I’ve stared at the same old, ugly stapler on my desk for a long time. I use that standard office tool almost every day. I decided it was time that it got a makeover/sprucing up and joined in on my mantra of “art just for fun.” Now when I staple documents together, I can’t help but smile at my cheerful office companion.

PROJECT MATERIALS: stapler; staples; Jacquard Piñata alcohol-based paint (I chose a palette of white plus three additional colors: sunbright yellow, lime green, baja blue);  Jacquard Piñata clean up solution; Jacquard Piñata claro extender; clear satin fixative; 16″ of trim (more or less depending on the size of stapler); aluminum flashing (to use as a paint palette); paint brushes; glue gun and glue sticks.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Clean stapler as needed. When the stapler is clean and dry, apply paint directly from the bottle to the stapler. You may also squeeze a small amount of paint to the aluminum palette and apply the paint to the stapler with a paintbrush. Continue adding paint to the stapler. Piñata paints dry quickly so use claro extender if you want to buy yourself more drying time. Otherwise, enjoy experimenting. You can always remove the paint with the clean-up solution and start over if you wish.

2. After you have painted all the parts of the stapler, let dry, preferably overnight.

3. To give your stapler an extra coat of protection, spray with a clear satin fixative and let dry.

4. Choose a coordinating trim to decorate the top edge of the stapler. Cut the piece to fit all the way around the top edge. Make sure the trim does not interfere with the loading of staples or the stapling! Use a glue gun to adhere.

 5. Don’t forget about the staples! Who says staples need to be a boring silver? Apply Jacquard Piñata alcohol-based paint directly from the bottle to the top and sides of the staples. You can paint an entire row one color or make a rainbow-colored staple row so you never know what color will emerge next.

Enjoy your one-of-a-kind, extraordinary stapling sensation. This functional work of art will brighten up any office space making work seem more like play. 

TIPS: Experiment with different paint combinations on the aluminum palette before applying to the stapler. Limiting your palette to three or four colors may produce the best results.

Try painting wet on wet, as well as allowing the colors to dry between applications.

Add white to the colored paints for a more opaque effect. However, the color will still remain somewhat translucent blending with what’s underneath.

Young artists can try this project too. Nobody should be stuck with a boring stapler!

Remember there is no right or wrong way to paint a stapler.

For a printer friendly pdf of this project click here.

p.s. I’m super excited to now be collaborating with Jacquard Products to develop new project ideas with their fabulous art supplies! In the notice of disclaimers all Jaquard products have been provided. However, a glowing recommendation is all my own.

Ever have this problem…Poppy seeds in gel medium? Or maybe gel medium mixed in with poppy seeds? What…you haven’t?! As I stare at the latest conundrum turning my left brain off has gotten me into, I wonder if I’m the only person on this planet to do this. Apparently, I was too excited about the idea of using poppy seeds in my poppy field painting to stop and consider the ramifications. So now I have three options:

(a) Pick each poppy seed out of medium with tweezers (waaaaay crazy); (b) Throw the entire jar of medium away (too wasteful); (c) paint more poppies

It seems option (c) is the only logical answer.

Here’s a sneak peek at a portion of my original painting still in the works (it’s big…24″ x 36″) that sparked my bright idea. Along with poppies, we’ve got a strange combination of ballerinas and snowpeople in the studio today in various stages of completion. With all of that on my palette, I hardly have time to think logically. However, I’m sure going to try to remember this lesson: One of the smallest seeds in the universe should neverever come near the actual jar of gel medium.

As much as I can hardly believe it, the youngest has turned six. We’ve wrapped up birthday season with her celebrations. Celebrations that included an art-themed party here at the house and a cake to match.

Then there were the couple dozen or so cookies that went to kindergarten so she could properly celebrate in school as well. We came up with the *brilliant* idea for cupcake cookies since actual cupcakes were banned from the classroom this year. We thought our favorite third time/three Daley kid kindergarten teacher would be amused.  

As for things here, I’m juggling all sorts of new projects which have my normal routine slightly out of whack. Hopefully it will all make sense and feel like second nature soon which should result in more frequent updates. Is it really April already?!