Spirit Jars – Inspired by the Haunted Mansion | Level 1

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Welcome, foolish mortals. We’re going to be trapping the soul of a ghost for today’s project. If you couldn’t get your hands on a Haunted Mansion Spirit Jar, now is your chance to create your own! It doesn’t light up like the originals, but it is just as spooky and easy enough to make. Here’s what you’ll need:

Supplies List:	Tools List:
Glass Apothecary Bottle	Disposable Cup
Color Shifting Paint	Wire Cutters
Black Metallic Paint
Dark Colored Chain
Sticker Paper

Instructions

Begin by squeezing in some of your Color Shifting Paint into the Apothecary Bottle.

Swirl around the paint in the bottle. Don’t cover the entire thing yet!

Squeeze your Black Metallic Paint into the bottle.

And swirl that around, too.

Keep adding paint, alternating between the color shifting one and the metallic one, and swirl your bottle around so there aren’t any gaps.

Pour out excess paint into a disposable cup. This takes a while, but you could also just empty it over the trash, into another bottle to use later, or simply don’t pour it out at all.

Your bottle may look different from the one in the photo. It all depends on how much paint you add and frequency you add them.

Let the paint settle for a while. The paint will flow in the direction of gravity, so be aware of how you let the bottle sit and know that the final result may look different.

See how the black paint has some odd vertical spots? That’s from letting it sit for an hour or so.

Repeat as necessary to fill all empty spots. I ended up with one more round of adding paint.

To make your Spirit Jar look authentic, print out the label on sticker paper, cut, and apply to your bottle. I will provide what I created for my jars including a Madame Leota label and labels for bottle necks.

In exchange, please like this blog post, follow us on Instagram and Pinterest, and share with your Disney DIY loving friends and family. Thank you!!

Label Printout Download

Finally, wrap your Chain around the bottle neck and tie it. Cut off the excess with a wire cutter.

You Made It!

How delightfully ghoulish! Which spirit did you capture? I made a jar for both the Hatbox Ghost and Madame Leota. They are essential to the Haunted Mansion. Speaking of which, this project was to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland! It’s time for a swinging wake!

Thank you to everybody who made it down here. Please follow us on Instagram for more projects like this and photos from the park. Don’t forget, we have a Pinterest so pin away! Be sure to share with your Disney loving friends and family, too! We’d really appreciate it!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

“Hunny” Gardening Pot – Inspired by Winnie the Pooh | Level 1

July 31, 2020July 31, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Why, hello there! This project is fun and easy for the whole family that is inspired by the laziest lump of fluff we all know and love: Winnie the Pooh. You’ll be creating your own honey–or “hunny”–pot filled to the brim with that sticky yellow goodness. Let’s see what you’ll need:

Supplies List:	Tools List:
Terracotta Pot	Medium Sized Paint Brush
Purple Outdoor Paint	Liner Paint Brush or White Paint Pen
Saffron Yellow Outdoor Paint	Large Paint Brush
White Acrylic Paint	Disposable Cup
Rocks (for drainage- if the pot doesn’t have a hole at the bottom)	Painter’s Tape

Instructions

Place your Terracotta Pot onto a bit of cardboard or a paper bag.

Mix together the White Paint with the Purple Outdoor Paint in a separate cup to create a lighter purple color.

Paint the entire outside of your pot excluding the bottom. Try to brush horizontally along the pot with the grain.

Let it dry and apply a second coat if you wish.

Once dry, Use some painter’s tape and place the top edge of the tape about 2 inches from the bottom of the pot. Try to make a straight line with that top edge of the tape all the way around the pot.

Use the purple outdoor paint (not the light one you mixed) and paint a big thick band around the pot.

You can use a large rubber band that fits snuggly to the pot to create a straight top line, but I just went for it.

Let it dry.

Grab your Saffron Yellow Outdoor Paint and start painting drips of honey on the top edge of your pot. You can draw little swoops and squiggles and fill them in with the paint. Paint them in different sizes and add long drips to make it more believable.

I wouldn’t recommend the brand of paint I used for the honey. It was very sheer and I had to layer it about 4 times.

Let it dry before adding more coats–if necessary. Also, paint the first couple inches inside the pot with the yellow as well.

Use a Liner brush (a brush that is thin and long) to write out the letters: ‘H’ ‘U’ ‘N’ ‘N’ ‘Y’ with the first ‘N’ written backwards in white paint.

Use that same brush to add little highlights to the dripping honey. Choose one side of the drips so it looks like light is coming from the same direction.

Lastly, if your pot doesn’t have a drainage hole, add some rocks to the bottom before planting!

You Made It!

Wow, that was great, everyone! I hope you enjoyed this little craft. I’m sure yours is absolutely adorable! I think it’s perfect for any Disney lover’s garden. The plant I chose to put in my pot is called a Paula Rhodoxis. It has these pretty pink star-shaped flowers and the leaves almost look like cat nip.

Thanks to those who made it this far! Please follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more projects like this and photos from the Disneyland Resort. We’d also really appreciate it if you’d share our DIYs with your Disney and crafting friends!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Cafe Orleans Terrarium | Level 1 or Level 3

July 17, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Hello, y’all! This terrarium is inspired by favorite restaurant in New Orleans Square: Cafe Orleans! You read that right, not Blue Bayou. Cafe Orleans. They have pomme frites, monte cristos, and they used to have the most delicious sausage gumbo! And if you’re lucky you can watch Fantasmic from the outside dining area after dinner.

Originally, I was planning on putting a lot of plants in this terrarium–you’ll see in the supplies photo– but I ended up using just one faux plant. It made things simpler and I think it really worked out.

This projects is a level 3 because we’re going to be painting, HOWEVER!! You can make it as a level 1 by printing out a photo of New Orleans Square!

Here are the supplies:

Supplies List:	Tools List:
For Level 3:
Watercolor Paper	Watercolor brushes
Watercolor Set	Ruler
	Pencil, Colored Pencils
	Paper Towel
	White Gel Pen
For Both Level 3 and 1:	Scissors
Terrarium
Moss
Small Vase Filler Rocks
Black Vase Filler Stones
Magnolia Flowers
Mini Dining Set

Instructions

Painting the Background!

Grab a piece of Watercolor Paper and lay it underneath your terrarium. Outline it with a pencil. Depending on the shape of your terrarium, you might want to do more than two paintings.

Have some references at the ready! I chose to paint the blue building for the inside of my terrarium and the tan building for the backside.

Start lightly sketching out your building with a pencil. Use a ruler to keep things straight and symmetrical.

The blue building has a circular window at the top, columns on the sides, and symmetrical windows so everything you do on one side, you’ll draw the same of the other.

Because the 1st and 2nd level windows line up, I drew guidelines all the way down the front facade.

The tricky part were the rounded shutters on the 1st level’s windows. The highest point of the curve–which is the outside edge–lined up with the highest point of the rounded window. Drawing a horizontal guideline there will help keep everything even.

The railing is simple enough. The 2nd floor is just vertical spindles, the 1st floor is made of X’s.

A box in the middle is for the name of the restaurant. Little drapes flow on the bottom. Erase where needed.

Start off by brushing your paper with water where you want the paint to flow. Add more paint to the places there are shadows like under the trimming, the inside parts next to the columns, and underneath the 2nd floor windows.

Don’t add too much paint and water at once. Let it dry and you can layer up the color for a deeper appearance. Remember, wherever it is wet, the color will flow.

Use different shades of green to create the potted plants on the balconies.

Go in with relevant colored pencils to amp up the detail and deepen shadows. I also painted some blue in the windows (on dry paper) and went in with a grey colored pencil and drew a line on the left and bottom edges of each little window to create some dimension.

Finally, use a white gel pen to clean up the white parts if necessary.

Go ahead and sketch the other facade using another piece of watercolor paper. This one is also symmetrical! Erase where needed.

The corner pieces of the balcony and the railing are left blank because I’ll be drawing in the detail with a colored pencil after everything is dry.

Paint the same way you did earlier. Watercolor is all about many thin layers so take your time! Use colored pencils after it’s dry to define details.

If you’re not up for the painting, you can always print out a photo of your favorite building in New Orleans Square and use that as your background instead!

Assembly

Cut your watercolor pieces to fit inside the terrarium. You should have one facing outside and one facing inside. I tried gluing my pieces together so they’d lay flush, but it didn’t work that well. The paper was too strong! I’d suggest you try to flatten them out under something heavy before continuing.

Take a handful of Moss and stuff it on the bottom of your terrarium,

Add some smaller Vase Filler rocks and top those with larger black Pebbles.

Cut apart a couple Magnolia flowers from their stem and stick them into the pebbles.

Lastly, pop in your Miniature Table and Chairs.

You can glue the dining pieces to some pebbles if you want more stability. They can end up toppled over otherwise. But, that’s it!!

You Made It!

Amazing job, everyone! I would love to see what kind of terrariums you guys came up with. Each can be so unique especially with the variety of terrariums out there. I really liked this house shape from Michaels. It sparked the idea in the first place! New Orleans Square is my favorite land in Disneyland and I just love the atmosphere and delicious food of Cafe Orleans. I hope you enjoyed this project!

Thank you for making it all the way down here. Please follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more projects like this and pictures from the parks! Share with your Disney DIY loving friends and family, too. We’d really appreciate it! See you all next time!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Under the Sea! Bracelet – Inspired by Ariel | Level 1

July 10, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

We’re in the swing of summer and what better way to celebrate than by making a little mermaid flair? This Ariel inspired bracelet is perfect for Disney bounding or just adding a bit of Disney charm to your everyday outfit. Easy enough for a beginning jewelry maker! Here are the supplies and tools you’ll need:

Supplies List:	Tools List:
20 Gauge Wire Silver Plated	Round Nosed Pliers
Lobster Clasps	Nylon Pliers
4 Fish Beads	Flat Nosed Pliers
2 Starfish Beads	Flush Cutter/Nipper
2 Scallop Beads
10 Purple Glass Beads
4 Sea Foam Green Glass Beads
3 Assorted Pearls
Charm (optional)

Instructions

Roll out your 24 gauge Wire and straighten it with some Nylon Pliers. Typical length would be about 14-15 inches, I use 13 inches.

Prepare your beads. Line them up next to your wire or ruler to get the right length. You should leave a couple inches on either side to accommodate wire wrapping the clasp.

I have the scallop beads as the featured part of the bracelet with the big pearl in the middle. I love how it isn’t costume-y or clunky looking at all. The glass beads represent Ariel’s purple shell top and her green tail. And the fish beads are so cute!

Curve the wire around your wrist loosely.

String the beads onto the wire.

If you have a Charm, you’ll have to put a jump ring on it if it doesn’t come with one. Simply open the ring at the seam, hook it in, and close. You can do this for your lobster clasp as well, I happen to not use the jump ring for mine this time.

Directly string on your lobster clasp and bend the wire back.

Grab the two sides of the wire with pliers and wrap the open side around 3 times. Flush cut the end and squeeze tight with the pliers. Slide your beads to meet the coil so you can work on the other side.

On the other side of the bracelet, string on your charm if you have one. Use Round Nose Pliers to bend the wire and wrap around the pliers to create a loop. Slide your charm into the loop.

Make sure to make this loop close to your beads so there’s little to no sliding around!

Complete the loop by wrapping the open side around 3 times like before. Flush cut the end and squeeze together.

You Made It!

Amazing work! I bet Ariel would want to put this in her collection! This is a simple bracelet that anyone can do if they have the right tools. Perfect for beginning jewelry makers. I hope you enjoyed this DIY!

Thanks for making it all the way under the sea! Please follow us on Instagram and Pinterest for more projects like this and photos from the Disneyland Resort! Share with your DIY Disney loving friends and family, too! We’d really really appreciate it.

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Mickey and Friends Pin Wheels | Level 1

July 3, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Have a blast with these character inspired pinwheels! It’s a subtle nod to Mickey and friends featuring their signature colors. These are functioning pinwheels that use sewing pins so be careful when assembling!

Supplies List:	Tools List:
Wooden Dowels	Scissors
Sewing Pins	Hammer
Round Beads	Nail
Scrapbook Paper (or double sided card stock)	Pliers
Scrap Paper	Scotch Tape
	Glue Stick

Instructions

First, select your papers based off of the characters’ signature colors.

I chose a red polka-dot pattern and yellow flower pattern for Minnie, red flowers and black patterns for Mickey, Blue, white and yellow patterns for Donald, a groovy pattern and blue polka-dot pattern for Goofy. They all came from the same paper pack, so the colors were easy to mix and match.

Most of the time, scrapbook paper will be 12×12″, so cut them down to 6×6″.

Using a slicer-dicer works great for getting perfect 90 degree angles.

two different pieces of patterned scrapbook paper next to a paper cutter

Match up your papers and place them white side up.

If you’re using double sided paper, you don’t have to do this.

Use a glue stick and apply the glue to one of the two pieces of paper. Carefully place the other piece on top and secure in place. Make sure it has a good bond. If there is white excess, cut off with a scissor.

Diagonally, the squares should be just about 8.5″. Grab a Ruler and measure to the middle of the diagonal (4.25″). From that center point, skip to 3″ and 5.5″ and make a mark.

Draw lines from those points to their respective corners. Repeat for the other diagonal.

Cut along the lines you drew.

As you can see, you are able to pull up four corners and the pin wheel takes shape!

Prepare the Sticks

Take your wooden dowels, a thin nail, and a hammer.

Hammer the nail thru the dowels and pull back out.

I ended up splitting my dowels–they were pretty thin–but I was able to use tape to keep them together.

Putting it all Together

In the middle of each of those corners, poke a hole using a Pin. I didn’t do this until the end on my Minnie Pinwheel, but did it at the beginning for the other pinwheels.

Poke a hold in the middle of your pin wheel as well.

Take some Scrap Paper and cut out small circles to fit over the corners. Poke a hole thru those.

Grab your glue stick and start assembling your corners on top of the center hole. Each hole should stack on top of the previous.

Top it off with the small circle and put the pin thru.

I used different colored pins for each character.

Take a bead and put that over the pin. This helps the wheel spin freely!

Poke everything thru the wooden dowel.

Grab a pair of Pliers and hold the pin wheel securely with your hand as you bend the pin down the side of the wooden dowel.

Tape it in place! Yes the green tape is very jarring, but it faces the back so it doesn’t really matter. You are free to use whatever color tape you have or like, of course.

Repeat the entire process with your other characters!

You Made It!

Great job! I hope you make them because these are so much fun to watch in the summer breeze.

I added some silhouettes of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy to differentiate the pinwheels and be a little more obvious. You can find the Mickey, Donald, and Goofy PDFs from this blog here. I’m so grateful for these! I just used the Mickey and added an eyelash and bow to create Minnie in Illustrator.

Thank you for making it all the way down here! If you like this project, go ahead and check out our other projects! Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest and please share with your Disney DIY loving friends and family. We’d really appreciate it!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Magic Flower Vase – Inspired by “Tangled” | Level 1

May 22, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Flower gleam and glow and happy 10th project to Main Street DIY! Today we’re making a Tangled inspired vase to display our beautiful magic flowers. This project is fairly simple so let’s go over what supplies you’ll need!

Supplies List:	Appx Cost:
Faux Yellow Lilies	$3
Additional Faux Flowers/ Greenery	$8
Cylindrical Clear Vase	$10
Vase Filler	$3
Yellow Paper	$1
Tracing Paper/Tissue Paper	$1
Fairy Lights	$5
*Total Approximate Cost of Supplies:	$31

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies. You may have leftovers!
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

Tools List:	Appx Cost:
Glue Stick	$1
Scissors	$0
Hobby Knife	$5
Wire Cutter	$4
Sun Template	$0
Pencil	$0
*Total Approximate Cost of Tools:	$10

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies. You may have leftovers!
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

Instructions

Start off by filling the bottom of your Vase with Vase Filler. I used sea glass I already had. Don’t fill it too much. Just enough to raise your “lantern” up a little bit.

Grab your Yellow Paper and roll it to fit inside the vase.

Mark the height of your vase on your paper with a pencil.

Cut the paper across where you marked. I used a straight cutter to get a perfect 90 degree angle.

Make sure you like the height of your paper. I ended up slicing off a little more.

Make a mark where your paper overlaps.

Print out the Sun Template (link in the Tools Table) and pick which size would work best for your vase. I used the smallest size.

Hold up your template under the yellow paper to a window and trace the sun design onto the yellow paper.

Use a Hobby Knife to cut out the shapes. Go slow and take your time! You got this!

Take your Glue Stick and glue around the sun design on the back of your yellow paper and attach your Tracing Paper/Tissue Paper.

You can cut your tracing paper to fit before or after gluing.

This is extra, but you can cut out little shapes surrounding your sun and glue some metallic paper to show thru the holes. My yellow paper had these designs on the front so I just cut a few of those out using my hobby knife.

Glue the rest of the tracing paper down.

Glue your paper into a cylinder where you marked earlier.

Drop in your Fairy Lights. I only had purple, but it looks pretty cool!

Lastly, grab your flowers and arrange how you please! If you need more support for your flowers, you can use a piece of cardboard and cut a hole for your flower stems.

You Made It!

Great work, everybody! I hope you enjoyed this little project inspired by Tangled. It feels very summery and bright! The lilies look a lot like the flower in the movie. It’s a perfect centerpiece for any Disney lover! I had to use actual greenery to fill in the spaces. Luckily, I had a lot of plants that needed some trimming anyway!

Thank you for making it all the way down here! I hope you stick around to look thru all of our other projects. Check out our Instagram and Pinterest. We really appreciate any likes and shares! Tag us if you made this project and thanks again!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Resistance Coaster – Inspired by Star Wars | Level 1

May 8, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

May the Force be with us! We’re all joining the Resistance, but first…maybe a glass of blue milk. For this project we will be creating a juice glass coaster! It can also function as a glass cover if you’re outside or just a fun piece of art to show off in a shadow box!

Here are the supplies. You’re going to need to order some things online for this one, but it’s totally worth it!

Supplies List:	Appx. Cost:
Black Metallic Acrylic Paint	$2
Red and Blac k Foil Cardstock	$6 in a pack of 48
Wooden Circles	$5 for 5 circles
Acrylic Circles	$5 for 5 circles
**Approximate Cost of Supplies:	$18 for 5 circles

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies. You may have leftovers!
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

Tools List:	Appx. Cost:
E6000	$4
Craft Glue	$2
Paintbrush	$2
Toothpick or similar	$0
Scissors	$0
Pencil	$0
Paper Towel or rag	$0
**Approximate Cost of Tools:	$8

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies. You may have leftovers!
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

Instructions

Begin by opening and printing out the file below. You’ll find two sizes of the Resistance Emblem. (Obviously, I don’t take credit for the emblem design)

The smaller one is for 3″ circles like the ones I made, the bigger one is for coaster size (4-4.5″). Yes, I made mine too small to be a standard coaster BUT it still works for juice glasses.

resistance-emblem Download

Either cut out the emblem and trace onto the back of your Red Foil Cardstock and cut that out… or just cut the two out together to save time. Do this for the number of coasters you want/have supplies for.

Take your Wooden Circles, trace on the back of your Black Foil Cardstock and cut one out for each coaster.

Set aside your cutouts and paint your wooden circles with the Black Metallic Paint on both sides and the edges. Let it dry!

Tip: Paint with your brushstrokes going the same direction.

Use Craft Glue to secure your black foil cardstock to one side of your wood circle.

Wipe off the excess with a Paper Towel or rag.

Use your craft glue again for the emblem cutout. Make sure it is a really thin layer of glue. Stick it on dead center and really work on those thin parts so they stay down. The cardstock will have warped with your glue, no worries! it’ll be fine.

Next, add some wear and tear by using your fingernails to scratch and dent your emblem.

Once everything is set and dry, prepare your Acrylic Circles. They come with protective films that need to be removed before gluing onto your coaster. Take one side (or both) off, make sure no dust is on it, and set it aside.

Use a Toothpick to spread a very thin bead of E6000 around the edge of your coaster. This will turn a little bubbly once the acrylic circle is on. It works for this project, but it’s definitely not a “clean” look so be warned for other projects.

Apply your acrylic circle and put under a flat weighted object to dry.

You Made It!

And without getting caught to boot! Congrats and have yourself a blue milk, green milk, cocktail… whatever you want! Thanks for crafting this Resistance Coaster with us.

Thanks to everyone who made it this far. Please check out our Instagram and Pinterest! Follow us for more Disney inspired projects and pictures from Disneyland and California Adventure. Let us know if you made this craft by tagging us and share with your Disney DIY loving friends and family!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Earth Day Castle Motif | Level 1

April 24, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Happy Earth Day, everyone! We’re celebrating Earth Day this week with this Disney castle motif that is made with pressed flowers and twine. Disney is known for the amazing flower beds and horticulture found in the parks. Most notably: the Mickey face in front of Main Street Station right when you walk thru the gates into Disneyland. Let’s get inspired, pick some flowers from the garden and let’s get started!

Supplies List:	Appx Cost:
Burlap or Wood Panel	$2/ panel
Twine	$3
Glitter	$1
Circular Flowers or Leaves	$0
Small Thin Leaves	$0
Flowers of your choice	$0
Two Sheets of Felt**	$2
*Approximate Cost of Supplies:	$8

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies.
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

Tools List:	Appx Cost:
Hot Glue Gun + Hot Glue	$10
Scissors	$0
Mod Podge-Matte	$2
Soft Paint Brush	$2
Two Ceramic Tiles (square shaped; fits in microwave)**	$2
Black Pen or Marker	$0
*Approximate Cost of Tools:	$16

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies.
If the cost is $0, I’m assuming you already have these things.

**These items will be used for our flower pressing process. There are many ways you can press flowers, this is the way we did it because we had the necessary items to do so. If you would rather purchase faux flowers and skip pressing all together, go for it!

Instructions

Flower Pressing

Select your flowers and leaves! The ideal flowers for pressing are flat and not too “juicy”. You might find some plants to be too delicate so there is some trial and error involved.

I used nasturtium leaves, a paperwhite flower, lavender, lavender leaves, and a different type of purple flower I don’t know the name of.

Take out two Ceramic Tiles–I used extra bathroom floor tiles that are 6″x6″— fold your Felt pieces in half and place one on each tile.

Arrange your picks on one of the felt-topped tiles, making sure there’s no overlapping. You can do a test run first to see how your picks held up.

Place your other felt-topped tile on top to make a sandwich. The felt is there to absorb any water from the plants.

Microwave on high for 60 seconds.

Use a towel or something to protect your hands from the heat to gently lift off the top tile.

Let your picks set for a couple minutes. If they are still fleshy or wet to the touch, microwave in the press again for an additional 30 seconds. The plants should feel like parchment if they are pressed and dried enough.

Making the Castle

Print out a favorite picture or drawing of a Disney castle. Make sure you like the size! Cut it out and lay it on your Panel.

Trace the castle with a pencil or pen.

Take your Twine and Hot Glue it in the shape of your outline.

Tip: Use a toothpick to help getting corners a little sharper. You can squeeze the corner together as the glue is drying.

Arrange your Flowers

Place your flowers and leaves in an arrangement you like.

I used my round leaves and paperwhite flower to create a Mickey head in the center of my castle and the lavender leaves for the fireworks.

Use a soft brush to delicately apply Mod Podge to the backs of your leaves and flowers and glue it to your panel. It’s best to go one at a time and slowly to avoid breaking the plants. If they do break, no worries, just use the Mod Podge to glue it back in place.

Mod Podge over the top of your plants as well.

Finishing Touches

Add a little sparkle by Mod Podging whatever glitter you might have on top of your fireworks leaves. Avoid cleaning up your glitter in the sink please! Glitter should be on art, not in the ocean.

Use a black marker or pen to line the inside of your castle to make it pop off the panel.

Finally, add a twine border around your panel!

Done!

You made it! Awesome job! I wonder what types of flowers everyone used. I had never pressed my own flowers before so this was a fun learning experience. I wanted to do something more “natural” looking for Earth Day and I hope this hit the mark.

Thank you to everyone who made it all the way down here! Let us know if you did the project by tagging us on Instagram. Give us a follow for more pictures and projects and please share with your Disney-loving friends and family.

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Mason Jar Lantern- Inspired by Mickey Mouse | Level 1

April 17, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Hi, everybody! Welcome to Main Street DIY’s 5th project ever!! I have a fun and simple tea light lantern for you to make. This project is kid tested and approved so the whole family can join in! It’s also perfect if you have a couple jars laying around. Feel free to put your own spin on things. Make this craft your own!

Let’s go over supplies! You’ll be able to make a bunch of these lanterns with all of this.

Supplies List:	Appx Cost:
Mason Jar	$2 / jar
Tea Light or Fairy Lights	$3
Black Acrylic Paint	$1
Round Sponges in 2 sizes	$3
Frosted Glass Spray Paint	$8
Paper Clip or Pointy Object	$0
Paint Brush	$2
Twine/ Ribbon	$3
*Approximate Cost of Supplies:	$22

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies. Please note that this cost will cover multiple jars.

Instructions

Grab your Frosted Glass Spray Paint and Mason Jar. Follow the instructions on the can and cover your jar on the outside.

The can of paint I used will cover (single coat) 4 regular sized jars and 5 mini jars.

Let it dry completely!

Using a Big Round Sponge, dip into your Black Paint and dab a circle on your jar. Follow that up with two smaller rounds for the ears.

Tip: If you mess up–I know I did–simply wipe off the black paint with a wet paper towel before the black paint dries. If you let your frosted glass paint dry completely before you started, you won’t have a problem.

Alternative: cut out circles of paper and glue/tape them down instead of using paint if that is easier!

Use your Brush to smooth out any bubbles or edges. Or just to correct your circles. Your brush might pick up paint off of the jar. No worries! Dabbing your brush can help with that or add a second coat.

Let dry completely before adding a second coat if necessary.

Get a Paper Clip or anything with a fine point to dot on black paint to create some “pixie dust”. Draw little ‘x’s for some classic Disney visual effects. I dotted mine in a diagonal swirling shape that met in the back.

Almost done!

Wrap your twine or ribbon around the jar mouth and finish in a bow.

You can fill your jar a little with sea glass or sand if you wish. Adding charms or beads would look really cute, too!

Put in your tea light or fairy lights.

You made it!

Great job! I hope you had fun with this craft. It’s a great addition to your candle collection or centerpiece. This project is super flexible, too! You don’t have to use black paint, you can throw on some glitter, or use paint pens. Make it your own!

My mom works at an inclusive elementary school and brought in little jars for the kids to try out our project. They really enjoyed it! Here are a couple of photos from school.

Thanks for making this far! Let us know if you did this project by tagging us on Instagram! Be sure to check out our other projects and share with your Disney-loving-DIY friends!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!

Easter Basket-Inspired by Minnie Mouse | Level 1

April 3, 2020July 29, 2020 / Alex Nadell / Leave a comment

Happy April! It’s Easter time and you’re in need of a cute DIY basket inspired by the one-and-only Minnie Mouse. I chose to represent her blue polka dot outfit for those Springtime feels. This project can be done by kids who are able to operate a hot glue gun. I recommend ages 8+ with adult supervision.

Here are the supplies you’ll need. I found my basket at Michael’s. It’s a wooden basket that has flat vertical slats. Go for a basket that is flat sided and has a handle that can more-or-less stand up on its own.

Supply List:	Appx Cost:
White Wooden Basket with Handle	$6.30
9×12″ Foam Sheet	$0.80
Assorted Yellow and White Paper Flowers	$5
Re d Acrylic Paint– matte	$1
Yellow Acrylic Paint-matte	$1
White Acrylic Paint– matte	$1
Turquoise Blue Acrylic Paint– matte	$1
Black Acrylic Paint– matte	$1
Rhinestone Brads or any little round accent	$3
A Larger Round Mug/Cup	$0
A Glass or Cup	$0
Scrap Construction Paper/Paper	$0
*Approximate Cost of Supplies	$20.10+tax

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies

Tool List:	Appx Cost:
Hot Glue Gun + Glue	$10
Paint Brush	$0.80
Pencil	$0
Tape	$1
*Approximate Cost of Supplies	$12.30+tax

*Cost is approximated with coupons/sales and if you don’t already have all the supplies

Instructions:

If your basket is as big as mine, you’re going to need a big mug to get the right proportion for the ears. If you have a small basket, make sure you choose a cup that is appropriate for the size.

Tip: You can try out different sizes by cutting out various sized circles from scrap paper and holding it up on your handle.

Trace around your cup on the edge of the Foam Piece. Measure the size of your handle–my handle was flat, so I measured the width of it and doubled that number.

Then, mark the distance on top of where you drew your first circle. We’ll call that your Handle Distance. The mug in the picture shows my measurement. Feel free to scroll down to check what they look like when they’re cut out.

Do the same thing right next to your first circle. To avoid readjusting your foam, make sure you’ve lined up the circles and the hat. More on that next.

Next to your second circle, draw a little hat. The way you do that is to draw a rectangle that would suit the size of your basket–a little wider than your circles and about the same height–then draw a shallow curve on the outer long side. The curve should be on the outside, closest to the edge of the foam piece. Mark the same handle distance as the circles.

Tip: I curved the sides of my rectangle to make it more cartoony.

Fold the foam piece over in the center of your handle distance. Cut out your shapes keeping the actual fold in tact.

Tip: I used tape to hold down the edge as I cut.

Unfold your shapes and paint your ears black on both sides.

Paint the hat red and the handle distance black on both sides.

Make a template!

Using a piece of scrap paper and a cup that’s smaller than your ear circles, make a polka dot pattern template.

Cut out your circles and tape or secure it onto your basket.

Use a pencil to draw your circles, moving the template over as needed to finish around your basket.

Let’s Paint!

Painting the sides was a bit tricky and time consuming. If you’re in a rush, I’d say you could glue on circles of paper or foam instead of painting them.

Start painting the blue background. Be careful not to paint inside the circles you drew.

Paint your circles white. Follow that up with painting the handle black, the top rim–inside and out–baby pink. You can make pink by mixing your red and white paint. If you did a good job painting the blue, you might not have to paint your circles white.

Finally, paint the bottom rim yellow. It doesn’t have to be perfect. We’re covering most of it with flowers.

The Final Touches

Dot some hot glue onto the handle distance portion of the ear. Make sure you’re even so the front and back of the ear lines up. If you’re good-to-go, glue the front and back of the ear together. Do this for both ears.

In the same fashion, hot glue the hat, placing it in front of the left ear. Glue the hat to the front of the ear. Top off your hat with a white paper flower with a rhinestone brad in the center. Or just use a sequin, rhinestone, or button. Just a little accent.

Add the paper flowers to the bottom rim with hot glue.

Create a hidden Mickey with the flowers. Glue to the top right of your rim on the front of the basket. I used the rhinestone brads here, but feel free to use whatever accent like I mentioned before.

Et Voilà! You Made It!

Congrats! I hope you liked this project.

May this bring a little magic to your homes as Easter approaches. This isn’t the easiest Level 1 project, again I’d say it’s good for ages 8+ with supervision. I’m glad I got to share it with you. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

Thanks to everyone who made it til the end! Let us know if you made this Minnie-inspired Easter basket by tagging us on Instagram!! If you can’t make it right now, there’s always next year. Or hey, just for fun when you can!

@mainstreetdiy

All images on this website were taken by and belong to Main Street D.I.Y. If you wish to share an image, please give credit where credit is due! Send the people our way!