Fun With Freehand Chalk Art (Look Out, Dana Tanamachi!) step-by-step chalk art tutorial from a complete novice By Kristi Linauer

Obviously I’m totally joking! I’m clearly no Dana Tanamachi…yet.  But I’ve been so inspired by all of the amazing chalk art I’ve seen on blogs, Pinterest, and everywhere else over the last several months (some done on real chalkboards, and some created on computers to look like chalk art), that I decided to give it a try myself.

My first attempts certainly don’t match Dana’s caliber (she’s certainly one-of-a-kind), but I had fun trying, and I learned a few tricks along the way. Perhaps I can even teach Dana a few tricks! 

Here are my first attempts at chalk art on my cute little chalkboard that I created on my once-ugly hollow core door.

The one on the left was my first, and I was inspired by one of Dana’s installations that she did for a wedding reception.  I’m not even going to show you the picture of hers.  You’ll just have to visit her website and see it.  I don’t want my feeble attempts at chalk art to be seen that close to hers for comparison.     There’s no questioning the fact that I’m a novice, but it’s fun to try!

So for you other novices out there (or those of you who haven’t yet tried, but want to), I’ll show you how I created each one of the chalk art pieces above, step-by-step, starting with the one on the left.

To make chalk art, the supply list is quite short. You need a chalkboard and chalk (obviously), a damp rag, and (this is the trick I learned) a pencil eraser. Just be sure it’s a new pencil eraser, and not one of those hard, crusty erasers. 

I decided to put the step-by-step pictures in a gallery for easier and faster viewing. That way, you can more easily see the subtle changes between each picture. So click on the first thumbnail to see the larger image, and then click the arrows under the pictures, or use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate through the pictures. To exit the gallery, just click on the last picture (or any picture).

 

The first one was definitely the easiest, but I was a bit disappointed in my lettering. It turned out way too big for my liking, and ended up looking kind of sloppy. Sadly, I didn’t learn the pencil eraser trick until I was making this second one. You can basically use a pencil eraser to erase the chalk if you make mistakes in areas that require detail work. If I had known about the pencil eraser trick while making the first one, I could have cleaned up those letters quite easily!

But on to the second one.

For this one, I was inspired by this free printable from {aka} design.

Again, you can click on the first thumbnail below to enter the gallery for the step-by-step instructions on this chalk art.

 

Doesn’t it look fun!? I had such fun trying my hand at chalk art. And chalk is such a great medium to work with because if you make a mistake, you just wipe it off (either in whole or in part) and try again. This is definitely something I want to try more, and see if I can hone my talents just a bit. 

Have you ever tried chalk art? If so, tell me about it! Better yet, if you have pictures or a blog post about it, feel free to leave a link in the comments below. I’d love to be inspired by you!

And by the way, if you don’t know who Dana Tanamachi is, you’re missing out on a real treat. She’s probably THE most amazingly talented chalk artist there is. In addition to being commissioned by some very high profile clients, like Google, Rugby Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and West Elm, her work has also been featured in many publications, including the cover of O Magazine. Check out her website, but only if you’ve got a couple of hours to kill, because you’ll be too mesmerized to leave anytime soon. Don’t miss the time lapse videos! They’re amazing.

Hey guys do comment below about how you think it is or if you tried it out then click a pic of your poster and  show it in the comments below... byee 

                   the next post is on its way

DIY Fashion: Painted Galaxy T-Shirt Written by Tori - Texas Christian University

{image source: Boohoo}

Galaxy print tee shirts are among my favorite trends of the past year: there is something so whimsical and retro-cool about colorful clouds and stars splashed across a tee. You can find a ton of handmade galaxy shirts, shorts, or even jeans on Etsy, but these items are usually pretty out of budget for the average college student.

Want to try the trend for cheap? This DIY will show you how to create your own painted galaxy print t-shirt using supplies you probably already have!

What you’ll need:

• Black t-shirt
• Fabric Paint
• Sponge brushes
• Old toothbrush
• Plastic plate
• Cardboard
• Optional: Glitter

How to:

1. Prepare your materials by choosing your paints. I suggest choosing a color scheme based on 3 colors that touch each other on the color wheel. (I chose blue, pink, and purple.) This way, when you’re making your shirt, you can easily mix the colors without creating brown or grey paint from the mix. You will also need white paint to create the stars. I also added white and black glitter so parts of my shirt would sparkle.

To start, squirt your paints onto the plate to make a palette, then place your piece of cardboard inside your shirt to prevent the paint from bleeding through both sides.

2. Begin dabbing paint onto your shirt. This part takes time – you have to make sure it looks like clouds, so a mixture of techniques is best. Use less paint to start, then build from there! I suggest dabbing the paint on, smearing a little, then twisting (as shown above). This well give you the best distribution of paint and most natural looking strokes. It takes some time and practice, so start small.

3. Continue adding paint until you get the shape and brightness you want. You may have to go over some sections several times to make them opaque enough. The most natural looking shape will be very irregular; I tried making a small circle at first, but I ended up spreading it so it didn’t look overly perfect! Just keep adding paint until you get the look you want. There is not really a “right” way to do it.

4. Add stars to your galaxy! Dip your toothbrush into the white paint, then flick the paint onto the shirt. This can be messy, so if you’re worried about the surface you’re working on, you may want to put down newspaper or do this outside. It helps if you fling the toothbrush at the same time you flick it (this will give you bigger splatters). Continue flicking until you get the amount of stars you want.

5. Let your shirt dry. Once it dries, you may find you want to add more paint. I added more color and glitter to mine once it dried. The second coat goes on much thicker since you already have paint on the part you’re painting, so the shirt doesn’t absorb as much. Just repeat the same process. Make sure you let your paint dry the full time that the package asks so you don’t smear any paint.

Voila! There you have it – your very own galaxy shirt, at a very affordable price. This DIY does take some patience when you’re learning how to apply the paint, but once you get the hang of it, you’re golden. You can apply this technique to shorts, a skirt, or even a scarf – it’s up to you!

What do you think?

Do you like the galaxy print trend? Will you be making your own celestial t-shirt? Have another idea for an amazing DIY? Tell us in the comments!

DIY Fashion: Gold Tip Shoes Written by Tori - Texas Christian University

One of my favorite footwear trends of 2012 is definitely the contrast-toe shoe trend. You can find variations of this look everywhere – from glitter-tipped heels to metallic-tipped flats and everything in between, these shoes have been super hot all year and aren’t going anywhere yet.

If you want to try this trend on a budget, good news: These shoes are very easy to DIY with things you more than likely already have around!

What you’ll need:

• Shoes (I used tennis shoes from Target, but you can also do this to flats)
• Gold paint (I used Martha Stewart Crafts metallic paint)
• Masking tape
• Plastic plate
• Brush
• Newspaper

How to:

1. Prepare your area. Cover the floor in newspaper. Pour the paint onto the plastic plate.

2. Tape off the section of the shoes you want to paint. Make sure you press down along the edges so no paint leaks through. Double check to ensure that the shoes are exactly the same.

3. Begin painting the shoes. I used a wide brush to apply the paint. Once you’ve painted one coat, let the shoes dry before applying a second coat if needed.

4. Remove the tape once you’ve applied enough coats, and you’re done! A new pair of on- trend shoes, perfect for the holiday season! You could also do this with mod podge and glitter instead of paint.

What do you think?

Do you love this trend? Will you be making your own gold tip shoes? Have a DIY you want to see? Let us know in the comments!

Redecor your room on an (Almost) $0 Budget

It’s the eternal dilemma of college fashionistas — what do you do when you have so much creativity and inspiration, but so little cash? My frequent trips to Pottery Barn and Anthropologie fill me with ideas for dorm rooms and apartments alike, but my tiny budget brings me (sharply) back to reality.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to decorate a dorm room or apartment on a truly tiny budget (e.g. zero dollars). Of course, the added benefit is that, with cheap decor, you won’t feel bad when you change your mind and want to redo the entire place (which happens to me about four times a month).

Whether you’re a DIY genius or someone like me, who hasn’t touched a sewing machine since eighth grade Home Ec class, these tips are bound to get you started decorating. After all, with September just around the corner, we need to save money for things like late-night pizzas, unexpected coffee dates, and fall fashion trends.

Try some of our best budget interior design ideas below, and watch your room transform — on a dime!

Paint Chips

Photo Credit

How to Get Paint Chips

Paint chips are the quintessential $0 decor solution. Collecting enough to use might feel a little awkward, but take it from me — it is so worth it!

• Every self-respecting hardware store will have racks and racks of these. Simply arm yourself with a large shopping basket and get to collecting!
• Some brands even have books of paint chips that will save you the hassle of picking them off the shelves individually. Call ahead to inquire.
• Yes, they are for you to take, but make sure to leave some for people who actually want to paint their walls. Pick out a project to do first, and then head to the hardware store. That way, you won’t waste as many.

Ideas

• Make a paint chip wall.
• Put them on a frame, and then stick letters on, à la A Beautiful Mess.
• Decorate a clipboard, and Mod Podge them on. Make a few, then hang up said clipboards instead of a bulletin board.
• Write notes on them à la Tumblr, and put them on your wall.
• Cut them up and make a garland out of them. Hang it above your bed, your desk, or your door.
• Take a pixel image and recreate it on your wall. (Only for true DIY experts!)
• Attach them to your wall in a grid behind your bed to make a faux headboard.

Frames

Photo Credit

On my very first trip to the Salvation Army, I wanted to buy every frame in the place and take it home with me. An empty frame is very much like a blank canvas — it could once have been anything. I’ve always been attracted to the beauty of frames, and thanks to thrift stores, they can be upcycled into beautiful dorm decor!

How to Get (Cheap) Frames

• You can nearly always find a pile of old frames at your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other thrift store. Make sure that the piece is still relatively sturdy, but don’t worry if it’s an awful color — you can always paint it.
• I wouldn’t recommend going to a craft store, because frames can get really pricey there — I would save the craft store frames for something more permanent, like this incredible mail holder that I’m making next week! However, great and cheap frames can also be found at Hobby Lobby, the sale racks of discount stores, and your local Marshall’s or TJMaxx.

Ideas

• If you want to paint your frames, go to a hardware store and ask about their “Oops” paint. This is paint that they made a mistake on — it was probably the wrong color or type for a customer, so they’re selling it for next to nothing!
• Learn how to mat a frame yourself. This will save you hundreds of dollars, and matting a smaller graphic in a large frame makes a beautiful and tremendous statement!
• Design your own gallery wall layout above your desk or dresser.
• Dig through your room for old greeting cards, drawings, or even important papers, like your college acceptance letter or your very first paycheck. Frame them!
• Buy a copy of your favorite book from a thrift store or a garage sale and frame one of your favorite pages.
• Frame your Instagram pictures.

Paper

Photo Credit

When designing on a small budget, paper will instantly become your best friend. The possibilities are absolutely endless, and you might even hone your crafty side!

Kinds of Paper to Get

• Construction paper
• Origami paper
• Ordinary computer paper
• Card stock
• Magazine pages
• Washi tape (Okay, it’s not really paper… but my sister and I call it “paper tape” – that counts!)

Ideas

• Learn how to make origami cranes. Then makes lots of them, and hang them up.
• Use oversize construction paper sheets to make a faux headboard.
• Make origami boxes to hold small office supplies on your desk.
• Cut giant letters out of magazine papers, like CF’s Dormspiration featuree Jessica, from FIT!
• Use Washi tape (a Japanese type of tape that is decorated with translucent patterns and is strong but removable) to decorate everything from pencil holders to your computer keyboard.

What do you think?

Were our tips helpful? What are your tips for decorating on a $0 budget? Have you tried any of these ideas before? Which is your favorite? Do you have one that we didn’t list? Let us know in a comment! 

DIY Holiday Decor: Glitter Candle Holders Written by Tori - Texas Christian University

Decorating for the holidays is one of my favorite parts of celebrating. I absolutely love glitter, and the holidays have no shortage of it. The decor can get a little pricey, though, especially for a college student’s budget, so I’ve learned a few easy ways to DIY some decor myself.

These glitter candle holders are among my favorite holiday DIYs. They’re super easy to make and you can get most of the materials for under $10!

What you’ll need:

• Glass candle holders (I bought mine at the dollar store.)
• Mod Podge
• Paint brushes
• Painter’s tape (optional)
• Glitter
• Newspaper
• Disposable plate
• Coffee filter
• LED tea light “luminaries” (also from the dollar store)

How to:

1. Tape off the area you want to paint. This part is optional. I found that my mod podge leaked through parts of the tape since my candle holder was curved, but it helps as a guide for those who are less confident on painting straight lines (such as myself). You could also use masking tape, regular scotch tape, etc.

2. Begin applying the mod podge with a paint brush. You can do this in whatever design you want, but I found that large stripes or designs work best. (Detailed designs like polka dots and thin stripes won’t come out well, since you’ll be applying multiple layers of mod podge and glitter.) Make sure the mod podge is evenly applied and not too thin, or else it won’t pick up the glitter.

3. Pour your glitter into a coffee filter on a paper plate. This will keep the glitter from getting everywhere and make it easy to pour back the excess. Roll your candle holder in the glitter, pressing down gently as you go to pick up the glitter. Let the first coat of mod podge + glitter dry, then repeat steps 2 and 3.

4. Remove your tape and you’re done! Create your own designs, but remember since you’ll have to do multiple mod podge + glitter coats, you don’t want anything too detailed. I stuck with lines to keep it simple.

Since most dorms don’t allow candles, add some LED luminaries for a warm vibe. Not only are these easy and cheap holiday decor, they can also make great inexpensive gifts!

What do you think?

What’s your favorite type of holiday decor? Will you be making these candle holders for your own place? Have a DIY idea you’d love to see next? Tell us in the comments!