation
• Chopstick (or popsicle, coffee-stirrer, pencil, basically any thing that is a slim tall object. I used a chopstick and a coffee stirrer for this demonstration)
• Mod Podge
• Paint Brush
• Scissors (or Exacto Knife)

Step One:

Print out (or cut out if you are doing your design by hand) your design.

The stencil was created on an 11 x 8.5" layout, so print your document out at full size.

Step Two:

Using your scissors (or Exacto Knife) cut out the design from the stencil.

(For precision, I recommend using an Exacto Knife, but that's just a preference.)

 

Step Three:

Place your design on it's front (the side the design is on) so that the white blank side of the paper is facing upward.

Step Four:

Take your paintbrush and spread your Mod Podge down the center of your design. Make sure not to use too much or else you risk destroying your printout.

Step Five:

Place your Chopstick (or chosen item) on top of the painted center and secure it to the glued paper.

Step Six:

Now that you have a center, use your paintbrush to coat one side (left or right, either is fine) of the flag with Mod Podge.

Step Seven:

Fold the two sides of the flag together and flatten around the Chopstick.

And you're done!

(BONUS STENCIL!)

Because this was so much fun to do, I did another party favor with Moustache stencils!!

Click the link below to retrieve this BONUS Moustache stencil!

Moustache Stencil

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Tutorial: DIY Chalkboard Mason Jar Favor

Tutorial: DIY Chalkboard Mason Jar Favor
(Halloween Addition!)

Need a last minute favor for your next event? (In this case it will be for Halloween)

Try this tutorial and in no time, you'll have a cool and nifty trinket for your next bash!

Items Needed:

• Mason jars
• Chalkboard paint (I picked up mine at Home Depot, but many other stores carry this)
• Paint brush
• Candy
• Possible items to decorate it with (however, I left mine blank since I used chalkboard paint)
• Chalk for your recipients to use

Step One:

Using your paintbrush paint your mason jar with your chalkboard paint.

 

Step Two:

Wait for the paint to dry and then paint another layer over it so that you have a solid black matte coat.

 

Step Three:

Wait for jar(s) to dry.

Step Four:

You can either leave your jar as it is and give it out as a chalkboard jar, or you can decorate it in various ways. Either way, once you're done your last step is to add candy! (Never add candy while working with glue, paint or anything that could be harmful to someone's health.) 

Don't forget to include chalk when you give out your jars! People love to draw on them!

Here are some alternative ideas if you want to give your jars more flare:

- Glitter (using glitter and mod podge)

- Ribbons (wrap around the jar or glue a bow to the lid)

- Make a dripping blood-like effect

(to achieve this effect, go to this Riot Tip)

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Tutorial: DIY Chalkboard Picture Frame

Tutorial: DIY Chalkboard Picture Frame

Make a funky-cool message board using chalkboard paint and a picture frame! 

A simple tutorial you can do in just a few easy steps!

Items Needed:

• Picture frame (the one I used, I found at Target)
• Chalkboard paint (I picked up mine at Home Depot, but many other stores carry this)
• Paint brush

Step One:
Take apart your photo frame and use either the backing or the glass as your "chalkboard surface".
(I chose to use the backing as I liked the feel of the surface more than I liked the glass, but choose whichever you like more).

 
Step Two:
Using whichever backing you've chosen, paint that surface with the chalkboard paint.

Step Three:
Wait for the paint to dry and apply a 2nd coat. Follow the directions on your chalkboard paint for appropriate wait time.

Once dry, put your picture frame back together and you're done!

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Featured Artist: Theresa "Nacho" Montiel

Featured Artist: Theresa "Nacho" Montiel

Get to know DIY Riot's Featured Artist, Theresa "Nacho" Montiel. A professional graphic designer, retired roller derby blocking super star (aka 'Nacho Girlfriend'), avid crafter and all around kick ass female extraordinaire, Theresa has kindly offered to share her creative genius with the world and give us a step-by-step tutorial on Xylene Transfers!  

Let's get started...

"Xylene Transfers Tutorial"

By: Theresa "Nacho" Montiel

Perhaps you have seen/heard of xylene transfers before...

You know the ones, where you mirror a piece of art or text via a copy machine...use a Chartpack Blender Marker (p-0)...then rub until your hands are numb -- and then -- viola!  Cool stamp like transfer of your intended art!

No....???

Well, here is a cool link to show you how that works -- its very quick.
Feel free to check it out...I will be here when you get back.

http://dontbeapicklebump.com/2012/05/xylene-transfers

Welcome back!  

Now that tutorial was honest, quick and painless...and it's great if you want to transfer your graphic to just paper.  

But what if you are looking for something more mixed media based...or you wanted to transfer to a working canvas?  

This is where the beauty of ABSORBENT GROUND from Golden and XYLENE (markers or ink) can come into play.

First what are these products?  

Well, Absorbent Ground is an acrylic medium (think acrylic paint) that when applied and dries, turns into a highly absorbent, very porous, paper "acting" surface. So when applied over gessoed canvas or board, it allows for watercolor and staining techniques to be applied as it would as if you were painting on watercolor paper.  

And what the heck is Xylene?  

Xylene is actually the vehicle...or the "ink" that carry the colors that art markers are made of. You know the funny smell that gets you kinda fuzzy after drawing with markers for a while?  

That's Xylene.  

So Chart-Pack makes a "color-less blender marker" called P-0 (letter P dash number zero).   Marker artist use them to -- you guessed it -- to blend their colors as they illustrate and create...but for our use today we are going to use Xylene for its TRANSFERRING qualities.

Since gesso is an acrylic primer -- and plastic when dry, canvases and prepared boards are not, traditionally, good xyline transfer surfaces.  

But with Golden's Absorbent ground it changes that.  

Absorbent Ground is feels a lot like gesso...its white and has a similar viscosity.  

So it being similar to gesso, you can manipulate it similarly.  

Meaning you can build up textures with absorbent ground...or even tint it.  

For Xylene Transfers I think it is better to have a sooth texture...so you will need the items listed below

Items Needed:

• A canvas or board -- size of your choice
• Golden Absorbent Ground
• A soft bristle gesso brush for smooth application of the absorbent ground
• Xylene can for larger projects
• Chartpack P-O Blender Markers (Xylne Marker) for smaller jobs.
• Acrylic Paint color of your choice (if you want to tint the background)
• A burnishing tool -- a spoon, a bone folder, or the P-0 marker itself can be used as a burnishing tool
• Copy your desired image or text in reverse (or mirrored)
• Masking or painters tape helps...but not necessary
• Watercolor brush -- either wash or round depending on the area you would like to transfer

Step One:

Tint your Absorbent Ground with the color of choice and then paint your canvas or board with your concoction of your desired color.  

You can cover the canvas fully or simply paint where you know you want to transfer your image, then let it fully dry.

Step Two:  

Once dry, set your mirrored copy of your desired transfer, ink side down, on the canvas.  And depending on the area you would like to transfer 8x10 and smaller are good for markers, and anything larger I would use the Xylene in a can. 

(If you can or want to, I would recommend purchasing one of each and doing a few experiments, to see which process you like better. Each have a slightly different result.)

For mine, I like the pressure and stamp result of the P-0 marker....plus I have a box lying around from my last project concerning.  

So seeing where the letter forms and design elements are from the back of the paper, I only draw on the area that I want to transfer and use my pen pressure to burnish the ink from the copier paper onto my canvas and distribute the xylene ink on the area.  

You can see this happen as the paper gets wetter and wetter from the marker distributing the xylene (or colorless ink)...but you can also check your status by taping down an edge in place, so your original copy stays in line and lift the copier paper to see your process.  

If you want more of a transfer of your image, you can burnish the design with a spoon or a bone folder.

Check out the finished result.  

I decoupaged a photo over the transfer too...

--------------------------

If you'd like to contact Theresa or see more of her work, please visit:
http://nachomommasdesigns.com

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