From Boring to Beautiful

On a recent trip to my local Goodwill store, I found these little dragonfly candle holders.

They were cute, but rather boring. They had a distressed, shiny whitewash finish. I knew I could do better, so I grabbed a few, pulled out the newest enamel powder color from Globecraft & Piccolo, Turquoise Lagoon, and went to work.

I used the Enamel Powder Adhesive to coat a small area, then poured on the enamel powder and heated. I had to work in sections and let it cool here and there so I didn’t burn my fingers. Metal gets hot!

There were some sections the dabber top wouldn’t reach. So, I popped off the top and used a paint brush to fill in the tiny areas.

When it was all finished, I thought it could use a little more bling, so I used Matte Glastique to add some Pure Silver Sparkle to the wings.

Once dry, I coated the entire piece in Glossy Glastique. This added a little shine and a lot of durability.

Here is a close up of the wings …

From boring to beautiful in a just a few easy steps …

I used Globecraft & Piccolo products to cover another candle holder at home, too. See what I did to this one on the Globecraft Blog today …

 

 

 

Share the Love

Valentine’s Day is just a few days away so I decided to show you how easy it is to make a “Love” charm. This one takes just a few minutes and is so easy.

I started with a bookboard charm from Globecraft & Piccolo and enameled it with Vintage Silver Embossing Powder. Because this could be a piece of jewelry, you want to do both sides. I do the front side, then use tweezers to do the back and then do a second layer on the front.

Then I add a thick layer of Glastique Gloss and let it dry it overnight.

 

Finally, I added a Silver Bail and it is ready to be attached to a necklace, bracelet, card or whatever you wish. See, super simple!

I made another necklace using Globecraft & Piccolo charms for their blog today. Click here to see how to do it …

Down by the lake

Just because it is the middle of winter doesn’t mean we have to surround ourselves with it.

Instead, I chose to remember summer by creating this elegant lighthouse ornament.

For this ornament, I left the backside plain so it can hang on the wall in my living room.

I started by painting the lighthouse black. Then I added a bit of 24K Gold Embossing Powder to the rails and roof.

Once that was done, I coated the entire thing with Glastique Gloss to give it a rich, shiny finish.

Turning my attention to the ring, I embossed it with the Tim Holtz Brick Texture Fade and then colored it with Distress Ink.
When the lighthouse was dry, I traced around it on a photo of a sunset on Lake Michigan, cut it out and then glued it onto the back of the lighthouse.

I put the globe in place and then glued the ring onto the lighthouse. I use clips to hold it tight until it sticks.

Then I enameled a couple of Piccolos with Vintage Gold Embossing Powder and added them to the outside of the ornament. I added a bit of twine to replicate rope, and it is done and ready to hang on my wall!

Visit the Globecraft & Piccolo blog today to see another project I created with a globe … an altered cigar box.

 

 

 

Handmade Holiday Blog Hop 2012

Welcome to the 2^nd Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!!!

 

Calling all crafters! We’ve gathered designers from some of our favorite manufacturers to show you ways to create something from the heart this holiday season.

This 3-day Hop includes more than 60 stops with inspiration brimming from every corner. Explore all of the thoughtful and frugal handmade gifts you could create for the holidays, all in one place, during our second-annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop!

To sweeten the Hop, we’re offering a gift for you! For every comment you leave on the blogs in the Hop, you’ll be entered to win a prize pack from one of the participating manufacturer sponsors! Use the Rafflecopter widget on the Clearsnap blog to gain extra entries each day.

You can also gain extra entries by “Liking” Globecraft & Piccolo on Facebook. After you Like Us, return here and tell us you did so for the extra entry.

View the list of blogs below and leave a comment on each by Nov. 27, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Each day we’ll be sharing a brand new list of blogs with brand new projects for you to explore, be inspired by, and create from!

Here’s today’s list …

Clearsnap – http://clearsnap.blogspot.com

Hampton Art – http://blog.hamptonart.com/

Graphic45 – http://g45papers.typepad.com/

Fiskateers – www.fiskateers.com/blog

Donna Salazar Designs – http://donnasalazar.typepad.com/

Tombow USA – http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Authentique Paper http://authentiquepaper.blogspot.com/

The Twinery – http://www.thetwineryblog.com/

Eileen Hull for Sizzix http://eileenhull.blogspot.com/

Globecraft Memories – http://globecraftmemories.blogspot.com

Diana Gonzalez – Clearsnap – http:// www.arteypoemas.com

Melissa Cash  – Tombow – http://inkclinations.blogspot.com/2012/10/handmade-holiday-blog-hop.html

Monika Wright – The Twinery – http://www.iloveitallwithmonikawright.com/

Gretchen McElveen – Hampton Art – http://gretchenmac.blogspot.com/

Megan Aaron – Clearsnap-  http://thoughtsoftraveling.blogspot.com/

Tania Willis – Fiskateers- http://throughtrialsiambeingpurified.blogspot.com/

Gloria Stengel – Graphic 45 – http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/

Suzanne Austin – Clearsnap – http://whatsinalousyananut.blogspot.com/

Shellye McDaniel – Authentique Paper – http://paperedcottage.blogspot.com/

Natasha Naranjo Aguirre – Donna Salazar Designs –  http://www.moments-of-tranquility.com

Jen Carter – The Twinery – http://jensinkspot.blogspot.com/

Laura Denison – Graphic 45 – www.lauradenisondesigns.com

Candy Spiegel – Globecraft Memories – https://candyspiegel.wordpress.com/

Cheers to creating gifts from the heart this holiday season!

Happy Hopping!

For my entry I created a snowman wreath. (Click on the photos for a larger view).

I started with a simple grapevine wreath and wrapped Honeydew Baker’s Twine from The Twinery around it. (I tied the ends on the backside around one of the branches to secure it.)

Then I added a large Accent flourish by Globecraft & Piccolo that I covered in 3D Enamel Gel in Metallic Silver. (I also coated some birds in the gel and added them toward the end. I love the swirly tone of the silver.

Next, I created the poinsettias. I used the new die by Tim Holtz/Sizzix and paper from Authentique’s Festive collection. I first added Fired Brick Distress Ink, but that didn’t provide enough contrast, so I added Walnut Stain Distress Ink around the edges.

I then glued the layers together, folded the leaves so they would be dimensional and added Globecraft’s Pure Sparkle Silver Glitter to the centers. Even though I was making a rustic, country snowman wreath, I wanted it to have some of the bling of Christmas!

Then came the snowflakes … I used a sheet of sticky-back paper and punched out the snowflakes with a punch from Fiskars. Then I coated them in Pure Sparkle Silver Glitter. Don’t you love that sparkle and shine!?! The glitter is made up of different-size particles that offer a sparkle closer to that of Mother Nature.

I added another snowflake to the tag that hangs from the bottom. This is made by stamping with Memento Ink in Bamboo Leaves onto kraft cardstock with a stamp by Hampton Art. I used my Crop-A-Dile to add an eyelet to the top.

I wrapped Cappuccino twine around the tag. I secured it in the back with a Power Adhesive Tab from Tombow and then added a scrap of paper to the top to cover the rest of the adhesive. I hung the tag from the wreath with additional twine.

I coated a couple of keys from Globecraft in Vintage Silver Enamel Powder and added them, and a bead from Maya Road, onto the bottom of the wreath. I thought they went well with the “Do Not Open Until Christmas” saying on the tag — especially since I plan to hang this on my front door. (My odd sense of humor!)

Now for the ornament in the center … this is a kit from Globecraft & Piccolo. First, I used a large dauber sponge to paint the inside of the back globe.

I used the same paint to paint the snowman so no brown color shows through when I flock him.

Next, I painted the rim in red paint, the nose with 3D Enamel Gel in orange and the arms with 3D Enamel Gel in Burnt Umber. I also put a bit of Metallic Silver at the base of the snowman to cover up a mistake I made … Then, I used Stampendous Fun Flock to cover the snowman and his hat and scarf. Once dry, I added a tiny black rhinestone eye.

I used Vintage Silver Enamel Powder to cover the rings and then assembled the ornament. To do that, I laid the inner ring down, placed the globe on top and then dry fit the ring. Once I got it where I wanted it, I carefully removed the ring and applied liquid glue right along the edge of the globe. I placed the ring back on top and used binder clips to hold it in place while the glue sets. (You don’t want to leave them on for more than a few minutes because they may mar the surface if left on longer)

Finally, I used Gilded Rose Enamel Powder to color a couple of flourishes, attached them to the front and then strung the ornament in the middle of the wreath.

Thanks for stopping by … I hope I have inspired you to create a wreath of your own!

Enjoy the hop and don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win!

Stained Glass Window

This was an experiment that worked!

I started with the new Gothic Window dies from Memory Box/Poppy Stamps. The frame of the window is one die; the center is a separate die (and there are several patterns available).  I cut out both dies with black cardstock (American Crafts).

Then, I took the leftover part (the insert from the frame) and coated it with 24K Enamel Powder. This acts as a light source behind the Cool-Set Enamel Gels that I used to color in the glass. I left it to sparkle through in a few places, too …

Finally, I colored in the image with Piccolo’s Cool-Set Enamel Gels. These are more like liquid plastic than paint and they provide a durable, flexible, shiny finish that is rich in color.

Once that was all assembled, I embossed a piece of cardstock with bricks (Tim Holtz/Sizzix) and added a bit of Distress Ink for dimension.

I love the final result! It is a beautiful card you could easily use for sympathy, baptism, thank you and more.

 

Snowman Ornament

Today is a quick post … I’m off to Sunset Shores for the weekend where I will be cropping and teaching four classes! Each of the classes is completely different — we’re making a card, an ornament, a mosaic page and an altered spoon. I still have lots to pack and get ready for the event, but I wanted to share the ornament we’ll be making …

This is a group of experienced croppers, so I expect lots of variations on my sample, but we’ll all be starting with a snowman ornament from Globecraft Memories. (If they aren’t available in your area, click on the link to the right to order direct.)

I used a bit of paint and flock to cover the snowman (and discovered after the fact that I should have painted the snowman white so the flock remained white!). For the background, I painted the globe and then added Pure Sparkle Silver glitter.

For this frame, I kept it simple and just used Mermaid Tears Enamel Powder.

The insert and little Piccolo pieces are painted with Cool-Set Enamel. The leaves are coated with Mossy Glen Enamel Powder.

After I finished the pieces, I coated the ring and accents with Glastique for a durable shine.

I think he’s cute and I cannot wait to see what spin my friends put on theirs.

 

Altering Spoons

I have a new addiction … altering spoons. I cannot seem to stop.

Part of the fun is in finding the spoons. Since I am going to be teaching how to alter them at an upcoming retreat at Sunset Shores, I have been searching for them for the past month or so … antique sales, flea markets, Goodwill stores. I have quite a collection that my husband has lovingly either bent or drilled holes into so they can be hung easily.

Yet, although I have more than enough, I can’t help myself from looking for more!

But the fun of altering spoons is more than just hunting for treasures. They are so small and so easy to work with that decorating them is exciting, too. I have been using up a lot of those spare parts I had laying around from other creations, as well as cutting up some Christmas paper.

The one at the top is wrapped in twine. Then, I added a few cutouts from so old paper, which I had inked with Distress Ink. (I found that Glue Lines, made by Glue Dots, and dimensional foam tape seem to work the best at attaching things.) I coated the paper in Glastique to give it some additional strength and a bit of shine.

Then, I added a Piccolo (laser-cut, compressed chipboard) which I coated with Vintage Black Enamel Powder to the front.

Finally, I added a bit of sparkle with some glitter from Globecraft Memories.

 

I fell in love with this print on a sheet of paper from KaiserCraft. I didn’t want it to be a plain rectangle, nor did I want to cut out the children on the sled, so used a Lifestyle Crafts die to cut out an interesting border and then inked it with Distress Ink.

I added Art Glitter Dazzlers to the bottom of the spoon to replicate the snow and tied a bit of tulle to the top.

I sprayed a Maya Road flower with Perfect Pearls Mists to give it a hint of blue and attached that over the tulle.

Then I coated a Piccolo key in Vintage Gold Enamel Powder and added a little plastic flower from Bazzill. I love how soft it turned out and this is one I can keep up all winter …

This last one was inspired by the Piccolo bird cage and little birds. With the exception of the Piccolo parts, tulle and paper, all of the items on this spoon were sitting on my desk in a little bowl my daughter made when she was little. I toss all unused and leftover embellishments in there for later use — although I rarely use them later! Anyhow, I wrapped the spoon in tulle, coated the cage in Vintage Bronze and the birds in Cool-Set Enamel, also from Globecraft Memories. Then I wrapped around a bit of red tinsel (Tim Holtz). I cut the saying out of  a piece of Reminisce paper and added Distress Ink and Glastique to it. I added a bit of Distress Ink onto the flower and attached it.

The crochet flower is handmade by a customer at Capture A Memory in Flint Township. The center piece was a Maya Road plastic flower I airbrushed with a Copic marker and then never used. I think it works perfect here, don’t you?

I hope you have fun trying your own altered spoons … I know we will this weekend in Clare!

 

Goodwill Vase

I am a frequent shopper at Goodwill. It is the perfect place to find things to alter and you all know how I love to alter.

This little jar has been at my local Goodwill for several weeks. Each time I walk by, I want to buy it, but I never know what to do with it.

I finally decided to buy two of them to try a painting technique I wanted to use on larger jars. That experiment did not go so well. Let’s just say, this little jar’s friend will spend his days in the garbage dump.

I was totally frustrated when my husband suggested enameling the jar. Thinking the jar would shatter under the intense heat, I said no, but then decided to try it anyway. I figured the worse that could happen would be a mess to clean up and a trip to the ER.

First, I wrapped a bit of Tissue Tape by Tim Holtz (masking tape would work as well) around the lip of the vase to mark off an area and then coated it liberally with Piccolo Enamel Powder Adhesive and then with a layer of 24K Gold Enamel Powder.

The glass didn’t break, so I kept going — coating the entire jar with Enchanted Aubergine.

 

This is the point I remembered to take a photo … you can see it was just a clear jar. I have about 1/3 of it coated at this point.

 

 

I went very slowly — doing a section and then allowing it to cool completely before doing the next section. I used scissors to hold it after a while, because the entire jar heats up each time you heat a small space.

 

 

And this is how it looked when it was done. I decided to redo a bit of the gold along the top, since I wrecked some of it trying to hang onto the vase.

I love how the different-sized particles stuck to certain areas of the vase. It makes it very interesting.

Then, I decided to add some Piccolo decor to the top. I coated them with Cool-Set Enamel in white. Because they are cut very intricately with a laser, I was able to mold the compressed chipboard Piccolo around the vase.

Here is a closer look at the Piccolo pieces. (These are from Card Decor Set 1, if you are interested in buying them).

And here is my finished vase. My husband said it reminded him of art glass and that’s the biggest compliment I can get!

 

 

 

So Much To Be Thankful For

Sometimes life is tough. It is easy to get caught up in the negativity that surrounds us. So, it is important to keep reminding ourselves what is the most important.

In my life, I am thankful that I have two beautiful children who are happy and healthy and starting their own adult lives.

I am also incredibly thankful for my amazing husband who does everything humanly possible to make me smile — even if it means telling bad jokes or doing silly dances — things he would probably deny if questioned.

To help keep me focused on the positive and important things in life, I created this 8×10 canvas to hang in my home. (click on the photos for a larger view)

I created the background with Glimmer Mists in oranges and yellows.

The paper is Authentique’s new Thankful line.

I used dies from Tim Holtz/Sizzix to cut out the leaves, then added a bit of Distress Ink and molded them with my fingers to be dimensional.

Then, I added a few acorns, cut out from the paper, and topped them with Distress Stickles. They give a soft sparkle without it being in-your-face bling.

The word Thankful is cut out with my Cricut and the smaller words are cut with a Lifestyle Crafts die.

The globe is from Globecraft Memories. I ran the frame through an embossing folder and then coated it with enamel powder. I made the family photo sepia toned to match.

For the final touch, I added a few Piccolos — tiny, laser cut pieces made from compressed chipboard — and coated them with enamel powder. I love the elegance they provide.

 

What are you thankful for?

 

 

 

Merry Christmas Card

It may be the beginning of Autumn, but I’m feeling a lot like Christmas.

I decided this is the perfect time to get started making Christmas cards.

This year, I have a special project I am doing in conjunction with Capture A Memory. I am creating holiday cards using only items the store has in stock. Then, I am putting the cards, a recipe to make them, and all of the products needed to create them in a special section in the store. Think of it as one-stop-card shopping. I think it will be fun for both me and the customers and I am excited to get started.

Naturally, with my brain that easily gets overloaded, I left the new stamps and papers I purchased to make some of the cards at the store last Thursday. Then, my husband offered to go with me to the store on Sunday to pick up the items and run a few errands. We were almost to the store when I realized I didn’t bring my keys and since the store isn’t open on Sunday, I wasn’t getting anything!

So the project is already behind schedule, but I despite all of my issues, I did manage to create one card this weekend …

Supplies: Authentique papers, Vintage Photo Distress Ink, Festive Berries Distress Ink, stamp by Stampers Anonymous, die cut by Lifestyle Crafts, Wreath by Globecraft Memories, Mossy Glen Enamel Powder, Claudine Hellmuth Studio Paints, Glastique, and a little gold cord.

Most of the items are available at Capture A Memory in Flint Township. The Globecraft Memories products (Wreath, Mossy Glen, Enamel Powder Adhesive and Glastique) can be purchased through the new link on the right side of my blog. Easy, easy!

If you choose to make your own version of this card, please send me a link or jpeg and I’ll share it with everyone!

Thanks for reading …