✦ STUDIO MDAZ BLOG ✦ Catch Debi's Latest Projects
Step-by-step tutorials, project reveals, painting techniques, and behind-the-scenes videos from Debi's studio.
Art Book File Box
A plain wood box from Goodwill becomes a funky, bedazzled storage piece for your art books, collage books, or grandmother's recipe cards. This tutorial covers freehand multi-color stripes, a pop art postcard with bedazzled glasses and UV resin lenses, navy-shaded harlequin diamonds that look genuinely 3D, and a warm sunset-orange interior that pulls everything together. It's a project that started as "let's not overdo it" and ended exactly how you'd expect.
Travel Jewelry Case
A $14 travel jewelry case from Amazon becomes a Chanel-inspired, bedazzled gift piece — with a free printed image, black stripes, diamond stenciling, rhinestone trim, and a Marilyn Monroe quote on the back. This start-to-finish tutorial covers every step from bonding primer to bling, plus two game-changing tricks: matte sticker paper that eliminates decoupage entirely, and an Everclear hack that brings dead brushes back to life overnight.
Marilyn Monroe Clutch Purse
A $6 Zara clutch from the Salvation Army becomes a Marilyn Monroe showpiece with decoupage paper, hand-mixed raspberry paint, multi-colored polka dots, and rhinestone trim — all in under an hour. This tutorial shows you the two-sheet trick for flip-top purses, how to mix two paint colors to perfectly match your paper, and why prepping with Bonding Boss is the step that makes everything stick.
Lemon Kitchen Decor Set — Tissue Box, Pepper Mill & Blue Checks
A Hobby Lobby tissue box, a pair of thrift store salt and pepper shakers, and a $3 cake plate become a matching lemon kitchen decor set — with Amazon lemon transfers, a French script stencil, blue and white checks on a round lid, and a metallic gold that will blow your mind. This tutorial covers everything from prep to finish, including the full technique for painting checks on a round surface and the one step you should never skip before applying transfers.
How to Paint & Bedazzle a Patriotic Tote Bag for Under $15
For just $3.99 at Hobby Lobby, you can have a tote bag that's ready to be transformed into something totally spectacular — and this patriotic God Bless America design is exactly the project to do it with. In this tutorial, we're covering every step from prepping and priming your canvas bag so paint actually sticks, to stenciling the USA flag silhouette, painting red and white stripes freehand, transferring hand lettering using tracing paper, and bedazzling the whole thing with Crystal AB, Navy, and Light Siam rhinestones sealed in place with Gem Tac and a diamond sealer. If you can hold a brush, you can do this.
How to Bedazzle Board Games, Dr. Seuss Books & More — The Ultimate Rhinestone Gift Guide
A $5.98 Candyland game from Amazon becomes the most unforgettable gift anyone has ever received — once you cover the entire board in rhinestones. This live tutorial walks you through bedazzling board games, Dr. Seuss books, purses, shoes, and notebooks, plus a full breakdown of the best rhinestone sizes, adhesives, and sealers for every project. Whether you're making gifts or just discovered a new obsession, this is the guide that covers everything.
Pop Art Matchboxes, Sassy Quote Notebooks & Bougie Bedazzled Gifts You Can Make Today
Boutique matchboxes run $6–7 each. You can make them for under $2 — bedazzled, funny, and one of a kind. This craft session tutorial walks you through five quick projects using free printable quotes, pop art postcards, adhesive rhinestone sheets, Stickles glitter glue, and designer-inspired pleather from Ming Fabric. Every single one makes an incredible gift, and none of them require a master's degree in crafting to pull off.
Tote Bag Makeover
A plain $25 Amazon tote bag becomes a hand-painted mixed media showpiece using tissue paper decoupage, acrylic color blending, gold leaf through a harlequin stencil, and decorative stamps. This full tutorial walks you through the 3-step prep process that prevents every purse fail, the "less is more" decoupage secret for zero wrinkles on ultra-thin paper, and the finger-tapping technique that makes everything look like it came with the bag.
The Complete Beginner's Guide to Bedazzling
Not all rhinestone tools are created equal — and some of them are a flat-out waste of money. This tutorial is the honest, no-fluff breakdown of what actually works for bedazzling shoes, purses, T-shirts, notebooks, and more. You'll learn which $3 tool outperforms the expensive ones, why GemTac beats the hotfix tool for most projects, and how to organize thousands of rhinestones without wanting to throw them across the room.
How to Paint a Gorgeous Lemon Serving Bowl
You don't need to be an artist to paint lemons that look completely real. In this beginner-friendly tutorial, you'll learn a simple 4-color stencil technique that creates dimensional, sun-kissed lemons — then finish the look with beautiful IOD transfers for branches, leaves, and butterflies. Start with a $15 melamine salad bowl from Michaels, end with a showpiece you'll never want to give away (but makes the most incredible hostess gift if you do).
How to Color Blend & Decoupage a Decorative Tray
Learn the secrets to wrinkle-free rice paper decoupage, professional color blending that makes your paper look like it was always part of the tray, rhinestone bedazzling, and a genius UV resin sunlight trick that cures your finish in just 20 minutes — no special equipment needed.
Bedazzling for Beginners
Bedazzling is back — and it's easier, more addictive, and more affordable than you think! Learn how to rhinestone notebooks, picture frames, bead pens, flip flops, mirrors, and even your credit card wand using just a picker pen, precision glue, and rhinestones from Amazon — all for under $100 to get fully set up.
How to Transform a Thrift Store Purse with Mixed Media
Got a plain or outdated purse sitting in your closet — or a thrift store find with good bones but zero personality? In this step-by-step tutorial, Debi walks you through a complete mixed media purse makeover using IOD transfers, decoupage, paint, stenciling, rhinestone bedazzling, and a high gloss sealer — all in under two hours. Whether you're a total beginner or a seasoned crafter, you'll walk away knowing exactly how to turn any bag into a one-of-a-kind conversation piece.
How to Decoupage, Paint & Bedazzle a Decorative Tray
Learn every technique you need to transform any metal, wood, or plastic tray into a stunning decorative showpiece — including decoupage with art papers, color-matched paint blending, antiquing wax, rhinestone bedazzling, and UV resin finishing — all in one action-packed live tutorial filmed at a Florida beach house!
How to Paint & Decoupage a Straw Hat
Learn how to transform a plain straw hat into a stunning hand-painted, decoupaged statement piece using floral napkins, fabric medium, acrylic paint, and pearl trim — no art experience required and the whole project takes about an hour!
The Ultimate Crafting Supply List: Debi’s Top Resources
If there is one thing we know for sure at Studio MD AZ, it is that you don't need to spend a fortune to create high-end, boutique-quality decor! But to get that gorgeous, professional finish—and avoid a lot of crafting heartache—you absolutely need the right tools for the job.
How to Decorate a Clear Cosmetic Bag Set with Rose Transfers, Rhinestones & Stickles
Transform an inexpensive clear cosmetic bag set into a stunning, boutique-worthy accessory using IOD transfers, Liquitex varnish, Ranger Stickles, and rhinestone bling — no painting skills required and the whole set takes under an hour!
How to Make Designer-Inspired Wallets, Clutches & a Book Bag from Thrift Store Finds
Learn how to transform thrift store purses, wallets, and pouches into stunning designer-inspired pieces using patches, rhinestones, decoupage, leather paint, and mixed media techniques — all for under $20 per piece.
How to Decoupage a Bunny with Blue & White Toile Napkins
Learn how to transform a plain white resin bunny into a stunning blue and white toile statement piece using decoupage napkins, Mod Podge, and gold foil — no experience needed. Perfect for spring vignettes and Easter decorating!
How to Make a Stunning Fall Pumpkin Cone Topiary
We're creating a gorgeous fall centerpiece that looks amazing from every angle. The best part? We're learning together what works (and what doesn't work!) - plus I'm sharing my new secret weapon: heat-resistant gloves that literally saved me after my last ER visit. Watch the full tutorial below to see how this beautiful topiary comes together step-by-step!