Crafts Inspire Me

What's Your Inspiration?

Alpacas versus Ewoks

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Crafts Inspire Me

On a scale of 1-10, who is the cutest – an Alpaca or an Ewok?

My apologies to all the Star Wars fans, but this week our craft project is all about Alpacas.

This baby alpaca looks so soft and cuddly like a stuffed animal.

Adults have long shaggy fur, which is used to make yarn for blankets, sweaters and other garments.

Some have monochromatic fur, such as the one pictured above.

Alpaca fur tends to be thick and plush in a variety of shades and a few fashion-forward combinations. Whatever your preferences, you can’t go wrong applying those creative choices to this fun project.

How to Paint a Wooden Alpaca:

Raw Wood Alpaca

Thick wood has been cut out in the shape of an alpaca. Both sides and all the edges will need to be painted. Due to the raw nature of the wood, it may require a little sanding, especially along the edges.

Supplies

Supplies:
Wooden Alpaca (6-1/4” high x 4-1/2” wide x 1-1/2” thick)
Acrylic Paints – gray, white, black
Bottles Fabric Paint – brown, white, black
Paintbrushes
Sandpaper
Black Sharpie Marker or pencil

Paint Base Color

Using acrylic gray paint and a brush, paint both sides of the body and all the edges.

Paint Accent Colors & Draw Eye Detail

Apply white acrylic paint with a brush on the head, neck, lower legs and tail. With a pencil or marker, draw the eyes.

Define Facial Details

Using a combination of acrylic and fabric paints, add the eyes, nose and mouth.

Textured Fur Detail

Creating thick, three-dimensional fur is easy with fabric paint. You must start at the BOTTOM and work your way up using short downward strokes. Keep the placement and stroke size random, layering new fur over the previous sections as you work your way to the top. Allow the paint to dry overnight because it shrinks as it dries. Repeat this process until you achieve the desired appearance.

Paint White Textured Fur

This photo shows the completed white fur on the legs and tail. Repeat this process on the other side.

Note: To achieve a very thick fur coat, you may need several bottles of fabric paint.

Paint Brown Textured Fur

Apply brown fabric paint on the torso, and upper legs, using the same textured process described above.

Paint Additional Layers of Textured Fur

Repeat the painted fur process as many times as needed to create a thick fur coat.

Paint White Textured Fur

Once again using the white fabric paint, start creating the fur at the bottom of the neck and work upward.

Paint Additional Layers of White Textured Fur

Repeat the process to achieve desired thickness. Remember to thoroughly cover the edges too. You may also want to add more fur on the tail as well for a bushy effect. Allow time for the paint to dry between coats so that you can see which areas need more work.

Finished Alpaca

Congratulations! You are now the proud parent of an adorable alpaca!

Finished Details

As you can see in this photo, the fur continues up over the top of the head, including bangs on forehead.

Alpaca – Before & After

We started with a plain wood figure, and with little effort and patience during drying times, this cute alpaca is ready to adorn your home or be given as a gift. Either way, smiles are sure to follow.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

Wordless Wednesday

Image

Seeing Spots

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Crafts Inspire Me

Ever wonder how many spots a cheetah has? I wish I could tell you, but I lost count during this week’s project. a painted wooden cheetah.

Inspirations:
Resting in the Shade

Look at that gorgeous coat! It’s beautiful but also serves as camouflage. The black tear-like markings help these stealthy predators by cutting the sun’s glare.

Mother & Cubs

Their long muscular legs and bodies make cheetahs the fastest land animals. They often stand on trees and rocks for better views of their hunting grounds.

Keeping a Lookout

It’s important to stay alert. You never know when the next meal might come along.

Supplies:
Raw Wood Cheetah

Closeup – Raw Wood Cheetah’s Feet

Do you notice the problem with his front feet? If you are familiar with music from the 1970’s, you’ll know the rock group Kiss. Their costumes always included platform boots and apparently this cheetah is a fan! lol This odd design choice will be corrected in a later step.

Acrylic Paints

How to Paint a Wooden Cheetah:
Paint Base Coats on Cheetah & Stand – Front View

Be sure to paint all surfaces, including the edges.

Paint Base Coats on Cheetah & Stand – Back View

Draw Details on the Body and Face

Defining the legs on the front and back is a bit of a challenge. You’ll notice there is extra wood at the edges, which should have been trimmed off. Instead, we will paint it brown in a later step so that it is less noticeable. Add the facial details too.

Paint the Details – Front View

The tail, belly, inner side of each leg, and areas on chest and face are white with black spots. The rest of the coat is tan or golden with black spots. The facial details bring this figure to life.

Closeup – Legs

As noted previously, the excess wood on the legs is painted brown to blend into the background.

Paint the Details – Back View

Paint the Spotted Coat – Front View

The tip of the tail is solid black with a few stripes above it. Spots cover the remainder of the body.

Paint the Spotted Coat – Back View

Completed Cheetah – Front View

Glue stones to the base, beneath the front feet, to correct the issue noted in the sixth photo and to create the illusion the cheetah is scoping out his surroundings.

Completed Cheetah – Back View

I hope you enjoyed this post and are inspired to begin your next creative project.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

Countdown – Top Six Posts 2025

Posted on January 21, 2026 by Crafts Inspire Me

It’s that time of year again when we look back at the highest-ranking posts of last year, as voted by you, the readers. Below is a list of the Top Six posts of 2025, in ascending order:

Number 6: Gift Wrap – Thinking Outside the Box

Wrapping gifts can be fun or stressful depending upon how many presents and how much time you have. I thought it would be nice to see several “outside the box” ideas. To read more, please click here.

Number 5: Celebrating Spring with Wreaths

Nothing says spring has arrived like colorful buds, blooms and leaves. Why not bring nature indoors by making a new wreath. You will have a few decisions to make before you begin…To read more, please click here.

Number 4: Recovering at the Art Studio – Blog Paws

Those of you who follow my blog will recognize one of our art studio mascots, Smokey. Two weeks ago, he had to be rushed to the veterinary clinic for emergency surgery. As you can imagine, it was such a shock. To read more, please click here.

Number 3: The Art of Cupcake Decorating II

In part 1, we reviewed cupcake flavors and decoration options. Now we have arrived at the fun part, decorating. Each cupcake is a blank canvas, ready for your creativity to come to life. Let your inner artist come out to play. To read more, please click here.

Number 2: The Art of Cupcake Decorating I

Cupcakes are the perfect choice to satisfy your sweet tooth. They’re quick to make, fun to decorate, easily portable, and the quantity allows experimentation with multiple designs. We will begin with flavors, followed by decorating options. To read more, please click here.

Number 1: Forest Dragon

And there we have it – the top 6 posts of 2025. We have a new year to explore the world of creativity. There are always new ideas, and I’ll be sure to include more of your favorites. Your opinions are greatly appreciated, and I look forward to so much more this year. If you have any suggestions for future posts, please let me know.

Thanks for Reading, Happy New Year & Happy Crafting!

Forever Green

Posted on December 3, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

Snow Covered Pines
What I miss the most during the colder months are the beautiful colors in nature. The winter sky is so gray, the trees are dormant, and the flowers temporarily disappear for a long winter’s nap. Evergreens defiantly retain their glorious shades of green regardless of the weather. To brighten your home decor, you can add a little evergreen and it will never need to be watered.

How to Paint Wooden Pine Trees

This painted craft is very easy to complete in a short amount of time and it’s great for beginners too!

Raw Wood Trees

As with all raw wood, a little sanding may be required, especially along the edges. The pre-drilled holes are for lights in a later step.

Supplies
Painted Tree Supplies
Supplies:
Wooden Pine Tree (17” high x 9” wide x 1/2” thick) (Base is 9” wide x 2” deep)
Acrylic Paints – green, white
Paintbrushes
Sandpaper
String of 20 lights

Apply Green Paint
Painted Green Trees
Paint each tree green, ensuring both sides, all the edges and the base are painted.

Define the Branches with Snow
Painted Snow Trees
In nature, snow gathers on the branches. To give these trees a more three-dimensional appearance, add patches of white paint to imitate Mother Nature.

Tree Lighting
Trees with Inserted Lights
Those pre-drilled holes were made to hold a strand of twenty white lights. The lights can only be pushed through from one side of the wood frame. You may need to secure the last light at the bottom with a piece of tape to keep it from pulling out from the weight of the electrical cord.

Finished Trees (with and without camera flash)
Lit Trees
All you need to do now is choose a spot to display your handiwork and plug in those lights. I place my trees in the living room windows to enhance the rest of the outdoor decorations. When the holidays are over, they can remain on display throughout the winter.

Pom Pom Alternative
Pom Pom Tree
As an alternative to lights, you can turn a simple pine tree into a Christmas tree by gluing on multi-color pom poms as ornaments.

I hope you enjoy this project and have fun decorating your home for the holidays.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

It’s All in the Details

Posted on November 5, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

Detailed Floral Wood Carving
We deal with so many details every day. I thought it would be fun to take a look at some craft photos to demonstrate how small changes can make such a dramatic difference. Let’s go!

Acrylic Painted Rabbit
Painted Bunny Face
This cute rabbit has blended fur colors, but a rather blank expression.

Acrylic Painted Rabbit with 3D Details
Bunny Face 3D Details
The 3D paint creates facial depth, and provides a twinkle in eyes filled with personality.

Acrylic Painted Flamingo

Flamingos are so colorful and unusual. The color scheme captures the essence of the bird but lacks the textured feathers.

Acrylic Painted Flamingo Layered with 3D Texture

Now he appears to be staring back at you while he proudly shows off his brightly colored plumage.

Two-Tone Green Man
Green Man Original
Mother Nature’s counterpart doesn’t look very happy, does he?

Two-Tone Green Man with Metallic Gold Highlights
Green Man Gold Accents
After brightening the whites of his eyes, he had his “hair” highlighted and now he looks rather pleased with himself. lol

Black & White Photo vs. Colorized Photo
Black White Photo vs Colorized
The black and white portrait is nice, but look how soft, warm and romantic the second photo is thanks to the addition of color and dreamy special effects.

Metallic Silver Octopus
Octopus Monotone
Metallic silver is an odd choice for such a fluid sculpture of a living animal.

Full Color Octopus with 3D Details
Octopus Full Color
A vibrant new color scheme brings this blue ringed octopus to life, and the three-dimensional suction cups add texture as well as a more realistic approach to this wriggling octopus.

Gnome House vs. Bamboo Tropical Hut
Gnome House Original vs Tropical Hut
Originally this little house was part of a collection of gnomes. A bamboo pattern combined with a few brightly colored silk flowers transformed it into a tropical hut for an ocean-themed centerpiece.

3D Painted Celtic Cross
Celtic Cross Green & Black
Celtic designs are famous for their knot work. The three-dimensional green paint contrasts nicely with the black background and textures the entire surface.

3D Painted Celtic Cross with Metallic Gold Accents
Celtic Cross Gold Accents
The introduction of three-dimensional gold accents brings a bit of sparkle and opulence to the design.

Acrylic Painted Seahorse with 3D Accents

Seahorses are known for their brilliant colors and textured bodies. The 3D paint adds a bit of texture along the contours of the body and upon the spiny back.

3D Painted Seahorse

By using only 3D paints, the entire seahorse springs to life in glorious color and texture.

Fashionable Snowman

No snowman is complete without a few knitted accessories.

Fashionable Snowman with Lights

The addition of lights not only adds sparkle, but also enables him to shine at night in any window to complement your exterior decorations.

Halloween Witch vs. Christmas Elf

How can a Halloween decoration become one of Santa’s helpers? The answer lies in accessories! Cover the hat and tuck in the hair, add a scarf and candy cane and voila you have a Christmas elf.

Instructions for most of these items can be found on the “How To Projects” page.

It is said: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Little details have a strong influence over our perceptions, but sometimes we become so accustomed to our surroundings that we barely notice. Look at your home from a new perspective. Check out those little details to see if something could use a touch of color, a bit of whimsy and a little tender loving care. You’ll be glad you did!

Thanks for reading & Happy Crafting!

Skeletons Like Makeovers Too

Posted on October 8, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

Eerie & Otherworldly
Spooky Cemetery Skeleton
No Halloween display would be complete without a skeleton or two. Each one has its own personality.

Unexpectedly Playful
Funny Skeletons

Culturally Festive
Day of the Dead

Bone-Chilling & Terrifying
Snake Skeleton
Every year manufacturers introduce new items to thrill, amuse or frighten avid Halloween fans. With a few easy steps, you can personalize store-bought skeletons to express whatever style or attitude you desire for your Halloween décor. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Fierce Makeover:

Deep Sea Fish Skeleton
Original Fish Skeleton
This skeleton is based upon a real life deep-sea fish called an Anglerfish. To attract prey, a bioluminescent fishing lure is cast in front of its head and in no time, those strong jaws snap shut as vicious teeth make short work of consuming the meal. Check out the illuminated photo below.

Illuminated Deep Sea Fish Skeleton
Original Fish Skeleton Lit
As a Halloween decoration, it certainly is more unique than the usual offerings. When lit, the lure is bold yellow and the stomach has an eerie purple glow. While he does have a menacing appearance, I think we can do better! I really like the purple glow but when the lights are turned off, the bones are a neutral color without any contrast. In other words, he needs an upgrade!

Fish Skeleton Paints
Fish Paints
Supplies:
Deep Sea Fish Skeleton (8” high x 17” long x 5” wide)
Acrylic Paints – linen, metallic periwinkle blue, & black (not shown)
Paintbrushes

Fish Tail – Before
Fish Tail Before

Fish Tail – After
Fish Tail After
Paint the tail and tips of the spine with metallic periwinkle blue. Notice how the bones stand out against the metallic blue. The reflective quality of metallic paint contrasts well with matte finish bones.

Fish Head & Fins – Before
Fish Head Before

Fish Head & Fins – After
Fish Head After
Paint the eyes black. Paint the webbing of the fins and crevices around the eyes with periwinkle blue. The fleshy, darker contrast makes the eyes look meaner in a zombie-like fashion. Linen paint can be used to touch up unwanted marks on the head.

Finished Fish

The individual bones in the tail and fins really show up now, resembling creepy skeletal hands for seizing prey or curious trick-or-treaters. See fish 2025 updated version below.

Illuminated Finished Fish
Finished Fish Lit

Portraits – Before & After
Before & After Portrait
The first photo is the original fish and the second is the finished makeover. The purple glow now extends across the entire body. With a ferocious expression and intimidating attitude, this Anglerfish is ready to strike, perfect for a Halloween scare.

Fish Update 2025

Angler Fish Revisited
Sometimes I like to live with a finished craft for a while to ensure I’m satisfied. I decided this fish needed a meaner look, which required additional painting. I think I accomplished my mission. What do you think?

Fantasy Fashion Makeover:

Spider Skeleton
Original Spider
Spiders often have a very creepy aura and you could certainly go in that direction. This lucky lady prefers a haute couture makeover and we know just how to bring it!

Spider Skeleton Paints
Spider Paints
Supplies:
Spider Skeleton (6” high x 8” long x 13” wide)
Acrylic Paints – metallic blue sapphire, metallic copper, & pure black
Paintbrushes

Spider Head & Feet
Spider Black & Copper Paint
Darken the eyes with black paint, and paint the facial details and feet with metallic copper. Feel free to experiment with the colors.

Spider Joints & Spine
Spider Metallic Blue
Turquoise and brown are a very fashionable color combination, making metallic blue the perfect complement to the copper. This bejeweled spider is ready to make her debut on the fashion runway! lol!

Finished Spider Pulling Wagon
Spider Drawn Carriage
Why not show off her new look by participating in a Halloween parade with a few friends?

Fairy Tale Makeover:

Frog Skeleton – Before
Original Frog Skeleton
This little guy has a heartwarming smile. I believe we can add a little more charm.

Frog Skeleton Paints
Frog Paints
Supplies:
Frog Skeleton (3-1/2” high x 5” long x 4-1/2” wide)
Acrylic Paints – metallic peridot green & pure black
Paintbrushes

Frog Skeleton – After
Finished Frog Skeleton
Sporting his new color, he’s bound to win hearts and maybe even garner a few kisses for luck. Who knows – maybe he will turn into a prince?

I hope you enjoy these fanciful skeletons and apply these ideas to your Halloween décor..

Thanks for Reading! Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!

Bewitching Mushrooms

Posted on October 2, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

Mushrooms have been trending this year in everything from apparel to home décor. Nature is filled with magical wonders and what better time to tap into that magic than Halloween? This fun project is fun and easy for everyone.

Original Mushroom Decoration

I purchased this cute figurine at Wegmans. The shape of the mushroom cap lends itself perfectly to becoming a witch’s hat.

Supplies

For this project you will need acrylic paints, brushes, a black sharpie marker, and a toothpick for tiny touch-ups. You will also need a stuffed animal eye. (You’ll see why below.)

Paint Jack-O-Lantern Faces

Painted faces give these pumpkins personality. I didn’t like the low placement of the faces, so I repainted them to start over.

Repaint Pumpkins

The new orange paint creates a new blank canvas.

Paint Yellow Jack-O-Lantern Face Details

Yellow paint creates the inner glow typically found in Jack-O-Lanterns.

Outline Face Details in Black

Using a black Sharpie marker, outline the face details for a carved appearance.

Add a Purple Eye

The addition of a purple eye is both cute and creepy.

Create Eye Socket with Packing Peanut

Instead of a human eyeball, I decided to give this magical creature a tube-shaped eye socket using flattened packing peanuts.

Side View of Eye Socket

The packing peanut texture coordinates well with the mushroom stem.

Side View of Eye Socket

Finished Bewitching Mushroom

The eye socket was painted beige to blend with the stem.

Side View of Finished Mushroom

Side View of Finished Mushroom

I hope you enjoyed seeing this bewitching mushroom. It makes a great addition to your Halloween décor and creates an element of the unexpected. As you know, I love Halloween and would love to hear about any of your Halloween-themed projects.

Thanks for Reading! Happy Halloween & Happy Crafting!

Hand Painted Potholder & Oven Mitt

Posted on September 24, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

I have always loved ancient Egyptian art and architecture. The symbolism, the colors, and the powerful portrayals of the gods and goddesses is fascinating. Bast (aka Bastet) is the ancient Egyptian cat goddess.

Egyptian Wall Art

Ancient Egyptian symbols often include the lotus flower, and this color palette is used throughout their artwork.

The Goddess Squeak

I can’t explain why but my brother’s cat, Squeak, has a royal vibe. As queen of the household, she struts around the house looking for attention and spends a lot of time resting on the kitchen counter on top of dish towels or oven mitts.

3-Dimensional Fabric Paints

My love of ancient Egyptian art combined with this pampered cat to inspire a new craft: painted oven mitts & potholders. Special Note: because fabric paint is heat sensitive, avoid direct contact with hot pots and pans. This project is more decorative, serving as art for the kitchen.

Original Potholder

This plain potholder could use some love.

Painted Lotus Potholder

This eye-catching lotus flower is just what it needed.

Original Oven Mitt

Gray is a very popular color, but we can do better.

Painted Cat Goddess Oven Mitt

Here we see the goddess, Bast, posing in front of the Giza pyramids.

Close-Up of Painted Cat Goddess

The gold collar is perfect for a goddess, including the Ankh and Eye of Horus symbols. I painted the cat’s eyes metallic gold to catch the light and create a glow amid the dark black fur.

My brother and his cat love these. They also make a great place for a quick nap – for the cat, not my brother. Lol

I hope you will be inspired to add some decorative details to your homes. Anything can serve as your canvas. What will you create next?

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

Forest Dragon

Posted on July 2, 2025 by Crafts Inspire Me

The mysterious legends of dragons have been a fascination for centuries. appearing in ancient and modern texts, maps, as well as artwork and architecture around the world. Some may say dragons are pure fantasy, but shown below are several dragons alive today. This week’s project, a colored/painted LED dragon, is easy to complete and suitable for all ages and skill levels.

Inspirations:
Komodo Dragon

Australian Seadragon

Green Iguana

Supplies:
Raw Wood LED Dragon

Magic Markers

Acrylic Paints

3-Dimensional Fabric Paints

How to Color/Paint a Wooden Dragon:
Apply Dark Blue Marker

Color the wing details and spines running down the dragon’s back and tail.

Apply Aqua Marker

Fill in the wings with magic marker. Don’t be afraid to experiment. You can always change it, as you will see in a later step.

Apply Lime Green Marker

Apply Dark Green Accents

I didn’t like lime green and dark green together and changed it in the next step.

Apply Dark Green Marker

Apply Dark Blue Marker

Cover the original aqua wing with dark blue. I liked the color, but it appeared to be rather dull for such a magical beast. At this point, if you are satisfied with your dragon, you could stop. I like to experiment with different paints, as you will see below.

Paint Wing Metallic Light Blue

Paint Face and Body Details Metallic Green

Paint Spines Metallic Purple

Paint the spines metallic purple. Add facial details with green 3D paint. Paint the eye metallic blue and outline it in 3D green paint.

Add Textured Scales with 3D Paint

To make tiny scales, dip toothpicks in 3D green paint and lightly touch the wood surface creating a textured pattern.

Add Wing Veins with 3D Paint

Finished Dragon

Paint the wing veins blue and outline the spines with 3D purple paint.

Finished Dragon Close Up

Dragon LED Lights Lit

Dragon Nightlight

This completes our dragon. It’s fun, colorful and functions as a night light too. I hope you enjoy it and feel inspired to explore the many creative options for your next project.

Thanks for Reading & Happy Crafting!

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