Five Crafty Projects for The Lazy Days of Summer

Nothing makes a decorating difference like changing the paint color.

Chandelier: There are a couple of ways to use a freshly painted chandelier.

· protect the electrical elements and continue to use as an electrical chandelier or

· pull the electrical elements and use the chandelier as a candelabra

This is one of the projects I tried and it was a success. Pictures below. My chandelier is actually a candlelier – I invented that word - (in orange) on our deck.

I removed all of the wiring and spray painted it a bright orange, placed candles on the wings and viola, a colorful chandelier that only cost me $10.00 plus the cost of paint.

Linda Stetson over at MStetson does an excellent job of explaining how to turn an ugly duckling brass chandelier into a beautiful upscaled lighting fixture while maintaining the electrical integrity. Isn’t it gorgeous in that bright yellow?

Chalkboard paint is very versatile and has become a part of many projects. Karen over at Bella & Bambino has a great tutorial explaining how to turn a picture frame or metal tray into a stylish and very cute blackboard. This is a project that is perfect for you and the kids.

· do be careful if you use spray paint (do not allow younger children to actually spray and be sure to spray the piece outside or in a well-ventilated area)

· young children can get involved after the spray painting is complete by adding the decorative touches

I tried a similar project earlier this spring and I was thrilled with the simplicity and the outcome of the project.

Putting together a succulent garden is an easy and fun summer project. Suzanne Day over at HubPages shares a very colorful and informative tutorial on creating small succulent gardens. Her ideas are fantastic. The good thing about succulent gardens is the versatility. They can thrive in small spaces and are very easy to care for. And better yet, you can plant a succulent garden in almost any type of container. Glass containers are always very pretty but if you think outside of the box, you can plant a succulent garden in all sorts of containers, old shoes, tea cups, cinder blocks, and all sorts of pottery. These little flower gardens are like little jewels that you will enjoy all year long.

Sharpies aren’t just for shipping labels any longer. They now come in all sorts of pretty colors and the permanency of the ink make them perfect for creative projects. Take a look at the YesMissy website. Eileen, the blog owner, has written a wonderful article with lots of pictures and how-to’s for creating customized mugs, fabric, and even lamps. These projects can be created inside or outside while sitting by the pool. Keep your kids motivated and have some fun during these lazy days.

Finally, how about creating a summer wreath. It can be as intricate or as simple as you choose. I chose a relatively simple design for my summer wreath. You can read the tutorial here. And for $26.00, I think it turned out just fine.

Miss Kitty over at The Kopy Kat has an entirely different take on the simple summer wreath. Head on over there and read her tutorial and get ideas for another type of wreath. Miss Kitty has a fun and realistic blog. I’m sure once you visit, you will go back for more. I know I will.

Well, that’s it. Five fun crafts for your summer enjoyment. Nothing too complicated because the last thing we want during our relaxing days is stress. Just fun and basic crafts that you can do alone or share with your friends and family.

Enjoy your summer and happy crafting.