March 30th, 2016

Clipboard Picture Frames

DIY clipboard picture frames have been everywhere recently in home décor stores and websites, in different styles and shapes and colors. I am constantly looking for inspiration for my craft projects and this is my take using a Smoothfoam sheet instead of a clipboard. This clipboard frame craft is quick and easy to make – under an hour for both! Clipboard picture frames would make the perfect Mother’s Day or Teacher Appreciation gift. You can even insert your favorite quote or gift card under the clip!

Glue together wood candlesticks and wheels for the base, and glue smaller pieces together to create a finial for the top.

Cut a 1″ Smoothfoam sheet to 5″ x 7″ pieces with a hot wire tool. Sand lightly to smooth any rough edges if needed.

Paint each sheet, base and finial in matching colors and let dry. Apply a second coat if desired.

Glue each base and finial to the Smoothfoam sheet, let dry.

Distress by randomly sponging brown paint over the surfaces, making sure to get into all the cracks and crevices. Remove excess wet paint from high spots with damp paper towel.

Glue a metal clip to the top of each picture frame and embellish with lace trim and a button. Trim your favorite photo to 4″ x 6″ and insert under clip.

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to check out the Smoothfoam Facebook page for additional inspiration!

March 28th, 2016

Spring Flower Wreath

by Kristi Parker Van Doren

Hello! Today I’m sharing a fun and bright DIY flower wreath. Smoothfoam now has wondertul wreath forms that have measurement marks to make our crafty lives easier!

Supplies you will need:

Two nesting Smoothfoam wreaths (mine are 16″ and 11″)
Ribbon
Silk flowers
White glue & hot glue
Straight pins

Wrap the larger wreath with darker ribbon and secure the ends with glue and/or pins.

Wrap the smaller wreath with a lighter ribbon. Glue the two wreaths together and set aside to dry.

Attach the flowers in between the wreaths with pins. The final touch was this little garden fairy in the center, attached with some hot glue.

Hope you all enjoy the coming warm weather and beautiful flowers! For more of my work, visit my blog and Facebook page!

March 25th, 2016

Spring Wall Hanging

by Anita Scroggins

With the change of the seasons, I like to change out the homemade wall décor in my studio. I wanted a bright and cheery spring wall hanging and this piece fits the bill perfectly. I love using a Smoothfoam sheet instead of wood or a canvas because it is so light – I can easily hang it without having to put big nails or holes into my wall.

Supplies:

Smoothfoam 1″ x 6″ x 12″ sheet
DecoArt Metallic Lustre
Craft paints
Sponges, paintbrushes
Chipboard and metal embellishments
Glitter
Fabric flowers and leaves
Adhesive

I used inexpensive make-up sponges to paint the Smoothfoam, building up the base one color at a time. Start with the lightest color all over, then begin working up to the darkest color out on the very edges. Apply glitter to one side of the chipboard butterfly and adhere the other side to your surface.

I used Metallic Lustre to highlight the chipboard pieces after they were painted – I like to apply it with my fingers, then buff with a paper towel to make it shine. Add more embellishments as desired to finish off your project.

March 23rd, 2016

Easter Bunny Tabletop Decoration

by Marilyn Gossett

smoothfoam easter bunny Take a hop into Spring with this Easter bunny table decoration – a whole pot of bunnies! Just add some eggs to this foam Easter craft, and personalize the front of the pot with a name or sentiment.

You will need:

2-1/2″ Smoothfoam ball
Two 2″ Smoothfoam balls
1-1/2″ Smoothfoam ball
1″ Smoothfoam ball (cut in half)
Floral foam (cut to fit in the pot)
Chalky paints: yellow, aqua, teal, pale yellow, pale pink, vintage white
Fine-point black marker
Wiggle eyes, powder blush
Ribbon or paper for bows
Paper shred
Low-melt hot glue gun
Paintbrush, scissors, wood skewers
Heart punch and cardstock (pastel shades)
Candy, mini fuzzy chicks

Instructions:

To paint, insert a skewer into each ball using it as a handle. Refer to the photo given and paint each ball the appropriate color. Paint the your pot teal if desired.

Die-cut or punch two hearts from each color of cardstock. Glue them together for rigid bunny ears. Cut each heart in half and round off the top edge. Bend up the point of each ear about 1/4″.

Paint a pink nose on each bunny head (ball), blush the cheeks and the inside of the ears. Glue on a pair of wiggle eyes to each and add face details with the black marker.

Glue a pair of ears to the each bunny head with the folded point facing to the back. Glue an embellished bow in front of the ears.

Glue the piece of floral foam into the pot. Cut the ends off of the skewers, staggering the lengths. Poke each skewer into the pot, spacing the bunnies as shown. Stuff the paper shred around the bunnies and push down into the pot. Glue a chick or two into the shreds and add some candy.

March 21st, 2016

Foil-Wrapped Easter Eggs

by Michelle Frae Cummings

Ever since I was little girl, I loved to save the pretty foils that covered chocolate eggs. I would flatten them out and collect them in empty tins. Later I would open those tins and view my foils – little treasures, some still smelling faintly of yummy chocolate!

Here I have recreated those eggs but on a larger, more permanent scale. The nice thing about these decorative Easter eggs is that you can enjoy them year after year! Learn how to make these foil-wrapped Easter eggs below.

You will need:

Smoothfoam Eggs
Wide double-sided tape
Heavy-duty kitchen aluminum foil
Scissors
Bright permanent markers
Soft bathroom tissue

Cover your eggs with the tape. Then wrap with the foil, covering the tape. Cut off excess foil. Roll the eggs onto a hard surface to smooth out the creases and hard edges of the foil. if you press too hard and tear the foil, just add some tape and more foil.

Grab two tissues and a pen. Place one tissue in your hand to hold the egg. With your other hand, scribble the egg with the marker in small sections. Quickly use the other tissue to blend the ink. Continue, working in sections, overlapping the color until you are happy with the shade. If you feel an egg color is too dark, go over it in sections with a lighter shade and a clean tissue to blend.

If you need to start over with a egg, you can use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.

March 18th, 2016

Bitty Bunny Easter Craft

by Terry Ricioli

smoothfoam easter bunny This is a fun and easy foam Easter bunny craft that kids can make to decorate the dinner table. Learn how to make your own DIY Easter bunny below.

Materials:

One each – 1″ and 2″ Smoothfoam eggs
1” Smoothfoam ball
Acrylic paints: gray, white, pink
Gray felt scraps
1/8” wide ribbon
Wiggle eyes
Small pompoms – pink, gray
Gray yarn
Tacky glue
Sandpaper or emery board
Craft knife, paintbrush, scissors, bamboo skewers

Instructions:

1. Cut 1” egg in half. Trim small ends and flatten on table top. Trim top and bottom from 2” egg. Sand the bottom of the ball and seams and edges of all pieces.

2. Paint all pieces gray. For ease of painting, push skewers into bottoms of pieces. Let dry by standing in a jar. Glue head to body. Glue half-eggs onto body for feet.

3. Mix gray and white paints and stipple the bunny’s tummy. Cut arms and ears from felt. Paint ears pink in centers. Add pink dots for cheeks with the end of a skewer.

4. Poke small holes in head and glue ears in holes. Glue arms to sides of body. Glue ribbon around neck and glue a bow over the ribbon. Cut small pieces of yarn and glue to head between ears. Glue wiggle eyes and pompoms to bunny.

5. Add details with a permanent pen if desired.

March 16th, 2016

Make a Spring Nature Display

by Laura Bray

Spring is almost here and new life is sprouting up everywhere. Why not celebrate it by creating a nature display with Smoothfoam eggs? (Because no one wants to steal an egg from a cute little bird’s nest!)

Supplies:

Smoothfoam 2-1/2″ Half Chick Egg
Wood plaque
Acrylic craft paint
Hot glue

Instructions:

Paint the wood plaque with acrylic paint and set aside to dry.

Paint the half-egg light blue, then load a soft brush with brown paint that has been thinned with water. Flick the paint over the half egg, speckling it with brown paint. Set it aside to dry.

Hot glue the half egg onto the painted, wood plaque.

Create a nature display with your egg plaque, an abandoned nest, or other items you picked up in nature…or hang it on the wall with some bird photos.

March 14th, 2016

St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Shamrock Sign

by Carmen Flores Tanis

Everyone can always use a little extra luck, right? Well, here’s a fun tabletop decoration perfect for a Saint Patrick’s Day party, or as a cute gift for someone who just hit the jackpot. I used a hot engraving tool to add detailing to each letter, reminiscent of Celtic knots, and then outlined the word with a black paint pen to make everything pop. And although a four-leaf clover is the traditional symbol for good luck, I decided to add a little luck of the Irish with a three leaf shamrock instead. Hmm – I might just try my luck tomorrow and buy a lotto ticket!

Supplies:

2” x 4” x 12″ Smoothfoam block
Sulky Stick’n Carve Printable Transfer sheet
Proxxon Tabletop Hot Wire Cutter
Hot Wire Foam Factory Hot Knife and Engraving Tool
Acrylic paints – gold, dark green
Glitter – light green, dark green
Black paint pen
Paint brush / plastic dish
Scissors

Instructions:

1. Click here to download my “Lucky Shamrock” artwork* and print it onto the Sulky transfer sheet. Because it is too long to fit onto one sheet, it’s tiled into two sections. Cut the sheet in half between the two lines of text. Peel off the backing paper and press the two pieces together to fit on the Smoothfoam block. Trim off the excess transfer sheet. Poke pilot holes with the hot knife into each area of the block that will be cut out.

2. Carefully carve out the Smoothfoam block with the tabletop hot wire cutter. Unthread and re-insert the wire into each pilot hole to make each interior cut.

3. Add details to the carving with the engraving tool as shown. Peel off the transfer sheet when finished.

4. Paint the carving gold. Let dry.

5. Paint the shamrock green. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle with dark green glitter. Add a little more green paint to the center of the shamrock and sprinkle with light green glitter. Tap the carving to remove any excess glitter. Let dry.

6. Outline the carved letters with black paint pen.

* You are welcome to use my original artwork for your own use or for a gift/donation only. You may not use my designs for items intended for resale – that is a copyright infringement. Thank you!

March 11th, 2016

Speckled Eggs Easter Decoration

by Sue Eldred

I love the look of soft pastels for my DIY speckled Easter eggs – this is a simple, yet beautiful spring or Easter decoration.

So… I grabbed my Smoothfoam eggs, gently sanded away the ridged seam and painted them with a soft chalky finish.

Use an small glass or candle votive to hold the egg. Paint one half of the egg at a time.

I especially like the look of speckled eggs, which you can create with an old toothbrush by lightly dabbing it into brown paint and gently flicking the paint onto the eggs. Make sure to wear an apron to protect your clothing. Flicking can be quite messy! Find numerous foam Easter egg crafts here!

March 9th, 2016

Easter Bunny Blocks

by Beth Watson

I love the look of the 2×4 wood block crafts that are all over Pinterest these days, so my Smoothfoam Easter bunny blocks are the perfect quick and easy project to craft up for the holiday – and no power tools needed! Smoothfoam is one of my all time favorite materials to use as a base instead of wood. It comes in a variety of shapes, is easy to cut and carve and paints up like a dream!

Display your Easter bunny block family on a table or shelf. Make these Easter bunny art projects for a co-worker or teacher, or craft a set with the kids or a special friend. HOPPY EASTER!!

Start with 3 Smoothfoam blocks (2″ x 4″ x 12″). Bunny Dad is 12″ tall, use a hot wire tool to cut a second block to 10″ tall for Bunny Mom, and cut the third block to 8″ for Bunny Baby. Sand away any melted strings with a nail file.

Paint the three blocks black. Apply a crackle medium and let dry according to package directions. Paint each block with a white topcoat. As the paint dries, the cracks will appear.

Cut a nose from pink felt, two eyes from blue felt and two ears from white felt for each bunny and glue in place.

Cut 18 pieces of wire 6″ long. Twirl each length around a pencil, then insert three on each side of the the bunnies noses. Secure with a small dot of glue at base.

Detail each Bunny’s eyes with dark gray and white paints as shown and let dry. Paint a line for the mouth with dark gray.

Embellish each bunny block with a ribbon bow tie for Dad and hair bows for Mom and Baby.