Create ocean-inspired home accessories using simple painting and decoupage techniques

What you need...

• Chest of drawers, mini
  
• Holder, candle
  
• Pot, round
  
• Glue: decoupage; strong, craft
  
• Varnish, matt
  
• Paint, acrylic: blue, white
  
• Card: blue, striped; blue, spotty; royal blue, light blue
  
• Sailing boat, model
  
• Shells
  
• Buttons, white
  
• Cord, white
  
• Tape, double-sided

instructions

1. Candle Holder - 1 Paint the top surface of a nightlight holder in blue. Leaving the stem blank, colour the base and upper circumference using white.
   
   2 Cut striped card to fit the stem, then adhere. Trim strips of royal blue card to go around the top and base. Stick in place, allow to dry and finish by applying three coats of matt varnish.
   
   3 Secure tiny shells around the base. Fix double-sided tape along the top circumference and attach a length of white cord. Tie in a knot and trim the ends.

2. Gift Tag - Trim striped card, 9cm x 4cm. Punch a hole through one end and thread with cord. Cut a light blue piece, 4.5cm x 4cm, and fix to the bottom section. Round off all the corners. Adhere a row of buttons along the join. Glue a shell to the centre.

3. Pot - 1 Measure the circumference of the pot’s base, and the height between the bottom and lid. Cut striped card to fit, then attach using decoupage glue, pressing the edges down firmly.
   
   2 Trim a length of royal blue card to go around the lid, and a light blue circle for the top. Stick in position, allow to dry, then apply three coats of varnish.
   
   3 Fix double-sided tape around the lid and press on a length of cord. Tie a knot at the end and snip the excess. Attach white buttons around the base, then adhere a selection of shells on the top.

4. Drawers - 1 Remove the drawers. Paint the top and side edges, plus the handles of each in blue. Colour the front and all around the base of the chest using the same shade. Leave to dry.
   
   2 Measure the face of a drawer and trim spotty card to size. Mark the centre and cut out a circle big enough to fit over the handle. Apply a thin, even coat of decoupage glue over the surface and press the patterned rectangle in place. Repeat this method to complete the second one.
   
   3 Measure the top and sides of the chest. Cut plain blue and striped card to fit these areas. Glue in place as previously described. Leave for an
   hour, then apply three, thin coats of varnish to complete.
   
   4 Adhere white buttons along one side of a model boat. Fix the ornament on top of the chest and attach a selection of shells around it. Stick a button to each handle and complete by securing a knotted piece of cord, as shown.