Nautical style decoupage box DIY

Handmade is always a great gift from the heart. Today Stella from ShimmerPlace will show us how to turn an ordinary unfinished wooden box into something special. The box Stella is decorating is ocean themed but you can always use some other image to suit your  occasion.

Materials:

* Unfinished wooden box with a lock

* Scissors

* Brushes

* Glue

* Hair spray

* Sponge

* Acrylic paints of different shades of blue

* Glitters (optional)

* Varnish

* Printed picture that you will put on your box. A picture can be cut from the decoupage cards or downloaded from the Internet and printed.

 

How to do it:

Step 1: Remove the lock from the box and place aside to keep it clean.

Step 2: Paint your box using brushes, sponge and acrylic paints. Stella also created a waved texture looks on her box by using some paint and sponge.

Let it dry.

Step 3: Cut out your picture and glue it to the lid. If you use the image printed on your home printer, spray it with a hair spray and let it dry.

Step 4: If you'd like, decorate your box some more. Use some colorful glitters to add  some details or draw some more images on your box. Stella drew some star fishes on the sides and the bottom of the box to match the top. Let the glitter dry completely.

Step 5: Paint your box inside in the color of your choice and let it dry completely.

Step 6:  Apply a thin layer of varnish on the box. Let it dry and attach the lock.

 

Stella's cute ocean theme box is ready! A lovely piece to decorate a house or to give as a gift.

If you like this box but don't want to make it yourself stop by by the Stella's shop, there are so many pretty boxes to see! Or ask her for a custom order!

Create your own underwater paradise!

This easy DIY from Yanina (nafanyafelt) for those of you who like a sea theme or simply enjoy something unique and stylish for your home decor. 

We will need:
1. Polymer clay
2. Brush
3. Pin or needle
4. Wooden board
5. Foil
6. Oven

Step 1
From the polymer clay we will need to make:

3 balls of different sizes
5 thin flatbread like pieces
7 small sausage like pieces with one sharp end and the other end should be wide
9 thin sausage like pieces
3 thin ovals

Step 2
Take the biggest ball and make the oval like impressions by using the round end of the brush handle. Repeat with remained two balls

Step 3
Take a flatbread like piece in one hand and put the handle end of the brush in a middle of it

 Wrap the polymer clay around the end of the brush handle, leaving most of the clay at the very end and spread it in a thin layer around the handle.

Carefully take the new piece off of the handle. Repeat with all flatbread like pieces

Step 4
Take a sausage like piece with different ends and install the needle in the wide end

By making a clock wise rotation you will get a small but seeable hole. Repeat with all pieces

Step 5
The seven small sausage like pieces and three oval ones do not need any changing, they are ready to use.

Now we can assemble our decorations. How to assemble is your choice, make it your stylish piece.

Step 6

Cover the wooden board with a piece of foil. It will make it easier to transfer the decorations into the oven, because you can bake it right on the foil.Carefully transfer your decorations into the oven and bake accordingly to the polymer clay package instructions.

And....it is ready!

Here is some ideas on finished pieces - happy crafting!

Tutorial by Yanina (nafanyafelt)

Bright colors of spring and summer

It's mid-spring and all the trees and shrubs are in bloom. These vibrant and intense colors, I'm sure, inspire a lot of artists and craftsmen to create unique and amazing handmade art pieces. All of us, members of Etsy Russian Team, are feeling the same drive. I'm using this opportunity to introduce bright and colorful spring and summer items created by members of our team and inspired by nature.

People have been fascinated by vast oceans and deep seas for thousands of years. Be it deep blue and turquoise waters of the Bahamas


or calm grey waters or northern seas, we always dream of owning a piece of it. Here is Sky Blue Necklace by TonyaUtkina

Mysterious deep water creatures or aquarium gold fishes, they are equally amazing when captured on a light and durable summer felted handbag by Galafilc.

Exotic flora and fauna of the equatorial lands offer us a wide variety of shapes, colors and forms to admire

and we transform our ideas and positive energy into unique felted, wire wrapped, crocheted, knitted and beaded items for everyone to own and enjoy. Look at this Spring Flower felted necklace by Beautyland

Forget about exotic! What about this familiar apple tree next door? It is in full bloom covered with lightly scented white and pink tender flowers. To preserve and remember this beauty we create items to stay with us for years to come like Apple tree blossom brooch by Jezek

Nature inspires us as it inspires our fellow artists and craftsman all over the world. We buy these amazing art pieces, get them as presents, exchange them for something of less value to us. We collect and admire them and it makes our life a bit happier.

Written by TonyaUtkina