Blogs 1-50
Blogs 51-100
Blogs 101-150
Blog 101 - Unpacking a Parcel from Dala
"I recently received a parcel from Dala and had no idea what was going to be inside it. This meant that unpacking it was very exciting. My nine year old niece was with me when I unpacked the box and I don't know which one of us had the most fun. I decided to share the joy of this with you, so you would know what you had to look forward to in blogs to come, all the time introducing the items and giving short explanations of their uses, making this a fact-filled blog. What better day to share the unpacking of a gift box than on my birthday? The blog was not accidentally scheduled for today! What I love about Dala is that they are a local company and that means that their prices are very good. But don't for one instant think that it means you will be getting a mediocre product. On the contrary, I am convinced they compete very well with any of the established foreign brands."
"I have been wanting to create something in the steampunk theme for a very long time and today I finally get to do just that when I create this set of three mixed media paintings. As always in this blog, I show you step by step how to go about making your own, using photos to illustrate the explanations. This first installment of the process has us doing all the prep work, which is quite substantial and requires a lot of time."
Blog 103 - Create a Steampunk Triptych Part 2
"This blog is a follow-up of the previous blog where we started preparations for creating a set of three mixed media steampunk paintings. In the first blog we did most of the preparations, preparing our surfaces, etc. In this blog the magic happens when we start putting everything together."
Blog 104 - Create a Steampunk Triptych Part 3
"In this third installment of the series we continue using the techniques we learned in part 2 to create two more paintings for our triptych. We also use the embellishments we've prepared in the first part of the series. In the end we have some fun ladies that are larger than life, dwarfing their surroundings apologetically and unashamedly, living life to the full. In other words, a set of paintings that makes a social statement about womanhood!"
"I love taking things out of its original packaging and putting it in pretty containers. This is true for my studio, the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, etc. For this reason, I wash empty jars that have an interesting shape. I love the coffee jars that have a square shape to them as they pack away so neatly. I had two more empties today and decided to paint and decoupage them."
"The two mirrors that are given makeovers in today's blog, is by no means strange to the concept. Years ago they have been subjected to the same kind of treatment. But nothing lasts forever and styles and fashions change. It was high time for another change. This time round, we will use chalk paint for the job. The technique is largely the same for both mirrors (with slight differences in the finishing touches), but the styles are completely different."
Blog 107 - Making Washi Tape Coasters
"I have had these coasters lying around the house for ages. I started with them once, but never got around to finishing them. Then my eye caught those lovely Washi tape rolls of mine and inspirations hit me like a wave. Why not decorate them with the tape? This may be one of the simplest craft projects you'll ever do, but the results are absolutely stunning. I also show you how to seal the coasters when finished to make them more practical for wipe-downs and spills."
Blog 108 - Giving Some Inherited Cake Tins a New Jacket with Chalk Paint and Decoupage
Blog 109 - 3 Hearts Wall Hangings
"Some off-cut Masonite, a little paint, Washi Tape and some clay is all you need to make yourself this simple but striking set of of three wall hangings. Let me show you how easy it is so you can do it yourself."
Blog 110 - Three Not So Little Pigs Fabric Painting Project Using Dala's Range of Products
Blog 111 - Six Ideas for Making Tags
Blog 112 - Magnetic Chalkboard Labels
"In today's blog we make a set of very versatile magnetic chalkboard labels. The idea behind this is that you can move the labels from one tin to another as you need to. Also, the chalk can be wiped clean and a new label written on it with zero effort. How cool is that? This is a really easy and quick project to do and will you will have pretty labels to mark your tins with in less than an hour."
Blog 113 - Make a Mosaic With Three Birds
"I went to the seaside on holiday with a friend who wanted to do a mosaic. Naturally I would need something to keep myself busy with as well. My choice fell upon a 12"x12" mosaic with three cute little birds to brighten up the scene. I share the steps for creating this with you in today's blog."
Blog 114 - Wind Pump Mosaic By A Blind Friend
"I have a friend who is blind. She loves building puzzles and her spacial orientation is exceptionally good. She only became completely blind after an operation in her early teens and until that time were able to distinguish colours. This gave her a very good grasp of colours. We recently went on holiday together and, as on a previous holiday together, she expressed the wish to build a mosaic. She chose the subject and we selected the tiles together, me giving the verbal input, and her deciding which to keep and which to loose. I helped her organize the tiles in her work-space and then she played around with the layout until she was satisfied and finally fixed the tiles in place. She gave me permission to blog and share the process with you."
Blog 115 - Shaping Owls From Clay
"Today's blog initially started as a bit of fun with my niece, but then I realized that you might enjoy it as much as we did and I quickly went for the camera to record the steps. We started making some owls from pins I discovered on Pinterest, but ended making my own creation. In all, I show you how to make three different owls from clay."
Blog 116 - Decoupage and Decorate a String of Wooden Bunting
"Bunting is big news these days and it seems to popping up all over. It is about time then that we also pay some attention to this fad. For today's blog, I use a set of six bunting flags that I decoupage on both sides. I then have a load of fun decorating and spiffing the bunting up, before stringing it up as home decor."
Blog 117 - Bootlegging Some Paint
"I bought this lovely wooden boot cut-out the other day when I was in a local craft store. I simply could not resist. Is that not the case too often when it comes to shoes? Well, this one would not go onto my feet, but it would be great fun to paint. The project is not a very difficult one, but it does require a steady hand (and making sure you have the right paint brushes!). It is almost like colouring for adults, but this time we do it with paint and paint brushes."
Blog 118 - Painting Polystyrene Room Decorations
"Some of the most colourful and fun elements to add to a child's room, when decorating, are polystyrene wall decor items. These lightweight pictures can easily fill large empty wall spaces at very little cost, especially if you paint them yourself. That also means that you can change them much faster than most other items with whatever is new and popular in your child's life. There are a few things to pay attention to, though. Some paints and glues will actually dissolve/melt the polystyrene. In today's blog I give you a couple of tips for getting it right and show you a nifty trick for sticking those pesky things to the wall in a way that will not damage the wall."
Blog 119 - Painting With Glitter
"I have been doing decor for children's rooms of late and it has left me slightly whimsical. That is why today's quick project is not simply a painting blog, but one that adds a little bit of shimmer to the paint. I use a wooden cut-out and basically 'colour' it with paint before I start adding some fun elements. This is a fab exercise for everyone who is into adult coloring and is looking to break away from paper for a change."
Blog 120 - Taking Polystyrene Room Decor A Step Further
"I showed you how to paint polystyrene room decor in a previous blog and discussed some of the pitfalls to look out for. In today's blog I take the concept a little further when I decorate a girl's room. This time we go a little mixed media to highlight certain features on the designs."
Blog 121 - Four Ways to Fix Serviettes to Paper
"These days serviettes have made it out of the dining room and into our craft rooms. And small wonder, considering the vast range of beautiful serviettes available on the market. Serviettes are being used on all sorts of surfaces and I have blogged about some of these before. Today, I want to focus in on paper as a surface. There are numerous paper crafts that can benefit from introducing serviettes to them. I especially had art journaling in mind when I did this blog, but you can use it in cardmaking, scrapbooking, etc. I show you four different ways in which to fix serviettes to paper in today's blog. You choose which will work best for your particular project."
Blog 122 - Miekie's Designs for Art & Craft Projects Published In a Book
"I have shared a number of blogs in the past where I have made use of designs that I have made available for purchase so that my readers could use them in their own projects as well. Today I am thrilled to announce that these designs have now been compiled into one convenient book that can be purchased online through Amazon at a fraction of the cost of buying the designs individually. In today's blog I refer you back to previous blogs where I have used these designs and introduce a couple of new ones that you have not seen yet. You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here."
Blog 123 - Knowing About Gesso
"I have had lots of people asking me about Gesso. When to use it. Why do I use it. How many coats are necessary, etc. Then Dala sent me a bottle of their own Gesso and naturally I set out to test it. I decided it would also be the ideal time to answer all of those privately asked question in a blog so everyone could be privy to the answers. Today's blog gives you the lowdown on Gesso."
Blog 124 - An Introduction to Blackboard Paints
"Back in the day when I was in school, all the boards in the classroom were either painted black or green. Since then a whole range of fantastic colours have been introduced to the scene and local manufacturer, Dala, has a brilliant range of very high quality blackboard paints. They recently sent me a collection of these and I set out to test them to see if they held up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they delivered even more than promised. In today's blog I'll introduce the paints to you, but watch out for upcoming blogs where I do loads of fun and creative things with the paints."
Blog 125 - Stenciling with Blackboard Paint
"There are few things as boring as an old-fashioned blackboard/chalkboard. Yet, it is very possible to turn even this mundane and boring piece of history into something funky, fun and fashionable. Today I turn an ordinary piece of wood (masonite) into a pretty blackboard, using a range of pretty and modern colours. The board is intended as an exercise board for my nephew who is learning to write. Instead of painting boring lines on the board, I paint the board in brilliant bands of colour. I then add a couple of cute images,still using Dala Blackboard Paint, which I stencil onto the board."
Blog 126 - Using Blackboard Paint To Paint And Decorate A Glass Bottle
"I have done more than one blog where I have shown you how to paint on glass bottles. We have used chalk paint which we distressed with wax, and on another occasion, we used chalk paint which we then decoupaged with Dala Acrylic Gel Medium. Today we put Dala Blackboard Paint through its paces when we paint a glass bottle and plastic lid with this versatile and vibrant paint. We then use the same paint to add fine decorative touches to the bottle."
Blog 127 - Painting a Decorative Notice Board Using Blackboard Paint
"When you have two children in a household, it is simply impossible to make a gift for one and leave the other empty-handed. This is how I knew that painting writing board for my nephew would put me in debt with his sister. I wanted to make something similar, but aimed at her developmental level. It occurred to me that a notice board would be a great idea. She could simply use it as a chalkboard until she was old enough to use it for its intended purpose. The trick would be to get it to fit in with her Princess Sofia themed bedroom. I knew just what to do."
Blog 128 - An introduction to Dala Chalk Paint
"I recently received a surprise parcel of Dala Chalk Paint. This was waiting for me at home when I returned from a dream holiday with a friend. Sheer joy! I was excited about dipping into my paints again and there is nothing to fan that flame like brand new products! Upon opening the box I found a selection of 12 bottles of Dala Chalk Paint inside, along with a can of Dala Furniture Wax. Lovely! I have been wanting to put these to the test for a while and now I could exactly that. And you, my readers, get to come along for the ride. This is going to be fun! Chalk Paint, is a water-based paint that adheres to almost any surface and is frequently used for treating furniture. It derives its name form its chalky finish. It is not to be confused with Blackboard Paint (sometimes called Chalkboard Paint), which is for painting writing boards."
Blog 129 - Using Dala Chalk Paint To Paint A Picture Frame Using A Sponge
"For today's blog, I am going to take an untreated wooden frame and paint it with Dala Chalk Paint. What I love about this paint, is that you can use it on a variety of surfaces without having to bother with treating the surface first. I start with a base coat and then show you how to apply top coats, wiping away most of the paint with both dry and wet sponges."
Blog 130 - Using Dala Chalk Paint To Paint A Metal Egg Box
"My grandmother used to have this old metal egg box next to the stove and this was passed on to my mother. It is not the prettiest of items, but it has great sentimental value. When I told my mom about the Chalk Paint that Dala sent me, she immediately suggested I use it to pretty up the old egg box. Dala Chalk Paint is ideal for this kind of project, as it adheres beautifully to a variety of surfaces, without any need for sanding or primers. I show you what I did in easy steps so you can do the same with your own tired looking kitchen nick knacks."
Blog 131 - Painting A Blackboard Turtle
"I have a birthday for a little boy coming up and this is always an ideal time to get into the mind of a young child. This boy loves drawing and has recently become enchanted by turtles. Well, I knew just the trick for combining these two loves into one project. I would use the turtle wooden cut-out I had in the studio, gather my Dala Blackboard Paint and turn this turtle into a lovely and fun blackboard for him to draw his own art on."
Blog 132 - Painting A Caddy Using Chalk Paint With A Wax Resist Technique
"This caddy ended up somewhere in the back of a closet where it was forgotten. When it was finally rediscovered, it was evident that it had become shabby and was badly in need of a few fresh paint layers. Dala's Chalk Paint is just the right product for this kind of project. This also gave me a brilliant opportunity to demonstrate the wax-resist technique to create a shabby-chick finish."
Blog 133 - Make A Bracelet Using Glass Beads
"My niece is growing up fast and the other day she came upon my beads and jewelry making kit. This promptly led to her asking for assistance in making jewelry for herself. While working with her, I suddenly realized that I have never shared any blogs on jewelry making. This oversight needed immediate correction and I start off with a very easy blog on making a bracelet using memory wire."
Blog 134 - Make A Pair of Earrings Using Glass Beads
"Having made a bracelet in the previous blog, I decided that I simply had to make a pair of earrings to match it. The result of this decision is that I show you how to make some very simple, but cute earrings for yourself in today's blog."
Blog 135 - Painting a Nautical Themed Tray With Chalk Paint & Stenciling
"I love it when people pass items on to me that they no longer have any use for. This is exactly what happened when I was given an old wooden tray. The original intent was to paint this tray, but the owner never got around to it. Thus, it finally made its way to me. I decided that I wanted to use this tray in the bathroom. Chalk Paint can withstand the wet bathroom conditions brilliantly and would be the ideal medium to use for the project. I show you how to paint and treat the tray for these conditions in today's blog. I also demonstrate how to stencil with chalk paint."
Blog 136 - Making Paper Cup Wrappers For A Party
"I love the idea of using paper or plastic cups at a children's party. It means that there is no running around, trying to save glasses from breaking and children from getting cut, and it reduces the amount of dishes that need to be washed at the end of the day. You get wonderful paper products these days, but what do you do if you can't find the perfect cup for the theme of your party? Simple. You buy a couple of plain cups and make some cute cup wrappers. I show you how easy this is in today's blog."
Blog 137 - Teabag decoupage
"Today's blog is a fun mix of art with crafts. I use some used teabags that have been emptied and dried to decoupage onto a canvas as a background for my coffee and tea themed painting, which follows in acrylic and ink. I show you step by step how to make this delightful painting yourself."
Blog 138 - Making A Multi-String Necklace
"We have made a bracelet and a pair of earrings, which means that it is high time that we make a necklace as well. I show you how to make a charming multi-string necklace in today's blog, leaving you a lot of room to individualize it to suit your own style and/or colour scheme."
Blog 139 - Using Crackle Medium With Blackboard Paint
"Having rediscovered my crackle medium for a painting I did the other day, I suddenly started wondering if the medium could be used with other types of paints as well, or if its use was truly restricted to acrylics, as the label claimed it was. I simply had to find the answer. I decided to restrict my experimentation, for the time being, to other water-based paints. My first experiment would be conducted on Dala Blackboard Paint. I show you what I discovered in today's blog."
Blog 140 - Testing Crackle Medium With Different Paint Mediums
"Having experimented with Blackboard Paint and Crackle Medium, my curiosity was roused. How would this medium work with other paint mediums? I simply had to find out. In today's blog I share the results of my experimentation with you when I try Crackle medium with Oil Colours, Craft Paint, Fabric Paint and Chalk Paint. Not all the mediums showed equal success, but I think you will agree that eliminating a medium serves just as much purpose as identifying a successful one. Let me show you what I discovered."
Blog 141 - Making A Christmas Angel Ornament With Ribbon
"While visiting a friend in Kimberley, we attended a Christmas in July Dinner one evening. They handed out these little gift bags with all the necessary materials to fold your own angel ornament. It certainly wasn't anything new, and there are loads of links on the internet showing you how to make these. I had quite forgotten about it when I rediscovered the gift bag earlier this week. I figured that with Christmas just around the corner I may as well share this favorite project with you, as I already had all the necessary materials conveniently collected for me."
Blog 142 - Mosaic A Simple Bespoke Frame
"I was playing around with some alternative ideas for displaying my art without actually framing it. Frames are often very personal and people have diverse likes and dislikes. For this reason I, and many other artists, choose not to frame art. However, it would be nice to have some options available for display purposes. I then stumbled upon an idea that involved mosaics. The art can be popped in and out in no time, or fixed permanently, depending on your own needs. Let me show you how to make this quick and easy frame."
Blog 143 - Mixed Media Mosaic Mirror
"After making a mosaic frame recently, my fingers were itching to make something more creative in mosaics. I found a square piece of wood panel that I've had for a while. As I still have not settled on an idea for it, I decided I would mosaic something on this. Going through my stash of tiles, I came across a handful of mirror tiles leftover from previous projects. There and then I decided to make a decorative mirror, bringing together a number of differently sized and shaped items and tiles. I walk you through the reasoning and planning in today's blog, showing step by step how to do this yourself."
Blog 144 - Fringed Earrings
"I have a little girl in my life whose birthday is just a couple of days before Christmas. That means that, even at this late stage in the year, I am still having to think of gifts for birthdays, rather than simply concentrating on Christmas. Whatever you intend these earrings for, be it yourself, or someone else, I am sure you are going to love the movement of the fringe on these easy-to-make earrings. I show you how in a few short steps."
Blog 145 - Double-Dipped Brush Strokes on Prepared MDF Board
"I start with a raw MDF board in today's blog and show you how to treat it before painting on it. Once all of the groundwork is done, I show you a number of techniques for painting Folk Art type brushstrokes with a more contemporary twist. The aim of this exercise is to finally turn this plain plank into a decorative cake server, although you may have a much different purpose for your own double-dipped brushwork."
Blog 146 - Double-Dipped Brush Strokes on Prepared Masonite Board
"In the previous blog, I introduced double-dipped brush strokes. I continue along the same vein in today's blog, tackling more strokes and ideas. Today's surface is no longer MDF board, however, but the very cheap and light-weight masonite board. Our surface preparation is therefore slightly different from that of the previous blog."
Blog 147 - Cracked Pot Cake Stand
"Many years ago, for a very short period in time, my folks had a business venture where they made tombstones. Rummaging through a little used store room, resulted in my mom presenting me with two cracked pots, one left over from the time of the tomb stones. She handed these to me, saying she figured I could do something with it, but to simply throw it away if I couldn't. The challenge was on! I knew they would never again serve as flower pots, but that I would give them a whole new lease on life. I figured I could turn these old discards into centerpieces, by making cakes stands out of them. Let me show you how in today's blog."
Blog 148 - Multi-String Earrings
"I have yet another pair of earrings to make for the gift box I have been working on and I am sure you will love these as well as you did the others I made with fringe. I am still looking for dangling earrings with lots of movement in them to make for my little (almost) five-year old. These earrings were inspired by her Elsa dress, which she still wears on a regular basis. They match the colours of the dress beautifully and would make a much loved addition to the outfit. I show you step by step how to make these cute earrings in today's blog."
"I am still working on a gift for my niece who has requested earrings for her birthday. I have decided that it would be a good idea to not only include a couple of sets of earrings, but also to have some of them match up with bracelets and necklaces, etc. With this in mind, I made her a matching set of earrings and bracelet. I show you how in today's blog."
Blog 150 - Make A Beaded Necklace & Matching Looped Earrings
"We have done a couple of blogs on jewelry making already, but we have not yet covered all the techniques or materials by a long mile. In today's blog I share some more ideas and tricks that I have not covered in previous blogs. Most notably, I show you how to use crimp beads on both the necklace, as well as the earrings."
Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy the books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
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