American Crafter Round 2 Voting!

***Due to Blogger outages I don't have judge commentary for you yet, but it's coming:)
Make sure you swing by the Friday Favs Party
It's voting time!

I'm in awe! Can you all come decorate my apartment???? Please:)


#1 Monogram Mirror

by...Sugar Bee Crafts
Tutorial

Monogram Mirror - - do you just love it? I do!  Hoping to win your vote....

So excited to make it to the next round.  When I heard it was Home Decor, I knew I was going to make a broken mirror.  I've been wanting to do this forever, and so I love the push of the theme to make me actually do my project! Side note - - let me tell, it's hard to take a picture of a mirror and show how fabulous it is.  Just know, it's fabulous in person!! I have to admit, the monogram was my husband's idea - isn't he a genius?!?   I really love it (but maybe I have a thing for monogram wall art,see HERE). I originally thought I was going to put this on the mantel in my family room, but I just wasn't loving it there.  So I hoisted to the big void of empty wall in my vaulted-ceiling kitchen, and it's perfect up there - adds light and shine up high.

Oh my goodness!  A broken mirror!  I have never seen anything like this!  Creative and original! Angie

 Who thinks of this stuff?!  A broken monogram mirror... only Mandy can pull this one off.  Well done, my friend!  (And I would say you captured it beautifully!) Alison

#2 Fantastic Fan

by...Dreaming in Color
Tutorial

Fantastic Fan! Let me start by saying I would absolutely love a chandelier hanging over my bed. Unfortunately, I am stuck with a ceiling fan because I have become so used to having the air flow in the room that I can't sleep without it. Lets face it, they are ugly! I have searched high and low for something fashionable to me in the stores and failed.  After much thought into how this piece can become an accessory to my room, this is what I came up with....the perfect home decor! Something I have never seen before! I started with a stenciled drum shade I had. I added trim, got rid of the glass globes and wired it to the fan. The show stopper is the Mod Podged fan blades! I call it upholstered because I used beautiful fabric to cover the blades. The Mod Podge is great because it lets the fabric be wiped down when it gets dusty. The best part is the blades are interchangeable so you can add another style or color to the back and flip for another look in the room! I left the gold because I have gold accents in the room but you can paint it any color. It is a great statement piece!

What a great and easy way to make a ceiling fan look fab!  Great possibilities with this! Angie

What an interesting idea!  I love that beautiful fabric! Alison

#3 Sweet Study Spot

by... Nat Sprat

WOWZERS! What a week! Round 2 was so much fun! I have been wanting to make my daughter a desk for her bedroom. I homeshool, and I've been getting kind of sick of having her school stuff all over the kitchen table. (And everywhere else!). I saw this desk at the thrift store a few weeks ago and saw it's potential right away. (Though I have NO idea what the slanted shelves are for!) I bought it, brought it home, and turned it from this:

Into this! Tah-dahhh!

I spray painted it Krylon Watermelon Pink, changed out the knobs to some cute "crystal" knobs, and Mod Podged some scrapbook paper onto the drawer fronts for a punch of color. Then, I took an old picture frame, spray painted it the same color as the desk and inserted some cork board. This went on top of the dresser for a place she can pin up her favorite creations. Next, I added a white lamp, a decorated can for her pencils and stuff, a cute blue quail to dress it up, and some baskets on the top shelf for extra storage.
 And there you have it, a perfectly Sweet little Study Spot!
Great transfomation!  Love the color choice!  What a fun desk!! Angie
Wow!  I want to study at YOUR house! Alison

#4 Numbered Cubby System
by...Lolly Jane
Alison's Favorite

First of all, a BIG thanks to our voters so we could be here for Round 2! (:  

Today we'll be showing off a home improvement project on how to customize and accessorize an awkward nook in your house.

Before, there was a wasted space in the hallway next to the kitchen which was, with a little creativity, the perfect spot for the kids backpacks/shoes.  After drawing out the plans, wood transformed this space into the backpack station.  A little board & batten polished off the look:

PS: The black hooks were purchased at Hobby Lobby ;)

Ready to accessorize the space?  

Vinyl numbers!  

Don't they just complete the look?  

We simply designed & cut them from our vinyl cutter and viola!  Instant customization and an obvious spot for each kiddo from oldest to youngest to store their goods.

xoxo,

Kelli & Kristi
Lovely!  Perfect for a mud room or entry! Angie
 MY FAVORITE
This entire space is amazing!  I am an organization nut, so the numbered system just tickles my fancy.  LOVE the "Be Kind."  Gorgeous! Alison


#5 Footprint Butterfly Art
by...Come Together Kids
Tutorial

 This challenge was a bit tough for me.  With three kids in a small house and an even smaller budget, our home decor tends to be practical, simple, and kid-proof ~ nothing really fun to showcase.    Then I remembered an idea I'd seen using footprints to make butterflies.  By using fabric, machine appliqueing, and attaching to a stretched canvas, our art was a little more special than just poster paint on construction paper.  The girls love it and I think it looks really cute in their butterfly themed bedroom.  This project could also be easily adapted in so many ways ~ using patterned paper and framing your footprint butterflies or making your appliqued artwork into a pillow or quilt.  One thing I've learned in these last few crazy years as a mom is that these kids of ours really do grow up fast.  If I can find a way to capture this moment as they are now and create something pretty in the process, it really is a project I can treasure.

Love the use of their foot prints!  And the fabric!  Adorable! Angie

Another completely unique idea!  I never would have thought to turn footprints into a butterfly--genius! Alison

#6 Wooden Flag

by...She Wears Flowers

Home décor is difficult for me…ever since we bought this house (6 years ago!), I’ve struggled to decorate just right. One of my issues is that I like a lot of different styles and they aren’t always current! I’ve loved flags forever and have often decorated with quite a bit of red, white and blue. I try to branch out, but I keep coming back to it.

With this round of American Crafter, I knew it was time to bring my favorite flag out of the basement. I designed it years ago but gave it a much needed facelift for this contest. It got a whole bunch of sanding and glazing plus a little stain to make it look older—like an antique. With a new {old} look, it was ready to go. Now this large wooden flag is proudly on display in my entry hallway. I need to thank the American Crafter Contest for kicking me into gear!

Love the flag, but not all year long? Thanks to the individual pieces, it's easy to hang (and light enough) with something other than nails. You can display it seasonally and change it up whenever the mood strikes.

I love americana decor!  I would love to see how this is hung on the wall... Angie
Oh my goodness!  Tammy, this is stunning!  I would hang this all year round. Alison


#7 Family Rules Banner
by... A Turtle's Life for Me
Tutorial

 A couple months ago, I saw an uncredited print on Pinterest that caught my eye, except I didn't want a print... I wanted to try to make the real thing!  I love the family rules signs I've been seeing everywhere but wanted mine to be a little bit funkier and more playful!  So, yes, my husband came home the other day to see me in the driveway, with the jigsaw and a piece of scrap wood all balanced on top of an empty box I found. But I got the rectangles all cut by myself and then we drilled holes in the top corners.

I wanted to paint them very worn-looking so they'd have a beachy feel.  I made up the signs in Word (as fancy as it gets around here), cut them out and then used Mod Podge to attach them.  I used craft wire to attach them together. Then I flipped them over and painted them a different shade of blue. I found some pictures that always make me smile and had them copied for 77 cents for the whole batch.  I Mod Podged (is that a verb??) them onto the other side and now I have a reversible banner!  I can have a Family Rules banner, a photo banner or I can mix them up and do a combination of both! I love the way it looks against the brick in my sunroom and it's perfect for this spot that's been empty for awhile now. I gathered some other things I had in the house and my empty wall is now complete, Family Rules style.  This reversible banner could easily be used for holiday banners or for parties!  This would be awesome as a photo banner for a birthday party or bridal shower!

Very clever!  I love that it is interchangable!! Angie

This is very clever. I love that it is reversible! Alison

#8 Fireplace Screen Headboard

by...Richmond Thrifter

Angie's Fav

Tutorial

My guest room/playroom has been headboard free for a while.  I purchased a piece of plywood months ago and have been too scared to attempt the tufted headboard of my dreams!  So when I passed this nasty gold fireplace screen the other day at Goodwill a light bulb went off!  Until I get over my fear of tufting this would be a great space filler!  Just like my secretary desk from the first round of American Crafter, this screen was also tagged with the Goodwill color of the week!  50% off?  Don't mind if I do!  So it came to a whopping $3.00!  Not bad for a headboard, right!

Before:

So after I politely asked the little spider family living in the many webs on this treasure...

applied some spray paint...

and some chevron fabric...

a little mod podge and hot glue

I had this!

After:

AWESOME!!  Original, gorgeous, cheap -- doesn't get any better!  My fave for the week!! Angie

No way!!  I am never throwing anything away again!  A completely amazing transformation! Alison

#9 Framed Silhouette Plaques

by...Scissors and Spatulas

Tutorial

 Thanks to everyone who voted last week! I am amazed by the talent in this group of crafters and thrilled to have moved on to round 2 for the home decor challenge. I remember as a child my mom paying an artist at Disney World to cut our silhouettes. You know, those artist that charge big bucks because they can cut your silhouette perfectly just by looking at your profile. Anyway, a couple weeks ago at my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting, we learned an easy technique for cutting our children's silhouettes at home for just pennies! This is such a cool craft and it is so easy that anyone can do it! All it takes is a camera, a printer and some scissors. I was shocked at how great they turned out! I decided to make a silhouette display of my brothers and I for my mom for Mother's Day. I started with the three silhouettes {my two brothers and I} and three unfinished wooden plaques that I got from the craft store. I used a little wood stain, ivory paint, sandpaper, Mod Podge and ribbon, to create meaningful, decorative art for my mom's wall. The hanging silhouette plaques are enclosed in a frame made out of scrap trim pieces and my favorite spray paint.

Classic and beautiful!  Love it! Angie
I would love to make these into Christmas ornaments.  Love that paint color, Jen!  It's stunning! Alison


#10 aDOORable Picture Frame

by...Sassy Sites

This round was a little bit more stressful for me because the options were practically ENDLESS of what I could do for "home decor". I've had a door sitting in my office for about 2 years, and I've wanted to do something with it! Well, this was my chance! I knew exactly what I wanted to do! The door is paned with 10 windows... perfect for what I needed!! I painted it black, sanded it, enlarged some aDOORable pictures of my boys, made a super fun collection of prints! Since the door is black, I decided to do all of the pictures in black and white, as well. I LOVE the way it turned out! I hope you do too!

xoxo!!

Love the B&W pics!  Great use for an old door!! Angie

There's nothing I love more than a good black & white photograph.  Very nicely done! Alison

Voting is open until Sunday Night

You may vote for your 3 Favorites

6 Contestants will move on

Results will be up Monday morning

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