Designer Craft Blog Connection July Hop - Vacation Crafting!

Welcome to the July Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop!  This month’s theme is Vacation Crafting.   While many of us may use vacations as a time to sit back, relax, and actually not craft, for many of us it’s a time to spend MORE of our time crafting.   Whether you are on a trip to the mountains, a lake, the beach, a theme park, or are exploring a new state or country, if you look closely I promise you will begin to notice creative inspiration everywhere.  It’s in the color palettes of the scenic views, the textures and unique architecture of the buildings and clothing of the people around you, the wonderful tiny found elements to incorporate into your projects.   If you are enjoying a vacation in your own home and yard - take the time to notice all the details that make it special to you too, capture them and let them inspire your creativity!

Beach vacations tend to be popular - and who hasn’t come home with a bit of beach sand, and a few (hundred) seashells to help remember the good times along with fun photographs?     These Beach Memory bottles were a project I shared on an early episode of When Creativity Knocks - You can view the full episode here.    I repurposed shampoo bottles from hotel rooms, along with beach sand, tiny shells, assorted embellishments, and a tiny memory message in a bottle to create these pretty little reminders of fun beach vacations.   It’s a craft you can start working on while you are enjoying your vacation and helps you remember the good times in a unique way.   And, they look so pretty on my studio windowsill with the sunlight shining off of them and through the colored bottles.

Be sure to click through the Designer Craft Blog Connection link on the right to see the other creative vacation crafts being shared by this amazing group of talented designers.  There is always, literally, something for almost everyone in these hops and one of the best parts is seeing everyone’s interpretation of the monthly theme. 

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.

An Altered Necktie - All Things Altered Block Hop

Welcome to the "All Things Altered" Blog Hop, hosted by Pam Bray.  13 Designers are participating and adding their unique flair.  For my project I altered an old necktie purchased in the local Goodwill store (where I also discovered this clock shaped like a vintage pocket watch - had to have that!)  The vintage masculine papers in the Graphic 45 A Proper Gentleman Collection were perfect for what I had in mind.  I first tore assorted sheets from the collections into random sized pieces, then adhered them collage style using Plaid Fabric Mod Podge to the front of the tie.  The back was given a single coat of Plaid's Martha Stewart Crafts Copper Metallic Multi-Surface Craft Paint using haphazard strokes to add texture and sheen, yet the darker base color of the fabric still resonates through the paint.  

When paired with a vintage cufflink & tie bar set, a gentleman who accents his outfit with this vintage style altered tie is sure to feel dapper.

Be sure to hop through the 12 other participating designer's links and see what they have shared.  You are sure to find some inspiration to do a bit of creative altering yourself!

Betty - http://scrappybetty.blogspot.com/
Debbie - http://studiobeecreations.blogspot.com/
Christine - www.scrapbookingtechnique.blogspot.com/
Jess B. - http://thatzuneek.blogspot.com/
Charity- http://scrapfaire.blogspot.com/
Laura Evangeline - www.lauraevangeline.blogspot.com/
Eileen - http://www.eileenhull.blogspot.com/
Jennifer - http://hydrangeahippo.com/
Irit - http://iritshalom.blogspot.com/
Gloria - http://www.gloriascraps.blogspot.com/
Cindi - http://www.fatcatcreations.blogspot.com/

Here's a peak at the true colors of the papers in the collection