Last Minute DIY Snowman LED Shadow Box Project

I am always on the look out for fun last minute DIY gifts and this cute light up Snowman Shadow Box was just perfect for a hand printed project. These cute shadow boxes are sold at my local Micheal's Store unpainted and unfinished. They are really easy to work with and each one can easily be personalized to suit your own esthetic.  I used my new set of Folk Art Multi Surface paints (I have a Product Review if you want to learn more about these paints) by Plaid. 

Before I go any further, I have to make the following notation: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” from links listed in this blog post.  If you do not want to use my links, just do a search using your favorite search engine.

Supplies Needed:

1.  Unfinished Snowman Artminds LED shadow box  or any other of their cute boxes.  The techniques are the same, you can just adjust to that particular box. These are found at the Michael's Craft Stores.

2.  Folk Art Multi Surface Paints in Licorice, Real Brown, Classic Green, Pure Orange, Cardinal Red,    
     Wicker White and Folk Art Extreme Glitter Paint in Sliver.
3.  Paint Brushes
4.  White Glitter and optional Silver Glitter in larger chunks.
5.  Clear Glue
6.  Ranger Glossy Accents
7.  Sheet of Glitter Paper
8. Batteries (size will vary with the box you purchase)

Step 1:
Open the package and remove the bottom of the shadow box, this will allow you to remove the inserts.

Step 2:
Sand all the pieces, being careful to not damage the lights or battery box.  Paint the interior and exterior of the shadow box with the Wicker White paint.  Use as many coats as you like until you get the finish you want. I used the Folk Art Multi Surface Paints which are fairly opaque so I only needed two coats.

Step 3:
Paint the trees in the front of the shadow box with the Folk Art Multi Surface paint in real brown. I also used the Wicker White for the snow flakes.  Once the paint has dried, you can use the Folk Art Glitter paint in Silver to accent the snow flakes.  After that has dried, use the clear glue to adhere the white glitter to the tree branches to make it look like it is snowing.

Step 4:
Once the front of the shadow box has dried, take the glitter sheet and measure it. Cut it to fit inside of the shadow box. Use the clear glue to adhere the glitter sheet to the shadow box.  Make sure to cut it so that you can still see the lights when they are turned on.

Tip: If you are unable to purchase a glitter sheet of paper, you can just paint the interior back wall blue and add some blue glitter using the clear glue.

Step 5:
Using the multi surface paints, begin to paint the inserts.  Allow to dry between coats.

Step 6:
Use the Ranger Glossy Accents to add some dimension to the roof of the house.  Allow to the Glossy Accents product to dry.

Step 7:
Use the Silver Glitter paint to accent the roof top and Pine Tree. If you want to really catch the light, then add a bit of chunky glitter to the areas you have painted with the glitter paint (before it dries).

Step 8:
Use the clear glue to adhere the white glitter to the snowman in the 2nd insert.

Then use the Folk Art Silver Glitter paint to add sparkle to the snowflakes. If you want to add even more sparkle, then just add a little chunky silver glitter to the painted surface before it dries.

Step 9:
Once all the parts have dried, re-assemble the box.

Step 10:
Add the batteries and enjoy the shadow box.

This was such a quick and easy project. It only took me two hours to finish the project.  The cost of the shadow box itself was less than $10.  I already had the Folk Art Multi Surface Paints and Folk Art Glitter Paint. You can find more ways to use the Folk Art paints at the Plaid website where they list all types of fun projects and tutorials.  Michael's Craft stores have these cute shadow boxes for each season.  I can't wait to see what they make available for Valentines day and Easter.



NOTE: I do not work for Plaid or Michael's Craft Store. They have not paid me for this review. I just really love their product lines and enjoy using various items in my craft projects and art work.  I have included Amazon Associate links to Amazon but you do not need to use them.  You can just do a search on google to find the closest retailer to you that carries these paints. As for the shadow boxes, you can find those each season at the Michael's Craft stores.  

DIY Refurbished Patio Furniture Make Over with Rust-oleum Gloss Protective Enamel

Summer is in full bloom out here in California and I tend to spend as much time as possible outside to enjoy the beautiful weather, however, my old set of patio furniture really needed a makeover.  I love spending time sitting down reading a book while the kids play in the pool, so having a nice table and chairs to do this is important to me.  So I partnered with Rust-oleum® to see if I could give my old patio set a new life by using their spray paint to make my patio furniture look new again.

Rust-oleum® was kind enough to send me some cans of their Rust-oleum® Gloss Protectant Enamel in the color Rich Jade (#312816).  This particular spray paint helps stop metals from Rusting and adds a bit of protection from the elements.  Plus you get amazing coverage with just one coat.  Here is what the patio set looked like before I started refurbishing it, it was a mixture of faded greens and gray.  Additionally, I think one of my kids used it to hold something while spray painting a school project because there were some odd streaks of spray paint all over the table top.

The chairs were also mismatched and weren't even the same color.

The process to prepare these pieces to be spray painted was pretty simple.  I started by sanding off any peeling paint or odd bits.  The I cleaned each chair and the table to remove excess dirt and dust.  Then I  let it dry.  Once the pieces were dry, I set out some cardboard and some plastic mats to spray paint each piece.  Then I gave each piece a light coat of the Rust-oleum® Gloss Protectant Enamel.  You can see just how good the coverage is with just one coat in the photo below.

The color is really bright and fun.  I also noticed that it seem to bring out some of the cute details on the furniture that were lost with the old color.

I let the pieces dry for about 24 hours between coats because I really wanted to see what the coverage was like.  I found that two coats were fine for the table and chairs.   I know they are going to be used a lot so I wanted to make sure I had really good coverage.

It only took 2 1/2 cans to paint the entire set and that includes the bottoms of the table, undersides of the chairs, etc.  These pieces are really well covered and the finish should last for quite a while.
I love how they came out. This particular green really makes the pieces stand out against the brick.

I am so happy with the Rust-oleum® Gloss Protectant Enamel product in the Rich Jade color and how great it made my furniture look.  

I liked it so well that I purchased two cans of their white and repainted my metal screen door which now looks fabulous.  Metal screen doors tend to rust easily in my area so using this enamel should help protect it during the winter weather.  I had some rust in the corners that would get worse over time if I did not fix them right away.  So I cleaned up the doors and spray painted them with the Rust-oleum® Gloss Protectant Enamel in white.  The trick is to not spray them on a windy day.  I noticed right after I had cleaned them (before painting them) that they were dusty again.  I realized that the strong breeze we were having was leaving dust and other particles with them.  I also took the precaution to cover the brick and some plants in case of over spray (even though I was using a large box that I made to spray them in).  I waited until the next morning to spray the metal screen doors and they came out great.  I did buy one can of paint per door and used both cans up, but that is because I wanted to make sure they were well coated.  


Disclaimer:  Rust-oleum provided me with several cans of the rich jade paint to use for my makeover project.  However, I was not paid to use their product nor for my review of how well it worked for me.  Also, remember to carefully read the manufacturers directions and suggestions.  They can be very helpful in learning to use the product safely.