Smoothfoam™ Jumbo Conversation Hearts!

Everyone loves those little candy conversation hearts you can find everywhere around Valentine's Day (although the messages sure are different these days then when I was young lol!).  Learn how to make my jumbo version featuring DecoArt® Americana® Chalky Finish paint and Craft Attitude™ to decorate your home for Valentine's Day on the Smoothfoam™ blog here.

Country Style Luau Mason Jars

Summer is here and it's time for backyard barbecues and parties!  This month's Designer Craft Connection theme is Party Decor - so it's a perfect time for me to share these Country Style Luau Mason Jars I'm using to hold silverware and straws for our country style backyard luau!   Be sure to follow the DCC clickable link in the right column of my blog to see what other creative Party Decor projects our amazing designers are sharing to inspire you!

Materials:

Ball Mason Jars - Heritage Green pint size (you could use regular - but I love the combination of the green glass with the red & yellow - seemed more tropical to me!)
BurlapFabric.com Red Burlap
Westcott® Titanium Bonded® Non-Stick Scissors, Self-Healing Cutting Mat
DecoArt® Americana® acrylic paint - White Wash
Small paintbrush
Yellow ribbons (I used 3 different styles)
Wood Attitude® printable craft film
Conputer & printer
Wooden tags, string
AdTech Glue Gun & Glue Sticks
Elmer's Craft Bond Glue stick

Instructions:

Use cutting mat as a guide to measure out 4" x 11" strips of red burlap - cut with scissors.

Use small paintbrush and white acrylic paint to paint hibiscus flowers onto red burlap (I found an image of a hibiscus flower online to use as a guide).  Let dry.

Following manufacturer instructions, type and print Hawaiin words onto sheet of Wood Attitude® printable craft film (I googled Hawaiin words, then printed off words to create a custom message on my tags….. can you figure out what the message says?)

Trim words and mount to small wooden tags using glue stick, add string to tags.

Fray edges of painted red burlap by removing threads about 1/4" in on top and bottom edges.  Wrap around mason jars and adhere with small amount of hot glue.  Add decorative ribbons to top rim of jars, tie on wooden tags.

Be sure to come back on July 13th for 20 more creative projects featuring burlap products in a DCC Blog Hop sponsored by BurlapFabric.com - and enter to win their fabulous prize package valued at $100 that includes a really nice variety of natural and colored burlap yardage, ribbons, embellishments and totes.  They will have several ways to enter including leaving a comment on my blog and following the DCC, BurlapFabric.com, and Craft Foxes on social media!  

Bluebird of Happiness Baby Shower Video

In this episode of the WCK All-Star Designers Spring Series, I share an idea for combining products from Makin's Clay®, Rit Dye®,  Smoothfoam™, Halcraft®, DecoArt®, JudiKins, Westcott® and AdTech to create a baby room banner - view the episode here:

http://whencreativityknocks.com/mycraftspace/m/videos/view/All-Star-Designers-Spring-Series-Bluebird-of-Happiness-Baby-Shower

Designer Craft Blog Connection Hop - Celebrations!

It's July 1st!  Time for the Designer Craft Blog Connection Hop!  This month our theme was Celebrations - and although I originally shared these projects several days ago - they just fit so perfectly with this theme I just had to share them again here for new readers to discover!    Be sure to click the Designer Craft Connection blog hop button in the column on the right to see what the other talented participating designers are sharing with you this month!   Take time to CELEBRATE life! - Cindi

A PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION WITH

 CRAFT ATTITUDE™!

Creating a wide variety of patriotic themed serving pieces and decorations is easy with Craft Attitude™ products! 

I'm honored to be part of a group of amazing designers sharing their Patriotic creations featuring Craft Attitude™!   Here's a complete list with links of everyone participating, so be sure to check out what they've shared too!

Who & Where - Find Your Patriotic Craft Attitude™ Inspiration here!

 June 10: Jonathan Fong & Candie Cooper
www.jonathanfongstyle.com/blog/
http://candiecooper.typepad.com

June 13: Terri Sproul
http://terrisproul.blogspot.com

June 17: Eileen Hull
http://eileenhull.blogspot.com

June 20: Cindi Bisson
http://fatcatcreations.blogspot.com

June 24: Jen Goode
http://www.jgoode.com

June 27: Aunt Peaches
http://www.auntpeaches.com

July 1: Lorine Mason
http://lorinemason.com/blog/

Follow the Craft Attitude link in the right column of my blog to purchase Craft Attitude™

 products and get free shipping!

Materials:

Decor Attitude™!

Quilt Attitude™!
Scrapbooking Attitude™!
Inkjet printer
Basket
Plate
Muslin
Burlap
Jute
Blumenthal Lansing star buttons
Elmer's Craft Bond Spray Adhesive
Elmer's Craft Bond Glue Stick
Westcott Titanium Bonded scissors
Preprinted historical documents (optional)

"America" Serving Basket

A plain, inexpensive basket gets some patriotic pizazz with Decor Attitude!   When I added this finished basket to my “collectable” brand name basics, it looked just as good!

Determine width of horizontal basket slats.   Size American flag image so that stripes are the same size as the basket slats.  Size lettering to spell out AMERICA with approximately 1/4” between letters.   REVERSE FLAG IMAGES AND TEXT and  print onto Decor Attitude! 

Note:  When designing this basket, I found it easier to work section by section, cutting as I went rather than cutting all pieces before beginning to mount. 

Beginning with stars, cut strips to fit each basket section, peel from backing, mount onto individual sections using glue stick.  Continue until blue area is desired size.   

Cut red stripes from flag image, cut into individual sections and mount to basket using glue stick.  

Cut AMERICA lettering and mount vertically to right of flag on individual basket slats using glue stick.

“We the People” Snack Plate 

Although this plate came with the blue stars already around the edges, a solid plate would work too. 

Determine circumference of area of plate you wish to cover with Declaration of Independence text.    For this plate, inner circle was 7 1/2” in diameter.

Size Declaration of Independence image to needed width.  REVERSE IMAGE and print onto Decor Attitude!

Trace plate, bowl or other round item the same circumference  as the area to be covered, cut out. 

Apply spray adhesive, peel from backing and mount to center of plate.

Vintage Flag Pennant Banner

Images of vintage flags, printed onto Quilt Attitude™!, and mounted onto muslin and burlap give this patriotic banner an old fashioned feel.

Choose flag images, size to desired size (flag images on this banner are 5" across top, and point is 5 1/2" from center of top.)
REVERSE IMAGES and print onto Quilt Attitude™! 

Create template for pennants, trace onto desired area of each flag image.  Cut out.

Cut muslin pennants approximately 1/2” larger on all sides than flag images.  Fray edges.

Cut burlap pennants approximately 1/2” larger on all sides than muslin pennant.  Fray edges.

Apply spray adhesive to flag pennants, peel from backing and mount onto muslin pieces.

Mount muslin pieces to burlap pieces. 

Carefully (I say carefully, because I did not follow this advice, and although blood coordinates nicely with the vintage colors of these flags, I don’t recommend adding it as an accent to your pennants...) use scissors to make holes approximately 1/2” from top left and right corners of each pennant.   Place jute through hole, tie knot in front.  Continue connecting pieces using jute, leaving approximately 1” space between each pennant.

To add “America” accents to alternating pennants, size text to desired size and type number needed for your banner.  REVERSE IMAGE and print onto Quilt Attitude™!

Cut each word and mount to piece of muslin.  Fray edges. Mount muslin with text onto piece of burlap, fray edges.  Mount to bottom center area of alternating pennants.   Add tan star button accents as shown.

 

Historical Documents Placemats or 

Table Runners

Use purchased copies of historical documents or print images (search Declaration of Independence, Abe Lincoln....) onto parchment vellum or lightweight parchment paper.  Mount unprinted sheets of Scrapbooking Attitude! over surface of each document, front and back, to protect against tearing, minor spills or stains.  Save your historical documents for future celebrations.

Ice Cream Cone Garland with Smoothfoam!

 

I've been having a lot of fun designing with Smoothfoam lately - and my latest project is now on their blog -

 http://www.smoothfoam.com/blog/national-craft-month-ice-cream-cone-party-garland/

It's an ice cream cone party garland - and these little buggers look good enough to eat :0).   Want to find out how to make one of your own?  Check out the Smoothfoam blog!

Also -

Want a chance to WIN $100 worth of Smoothfoam sheets and shapes? Just leave on comment on this project post (click the “replies” link) - http://www.smoothfoam.com/blog/national-craft-month-ice-cream-cone-party-garland/ - and come back to the Smoothfoam blog to leave a comment on every post in March to enter! That’s up to 31 chances to win…good luck!

Shimmering Candle Balls with Smoothfoam

Give your cakes a pop of colorful shimmer with re-usable, customizable candle balls.   Choose your colors, make up a batch of these fun accessories and you’ll be ready for any celebration!

Materials:

Smoothfoam™ 1” Balls
Plaid® Mod Podge® - Glossy
Tulip® Fashion Glitter™ Assortment - Neons
Scissors, small plates, wax paper
Optional:  alphabet stickers, birthday candles

Instructions:

1. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of desired colors of glitter into separate plates (*Note - amount of glitter needed will depend on desired number of finished balls.)
2. Use fingers (or a small foam brush) to apply a layer of Mod Podge® over entire 1” Smoothfoam™ ball.  
3. Roll in glitter, set on wax paper to dry.
   Repeat until number of desired balls is achieved.  Let dry.
4. When dry, apply another coat of Mod Podge® over glittered balls, and roll again.  Let dry.
5. Repeat a 3rd time.  Let dry.
6. When dry, apply a final coat of glossy Mod Podge® to seal the glitter and prevent it from dropping into the food, and to make it easy to clean the balls with a damp cloth after use.  Let dry.
7. To make holes to insert candles, carefully place tip of scissors through top of ball and rotate slightly.  Once hole has been “started” with scissors, insert a bamboo skewer, end of a clean ink pen, or other item that is approximately the same diameter as the candles you will be using.  Push in approximately 1/4” and remove. 
8. Insert candles, add alphabet stickers to customize a message if desired. 
9. When ready to serve the cake, remove the glittered balls, wipe with a damp cloth and they are ready to use on your next project.  

Follow the Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop button in the right column to see what other fun projects the designer group has created with Smoothfoam™ products!

To enter to win a prize package, leave a comment on favorite projects on the designer's blog and say what you would make with Smoothfoam.  The more often you comment, the more chances you have to win.  All the projects will be posted on Pinterest so readers can comment there too.  The winner will be announced on November 19th.
- Cindi