Keep reading if you want sticks like these in your home..
I am always trying to find new ways to be creative and decorate on a budget and nature crafts have become a passion of mine! Mainly because they tell a story and who doesn’t love a good story when describing parts of their home? I LOVE CRAFTING, painting, and doing anything artistic.. cut to, DIY painted sticks. Growing up my friends didn’t view me as the artist of the group, I was basically a want to be with little talent. I’m definitely not afraid to admit that! BUT as I grew, as I practiced, as I spent time doing what I was passionate about, I ended up being pretty darn good at art/crafts.
Use your treasures to decorate your home
Fast forward to now, I have a 6 month old boy and very little free time to craft or do anything outside of work and life chores. Lately I’ve decided to make ME time a priority. Just getting outside at least once a day does wonders for me! Whether I’m going for a short walk around the neighborhood or a trip to the beach, I tend to always find little treasures. At the beach, it’s a few shells, a rock, or a stick. When I’m on a walk around the neighborhood my pictures are my treasures. Pictures of flowers, my son, and sunsets primarily. I have piles of collections from outdoor adventures. So what better to do than to use them as art to decorate my home? Check out another fun craft for your home using found driftwood!
Collect some sticks to paint
I got up early to go to the beach with little man and collect sticks. MOMS, a great way to kill time with your little while keeping things fun and entertaining is to get outside. Go on adventures, and explore what’s around you. Our beaches are filled with sticks, rocks, and the occasional shell. The cool thing about beach sticks is that they are all a little drift withered from the ocean. My advice is find the sticks that speak to you in your environment. If you don’t think sticks can speak, go stick hunting, you’ll understand. Just remember, your painted sticks are expressions of you!
Preparing your painted sticks
We collected a bunch of sticks, bundles of four different types of sticks to be exact. For this particular craft I decided to only use my skinny bamboo sticks. I didn’t wash them or get the sand out (that was a mess, definitely take any hollow sticks outside and get the debris out). Then I started taping them off. I recommend using painters tape to have crisp sections and lines. Painters tape works best because it holds the paint and peels off easily.
Get ready to paint your sticks
When I finished doing my unique taping, I got my painting supplies together. I have an enormous amount of acrylic paint, so that’s what I grabbed to use. It worked great and I only needed one coat! I chose black and white to keep it simple and blend with the colors of my home. Be CREATIVE use whatever colors match your style. I ended up picking four different brushes from my collection. Something tiny for itty bitty designs, something big and square to paint large area, and a couple in between. If you don’t have brushes, head to your local craft store and grab a pack of different sizes to use with acrylic.
Start painting! Alternate colors, design, and have fun. There is no right or wrong way to paint your sticks. The best part is that these crafty little buggers have a story and hold the energy you put into them. Acrylic paint dries really fast.. So just pop your stick into a glass, standing upright, and it should dry in about 10 minutes.
Finish up
When you’ve finished painting all of your sticks, and they are dry, remove the painters tape. Stare in awe at your creations.
If you see some sticks are lacking designs or colors, go ahead and add more! I did some finising touches after I removed my tape. Just to ensure my sticks were exactly the way I wanted them. Voila!