Hello, Creative Friends
Summer at the Cottage
Summer isn’t the time to stop creating! It’s time to embrace the inspiration around us, gather with friends and family in casual outdoor spaces with a simple project to share together, and be inspired by simplicity and nature.
For others of us, it’s a time to take on a more involved project, to create our own summer creative academy of sorts and leisurely work through learning new techniques.
And for those of us in a creative business, we are already searching for holiday and seasonal ideas to get prepared in advance for a busy season ahead. This week at ellen j goods, we’ve got all your bases covered!
If You Missed Us
In our most recent edited video on YouTube, you’ll find how we used salvaged drawers to create really great home décor, storage, and garden art.
One of our favorite things is to dream up ways to use the stuff we find and save, especially old wood.
You can watch the tutorial here.
Patina’ed Garden Pot Finish
This week during our Monday and Wednesday Facebook and YouTube Live tutorials, we explored a beautiful patina’ed garden pot finish using layered textures and aged metallic details.
These projects reminded us how much character can come from imperfect finishes, weathered surfaces, and creative experimentation.
There’s something especially satisfying about watching a simple pot slowly transform into something that looks collected and timeworn.
You can join us for our chatting and creating on YouTube here.
More Garden Pot Inspiration
We continued the garden pot project with more layered finishing, texture, and creative conversation.
These casual summer projects are perfect for porch, patio, or cottage studio creating, especially when you want something beautiful without overcomplicating the process.
You can watch the replay here.
Christmas In July Paper Collection Reveal
And perhaps the biggest excitement of the week: the ellen j goods Christmas in July Paper Collection Reveal for Decoupage Queen!
Kickoff Event Inspiration
We hosted the kickoff event, which lasted all day on the Decoupage Queen page, and saw lots of inspiration from our favorite creatives.
You can watch each project on YouTube in the playlist here.
We look forward to sharing inspiration, project ideas, and tutorials in the weeks ahead.
Schedule For The Week Ahead
Community Spotlight
This week we’re celebrating Renata Wolfe and her wonderfully creative suitcase makeover using IOD transfers!
Renata recently bought a new suitcase for a trip to Europe and wanted a way to make a plain black suitcase stand out at baggage claim. Then it hit her: IOD transfers!
After two flights, countless taxis, cruise ship baggage handlers, and even a train ride, the transfer still looked fantastic — not a scratch on it. Even better, her suitcase was incredibly easy to spot coming off the conveyor belt.
There was no special prep work involved. She simply rubbed the transfer onto the fabric suitcase with no sealer, no topcoat, nothing. Easy, beautiful, and practical!
We absolutely loved this creative idea and the reminder that inspiration can show up in the most unexpected places. You can join our free Insider Group here.
Upcoming Workshops
As part of the new ellen j goods paper collections, Lynne is hosting a special private Facebook workshop to share fun ways to use the featured Pentart products and custom designed Flakes of Snow stencil on a charming door hanger.
You can find the details of the workshop here.
The companion kit options are available here.
What Inspires Us
I had the opportunity to join our Fusion Mineral Paint and Homestead House Milk Paint friends at the warehouse in Canada for a day of creating, trying new products, and learning fun tips.
It was inspiring for us to run through the basics and ease of using these products, remembering the reasons why we love this family business and their brands so much.
Creativity has such a beautiful way of turning ordinary objects into something personal and meaningful. Whether it’s a thrifted pot, a vintage-inspired holiday project, or even a suitcase headed across Europe, creative details tell a story all their own.
Tell us what you’re creating this week — we love seeing your projects come to life.
