Deer Under Glass

This is one of those projects that just evolved … I had no intentions of making it, but somehow, it just sort of happened.

I started with new plastic deer from Tim Holtz. I painted each one with a healthy layer of Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and then coated them in a variety of glitters … this one a microfine glitter from Art Glitter.

I then pulled out a Melissa Frances cloche I had … I painted the base white and then glued the deer and a pink tree to the top. I poured a bit of “snow” into the glass and glued the glass to the base. Then, I added a bit of vintage glitter to the edge.

For the bottom, I filled an old crystal salt shaker that was long missing its top with glitter and snow and glued it to the bottom.

And added a bit of ribbon as a final touch.

It adds a beautifully vintage charm … maybe next year we will have a pink Christmas?

A Deer for Christmas

Since I was a little girl, I often dreamed of having an old-fashioned cabin with a deer hanging above the fireplace. That dream has changed a bit, but it has never gone away. I still love taxidermy and would welcome many creatures into my home.

Then, it became “hip” to hang white porcelain deer on the wall. Of course, I was in love with the idea. My husband, on the other hand, hated the idea. Since I want us both to be happy and comfortable at home, I backed off of my idea.

But this year, I decided I was going to do something to make me happy — regardless of what he thought.

I bought an inexpensive paper-mache deer head and spray-painted it.

Then I painted the antlers with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and then coated it with Distress Glitter Dust. It created a bit of a mess, but it was easy. Besides, everyone needs to sparkle during the holidays!

Mounting the deer was a bit of a challenge, but we finally decided to use Command Strips and they seem to be holding.

I love how it turned out. It looks really great hanging in the living room. Great enough that I might leave it up after the holidays for a bit of bling all through the winter.

All About Adhesives

When it comes to making something stick, there are thousands of options — literally.

It is imperative that the right adhesive is chosen for the right use. There is nothing worse than a project falling apart after a week, month or year.

Adhesive is not a product to skimp on, either. I know it can be expensive and is not nearly as fun as buying cute paper or pretty ribbon, but it really is vital that you spend the money to get a quality product. After all, what good is it to spend $10 on products for a page only to have them fall apart because you didn’t want to spend an extra quarter on the adhesive?

I put together a list of some of the adhesives you need to have on hand and what types of materials to use each one on in the latest issue of Michigan Scrapbooker Magazine. 

DISCLAIMER: This list is not complete … there are many more quality adhesives available that will work in place of the ones I mentioned. In fact, I have a handful on my desk right now to try and evaluate for a future blog post.

But this list will get you started and will teach you the right type of adhesives for the right project.

Click the link, here, and turn to page 8 … happy gluing!

Garden in a Can

Walking through a chain craft store  one day, I saw a cute little collection of cans that were perfect to sit on the desk or work bench. I figured I could make something cuter and more personalized.

I started with empty Progresso Soup cans. I took off the labels and ran them through the dishwasher — the cans can be sharp and I didn’t want to take the chance of slicing open my hand while washing them.

Then I covered the outside and inside with paper from Graphic 45″s Secret Garden line. I measured the height and then cut strips of paper that high. Then I attached it with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive by Art Glitter. For the inside, I placed the adhesive on the can itself, rolled up the paper and then let it expand into the can. Then I held it in place until the glue set.

 

I added ribbon and twine to each one.

I also used a Lifestyle Crafts die to cut out a circle out of velvet paper for the bottoms. It gives them a finished look and won’t scratch furniture.

Then I added some additional cut outs from the paper ….

Some Piccolo pieces coated with Real Rust and Shamrock Green Embossing Powders …

 

And some Dew Drops from Robin’s Nest. I even made a little tag for this one (I wrote on it with a Sharpie).

Aren’t they adorable?!