Product Review: PureForm Grip-Free Paintbrush

I have several home and DIY projects on my radar come warmer weather, so when PureForm approached me and asked for a review of their new patented grip-free paintbrush, the timing was perfect. I was intrigued by the ergonomic design and also by the claims of pain-free painting.

The unique design of the PureForm paintbrush offers "greater control, reduced fatigue, professional quality, and unmatched comfort."

I took this brush on a little test-run to a friend's house that happened to be painting her bathroom. Initially, you know this is a quality brush. However, I will admit that it takes a moment to adjust to the grip-free design, as your instinct is to grab the brush in the standard way. Once you let the brush rest on your hand, you can immediately feel that your muscles are relaxed and yet you still have complete control of the brush. If you suffer from any hand cramping, muscle fatigue, or elbow pain from gripping, this paintbrush is definitely a great alternative to a standard brush.

If you're interested in learning more about the PureForm Grip-Free Paintbrush, you can check out their Kickstarter campaign that is launching today, March 5, 2019. From there, you can snag some early bird specials during the campaign's first 24 hours. Sets of 4 sizes of brushes for only $25 and two sets for $45. That's an amazing deal for quality paintbrushes! The suggested retail price is $9.99.

Watch video demonstrations and more reviews on their website at pureformbrands.com, plus follow along on Instagram and Facebook.

What spring DIY projects would you like to tackle with a PureForm grip-free paintbrush? I can't wait to share my next painting project with you!

Happy painting, DIY'ers!

julee

****This product was gifted to me in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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DIY Mason Jar Photo Holder

It's not too late to craft some last minute gifts this Christmas. These Ball jar photo holders come together quick. Seriously, you make four of these in an hour or two. That, and they're cute and can be personalized with photos and gift cards. Win, win, win.

Supplies needed: 4oz mason jar, craft snow, small bottlebrush trees, wire (I used 18 gauge). You'll also need a small nail, hammer, wire cutter, pliers, and hot glue. It'll be helpful to find something round to wind your wire around to help it take shape - I used a thread spool.

(I found the 4oz Ball jars at Walmart and Kroger. They come in a 4-pack.)

Start by creating the photo holder in the lid of the mason jar. Using a small nail, hammer a hole in the center just large enough for the wire to slip through. Create two loops with the wire (twisting around a round object makes this easier). Create a long tail at the end of the wire loop. Thread this through the hole in the lid and then bend a 90-degree angle on the underside of the lid. Use hot glue or similar to secure the wire underneath.

Once your lid is finished, create your winter scene inside the mason jar. Use hot glue to adhere the bottle brush trees and then sprinkle in the craft snow. 

Screw the lid back on and add your photos or cards and you're done! Easy, cute, and personalized!

What last minute crafts are you making?

Happy holiday crafting, DIY'ers!

~julee~

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Gold Dipped Wine Glasses

When planning for my Oscar Party, I knew it was the perfect time to jump on the gold painted wine glass bandwagon and create some fancy-pants glasses for the occasion.  I found these affordable stemless wine glasses at Ross Dress for Less that were perfect for the look I wanted.

Pinterest is full of some really great ideas, but my favorite look (and seemingly most popular pin) was Martha Stewart’s gilded glasses.  Dipping the glasses creates an easy, smooth finish that’s hard to recreate with a brush or sponge.  Only, to create Martha’s dipped look, she instructed you to use heavy-duty clamps, and some sort of hanging contraption so the excess paint will drip off of the glass flawlessly.  Now, I don’t know about you, but even as a crafty gal with a room full of crafty hoard, I don’t own either of these things.  And I had no desire to buy or build them, either.

So here is my alternative method for creating a similar look, without the need to hang the glasses for drip-drying.



Gold Dipped Wine Glasses



Supplies needed: Wine glasses, gold glass paint, washi or painters tape, exacto knife, bowl or container that will accommodate the wine glass (I used a paper bowl), and a drying rack or small items to sit the glasses on while they drip dry (I used tealight tins turned upside down).  You’ll also want some newspaper to cover your workspace.



1) Tape off the bottom of the glasses.  2) Use the exacto knife to cut off the excess tape so that only the bottom is covered. 3) Dip the glasses in the gold paint, coming up the sides to create the look you want.  Shake off as much excess paint as you can for at least 30-seconds.  4) Set the glasses on your drying piece(s). 5) Let dry before removing the tape from the bottom.  6) If you still have globs of paint on the bottom, use a scraping to tool to smooth.  7) Refer to the directions on your paint for curing time and procedures.

If you want more paint on the bottom or other side of the glass, you can do that.  If you want a more uniform look to each glass, use painters tape to create those lines. 



Have you attempted to paint or dip wine glasses?  What are your best tricks for getting a smooth finish?  I’d love to hear your tips and see your pics!

Happy glass painting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

Watch me demo this project on WDRB in the Morning:

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DIY Valentine Bunting

Creating a sweet Valentine bunting is easy and you’ll only need a few supplies to create your own lovely pennant.  Doilies are the perfect accessory to add romance to your Valentine’s Day décor, but instead of using them directly on the bunting, I’m using the pattern in the doily to create a stencil effect on the paper.  So much more fun to use paint!

Supply list: Cardstock, craft paint, brush/sponge, doily, hole punch, string, embellishments, and glue (optional). 

To make: Cut the cardstock to your preferred size.  Use the doily as a stencil and dab the paint on to the cardstock.  To get clean lines, make sure to dab up and down instead of painting in strokes.  Once the paint dries, affix your embellishments.  My letters had an adhesive backing and were easy to attach.  Make holes in the corners of each flag, and thread your string through.  Next, hang and enjoy!

Happy Valentine crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee

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Washi Tape Tealight Candles

Here’s a cute little thing to do with those zillion rolls of washi tape you have lying around: use it to decorate inexpensive tealight candles.  Most washi tape is the perfect size to wrap about the tealight (although some rolls are too wide, just so you know).  Wouldn’t the heart candles be perfect for a Valentine’s Day dinner?

Happy washi crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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Video: Repurposed Jewelry Organizer

I was invited on WDRB in the Morning this week to show how to make this fun and easy repurposed frame jewelry organizer.  All you need to make your own is an old picture frame, mesh screening or chicken wire, and some hooks or knobs.  Assemble it all together and it makes the perfect organizer for your earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

Craft E Magee and I are on WDRB twice monthly showing simple, affordable crafts you can make yourself.  Check out D.I.Y. Louisville’s event page for our next appearance.  And, as always, you can watch our videos on YouTube.

Thanks for watching!

~julee~

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DIY Jewelry Organizer Display

At first glance you might be thinking, wow, she needs  more earrings, but on second glance you should be thinking, wow, I can totally make that, because you can.  Creating a unique jewelry display for earrings and necklaces is as easy as grabbing some bits and hardware and repurposing an old picture frame.

With a little bit of ingenuity, you can use pretty much any picture frame you have for this project.  Mine happens to measure 18x15 and is made from wood, so that’s what I’ll be showing here.



Aside from the frame, you will also need mesh screening (purchased from the hardware store), a way to to adhere the mesh to the frame (glue or staple gun), hooks or decorative drawer pulls, and a hanging kit if you want to hang your organizer.  Optional, but if you have some duct tape, grab that, too.



If you want to paint your frame, do that first.  After it dries, measure a length of mesh screening to cover the entire opening of the cutout, plus approximately 1-inch on all sides.  Affix the screen to the back of the frame using glue or staple gun (or in my case, a not-very-fancy typical office stapler).  Be sure to pull the screen as taut as possible.  When you’ve adhered all sides, you may want to go around the edges of the screen with duct tape to cover any pesky sharp edges.  (I forgot to photo that, but I’m sure you can picture it.) 

You can stop here if you’re happy to use your frame as an earring holder.  If you want to also hang necklaces or bracelets, add some knobs or hooks to the frame.  If you’re happy with how it looks, use the holes in the mesh to slip your hanging earrings through and you’re done!

Louisville Locals:  I will be hosting a picture frame jewelry display workshop at Good Garbage on January 26th at 4:30.  The cost is $20 and we will provide a wooden 18x15 frame plus all of the materials you need to create your own jewelry organizer.  Purchase tickets at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/picture-frame-jewelry-display-tickets-9177898341.  I hope you’ll join us!

Happy organizing, DIY’ers!

~julee~

 

D.I.Y. Louisville

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DIY Cork Wine Coaster and Bottle Tag

Is it a gift tag or a coaster?  It’s both!  These DIY cork coasters are a practical gift to give alongside a bottle of wine when attending holiday parties this season.  The upside?  You can make a whole batch of them in just a short amount of time. 

The most important thing you’ll need to make you own coasters is cork.  You can buy thin sheets or rolls of cork at the craft store.  (I purchased mine at Good Garbage.)  Then, you’ll cut circles out of your cork with a circle cutter or a circle template and scissors or exacto knife.  I made my coasters 4-inches.

Use paint or glitter to embellish your coasters.  Once you’re finished with  your design, use a standard hole punch to cut a hole for hanging and wrap it around the neck of your wine bottle.

Alternately, you can make a whole set of these to give as a gift on their own.

Happy handmade gift-giving, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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DIY Snow Globe Ornament

We had our first snow of the season and that inspired me to  hunker down in the cozy warmth of my home, sip hot cocoa, and create some new handmade ornaments for our tree.  First up, I made these adorable DIY snow globe ornaments.  (Although, to be honest, they should be called a faux-globe.)  They are easy to put together with just a few items that can be purchased at any craft store this time of year.  The result is a pretty, glistening, festive decoration for your tree.

Here’s how you can make your own DIY snow globe ornament:

You’ll need clear glass ornaments, small bottle brush trees, and snow flakes.  You’ll also need hot glue, wire cutters, tweezers, a funnel and ribbon.

Remove the top hanger off of the glass ornament.  If your bottle brush tree has a base that’s too large for the opening of the ornament, clip it off with wire cutters.  Place the nose of your hot glue gun into the opening of the ornament and squirt a decent amount of glue so that it falls to the bottom, as close to the center as you can get it.  Before the glue has time to dry, use tweezers to push your tree into the opening and place it into the dollop of hot glue.  Next, add your snow flakes.  I created a funnel out of paper to make this easier.  My flakes are iridescent flakes, but you can also use white flakes, glitter, or even white seed beads.  Finally, add the hanger back onto the ornament and tie a pretty ribbon to the top. 

Shake up the flakes a bit, hang it on your tree and enjoy the merriment of the season!

Happy holiday crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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DIY Thankful Tree

I have seen many, many versions of thankful trees online lately, and I love them all.  Finding a few bare branches in your yard and placing them in a pretty vase or jar is all it takes to create this personalized décor for your own home.  I used a circular paper punch to create leaves for my tree, but you can also cut leaf shapes from cardstock, or even use silk leaves if you prefer.

This will be perfect as a Thanksgiving table centerpiece and you can have all of your guests add their thanks to the tree.  I especially love to see what kids are thankful for.  My daughter’s thankful list this year included books, light to see, and a bed to sleep in.  Simple gratitudes that we often forget to acknowledge.

What are you thankful for this year?

Happy Thanksgiving, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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Burlap Fall Inspiration

My brain isn’t ready to jump into the reds and evergreens of Christmas decorating just yet.  I’m still trying to embrace the coziness and warm colors of fall over here.  I have burlap sitting on my sewing table screaming to be made into something fall-ish, but what do I want to make? 

Here are a few inspirational burlap ideas from my favorite crafty bloggers that might help in my decision making:

I absolutely love this square burlap wreath from Craft E Magee.  The colors of the fall leaves pop against the red burlap beautifully and the square design is so unique.

These hand painted linen pillows from The Em Dash can easily be made using burlap.  You can now find printed burlap in most fabric stores and you wouldn’t need to paint your own designs if painting isn’t your thing.

This no-sew burlap table runner from Mandy at This Girl’s Life is perfect for those who want to create festive fall décor for their Thanksgiving tables.  No sewing skills needed – just burlap and hot glue.

After you’ve finished making these great projects, you can easily use any leftover scraps to make fabric acorns.  Fun, easy, and great for kids to help with.

What fall projects did you  make this season?  Did any of them use burlap?

Happy fall crafting!

~julee~

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DIY Fall Leaf Bowl

This sweet little DIY fall leaf bowl will be perfect to add to your fall décor this season.  It’s super easy to make (I know I say that about all of my crafts, but I promise it’s true), and I love that you can customize it to create it in any size that you want.  I started out by making a small leaf bowl, but I have plans on making a larger one for my coffee table.

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own fall leaf bowl:  A bowl to use as your mold (any size you want), cooking spray, plastic wrap, silk fall leaves, Mod Podge, and a sponge brush.

Start by spraying the bottom of your bowl with cooking spray.  Then,  fully wrap the bottom of the bowl with the plastic wrap.

Apply Mod Podge to the bottom of the bowl and begin adding your leaves, brushing on the Mod Podge as you go.  Continue until your bowl is covered with leaves, and add a layer of Mod Podge to the top of all of the leaves.  Let sit to dry overnight, or use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process.

I wanted my bowl to be a shallow candy dish, so I didn’t go all the way up with my leaves.  Cover more or less of the bowl depending on the look you want.

Once the Mod Podge has dried completely, remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, and then remove the leaves from the plastic wrap.

That’s it!  Now you have a cute leaf bowl perfect for fall candy, acorns, or adding to your Thanksgiving table.

Happy fall crafting, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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DIY Witch Legs Halloween Table

My trick-or-treat table is all ready for neighborhood ghouls and goblins.  I created this witch legs Halloween table to sit in our entry way to hold our treats for Halloween night.  Creating it was super simple, but the outcome has a  big impact.

Here’s what I did:  I look an old pair of striped tights and placed them on two legs of the table.  My table was skinny enough that I could just stretch them over, but if creating this for a wider table you will have to cut them and tape them up underneath.

Then I created witch shoes out of black felt.  I drew a simple template and created two shoe pieces for each leg.  Using tacky glue, glue the pieces together, but leave an opening wide enough to slide on your table legs.  Use a hole puncher to create lace holes, and use a ribbon to create laces. 

That’s it!  Slide the shoes on the table legs and now you’ve got a festive witch table for your Halloween festivities!

Happy Halloween, DIY’ers!

~julee~

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