CS Kit Club April - Hope & Penant

Have you checked out the April Kit from Clear Scraps Creating Made Easy Kit Club.  The colors in the kit are soft and neutral to easily work into decor.   Here are two projects I've made with the kit.  Visit the Creating Made Easy blog for more inspiration from the kit!

The first project is done with the Large Pennant Piece from Clear Scraps.  (not included in the kit, but available through the Clear Scraps store)   I layered two papers behind the acrylic and glued them in place using Beacon Zip Dry Adhesive.

 I used two of the Clear Scraps Flower shapes as a base for the flower section.  These were colored with Silver and Blue alcohol inks and then run through my Sizzix Big Shot machine in embossing folders to give the a little texture.  The border of the Pennant is dotted with pearls using a Viva Decor silver pearl pen.  (Note that Glue, alcohol inks and pearl pens are not included in the kit)  The swirls of pearls ARE included in the kit!!  The pieces was further embellished with die cut flowers and butterflies, and flowers and buttons from the kit.

The second project is done with the Clear Scraps Large Word - Hope.  The letters were traced onto two of the patterned papers from the kit.  After cutting the letters out, they were attached to the back of the acrylic, using Beacon Zip Dry adhesive.

I used Stazon Brown ink and a dauber around the edges of the letters for a more antiqued look.

Then bronze pearl "studs" were added using Viva Decor bronze pearl pen.  I finished by added some die cut flowers and butterflies, along with some of the flowers from the kit.  I used the bronze pearl pen to add centers to the flowers and some highlights on the butterfly.

I hope you enjoy the April Kit! 

KC

Clear Scraps Happy Spring Banner

As we are preparing to get hit with a major winter storm, I'm thinking SPRING!!!.  The Garden Acrylic Border from Clear Scraps inspired this Happy Spring Banner.  This project features some of the new 2013 releases from Clear Scraps!

I used the New Large Chip Banner pieces for the base of the banner.  They are covered in bright papers from Red Rubber Designs - Catelynne Patterned Cardstock Collection, and embellished with pearls, pearl paints and acrylic flowers and butterflies.  The glitzy centerpiece is the Acrylic Garden Border.

I wanted lots of fanciful glitter on this project, so I began by picking out one element on the garden border - the butterflies - and coating it with Art Glitter's Designer Dries Clear Adhesive.

Then I sprinkled a mix of blue glitters over the wet glue.  I repeated this on each of the butterflies on the border.  Then I did the dragonflies with blue bodies and green wings, and then the flowers in pink and white glitter.

It sparkles beautifully!

Check all the NEW products from Clear Scraps!!  They are all spectacular!!

And visit the Clear Scraps Blog, for lots of inspiration!

KC

Connie Crystal Sun Catcher

I love the way Connie Crystals catch the light.  I have created a dazzling sun catcher to hang in one of my favorite places.  I used:

Silver tone metal rings - 1- 3" and 1- 4" - found near the macrame and kid craft area of Hobby Lobby
20 gauge metal wire
4 - Connie Crystal Octagon Crystal Beads - 1 each: Aqua, Purple, Grey and Crystal AB
3 - Connie Crystal Clear Square Crystals
2 - Connie Crystal 8mm Round Clear Beads
1 - 40mm Sunburst Crystal - from Connie Crystal

I began by laying the rings and crystals out to figure out spacing and then took a sharpie marker to mark approximately where the holes from each bead were on the inner ring.

I cut off about 2 feet of wire and strung a square crystal to the center of it.  I gave the wire a couple twists right above the crystal.  This is the center crystal, so I placed it at the center marking and began wrapping the wire around the metal ring to the right and left until I got to the next sharpie marks.

I worked up the right side first, adding a crystal bead at each sharpie mark.  Then I came back and did the beads to the left the same way.

 

I created a hanger by making a larger loop for hanging and then a smaller loop at the bottom that will eventually hold the large focal crystal.  I then wrapped this wire piece around the two metal rings to connect them and hold them in place.  

To further secure the two rings together, I added an 8mm round bead to each of the lose ends of wire and then wrapped the wire around the outer ring several times before trimming the excess off.  The final step was to create a wire loop for the large sunburst.  I then used a small jump ring to hang the crystal from the wire at the top.  

Please visit the Connie Crystal Blog to see more tips, tricks and inspiring projects using Connie Crystals.  

Fleur de Lis

This project was on the Art Glitter blog a few month's ago for our cross promotion with Graphics 45 and Want 2 Scrap.  But in case you missed it, I wanted to share it on my blog!

For this project, I've use papers from Graphics 45 Steampunk Debutante Collection, Chipboard Fleur de Lis (found at my local box store), Mod Podge,  Swirls Finesse - LeCreme (pearl flourish designs) from Want 2 Scrap, Brown Copic Marker and blender, Designer Dries Clear Adhesive, and Ultrafine Transparent Glitter - #249 - Wood Berry from Art Glitter, and a few Prima Marketing Paper Flowers.

I started by tracing the Fleur De Lis onto the 12" x 12" piece of steampunk paper, and carefully cutting it out.      I painted the sides and back of the chipboard with brown acrylic paint.  I then decoupaged the paper to the chipboard.  I cut out the round medallion from another paper in the collection, and a few of the roses from the rose paper in the collection.  I placed the medallion where I wanted it and then flipped the chipboard over so that I could mark and trim the excess that stuck out beyond the chipboard.  I did the same with the roses so that once glued in place, there would be smooth edges along the line of the chipboard.  These pieces were then decoupaged in place with the Mod Podge.

To add a little more depth, and make the designs stand out a little more, I took a brown Copic marker and outlined the rose pieces and the round medallion.  Then I took the blending pen and blended the marker out a little.  I used the same marker to go around the edge of the whole piece.

The Want 2 Scrap pearl scrolls were place so that they spanned from the "arm" down to the curl at the bottom.  Once in place, I snipped off the small section of pearls that was suspended between these two sections.  

Finally, it was time for glitter!  I used the "sprockets" as a guide and made tiny dots of Designer Dries Clear Adhesive (DDCA) - using the fine point tip, and then coated these in Wood Berry Glitter.  I used the fine point tip to add DDCA over the lady's earring and then glittered that.  Finally, I drew DDCA along the petals of the paper flowers and then sprinkled these with Wood Berry Glitter.  Once the DDCA was dry, I used a soft brush to brush any excess glitter off the flowers and fleur de lis, and then glued the flowers in place, using DDCA.

Please come check out the Art Glitter blog for great projects, tips, tricks and tutorials for lots of glittering fun!

Feeding the Hummingbirds with an upcycled wine bottle

Earlier this summer I broke my hummingbird feeder and we have gone without one for most of the summer.  A few weeks ago I was enjoying a beautiful day outside and decided it was time to get a feeder back up.  I wasn't completely sure there were still hummingbirds in our area, but I hung the feeder anyway.

I was delighted to see this little guy using it the next morning.  As the week went on, he and his friends drained the nectar.  So the following weekend it was time to clean it and refill it.

I didn't even have it hung back up yet and one was back looking for more.  She was so anxious that I tipped the bottle over and she drank from it while I was holding it.  My daughter was walking past the window and saw me feeding the hummingbird and wanted to try it too.  So I grabbed my camera, she grabbed the feeder and we sat and waited for our new friend to come back.  We didn't have to wait long.  Just a few minutes later, she came flitting over.  She hesitated a little but then came in and gave us a great photo op!

The directions for this hummingbird feeder are on the Connie Crystal Blog today.  Drop by and check it out!

And don't forget, you can get Connie Crystals on Amazon, at AC Moore, or if you have a store and a resale number, you can get a wholesale account directly from Connie Crystal.

"M" is for My Daughter

I can't believe my baby is turning 20 next week!  She's away at school and moved into her first apartment this year.  But what really shows me that she is growing up is that she has finally moved beyond zebra stripes in her decor!  She actually picked a very "grown up" comforter for her room, so I am making an "M" for her wall.

For this project I used:  A chipboard "M" (you can use the letter of your choice :)  Scraps of paper in her color scheme, Helmar Decoupage Paste, Helmar Gemstone Glue, Art Glitter Ultrafine Glitter - #249 Woodberry, Reusable stencil from Plaid, Embossing ink (Versa Mark) and embossing powder (Mardi Gras from Globecraft Memories).

Start with a chipboard letter

Tear scraps of paper and arranged them loosely on top of the M making sure everything will be covered and that you have a good balance of colors.

Use a sponge brush to brush a thin layer of Decoupage Past on the chipboard and lay the first piece of paper down.  Then put more paste on top of the first piece, just where the second piece would over lap and make sure you have enough paste on the letter to hold the second piece in place.

Continue until you have the entire letter covered, with the papers extending beyond the edges.

Let dry completely.

Use an Exacto knife or razor knife to cut the excess paper away.  Turn the letter upside down on a cutting surface and work from the backside.  Don't try to hold your knife flat against the edge of the letter to cut.  You will end up cutting into the chipboard.  Hold the knife so it is at a 45 degree angle from the edge and follow the bottom edge of the letter.  If you are impatient, like I was, and don't wait for your paste to be completely dry, your paper may not cut straight or may wrinkle or tear.

Brush the front of the letter with a generous coat of Decoupage Paste and let dry completely.  If there were edges that came up during the cutting process, put a little paste under them and press them back into place.

My daughter loves Fleur de Lis, and I happened to find this pack of stencils from Plaid that had the Fleur de Lis on the front of the package.  It was meant to be....

Tape the stencil in place with painter's tape.

Use a small sponge brush or stencil brush to stencil Gemstone Glue.

Remove the stencil and cover the glue with Art Glitter Ultrafine Glitter.  Tap the excess onto a clean sheet of paper and pour back into the jar.  Once the glue is dry, use a soft brush to brush any excess off the Letter.

I finished the "M" by adding some rhinestone Fleur de Lis from my stash drawer.  Then I stamped and heat embossed some flourishes in the corners.

Please be sure to visit the Art Glitter Blog for more glittering creations!

Thanks for stopping by!

KC