Tuesday Huesday: Fun with Formal

The house I grew up in has an entire room that we are not allowed to enter. It is Mom’s formal living room and it is beautiful and pristine and no one is allowed to touch it. We used to joke that Mom had laser sensors set up and any trespassers would lose a limb. And while the room was — and still is — absolutely beautiful, it is traditionally formal and very feminine. The walls are painted a light peachy color. The furniture is all creams, pinks and peaches with dark woods and a hint of  grass green thrown in. And now that we are all grown and know better than to put our feet on the couch or not use a coaster on the coffee table, unless we’re taking a family photo we still don’t go in that room. We don’t want to spoil anything.

Mom tells me now that she wishes she had not gone for such a formal look. That she wishes she had made the room a little more welcoming since it’s the very first thing people see when they enter the house. She wishes it was more reflective of the attitudes and personalities — very laid back and carefree — in our family. So with that in mind, we give you the fun, formal room as shown in the May 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.  This room relies on darker colors — safe for any member of the household to come into contact with  — and some whimsy. The more traditional, formal chairs are dressed up with a pop of color with the throw pillows and the traditional mantle gets a little shake-up with blue ceramic animals. It’s a room that Dad, Mom, Aunt, Uncle, or anyone in the family could be comfortable in. And while it still requires coasters, it definitely invites people to stay for a while, get comfortable in a plush arm chair and enjoy the details.

We built this color palette using FolkArt Acrylic Colors French Vanilla, Hauser Green Light, Dark Hydrangea and Forest Moss.

Make-It Monday: Recycled Clock Table

This week’s Make-It Monday project is a little different. We’re taking inspiration from fellow blogger Gail, at My Re-Purposed Life. Gail loves to take household items — like old windows and furniture —  and give them a new life.  In fact, you might not be able to tell just from looking at it, but Gail made this table by painting a faux clock face and then attaching it to table legs she found in her shed. Who woulda thought, right? Take a look at how Gail completed this project, she has some great photos showing the entire process.

Don’t be intimidated by having to create your own clock face! Grab some stencils and paint and you can make one that looks just as great as Gail’s. If you want to use your table on the patio or in your yard, paint it with FolkArt Outdoor Acrylic paints. It’s specially formulated for use outside, which means the colors are UV safe and will stand up to the rain.

This project is great for home decor, add a lamp and some flowers and it’s a great coffee or side table. Or gather together a clock and a decanter and it would look great in Dad’s den or office.

TGIF: Don’t Forget About Dad!

All around the country temperatures are finally starting to rise, schools are closing and people are getting ready for the first big holiday week-end of the Summer. Yay! But before you kick up your heels next to the pool, make a note for yourself: Father’s Day is June 19th! That’s in 3 short weeks!

Don’t let the date creep up on you. Take a look at Dad while he’s manning the grill this week-end and starting water fights: what does he like? How can you best honor him? If you need help figuring it out, check out the great Dad-inspired projects over at PlaidOnline.com. There’s some really great ideas for a variety of skill levels — even little hands can pitch in to make something special.

Spring Organizer Part 2

Welcome back! On Monday Chris Williams showed you how to paint these cute little bugs for your garden organizer. Today we get to finish the project as Chris shows us to paint the organizer itself.

There’s Always Something on Plaid Craft TV

When PlaidOnline.com launched a brand new look back in March, it also launched with a cool new feature: Plaid Craft TV! Catch up with celebrity designers Cathy Filian and Steve Piacenza every week as they use Plaid supplies to create fun and innovative projects. These videos are exclusive to Plaid, you can’t see them anywhere else! Check it out!

Fabric Painting 101 with Chris Williams

If you are looking for a fun painting surface that will amaze others, look no farther than your closet!

For years, textiles have been the surface of choice for many artists.  Imagine decorating tote bags, canvas shoes, ever popular t-shirts and jeans, or home décor items like pillows, curtains, and seat cushions!

Tuesday Huesday: Garden Brights

I know, I know, we keep talking about plants, but can you blame us? It’s so easy to find inspiration for all kinds of styles just by looking to nature. This week, our inspiration comes from the May 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. In this photo they show how to mix and match colorful plants for a striking impact. The colors are great for both Spring and Summer. The softer hues of white and yellow transition to bolder hues of pinks with the green tying the colors together. Getting creative with Mother Nature gives us a color palette that we can play with right through the back to school season.

We created this color palette using FolkArt Acrylic Colors Warm White, Yellow Citron, Magenta, Black Cherry, Grass Green.

Make It Monday: Spring Garden Organizer Part 1

by Chris Williams

TGIF Project: Patriot Canvas

Memorial Day is next week-end! And while most of us see it as the official start of Summer and backyard barbeque season, it is a special day set aside to honor the men and women who risk their lives everyday for our country. So before you butter up the corn and toss the kids in the pool, paint up this tribute to our American heroes.

Sherrie Ragsdale, one of Plaid’s fantastic project designers, made this using two pieces of paint-to-ready canvas. You can do the same thing, or get a little creative and paint this design on your grilling apron or even the table cloth for your picnic table. No matter what, it’s a nice way to remind people of what the long week-end is all about.

Painting on Jewelry

Welcome to another installment of ASK PLAIDIE LADDIE!

Plaidie Laddie, loyal Plaid pooch and one of our blog contributors, wants to answer your most burning painting questions. Every week he’ll pick a question out of his virtual mailbag and answer it (with a little help from me, since he only has paws). This week’s question:

“Dear Plaidie Laddie, I love making jewelry and I’ve recently really gotten into painting. Can you give me some tips for painting on jewelry?” Marie C. from Florida

Painting on jewelry follows the same basic rule as any other kind of painting: use the right paint for your surface! If you’re painting on glass, tin or metal you want to use FolkArt Enamels. This paint is formulated to adhere to these non-porous surfaces. Plus, once cured, these painted pendants will look great for years! If you’re painting on ceramic, paper or a small piece of artists’ canvas, regular FolkArt Acrylics are your best bet. Have fun making your jewelry, we’d love to see what you come up with!