Framed Glitter Christmas Tree (DIY Screen Print!)

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Excited for my first Christmas project of the season! I had the opportunity to test Plaid's Simply Screen Kit, and wanted to try something a little different since we don't need any more clothes right now. I've never done screen printing before, so I settled on a small home decor project: a Framed Glitter Christmas Tree.

I found a Christmas Tree silhouette in my Silhouette machine software and printed it in black ink on my home printer. You could easily search Google for images and print one at home. The instructions that come with the kit are pretty straightforward, so I won't waste time reprinting them here. I was happy to see that my screen print "took" on the first try.

I adhered the screen to a $1 white dishtowel from Wal-Mart. I opted to use the Simply Screen glitter and adhesive. The tubes are pretty small, as was my project, so I don't know that one tube of glitter would cover something on a large scale. Another downside was that I had to wait for the glitter to adhere for 24 hours before I could set them with an iron on the cotton setting.

Once my glittered screen print was dry, I embellished it with some green ric-rac and some tiny colored buttons I picked up from a local craft store. I used my hot glue gun for that part, and didn't notice any effects on the screen print:

I had a large black frame stashed away, so I took the glass out and stretched the dishtowel around the backing, cutting away the extra fabric on the back:

It's nothing too fancy, but I do loooove me some glitter....

Pros to using Plaid's Simply Screen Kit:
-You can use your own, custom designs
-You don't have to reverse your image and you don't have to use tranparencies
-The ink is acrylic and non-toxic
-You can buy the kit (and re-fills!) at Hobby Lobby

Cons:
-Multiple steps to a completed project
-Does better with simple designs
-Designs must be hand-washed in cold water and line dried
-I can do similar designs with more detail using a crafty cutter and heat transfer material

All-in-all, I had a positive experience using the screen kit. If a "crafty cutter" is out of your price range, and you've really been wanting to make custom bags, t-shirts, pillows, you might want to try this for yourself!

Linking to Home Stories A to Z, Hi Sugarplum!

*Plaid provided me with the kit for this review. All opinions are my own!

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