Mixed Media Blog Hop featuring three of my favorite Designers!

How to make a Mod Christmas Wreath

Happy Friday Y'all!  I am beyond excited to share my Mod Christmas Wreath - and you won't believe what it is made from!

A PLASTIC SILVER TRAY!

This month the design teams of three of my favorite designers have been sharing our unique projects in a fun collaboration of color and pattern.  Colorique by Lisa Jimenez,  ArtFoamies Stamps by Rita Barakat plus Crafter's Ink and Background Basics Stamps by Ann Butler Designs  Now, as y'all know I am very familiar with Ann Butler Designs and faux quilting, but I was excited to work with new products from two fellow designers who I really admire.

I purchased several plastic silver trays for a party, but never used them, so they have been sitting in my "to be upcycled" craft stash (which seems to grow organically LOL!).  Thinking that the round one would make a perfect wreath for the holidays, I grabbed them and got to work...

Place a quarter size puddle of Colorique Verdigris and Turquoise Mountain on a paper plate.  Pounce Verdigris onto the edges of the tray with an old paintbrush.  Wipe off some of the ink with a baby wipe, so the silver shows through.  Repeat with Turquoise Mountain.  Colorique is an opaque liquid ink that dries quickly and can be applied to most hard-to-color surfaces like plastic, glass and metal.

Once dry, cut a line across the inside of the tray with a craft knife on a self healing mat.  Take your time as this will take several passes with a sharp craft knife.  Then using sharp, pointed scissors, carefully cut the middle away from the tray.

I loved the swirly pattern in the Zen Doodle Cloud ArtFoamies Stamp, so I used it with Crafter's Ink in Berry to create an all over pattern on pink card stock.  The image from this foam stamp is crisp and clean, oh and did I mention I love the swirls!  

Once the ink is dry, trace one 2", 3" and 4" circle, then cut out with scissors.  These will be the holly berries!

Using the Background Basics stamps and Crafter's Ink in Evergreen, create a Faux Quilted background on bright green and olive card stock.  

Draw two holly leaves on plain white paper, one 5"long and one 7" long, cut out with scissors.  Trace both leaves onto both colors of card stock and cut out with scissors.  Fold each leaf in half length-wise.

Attach the holly berries and holly leaves to the wreath in varying layers with Foam Tape from Tombow.

Here is a close up of the patterns and layers:

I hope that you have enjoyed my Mod Christmas Wreath and the next time you get crafty that you will use traditional materials in unconventional ways!

Ann Butler has posted a ROUND-UP of all of the wonderful projects, so hop over and take a look, there is a lot of inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!

Creatively, Beth

Dollar Store Flip Flop Welcome Sign

Happy Sunday!

Create this quick and easy flip flop welcome sign in under 30 minutes with supplies from the dollar store! 

I purchased 4 pairs of colorful flip flops, one bunch of daises and 2 butterflies for just $6.00 - SCORE! The letters, ribbon and glue were from my craft stash.

Here's how I made it:

1. Arrange seven flip flops on your work surface, with the largest in the center to the smallest on the end, in an arch.

2. Using Tombow MONO Multi XL Liquid Glue, attach flip flops together, side by side as shown, at the top and bottom. Secure together in the back with strips of heavy cardboard or wood, glued in place.

3. Snip daisy heads from the bunch and attach one each thong and a butterfly to the last flip flop, using Tombow MONO Multi XL Liquid Glue.

4. Spell out the word WELCOME with Joy embroidered letters. Peel off the backing and apply the letters to bottoms of the flip flops.  NOTE: the are self adhesive, so the application is quick and easy!

5. Turn over the sign and tie a ribbon hanger to the second and sixth flop flop (tied to the thong button). Tie a bow.

Hang your sign and enjoy it all summer long! And if you're like me and live in Florida, you can leave it up year round!  

This is also a great project to make as a hostess gift for all of those backyard barbecues you will be invited to!

Thanks for stopping by!

Creatively, Beth

I have been compensated by the companies linked in this post, but all of the ideas and opinions are my own.

Preppy Wreath with Smoothfoam Ruled Wreath form

Trends for Summer continue to feature neon and preppy themes that were popular in the 80’s but have been completely re-imagined and refined for 2016!

I have always been preppy at heart, being a child of the 80’s, so I designed this wreath to feature the argyle pattern that I wore on sweaters and many pairs of socks!  I chose a neon color scheme to give it an updated and modern twist, but you can create a wreath with any color scheme or holiday color scheme you desire – BE CREATIVE!

Materials Needed:

• Smoothfoam 14" Ruled Wreath
• 1 yard cut by the yard Kunin™ Eco-fi Classicfelt™, Charcoal Grey
• 9” x 12” craft cuts Kunin™ Eco-Fi™ Rainbow Classicfelt™ Candy Pink (1) and Neon Green (1)
• Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue
• 3 yards Decorative Trimmings Strawberry & Lime Mini Polar Puff
• 6 yards Decorative Trimmings Lime ¼” Schlange Sequins
• 3 yards Decorative Trimmings Black 12mm Middy Rick Rack
• 1 yard Decorative Trimmings Pink 12mm Middy Rick Rack
• 1 yard Decorative Trimmings Limelite 12mm Middy Rick Rack
• Polyester Quilt Batting, Letter Stickers in Neon Pink, Scissors, Ruler, Marker, Pencil, Straight Pins.

Instructions:

1.) Measure and cut 4” wide strips of Polyester Quilt Batting.  Wrap around Smoothfoam Ruled Wreath, securing ends with Straight Pins.  Measure and cut 4” wide strips of cut by the yard Kunin™ Eco-fi Classicfelt™ in Charcoal Grey.  Wrap around wreath, securing ends with Straight Pins.

TIP:  Ruled Wreaths make design and layout simple.  Smoothfoam has molded lines and numbers into the foam to make creating easy.  Even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other!  These brand new wreaths are round and will not break like traditional Styrofoam wreaths when shipped or dropped.  Proudly made in the USA!

2.) Cut 8 Diamonds from Kunin™ Eco-Fi™ Classicfelt™ Candy Pink.  Attach Mini Polar Puff to all four edges of each diamond with Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, let dry.  Attach diamonds to wreath starting at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock.  Fill in the remaining four diamonds, centered in the empty spaces.

3.) Measure and CAREFULLY cut the Schlange Sequin in sixteen 8” lengths.  Secure all edges with a dot of Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, so the Sequins don’t unravel.  Attach two lengths of Sequins in an “X” pattern across the center of each diamond with Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, let dry.

4.) Measure and cut eight 8” lengths of Black Middy Rick Rack.  Attach to spaces between argyle patterns on Charcoal Grey Felt with Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, let dry.  Trace and cut five triangles from Kunin™ Eco-Fi™ Classicfelt™ Neon Green.  Attach to a 16” length of Black Middy Rick Rack, using Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue, let dry.  Attach Pink Canvas Letters spelling HELLO.  Attach banner to inside edge of wreath using Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue and Straight Pins, letting ends of trim dangle.  Attach remaining lengths of other trimmings with Tombow MONO Multi Liquid Glue and Straight Pins.

5.) Hang and Enjoy!

And be sure to check out the DESIGNER CRAFTS CONNECTION BLOG for the Link Up and FACEBOOK PAGE as well for tons more inspiration!

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth