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Showing posts with label craft tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft tips. Show all posts

Thursday, 21 July 2011

Great FREE craft site

Hi!

personalized hangings and more

Having a really tired day.
I got up early to go meet a friend for breakfast.
Before 10am.
I usually don't speak to anyone, much less be dressed
and ready to go anywhere
Before 10am.
yawn.
Then when we were saying goodby,
I was getting into the trusty red van when
ooww!
something poinged in my back, and now I hurt.
ouch.
It's hot again today, but not nearly as hot
as elsewhere in the states.
I shouldn't complain.
It's hot.



Today I am going to be brief
(is that possible for me?)
and just share some cool things
and a website where you can find tons
of free craft patterns.


soda can purse with ultra suede lining

travel house pocket with peeps



dragonfly doll from a wooden spoon


spoon herb garden markers


vintage suitcase redone to a picnic getaway

The following website has tons of free craft pages.


You can easily spend an hour or two just grazing.
Here are some samples of what she offers.
It is a very random, very small sample!

Terra Cotta Birdbath
Handmade Mulberry paper Card
Milkweed Pod Poinsettia Ornaments
Easy Potpourri Pie
Round Crochet Rag Rug
How to Air-Dry Flowers
Decoupage Plant Markers
Make candles from Old Crayons
Girls Journal
Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas
Coffee Can Container Gardne
Homemade Beaded Candles
Homemade Scented Bath Salts
Flavored Vinegars and Oils
Beautiful Balloon Wedding Decorations
Soap Crayons....
the list goes on and on and on!

Have fun exploring today!
Better yet, go get a glass of
Celestial Seasonings Tea, cold or hot
and a small bowl of M&Ms.
Or mixed nuts if you can't do that chocolate thing.
sigh.
Relax.
Take 3 Deep Breaths
and go!

see you tomorrow,

inkspired


Thursday, 14 April 2011

Decoupaged Glass Plates tutorial

Hello all,
Well, today I am going to jump in and try my hand at showing a tutorial. The project is super simple with the right tools and product.
Don't even talk to me about doing a video!


Decoupaged Glass Plate Tutorial:
you will need:
   clear glass plate clean, oil free (fingerprints, etc.)
   ModPodge matte, gloss or glitter!
   sponge brush
   glass of water for glue brushes
   plastic lid or plate to pour glue into
   damp rag/paper towel for finger clean up during project
   newspapers to cover your craft surface
   craft mat or placemat size rectangle of waxed paper
   pretty napkins
   sharp scissors

Step 1
  Spread newspapers, wax paper etc. to cover work surface
  Get damp rag and place in a bowl or on plastic plate/lid
  Prepare napkins:
      remove extra plies so you have only one ply of decorated napkin. You can use the leftover white napkin plies in later steps and also use them as napkins!
Step 2
   Cut motifs from napkins. Cut many more than you think you will need!
Very Important: lay out your napkin cuttings frequently so you have an idea for placement. Continue to do this as you cut.

Do your final placement layout.

Now is the time to trace and cut out a background sheet of tissue paper or napkin. This is when the other napkin plain plies will work well.

Set aside.

Step 3
   Pour a glob of ModPodge onto plastic lid.
   Place clear glass plate FACE DOWN.
   Spread a little glue to cover where you want to put your first napkin cutting.
   Place napkin cutting FACE DOWN, and dab more glue on with brush.

tip: remember that you will be placing your motifs down from the front to the back.
Example - if you are gluing down a watering can full of flowers, you will first place the watering can down. Then you will place flowers on top of that, so when finished the flowesr will be inside (or behind) the can. Then you will place any clouds/sky on top of the flowers, so the finished scene will look like clouds in the back, flowers in vase.

   Continue spreading a little glue, placing napkin motifs and dabbing with more glue until all your first pieces are in place.


Problem?  It is very easy to tear the thin napkin pieces. You can smoosh some of them together with the wet glue. Hate it? Remove it quickly and do another piece instead. Or, make the tears part of your overall look, and be sure to do more of them. Think crackled Venetian vases or old paintings.

tip: make sure all the napkin pieces are covered with glue.

Step 4
Set aside on wax paper. Let dry.
Now is the perfect time to start on another glass plate or bowl, while your first is drying a bit.
Here, my lovely assistant Pam is starting on a small bowl. She has cut out a few pansy motifs from one napkin, then has taken another blue striped napkin and torn it into small strips.
Remember! You are gluing napkin pieces face down onto the bottom outside of the bowl.
Pam has glued a few pansy motifs first, and is then applying blue strips on top of them.

Step 5
Pick up your dry/wet glass plate carefully.
Get the set aside one large piece of tissue paper/napkin that you have cut out.
You can now apply the covering "back" layer. This usually goes on top of all your glued pieces, but doesn't have to. Play around with looks, but do this BEFORE you start gluing things down! It is very difficult if not impossible to remove motifs once the glue has started to set (which is within seconds sometimes!)
Remember your steps: Put down a layer of ModPodge first, being careful not to tear or smoosh the already glued down motifs. Then place tissue paper/napkin on top and dab glue to cover it all. If you don't get glue everywhere on this step, it will leave a dry spot that is okay but doesn't look great!

This plate is drying. After first layer of napkins, I am now adding a layer of yellow behind the lion, and torn strips of light blue and white napkins around the edge.

Step 6
Set aside to dry thoroughly.
Go back to your second bowl, plate or whatever, and apply finishing touches.
Here is a Happy Birthday bowl that I made.
Here it is done, but drying:

Here it is dry, and shows you the unfinished edges where the tissue paper is sticking up. I actually did this on purpose, to give a finished edge when I am done .
 
Here I am holding the bowl up to the light so you can see it at a different angle.
I used a mixture of matte ModPodge, and glitter ModPodge.

Step 7
Finish up any decoupaged pieces you have more steps to do.
If you want to do a small piece now you can decoupage small candle cups, or in this case, we used mini clay pots:

Here are the finished products:

In the above 2 photos you can see the mini bowl and the bunny plate still need their edges finished.

Step 8 Final
Take an old emery board or file. File off the tissue edges that are sticking up away from the rims. Smooth the edges with the file, as needed.
Well, just hmmmm. I have no idea why this particular picture is tipped wrong. It isn't in my saved files that way! Sorry, guess you will just have to turn your head or hold your monitor up sideways!

Here are our finished samples:


 Oh just ick. Guess that is what learning new things is all about! I will have to play with this photo issue, but I do want to get this wonderful and easy craft to you, so please just bear with me, and do that crooky neck thing!

This is the plate I did years ago:
front:
back:

 laid down on  white napkings to show detail:
Yes! Those pansies and leaves are from a napkin!!

Here are some last minute finishing tips:

These are decorative plates and not meant to be washed. If needed, you can wipe the glass surface with a damp cloth, and dry immediately.
They are NOT food safe unless you spray with food safe finish.

The back side can often feel 'sticky', even after it is dry. Use a clear acrylic spray to eliminate this. I like Kryon.

Check and see, I believe there are food-safe sprays that you can use! After spraying with this kind of spray, you can put food on the plate, but still only hand wash with very mild soap and rinse with a damp rag.

If you can't find the food safe spray, or just want to use the clear acrylic spray, that's fine. You can put wrapped candy on you plate if you wish. You could use it as a serving plate for pre-wrapped tea bags, or 3 little tea cups. How about a creamer/sugar set?

I think the birthday bowl would be a great place to anchor some birthday balloons!

I hope you have enjoyed my first tutorial.
Print these out on sticker paper, and have fun decorating cards, lunch boxes or Easter eggs!

inkspired




Tuesday, 15 March 2011

Day 3 Irish countdown, Barbies, Decoupage and Vintage song sheet graphics

Welcome!

Today I would like to share with you one of my passions -

Barbie, Barbie, Barbie!
Yes, it's true. I am an adult (so my age says) and I collect Barbies! I love the fancy dresses and costumes. The outrageous hair.  All the glitter and glam.
The fantasy of it all.
Here are a few examples of Irish Barbies that Mattel has produced:
"It's just a Barbie kind of world...."

Here are some great vintage song sheets, from Indiana's Music Libraries. See side bar for the link.


So, what can you do with these great images except just admire them?
DECOUPAGE!!
Decoupage is such an easy project to do, and the results can look so professional.
My favorite decoupage medium? The standard Mod Podge is still one of the best. I have tried several others, which all seem to work fine. I do really like Aleene's products. She has a reverse decoupage glue and a napkin decoupage glue among many others.

Simple decoupage project:
Pick out an item. Some ideas:
   a frame with glass (use Aleene's reverse decoupage glue)
   a side table
   a frame with a large border
   a mirror with a large border
   a trinket box
   a wood stool
   a plaque
really, just about anything you want.

Now, just follow the directions on the bottle! I'm not going to repeat them here, they are so simple.

Hint: before you start, remove all surface dirt with a good scrubbing if needed, or remove wood dust with a tack sheet.

To use the Irish song sheets, click on the image. Copy and manipulate to the size desired. Watch for the pixels. That means if you blow it up too much it will be very grainy, or 'pixeled'.  Print. Wrinkling the printed paper can help some to disguise the larger 'pixels'. Lightly swipe a dark brown ink pad over the wrinkles to age it even further.
For a very distressed aged look, tear the edges. Practice! Then sponge on some of that great dark brown ink you have.

Apply decoupage glue as directed on the jar/bottle.

Fun hint: At this "wet" stage you can sprinkle on glitter! Try a little green sparkle, or some irridescent glitter!

While these examples are not done using song sheets, it will give you some ideas on how a copied picture can look:
Garden Shrine by inkspired

Here is an example of how decoupage glue can be used to glue
recycled paper scrap - in this case catalog pictures of book covers and then heavily sprinkled with glitter:
Fairy Book Box with closeup of inside by inkspired
Share your completed projects!
Found any tips that will help the rest of us?
Write and let me know!

"May the good Lord take a liking to you...
but not too soon!"
- Irish proverb

inkspired


Monday, 14 March 2011

Day 4 countdown St. Patrick's Day +

Good morning!
An Irish Friendship Wish

"May there always be work
For your hands to do;
May your purse always hold
A coin or two;
May the sun always shine
On your window pane;
May a rainbow be certain
To follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend
Always be near you;
May God fill your heart
With gladness to cheer you."

RUBBER STAMPING
Today I thought we could explore the wonderful world of rubber stamping together. I am still amazed when someone says to me "Rubber stamping? What is that?". I have been rubber stamping since 1983 or so, starting out self-taught as there really wasn't that much information out there about it. I have been teaching rubber stamping classes for a couple of decades! Wow.

In the back of a craft magazine I found an ad for a company named "Bizarro", that had rubber stamps. I saved up my money and sent off for the catalog. I think I may even still have it! The pages became very dog-eared and worn what with me reading and re-reading every page of quirky images.

To illustrate how much rubber stamping can be economical, I still have that original bottle of copper embossing powder I purchased for my first batch of home-made-rubber-stamped Christmas cards. I also still have the stamp I used. Both are still quite usable!

To illustrate how much rubber stamping can be outrageously expensive, I now have an entire room dedicated to my hundreds of stamps, thousands of sheets of paper and cardstock, and dozens of bottles of embossing powders, fun flocking, pearl ex, embellishments....well, the list could go on for quite a while!

How sweet it is!
hand stamped and colored domino magnet by inkspired

"The person born with a talent they are meant to use
will find the greatest happiness in using it."
- Goethe

Let's start with a fun rubber stamping project for any level stamper!

St. Patrick's Day Party Cupcakes

The fun baking part-
To do ahead:
Make a batch of cupcakes, let cool.
Frost with green frosting. If you can't find any pre-made, simply use a can of prepared white frosting, and drop in JUST A COUPLE OF DROPS of green food coloring. Really, just a couple. Mix well. You can always add more food coloring a drop at a time.

Sprinkle frosting with green tinted coconut to simulate grass.

How to tint coconut:
Add a few drops of food color to coconut in a jar; shake until evenly tinted.

The fun rubber stamping part-

Find a simple rubber stamp with an Irish theme - shamrocks are great. The image should be no larger than 1 1/2".

Purchase a good ink pad. Go ahead and invest $7 and get a green one. I like Stayz-on, Brilliance or Marvy Matchables.

You will need a pack or so of lollipop sticks. You can find these anywhere they sell Wilton cake decorating supplies (I get mine at JoAnn's Fabrics).

Now you want circles or squares or ovals of plain cardstock.
You will also need the same amount of green cardstock cut into shapes. 
There are many hand held punches in these shapes.
For more addicted stampers, there are the cuttlebug or cricut machines, etc.
Or you could do the old fashioned but really cheap way, and trace around a bottle or jar for a round circle, and cut out.

Ink your stamp lightly. No grinding, pounding or smacking.
Stamp your simple image onto scratch paper first to practice, then stamp onto the shaped plain cardstock.
Pretty!
Let dry or help it along with an embossing gun to set ink.
No, a hair dryer won't work.

Now make a sandwich:
Shaped and stamped plain cardstock circle face down +
    blob o' glue, with lollipop stick in the center +
        shaped green cardstock.
Press to secure lollipop stick. Let dry.

alternate - you can tape the lollipop stick in place and then glue the green card onto the back.
Or, you can put a dab of frosting on back side of stamped circle, and push lollipop stick into that, then a dab more frosting and squish the green cardstock in place on top.

Go clean your stamp. Using an old washcloth or tube sock, dampen the cloth. Dab your stamp repeatedly onto it and slightly scrub until no more green comes off. Then stamp several times onto scratch paper to make sure there is no more ink leftover. Your stamp should not be wet.

For extra pretty, tie a thin ribbon bow at the base of each stamped circle, around the lollipop stick.

Push one decorated lollipop stick into each cupcake.
Ready to go!

Fun extra - if this is for a school party, you can write the name of each student on the back, plain green cardstock side to personalize!
"If you're lucky enough to be Irish,
then you're lucky enough."
inkspired



Wednesday, 9 March 2011

Irish History and Blessings, St. Patrick and a Kirigami dye project

Welcome!
Today is Day 9 in our 10 day countdown to St. Patrick's Day.


"May the Lord keep you in His hand
And never close His fist too tight."
- Irish blessing


Here's a leprechaun and a Celtic knot for you to color, or use it as a beading pattern, or applique quilting, or....

Dover Publications

Irish History
Paragon Publishing, 2002

"Saint Patrick's mission to Ireland appears to have lasted abut 30 years and its impact was immense.  AD432 is the date traditionally given for the start of his mission. It is probable that there was a small number of Christians in the country before this time, as Ireland had considerable trading links with both Roman Britain and continental Europe."

sheet music art, courtesy Indiana museum of vintage song sheets
Let's do a fun sweatshirt project!

A one-of-a-kind kirigami sweatshirt
You will need:
   * a washed sweatshirt, with NO FABRIC SOFTENER
   * a few 'trial' t-shirts, washed, with NO FABRIC SOFTENER
   * various spray bottles
   * kirigami pattern(s) of choice, cut out of scratch paper

tip: Pick one with bolder lines rather than one with a lacy design to start.

   * a cardboard insert to go inside your sweatshirt
   * waxed paper and scotch tape
   * fabric dye in a liquid form

tip: Try fabric paint that has been watered down a bit.

   * clean rags, paper towels, etc.
   * plastic craft gloves, if desired
   * various colors of puff paint or dimensional paint

Let's get started!
> Place newspapers on table surface and floor to cover.

> Place a trial t-shirt on papers, with front facing you.

> Cover cardboard insert with wax paper. You can tape the wax paper on, with the tape on the 'back' side. This will prevent bleed-through onto the back of your shirt. Insert inside t-shirt, wax side up, smoothing out any wrinkles.

> Mix up fabric dye to a consistency that will spray well from the spray bottles. Pour into spray bottle(s). Remember, you aren't filling the bottles, just mix enough for this project.

> Place your kirigami pattern on top. Tape in place with rolled up scotch tape, so no tape is showing from front.

tip: NOT the time to use double stick tape!

> Practice your spray inside your spray box, or an area that is well covered with newspapers. Try to make an even spray from the top, so the spray doesn't continually  go under the kirigami pattern.
> Start spraying your t-shirt, concentrating on the blank spots left open from the kirigami pattern, and the edges. If you want to use more than one color of fabric dye, keep the first color at a mist and not too heavy. Repeat with second color, making sure that all edges have dye on them.
    Tricky Part:  Lifting off the pattern -
> If you have 'pooled' fabric dye on your kirigami pattern, you can dab to absorb with a paper towel, without smearing the design on the t-shirt. Now, loosen the rolled up scotch tape, and lift to remove pattern.
Worst thing? Some extra, creative dribbles of fabric dye splat on your t-shirt design. Simply make these part of your design.
> Follow the fabric dye's information on how to set. Some want you to press with an iron. Some want you to wash & dry a certain way. Let fabric air dry first, then remove the cardboard insert if you have to go and set it. Otherwise, leave the insert in place so the dimensional paint doesn't bleed through.
> Finish with dimensional paint to accent. Add dots, short lines, etc. Let thoroughly dry before handling.
> Repeat with your sweatshirt. Go ahead and do some more 'trial' t-shirts too!

tip: I would definitely wash my just painted shirts all by themselves, or maybe with dog towels, or something that I wouldn't care if it got new colors on it!
This is a project that even your grumpy teenagers that don't like anything you suggest - will like! Adapt the kirigami pattern for something 'lightning' shaped and get your guys to join in!

Great project idea for boys/girls clubs, girl's pajama parties, Basement Babes, etc. as long as everyone wears "paint clothes" and socks. Put the shoes far, far away, unless you are including them in your dye project!


An example of a 'bold' design of kirigami, made into a greeting card by me.
To use as a pattern for the dyed sweatshirt, I would not add colored paper behind parts of the design (purple and pink).

"May your day be filled with blessings
Like the sun that lights the sky,
And may you always have the courage
To spread your wings and fly!"
inkspired