The Twinery

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I’m unlaced

This challenge for Mosaic Moments was particularly challenging for me.

Although the sentiments I placed on the final page were not revealing, it brought about all sorts of thoughts that left me feeling very vulnerable and exposed, or unlaced as I called it here …

mosaic9_candy_spiegelClick on the image for a closer look and click here to read the story behind this challenge and why it was so hard for me to do …

 

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These are a few of my favorite things …

I am so excited to be a part of the Mosaic Moments Design Team this year.

I have posted my first post to Journella, an online program created by the same person who created Mosaic Moments. I hope you will click over there to see how I created this page …

spiegel MM 2013 1

You can become a member of Journella, and check out all of the other ideas, by creating an account, or simply logging in with Facebook. It couldn’t be simpler! I hope to see you there and have you cheer me on!

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Handmade Holiday Blog Hop 2012

Welcome to the 2nd 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 …

Fiskateers – www.fiskateers.com/blog

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Megan Aaron – Clearsnap-  http://thoughtsoftraveling.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!

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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!