Glass Paint Bathroom Jar Makeover

Over our lifetime, we spend a lot of time in our bathrooms. Often, we forget that a space like this can influence the mood of some of the most intimate time we spend alone. So why should this room just be hygienic and practical, when it can be warm and inspiring as well. With the possibilities offered by the Montana GLASS Paint color range, we came up with a great idea that can add a bit of light and life to your bathroom.

BEFORE It‘s clean, it works, and it doesn‘t smell bad. For some people, this is enough and the time they spend in their bathroom does not warrant the worry about how it looks. For others, a bathroom is a place of refuge in the comfort of a hot bath in winter, a space for reinvention in front of the mirror before a big night out, or simply a room you can lock the door and be alone for a quiet moment. The decor in your bathroom can play a big role in the mood you experience while in this, the most intimate of rooms in your house. For this project, we focused on some glass jars with wood or bamboo air-tight lids. Again, they are clean and functional. But are they inspiring? Using only some adhesive plastic film (book covering film), scissors, a Montana ACRYLIC marker (or marker of your choice), a piece of cardboard, gloves, mask, drop sheet, Montana GLASS Paint colors (we used Black, Coral Red, and White), and of course glass jars, we will bring in some new light into your bathroom. Ensuring the jars are clean and free of dust and oils, remove the wooden/bamboo lids and place them somewhere safe away from your painting space. With your shaken Montana ACRYLIC marker, on your piece of cardboard, draw shapes as desired of what you think attractive labels would look like. We chose diamonds, circles, and rounded edge rectangles of various sizes. We cut these out and they then became templates for our plastic adhesive film. On the reverse side of the film, layout the cardboard shapes and trace around them with your ACRYLIC marker. Then repeat the process and cut the drawn shapes out of your adhesive film. Carefully peel off the paper backing and position the adhesive film shapes on the front of each jar as desired. Where the film is applied, clear glass will remain, and the rest of the jar will be covered with GLASS Paint color. With all adhesive labels applied and gloves on, place your hand inside each jar one at a time, and with the carefully shaken (2-3 minutes) Montana GLASS Paint color of your choice in the other hand, spray your glass paint color on over your drop sheet at 15-25cm away from the jar. Ideally, the GLASS Paint applies in a thin even layer to avoid drips. Should you want to increase the opacity, reapply coats as desired. Once dry, carefully remove your adhesive film shapes, leaving the clear glass space in their places. And that‘s it! Nice job.

AFTER After allowing to dry overnight, your glass jars are now filled with the lids on, and back into service. What was plain transparent functionality, is now frosted glass variations of White, Coral Red, and Black, which warmly hold all your bathroom necessities like soap, toothbrushes, or cotton buds. The transparent effect of light passing through each vessel adds both a personal touch to your bathroom experience and a varying mood as the radiating light changes during each time of the day. Your new GLASS Paint makeover is not only easy to keep clean and practical, but it has also brought a whole new level of warmth to the time you spend in front of the mirror. And all this in as little as 5 minutes of creation time per jar. Not only will feel better within your bathroom space, so will those you share the space with. This project is super easy and can be done by any level of DIY ability. There is no reason why anyone cannot give it a go and get the results they want. And of course, if you didn‘t have glass jars in your bathroom before, for safety reasons, make sure to give a little attention to where you put them. Now you can go back to your hot bath and enjoy the new GLASS Paint ambiance. Happy Crafting!

Three New Takes On The Halloween Pumpkin

Pumpkins. A tasty source of nutrients and an ideal ingredient for healthy autumn meals. But is that what most people think of when they see the first ripe pumpkins? Nope... they think of Halloween, and so do we. With little effort, we have 3 new Halloween pumpkin ideas that can help you add some Halloween flavor to your home or workspace. Read on, and get your pumpkin on.

BEFORE It‘s pumpkin season and the supermarkets, farms, and greengrocers of the world have all their pumpkin wares on display making it irresistible to not get on board with the Halloween spirit. The trick is to choose with your eyes, and not with your stomach. Most likely three or more pumpkins will stand out as perfect Halloween project candidates. Choose them, and take them home to clean and dry them. The first pumpkin will get the stone age treatment with a timeless finish of Montana GOLD Spray and Montana GRANIT Effect. Choosing the Montana GOLD color of your choice as a base (we recommend a white or soft color), shake all your cans for 2-3 minutes, prepare your painting space with some sort of drop sheet, and put on your gloves and mask in readiness to paint. Apply the color in soft sweeping motions from side to side from a distance of about 15-20cm. (This process will need to be repeated for all three pumpkins). Apply in thin even coats and repeat if desired. Once dry, take your shaken Montana GRANIT Effect colors (we chose Black and Light Gray), and apply in soft whispy bursts, only allowing it to land softly on the top of the pumpkin. You can choose to let it dry as-is, or apply a Montana VARNISH in the finish of your choice to seal the pumpkin on the following day. Pumpkin number one - done! The second pumpkin is for all those people that don‘t mind a little spookiness in their Halloween decor. Taking the second pumpkin you have, apply the Montana GOLD color Shock White or Montana Universal PRIMER Spray to the whole pumpkin. The lighter the pumpkin becomes, the better the Montana NIGHT GLOW can perform. Give your pumpkin plenty of time to dry, or leave it overnight, and then apply the first coat of Montana

NIGHTGLOW Paint. We chose NIGHTGLOW Effect Spray Luminescent Green, but you might prefer Luminescent Orange. Again, apply sweeping motions at a distance of about 15-20cm to avoid drips apply. Allow 5 minutes or more to dry and reapply. The more coats you apply, the stronger the glow effect will work. Once the final coat as desired has been applied, leave your pumping to dry. Ideally in the sun, which is also how you need to charge the NIGHT GLOW paint generally for the paint to glow at night. In the evenings, place your pumpkin in the darkest corners you can find and turn off the lights. And watch your new scary pumpkin light up on its own. Pumpkin number two - done! The final pumpkin has a touch of METALLIC Effect to add a special something to its natural surface. Using a Montana GOLD color of your choice, spray your whole pumpkin from top to bottom. As with all the pumpkins before, allow to dry and turn over to cover the areas not covered previously. Repeat as desired. We chose Montana GOLD Shock White as a neutral base of which the METALLIC Effect could shine, however you may choose another color combination. Taking your pre-shaken Montana METALLIC Effect color, start by applying only to the top stem of your pumpkin. Then slowly proceed to move around in a contained circle as large as you like. Remember to stop well before the middle of the pumpkin so there is a clear contrast between the base color and the METALLIC Effect color. We chose METALLIC Effect Plum for its strong contrast to the Shock White base. For this pumpkin, it is important to spray at a closer range to the surface (approx. 5 -10cm), allowing the paint to gather in spots at the top of the pumpkin and drip down it. Luscious thick drips of metallic pigment goodness can now roll down your Halloween treasure. Leave to dry overnight before handling. Pumpkin number three - done!

AFTER No longer do you look at your beautiful pumpkins wondering if you should cook them or use them for the Halloween season. It‘s clear, they have now become your new Halloween icons and are bound to inspire all those that are lucky enough to see them. Should you have preferred one of the three more than the others, why not continue the project and create more with new colorways or themes (e.g. Glow/Granit/Metallic). Or if you want to save some of the ideas for years to come, display the one in the style you like and save the others for next year. This project is super easy and able to be performed by any skill level. The important points to remember are to ensure your pumpkins are clean and dry, and that your cans are always shaken well for 2-3 minutes before use so you can hear the mixing balls moving freely. Everything else is subject to your creativity. Well done and Happy Crafting!

Recap: allspraypainted meets Carolin Kaiser

In 2020, the team at allspraypainted was more than excited to introduce the new allspraypainted meets project. The idea behind it was a breath of creative fresh air and a window into the creative processes of some of the most innovative professionals the world has to offer. To kick start the series we met the very talented and creative German artist/illustrator/designer/commercial artist, Carolin Kaiser. While talking to the Mannheim resident who is also a confessed 80s girl and lover of all things from that era, we learned that she had a profound connection between her creative process and music. Not to mention that she was an advocate of sketching nearly every day. But what we didn‘t know at the time is that the world was about to change and that a pandemic was coming.

Fast forward a little over a year, and we take a small moment to reflect on how the Coronavirus has affected the creative process of nearly every professional and personal creator on earth. Lockdown, restrictions, a new way to be educated and work, changes of how we have time and how we use it. It got us thinking about how artists have coped, or are coping with the “new world”. Why not speak to an artist we thought, and get some feedback from the source. That‘s when we decided to reach out to our very first feature artist Carolin Kaiser and see if she would share some thoughts with us. Lucky for us, she was not only happy to speak to us but she also invited us into her studio to see what she was working on at the moment. Here is how the visit rolled out.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED What have you been up to since we last spoke in 2020?

CARO During the first three lockdowns, not that much actually happened. My daughter, like many other children, spent a lot of time at home. It was important for me to stay relaxed and not lose my nerve. Therefore, the priority for me at this time was to try and achieve a relaxed „togetherness“ at home. I started gardening and invested a lot of time and energy in it. The garden was the perfect retreat for me from all the dreariness and chaos. And gave me back a lot. I didn‘t do any major projects, but I drew in my sketchbook almost every night. You can say that I used the pandemic to expand my creative ideas fund, which I can now fall back on when the restrictions start up again. I also tested a lot of materials that I could use for future projects. That was a lot of fun too.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED Has the way you work changed at all?

CARO Nothing has really changed in terms of the implementation of my work, rather, my personal attitude to making it. I have become more relaxed. I don‘t get so agitated anymore when something doesn‘t work. I have become more confident that I will find a way to make it work. On the one hand, because the Coronavirus made me aware of what is really important, and on the other hand because I have grown in myself. In times like these, you get to know yourself from another perspective.

At the moment I am so full of power. So much so that I have rarely been like this before. I‘m soaking up everything new. Looking for new input and new people. I missed socializing with people the most. That‘s why I‘m so happy about all the new projects I am involved in and the people I‘m getting to know.

A relaxed Carolin created her artwork right before our eyes as we asked our questions and shared our thoughts. The works she was working on took a slightly different form from what we had experienced from her in the past, however still carried an obvious connection with all that had come before it. Of course, we were still looking at her unique take on 80s color schemes, use of ACRYLIC markers and paints, and imaginative and retrospective motifs like the palm tree. But now, with some diverse new materials in addition like metal mesh, glass, wood and concrete as a basis, we were also seeing the fruits of her lockdown experimentation in the form of the use of Montana GLASS Paint and the use of tools like small angle grinders which assisted her in cutting and forming metal.

Watch the video via montana.link/caro

@allspraypainted

It is obvious to see that physical lockdown at home has not meant mental lockdown for Carolin‘s design process, idea development, or material experimentation. Taking what she knew to a new level, we watched on as the artworks progressed and the questioned rolled on.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED Is spray paint still your favorite medium? What materials are you working with right now?

CARO At the moment I‘m working with different materials. Currently, I‘m even making paper collages again. But I‘m reluctant to focus on one medium. I like the variety and challenge of testing new things, expanding my material know-how, and exploring new materials generally. New materials offer new possibilities.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED What was the process of creating this particular project, and which part was your favorite?

CARO The first step, as it always is, is the analog sketch. Then I convert it into a digital graphic so I can make the color selection and improvements. I also needed a production filefor this project as the glass elements had to be cut by a glazier. I also needed templates for the wood elements as these I cut them out with the decoupage saw. After that, it‘s sanding, priming, and painting. I cast the bases from concrete and sawed them from wood.

The process of moving from a design to a finished object is the most fun for me. You can see and feel how something is created out of nothing. That is very fulfilling for me.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED What is your biggest source of inspiration at the moment?

CARO I think right now I‘m most inspired by life outside the door. Into the hustle and bustle. Feeling the vibration of the city and the people. Experiencing new stories. But also the colors and shapes of nature that surround me outside. I have the feeling that this summer I have perceived the colors much more intensely. It has surprised me again and again how intense and luminous the natural world is.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED How balanced is the proportion of digital to analog in your artwork now? Has the pandemic changed the balance of scales at all? CARO No, no change. I still prefer analog and the handmade aspect to my work. I don‘t think that will ever change. The only thing I would like to learn soon is animation. I would like to breathe more movement into some of my illustrations.

ALLSPRAYPAINTED What are your plans for the future?

CARO Get bigger! Take more risks! I‘m totally up for bigger formats, bigger collages, room-sized installations, or even crazier projects. I want to break out and grow beyond my limitations.

In the end, three new unique artworks braced the world and we were a little more informed on what goes on in the mind of a creative professional in a time like these. We look forward to seeing where Carolin‘s journey takes her and the artworks that are created during the process.

Abstract Patterned Floor Coverings

Due to our stature as upright human beings, looking down is not often the first instinct we have when walking into a room. But whether people are aware of it or not, the floor plays a big part in our environment. It is the basis of every step we take, it is the surface of which all things support themselves, it is the substance on which we build everything up from. And in the end, it‘s the place where everything ends up when it falls. So why not personalize it with some charming floor coverings and some creative abstract color? With the help of some Montana GOLD can colors and some natural fiber floor rugs, that‘s exactly what happened. Sound inviting? Read on.

BEFORE Often the rugs required for this project already exist and have their place in apartments and homes on the floor. The rugs we chose for this activity were made of natural fibers and were beige. However, it is possible to use other rugs, mats, or pieces of carpet should they be available. The ideal materials are natural, non (or minimally) treated materials like cotton, jute, or wool. This is not a must though. Natural materials are better for the environment, have a tendency to absorb the paint better, and will be more durable to wear and tear later when in use. Shape and size are not relevant. If it works for your space, then it is possible to give them some new abstract color. The steps for this project were simple and able to be undertaken by any DIY or creative skill level. Once the rugs are chosen, found, or purchased, ensure that they are completely dry, clean, and free of dust and oils. If required, grab a piece of paper and a pencil, and roughly sketch your rug/mat shape(s) out a few times. Then, consider how you might like to divide these spaces into squares, slices, or geometric shapes. Once the rough ideas are decided upon, either check your Montana GOLD can supply at home and see which colors you might want to use and combine, or look at a Montana GOLD color chart and pick the colors you want to buy for your designs. We chose a mixture of the earthy colors Shrimp, Cappucino, Shock Brown, Caffe, Manilla Green, and Mushroom to compliment the natural beige base color of our rugs. Assuming you have chosen your colors, shaken your cans vigorously for 2-3 minutes until you hear the mixing balls moving freely, have your mask and painting gloves on, and have prepared your painting space, it is now time to carefully apply the first color to the shape you have masked off with masking tape and some sturdy paper or cardboard. This will ensure the rest of your rug is protected from overspray, and the shape you have created with your masking tape is crisp, clean, and exactly as you wanted. Spray in thin even coats from about 15cm from the surface of the rug(s), in a sweeping motion from side to side. Remove the masking materials shortly after having applied the color. Once the shape you have just painted is touch dry or more, repeat this step to create the layers and shapes of color you intended. It may be necessary to take off your gloves when removing the paper from the masked areas and setting up the new color shapes. We chose to leave selected areas of our rug uncolored so that there was a balance between positive space (the added color) and negative space (the rug‘s natural color).

AFTER The paint has dried overnight. The paper and masking tape used to cover the nonpainting areas have been removed, and our gloves and painting masks have long been removed and are back in their storage spaces. What we are left with is some fantastic abstract compositions that make our rugs practical surface coverings, decoration, and now, even pieces of art. The cleaning instructions for the care of your rugs will be the same as was before you decorated them. However, it must be considered that friction, excessive water contact, or agitation could lead to the damaging of your added color. If mud or dirt is deposited on the rugs, it is best to allow them to dry and then brush off with a soft brush. Or if you want to avoid and chances of them being damaged, use them in rooms where clean feet are more likely to come in contact with them. With a view outside, a cup of something warm in our hands, and the mood of the light in the room just perfect for taking a moment to breathe and reflect, how nice it is to look down at the wonderful works of art that reside under our feet. Well done and Happy Crafting!

Colorblock Storage Boxes

Often in life, overthinking something can be just as fatal as not thinking about it at all. Storage and transport are two of those classic topics that fit perfectly into this category. Moving things can be easy if you have the right tools for the job, but difficult if you don‘t. Storing things can be just as easy if you have ample space, but tricky if space is at a premium. With this in mind, we couldn‘t help but notice how effective the humble plastic fruit and vegetable box is at doing both. Strong, lightweight, space-efficient, stackable, cheap, and hang on... it can be aesthetic too. That is if you give it a coat of paint. And that‘s when we got an idea!

With access to plastic boxes being easy and cheap, we decided to create some fruit box color blocks with some of our favorite Montana GOLD can colors. If you want to give it a go too, read on.

HOW IT WAS DONE Depending on where you live, the trend toward bringing your own bags or foldable boxes to the supermarket may already be the norm. If this is the case, you will regularly be able to find foldable or rigid plastic boxes on offer at supermarkets, big-box hardware stores, or homewares stores. If, however, this is not the case for you, remember the foldable shopping box has its origins as the classic fruit and vegetable box. And if you visit your local market or greengrocer, you can probably access some there, or find out where they get theirs from. Once you have your plastic boxes, if required, give them a good clean with some soapy water, and be sure to rinse off all the soap residues. If yours are new and clean, make sure they are clean, and free of dust and oil, and above all completely dry before applying any paint. Believe it or not, the hardest part is already behind you. Our boxes were pre-colored originally, so our color choices (as listed in the materials list) were made with the idea that they would work well with the color of the plastic. If your boxes are black, or a color you don‘t like, you have the option of painting them directly with the color of your choice, or you can prime them first with Montana Plastic PRIMER Spray, or with the Montana GOLD color Shock White. Prepare the sections you want to paint of your clean dry boxes by applying masking tape over the areas you want to keep the color of the plastic. If you have decided to paint the whole box, skip this step, and place the boxes on your drop sheep with enough space so you can move around each box freely in readiness for painting. If you are only painting half of each box as we did, place the box on the side that is masked, ensuring easy access to the areas you want to paint. It is now time for that ritualistic moment once you have your mask and gloves on and your space is prepared for painting. Time to shake your cans for 2-3 minutes so that you can hear the mixing balls moving freely, turn the can upside-down removing the nozzle to allow the safety ring under it to fall out. Reapply the nozzle and turn the can the right way up triggering it away from everything to ensure the paint is flowing freely. In smooth sweeping motions from side to side, spray your chosen color to your chosen plastic box at a 15-20cm distance. Allow to dry and then turn each box over for the second coat if desired. Once the boxes are dry, remove the masking tape (if applicable) to expose your cool two-tone finish. Leave them to dry overnight so the paint can cure before using the boxes to store or move anything. You are done!

This is a super easy project that can be done by creators of any skill level. Each clean box only takes up to 5 minutes to mask up and paint. Masking different areas or in different patterns could also add another design element to your boxes but could also add some time to the completion of each box. They look so good; the hardest part will be deciding what goes in them. Well done and Happy Crafting!

Colorful Christmas Tealight Candle Holders

Getting into the Christmas spirit is usually pretty easy. But once all of the old tricks like the Christmas tree and baubles are unpacked, hanging up, on display, or put into their position like every year, it‘s often the case that we are left with the feeling that a little something extra is needed. Light can often be the difference between feeling Christmas or just doing it. And natural light in the form of candlelight is just the thing to make your Christmas more personal and intimate. This year, allspraypainted has just the project for you to add a little color and light to your Christmas. Keep reading to learn more about this exciting project.

HOW WE DID IT At the basis of our idea to add color and light to our Christmas this year is the very humble tealight candle. This simple but beautiful candle offers a light that is soft, warm and is possibly the most easy-to-find candle available. After creating simple concrete bases to house our tealight candles, we will add a little of our favorite colors and the rest is placement. Find a plastic vessel that has the shape you would like for your tealight candle bases. Soft plastic bottles are easily available and easy to cut. Alternatively, you may choose something like plastic plant potters which only need to have the holes in their bases taped up to hold concrete. Find the size you like that must be at least slightly larger than the tealight candle itself (or more). Make sure your base vessel is clean, then cut it slightly higher than the height you would like your holder to be. Following the instructions to the ready-mix craft concrete or similar product that you found in your local hardware or craft store, mix the concrete mass to the desired consistency and pour it into your prepared plastic vessel(s) at the height you want your candle holders to be. Remember to have all the vessels prepared before starting to pour the concrete. If you want your candle holders at all at the same height, mark each vessel with a marker equally beforehand also. To make the space for your tealight, either press an unlit tealight into the wet concrete making the impression slightly bigger by gyrating slightly, or find another product (like another small plastic drink bottle), and place it in the drying concrete. Depending on the product you used, you may need to leave the tealight or bottle base in the concrete mold till it is dry if you are unable to remove it during the drying process. Once dry, turn the vessels upside down and carefully push the dried concrete out of the molds. Do this over a soft surface or onto some soft material to prevent them from breaking as they exit the mold. With the well-shaken Montana GOLD cans, and the painting space prepared and ready to use, take your masking tape and mask off the areas of your dry concrete holders where you do not want the paint to cover. Place the masked candle holder on your drop sheet leaving the exposed concrete areas accessible. Apply the color to each holder separately in smooth sweeping motions from side to side at a distance of about 15cm from the holder. Repeat as desired to get the opacity you wish. After 5 minutes, remove the masking tape without touching the drying paint and allow all bases to dry overnight. Should you not want to keep all the candle holders in one uniform look, variations to your color application can be simply created by varying where you apply the masking tape to the concrete base, and where or how much concrete is covered in color. Other variations may be the type of concrete or modeling ready-mix you use to create the bases, which can offer alternative surface qualities. There is no more hard work to do now and apart from putting the tealight candles into your new holders and lighting them, the difficult part is figuring out where to put them and fighting the urge to keep making more. This is an easy project that is a beginner to intermediate in skill level, subject to the amount of effort required for mixing the concrete (or ready-mix base material) you choose. Should you want to alter the finish of your new colorful Christmas tealight candle holder, why not try one of the Montana VARNISH sprays available in Matte, Semi Gloss, and Gloss. What a great creative distraction from doing Christmas shopping or Christmas cooking. Pat yourself on the back and give yourself a big well done as you stare in the soothing light of your new Christmas tealight candle holders. Happy Crafting!

MATERIALS USED • Montana GOLD • Soft plastic bottle bases • Planter pots or similar • Ready-mix craft concrete or similar • Tealight candles • A craft cutter or sturdy scissors • Masking tape • Marker (optional) • Gloves • Mask • Drop Sheet

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Creators: Vera from nicestthings.com Lisa from itsprettynice.com Rachel from thecraftedlife.com Martin from contact@deadsailor.de Carolin from carolinkaiser.de Nadine from nadinekolodziey.com Danny and Martin from schreiberpoetter.de

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