If you've been following along, you know I'm all about turning everyday stuff into something extraordinary. I get a kick out of recycling and giving new life to plain old items!
So, check this out – I took an ordinary oatmeal container and totally transformed it into something awesome. And I'm super excited to walk you through how I did it!
I'll explain my creative process below, sharing all the nifty steps and cool tricks I used to jazz up this container. You'll see how a dash of creativity can turn the most mundane things into eye-catching pieces that'll make you go, 'Whoa, I can't believe that used to be just an oatmeal container!'
Let me show you how I made mine…
STEP ONE: GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
Below are a list of supplies you will need:
Oatmeal container
Decorative Rice Paper
Wire for handle
White acrylic paint
White piece of fury material
Clear Elmer's glue or Mod Podge
Ribbon
Glitter
Hot glue
Cornstarch
Brown paint or Brown Wax
(optional) small Christmas tree
(optional) mini Cow Bells
(optional) Spanish moss
STEP TWO: ORDER YOUR RICE PAPER
First, the secret sauce of this project – the gorgeous rice paper I used. I ordered this rice paper from Decoupage Central, and it's just beautiful!
The intricate designs and vibrant colors on this rice paper are like pieces of art themselves. You can grab this exact design right here too!
STEP THREE: MIX YOUR WHITE PAINT
Okay, here's where the magic starts happening. I grabbed some plain white paint and threw in about a teaspoon of cornstarch. Sounds odd, right? But trust me, this combo is like the superhero of paint mixtures!
Why, you ask? Well, it's all about making that paint a bit thicker. And the bonus? It covers like a dream in just one coat. It's like giving your project this smooth, velvety finish that's just so satisfying!
Plus, it gives it a bit more body, so it doesn't drip or slide all over the place. It's the kind of painting hack that once you try, you'll wonder how you ever managed without it. So, that's my little secret for this part of the craft. Trust me, you're gonna love how this mixture works like a charm!
Mixing is the secret here, so don't rush this step! Take your time and give that mixture a good stir, swirl, and twirl. I'm talking a proper arm workout here! You want to make sure the paint and cornstarch get cozy and mingle well together.
Your paint needs to be silky smooth, like a dollop of pudding waiting to be spooned. You're aiming for that perfect balance between flowy and thick, just like the creamy richness of a good pudding.
When you dip your brush into the paint, it should coat it just right, not too runny like water or too stiff like a paste. You want it to glide smoothly but also stay put where you apply it, giving you that confident feeling of control.
STEP FOUR: PAINT YOUR CONTAINER
Now comes the fun part! I grabbed my brush and dove right in, coating every part of the container with that dreamy white paint mixture. I made sure to apply the paint evenly, covering the entire surface from top to bottom.
I took my time with this, making sure the paint spread smoothly, enjoying every moment of this process! And let me tell you, seeing the container slowly morphing with each brushstroke is so satisfying!
STEP FIVE: LET IT DRY
Next, I set the container aside, giving it all the space it needed to air-dry and work its magic. It's like letting the paint settle into its new home, taking its time to bond with the surface and create that flawless finish we're aiming for.
STEP SIX: ISOLATE SANTA FROM RICE PAPER
While the container dried, I used my water pen (a pen that you fill with water) and brushed it along the section of the rice paper with Santa. Then I slowly and carefully ripped that section off the sheet. That print paper I was using had 3 different designs on it, so I'll save those for another project!
Once you've ripped off the section of the rice paper you want to use in your project, the print is ready to add to the container!
STEP SEVEN: ADD HOLES TO CONTAINER
Now that the container is completely dry, it was time to add holes. I carefully marked and made precise holes on both sides of the container to add a wire hanger. Now we're one step closer to having our cute hanging Santa container!
I used 20 gauge wire for this step of the project. You should be able to find this at your local craft store, but you can also order it here!
To add a cute little curl to your wire, simply wrap your wire around your paint brush to give it some bends. I think it adds a nice little flare to it!
You can wrap it around your brush as many times as you'd like to add curls throughout the wire!
STEP EIGHT: ADD SANTA TO CONTAINER
Next, I added the Santa rice paper section to the container. I love using clear glue to do this, but you can also use Mod Podge like this. Just brush a few strokes onto the container and add your Santa!
Look how adorable it already looks!
To clean it up a bit, I sanded the end off where there was a little paper over the edge.
STEP NINE: “GRUNGE” UP THE CONTAINER
Next, I went and added a “grunge texture” to the container with some Dixie Belle Brown Wax. You can also use this wax.
If you don't have wax, you can even just use regular brown paint or a brown ink pad to create that same grunge look. Just brush your paint or wax along the white section of the container.
Remember, if you use wax, using a little goes a long way. Don't start with too much or you'll have a big brown smudge on your container!
STEP TEN: ADD FURY MATERIAL
Now we're going to finish off the top of the container with a little furry trim. For this step, cut a piece of cute furry material. This is the one I used.
I then started gluing the material around the edge of the container, adding glue slowly as I worked around the whole container.
I just love how adding the material brings the whole thing to life!
I also decided to grunge up the fur the same way I did the container. This step is totally up to you, but I think it helps blend the material into the rest of the design nicely.
STEP ELEVEN: CREATE AND ADD YOUR BOW
Next, I used a tool called the Bowdabra to make a quick bow with strips of material I had on hand. You can use whatever bows or pieces of fabric you have on hand for this, but I love using this tool!
The Bowdabra really does make creating bows super quick and easy!
To finish off the decorative element, I also added a pipe cleaner that I had grunged up a while back. For that, I had wrapped red and white pipe cleaners together.
I added my bow! Look how cute it looks!
STEP TWELVE: ADD GLITTER
And then of course, I added some Diamond Dust Glitter! I love using this one.
At this point you can be done! Your container is a beautiful container to add a gift in!
Who would ever know this was an Oatmeal container at the beginning?!
I decided to add a little tree in mine, so I added a little moss to it as well...
Look how adorable this tree from The Dollar Tree looks in it. (It's from their online shop.) I also flocked the tree using this flocking material!
To decorate the tree a bit, I also added these adorable little cow bells on it too! These are the ones I used, and they are just too cute.
I love these bells on this tree!
This project was so much fun to create! I hope you give it a try—I think you will love it!
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Happy Creating!
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