For Waitangi Day

Painting three ways - projects from Woman's Day magazine

Simple stripes create stunning results with these great craft ideas by Emily Somerville-Ryan

1. Napkins that pop

What you’ll need:

Resene testpot paints, iron, plain napkins, Resene washi masking tape, paintbrushes.

Paint striped napkins

Brighten up some old napkins (or plain new ones) with eye-catching designs inspired by traditional patterns using Resene paint. Iron out your napkin, fold it in half down the centre, crease and unfold. Using the crease as your centre line, tape washi masking tape in varying widths from the centre line out to the edge of the napkin at a roughly 45° angle (we used 18mm and 36mm wide washi tape from Resene). Repeat this at intervals down the entire piece of fabric. Paint the exposed fabric in alternating colours. We used Resene Bastille, Resene Half New Denim Blue, Resene Vibe and Resene Quarter White Pointer. Once dry, carefully peel off the tape revealing a stripe of unpainted fabric.

2. Take your painting to new heights

What you’ll need:

Resene testpot paints, Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish, pine slab W90 x D18 x L120mm, Resene washi masking tape, ruler, paintbrushes, pencil.

Paint an age record stick with stripes

Record your little ones’ growth with this stylish wall chart inspired by tukutuku panel designs. Lightly draw a centre line down the middle of the pine 45mm in from either edge. Using 48mm - wide Resene washi masking tape, mask out from the centre line to the edge at roughly 45° angle, alternating each side down to the bottom of the wood.

Paint each exposed panel in your chosen colours. We used Resene Bastille, Resene Half New Denim Blue, Resene Vibe and Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish to enhance the woodgrain and preserve its colour. Once dry, peel off the tape and tape over the painted area. Paint the remaining sections. When dry, peel off the tape and hang on the wall.

3 Brighten up your game of Tī rākau

What you’ll need:

Resene testpot paints, driftwood or twigs, Resene washi masking tape, paintbrushes, sandpaper.

Paint game sticks in bright colours

Upcycle some found wood to create a simple yet fun stick game for Waitangi Day. Head to the coastline or bush and collect at least four pieces of driftwood or twigs roughly 20-25cm in length. Give each stick a quick sand with some light sandpaper, smoothing off any sharp edges.

Using Resene paints (and masking tape for clean lines), embellish the sticks in lots of fun patterns and stripes. We used Resene Bastille, Resene Half New Denim Blue, Resene Vibe and Resene Quarter White Pointer.