Altered Shutter

I have found a new love … altered shutters!

I know … it’s nothing new, but I finally got around to making one!

I made this one for my son and future daughter-in-law. She loves black and distressed, so that is what we did … (I apologize for the blown out photo … I had to lighten it in order to see the details.)

The shutter was brown when I purchased it. I painted some random colors in places with the hope of seeing the color underneath when I sanded off the black of the shutter … it didn’t work quite as well as I planned (I think I covered it with too much black spray paint), but there are a few spots where you see the color.

I used stencils from Wendy Vecchi and black glossy embossing paste to add a bit of texture and some fun words to the shutter.

I used alcohol ink to alter a brass metal piece that I placed on top. Beacon’s 527 glue held the metal clip and topper in place.

next came a bit of washi tape from Love My Tapes and Tim Holtz.

And, some Piccolo pieces coated with Enamel Embossing Powder were added to the side.

I altered a few old keys in alcohol ink and used a ribbon to dangle them on the side.

A handle attached to the bottom, some additional clips and some photos of my kids finished off the piece. I really wish I had better photos because it is a stunning piece, but I was in such a hurry to give it away, I didn’t look at the photos first! grrr…

Humming Bookmark Sneak Peek

Here’s my latest project for Globecraft & Piccolo …

Want to know how I created it? Visit the Globecraft & Piccolo blog for step-by-step directions!

 

From cigars to cards

I love to take something functional and make it pretty. This time I repurposed a cigar box.

This what I started with …

First I painted the edges so if I miss a part with paper, it will still look nice.

Then I covered the box, inside and out, with paper (from Kaisercraft) …

Then I cut out the bird from another sheet of paper and adhered it with Pop Dots …

I added a bit of lace to the inside and a Piccolo enameled with Vintage Gold to the front …

And it is done!

I set it by the front door to hold mail during the holidays.

 

 

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!

Decorative Christmas Candle & More

It’s been a busy few weeks and I have lots of news to share.

First, I was asked to be on the design team of Scrap It Girl! Scrap It Girl is a monthly challenge blog run by my online friend Kimberly Congdon … each month there is a theme and participants can create whatever we want based on the theme. The design team shows off what they did and then everyone is invited to submit their creations. At the end of the month, a winner is chosen to receive prizes!  I’ll join in the fun in December with a clock challenge.

Globecraft & Piccolo released some new products this week, so I have been busily updating the website. There are new colors of 3D Enamel Gels, snowflakes, leaves, a fireplace, a window and more. Follow the “shop now” link on the right of my page to check them out.

Then, I completed my Copic Intermediate training in Grand Rapids last week. So, in January, I’ll be offering advanced Copic classes including shading, hair and face tones, and more.

A few days ago, I was notified that I made the Mosaic Moments Design Team! It has not been publicly announced yet, so it should remain our little secret, but I am so excited I couldn’t wait any longer to share it! This is one design team I really wanted to be a part of. I have been making Mosaic Moments pages for years and I love how easy the system is to use and how amazing the results are. I have had the opportunity to interview Tami Potter, the owner of the company, and have met her husband and her daughter. They are wonderful people and I am so excited to be a part of their team! And, in January, I will start teaching classes using this system.

I am also participating in my very first blog hop Nov. 16-18. I’ll be posting my project on Nov. 17 — which I just finished at 10 p.m. last night! I hope you’ll stop by and check out all of the wonderful homemade creations for the holidays.

Finally, Friday and Saturday I will be helping Capture A Memory and Michigan Scrapbooker Magazine with their booths in Birch Run at the Deer Widows Weekend Scrapbooking and Stamping Show. There are lots of vendors participating in this show and it should be plenty of fun. Capture is selling Elizabeth Craft products. If you haven’t checked them out yet, you need to! They take minimal effort and provide maximum results. And, I believe we are the only store in Michigan to carry them. Stop by and say, “hi”.

On top of all of that, I am also working on holiday classes, including this decorative Christmas candle. The class is scheduled for Nov. 28 and is limited to 6, so sign-up quickly.

It uses the Copic Airbrush System, a stamp by Impression Obsession and a Piccolo key.

So you see, I have been working hard even though my blog has been a little quiet lately!  Good things are definitely happening!

 

Altered Spoons

Claudia made this one as an ornament for her daughter.

I shared my latest obsession of altering spoons with my friends at Sunset Shores on a recent retreat. They loved them as much as I did!

Sandy made this one … I love the paper cut to fit the spoon and the Piccolos behind the berries.

I wanted to share their beautiful spoons so you can see how any style or theme can be incorporated. These are made with an antique store or Goodwill found spoon, Piccolos, Piccolo Enamel Powder, ribbon, Art Glitter and leftover charms, beads and other items.

Marty made this one. She was frustrated waiting for the Glastique to dry, but it was so worth the wait! Just look at that shine!

I apologize for the quality of the photos … I was taking pictures in a basement, rather than in my light studio.

Christina made this one with Breast Cancer as a theme.

Claudia made this one for her other daughter.

Christina made the grapes to match her kitchen. I love how the paper mimics the shape of the spoon. Lynnette made the butterfly one — although my photo is awful, you can see how the ribbon became almost a little dress on it. Love it!

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.

 

Sunset Shores Retreat

I’m back from Sunset Shores and, as usual, we had a wonderful time.

I spent four days with some of my closest friends and made a few new ones, too. It was four days of fun, laughter, cropping, sharing, learning and eating. I spent part of Friday and all of Saturday teaching, so I didn’t get very much done, but I love to teach, so it was still fun. We even managed to fit in a movie and two Detroit Tigers games.

Although what happens at the crop, stays at the crop, I thought I would share a few photos from the weekend …

Linda is working on a page I did that she saw on display at Capture A Memory. She took photos and measurements and bought the supplies and brought it here to work on. I was so honored!

 

Croppers know how to improvise. When Lynnette, Claudia and Janet couldn’t find shot glasses, they made do with bowls!

 

Elaine completed several layouts over the weekend.

This is the view from my crop space. We may be in the basement, but there is still a view of the lake!

Vivian, the owner of Sunset Shores, always puts out an amazing spread for every meal.

 

Hungry croppers …

These are the ornaments the girls made in the class I taught. I love how different they each are.

 

Sandy used Distress Markers to color in her Elizabeth Craft’s image.

Can you believe how much stuff we bring to a crop!?!

 

Christina is working on Halloween photos …

So much fun … I can’t wait until next year to do it all again!

 

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!