"A View of London" Vintage Window Photo Frame

This month's Designer Craft Connection blog hop theme is "Vacation Memories" - making this a perfect time to share my latest  project - "A View of London" Vintage Window Photo Frame with lettering etched with etchall® etching cream.   Be sure to follow the DCC Blog Connection link in the column on the right to see what other vacation memory projects our designers are sharing!

Materials:

Repurposed window - with loose paint removed and windows cleaned
Photos
Scrapbook paper
Westcott®  TrimAir Premium Titanium Paper Trimmer, 12" wide
etchall® Etching Cream and Designer Tip Kit
DecoArt® Glass Paint Marker™ - white
AdTech® hot glue gun & glue sticks
Paper towels

Instructions:

Step 1:  Measure the panes of your vintage/repurposed window.  Print photos for each pane of the window.   Trim with Westcott® TrimAir Trimmer.

Step 2:  My printer would not allow for printing the photos as large as the window panes, so I layered my photos onto scrapbook paper cut to the exact window size.

Step 3:  Select font for window writing and print in desired size.  Tape to back of window.  Apply etchall® etching cream using etchall® Designer Tip Kit over the letters.

Step 4:  Allow etchall® cream to set 15 minutes, then return cream to jar for later use and clean window.

Step 5:  On back of window, add small lines and dots with white DecoArt® paint pen to highlight each etched letter and number.

Step 6:  Mount photos to back of glass in each pane using AdTech® hot glue to hold in place.

Now every night at dinner we can enjoy our "View of London" and remember the fun we had exploring all it had to offer!

Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop - Flowers

It's April and time for the Designer Craft Blog Connection blog hop.  This month our theme was “flowers” - with the added challenge of creating our flowers from something we had around the house.  There are almost endless options if you really think about it - flowers made with newspaper, coffee filters, cupcake liners, paper towels, napkins, plastic grocery bags, paper bags, gift wrap, window screens, cardboard, chipboard from food boxes, even fabric from old clothes.   Be sure to hop through the links to see what the other participating designers are sharing by clicking on the on the DCC icon in the right column.   

This past week, I had a request to make some of those popular “high heel cupcakes” popping up these days.   Always eager to try something new in creative baking, I was happy to give it a whirl.   I changed my ideas for the decoration in my mind many times, eventually deciding I wanted flowers of some sort.  However, time was limited and I didn’t have enough time to make fondant flowers, and my hand decorating skills are lacking.   I scoured our pantry trying to spark an idea on what I could use to create colorful flowers, quickly, without heading off to the grocery store.  My answer?  Gummy worms.  Yes - gummy worms.   I discovered this little bag of sour worms matched the colors of the heels for the cupcakes (made with Airheads candy).  I cut 5 ends about 1/2” in each color, arranged them in a flower shape, and tinted some white chocolate chips purple to make centers.   Voila - sugary, colorful flowers without having to head to the grocery store or roll fondant.  

Why not look around your house to see what unexpected items you can use to create unique flowers for your creative projects?  - Cindi 

A Favorite Technique - Floating Chalk Backgrounds

March is National Craft Month!!!  The Designer Craft Connection blog group  is celebrating by bringing you some of our favorite techniques this month.   I'm sharing what certainly isn't a new technique to many stampers, but it's one of my favorites and one I fall back to time and time again when I want pretty and unique background papers for my paper crafting projects.  Be sure to follow the DCC link in the column on the right to see what the other participating designers have shared this month!   

I think all colors are beautiful – my preferences change as often as my moods these days.  Sometimes I crave cobalt blue, rich browns and deep mossy greens.  Sometimes vibrant red, black & white.  This time of year as spring approaches I find myself reaching for sunshine yellow tones.  Every so often, pastels call out to me.  However; whether it’s my toenail polish, or my artwork, I always seem to gravitate back to shades of blue-greens:  teal, aquamarine, turquoise, sea glass blues & greens.  The colors of the Caribbean sea always brighten my day.  

Colorful floating chalk backgrounds are very easy to create!  While you may start with the same colors, no two pieces of this unique paper will ever be identical.  The way the colors blend and swirl is just beautiful.

Materials:

Decorator chalks
Craft blade
Shallow baking dish
Water
White cardstock cut to fit in baking dish

Instructions:

Place approximately ½” of water into the baking dish.  Set aside.

 
Choose 2-3 shades of complementary colored chalks.  Use craft knife blade to gently scrape first color of chalk onto the top of the water.  Be careful not to “chunk” it – as the larger pieces will simply sink.  You want a fine powder of chalk floating on the surface of the water.

Repeat with 2nd and 3rd colors.

Place cardstock face down onto water and press gently.  Do not push onto the bottom of the baking dish.  Just let the cardstock float on the surface.  Wait about 5 seconds - it will begin to curl back from the water.  Gently lift out of the water and set aside to dry.  

To speed up drying time, use a heat tool.  If cardstock is curled, iron on low setting to flatten.
No fixative is needed.

Repeat steps 2-3 to create additional pieces of background paper.

Add a bit of Pearl-Ex powders or use shimmering chalks for a sparkling effect.  Try interference shades of Pearl-Ex powders on dark cardstock for a “galaxy” background.  Layer with coordinating cardstocks, stamp directly over the background, let your creative muse guide you!

Crafty KT - It's a Giveaway!

From September 8th - 18th, Crafty KT is sponsoring the KOOL TAK Manufacturer Challenge: Fabulously-Fall Blog Hop with  the Designer Craft Blog Connection.

Part of the hop is a great opportunity for YOU to win a great giveaway package of their products (I have to say that the clear foam is honestly one of the most awesome products I've seen in a long time!).  To be eligible, visit  http://craftykt.com/suscribe-to-newsletter and subscribe to their newsletter.

Included in the prize package* is:

Kool Tak™ 1 Layer Perfect (Use it for centering, piercing, and edge stitching) Tool

Kool Tak™ 1 Shiny Transfer Foil Sheets (Earth Tones)

Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape ¼ x ¼ x 1/32” thick

Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 3/16 x 1/16 thick by 1.6 yards

Kool Tak™ Premium EXTREME 2 ½ x 27 yards

*Only those with a mainland USA shipping address are eligible to win the giveaway.

Be sure to check out the creative projects the hop participants will begin sharing on September 8th! 

- Be sure to spend some time getting crafty this weekend! - Cindi Bisson