DIY Watermelon carving

This is a guest post by Vlad from Culinary Design Group company. I always wondered how the watermelons were carved (I love carving!), so I jumped on the opportunity to publish this DIY when I was offered it!

Here is Vlad's instruction:

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Today I will show you how to carve beautiful roses in a watermelon. All you need for a tool is one Thai carving knife (short knife with a narrow thin blade).

You can also use this technique for carving many different vegetables, such as potatoes, radishes, zucchini, etc.

Watch the video, or use the step by step instructions below.

First, remove the green peel from the half the watermelon to see the white layer.

Mark the circles for the future roses. This can be done by hand, with a compass, a glass or a cup. The diameter of the roses is up to you anywhere from 5 to 15 cm. If your watermelon is large you might be able to carve 3 to 5 roses on it. Make a 3-4 cm (1,5 inches) deep cuts along the circle. 

Cut out the narrow rims around the circumferences (see the picture below):

Start carving the petals. First, cut the front and then the rear edge of each petal.

Make each rose wider and wider until they start overlapping each other.

At the end you will get a beautiful watermelon covered with flowers!

You can find more pictures in our accounts at VK and Facebook.

Join our Youtube channel to see more videos on vegetable carving!

TOP10 Accent chairs for home decor

How do you like the idea of placing an accent chair to a right place in your home? There are spots in the big rooms that are missing something... a piece of art, perhaps? Well, a piece of art can be in a form of a chair. Why not! This is my choice of Top 10 accent chairs that you can actually buy on Etsy (I like to create lists that can be used, not just looked at):

Rocking chair by reedhansuld

Skull chair by chicsindesigndotcom

Madonna chair by GasparDeJFurniture

Wrought iron unicycle stool by  CanadianWesternLife

Vintage bench from privcollector

Modern wood chair by nicklopezart

Dandelion stools by hellodesignk

Armchair "Bohême" by meublesdesbois

Butterfly chair by LifestyleByCara

Acrylic Chair for kids by Lifeix

Beautiful nature

VanDusen botanical garden, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Jewellery masterpieces. Fulco di Verdura

Fulco di Verdura. 62 rubies, 232 diamonds

DIY Carnival masks by Svetlana Efremova

My today's guest blogger is Svetlana Efremova. She is a carnival mask artist. What a wonderful field! I am jealous! Why have I  not think of this? :) Too late for me to switch, but maybe one day I will follow her wonderful DIY and decorate a mask if I have a carnival to go to!

Here is Svetlana's instruction: 

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I would like to show you how to make the masks for your home decor. It is a rather unusual decor and it can surprise your guests! The masks can go to your wall by themselves or you can place them in a frame. Use mirrors and built-in lights for a more festive look. You can make collages using these masks too! Get really creative and you can make a unique gift! Who would not like to receive a gift with a story behind it?

Of course, these masks can be used for wearing to a carnival or a costume party too! Will you stay unnoticed wearing a mask like this? I do not think so!

I'll show you how to make an enigmatic mask... mysterious mask called "Midnight". Midnight is the time of dreams when the Universe smells with the stars...

You will need:

- Pre-made plastic mask (plastic is more resistant to the external impacts and strain if compared to papier-mache for example). A porcelain mask is good too.

- Acrylic gold paint, preferably "Royal Gold"

- Acrylic black paint

- Craquelure lacquer

- Acrylic gold contour 

- Acrylic lacquer

- Hot glue gun

- Masking tape

- Decorative gold cord

- Gold glitter,black leaves sequins, gold stars sequins, circle sequins and black rhinestones.

First of all coat your mask with two layers of gold paint.

You will get a golden face like this:

Let it dry. You can use a hair drier to fasten the drying process:

Use masking tape to cover the spaces around the eyes and the lips. We need to do this  to avoid paint cracking in these areas after application of the craquelure lacquer. Then apply the craquelure. Dry it and remove the masking tape. 

Coat the face with the black paint.

When the paint starts drying you will see the cracks starting to appear.

Use chalk to draw the outlines of the eyes and the lips.

Paint the eyes and the lips with the gold paint.

Use the gold contour to outline the eyes and the lips.

You can use a transparent nail polish for the lips to attach the gold glitter.

Use hot glue gun to attach the black leaves sequins and the black rhinestones around the eyes (see the picture for the reference):

Attach the gold rhinestones the same way:

Coat everything with the acrylic lacquer. It will make your mask waterproof.

 I also attached the gold cord around the face:

Then I attached more glitter, the gold stars and the circles sequins. Now it is done!

I re-named this mask into "The Midnight Secret". 

I could stop here, but I wanted to decorate the mask more. I made it even more gorgeous and eye-catching by adding a black veil that I decorated with the sequins and the stars. I secured the veil with the glue gun. Then I added some long and sparkly earrings! 

I could stop here too. However, I think it is going to look better as a wall decor. I attached the mask to a framed mirror. 

There are two ways I can show the mask off. The first look is enigmatic with the black veil over the it's face:

The second look is a fashionista with a gorgeous hat on her head! The tough mesh veil holds its shape well, so I can simply bend it up and create a hat's field.

I hope you enjoyed this DIY and that you are encouraged to try and decorate your own mask!

Svetlana Efremova

Find me on Facebook

Here are few more finished masks for your inspiration:

Party nails

You never know where inspiration will come next time. Would you have ever guessed where Roza got hers from for this nail design? :)

Monday inspirational quote