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!

DCC Home Decor Hop

Welcome to the Designer Crafts Connection (DCC) Home Decor Hop sponsored by Kunin Felt, Beacon Adhesives snd Buttons Galore and More. 

Because this hop is a manufacturers challenge, WE ARE HAVING A GIVEAWAY! 
Enter here: Designer Crafts Connection https://www.facebook.com/DesignerCraftsConnection/app_228910107186452

Be sure to hop around, there are many fantastic designers sharing various projects about how to preserve memories. Great techniques are featured along with an exciting variety of projects.

I created this bird and flower garland for my mantle, but my livingroom isn't lit very well. Therefore, couldn't get a good picture there. I have a Tatuage border along the chair rail of roses and wrought iron. These darling birds are right at home on the mantle. 

SUPPLIES: 
Kunin felt, one patterned and 2 solids. 
Beacon adhesives Felt Glue
1" buttons in coordinating colors- Buttons Galore and More
6 feet of ribbon

Instructions:

1. Cut out bird 8 shapes from patterned felt. Cut two at a time with the felt folded over, so birds will be going in opposite directions. 
2. Cut out flower and birds wings from plain felt. 
3. Lay the ribbon out on a large table, find the center. 
4. glue a flower to the center of the ribbon, glue a button to the center of the flower. 
5. Glue birds about 3" from the center flower one on each side. Glue wing into place. 
6. Glue flowers about 3" from the bird, on each end. Glue a button to the center of each floer.  
7. Glue the remaining 6 birds into place, 3 on each end, about three inches apart. 
8. Hang to mantle with tacks. 

Please use the logo hop button to hop to the next blog. 

DCC Preserving Memories Hop

Welcome to the Designer Crafts Connection (DCC) preserving memories hop!

Be sure to hop around, there are many fantastic designers sharing various projects about how to preserve memories. Great techniques are featured along with an exciting variety of projects.

I went to New Orleans this July with my Elks Lodge.  I've always wanted to go to New Orleans, it was as magnificent and interesting as I had hoped. This 12x12 scrapbook page is my first of many for the week-long trip and features beautiful architecture from the city. New Orleans is loud and busy, there's so much to look at and take in, and so this layout is the same.

 SUPPLIES:

Patterned Paper - indi bloom collection by Basic Grey

Acrylic Paint - Pure Gold, Mushroom, Sand, Mulch by Eco Friendly Crafts

12 x 12" Harlequin Template by Crafters Workshop

Self Adhesive Black/clear bling strips by Want 2 Scrap

Self Adhesive purple Flourish bling by Zva Creative

Guilded Gate and Wrought Iron Dies, Die D-lites by Spellbinders

Gold Embossing Powder by Ranger Ink

Versamark Pad by Tsukineko

Decorating Chalks by ColorZ Chalk

MISC: black cardstock, fleur di lis eyelet, 1" circle punch, cutting tools, including small scissors. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 1. Position the Harlequin template over the background paper (Basic Grey) and dry brush with Sand, Mushroom and Pure Gold acrylic paint over 1/2 to 2/3 of the background.

 

2. Reposition the Harlequin template to the areas that were not painted the first time and dry brush with the same 3 colors of acrylic paint. 

3.  Dry brush the entire area with Mushroom acrylic paint.

 

4. Print a fleur di lis shape on 12x12 cardstock and cut it out.  Then cut the inside of the shape out, leaving an approximate 1/2" frame of the shape. 

5. Apply Versamark to the entire frame, dump on the gold embossing powder and heat. Emboss only once if you like the texture, 2-3 coats for a completely shiny and smooth finish.

 

 6. Cut strips of black cardstock approximately 1/4" wide to create "window" panes for the fleur di lis frame by dividing the open area into 4 sections.

7. Attach photos to the open areas of the fleur, trim as necessary. 

8. Matte the photo fleur with black cardstock, trim to create an approximate 1/8" border of black around the gold frame and adhere to the background.

9. Crop and matte other photos and adhere into position. 

10. Print the title with Bangle font onto a scrap of purple card stock, trim to fit and adhere.

11. Accent the title with black and clear bling strips on top and bottom.

12. Punch a 1" circle from the same scrap of purple card stock, place it in the center of the window panes of the fleur di lis and adhere with a fleur di lis eyelet (or brad). Chalk the edges of the circle with black. 

13. Cut out the gateway and wrought iron die cuts from black card stock, adhere to the page. 

14. Place the flourish bling as shown. 

15. The photo in the upper left corner was cut out silhouette by hand.  It is a post on the sidewalks of New Orleans used to tether horses.  Add shadow around silhouette images with black decorating chalk. 

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you are inspired by some of the techniques I've used on this jam-packed layout.

 

DCC Back To School Hop

Welcome to the Designer Crafts Connection (DCC) Back to School Blog Hop! 

Be sure to hop around and see all the great BTS crafts. Many fantastic designers and great projects.

Both of my children are in college. There is lots of books for the engineer and art supplies for the artist, but most of all being organized!  Every college student needs binders!  So, for this month's BTS craft, I created an  inspiring collage that fits into the clear sleeve on the front of a three ring binder.

SUPPLIES:
8 1/2" X 11" Water Color paper-Bonjour Studios
Acrylic Paint: Periwinkle, Lake, Sunflower, Mulch. Pistachio, Blueberry, Black-Eco Green Crafts
Watermark Stamp Pad-Versamark Tsukineko
Pigment Ink: Sky Mist, Wisteria, Celadon, Ultramarine-Versa Craft
Dye ink: Meadow, Adirondack Earthtones-Ranger Ink
Rubberstamps: Bird-2004 Stampin Up, Sun-Rubber Romance Stamps, Flourish-2007 Stampin Up, Tree-Art Impressions
Gold embossing powder-Ranger Ink
Fonts: Bangle, Addict, Amazone BT, Blasphemy, Park Avenue BT, Times New Roman

 Directions:
1. Paint random blotches of color for a background on the watercolor paper.  I used watercolor paper because of it's texture and sturdiness.  The colors used are: Periwinkle, Lake, Pistachio and Blueberry.
2. Let the paint dry completely.
3. Create a word document with the quote using a different font for each line or word, then print it onto the painted watercolor paper.  Let dry or heat set.
4. Stamp the sun with Versamark and emboss with gold embossing powder.
5. Paint the center with sunflower acrylic paint.
6. Stamp trees along the bottom with Meadow dye ink, and then again with Celadon pigment ink. Heat set. 
7. Stamp flourishes along the top and sides to meet the trees.  Stamp first with Lake, heat set.  Then stamp with Wisteria, heat set.
8. Stamp the bird with Ultramarine, heat set.
9. Hand paint with acrylic paint inside the bird and create a branch. Add details to the bird with an ink pen.

If you would like to create your own, you can print the image below of the text I used, or create your own.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, I hope you will continue to hop to the next blog to see more crafty Back To School projects.


 

Check out this amazing new 3d pen!  No affiliation, just awesome.
 http://vimeo.com/89303153