New Projects and More Chaos!

I am still picking up the pieces from my major MacBook Pro crash..... and I recently started working at Michaels Arts & Crafts which is also keeping me quite busy!   I wanted so share a couple of links to some new projects I've created this month for some of the manufacturers I work with.   

The first is a Back to School layout created with the KellyCraft Get-it-Straight™ Laser Square - you can find the instructions here on the KellyCraft blog. 

Next is a small jar candle given a seaside makeover with the help of Connie Crystal's new sea glass beads.  I absolutely love the soft frosty colors of these beads and am looking forward to creating more designs with them.  The instructions for this project are here on the Connie Crystal blog. 

I shared my technique for texturing Smoothfoam™

in a recent episode of Behind These Eyes on WCK and Smoothfoam™ shared the video here on their blog!  

I've also been busily working on some projects we'll be taping in California in early October for the When Creativity Knocks All-Star Designer Holiday Series with Mark Montano, Jonathan Fong, and Judi Watanabe.  It's been a frenzy of Spellbinders, Rit, Blumenthal Lansing, Beacon Adhesives, Makin's Clay, Etchall, Smoothfoam, and Clearsnap creativity!  

Stay tuned for more soon... - Cindi 

Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop - Saying Thanks

"Thanks" is a simple word - and it means so much.  But way too often, people forget the power that word holds.  The theme for the Designer Craft Connection blog hop this month is “thank you gifts.”   I encourage you to follow the DCC blog hop button in the right column on my blog and see how each of the designers has interpreted this theme.  Whether it’s simple gifts to say thank you to a hostess, little mementos to say thank you to a friend for being there for you, a hand-made thank you card to let someone know you appreciated their kindness, an email, a social media post, or even just verbally - it’s the thought that counts and everyone needs to take the time to remember to say THANKS in this world more often!

I’ve discovered that if I keep a stash of hand-made thank you cards on hand, I tend to think about actually saying thank you and sending them more often than if I have to stop and make one when the need arises.   I enjoy making something detailed and more involved when time allows, but these simple, quick butterfly thank you’s are cards I whip up in multiples and keep on hand.  The bold colors are eye catching, and most people like butterflies so it’s appropriate for almost anyone. 

Take time to say THANK YOU to someone in your world today - Cindi 

Creating with Crafty KT - “Autumn” Card

The theme for the Designer Craft Connection Crafty KT Blog Hop is Fabulous Fall.   I easily created this autumn cad with lots of dimension and depth, using the Layer Perfect, foil sheets, and adhesives from Kool Tak™.  Be sure to see what the other participating designers have shared by following the Designer Craft Connection link in the column on the right, and visit the Crafty KT website and sign up for their newsletter to be eligible to win their great giveaway prize (details here). 

Materials: 

Kool Tak™Layer Perfect
Kool Tak™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

Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio Tools Round 14 and Round 25
Epiphany Crafts Bubble Caps Round 14 an Round 25
Westcott Premium TrimAir Titanium Paper Trimmer
Westcott Craft Titanium Bonded Non-Stick Scissors
Patterned paper from Pebbles, Inc.
Red twill tape
Small copper brads
Green, light blue and brown cardstock
Brown inkpad
"autumn" stamp from The Stamping Studio

Instructions:

Cut green cardstock 5 1/2” x 4 1/4”.

Use Kool Tak™ Layer Perfect to find center of card.  Cut strip of Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 5” and use Kool Tak™ Layer Perfect to align and mount to center of green cardstock.

Cut two additional pieces of Clear Foam tape 2” and 1 1/2”.  Mount as shown to form tree branches.

Remove top protective strip from foam tape and apply sheet dark brown Kool Tak™Shiny Transfer Foil Sheets (Earth Tones) directly to tape. 

Ink edges of green cardstock with brown ink.

Following manufacturer instructions, use Epiphany Crafts punches to create multiple epoxy topped patterned paper spots, create a random number of small and at least 3 large.

Arrange large and small epoxy punched spots as tree leaves, mount using Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 1/4” x 1/4” squares to add depth.  Add small copper brads as accents.

Measure and cut 11 3/4” x 6 1/4” piece of patterned paper and fold in half to form card. 

Measure and cut 4 1/2” x 6” piece of brown cardstock.  Ink edges with brown inkpad. 

Use Kool Tak™ Layer Perfect to align brown cardstock on card front, 1 1/4” from folded edge, as shown.  Mount using Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 1/4” x 1/4” squares.

Use Kool Tak™ Layer Perfect to align green cardstock on card front over brown cardstock as shown.  Mount using foam squares. 

Ink “autumn” stamp with brown ink, stamp on to scrap of coordinating blue cardstock.  Trim.  Ink edges with brown inkpad. 

Cut 6” strip of red twill tape.  Use Kool Tak™ Premium tape      to mount to bottom of card, overlapping tree image, as shown.  Use Kool Tak™ Clear Foam tape 1/4” x 1/4” squares to mount “autumn” over twill tape on right edge.

Finish inside of card as desired.


Remember to visit the Crafty KT site to be eligible for their prize giveaway and check out the creations from the other participating designers - Cindi

Adding Sparkle & Getting it Straight!

I've got two announcements to share that I'm very excited about - I've recently joined two new Design Teams.  I'm always looking for new materials and tools to experiment with in my art, and with these two new manufacturers I'll be getting things a lot straighter when necessary, and adding a bit of bling!

KellyCraft is the manufacturer of the amazing Get-it-Straight™ Laser Square  - this tool makes it so simple to align things when creating - whether it's paper crafting, sewing & quilting, or other types of crafts.   I really didn't realize how much this tool could simplify things until I had a chance to work with it on my first project for the team which will be shared on their blog soon!  

 

Connie Crystal's booth has always been an eye catcher at CHA - I've shared pictures from the show of their booth in past post-show reports.  The sparkle from the products, and from Connie herself just draws you in.   The first time I met her, she gav me this beautiful necklace she had created just because it matched the blouse I was wearing perfectly! 

I just received my first box of bling from Connie Crystal and am excited to share a variety of mixed-media projects featuring her products in the coming months.  

I hope you take some time to be creative today - and remember to always "dare to be different!" - Cindi