DESIGNER CRAFTS CONNECTION - BUTTONS GALORE & MORE BLOG HOP

Today a group of Designers from the Designer Crafts Connection are hosting a Blog Hop with Buttons Galore & More!  BGM has generously donated buttons for us to create with. 

 

The give away from Buttons Galore & More and Viewtanier starts today and ends on March 17th. Leave a comment to enter. There will be a prize for one participating Designer and one Reader who comments. Drawings are random, so leave comments on all the blogs for more chances to win!

 

We were given a theme of Wedding, so I decided to make a keepsake tin.

Start out with a new or recycled tin in any shape or size, mine was round.  It was already silver, so I decided to put a more modern twist on the gold buttons I received.

Begin by cutting the shank from the back of your buttons with wire cutters.  Then dry fit the buttons on the top of your tin until you are pleased with the composition.  I always take a picture on my cell phone when I have items that are dry fit, so that if I bump or shift the piece I always know what my original design looked like.  Glue each button into place with Aleene's Original Tacky Glue from I Love To Create, then let dry.  This is my go to glue for my craft projects.

 

The next step is to lightly spray paint your button embellished lid with Krylon's Indoor/Outdoor Primer in White this blocks the base color of your project and primes it to take other types of paints and finishes.  It works on metal, glass, wood, plastic and alot of other surfaces.  I use this primer all of the time. 

Next paint your lid and base to match the color scheme of your Wedding.  I chose to keep it modern and country chic by using Design Master Super Silver to color my container. 

Add two lengths of crocheted lace trim, one around the edge of the lid and another around the bottom edge of the tin.  Secure lace with Tacky Glue, let dry.

 

Make a tin for each Bridesmaid in your Wedding party and fill with a lovely pearl necklace or earring set that you would like them to wear on the day of your Wedding.  Make a tin for yourself and keep memories of your Wedding Day inside.  I think it would be nice to inscribe the bottom of the tin with the Bride & Groom's names along with the date to truly create a keepsake.

 





Use the DCC hop button on my right side bar to see hop around many more fabulous button projects!

If you have the time, stop by and see the Buttons Galore & More NEW RELEASES visit the BG&M Blog at and follow them on FaceBook for projects and give aways!

Viewtainer has donated the containers for the contest winners, VIEWTAINER containers have clear walls, come in fun bright colors with an easy dispensing cap and NO spilling! Proudly made in the USA!  To see the complete line of Viewtainer products visit their website at www.viewtainer.com blog http://viewtainer.typepad.com/blog/ and like them on FB at www.facebook.com/Viewtainer!

 

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth

DESIGNER CRAFTS CONNECTION - FIRST MONDAY IN MARCH

THE DCC THEME FOR MARCH IS - FAVORITE TECHNIQUES!

I pondered over this post for a while, because I have discovered and been taught so many wonderful techniques over the years, but I kept coming back to my favorite technique of all time - CRACKLE!  Crackle is so very versatile, textural and just down right amazing that I had to share it with you today!

 

 

I have been layering and crackling paint on various surfaces since I first started crafting as a child.  Back then my tools and supplies were limited and the first time I achieved the crackled paint effect it was purely an accident, but I have been in love with the effect ever since! 

 

When I was 9 or 10 I received a hand-me-down kitchen table and chair set from a family friend for my dollhouse that was already painted red.  Some of the pieces were loose, so I glued those first and wasn't very neat with my technique, so a smeared the extra glue over the surface of the chair seat to dry because I knew I was going to repaint them.  When I painted the blue over the areas that had the dried glue this wonderful feathery crackle finished appeared and I was hooked! 

 

Using traditional white glue (like Elmer's) is less expensive than using a medium, but you have a very small window of opportunity with the White glue and the result is not as consistent.

 

Over the years I have tried many products for crackling, but I keep coming back to one for it's ease of use - Americana Paints Weathered Wood Medium by DecoArt.  This particular medium stays workable for quite a long time - I have event left it overnight, then applied a top coat in the morning and the crackle effect was wonderful.

OK, enough talking, let me show you the wonderful examples of this technique.

Above is a simple piece of white foam board that I painted with Americana Paints Burnt Umber.  I let the base coat dry completely then applied the Weathered Wood Medium in a thin coat (top - this will give you smaller cracks) and a very heavy coat (bottom - this will give you larger cracks). 

 

Let the medium set up for at least 30 minutes, but like I said earlier, I have let it sit overnight before.  The crackle effects works the best when you apply a contrasting top coat and I like the dark base coat with a light top coat effect the best for a Shabby Chic finish.  To apply the top coat you must move quickly and only paint over the surface once - do not go back over your paint strokes or the crackle will not appear. 

 

 

In this first example (above) I have painted a thin top coat of Americana Buttermilk over my thin Weathered Wood coat with my strokes all going in the same direction to reveal fine, thin almost feathery cracks.

In the second example (above) I have painted the Americana Buttermilk in very thick and random strokes over the thick Weathered Wood coat to reveal thicker and chunkier cracks.

 

I played around with some colors and application thicknesses of the paints and Weathered Wood medium, just to give you an idea of how versatile this technique truly is. 

 

 

Lighter base coats with darker top coats.

 

 

Different color combinations and thicknesses of the Weathered Wood medium.

 

Then I tried some metallics, which I had not worked with the crackle.  The sample to the left is Dazzing Metallics Glorious Gold base coat and Burnt Umber top coat, which looks very nice, especially up close.  The sample to the right is Burnt Umber base coat with Patio Paint Pot O' Gold top coat.  Not sure what the Patio Paint has added to it for durability in exterior applications, but it did not crackle well at all.

 

The surfaces that you can apply a crackle technique to are endless.  In my sample projects above I have crackled on Smoothfoam Balls, a Canvas, Wooden Candlesticks and scrapbook Paper, but the applications are endless.  Try crackle on air dry clay, paper mache, plaster, scrapbook paper, cardboard and even ceramic bisque!

 

I hope you have enjoyed my favorite technique today.  Please use the Designer Crafts Connection icon on my right hand task bar to hop around to all of the other DCC Crafters to see what their favorite techniques are!  I can't wait to check them all out!

We also have a contest for March from FABSCRAPS!  Don't forget to "like" their FB page

To enter to win, hop through the blogs and then leave a comment on whichever blogs have the technique you think will be your new favorite (pick me, pick me!) and then visit Julie McGuffee's Life in the Craft Lane blog to leave a comment there saying which technique(s) you liked...you have so many chances to win! Julie will pick a winner from all the comments in the hop at the end of March. Good luck!

 

Thanks for stopping by! - Beth