Creative Paper Clay-Lighted Party Decor

Happy Monday!

A re-purposed pickle jar is the star of this lovely table decor, a beautiful wedding table accent, or just a night light.  

The complete instructions can be found on the Creative Paper Clay Blog. 
-Becky

Creative Paper Clay-Cat Ornament

Happy Monday!

I'm getting an early start on Christmas ornaments this year!  Here is a Kitty I made from Creative Paper Clay. He's a cutie!

A few lessons learned working with clay. Drying time can be unpredictable, this guy took a week and a half to finally be ready for sanding.   Acrylic paint helps cover a few flaws :o)

 Jump over to their blog for more details.
-Becky

My First Creative Paperclay DT Post!

Hello Crafters!
I have created a self portrait collage for my very first post as a member of the Creative Paper Clay Design Team!  I'm VERY excited to have paint and ink on my hands again. Creative Paper Clay is perfect for collage, it's lightweight, air-drying and easy to use. Please visit the Creative Paper Clay Blog to see the entire project.

Creatively,
Becky

Highlight: Jay Ceramics

 I want to give a big, excited SHOUT OUT to:

                 Jay Ceramics
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           Pottery From Portland, Maine

Stylish & Classic creative ceramics by Jayce Chabot

WEBSITE: HTTP://JCERAMICS.WEEBLY.COM

Jayce is my youngest son, he is attending the Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine and will be graduating with a Bachelors degree in ceramics this spring!   I'm so excited to see the fantastic pieces for sale on the website!  (I have a box of first year samples :o)  It's like watching a diamond being formed! The colors, design detail and overall balance of shape has been accomplished. 

It's a small website with three categories: cups, vases and plates.  Please check it out.
He also accepts requests for commission.
Please contact: jchabot44@yahoo.com

Proud Mom!
Make art everyday,
Becky

Colour Arte Design Team Hopeful

I've been working on a mixed media painting using stencils, it's layers of fun!

This post is also an application for the Colour Arte Design Team. You can learn more about Colour Arte, their products and helpful tutorials on their website: http://www.colourarte.com/.
Join a creative community on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ColourArte/231602303702224

 
SUPPLIES:
16 x 20 canvas
Acrylic Paint: (EcoGreen Crafts) Pistachio,  Zucchini, Forest, Blueberry, Eggplant, Leaf Green, Periwinkle, Lake, Pure Gold, Stone, Black, Sand
Decorative Stencils: (The Crafters Workshop) Botanicals TCW80, Flutterby TCW206, Harlequin TCW202
Flourish Stamp (Hero Arts)
Versamark Pad and Pen (Tsukineko)
Embossing powder: Gold (Ranger Ink)
Pigment Powder: Gold (Ranger Ink)
Gel Medium: Clear (DecoArt)

Tools and Other:
Paper towels, heat setting tool, paint brushes, mini spray bottles, 

Directions:
1. Paint the bottom 2/3 of the canvas with random areas of Pistachio and Zucchini paint.
2. After the area is covered, spritz with water and dab with a wadded paper towel to soften the brush strokes.
3. Let dry completely, a heating tool may be used to speed the process.
4. Paint the remaining background of the canvas using Lake and Blueberry paint. Spritz with water and dab with a wadded paper towel. Let dry.

5. Mix 1 oz of water and 2 tsp of Eggplant paint in a small spritzer bottle. Add 1/8 tsp of gold metallic pigment powder.  Shake until mixed.
6. Place the Butterfly stencil over the canvas, shake the spritzer before spraying over the top butterfly in the stencil.
7. Mix 1 oz of water and 2 tsp Forrest paint in a small spritzer bottle. Add 1/8 tsp of gold metallic pigment powder. Shake until mixed.
8. Spray over the remaining areas of the stencil.
9. Remove the stencil carefully and let dry or heat set.

10. Stencil Botanical leaves in the lower right corner with Leaf Green and Pistachio paint.
11. Stencil Botanical flowers in the lower left with Stone paint. Once dry, add details with Periwinkle.
12. Place the Harlequin stencil in the upper right corner and apply blends of Lake, Stone and Gold. Let dry.
13. Place the Harlequin stencil over the same area but shifted to the areas that were not stenciled previously. Apply blends of Blueberry, Lake and Sand paint.
14. Stamp Flourishes with Versamark Pad and emboss with gold embossing powder. If the canvas is stretched over a frame, the use of shims behind the canvas and large wood blocks to keep the canvas from moving is very helpful :o) If you still have "skips" use the Versamark Pen freehand to fill in the blanks and re-emboss.
15. Mix Gold pigment powder with black acrylic paint and paint the butterfly bodies.
16. Using any and all colors listed to add details and color to the butterfly wings. Use water to thin the paint to help blend easier and to give a more translucent effect.
17. Mix Gold Acrylic paint with Gel medium. Paint the edges of the butterfly wings and accent the bodies.
Randomly "dry" paint areas of the background.

I hope you enjoyed this project! It's fun and very easy to create colorful art with the help of stencils. If you have questions, please ask.  Then, PAINT ON!

Becky

Sin City Stamps! DT App

Today, I am sharing a way to customize the details of your decor.
This is a fun stamping project that can be adapted for use with many products that may have unattractive packaging. Make it pretty and make it match your style and home furnishings.

This post is also a Design Team Application for Sin City Stamps!  Check out their awesome stamp designs here:
Website:  www.sincitystamps.com
Blog:  www.sincitystamps.blogspot.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SinCityStamps

I love Aveeno lotion and the convenience of the larger bottle with the pump, but it sure does look gaudy.  (grins)  This cover can be reused on the next bottle too, just unlace the sides, put it over the new bottle and lace again!

I made two sides that are different, so when I move it to another room, it will still go with the decor.

SUPPLIES:
Brown craft paper
Acrylic Paint: Pistachio, Lake, Storm, Zucchini, Pumpkin, Mulch, Sand (EcoGreen Crafts)
Pigment Ink: Chocolate and Clear (VersaCraft, VersaMark)

Dye ink pads: Purple Twilight, Espresso
Embossing Powder: White, Gold (Ranger Ink)
2 shades of green alcohol ink pens: CG4, DG3 (Spectrum Noir)
Scrap of brown cardstock
Mini Brads: Brown, Lavender
Gossamer Stretch Cord: Clear (Cousins) -or fishing line

RUBBER STAMPS:
Cherry Blossoms, Large Flourish  (Hero Arts)
Small Flourish (Stampin UP)
Butterfly (EcoGreen Crafts)
Branches (Stampers Anonymous-Tim Holtz Collection)
Pine Tree (Art Impressions)
Fern (The Angel Company)

Instructions: (Side 1)
1. Trace the outline of the bottle onto brown craft paper. Flip the bottle up to allow for a base, then roll down onto the other side of the bottle and trace.
2. Cut out the pattern for the cover, cut 1/4" to 1/2" outside your lines to allow coverage for the sides of the bottle, as desired. Trim the bottom portion close and exact.
3. Paint the first side, blending both blue acrylic paints.
4. Stamp the branches with Chocolate VersaCraft ink. Heat set.
5. Stamp the pine trees with Zucchini acrylic paint.  To stamp with acrylic paint, apply a light coat of paint to the stamp with a brush or sponge, don't over load or it will blotch.
6. Stamp more pine trees with a blend of Zucchini and Pistachio paints.  Stipple while wet to blend.  Let dry.
7. Blend a lighter shade of green with both Zucchini and Pistachio paints, stamp ferns. let dry.
8. Lighten the last batch of blended paint with more Pistachio and stamp the last layer of ferns. let dry.
9. Stamp Cherry Blossoms onto white paper with VersaMark pigment and heat emboss with white embossing powder.
10. Use a dauber or piece of felt to apply Purple Twilight ink to the flowers; darker at the center and blended out.
11. Color the leaf areas with 2 shades of alcohol ink markers, blending.  let dry.
12. Cut out the stamped image and adhere it over the fern area, as shown.

Instructions: (Side 2)
1. Using both flourish stamps and VersaMark pigment, stamp the entire background with flourishes. Heat Set.
2. Stamp the Butterfly onto brown cardstock with VersaMark pigment and emboss with gold embossing powder. Trim closely to a rectangle.
3. Add small dabs of Pumpkin acrylic paint throughout the wings.
4. Apply Chocolate VersaCraft pad to paper over the butterfly and wipe away with a paper towel. Heat set.
5. Add more accents with Pumpkin acrylic paint throughout the wings.
6. Mat the brown cardstock onto brown craft paper and ink the edges with Chocolate VersaCraft. Heat set.
7. Adhere the matted butterfly to the flourished background.
8. Using a small brush, add small dots of mulch acrylic paint to accent flourishes on the background.



Assembly:
1. Use a piercing tool to poke holes approximately 1/2" to 3/4" apart on all four sides.
2. Put a mini brad through each hole and fasten.
3. Cut two 36" pieces of Gossamer Stretch Chord.
4. Use a temporary adhesive to hold the sides up to the bottle to make lacing easier, wrap the gossamer around the bottom brads, tighten and criss-cross (just like ice skates!), then wrap around the 2nd brads, etc. until you reach the top.
4. Tie at the top or knot and trim excess.

I hope this project inspires your creativity, keep on stamping!
Becky

DCC: Happy Halloween!

Welcome to the Designer Crafts Connection (DCC) Happy Halloween Hop!

We are a group of designers and crafters, linked together for monthly posts of crafty inspiration on the first Monday of each month.  Be sure to hop around using the logo/button at the bottom of this post or on my sidebar.

This is the costume I purchased to wear for the Halloween festivities this year.

The only blonde with long hair that I'm familiar with in the Star Trek series, is 7 of 9.  She had a run in with the Borg and has metal parts on her face.  Therefore, I need one too.

SUPPLIES:
Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel (UTEE): Silver, clear, and Flex (Ranger Ink)
Clear Pigment Ink Pad: Versamark (Tsukineko)
Geometric Rubber Stamp: Starving Art Stamps
Watch faces and parts

Tools: Melting pot, heat resistant mat, spatula (Ranger Ink), Scissors and/or cutting knife and a cutting mat.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Prep: Clean the melting pot of any previous residue. Do this by heating the pot, pouring out the excess and wiping down with a big wad of paper towel. Use caution, as it does have to be done while the pot is still hot.

2.  Add the clear and silver UTEE and Flex to the pot.  Cover and melt, stirring gently on occasion with the spatula. (Note: Be sure you have a spatula that is made for melting and/or heat resistant.  Your standard kitchen spatula may not be up to the job and melt (grins) Lesson learned.

3. Prep the rubber stamp with the resistant Versamark ink.

4. Pour the melted silvery UTEE onto the heat resistant mat.

5. Place metal watch parts, gears etc into the puddle of melted UTEE.

6. Stamp on top of the puddle and let sit until it's cooled enough to touch and it will release, or gently tug at it and peel away.

7. While the UTEE is still warm and pliable, cut the piece into a random shape. Let the geometric design guide you.

I will use an adhesive safe for skin and apply this to my temple just before judging!

I hope you have a fantastic Halloween celebration.

Be sure to hop around to see more Halloween Craftiness!