This post is brought to you by Plaid Crafts.
I've been having fun this year making lots of different Halloween costumes to share. When I was asked to make a Halloween project with Martha Stewart Decoupage medium I wanted to think beyond just decorations and housewares and see what I could come up with to use as part of a costume (full mermaid costume tutorial here).
Lucky for me one of my friends needed help crafting a mermaid costume for her daughter and I got to put the decoupage and other Martha Stewart craft supplies to the test. I'm sure I'll have plenty more crafting opportunities for crafting with this stuff as it is weather proof, machine washable and dishwasher safe! It dries hard and clear with no tack and can be used on everything from glass, ceramic, metal wood (and even seashells!). My mind is already reeling with ideas from dishes to garden decor. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. On to the tutorial!
Supplies
- Plastic tiara from the Dollar Store
- Silver sparkle chenille stems
- Hot glue gun and glue
- An assortment of seashells
- Starfish
- Martha Stewart Decoupage*
- Martha Stewart Paints* (I used an assortment of metallic, pearl and glitter paints)
- Paintbrushes* (I love the Martha Stewart brushes as well!)
- Glitter
*Martha Stewart craft supplies are available at Michaels
Directions
Step 1: Paint the Seashells
Protect your surface and go to town painting the seashells. I used a combination of pearl, metallic and glitter paints from Martha Stewart's paint line. I love this stuff! It sticks to everything and doesn't need primer. Plus the colors are to die for. Light gold was probably my fave (and I don't even like gold!)
Step 2: Prep the Tiara
While the shells are drying, get the tiara ready. Remove the fuzzy bit on the front and the large gemstone from the tip. Wrap the whole thing in silver chenille stems. (I got this great idea from Debbi's Design Diaries when she made her ultra lux mermaid tiara. Be sure to take a peak at hers - it's awesome!)
Step 3: Glitterfy
Hopefully the paint on your shells is dry by now (if not, wait until they are!). I decided to add glitter accents two ways. The first was to paint a line of the Glitter Finish Martha Stewart Decoupage on the edge of some of the clam shells then dip them in a small pile of silver glitter.
The second way was to coat the starfish and several of the shells in the decoupage medium. I love how it gave a subtle rainbow glimmer to the shells. It also sealed them and made them waterproof. Which is perfect in case our little mermaid gets caught in the rain on Halloween night!
Set these aside to dry completely before moving on to step 4.
Step 4: Assemble the Crown
Use the hot glue to attach the shells to the crown. Because the starfish was my focal point, I adhered that first. Next, I did the matching spike shells radiating out from the top. Then I added the clamshells along the bottom. I totally have a thing for symmetry so that's what I focused on...feel free to be way less neurotic than I am!
Step 5: Wear it!
Once your crown is assembled you merely need to wait for the glue to set and you are good to go! Be sure to get the combs really worked into your hair when you wear it to avoid having it fall off your head.
I hope you enjoyed my mermaid crown tutorial. Martha Stewart Craft Supplies have so many possibilities! Get ideas from fellow crafters on Plaid’s Facebook Page or follow Plaid for Inspiration on Pinterest.
PS - If you want to see the full mermaid costume tutorial, check it out here.
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Plaid Crafts (the makers of Martha Stewart Craft Supplies) and The Blueprint Social. I received free product and compensation for creating this original craft tutorial to share with you. Love of Martha Stewart craft supplies and symmetry are my own. All thoughts expressed in this post are 100% mine and reflect my real life experience with the products. Please see my full review policy here.
