Stained Glass Mosaic Smoothfoam™ Ornaments

It's time for the Smoothfoam™ Holiday Ball!   Follow through the links here on their site to see tons of creative holiday projects made with Smoothfoam™ balls!   For my project I made stained glass mosaic ornaments - you can view the full tutorial in my Creatively Crafty video linked below from my YouTube channel!  

Peace in the Evergreens Etched Glass Votive Holder

When you light a candle in this etched glass votive holder embellished with real evergreens you’ll bring a warm holiday glow to your mantle. I found the original idea of adding evergreens to a candle holder in a Facebook post and decided to give it a try. My version features an etched glass votive with PEACE stenciled in metallic paint to soften the glow of the candle. The original post was just photos – I’ve included stepped-out instructions and some tips on what worked, and what didn’t, to make the process a bit easier for you to recreate.  

 

Materials: 

• Glass votive holder 
• etchall® Etching Cream 
• DecoArt® Dazzling Metallics® paint – Shimmering Silver 
• DecoArt® Americana® Gloss Enamels® Reusable Stick-On Stencils™ – Inspiration 
• Design Master® Tack 2000 Spray Adhesive 
• Westcott® Titanium Bonded Scissors 
• Tea light candle, or battery operated tea light candle 
• Fresh evergreens
• Foam brush, fine paint brush
• Silver ribbon 

 

Instructions: 

1. Coat outside of votive holder with etchall® etching cream. Let set 15 minutes.  
2. Use brush to return most of etching cream to the bottle. Rinse to remove remaining cream. Dry votive holder. 
3. Use stencil to paint “PEACE” with silver paint onto etched votive. Let dry. 
4. Break evergreens into small pieces.  In a well ventilated area, spray with Tack 2000 spray.   
5. Place evergreens around votive surrounding PEACE.  TIP – To help evergreens stick to the votive, I found it helpful to place a piece of parchment paper or a transparency over the evergreens and press with my hand until they stuck. Another word of advice – I thought I’d try using quick grab tacky glue to mount the evergreens – this did not work – the spray adhesive made it much easier. 
6. Trim bottoms of evergreens at base of votive.  Insert candle and watch the peaceful glow among the evergreens. TIP – the fire danger is minimal since the evergreens are on the outside of the glass votive holder, however, if you want to be even safer, use a battery operated tea light candle instead of a real candle.  
7. BUT WAIT…. THERE’S MORE….. SO NOW FOR THE CRAFT FAIL PART…… I lit my candle
   
   and set this pretty votive holder on the mantle.    When I came back half an hour later, the heat from the candle had caused the evergreens to pull away from the glass. Drat!  On to plan B – a pretty piece of silver ribbon wrapped and tied around the evergreens to hold  them in place.  You still get the effect of the evergreens, but no worries about them falling off lol! The moral of the story….. the spray adhesive still makes it easier to hold the evergreens in place while you tie the ribbon – so step 4 is still worthwhile – just add some ribbon as a back-up.
   
   

Decoupaged Ornaments Cluster Swag

The theme for this month's Designer Craft Connection blog hop is "last minute" holiday decorations.  This simple cluster swag is easy to make with just a few materials.  You can use patterned paper, fabric, or decorative holiday napkins like these I found in the $1

bin at the local craft chain store!   

Be sure to click through the Designer Craft Connection link in the right column to see what other projects participating designers are sharing! 

Materials:

Three 4" Smoothfoam™ balls

FloraCraft SimpleStyle™ Burlap Garland

Beacon Adhesives® Fast Finish Decoupage 

Aleene's® Fast Grab Tacky Glue 

Jute 

Foam brush

Instructions: 

1) Tear decorative napkins into assorted pieces about 2".   Pour Fast Finish Decoupage in bowl and use foam brush to apply to each Smoothfoam™ ball, then apply napkin pieces to ball, leaving hole in ball open, overlapping to cover the balls.  Coat surface each covered ball with Fast Finish Decoupage to seal.  Let dry. 

2) Cut 3 strands of jute 16", 3 strands 13" and 3 strands 10".  

Squeeze Fast Grab Tacky Glue into hole in ball, twist ends of each group of jute strands, insert into hole (use tip of scissor if needed to push strands into hole).  Let dry. 

3) Make large bow from burlap garland.   Insert piece of wire through back of bow loop and twist to create hanger loop.  Tie ends of jute together and tie to wire loop on back of bow.   

Celebrate Every Day with Etched Glass Tumblers

Celebrate Every Day with Etched Glass Tumblers 

With etchall® etching cream and a DecoArt® stencil you can easily transform everyday drinking glasses into something special.   These would be a great housewarming gift or keep them to use yourself and remember to celebrate not just the holidays, but every day!

Materials:

etchall® etching cream (www.etchall.com)

DecoArt® Stencil Americana Glass 6"x 8" Inspiration

Glass tumblers 

Fine paintbrush

Instructions:

1. Apply stencil to tumbler.  
2. Use paintbrush to apply etchall® cream to each letter.  You can simply apply the cream to the entire stencil surface, but I prefer the control of using a paintbrush to ensure an even application over each letter, and there is less chance of the cream sliding off the edge of the stencil onto the glass. 
3. Let set 15 minutes.  Use paintbrush to remove cream and return to bottle.  
4. Rinse glass, remove stencil and continue washing to remove all remaining cream residue.

Flannel Yo-Yo Heart Ornament

Here's another quick holiday tree decoration I created for Cindi's Simple Solutions at

When Creativity Knocks!  Clover's heart yo-yo maker, and Blumenthal Lansing buttons made it easy! Find the instructions here.

Trim the Tree with WCK's All-Star Designers' Holiday Series

Another episode of the WCK All-Star Designers' Holiday Series is now live and you'll discover 5 fun ways to add a hand-made touch to your holiday tree!  We start with Jonathan Fong and a clever garland, then Mark Montano shares his "armored" holiday ball, Judi Watanabe brings us a beautiful golden ornament, Ana Araujo makes a fun snow globe, and I create a stuffed cardinal ornament.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIdLiCy2R0s&feature=c4-overview&list=UU43BR4nhkkM43cM73d_X19w

Feeling Frosty Winter Home Decor

The When Creativity Knocks All-Stars' Designer Holiday series is rolling along and in this episode I show you how to combine Etchall, Rit Dye, Spellbinders, Makin's Clay, Beacon Adhesives, JudiKins Roxs, and Smoothfoam, Clearsnap Smooch Glitz and more create two home decor pieces for the holidays, and all winter long.   Here's the YouTube link, or follow the direct link to view the episode on WCK's site below.

http://whencreativityknocks.com/mycraftspace/m/videos/view/All-Star-Designers-Holiday-Series-Winter-Decor

Burlap & Twine Holiday Tree Decorations

This week I'm sharing two ornaments with a rustic, country Christmas feel.  You can find instructions for this first one on the Smoothfoam blog.     Instructions for the smaller twine ornament with the cute Blumenthal Lansing snowflake button can be found in Cindi's Simple Solutions at When Creativity Knocks.  

Poppy's Flags - A Memorial Day Custom

Remembering.... I wanted to share a this page I created many years ago when I began scrapbooking when my boys were still quite small, celebrating one of those “little things” that honor the memory of my grandfather.  Now they are 12 and 14,  my grandmother has joined my grandfather in heaven, and the singing part of this tribute may have stopped, but the flags still find a place of honor in our front yard on each occasion. 

Tom did the honors of placing the flags this morning...

This simple page began with a pre-blocked patterned scrapbook paper.  But even when I started the journey of scrapbooking so many years ago, I wanted more depth & dimension, so I popped things off the page - I added real buttons and wire over those printed on the page itself, cut second hearts and stars from a separate piece of paper, wrapped them with fibers, then mounted with Elmer’s foam tape over the preprinted ones.  Journaling was printed onto a removable tag kept in a pocket.  The photos are done “flip book style” - I used 3 clear envelopes, mounted with the tabs together, to create a flip book of photos of the flags and my boys with my grandmother performing their ritual to place the flags.

The journaling reads:

Poppy’s flags make their annual trip to our front yard each year for Memorial Day, Flag Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, (and now 9/11).  Great Grammy King, Joe & Tom have a parade from the back yard to the front yard singing "God Bless America" as loud as they can and I just know Poppy is enjoying the show and smiling down from Heaven!  - 7/2004 

Feather Tree & Paper Birds

This feather tree with shimmering paper birds was a project originally created last year for my Cindi's Simple Solutions column for the When Creativity Knocks Creative Journal - but I think it would fit right in with the holiday decorating trends I've been spotting this year in the magazines so I'm sharing it again here.

The tree itself came together in less than a half hour.    Based on a decoration my sons made at school several years ago, the simple little birds add a touch of nature along with a bit of sparkle.  

Materials:

Krylon Silver Leafing Pen
Bamboo skewer
Wooden spool
White feathers approximately 4-5” long
The Robin's Nest Calamity Jane patterned paper
Scissors
Glue gun & glue sticks
JudiKins Diamond Glaze and Quicksilver Roxs 
White thread
 

Use the silver leafing pen to color the bamboo skewer and spool.   Hot glue the skewer to center of the spool for base of tree. 




Begin at the bottom of the tree with the largest feathers and hot glue 5 evenly spaced around the bottom of the tree.   Continue upward reducing the size of the feathers slightly by trimming them with scissors.

 








Cut 7 small (approximately 1”) basic side view bird images from patterned paper.    Cut 7 rectangles from patterned paper approximately 1” x 1 1/2”. 

Accordion fold the rectangles at approximately 1/8” intervals.

Cut small slit horizontally in center wing area of each bird.   Slip through folded paper, bend upward and hot glue together to create wings.

Apply Diamond Glaze to back (white) side of birds.  While wet, coat with Quicksilver Roxs.  The chunkier texture of Roxs adds great texture and shine to catch the light on your little birds.

Hot glue white thread loops to back of wings on birds.  Hang from tree.

Cut approximately 5” circle from patterned paper.  Apply thin line of Diamond Glaze around top outside edge and sprinkle with Roxs.  Hot glue spool to center. - Happy Holiday Crafting! - Cindi

Holiday Ornament Gift Box

A 3” Smoothfoam ball is the base of this ornament which also serves as a gift box for a small treasure.

 Materials: 

Smoothfoam 3” ball
Plaid Mod Podge
Connie Crystals - blue, red
Silver wire
Foam brush
1/4” Ribbon
Spoon
Reindeer paper from BasicGrey Blitzen Collection
Westcott Premium TrimAir Titanium Paper Trimmer
Westcott Craft Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
Westcott Craft Hobby Knife
Red felt
Velcro Brand Sticky Back Fasteners

Instructions:


Carefully cut ball in half with craft knife.

Use a spoon (grapefruit spoon makes it easier as it has a grooved edge) to hollow out inside of both halves of ball.

Cut 1/2”  x 2” strips of patterned paper and Mod Podge onto top and bottom outsides of ball, overlapping each piece slightly.  Let dry. 

Cut 1 1/2” strip of wire, add small blue crystal bead and medium red crystal bead and insert through bottom center of ball.

Cut 4” strip of wire, add medium red crystal bead, medium green crystal bead, and small blue crystal bead.  Insert through top center of ornament.  Create loop at end to attach ribbon.

Cut felt to fit in bottom of both halves, mount.  Cut strips of felt to fit around inside of balls, mount against base piece of felt in each half.

Cut ribbon to wrap around center of ornament.  Glue ribbon in place on bottom of TOP of ornament,
extending downward so it will cover the edge of the bottom half when the ornament is “closed." 

Mount 1" strip of ribbon vertically along back center of ball (this will be your “hinge").


Mount small piece of sticky backed Velcro to inside center front of box to hold ornament closed. 


Creating hand-made ornaments each year is part of our family tradition - why not start your own tradition, and collection, this year? - Cindi

Snowflake Lights with JudiKins & Spellbinders

In the latest episode of WCK, we share how to use Spellbinders & JudiKins products to create sparkling snowflake lights for your holiday decorating - you can watch it here.

My newest product review is also live - JudiKins Diamond Glaze.

And finally, for today at least, here's my latest Cindi's Simple Solutions project for WCK - Countdown to Christmas night shirts or t-shirts featuring the KellyCraft Get-it-Straight Laser Square and Tulip Fabric Markers from I Love to Create! 

I hope you are inspired to Cre8time for a little holiday crafting soon! - Cindi

Holiday Shopping List - The Stylish Way

The countdown to the holidays is on - and for many people the real mad rush of shopping kicks in this week as we approach the infamous "Black Friday" day after Thanksgiving.    This year, I decided that instead of bringing a piece of notebook paper with my holiday shopping list - I'd create a small, purse sized notebook that I could keep my list in, tuck receipts or coupons into, etc.  I can even use it from one year to the next until it's filled.   When I whip out this list, I'm hoping this festive little book will make me stop and reflect on the true joy of giving - or at least remind me that soon enough I'll be back in my studio busily creating, which is much less stressful than shopping to me personally, when the holidays are over!  


Materials:

Darice 3" x 4" notebook 
Theresa Collins Noel Collection patterned papers and chipboard embellishments 
Spellbinders™ Grand Calibur® & Spellbinders™ Shapeabilities® Poinsettia set
Red cardstock
JudiKins Diamond Glaze
Clearsnap ColorBox Archival Dye Cat's Eye inkpad - Red Devil
The Robin's Nest "Champagne" Dew Drops embellishments
ScraPerfect The Best Glue Ever
1/2" Gold Organza ribbon
Westcott Craft Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors

Instructions: 

Following manufacturer instructions, cut and emboss poinsettia using Grand Calibur® & Spellbinders™ Shapeabilities® Poinsettia set.   Apply thin coat of JudiKins Diamond Glaze to each layer of petals before assembling flower. 

Determine how you'd like to layer the papers for cover and back of book.  The assortment of designs in the Theresa Collins Noel Collection all coordinate well so the hardest part is deciding which ones you want to use from the great assortment... Ink edges of all pieces with Clearsnap Red Devil inkpad.   Mount with Best Glue Ever.  Let dry.

Dovetail cut one end of gold organza ribbon, mount to bottom front of book, approximatley 1/2" from bottom edge, with dovetail extending slightly off edge.  Wrap around to back of book and mount.  

Mount chipboard "GIFTS" embellishment over gold ribbon.






Arrange poinsettia in bottom left front corner of book.  Mount, extending off book, and remove outer petals. 

Use JudiKins Diamond Glaze to mount gold Dew Drops embellishments as center of poinsettia, and layer over "GIFTS" chipboard embellishment.  Let dry.

Happy shopping and may you all take a moment to reflect on the joy of giving this season! - Cindi

DCC Makin’s Clay® Blog Hop: Adaptable Napkin Rings

This month the Designer Craft Blog Connection group hosted a designer challenge featuring Makin’s Clay®.  As a long time fan of the extreme versatility of Makin’s Clay®, I was excited to have other designers use it in their creations and share them with all of you.  Each participant received an assortment of clay, tools, cutters, texture sheets and push molds.  Be sure to click through the DCC link on the right to see what they’ve whipped up with their products from Makin’s Clay®!  For more ideas on creating with Makin's Clay®, visit the new Makin's Clay® Blog, Facebook Page, and Pinterest Board. 

I loved the adorable napkin rings fellow designer Ann Butler created from a repurposed paper towel roll, so I knew just what to start with when I created these “adaptable” napkin rings!   The brown tone of the clay, along with the texture provided from the texture sheet results in what I think looks a bit like leather.  By sticking with a simple color palette, these adaptable rings will coordinate with almost any color or pattern of napkin, for any theme or holiday.   The metal stamped embellishment serves as a holder for silk flowers, dried flowers, colorful autumn leaves, long stems of grasses, or any other embellishment you’d like to tuck behind it to customize your rings for the occasion.  The verses stamped on each are basic enough that they too are versatile.


Materials: 

Makin’s Clay® - Earth Tones multi pack (If creating 4 rings of the same colors, 2 multi-packages of clay will be needed)
Makin’s Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine® Makin’s Clay® Texture Sheet - Set A "Sand"
ImpressArt® Metal Stamps - Lowercase Newsprint
ImpressArt® brass stamping hammer, steel stamping plate, & Stamp Straight Tape™
Copper sheet
Westcott Craft Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
Sharpie marker, soft cloth
Small copper brads
Brown flat fiber trim
Elmer’s Craft Bond Adhesive
Small hole punch, tapestry needle (optional)

Instructions:

Begin by cutting a paper towel roll into desired number of 1 1/2” rings, then cut through each ring to create napkin ring.

Remove clay from box, remove from outer sealed plastic wrapping.  Cut individual wrapped piece of tan clay in half and remove inner wrapping from one half.  Makin’s Clay® is ready to use right from the package - no conditioning is needed.

Use Ultimate Clay Machine® to roll on #3 setting.  This will create a piece large enough to cover your chipboard ring.   Repeat with 2nd half.

Place a light coat of Craft Bond adhesive onto inside of chipboard ring.  Place clay onto ring, using fingers to gently ensure entire surface is covered with clay.  Remove any access clay extending off of chipboard. Repeat on second ring.

Place texture sheet over clay on ring.  Press into clay to transfer texture.

Cut individual wrapped piece of dark brown clay in half and remove inner wrapping from one half.

Use Ultimate Clay Machine to roll on #3 setting.  This will create a piece large enough to cover your chipboard ring.   Repeat with 2nd half.

Place a light coat of Craft Bond adhesive onto outside of chipboard ring.  Place clay onto ring, using fingers to gently ensure entire surface is covered with clay, extending slightly over edges onto back.  Repeat on second ring. 

Place texture sheet over clay on ring.  Press into clay to transfer texture. 

Reform rings, supporting sides as needed, and let dry overnight.

Measure and cut flat brown fiber trim to fit along inside edges of ring where two colors of clay meet.  Mount to cover edge.








To create metal plates, cut two pieces of copper sheet approximately 2” long by 1/2” wide. 

Use ImpressArt® Stamp Straight Tape™ on bottom of first piece to hold in place on steel stamping block.  Use lowercase Newsprint metal stamps and brass stamping hammer to stamp “be thankful” on first piece, and “be grateful” on second piece. 

Distress edges of each piece by lightly tapping with stamping hammer. 

Color each stamped verse with Sharpie marker.  Gently rub marker from copper sheet with soft cloth.  Ink will remain in stamped areas to highlight text.

Punch small hole in each end of each metal plate.


Determine placement on clay napkin rings.   Do not mount flush to ring, bring ends in a about 1/8” to allow metal plate to bend outward to accommodate embellishment inserted behind. 

Use tapestry needle, or small point of scissors, to gently push holes through clay and chipboard where needed. 

Mount plates to rings using copper brads.

To add embellishment, slip behind stamped metal plate. 

- Enjoy using these faux leather, adaptable napkin rings at a special dinner soon! - Cindi 

Makin's Clay is also offering a price package valued at just over $111.00 with products including  clay, tools and a Memory Frame Kit.....to enter leave a comment on the Makin's Clay® Blog telling us which project you liked best on the blog hop.  The winner will be randomly drawn from all entries
on or about October 24th.  We will announce the winner on the Makin's Clay® Blog so check back Thursday October 25 to see if you have won!