Upcycled Halloween craft - tic-tac-toe.

Walter has delighted us with his projects for over a year now - and I really really love what he does for Halloween! I'm not sure if you remember his fun jack-o-lantern magnets or his cute Halloween cupcake pedestal tutorials, but those are a must see. He's back again with a recycled project to have a little bit of fun this Halloween, and I love it. Here's how he made his Halloween tic-tac-toe.

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As you may know, I too adore Halloween and the imagery. I have been wanting to create a recycled craft tutorial for some time and this "Halloween Tic-Tac-Toe" item is super FUN to make.

Supplies:

Sometimes making stuff from discarded items can be surprisingly good . . . I am so pleased with the way this traditional, fun game came out. This is how I made it:

• Any Mod Podge will work . . . I used Gloss and Mod Podge Dimensional Magic.
• 10 plastic caps, washed and dry! Mine came from the Almond Milk I drink and have a 1" opening.
• 1" Friskars Circle Paper punch
• Halloween themed rubber stamps
• Paintbrush
• Mod Podge tools
• 6" x 6" jewelry box, got mine at a yard sale . . . you can buy newer unfinished boxes available at most craft stores

I created a 6" x 6" digital image using vintage Halloween ephemera and had a laser copy made. If you don't have Photoshop skills, no problem - use scrapbook paper with pre-printed graphics! Divide the square box by three vertically and three horizontally and Mod Podge your grid to your liking. I then decoupaged the the sides of the lid and sides of the box with, orange and black textured cardstock.

It looks so good! Next, seal the whole box with Mod Podge for a durable finish. TIP: I used the NEW silicone Mod Podge mat. WOW, I love this product!!! This mat is fantastic! I use to decoupage on old discarded newspapers. No more unwanted "image transfers" on my decoupage items . . . and clean up is so easy! I hope Plaid introduces bigger sizes in the future.

For the game pieces I created two (1" square) designs with some Halloween themed rubber stamps (skull and jack o' lantern) and used my 1" Friskar Circle paper punch to cut out the images. Decoupage the images into the cap, let dry and repeat!

***You want to make sure the insert is fully coated with Mod Podge, including the sides or the Dimensional Magic will seep into the image. I tripled coated my game pieces. Then I added the Mod Podge Dimensional Magic and let dry over night. They came out AWESOME; it looks like I used a resin coat without the mixing and toxic smell. 

The game pieces are stored inside the box for storage . . . genius! Project completed! Let's play Halloween tic-tac-toe on family game night! This is a great craft for children and parents - a far cry from playing video games and no interaction with family members. I plan on making another with my niece and nephew and introducing them to a game of tic-tac-toe. Happy Halloween!

Don't forget to visit Walter's Etsy shop or follow him on his blog, Facebook and Twitter.

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Mod Podge kids craft - a haunted house.

Halloween is such a fun holiday - don't forget to include the kids in the craft-ivities. Krissy has a great way to do it, and you'll get to use some fun formulas of Mod Podge as well. She started with a cardboard house base, threw in some paper and Mod Podge (love the new Kids Wash Out formula that comes out of clothing!) and then put it all together. The finished result is so cute and you can tell everyone had a blast. Visit Krissy and her blog below to learn how it came together.

Haunted house kids craft at B-Inspired Mama

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Mod Podge monster blocks.

This is such a fun idea from Allison at No Time for Flashcards - she's found a way to get her children involved in a craft, make it holiday themed and have it be a fun learning game when it's done. Triple word score, my friends! Get your Mod Podge, some wood blocks and let your children go to town. They will have a blast making these monster themed blocks and then playing adults in a game of memory . . . because we all know that kids have better memories, so don't be embarrassed if you get beaten by your four year old. Check out Allison's tutorial below to learn how they were made.

Monster blocks and memory game for Halloween at No Time for Flashcards

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Floating paper mache balls.

I once tried to make Stiffy balls and they . . . well . . . attempted to end their lives by throwing themselves off the counter. I've been scared of making balls ever since (don't laugh). But the truth is, making balls are a great kids' activity, they are so fun, and they make great decorations for parties - even weddings! If you are afraid of making balls too, don't be. Morgan has a great tutorial, and if her kids can do it then you can too. Don't you love the fun colors?

Floating paper mache balls at Becoming Homegrown

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Mod Podge composition notebooks.

Back to school is in full swing - and what is the current state of your notebooks? Are they boring? Because if so, you need a completely overhaul. And it doesn't take much . . . just a bit of scrap paper and some Mod Podge. Rhiannon has a good point in her post about making her own cute notebooks. I too see those ones that are $500 at Target (okay, not that much) and covet them. But it doesn't have to be that way. Pizazz up some clearance notebooks just by following Rhiannon's tutorial.

Pretty little notepads at Being Mom{me}

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DIY sparkle Toms shoes.

I'm going to be honest with you - when I first saw Tom's shoes it was like the first time I saw Birkenstocks. I saw "ewww" to myself. But I think it was just out of fear of something new, because now I find them so cute and I want a striped pair. How could I have been so foolish? My friend Ashley revamped her daughter's pair with glitter and Mod Podge, and now they are ready wear to the opera. Or to a ball. Visit Ashley to learn how she revamped these awesome Toms shoes.

DIY glitter Toms at Lil' Blue Boo

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Cardstock scrap bowl.

I remember being very young and making paper bowls - maybe around first grade or so? It was so much fun. I particularly liked smashing the paper bits into my hands and making a huge mess. What kid doesn't love that? You can make paper bowls at home with your children very easily, and then all you need to make it very sturdy is Mod Podge painted on the outside. This idea will keep kids busy for awhile, and adults will love it too. Head to the link below to learn more.

DIY paper bowl at Core'dinations

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DIY fabric covered blocks.

What struck me when I first saw these was the bright color palette of these wood fabric covered blocks . . . then I realized that they make such a cute play blocks for children! I remember playing with blocks a lot when I was young. Apparently there's nothing more fun than stacking and building, because my brothers and I used to do it for hours. Our blocks weren't quite this cool though! If you want to know how to make your kids' blocks this bright and fun, visit the link below.

Christmas in July at Cherished Bliss

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Vintage ABC cork board.

Are you in back-to-school mode with the kiddos? So is Gillian from Seasons Gredings. In order to have a place to store her children's schoolwork and art, she made this handy dandy vintage inspired cork board. There's also a chalkboard, which just adds to the greatness factor. I'll let Gillian tell you how she did it.

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Hi all you fun Mod Podgers! This is Gillian Greding from Seasons Gredings and I'm so excited to be visiting the ultimate craft blog - Mod Podge Rocks - today! This place is like an encyclopedia of craftiness!!! Love it!

Four of my five kids returned to school last week, so I thought, "what a perfect craft for the season" - a vintage ABC cork board. The perfect spot for all your little ones' latest works of art. 

SUPPLY LIST:

Mod Podge (of course!

hot glue

canvas

cork square

chalkboard paint

paper mache letters

sandpaper

push pins

embellishment for push pins

3 different papers

lace

ball trim

Paint the canvas with chalkboard paint (about 2 coats will do).

Trace the letters onto the BACK of the paper.

Cut out the letters.

Paint Mod Podge onto the face of the letter.

Place paper onto the letter and rub down with a small towel so bubbles won't form.

Sand the edges down with sandpaper to distress.

Cover entire face of the letter with Mod Podge.

Glue the cork square to the painted canvas.

Using a glue gun, adhere paper pompoms (or whatever you decide to use) to the pushpins.

Glue the gathered lace to the top of the cork board.

Glue the ball trim on top of the gathered lace.

Glue the un-gathered lace to the bottom of the cork board.

Glue the letters to the painted canvas.

Enjoy your vintage ABC cork board!

Thank you for letting me stop by for a spell, Mod Podge Rocks!

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Don't forget to visit Gillian at her blog, Seasons Gredings. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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Art magnets from Play-Doh lids.

Are the littles in your house fans of Play Doh? If so, you may have 1,000 lids from old jars laying around. When you open that closet door and they all spill out, you now have a craft to do with them thanks to Molly's guest post at Mom 4 Real. This solves two problems, including what to do with children's artwork. They make such colorful frames, don't you think? Visit Jessica's blog to see how they were made.

Art magnets from Play Doh lids at Mom 4 Real

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Amazing sticker decoupage table.

If you're looking for a unique way to dress up a piece of furniture, I've found it for you - stickers! Holly created this piece as part of a larger decorating project she did for Wildbrain and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. It's an entire Yo Gabba Gabba kids' room, and this is just one of the amazing projects in the room. The Mod Podge component? The sealer on the furniture. You'll be tickled by the room, so go visit Holly to learn more.

Sticker decoupage at Adventures of an Almost 40 Year Old Intern

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Mod Podge kids' craft - kaleidoscope luminaries.

Kids love Mod Podging because it's fun and you can get messy (which is why I like crafting in general). Let them express themselves with these fantastic luminaries I spotted made with mason jars and tissue paper. You can use any sort of old glass jars and tissue paper, so you might already have everything you need. Wouldn't these be fun in Halloween colors?

If you Mod Podge on the outside, you can put a real tealight inside the jar. If you Mod Podge on the inside of the jar like in the tutorial, please use LED tealights.

Kaleidoscope luminaries at (cool) progeny

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How to make colorful barrettes.

I know a lot of women use accessories to make their outfit (question: do fanny packs apply here? Just curious.). Nicole uses barrettes to do this, and she makes hers extra special by painting them fun colors. And what does she use to seal them so that they don't get scratched or chipped? Mod Podge, of course. Her tutorial is pretty cute and easy, so pay her a visit to find out that this will take you just minutes and a bit of leftover paint.

How to make colorful barrettes at Making It Lovely

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DIY bunny book rack.

I love Walter's use of his own illustrations in his work. He's done it again by turning a spice rack into a book rack (I spy polka dots and I likey). Here's the tutorial below.
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I know a lot of people don't have the time or equipment to make some of my projects. But don't overlook items you can buy that need some assembly like the kind found at IKEA and Home Depot. The Home Depot has a section of quality Kids' Workshop items. I kid you not. I love books, especially vintage kids' books. I feel it is very important to read to children! I made this really cute Bunny Book Holder from a spice rack kit, which comes with very detailed and EASY assembly instructions. This is how I made it.

This is what you get in your spice rack package:
• 2 Ends
• 1 Back
• 2 Dowels
• 1 Bottom
• 8 Nails

I Primed all the pieces with FolkArt paint (French Blue).

Next, I decoupaged all the primed pieces with two types of polka dotted paper and the ends of the spice rack with a bunny illustration I created
• Use any type of Mod Podge and let dry for at least 15 minutes.

Then I gathered all the items needed for assembly.
• Glue
• Nails (included with kit)
• Small Hammer

Lay out all the pieces for assembly. Follow the simple instructions; trust me it was so easy! Then seal with FolkArt Varnish. Project completed!

This spice rack turned bunny book holder can be attached to a wall, perfect for a nursery. Or, you can also use it on the top of a chest of drawers. Very cute!

Don't forget to visit Walter's Etsy shop or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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