DIY Hand-Painted iPhone Cases

A few months ago, you may have spotted by collaboration with Ruffled- DIY interchangeable iPhone cases that doubled as Escort Cards and Wedding Favors. Well, one thought I had was, why not kick it up a notch? Especially with the release of iOs 7, iPhones are about to get even more stylish...

And so I give you these hand-painted DIY iPhone Cases. You could use them as placesettings, but these could also make beautiful gifts. I also think it'd be nice to make a Mr. and Mrs. set as pictured so the wedding party can keep track of the bride's and groom's phones easily on the busy day of the wedding.

Here's how you make the magic happen...

Supplies:

• Transparent iPhone cases (Available for about $2 on Amazon and Etsy)
• Paper and a computer program to type your names (I used Illustrator but you could even use Microsoft Word)
• Painter's Tape
• Acrylic Paint in 2 colors (pictured: Americana Desert Turquoise Acrylic Paint and FolkArt Thunder Blue Acrylic Paint)
• Flat headed paint brush
• White Oil-Based Sharpie Marker in Extra Fine
• Metallic Oil-Based Paint Pens in your choice of color
• Modge Podge (optional, for increased durability)

Directions:

For this, you'll need to make your own template that fits your iPhone case. First, measure the space on your case where you could place a name (probably no more than 1.5" across). Open up Microsoft word or a similar program and print your name in the middle of the page, ensuring that it doesn't exceed the width of the case you just measured. Then just print your design reversed, place the clear case on top of the paper, and draw around it. If you can't print the design "backwards" via your printer, also try flipping your text horizontally.

Then cut out your traced design and attach it to the back of your iPhone case, as shown above, using painter's tape.

With the oil-based white sharpie, carefully trace the design of the letters. (Note: you should make sure your Sharpie is the Paint Pen sharpie, in extra fine, that is oil-based. The water-based pen will run and blur your design.)

Allow to dry for a few minutes, then complete a second coat. At this point, you can remove the paper template from the outside of the case. As you desire, add dots, swirls, stars, etc. to the corners of the case, framing the name, using oil-based paint pens. Allow everything to dry before proceeding.

Now the fun part! With your flat headed brush, work in broad strokes beginning with the light blue color for the first third. Then mix your lighter blue with the darker and paint the middle third. Lastly, use the pure dark blue to finish the bottom third of the case.

This top coat will be thin and fairly see through. Let dry and then repeat a second coat.

Once the second coat is dry, you may wish to seal it with one coat coat of modge podge for increased durability.

Note: to use these as Escort Cards set up in a Seating Chart Display, you can also use the white oil-based sharpie to add a table number to the back of the case.

And there you have it! Make as little or as many as you like, but don't you agree, they look pretty "smart" at the dining table?