Monday, March 28, 2011

Judging a book by it's cover by Janelle Burba


I must say that this project has been one of my favorites...ever! Although I am a huge fan of Graphic 45 paper, I have to admit when they first came out with "Once Upon a Springtime" paper collection, I wasn't sure how I would use it or for what purpose but as the days and weeks have gone on...I can't own enough of it! Just goes to show you that sometimes you have to be open for creativity to grow.


Recently, while shopping at Michaels I picked up a paper mache book looking box. I had no clue what I would do with it (can you see a trend developing? lol) but it looked interesting. Having it in my cart, my friend Debbie said, "don't buy that, I will give you one I have had for ages." YAY! Score! I began thinking about the many uses for such a book...hiding important items, decorating a room, conversation piece...hummm...so many choices. Being the scrapbooker I am, I usually return to keeping photos out for display and that is how my "Fairy Album" came to be.


First things first, I covered the book with Graphic 45 Once Upon a Springtime paper and then added Tim Holtz's Ideology Binder Ring attachment. It was an amazing fit! I did do some painting in the "hard to reach" places of the book, such as the spine. My least favorite part was the fussy cutting of different elements but it had to happen in order to make the cover "POP".
I then added some Prima flowers, some blue pearls, real feathers for the fairy wings, and last but not least some actual book pages to give it dimension. A trip to Cottonwood a few weeks ago proved to be very productive as I matched Art Glitter to the fabulous paper. If you have never been to the Art Glitter Institite, you should make a trip. I had no idea there would be so many choices of colors. I added the matching glitter to the fairy, water, and the cut-out flowers. I love the way it looks, don't you?


The inside scrapbook pages were simply assembled with chipboard and covered with interesting lay-outs. After checking out the paper a bit more, I discovered a scene with bunnies. I promptly cut a bunny hole in my pages and made room for a bunny of my own. He doesn't move and holds the pages in place.



The project wasn't complete until I added an antique store find: a lovely fairy with wings to sit beautifully on top of my creation. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.


Supplies:
Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Adhesive and Ultrafine Metal Tip
Art Glitter 713 Fair Microfine Transparent
Art Glitter 600 Indian Summer, Fine Vintage Glass Glitter
Art Glitter 606 Misty Green, Fine Vintage Glass Glitter
Art Glitter 292 Mint Julep, Ultrafine Transparent
Art Glitter 41 Green Goddess, Ultrafine Opaque
Graphic 45 once Upon a Springtime Collection
Paper Mache Book
Tim Holtz Ideology Binder Ring attachment
Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint dried marigold
Tim Holtz Distress inks, many colors
Colorbox chalk cateye ink, rose coral
Assorted Prima flowers and metal
3 in1 Adhesive

Friday, March 25, 2011

Kicking it up a Notch by Clare Dempsey


It’s that time of year again: Garage Sale season! In this economy, many more of us are holding garage sales and shopping garage sales. I love visiting them and looking for pieces to embellish. At my first sale of the season, I found an old sewing box in the shape of an iron. I thought it would be the perfect thing to embellish. And since it was a sewing box, I thought it would be the perfect thing to embellish with a zipper flower. I used zipper tape to try the Maya Road Zipper Flower Tutorial. You can find their tutorial at: http://mayaroad.typepad.com/mayaroad/2011/02/zipper-flower-tutorial-one.html I loved their idea of cutting extra petals! Their zipper tape had metallic teeth that popped on the flower. My zipper teeth were the same color and I wanted some contrast, so I got out my Art Glitter and above are the results. Isn't it pretty!?


To get the glitter to stick to my zipper teeth, I used my Art Glitter Ultrafine tip again. 
The tiny bead of glue was perfect for the zipper teeth. You will see as you use this that the glue will drop to the spots in between the teeth after applying. Just sprinkle the glitter onto the teeth and flip the zipper tape over, then sprinkle on again on the underside and allow to dry before sewing and gluing.

I then followed the instructions from Maya Road and added a base of cardstock or felt. Following their directions; and adding my base, I did the following:

1. Cut one 12 inch piece of zipper and separate the two sides
2. Cut two or three 3 inch pieces of zipper, using one half of the zipper. You should have 4 pieces.


3. Apply your glue and glitter and allow to dry


4. Using a handle needle and thread, run a basting stitch along the outside fabric edge of the 12 inch zipper piece. Pull to coil your longest piece of zipper, creating a staggered effect with the zipper teeth outside the previous layer. Tack in place with stitches or glue gun.


5. Using the same thread and needle, run a basting stitch on the other three pieces of zipper and gather.


6. Create curved petals and tuck them under the flower rolls in the flower created in step 3. These petals will look better if you go for the rule of three and try to create the look of three outside petals. See top picture.
7. Tack in place with glue gun or thread.
8. Punch out a 1 ½” circle and glue your flower to it for a paper craft project, or to felt for a sewing project.
9. Add a button, rhinestone or bead in the center with glue or a thread and needle.


To embellish my sewing box, I painted it cream and chalk inked the edges. I covered it with some My Mind’s Eye paper from the Lost and Found Line, added my zipper flower, a rolled felt rose and some wrinkled seam tape. See the bottom of the post for the complete list of supplies.
So, hit those garage sales for your next craft project and pull something out of your stash today and kicking it up a notch with some Art Glitter!

Supplies Used:
Art Glitter Fabric Dries Clear Adhesive
Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent Hibiscus 297 (choose any color you like)
Glue Gun and sticks
My Mind’s Eye Lost and Found Paper
Stampin Up Chic Botique Stamp
My Favorite Things rolled Rose Die
Seam Tape
Wooden Box
Modge Podge
Circle Punch 1 ½”
Button
Ivory Cardstock
SVG Rolled flower from Jill D-Zines (Ivory flower with red center)
Stickles X-mas Red (flower center)

Monday, March 21, 2011

Easter Eggs & Bucket by Candy Spiegel

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. So, when I was invited to be a guest designer for Art Glitter, decorating eggs was the first thought that came to my mind -- although it took me a few tries to come up with something I liked.


I purchased the eggs from Michaels and attached a cotton lace ribbon from May Arts with Designer Dries Clear adhesive, using the Ultrafine Metal Tip. I love this adhesive because it dries quickly and sticks to almost anything.

When applying the lace, I placed two tiny dots of glue and held the lace in place for a few seconds. Then, I worked slowly around the egg, applying 6-8 dots at a time and attaching the lace, holding it for a few seconds and then doing the next section.

I then let each egg dry for a few minutes before starting with the glitter.


I used glitters from the Egg Medallion Collection – Ultrafine Transparent Glitter in the following colors: 147 Pink Azalea, 103 Jonquil, 161 Palo Verde, 96 Blue Water, 105 Forget Me Not, 162 Just Peachy and 203 Eggplant. The set is nice because you get a variety of matching colors at a great price.

Once I finished the lace, I went back through a applied a dot of Designer Dries Clear adhesive into the center of the lace. Again, I worked in stages, doing 6-8 dots at a time and then applying the glitter.

I stuck a Glue Dot on the bottom of each egg to hold it while it dried.
I picked up the bucket at a yard sale. The ribbon on the handle was originally tied on the bag of eggs I bought.

To decorate the bucket, I cut out the vintage Easter card from the Seasonal Paper Stash by Tim Holtz and adhered it with Designer Dries Clear. I used my finger to spread the glue around to the edges and then stuck it to the bucket.

For the glitter, I used the leftover from the flourish mask by Tim Holtz (the part you normally throw away) as a guide to apply the Designer Dries Clear adhesive. Then I added a few pink dots just to add to the sparkle.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Wearin' the Green Glitter by Marisa Pawelko


Marisa Pawelko of Modern Surrealist shared this great Wearin' o' the Green Glitter idea with us! I'll let her describe the process for you:

"St. Patrick's Day is a spirit day at my son’s school (where all kids dress in the same colors and are allowed to come to school extra embellished) They sent a letter allowing kids to use green/orange color hair spray, but instead of spraying that messy stuff on my kids hair and him inhaling those chemicals, I opted for brushing on regular hair get mixed with fabulous Art Glitter!"


"It came out so beautiful that I just had to share it with you! He got quite a rock star reception on the school yard on St. Patty's Day when I dropped him off! All the kids were all crowding around him saying 'Look at Joey’s cool hair!' It’s such an easy and cool project idea that can be customized for any season or theme!"

Thank you so much for sharing Marisa, Joey really is an enthusiastic participant! I'm sure he loves to help you with your creations! Be sure to check out Marisa's website for more bling!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Snowflake Album in a Box by Janelle Burba


This has been such a fun project. As you can see the Bo Bunny Midnight Frost Collection was my entire inspiration. Snowflakes have always intriqued me with each one being unique ~ kind of like all of us crafters....bringing something different and wonderful to the world. I wanted to make something I could sit out on a coffee table all year round for my guests to enjoy family photos ~ "WALAH"...a cigar box with an album inside. The process ended up being a bit more complicated than I originally thought but if you have any questions, you can always email at janelle0515@yahoo.com.


I first spray painted the box to ensure that the hard to reach places wouldn't be stark white when covered by paper. I found a really great trim that matched perfectly and gave the box a little skirt. I found attaching it to the bottom gave the box height. I covered the box and then I glittered it up accenting the paper and also adding some chipboard snowflakes to the cover. I think it turned out so beautifully! I even made a chipboard snowflake to emphasize my title. My husband Rod helped with painting and screwing on the ball feet and he even added a little felt to help it from sliding.


The album was simple but time consuming as I wanted it to be special and ready for photos. I used card stock of many different colors and cut out pieces from the collection. Each page is unique and I used old winter paper scraps to add to the overall theme. Remember when doing a ready-made album, always leave room for journaling. Keeping the memories alive with a photo is only part of the job as you need to remember the occasion with words so that generations to come can share the experience.


Designer Dries Clear Adhesive
Designer Dries White Adhesive

3 in 1 Beacons Adhesive
Bo Bunny Midnight Frost
TPC Christmas Village
Coredinations card stock - many colors
Chipboard (Oriental Trading)
Metal snowflake embellishments (everywhere)
Zva Creative bling snowflakes
Wooden balls (Michaels)
Tim Holtz Curio Knob
Binder Rings
ribbon
buttons
Tsukineko Embossing Powder #06 Sparkle
Cloisonne High Gloss Granules Emerald Onyx
Diamond Dust
Glitter:
81 Lagoon Ultrafine Opaque
26 Midnight Ultrafine Opaque
27 Navy Ultrafine Opaque

173 Ripe Plum Ultrafine Opaque
62 Copper Canyon Ultrafine Opaque
66 Yellow Ultrafine Opaque
79 Black Ultrafine Opaque
75 Blue Moon Ultrafine Opaque
D15 Sea Nymph Dazzlers
904 Blue Topaz Vintage Glass Glitter
900 Silvery Moon Vintage Glass Glitter

189 Pearl Ultrafine Pearlescent
16 Trees Elements
809 Fox Trot Large Glass Beads
D16 Ariel Dazzlers

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Art Glitter Flowers by Clare Dempsey




I have a new addiction: Art Glitter! Not only do I love their glitter, but I love their glue. Glitter adds that bling factor and lasts forever! You pour out what you like over a glitter tray or a coffee filter and just pour the excess back into the jar! You will think you haven’t used any!

And, if you paper craft, you probably have one or more favorite glues and you are a loyal customer. Their Ultra fine tip is the best!


I love the control I can get with it the tip and the consistency of the glue. I have added a new glue to my go to glues!

Today, I am sharing how to recycle your plastic packaging into embellishments. I like to use my salad boxes and strawberry packaging to create flowers. Love a look for less that's green! Here’s how:

Supplies:
Art Glitter Designer Dries Clear Glue and Ultra Fine Tip
Art Glitter in two colors
Salad or Strawberry container plastic
Scissors or Cricut with Deep Cut Blade and Housing or Sizzix or other flower die
Glitter tray or Coffee Filters
Tweezers

1) Remove the top of your salad packaging and recycle the base
2) Remove the sticker from the top carefully, and wash and dry your top
3) Be SURE to remove any left over adhesive glue from the sticker. I use my UNDO adhesive remover if needed.
4) Carefully trip off the lip of your plastic container
5) Cut your flower using a pattern or Cricut machine. I use my SVG Cuts 3 Dimension flower kit: Begonia and my Deep cut blade and housing. Using the Cricut will make your edges less sharp and safe to work with. You may find that your blade does not cut through your plastic completely. Just snip into the cut image to start popping the cut out and punch the rest with just your hands carefully.
6) Shape your petals before adding glitter by bending down petal edges
7) Using the Art Glitter Dries Clear Glue and the fine tip applicator, apply glue to the outside edge of your petals and three lines towards the center. Working over your glitter tray or coffee filter, sprinkle your glitter on the glue. I like to use my darkest color on the outside.
8) Tap excess glitter back into jar.
9) Now apply your glue and second color, LEAVING 1/3 of the inside of the petal and the entire center free of glue and glitter so you can glue the flower together later. Don’t worry about bare spots, you will be layering the flower and adding a center embellishment that will cover bare spots.
10) Tap off excess glitter and place aside to dry.
11) Rinse the fine point tip in water, immediately. I like to close my sink drain, so it is not lost and dry as best you can. Allow inside to dry before storing.
12) Assemble your flower and glue layers together using a low temp hot glue gun or glue dots
13) Embellish flower center with beads, button, or brad. I used some pearl beads.

My first version of the flower is made with the Art Glitter Transparent Glitter, in Juicy Fruit (99), and Berren (213). The colors of glitter are closer in value, and it looks very fairy tale like to me. And my second with the Art Glitter Pearlescent Glitter, in Varsity Blue 185 (dark blue), and Blue Angel 183 (light blue). What glam!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Altered Clipboard by Candy Spiegel

Sometimes I am a little behind the trends.
I have wanted to make an altered clipboard for a while, but never seemed to find the right products to forge ahead.
Then, I discovered a 6”x9”clipboard at Staples for $1. Unable to pass up such a deal, I bought it and decided to create something just for me – something that could hang in my craft room and inspire me.


I started by covering the clipboard in papers from Basic Grey.
Then, I went around the edges with a Ranger Paint Dabber. I added a bit of paint to the papers, too, to help blend the entire project together. And, I painted the flower in the same color. The flower is one of Wendy Vecchi’s Studio 490 Art Parts. If you’ve never worked with them, they are a composite material that is stiff, like the clipboard, but take inks and paints really well.
While the paint was drying, I added ribbons. I attached them with Designer Dries Clear adhesive.


At the bottom, I used a Crop-A-Dile to punch holes in the clipboard and then added eyelets We R Memory Keepers. I then attached Baubles by Tim Holtz with a jump ring.
I stamped the saying, by Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous, using Ranger Archival Ink in Coffee. Then, for an added touch, I put three tiny dots of Designer Dries Clear on the top and bottom and added Ultrafine Transparent Glitter in 162 Just Peachy. It’s best to use the Ultrafine Metal Tip when applying such small amounts of glue to keep everything neat and clean.


I used the same glitter, adhesive and tip to add details to the petals of the flowers. For the center, I created a bit of a spiral pattern with Designer Dries Clear and added Microfine Opaque Glitter in 511 Graphite. I then filled in the gaps with Ultrafine Transparent Glitter in 96 Blue Water. Because it is transparent, you can see the pink color from the flower underneath, so the glitter takes on an almost yellow color.
Then, came my favorite part – the leaves. I cut these out with the Tim Holtz Sizzix Bigz Die using green cardstock. I then applied a thin coat of Designer Dries Clear adhesive (I used my finger to spread it around) and then covered it with Fine Vintage Glass Glitter in 606 Misty Green. I absolutely love the texture and sparkle this look created.
I adhered the leaves with Designer Dries Clear. Because the layers of ribbon and leaves created an uneven surface, I used Pop Up Glue Dots to attach the flower.
A leftover piece of ribbon tied to the top and this project is ready to hang.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Introducing Art Glitter's New Guest Designers

Another three months has flown by with great insights and wonderful projects. A special thank you to Connie K., Janelle Burba (a new designer) and Christine Lehto (a past designer), for filling in some spots for us, you were great! We are glad to present to you our next set of designers. Looking forward to some fabric projects, recycled projects and more scrap and paper projects. Check them out!

Janelle Burba
I am an Arizona native living in the beautiful pine trees of Payson, Arizona. I am a wife and mother of three amazing children. I currently have only one busy teenager left at home and she is the light of my life. When I am not chasing her around, you will find me in my studio creating... something and nothing. I am inspired by the world around me which includes my two dogs and the breath-taking scenery near my home. I am a scrapbooker/paper crafter at heart but dabble in altered art and just about anything "crafty". I am blessed to be part of a local crafting circle that feeds my creative soul as well as encourages my "blingdom". I am a believer in anything worth doing is worth over-doing as you will be able to see in my designs. I love making everything shiny and love adding texture to my pages and projects... usually in the form of glitter and rhinestones.

When not crafting, my hobbies include: traveling, flying, and watching lots of high school sports. Please feel free to email me with questions or comments about my projects as I would love to receive feedback. My email is janelle0515@yahoo.com. Thanks for looking.

Clare Dempsey
I am the eighth of eleven children, seven girls and four boys. I have an Associates degree in fashion design, a bachelors degree in Apparel Design and Aesthetics and a Masters degree in Family and Consumer Economics.
After graduating, I worked for several apparel manufacturers in the Chicago area for short periods, as manufacturing continued to move overseas. I also have experience in retail in the apparel product development department. There I helped develop and implement a computer aided design/spreadsheet software program that is used in apparel product development.

I am married and have two boys. I am currently a stay at home mom who is passionate about using my Cricut and sewing machines. I started a non-profit scrapbooking guild with some friends and we meet monthly to scrapbook and do a little charity work. I have two stores on Etsy where I sell dust covers for all types of electronic cutters, you can find them here: www.scrapincovers.etsy.com and www.scrapguild.etsy.com.
I enjoy blogging, cut files, scrapbook pages, techniques and more at my blog too: www.cricutcraftyclare.blogspot.com. I love glitter and bling and making my own embellishments for less!

Candy Spiegel
Candy Spiegel has been stamping and scrapping for the past 16 years. She says it provides a creative outlet for those, like her, who weren't blessed with the ability to draw or paint. Her style includes a little of everything, from clean and cutesy to cluttered and distressed, but most of it has at least a little sparkle. Always eager to try something new, she says nothing in her house is exempt from the possibility of being altered with paper, ribbon, paint or glitter. Candy serves on a few design teams, maintains the blog for her local scrapbook store and teaches classes so others can learn to create. Learn more by visiting www.candyspiegel.wordpress.com.