Mod Cardboard Vase

In designing the window display at the shop, in my trio of GIANT vases, I wanted to make a mod cardboard vase. If you didn’t see construction of the first vase, you can see it here.

I started making vase number 2 by making a paper template, and then tracing. Which is what I should have done the first time! It was much easier to get matching sides that way. I wanted the shape to be somewhat classic, so I could have fun with the paint.

(This post contains affiliate links)

I made the sides thicker than the last vase, and bent them to follow the curves of the template.

I found it helped to pre-bend them to improve their flexibility. I taped them on the inside with wide making tape.

After taping the top on from the outside, I glued paper over the top. After trying different techniques, I found it was easiest to glob the glue on, and spread it with another piece of cardboard.

When applying the paper, I found it helped to press it smoothly down and try to get as many air bubbles out as possible. To get the paper to adhere around the edge, clip the paper.

Once the paper was on, I was finally at the fun part of painting! I loved the idea of using fresh colors like  lilac paint and coral paint with a white combination.

To give it a flecked, textured look, I added a little water to a dark brown acrylic paint to thin it slightly. I then used an old, cheap, cruddy brush. For something like this, the cruddier the brush the better. I dipped it in the paint, and then used my finger to “fleck ” it onto the surface. This can get a little messy, so wear old clothing!

Let one side dry before doing the other, other wise your flecks will smear. Once you finish the second side, glue the base of the vase on!

The second vase was so much fun to make, I really took a chance with the third one with construction! In the next post, I’ll show you how I put that one together!

 

 

The post Mod Cardboard Vase appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2019/04/mod-cardboard-vase.html

Free Abstract Art Printable

Raise your hand if you love free art…I know I do! I am excited to share this free abstract art printable with you!

When I first started blogging, it took me a very long time to identify myself as an “artist”. I knew I was a mom, a wife, and I liked to create, but it seemed like a big reach to call myself an actual artist. Even though I loved to paint, and draw, it wasn’t something I had gone to school for or gotten a degree in.

The first time I referred to myself as an “artist” I felt like I was lying. The words felt so foreign rolling off of my tongue. I think I was almost afraid if I said it, that someone would call me out, and think I was being silly (A few years ago, I realize it’s actually a real thing called “impostor syndrome”, and many of us feel that way all of the time, in all kinds of different ways.). Honestly, I was relieved when I realized that it was ok to identify myself with something I do, and fully embrace it.

In exploring all kinds of art techniques and mediums in the last few years (like this abstract agate paint techinque, or this way to paint with a putty knife.), I found one thing I really loved was painting abstract art. I  get inspiration and colors from a lot of flowers in nature, like the greens and pinks in these snapdragons.

While I really love still-life, sculpture, design and pattern, abstract art has a special place in my heart because there are really no rules. It’s all about what you like when the paint goes on the canvas…and if you don’t like it, it can be fixed. Acrylic paint is very forgiving.

While I love painting abstract art, the best is when I get to teach it. I love the looks on people’s faces in workshops when they put paint to canvas, and see how freeing it is.

This painting actually started out much darker, and while I love it, I ended up painting over much of it with white paint, and I love it even more! It’s perfect displayed  on my faux mantel with vintage brass candlesticks, and all of my plants. It feels very springy and fresh to me.

 

Just right click on the below image to save and print.

You can print this on regular card stock, it would make lovely note cards. It would even be nice for a background for mixed media art. If you really love this free abstract art printable , I would be thrilled if you would pin it to Pinterest so others can find it and enjoy it as well!

Make sure you don’t miss the other bloggers sharing their free printables below!

Ingredient Substitutions List by Ella Claire | Homemade Lemon Curd Labels by Happy Happy Nester | I’ll Wash You Dry by Zevy Joy | Plants on a Shelf Watercolor by Craftberry Bush

Vintage botanicals and butterflies by Town and Country Living | Kitchen Measurements by anderson + grant | DIY Linen Spray and Printable Labels by Clean and Scentsible | Colorful Painting by Jennifer Rizzo

Definition of Home by Home Made Lovely | Pineapple Print by Making Home Base | Home Sweet Home by Lolly Jane | Balanced Coffee by Taryn Whiteaker

Home is Where you Park it by Tidbits | Watercolor Lemon Series by The Happy Housie | Plants Grow Towards You by Nest of Posies | The Garden Journal by On Sutton Place

Semper Fidelis by Paint Me Pink | Feathers by Twelve on Main | They Broke Bread in their Homes by Live Laugh Rowe | Laundry Co. by My Someday in May

Watercolor Herb Prints by Nina Hendrick

The post Free Abstract Art Printable appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2019/04/free-abstract-art-printable.html

Creating Giant Cardboard Chinoiserie Vase for a Window Display

One of the fun things about owning a retail store (besides shopping), is that you get to merchandise the store, and create and design window displays. When we decided to launch Wild & Bloom, one of the things I wanted to try to tackle was creating DIY Giant Cardboard Vases for our window display. Every week, we have tons of recycling, so there were plenty of nice, sturdy boxes to choose from! While I did these on a really large scale, this would be a fun craft/decor item to make on a smaller scale for an upcycled craft or DIY pinata! If you need free boxes, always ask your local boutique or small store. There’s a chance they would be very happy to get rid of them! The first design I decided to tackle was a Giant Cardboard Chinoiserie Vase.

I knew I wanted to make three different shapes and sizes. The challenge was figuring out the shapes, and then breaking them down into the physical shapes  needed to be to construct the vases. I could have made smaller ones first as models, but I am a go creatively big, or go home kind of project person ( or a make it more difficult for myself project person…).

I like constructing things out of cardboard,and if you ever wanted to make a DIY pinata out of cardboard, this is project will probably give you some good, basic steps.

I’m going to share the easiest one first. I was going to share all three vases in one post, then I realized I had waaaay too many pictures and steps, so I’ve broken it down into three different posts for you. I first found boxes that were on the thicker side, and that fit the length I needed.

After sketching out my shapes in chalk, I cut them out. I realized by the second giant cardboard vase, making a template on brown craft paper first, and then transferring the image was much easier.

After my pieces were cut out, I started assembling. The first vase consisted of two vase-shaped panels, two long stripes for the sides and a flat base. That’t it. I first taped them in place along the edges, then glued them together. The hardest part was taping the final piece on.

To give them a smoother surface,hide the tape and make them sturdier, I covered them with white tacky glue and brown craft paper.

After the glue dried, it was easy to trim it along the edges. I then glued the base piece on so it would stand upright. Once that dried, it was ready to paint.

After a base coat of white acrylic craft paint over the top, and I started the fun part of decorating them! There was some slight crinkling on the paper on the first vase, but I didn’t mind it. I think it adds to the texture. I applied the glue differently on the second and third vase, and the crackling was much less.

Since blue and white chinoiserie is coming back in style, I wanted to give it a new,modern twist by painting tropical boho plants and leaves on the side. I used inspirations such as fiddle leaf fig,palm, and monstera leaves.

I was so excited with how the first giant cardboard chinoiserie vase turned out, I couldn’t wait to start on the second one with a different vibe. I also was inspired to use the modern chinoiserie pattern on fabric, and on pillows in our on-line store as well as a part of our Wild & Bloom collection.

I’ll have post for vase number two up next. That one was fun, because I went all mod on the design, and played with splattering paint!

 

The post Creating Giant Cardboard Chinoiserie Vase for a Window Display appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2019/04/creating-giant-cardboard-chinoiserie-vases-window-display.html

Glue Resist Art Wall Hanging

Have you ever made glue resist art before? If you aren’t familiar with glue resist, it’s a technique using a medium such as glue or wax on fabric or another surface to cover the bottom layer. With resist painting, you then apply a layer  of resist, then another layer over it with another medium such as paint, or dye. Then, you remove the resist medium to reveal the layer underneath. This is often used in silk scarf dying, and in watercolor (on paper) with a material called frisket. Resist art is fun, because it really opens up possibilities when you want to bring another layer of color in, or even just negative white space.

(This post contains affiliate links)

As well as white craft glue as a resist for this glue resist art  wall hanging project, I also used the HomeRight Super Finish Max Paint sprayer. I really liked being able to use the paint sprayer to evenly apply the  paint. It made it super easy to get an even coat! I’ll share a bit of the technique with you here, but you can head over to the HomeRight blog to see the full tutorial, iincluding how to hang your project when you’re done.

This project is made with just  painter’s tarp and white craft glue, so the best part is, it’s an easy project…I always love a good white glue craft project.

Use the tip of the glue container as a drawing tool. Since I was making mountains, I let the glue flow out and make some wavy, free-form lines. Once the glue was ready, I laid it flat in my Medium Spray Shelter .

I loved using my Super Finish Max for the larger scale of this project! It applied the paint waaaaaay more evenly than I could with a brush. Once the paint is dry, you’ll use this technique to remove it.

Once you remove the glue resist layer, you get this really cool look! I am excited to break this out for other projects, including DIY fabric with fabric paint.

If you liked this project, you might also like this DIY stenciled art project,

and also how to do this DIY abstract painting technique.

 

This post is sponsored by HomeRight, opinions are entirely my own.

The post Glue Resist Art Wall Hanging appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2019/03/glue-resist-art-wall-hanging.html

Wild & Bloom 2019 Spring Launch

One of the thing I love about co-owning my own retail store is the possibilities. One of the possibilities we had talked about was doing a spring collection that would allow us to guide not only our spring buying, but allow me to go deeper into my experience with art and product design. After brainstorming, we decided to capture the feeling of spring. The freshness, and the sweetness, and abandon that it emerges as everything grows. We landed on the name Wild & Bloom, and started building everything around that theme. Of course my favorite part is the Wild & Bloom bunny. He’s(or She’s)  just the cutest!

 

I’ve been working on window display for a while, which if you’ve followed my Instagram stories, you saw my giant vases with pampas grass plumes for the window. If not, don’t worry! I will be following up with a post for you to see my process, which building cardboard displays from our recycled boxes was so fun and interesting to try for the first time!

Last night, we hosted a VIP event in our store, and it was so much  fun, and it was so awesome to be able to unveil our vision!The best part is, if you aren’t able to stop in the store in person to see the collection, you can find it here in our on-line shop! 

I loved being able to pull out my paints, and really dive into what Wild & Bloom meant. I love spring so much, especially after such a long winter. I can’t wait to start my seeds, and I get so excited when I see all of the rebirth happening around me! I poured that into my artwork, and we used that as a guide as we picked out coordinating decor, candles, jewelry and apparel items.

 

I love Wild & Bloom, and I am excited to start thinking about our next collection, and how we can make that come alive in our store. For those of you who don’t live close, you can shop Wild & Bloom on-line too!

The post Wild & Bloom 2019 Spring Launch appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

from
https://jenniferrizzo.com/2019/03/wild-bloom-2019-spring-launch.html