Decorative Painting 101

I love adding decorative paint techniques to furniture, frames, shelves....just about anything that needs a little extra detail.  Today I'm going to show you a couple of my favorite simple techniques.  

We picked up these little unpainted birdhouses at the local fabric/craft store for a buck a piece.  I love little unpainted pieces for kid craft projects - they make great little gifts too.  

 My 4 year old wanted to paint one too, so we're working on these birdhouses together.  First we chose our base colors and painted the entire bird house - painting with the grain of the wood.  You may or may not need two coats of paint.  

 

Plaid Pattern

Use at least two colors.  Paint in one direction, let dry.

Paint going the other direction - use at least one different color.

Polka Dots

Use the end of your paint brush and a steady hand for perfect dots every time.

Ric-Rac
Use the end of the paintbrush and make the pattern of ric-rac.

Lines

Use the edge of a washable ruler or painter's tape for straight lines.

Details

Use a permanent marker instead of a paintbrush for a steady line.

Paint inside the lines and fix up after the paint dries with the marker.

Don't pass by the cheap unpainted wood pieces at the craft store, with a little creativity and details you can turn them into something pretty cute.