Hola, this post is part of a sponsored collaboration with SFGoodwill. They challenged me to head to one of their stores and find something to create a DIY project out of. Challenge accepted! I went, I saw, I purchased and I made these hand-painted Day of the Dead owls from plain ceramic owls I found while shopping at one of their many wonderful stores.
The fun thing about this challenge for me is that all I knew was that I was going to DIY something, but I really had no ideas when I walked in. Fortunately, there are so many things you can DIY with items from SFGoodwill, all you have to do is keep your eyes open and let your imagination guide you.
SFGoodwill
Something I did not know until recently is that each Goodwill Organization is operated separately by region. SFGoodwill covers San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties.
100% Local and 100% Not-For-Profit
What’s awesome about SFGoodwill being regional is that it keeps everything 100% local. They are 100% not-for-profit and use proceeds to fund job training programs through their retails stores and online shop for local residents that face barriers to employment. They are also able to keep millions of pounds of second-hand items out of landfills every year thanks to all the generous donations they receive from the community.
You should know that I love Goodwill in general. Goodwill has been a part of my life since I was a child and my mother introduced me to segundas, AKA thrift stores. Honestly, I can’t pass by a Goodwill store and not want to go in because you just never know what kind of treasures are inside. Like these adorable see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil owls.
When I saw them, I knew I was going to give them the DIY treatment. They were $3.99 each and there was no way I was going to split them up because they are meant to be together. At first, I thought I would spray them with a metallic rose-gold spray paint and be done because I really love rose-gold anything, but then it occurred to me that they would be perfect for Day of the Dead. I’ve seen beautifully painted sugar skull type owls and now I have my very own.
I did not celebrate Day of the Dead when I was growing up, but when I became a mother I started. It’s a great way to talk to my children about ancestors they never had the chance to meet and talk to them about death without it being scary. Setting up the altar with decorations, candles, marigolds, food and photographs has become a beautiful bonding tradition for us.
ALSO READ: Getting Ready for Day of the Dead
DIY Day of the Dead Owls
Supplies:
- Ceramic owls or any ceramic item you would like to paint
- Oil-based permanent paint markers
- Cotton swabs and alcohol
- An oven
Directions:
Start by thoroughly cleaning the ceramic items you will be painting. I removed the price tags, got rid of any sticky residue and washed the owls with soap and water.
Once your items are completely dry. Start painting on them with your paint pens. I used oil-based paint markers that I already had and I also bought some new paint markers online (affiliate link) that worked pretty well.
As you’re painting, if you make any mistakes, dip the tip of a cotton swab in alcohol and use it as a kind of eraser. Finish painting, then let your ceramic items sit for 24 hours.
After 24 hours put your painted items into a cold oven and set it to 425 degrees. Once the oven reaches 425 degrees, set the timer for 30 minutes and let the ceramic items continue to bake. When the timer goes off, turn off the oven, but leave the ceramics in the oven until it is cool.
Notes: Make sure that whatever ceramic item you are putting in the oven is all ceramic, you don’t want to bake something that is plastic. Also, the heat from the oven will change the paint colors a bit. I have found that blues tend to go green.
I love the way my Day of the Dead owls turned out. To be honest, I like them so much that they are going to be out all year.
Chances are that if you go to SFGoodwill you’re not going to find these same exact owls, so here are some other things you could paint …
Pot Planters
I painted this sugar skull planter three years ago and it still looks great. I didn’t bother to put this one in the oven, I just painted it and put a plant in it. The paint has held up really well.
Coffee Cups
Coffee cups are a great canvas and you will definitely be able to find some at SFGoodwill. This was my attempt at making a sugar skull mug.
There are just so many possibilities. Visit SFGoodwill online for locations.
Have you ever made a DIY project from something you found at Goodwill?
Leave a Reply