Trick or Treat Goody Card - DIY Video featuring Judi Watanabe

This week's WCK All-Star Designers Holiday Series episode features Judi Watanabe from Judikins!  Judi shares this adorable trick or treat Halloween card with a pocket for a treat!  

Love This! Valentine Heart Clay Earrings

This week the Designer Craft Connection's blog hop theme is "Love This!"  We were asked to share projects featuring something we love - a product, tool, technique, etc.   I'm sharing a project featuring several products I love, and a few techniques too!

Be sure to follow the Designer Craft Connection link in the column on the right to see what other creative projects the designers are sharing!









Materials (A few that I LOVE!):

Makin's Clay® - White & Red
                         - Clay roller, Heart Cutter Set
Connie Crystals - red and clear
Beacon® Adhesives 527
JudiKins French Script rubber stamp
Clearsnap® Ann Butler's Crafter's® Ink -
Silver French earring wires, silver flat head pins
Jewelry pliers

Instructions:

Mix small amount of white and red clay to swirl and create shades of pink.  Roll thin (approximately 1/8" thick.  I love blending clay and leaving it slightly swirled - I think the effect is so pretty and each piece is totally unique. 

Ink script stamp with red ink and stamp into rolled clay.   Use medium heart cutter to cut 4 hearts.  Let dry (should only take an hour or so since clay is rolled so thin).  I love to rubber stamp Makin's Clay® - you can stamp it when it's wet or dry - use the stamp to make impressions in wet clay, etc.  Endless creative options!   And this JudiKins French Script stamp is truly one of my must have stamps - I've used it on so many projects I've lost count! 

Cover back of 2 hearts with Beacon 527.  Place flat head pin with head at base of back of heart.  Place second heart on top to seal pin within.  Let dry.  Beacon's 527 is one of my "go-to" adhesives - it works on virtually anything, is super strong, and dries clear! 

Add clear crystal bead and then red crystal bead.  Create loop at top of pin.  Add to earring wires.  Connie Crystals are a great embellishment for many projects - I love having them in my creative stash to go to for not just jewelry, but paper crafts, mixed-media and more! 

Floral Impressions Pendant and Earrings

I'm excited to be a part of the ETI® and Ann Butler Designs™ blog hop today!   I created this "Floral Impressions" pendant and earring set with a variety of ETI products, and the impressionistic flowers were "painted" with Ann Butler's Iridiescents from Earth Safe Finishes.

Please visit each blog and leave a comment to be entered for the blog candy prize (US Residents only due to the liquids included in the prize package.) YES, a comment on EACH blog gets you an entry for the prize package shown below!  Share the fun with your friends!  We will pick a winner on Saturday the 20th and announced on the Ann Butler and ETI blogs.  Again, be sure to visit all the sites and leave a comment.  The prize package includes EasyCast, Jewelry Resin, Mold, Resin Spray, 2 Colors, and all 4 1" Faux Quilting Stamp Sets! 

Ann Butler

Beth Watson

Carmen Flores Tanis

Cindi Bisson

Dana Kersey Joy

Graciela Chavez De Mejia

Irit Shalom

Kristi Parker Van Doren 

Larissa Collins Pittman

Lisa Rojas

Paula Weddle DeReamer

Roberta Birnbaum

Steph Ackerman

Vishu Reberholt

Materials:

EnviroTex® - Jewelry Resin

                   - Jewelry Clay®

                   - Castin Craft Mold Release Conditioner

                   - EasyCast Resin Jewelry Mold                 

Ann Butler Designs™ Earth Safe Finishes Iridescents - Skylar, Limelight, Lipgloss

DecoArt® Glass Paint Markers™ - Fuchsia, Citron 

JudiKins™ Floral Fabric Patterns Cube 

Silver jewelry findings 

Pink dyed silk ribbon 

Jewelry pliers, wax paper

Instructions:

1. Following manufacturer instructions, mix EnviroTex® Jewelry Clay®.  

2. Spray mold with release conditioner, place jewelry clay in large oval and 2 small ovals.  Press silver ring into top of each oval, with top extending over oval to act as hanging loop - clay will adhere and hold in place.  

3.  Before clay sets and hardens, carefully remove ovals from mold.  Paint with one coat of Skylar Iridescents.  

4. Apply Lipgloss and Limelight Iridescents directly to floral image on stamp.   Stamp into each oval, pressing lightly to transfer image and leave an impression of the image in the clay.  Let clay dry and cure. 

5. Use markers to add highlights to the stamped flowers and leaves.    

6. Mix approximately 5cc EnviroTex® jewelry resin according to manufacturer instructions.  Place pieces on wax paper, and coat with thin layer of resin.  Let dry. 

7. Add silk ribbon to pendant, and add jewelry closures.  Add jump rings and french wires to earrings.  

Autumn Bling with Connie Crystal

My latest project designed with Connie Crystal is now live on their blog - you can find instructions on how to create this stamped necklace and earring set here:  http://sparklebycc.com/stunning-fall-set/

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!

Thanksgiving Napkins with KellyCraft and Connie Crystal

Create unique napkins for your Thanksgiving table!  The KellyCraft Get-it-Straight Laser square makes it easy to combine stamping, ribbon, and a bit of bling with Connie Crystal!   Find the tutorial here on KellyCraft's blog! 

Go ahead and get crafty and make something unique for your holiday table this year - Cindi

Warm Wishes with Connie Crystal and Tombow

Connie Crystal, Tombow Adhesives, Spellbinders dies, and Tombow Irojiten Color Dictionary pencils are combined for a mixed-media Autumn toned card to send warm wishes to someone special.  Find a full tutorial on how to recreate this project at the Connie Crystal Blog. 











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Faux Mulberry Paper with Rit Liquid Dye

I'm excited that another of my projects is featured on the home page at Rit Dye!   I discovered a simple way to make faux mulberry paper using dry baby wipes - you'll find full instructions here.