This Spring Art Printable set is available in 8×10 and 5×7 sizes. Simply print on white cardstock or send to your favorite photo print shop!

DOWNLOAD: SPRING ART SET (8X10)

DOWNLOAD: SPRING ART SET (5X7)

POST : Kari Sweeten

The post Spring Art Set Printables appeared first on U Create.

…I’m in love with it and I will cherish it forever. Isn’t she so talented? If there was a fire I would go straight for this right after the kids! It is now a family heirloom.

Okay, back to my idea. I saw these wooden coasters and thought I should turn them into mini quilt blocks coasters for mom!

The fun part? I loved how much fun they were to make that I’m going to play with more designs! I hope mom loves them.

DIY QUILT BLOCK COASTERS

Supplies:

• wooden coasters (set of 4)
• acrylic paint (Testors paint found at Walmart, Jo-Ann, Hobby Lobby)
• ruler
• paintbrushes
• Mod Podge acrylic sealer
• pencil

Directions:

1. I started by painting my coasters white. Front and back. 2 coats. Let dry.
2. Now you’re ready to draw on your design. If you want designs similar to mine I sketched the patterns below for you to follow. I began by drawing one-inch squares and erased the lines I didn’t need – makes it so easy!
3. After you draw your design you are ready to paint!
4. When they’re completely dry you are ready to smooth the edges and surfaces!
5. Make sure to wipe off all of the sanding dust!
6. The last step is to seal the coasters with an acrylic sealer (you don’t want to skip this step because coasters will get wet and spilled on and you want to protect them so they last!).

I’m going to put them in a cute little box and I have a gift for mom that she is going to love!

CRAFT TIP: You can use this same technique to make wooden quilt art to display as home decor, too. I have a 12×12 piece of wood I’m going to try this on next!

If you make a set please share them! Tag @ucreateblog on Instagram or feel free to send me an email!

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

The post DIY Quilt Block Coasters appeared first on U Create.

Wait until you see this fun fabric.

The gals at Simple Simon and Co. (or “the Liz’s” as I like to call them because they both have the first name Elizabeth!) designed this fabric line with their daughters in mind to inspire them to shine bright in their unique ways.

My own daughter is such a light to those around her and my husband has always sang “You Are My Sunshine” to her since she was a baby to remind her how special she is. Whenever she hears the song she thinks it’s her song. I showed her this fabric and she instantly loved the word search fabric – she says if she can’t sleep she’ll just look for words like “courageous” “fantastic” “caring” and more!

I made three different pillow covers sizes 12×12, 16×16, and 12×16 –  using my “go-to” pillow cover tutorial!

The tutorial is very simple to follow and you can whip these up in no time (well about 10 minutes!) If you’re adding pom pom trim add at least 20-30 minutes!

10 Minute Throw Pillow Tutorial

This is a great project for beginners, too. Once you start making them you won’t want to stop!

GIVEAWAY!

Want to win this fat quarter bundle? Click HERE to enter and to see all of the different pattern designs available in this beautiful “Shine Bright” collection!

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

This post was sponsored by Riley Blake Designs. All projects and opinions are mine.

The post Shine Bright Throw Pillows appeared first on U Create.

• the cost and where to buy it
• the average cost to D.I.Y it or “Do It Yourself”
• supplies needed
• tutorial or link to tutorial
• average time it takes to make it

 

The post Buy it or D.I.Y. it? Fall Wreath appeared first on U Create.

I’m so excited to share the latest project I’ve been working on. I’ve teamed up with Deseret Industries and their fabulous team to bring you “A Piano’s Purpose” film. What an honor it was to play my little part by repurposing this beautiful piano.

You might cry. You might want to learn how to play the piano. You might see the hidden message behind the piano about giving new life.

I was so thrilled to get my hands on a gorgeous piano that needed a lot of love and today I’m going to show you how I transformed it and gave it new life with a step-by-step tutorial along the way.

Remember how it looked when I very first saw it at the thrift store in the film above? It had water damage, spilled paint, chipped wood, dents… and oh my goodness that bench needed help, too!

However, can we just take a minute, sit back and admire this piano? Look at all the wooden detail and the character this piece has. I could not wait to get my hands on this!

I knew I wanted to paint the piano and give it a new look – something bright, but not too bold. I debated painting it a light aqua color or maybe going with a white and leaving the top sections stained.

Okay, on to the fun part!

HOW TO PAINT A PIANO

SUPPLIES: (now your supplies will be slightly different than mine depending on the style and condition of your piano)

• wood filler (Elmer’s wood filler)
• scraper
• painter’s tape (Frog tape)
• coarse and fine sanding blocks
• chalk paint (Valspar Chalky Finish Paint in the color Kid Gloves)
• sealing wax (Valspar Sealing Wax in clear)
• paint brushes/rollers
• wood stain conditioner (Minwax pre-stain wood conditioner)
• gel stain (Minwax gel stain in color Hickory. I love this stuff because it doesn’t drip and is not near as messy as regular stain)
• rags for staining and wiping down dust

DIRECTIONS:

Wipe down the piano and bench with a rag to remove any dust.

Next you’re going to want to protect those keys! Grab your painters tape and carefully cover each one.  I press the piano keys down while I tape so I can get that little space behind the keys with a small brush. DIY TIP: “double” tape the piano keys to give that added protection from any dust or paint drips.  If you have the knowledge and feel adventurous, feel free to remove each piano key and replace them when finished.Make sure to tape up the pedals and wheels while you’re down there.Check for any major dents/scratches and fill them in with wood filler and a scraper. Don’t forget to check the piano bench, too! Follow the directions on the package and let dry completely. I know this might sound funny, but I actually used a butterknife because it’s small and easy to get into those tight spaces! The wood filler is NOT PRETTY. Later you will sand these off and you’ll never know the wood filler was there.While that’s drying, scrape off any build-up or major imperfections such as drips, damage, etc.Now you can begin sanding the wood filler. I like to sand and feel it with my eyes closed so I can tell if it’s smooth enough. If you are staining areas, make sure to lightly sand those areas, too. Take a clean rag and wipe down the piano to remove any sanding residue. Now we’re ready to prep for painting/staining. Since I’m painting and staining, I’m going to tape off the areas that I’m not going to paint. Tape off any areas you’re not going to paint.Now you can start painting! Follow the directions on the can of paint you are using because each paint brand is different. If you are using chalk paint, keep in mind the first coat isn’t going to look very good. You will need at least 2-3 coats. I used three. I begin with a small brush to get into tiny places that a roller or big brush cannot reach.Next I used a medium-sized brush to “cut in” the corners and edges, similar to painting a wall. This is also the brush I used to paint the piano bench.  For the sides and large parts of the piano, I used a cabinet roller (this covers large areas with a smooth finish)! Let paint dry completely between each coat.When your paint is completely dry and looks how you like it with a couple of coats, put on a layer of the clear wax to protect it. Let dry completely according to directions on the can.

Now we are ready to move onto staining. I like to use a pre-stain conditioner by Minwax because it gives the stain a beautiful, smooth finish. I used a medium sized brush and applied the conditioner over all the stain areas. Let it soak in and completely dry.Now onto the gel stain. I like to use a kitchen tea towel to rub on my stain (you can use any non-piling rag). Generously wipe onto the wood. If wanted this piano to have a darker stain so I added another coat.

Let the piano dry completely. I sanded the edges of the piano very lightly because I wanted the little details of the piano to pop and I love the character the lightly, distressed look gives.

The final result? I have to tell you this is my favorite project that I’ve ever done. ever.

You can also see a video tutorial of my piano restoration on the Deseret Industries blog.

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

The post The Piano Project appeared first on U Create.

I found this little pallet fence and saw some wooden numbers and this li’l DIY Address Planter idea came into my head. I needed something to freshen up my front porch and I’m so excited with how it turned out!

SUPPLIES:

• pallet fence or thin pallet (found mine at Michaels in the wood area)
• numbers (you could use wood or metal)
• small box
• paint (or stain would look great, too!)
• brushes
• wood glue (staple or nail gun if you want a more secure hold for the box)
• ruler

DIRECTIONS:

Paint your fence and your letters. I did two coats to get it nice and covered.

Let dry completely.

Next, grab your ruler and align those numbers before glueing them on!

Glue on the letters and the box with wood glue.

I ended up putting a couple of screws in the back of the box to make sure it was really secure.

When the planter is completely dry you can plant!

I chose to plant succulents because I love the look of them and they are hard to kill, but the fun part is you can plant whatever you’d like!

Hang and display!

I used these metal hooks…

…and secured them with my glue gun!

I love the result!

Make sure to check out these fun floral projects…

Summer Floral Decor

Floral Jars and Succulent Plants 

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

The post DIY Address Planter appeared first on U Create.

Well today we have  Stacy Tavassoli from Truly Majestic here today showing us how to arm knit a blanket with her fabulous step-by-step video tutorials!

Let’s begin learning How to Lightly Felt Wool Roving for Arm Knitting Yarn. It’s easier than you might think!

Now onto the blanket tutorial you’ve been waiting for…

Make sure to hop on over to Truly Majestic to see many other patterns like…

Arm Knitting Heart Afghan Tutorial

and a shop to purchase kits and supplies!

Thank you Stacy for sharing your creativity with us!

GIVEAWAY!!

Stacy also has a great giveaway on Truly Majestic that you won’t want to miss!

The post How to Arm Knit a Blanket appeared first on U Create.

It seems like every store I walk into has them in some form or another (statues, fabric, art, crafts, etc.)!  I thought it would be fun to combine cacti with a favorite passion of mine – watercolor. I love creating art with watercolor because it’s really hard to mess it up.  The beauty of this medium is that it’s supposed to look imperfect. You can get many different looks with it depending on how much water you use and you can create endless colors by combining and controlling your water.

If watercolor is something you’ve always wanted to try, then my goal is to show you how super easy it is to play with. Before you know it you will have a creation you love. The best part? It’s made by YOU and it’s your art! Let’s begin with the needed supplies…

SUPPLIES:

• watercolor set (found in the fine art supplies at Michaels)
• paper towels
• water (of course!)
• watercolor palette
• canvas (I used Artist Loft size 8X10 – got a pack of 10 for less than $15!)
• watercolor brushes (I used round size 8 and 10)

DIRECTIONS:

1. First, draw the basic outline of your image with your brush by using your watercolor mixed with a few drops of water on your palette to give it a darker look.
2. Fill in the shape by dipping your brush in plenty of water. The more water you use the lighter your color will be. Play around with the colors and water. If you mess up just add more color or water – I love how forgiving watercoloring can be!
3. Next, I dipped my smaller brush into the color and drew dark lines. You can go over them with a little water to give them a smooth look.
4.  I used this same concept with the pot using the brown color.
5. Finish with a flower on top (I just drew little “v” shapes and added water to make the color spread a little bit.
6. You can stop here…or if you want to add texture, I drew random little “x’s” on the cactus.
7.  Let dry for a couple of hours and it’s ready to add to your home decor!

I decided to try a different cactus using the same concept so I would have a set of 2 to display!

This is a great craft for a ladies night or fun for a teen to add to their room decor!

Check out Michaels Make-a-Thon – 14 days of amazing deals, ideas & hands-on making!

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

This post is sponsored by Michaels. I was given compensation and free product for this project. All opinions are by U Create.

The post Watercolor Cactus Tutorial appeared first on U Create.

Well, I decided to give it a quick refresh (in a weekend!) and today I’m showing you a few things you can do to give a bathroom a whole new look without breaking the bank!

Are you ready for the before pics?

The only thing I like about this bathroom is the shower curtain I purchased a couple of months ago.  So I decided to keep that in my new bathroom decor. I donated the metal floral decor above the toilet along with the canvases to our local thrift store.

Another thing that kept bugging me was that the sink and light fixtures didn’t match the towel bar and door knob – so I knew I wanted to go with a satin or brushed silver look!

These are the simple steps you can take to remodel a bathroom in one weekend or less!

DOOR HARDWARE

The first thing my husband and I did was replace the door knob with this pretty Schlage door lever.

It only took a few minutes to change the hardware and we couldn’t believe the difference this alone made. We used the Schlage Sacramento lever in Polished Nickel. Available at Lowe’s.

OTHER HARDWARE & FRESH COAT OF PAINT

While I was at Lowe’s, I also found these beautiful crystal knobs that I put on my newly painted, white cabinets. They look brand new and so much better than the previous dark brown color.

COZY ACCESSORIES

Next, we added floating shelves and some simple accessories like towels, cotton balls, picture frames, and a small plant. Really makes this small space feel cozy.

SEARCH YOUR HOUSE

I decided to raid my craft room for any accessories and I found these wooden hexagons that have been in the closet for almost one year. I grabbed my acrylic paints and gave them an ombre blue look!

I was excited to finally put these fun shelves to use! Oh, and I found this awesome map art at Lowe’s for only $30 and knew it had to go above the towel bar.

Oh, and I’m glad I didn’t change the shower curtain because I love how it looks in the bathroom!

Here’s another AFTER shot angle…

So you know that room that keeps getting ignored because you don’t take the time to tackle it?

Jump in and do a few simple things like adding to door hardware, a fresh coat of paint, and adding cozy accessories (that you might already have lying around your house)! You can accomplish this in one day or a weekend – it might be easier than you think!

From 2/15/17-3/13/17, get 20% off your Schlage interior hardware purchase at Lowes online or in store!

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of SCHLAGE. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post How to Refresh a Bathroom in a Weekend appeared first on U Create.

This simple craft project is the perfect gift for that somebody who “has it all” and makes a beautiful addition to any home decor! Let’s get started with these supplies:

SUPPLIES:

• favorite photo
• wooden block the size of your photo (4×6 size used in this tutorial)
• foam brush
• wooden candle stick holders and wooden decorative tops
• acrylic or spray paint in your favorite color
• wood glue

DIRECTIONS:

1. Paint all sides and the back of your wooden block and wooden embellishments. Let completely dry.
2. Glue on wooden embellishments with wood glue. Let completely dry.
3. Adhere your photo on with mod podge. Sand the edges for a rustic look!
4. End with tying a bow with ribbon or lace!

GIFT IDEAS:

• give to a newlywed couple using the wedding photo on the front and invitation on the back.
• teens can easily make these and display them in their rooms or give to a friend
• Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, baby announcement keepsake, you name it!

POST BY: Kari Sweeten

The post DIY Wooden Block Frame Tutorial appeared first on U Create.