
Oh marbling, how we love thee. One part psychedelic, one part graphic, this visual style is an essential in the DIY department. We’ve got the classic paint swirling technique that we used when marbling clay beads. For this installment of#31DaysofDIY, we decided to tackle the task of marbling with nail polish. And no surprise here: We are totally sold! Yes it does smell and yes it will get on your fingertips (so don’t do this project with a fresh mani) but it will always give unique results and dries almost instantly! Forgot a friend’s birthday 30 minutes before you’re going to see her?! Grab some polish and a vase, pencil cup or wooden box and give it a fresh new marbled look. Done and done.
No idea what #31DaysofDIY is? It’s a brand new tradition here at Brit + Co that’s all about kicking off the new year right. We’ve challenged ourselves to make or learn something new every single day for the month of January, and we’re inviting all of you along for the ride. From DIY basics like Sewing 101 to learning to design and laser cut our own stencils, we hope this month of making inspires you to make all year long.
Materials:
– nail polish – as many colors as you want!
– wood boxes
Tools:
– tape
– stirring stick
– plastic tub
Instructions:
1. Tape off wooden box to create a block for your marbled section.
2. Fill plastic tub with water and then pour in nail polish. Swirl nail polish with stirring stick.
3. Let the face of the box touch the surface of the water and then lift. The nail polish will be stuck on the face of the box!
4. Use the stirring stick to collect the rest of the nail polish and to clean up the water for the next color.
5. Wait 10 mins for the nail polish to try and then pat the water droplets with a paper towel.
6. Remove the tape and voilà it’s that easy!
We used three colors for each marbling palette.
Tape off your box with painter’s tape. We chose to tape off a hard diagonal line to contrast with our organic marbled pattern.
Fill your tub with water and pour in your nail polish. Pour it in slowly so it stays on the top of the water. If you pour too quickly, the nail polish will sink. Using your stirring stick, swirl your nail polish colors together.
Once you’ve swirled your colors together, place the face of your box on the surface of the water. You do not want to submerge the box in the water. Wait about five to ten minutes to let the nail polish really dry. Then take a paper towel and pat the water droplets. Peel off the tape to reveal the crisp line.
Use your stirring stick to clean up the water. The nail polish will stick to it as if you were making cotton candy.
Let’s try one of our favorite new color trends. Winter white! Swirl gold, white and gray together and then touch the box to the surface of the water. Repeat the clean up step to get the water ready for the next color.
We found that bright, deep, colors worked best on our boxes. We had to stay away from corals, yellows, and oranges, since they were too similar to our wood. Keep color choices in mind when picking out the objects you are going to be marbling.
Color blocking + marbling = Our new favorite technique… this week ;)
Don’t be afraid to try different materials. The possibilities are endless! Wood, cork, ceramic, slate, metal, plastic, etc.
When choosing your nail polish colors pick out a complementing metallic. It will really make the marbling pop.
These are the perfect pieces to dress up a boring desk space.
Emergency party confetti on the desk? Always.
What do you think of the marbling technique? Show us what you made by tagging @britandco on Instagram.
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.