Rum & Coke 🥃

drink Jul 09, 2025
 

If you're looking for a fun mixed media art project, this Rum & Coke art piece is the perfect blend of rustic charm and glossy glass art. Whether you’re making it for your bar area, a gift, or just a cool conversation piece, this wooden sign combines recycled glass, resin, and creative placement to create something truly unique. 

Step 1: Prep Your Tray

Start by sealing the wooden tray with a thin coat of clear sealer. This helps prevent the resin from soaking into the wood. If your tray has any seams, tape the underside to stop resin from leaking through. You can also tape around the outer frame if you want to keep it clean.

Step 2: Mix & Pour Your Resin

Put on rubber gloves. Mix 4 oz total of ArtResin and stir gently for three minutes. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of your cup and stir stick as you go. You’ll want a well-mixed, bubble-free batch for this first pour.

Pour a thin layer of resin inside the tray to act as the “glue” for your glass elements. Use a silicone ...

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Coastal Driftwood Bird 🌊

beach summer Jul 02, 2025
 

If you’re looking for a fresh and simple way to bring a coastal vibe into your home, you’ll love this charming driftwood and seashell art piece. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how to paint a minimal beachy background, layer driftwood, glass, shells, and even a sweet little bird, all finished with resin for a beautiful glossy look.

Step 1: Create the Beachy Background

I started with a simple canvas and chose a few soothing beach-inspired paint colors: Bahama Blue, Sea Breeze, and white.

First, I loaded a 1-inch brush with white paint and brushed it across the bottom third of the canvas to mimic ocean water. I blended a little Sea Breeze and Bahama Blue for extra dimension, working left to right using a flat brush for gentle horizontal strokes. I left “skippies” (small unpainted gaps) here and there for a natural look, and even added a few extra streaks of white on top to simulate seafoam.

Moving up the canvas, I used white as the base for the sky with just a bit of Bahama...

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Seashell Trio with Ombre Background 🐚

beach summer Jun 25, 2025
 

If you’ve got a stash of seashells from a beach vacation and no idea what to do with them, this fun and easy art project is the perfect solution. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a stunning ombre background, layer in crushed glass, and embed your favorite shells in resin to make a beautiful 6x12 coastal canvas that feels like a piece of the ocean right at home.

Step 1: Paint the Ombre Background

To start, I used a 6x12 canvas, but this technique works with any size. I chose three main colors: white, Desert Turquoise, and Midnight Blue for the ombre background. The trick to getting a smooth blend is to work wet-on-wet. I added dots of each color directly onto the canvas (white at the top, turquoise in the middle, blue at the bottom), then blended them together using a flat brush. Starting from the top with white, I worked my way down, gradually blending into the turquoise, and finally into the blue. I used light brush strokes and kept a steady rhythm, blending back and ...

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DIY Painted & Upcycled Paintbrush Art 🖌️

abstract Jun 13, 2025
 

Sometimes the best art starts with something old. That was definitely the case with this project - a funky, whimsical art piece made from a beat-up 2-inch chip brush. It had rust, personality, and plenty of potential. I decided to give it a total makeover with purples, gold, paint, beads, flowers, and resin. And the best part? It’s giftable!

Whether you’ve got a junk drawer full of old brushes or just want to try something different, this tutorial will walk you through every step to turn trash into sparkly treasure.

Step 1: Prep and Paint the Brush

I grabbed an old, rusty chip brush and gave it a quick sanding to knock off the loose bits. You can use painter’s tape to hold your brush in place while painting. I planned to paint both the handle and bristles, so I wasn’t worried about getting a little messy - this project is meant to be abstract and fun!

I was feeling the purple vibe, so I went all in with Purple Iris, Wisteria, a touch of metallic gold, and some white for highlight...

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How to Store Resin and Glass Art Between Shows (Without Ruining It!) ☀️

tips and tricks Jun 11, 2025
 

If you’ve been making seasonal or show-ready glass and resin art, you’ve probably asked yourself: how do I store this safely until the next event? Or maybe you’ve opened a bin of artwork you lovingly created… only to find it ambered, warped, or scratched. Let’s talk about how to prevent that.

The White Paint & Resin Problem

Titanium white (which is in almost every white craft paint) doesn’t play nice with resin. It can cause yellowing called ambering over time, especially if exposed to heat or UV light. If you love those bright white backgrounds that make your glass pop (and who doesn’t?), here’s how to keep them safe:

Always seal white backgrounds with a non-yellowing spray sealer before adding resin.
Use a satin or matte finish - gloss can be too slick and prevent your resin from adhering properly. A quick mist, let it dry, then repeat with a second light mist. Don’t oversaturate the surface, or you’ll risk resin pinholes later on. This tiny step goes a long way in preserving th...

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Blue Checked Cross 💙

cross Jun 04, 2025
 

This Blue Checked Cross is a charming mixed-media piece that brings together napkin art, paint, glass strips, and resin to create a shimmering piece of decor! Whether you're crafting for your home, a friend, or for a market table, this sweet little project is stunning!

Step 1: Paint Your Base

Start with a 2x4 wood block cut to about 6 inches long. Give it two coats of FolkArt Pure Gold paint, covering all sides. Let dry completely. The gold gives a beautiful shimmer and will peek through the napkin in just the right way.

Step 2: Adding the Napkin Art

Choose a blue and white checkered napkin. Cut one section to size, lining it up to fit the front face of your block. Peel off the white backing layers (there are usually two) so you're left with just the printed layer.

Before decoupaging, check that your piece fits just inside the edges, allowing a hint of that gold to show around the napkin.

Using Mod Podge (any finish works since you'll resin over it), brush a thin, even layer on...

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How to Tighten a Saggy Canvas (And Prevent Future Warping!) 💡

tips and tricks May 28, 2025
 

If you've ever pulled a fresh canvas out of the packaging, excited to start a project, only to find it saggy, wrinkled, or warped, you’re not alone. It’s frustrating, but totally fixable! Whether you’re prepping for a resin pour, glass embellishments, or just want a solid surface to paint on, this post walks you through exactly how to fix a loose canvas and prevent future warping.

Before anything goes on your canvas (paint, texture paste, resin, or glass), you want it to be tight. Press lightly on the center with your finger. If it gives too much? Time to tighten.

Option 1: Use Canvas Keys

Many stretched canvases come with tiny plastic or wood wedges called canvas keys. They go in the slotted corners of your frame. Tap them in with a hammer to gently stretch the wooden frame outward, which pulls the canvas tighter. Don’t have a hammer? A firm push with a craft tool or the back of a screwdriver works in a pinch.

DIY Alternative: Grab a few of those thin paint sticks from the hardwar...

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How to Make Shrinky Dink Flower Petals for Resin Art 🌼

 

You know those late-night Pinterest scrolls that turn into full-blown obsessions? That’s exactly how this whole Shrinky Dink petal project started. I stumbled across an artist using Shrinky Dinks to make jewelry, and a big ol’ lightbulb went off. What if we could use this same material to make custom, colorful petals for our resin art? Let me walk you through everything you need to know, from coloring and cutting to shrinking and shaping.

Step 1: Sketch and Color Your Petals

Start by drawing your petal or leaf shapes. You can sketch freehand or use a template. Since Shrinky Dink sheets shrink by about 50%, be sure to size your designs accordingly - something that starts around 4.5” long will end up around 2” once shrunk.

Place your Shrinky Dink sheet frosted side up over your design and start coloring. You can use:

  • Archival brush markers for bold, opaque color

  • Watercolor pencils for a more translucent look

  • Mica powder or chalk for unique textures

Avoid Sharpies...

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All the Bubbles 🫧

tips and tricks May 14, 2025
 

Looking to add some whimsy and magic to your artwork? Painted bubbles are a simple, beautiful way to make any piece pop whether you're crafting an underwater scene or just want a little fun on your canvas. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through step-by-step how to create painted bubbles using basic tools and a few fun techniques.

Step 1: Set the Scene

Start with a painted background. I used an ombre of blues, blending three shades for a rich ocean-y feel. You can use whatever color palette suits your project, but darker backgrounds make bubbles stand out!

Step 2: Draw Your Circles

Bubbles are just circles - don't overthink it! You can trace around a cup, cap, or bottle with a watercolor or chalk pencil. Keep the lines light - they’ll blend in later.

Want a shortcut? Dip the rim of your cup into white paint and stamp it directly onto your background. Instant bubble outline!

Step 3: Paint the Bubble Outline

Now the magic begins! Load just the corner of a damp flat brush with wh...

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Abstract Landscape 🎨

abstract May 07, 2025
 

Today, we’re diving into an easy and fun abstract art project that’s all about layers, texture, and trusting the process. We are working with an 11x14 canvas to create a layered abstract art piece with lots of beautiful, earthy tones. You don’t need a perfect plan - just grab your colors, a brush, and a palette knife, and let’s play!

Step 1: Choose Your Colors

Pick a set of warm, earthy tones or whatever colors speak to you. In this tutorial, I used a mix of white, Oyster Beige, Grey Storm, greeny blues (like Thicket and Midnight Garden), and a few soft greens. Keep some white handy to help mute or blend your colors as you go.

Step 2: Break the Blank Canvas

Start by wetting your brush and loosely brushing on your background colors. Don’t overthink it! The goal here is to cover the white canvas with broad, imperfect patches of color - let some of the underpainting peek through. You can mix a little white into stronger colors to tone them down and keep things soft.

Remember, this ...

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