By Candie Cooper of Candie Cooper's Journal

Growing up, my sister Carrie had a ton of miniatures and Barbies lying around.  I just wrote her to see if she still has the giant Victorian (unfinished) doll house. I'm suggesting we finish it, so this furniture has a home. I can see it now: Candie and Carrie's version of DIY Home Makeover---Miniature style!

It all started when I saw this sweet furniture at the dollar store. Cute pieces, not so cute color.

I base coated everything with FolkArt paints and detailed the knobs with Gold FolkArt.  You'll need some tiny brushes to go with these tiny pieces.

I asked my friend Lena to knit a blanket and we wove yarn in to add some color.  Then I made mini pillows with cotton balls, fabric, and a little Mod Podge Fabric to seal them up. Paper sheets were added to the bed with Mod Podge Matte.

Spools were transformed to stools with more FolkArt Paint. Paper seat cushions and place mats were added with Mod Podge Matte too! You can find accessories like plates and forks at the craft store.  

My friend Katie gave me the lamp from her parent’s miniature store--complete with toothpaste lid shade. Adding details to projects is definitely my favorite part. I had a blast making this project for Plaid. I hope you love it too!

Hooray! You’ve made it to the half waypoint of the workweek. We know you’re probably counting down to the holiday weekend on the horizon, but before you completely check out we want to share with you an awesome project. Check out this Martha Stewart DIY Monogrammed Necklace, designed with new items from the Martha Stewart jewelry craft program.

Keren from Free Pretty Things For You designed this necklace. It is so cute, and perfect to make for yourself or give as a gift. Since you can personalize it by adding a monogram to it, why not add your little one’s initials? They are sure to love receiving this handmade and heartfelt craft from you. To learn how to make this necklace visit Keren’s blog for step-by-step instructions.

By Candie Cooper of Candie Cooper's Journal

School plays, summer make-believe, party hats; I LOVE IT ALL!! Here are some dollar store foam crowns I dressed up with Plaid paints and Mod Podge!

I started with neon tags that also came from the dollar store. You can sponge or brush on neon Apple Barrel paints to add more color and texture. For a little sparkle, brush a coat of Sparkle Mod Podge over the painted tags.

Glue the pieces together in layers with Mod Podge. It's fun to cut new shapes or slits in the paper tags with scissors too.

Decorate the foam crowns with gems and attach them with Mod Podge. You can leave the crown like this or....

Sponge paint it with gold FolkArt Paint.

I added the flower pieces, feather and ribbon trim to the crowns with cool temp hot glue. These crowns are ready to rule the back yard and maybe even the world!

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Hopefully it was craftastic, and you got to create something with your kids. If not, no worries it’s a brand new week and there is no time like the present to begin a new project. In case it slipped your mind several people are honoring teachers this week, by giving them a teacher’s appreciation gift.

Instead of buying something, why not make something? Homemade gifts are the best, and can really help brighten up someone’s day. If you are stumped on what to make, may we suggest this adorable pencil holder? This project is so easy to make, and it is functional.

Help your little ones make this project for their favorite teacher. All you will need is a little Mod Podge, and some scrapbook paper. To see the step-by-step instructions on how to make this project, visit the blog Simply Kierste. Enjoy!

Hooray! It’s Friday. You’ve made it through the workweek, and now you have two whole days to do whatever you want. One of the things you may have to tend to is the cleaning of your home. Weekends are typically the best time to clean, and if you have children this task may be a little bigger than expected.

Don’t let your little ones sit on the sideline watching you clean, make sue you have them help you. One of the best ways to have them help is by making them pick up after themselves. Kids have so many toys, books, and trinkets they collect. Make them become more responsible for keeping these items in order.

If your little one is an avid book reader then you are going to need a place to store their library. Instead of the traditional bookshelf store books in decorative crates. Recently we stumbled across a great creative craft project on the blog, No Time for Flash Cards. Allison created this Mod Podged book crate with her daughter, and it is a great kids craft. This will make the perfect place to have your kids store their books. To learn how to make this project visit the blog here.  

Aren’t you excited? Summer is on the horizon, and that means it is time to get down to the beach. Kids love going to the beach. There’s the ocean, the sand, seashells, and sweet treats. This summer get your little ones beach ready by creating this beach cover up and visor.

These easy, breezy beach accessories are fun and quick to create! Julie Lewis, a talented designer here at Plaid, created this project and now you can too. To achieve this look Julie used Plaid’s simply screen paints and stencils. Let your creativity shine this summer wherever you go. All the supplies you will need for this project can be found below, along with their instructions.

Other Supplies

White beach cover-up and visor
¼" & ½" stencil brushes
Craft knife
Poster board
Transfer paper
Pencil

Instructions

1. Transfer circle pattern to poster board and cut out with craft knife. Cut two or three extra.

2. Referring to photo for color and placement, trace and paint circles on cover-up and visor.

3. Referring to photo for color and placement, apply Butterfly Elements using stencil brush.

4. Heat set paint following manufacturer's instructions.

Now that Mother’s Day has come and gone, it’s time to get ready to celebrate all the dads. You still have plenty of time to prepare, but remember Father’s Day will be here before you know it.

This year have fun creating a special Father’s Day frame for the special dad in your life! A handmade gift is the best way to melt your dad’s heart. Chris Williams a designer here at Plaid designed this frame. To create it she used several supplies, including Mod Podge.

After you finish making this frame be sure to add a nice photo of your dad, or of your whole family. The best gifts are handmade gifts. This project will take about one hour to complete, and is perfect for all craft levels. Below are all the supplies you will need, and click here to see their complete instructions.

PLAID Supplies

·       Mod Podge ® 7 Piece Tool Kit

·       Mod Podge ® Acrylic Shapes - Basics, Flat & Charm

·       Mod Podge ® Podgeable Papers - Woodland

·       FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Ivory White, 2 oz.

·       Mod Podge ® Dimensional Magic, 2 oz.

·       Mod Podge ® Matte, 8 oz.

·       Mod Podge ® Craft Glue, 2 oz.

Other Supplies

Foam plate
Brush Basin or container for water
Fine grit sandpaper
7 ¾” x 7 ¾” Wood frame