Making your own furniture applique using All-Purpose Joint Compound

Last year I was playing with All- Purpose Joint Compound decorating my faux fireplace. I  used the same compound to decorate my table to make it look like carved wood. First I sanded the entire surface because my table has a glossy varnish.  I used my cake decorator kit and filled it with All-Purpose Compound and applyed some roses and leaves just like you would do it on a cake. Then I let it dry completely. I used a primer-sealer and painted the detail and table. Then I painted my table white.

It just looks like those commercial furniture appliques.

You could follow a commercial applique design as an  idea. I really love how it turned out.

Before table.

Would you like a sweet treat? I have not stopped playing with Joint Compound yet, I made these faux mini-cakes. My husband was annoyed when I told him that he could not eat those mini-cakes, :) He said that I was evil making them because they made him hungry for goodies.

I filled the baking cups with joint compound and smoothed the top with a wet spoon. Then I let it dry. To speed the drying process, I took them out of the cupcake baking sheet and transfered them onto a flat surface lined with paper.

I removed the cupcake paper and placed the cupcake on paper or a paper plate. With a butter knife, I decorated it just like I would do with a real cake and let it dry. Then I decorated it using my cake decorator kit and let it dry.I first applied a primer-sealer, and let it dry completely.

Do not attempt to remove the mini-cake from the paper, cut around the edge with scissors.

Then I painted  with acrylic pastel colors.

This is how my faux fireplace turned out using All Purpose Joint Compound. It's really important to use a primer-sealer when we are working with All-Purpose Joint Compound, otherwise the paint will peel off after painting it.

"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report...think on these things."Philippians:4-8

I want to wish you a wonderful day and keep yourself crafty.

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Collage and Turquoise Colored Easter Eggs

Probably you all ready know how to decorate these eggs, but I couldn't resist sharing how I made these turquoise eggs for my bird nests that I made to display on my mantel.

One at a time, I pricked the eggs at both ends with a needle and carefully blew out the entire contents, and let it dry about an hour. I covered the hole with gift wrapping tissue; just glue a little piece of wrapping tissue like you see in the photo, and don't worry, the patch will not show when the egg is submerged in the water because the paper will absorb the color.

I get this beautiful turquoise color using a 1/4cup of warm water, 1tsp.vinager, 4 drops of blue and 2 of green. My little boy helped me color the eggs, and we let the eggs dry.

Then I sprayed the eggs using a toothbrush. I used an acrylic burnt umber paint color diluted with water to consistency of milk.

 I left some eggs white but I sprayed them with paint using the toothbush, you could use a sponge for this effect.

I found this amazing free clip art at the Graphics Fairy blogspot.

 I made little cuts all around the image, so it can be glued without wrinkles onto the egg.

Add a little bit of glue on the image and rub it with your finger to remove any air bubbles.

 I love these nests. I found them at the Graphics Fairy too.

"Do right, and God's recompense to you will be the power of doing more right. Give, and God's reward to you will be the spirit of giving more; a blessed spirit, for is the Spirit of God Himself, whose life is the blessedness of giving. Love, and God will pay you with the capacity of more love; for love is Heaven--love is God within you. F.W.Robertson.

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~Have a Wonderful day and keep yourself crafty~

Springtime Mantel

Welcome Spring! And nothing said it better than bird nests. Nothing better expresses the warm feeling than the fireplace, a place for displaying our creativity, accessories or mementos that have a sacred place in our hearts. Now that I have a fireplace, I can turn it into an attractive showplace year round.

Five years ago I bought this mirror in an antique store. In this store they lower the prices every month, so, I ended up buying the mirrow for $15. The mirror is quite heavy. It had a gold frame, but I decided to paint it white using a sponge because I wanted some gold showing--for a shabby look. I think it is a treasure find bargain and I love it hanging over my faux fireplace.

I decorated these eggs with some graphics that I found at the Graphics Fairy blogspot where you can find tons of clip arts. I chose the religious graphics because I wanted an  Easter look on my eggs, and bird nests as well.

Colored eggs are traditionally associated with Easter, but these easy- to-make painted eggs will look decorative throughout the year. I painted these  turquoise colored eggs; I  love how they turned out.

SHEPHERD"Who is it that is your shepherd? The Lord! Oh, my friends, what a wonderful announcement! The Lord God of Heaven and Earth, the almighty Creator of all things, He who holds the universe in His hand as though it were a very little thing,-He is your shepherd, and has changed Himself with the care and keeping of you, as a shepherd is changed with the care and keeping of his sheep. If your hearts could really take in this thought, you would never have a fear or a care again; for with such a shepherd, how could it be possible for you ever to want any good thing?" H.W.Smith.

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I want to wish you a wonderful Easter whether you hunt for Easter eggs,  or reflect about Jesuscrist and His sacrifice and resurrection in communion with your loved ones. Enjoy this wonderful Spring.