Sunflower Topped Mason Jar

Find full instructions on how to create this sunflower topped mason jar with Makin's Clay® on their blog here - http://www.makinsclayblog.blogspot.com/2014/04/sunflower-topped-mason-jar.html

A Winter's Day - Get-it-Straight with KellyCraft!

The KellyCraft Get-it-Straight Laser Square made creating this mixed-media canvas simpler!   Find the full instructions on the KellyCraft blog - http://kellycraftblog.blogspot.com/2012/12/a-winters-day-mixed-media-canvas-with.html

And, today's the day for the December Designer Craft Connection blog hop - so take the time to hop through the participating designer's blogs to see what they are sharing this month by clicking on the  DCC link in the left column.   - Happy Crafting! Cindi

Nature's Birdhouse

Birdhouse Mania? - My official prediction is that with the birdhouse challenge on the 2nd week of Craft Wars - Birdhouse crafting is going to be more popular than ever!   To keep in the spirit, I thought I'd share a project from one of our past When Creativity Knocks Creative Journal newsletters.   While it may not have the “bling factor” of the one Tori Spelling shared recently, it’s “back to nature” feel made it a winner in my porch decor.  

The unfinished birdhouse has been nestled amongst the plants on my screened porch for a couple of years.  I’ve been pondering how I wanted to decorate it.  While cleaning my studio I discovered my stash of tiny pinecones and birch bark – and my decision was made!

The great thing about real birch bark is that it peels resulting in several, paper thin layers of bark.  Just one small strip was enough to cover almost this entire birdhouse.  Elmer’s Craft Bond Tacky Glue was the perfect adhesive to hold my birch bark in place.  I left the edges around the hole to the birdhouse rough, as I love the added rustic effect. 

Craft Bond Tacky Glue would also work to hold the tiny pinecones in place, but I opted for the faster drying option of a hot glue gun.  Simply layer your pinecones and glue in place until the entire roof is covered.  Can’t find tiny pinecones?  Use full size pinecones and simply remove the individual pieces and use them as shingles for your roof.    If you don’t have an unfinished birdhouse, but have another you’ve had around a while that needs a bit of sprucing up, just cover it the same way and it will look like a whole new piece!   Note – This birdhouse is meant for decorative purposes only. Perfect for a summer porch, but may not hold up to the weather if a real family of birds was to move in (unless you coated the
entire piece with Powertex Liquid Textile Hardener - that would make it perfectly weather proof!)  I encourage you to add some functional birdhouses to yard no matter how big or small it may be – watching nesting birds is truly one of nature’s wonders!

ICE Resin + Spellbinders = a Purse with Personality

My latest project for ICE Resin is part of a special assignment..... Spellbinders and ICE Resin are now cross-promotional partners and we are thrilled to be using their products together in our creations.   And of course I had to incorporate my latest obsession, metal stamping with ImpressART metal stamps.   You can find complete instructions and photos of all sides, and the many techniques I used for this mixed-media, altered wooden purse here at the ICE Resin blog.

Bleeding Hearts Mixed-Media Canvas for Jacquard Products

I am excited to share a project I created for Jacquard Products now featured on their website! Lumiere 3D Dimensional Paint & Adhesive, Lumiere paints, Cernit Number One Clay, a photo from my garden and more were combined for this mixed-media canvas.  Find the full tutorial at the Jacquard site.

ICE Resin - Tweetly Preserved

My first official post for ICE Resin® is now live on their ICE Resin blog!    Here's a peak at the project - hop on over to the ICE Resin blog to find out how I created this piece using ICE Resin products, Makin's Clay® and more....