Ann Butler Designs and Cool2Cast BLOG HOP!

I was given a great opportunity recently from being on the Ann Butler Designer Team of working with Tiffany Windsor's Cool2Cast product - and COOL it is!  Tiffany has great videos, tutorials and tons of project ideas to explore!  Check it out.  And, of course, everyone knows that I am in LOVE with The Faux Quilting Stamps from Ann Butler Designs - finally even I can quilt!

Now on to my project!

Materials:

Cool2Cast Casting Medium

Ann Butler Designs Faux Quilting Stamps from Unity Stamp Company - 2" Stripes.Dots.Hearts

Americana Paint by DecoArt in Buttermilk, Light Buttermilk, Sand, Bleached Sand, Butterscotch, Mulberry, Black Plum, Georgia Clay, Fawn, Honey Brown, Burnt Sienna and Light Cinnamon.  

Tombow Power Adhesive Tabs and Stamp Runner Dot Adhesive.

Ranger Ink Tim Holtz Mini Distress Pad in Broken China.

Wilton Candy Mold #2115-1561 Seashells.

Glass Votive Candle Holders - 2. 

Votive Candles - 2. 

Container with lid, room temperature tap water, kraft card stock, acrylic stamp block, paint brushes, palette, water basin, paper towels, Emory board, 1/2 and 1/4 measuring cups.

Following directions on the Cool2Cast package, measure, mix and pour the casting medium into your molds.  I used 1/2 cup of casting medium to 1/4 cup of water and it was just enough to fill both of my molds.

Fill to the top edge of your molds, being careful not to overfill.  Let set 24 hours.

Pop shapes from molds.  Sand off any rough edges.  I used an Emory Board.

Paint shell and starfish shapes with Americana paints by DecoArt.  I used real shells that I had collected on the beach as my inspiration, but you could use photos from the internet.

Stamp two rows of the Stripes Stamp from the 2" Stripes.Dots.Hearts stamp set from Ann Butler Designs with the stripes all running vertically.  Stamp two more rows alternating vertical and horizontal position.

Position the shells on the stripes until you are pleased with the placement.  Cut out the stamped strips with scissors, apply Tombow Stamp Runner Adhesive to back of strip and wrap two strips around the outside of the glass votive holder.  Repeat with second votive.

Attach shells to front of votive candle holders with Tombow Power Adhesive Tabs.  Insert votives, lite and enjoy!  I am addicted to this Cool2Cast Casting Medium and plan on creating a bunch of "COOL" projects!

Please HOP around to the participating Designers listed below to see what wonderful things they have created with their Ann Butler Designs products and Cool2Cast!  Scroll down to get the details about the GIVEAWAY!

Ann Butler

Ava Gavloski

Beth Watson

Carmen Flores Tanis

Connie Hall

Irit Shalom

Kristi Parker Van Doren

Larissa Pittman

Lisa Rojas

Roberta Birnbaum

Steph Ackerman

Tiffany Windsor

Vishu Reberholt

Please leave a comment on my blog, as well as all of the other Designer's blogs for a chance to win some fabulous products from Tiffany and Cool2Cast!  A 1 lb. jar of Cool2Cast, Jewerly Molds and Pre-Poured pieces.

Thanks for stopping by! - Beth

Burlap Fabric Blog Hop - Burlap Wreath Tutorial

The Designers In the Designer Craft Connection were recently invited to participate in a blog hop with BurlapFabric.com  We were sent a big box of goodies and I was immediately drawn to a large piece of denim blue burlap fabric called Billow Blue - love that name!  I have always wanted to create a rustic wreath with burlap and this has been the perfect opportunity!

It was quick and easy and I didn't need that many supplies, so here's how I made it:

Materials:

• Burlap Fabric 48" wide in Billow - 2 yards
• Burlap Fabric Red Jute Webbing - 1 yard
• Burlap Fabric 3" x 5" Linen Favor Bag with Jute Draw String - 1
• Ann Butler Designs EZ D's Alphabet 2" - the letter W
• Fiskars Amplify Scissors
• 14" Straw Wreath, Greening pins, red ink pad, red twine, ruler, wire, wire cutters

Instructions:

Cut a section of the Billow Burlap Fabric 16" wide by 2 yards long.

Gather the burlap fabric in a circle and place the wreath on top.  Leave the the plastic on the straw wreath for a cleaner project and work space!  Fold over the raw edges and secure to the back with greening pins.

Continue to gather the burlap fabric while folding over and secure every few inches with the greening pins.

Cut a section of the red jute webbing 24" long, fold in half, overlapping 4" in the back to form a loop.  Gather and secure with a 12" piece of wire.  Wrap red twine around the center to hide the wire.  Cut 2 lengths of red jute webbing 12" long each and fish tail one end on each piece.  Attach bow and tails to wreath with greening pins.

Stamp a W on the linen favor bag with red ink.  Pull draw strings and attach under bow to wreath with a greening pin.

Hang and enjoy!!!

BurlapFabric.com is offering a prize package valued at over $100 which includes a fabulous variety of natural and colored burlap yardage, ribbons, embellishments and totes.  There are several ways to enter - leave a comment here on my blog, follow the DCC Facebook page, via the BurlapFabric.com website and CraftFoxes.com.



Here is the link to enter the prize giveaway drawing
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tangled Party Games and Decorations!

Today is the first Monday in July and it is time for the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop!  This month's theme is PARTY DECOR, so I thought that I would share all of the decorations, games and crafts that were created for Josie's 4th Birthday Tangled Party!  

We started out creating braids that the kids could all wear and decorate with flowers and butterflies!  Heavy duty yellow yarn from the craft store that was braided, then secured around each child's head with glue.  Flowers were attached by their wire stems.

Next we had a cute photo booth, where we took photos of all of the girls in their "Tangled" braids - SMILE!  (Even Mom got in on the Photo Booth!)

Photo booth frame was purchased at the craft store and painted with purple acrylic paint.

We crafted yellow and purple paper lanterns!

Construction paper lanterns decorated with glitter crayons and stickers, then secured together with a few strategically placed staples!

We made glittering sun centerpieces for the food and gift tables!

Wooden sun shapes discovered at the craft store then painted with acrylic paint and glitter.  "Planted" in clay pots with tissue paper "soil"

And a banner that said - "BEST DAY EVER!"

Crafted with purple cardstock and ribbon

Treat bags were topped with cute tapestry style artwork that we found online (copywrite free, of course)!

The girls had a scavenger hunt that ended with them all finding "Gleam and Glow Flowers"!

Yellow silk flowers embellished with lots and lots of glitter!

We even had a Tangled valence over the window!

Created from two plastic party tablecloths and some purple ribbon!

Of course there was a pink and purple castle cake that the Birthday girl's Mom made - it was YUMMY!

Now it is time to HOP around to the other Designer Crafts Connection blogs to see all of the wonderful handmade gifts they have created!  Just use the DCC navigation box on my right hand tool bar to HOP FORWARD or HOP BACK through the Blog Ring!

Stop back by on July 13th to view all of the great projects that will be created for the Burlap Fabric Blog Hop AND to enter the giveaway!

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth