Eileen Hull Inspiration Team Blog Hop with Stencil Girl & Craffiti!

Good Morning Hoppers!  Today it is my turn to share the project I created with products from Eileen Hull Designs (for Sizzix and Craffiti) and Stencil Girl!  I am so excited!  There has been so much creativity from this group of ladies that I have been on the edge of my seat each day waiting for the new round of inspiration!

Now on to my project!

Materials:
658983 Sizzix Scoreboard XL Die - Block/Cube/Bank 3D
657120 Sizzix Scoreboard Die - Bird 3D
656492 Sizzix Little Sizzles Mat Board
657900 Sizzix Big Shot
Stencil Girl S126 Mimosa 6 Stencil by Cecilia Swatton
Craffiti Direct Eileen Hull's Barn Wood Stamp
Colorbox Blends Ink by Eileen Hull - Nutmeg and Bay
Aleene's Original Tacky Glue by I Love to Create
Tombow Xtreme Adhesive Runner
Americana paints by DecoArt in Hauser Medium Green, Hauser Light Green, Moon Yellow and Spa Blue
Paintbrush, palette knife, moulding paste, Flora and Fauna Ephemera, rhinestones, lace, letter stickers, buttons, twine, scissors and grapevine bird's nest.

Instructions:
1. Die cut Bird (1) and Block (2) from mat board. 
2. Base cost Block pieces with Hauser Medium Green.

3. Place a small dollop of moulding past on a paper plate, mix in a few drops of Hauser Light Green with a palette knife.  Place Stencil over Block and lightly spread tinted moulding paste.  Peel up Stencil, allow to dry and repeat with second Block piece.  Set aside to dry.

3. Base coat Bird pieces with Spa Blue.  Ink Barn Wood with Blends Hydrangea and stamp on Bird Pieces.

4. Assemble Block and Bird, according to their package instructions using Xtreme Adhesive.

5. Distress Block with Blends Nutmeg.  Color canvas letters, flowers butterfly and leaves with Blends Green, Bay, Sunshine, Nutmeg and Hydrangea.  Embellish four horizontal faces of Block with letters, flowers, leaves, pearls, rhinestones, lace, letter stickers and buttons.

6. Glue bird's nest to Block.  Fill nest with bits of lace.  Place 2 small black pearls on either side of Bird's head for eyes.  Paint Bird's beak Moon Yellow.  Glue Bird in nest.

StencilGirl Talk
Janet Joehlin
Maria McGuire
Beth Watson - THAT'S ME!
Pam Keravuori - GO HERE NEXT!

There is also a PRIZE for one lucky person, but you have to leave a comment to be entered to win!  All comments left for the entire week August 18th – August 22nd on all blogs in the hop will be eligible for the giveaway. One comment per blog post.  Comments close Sunday, August 24th @ 11:59PM Central Time.

Winner will be announced on Tuesday, August 26th.

For more information on Eileen Hull Designs and her product lines please visit Eileen Hull website, 

Eileen Hull for Sizzix  Eileen Hull Facebook  and Craffiti Direct (Stamps)

For more information on StencilGirl products, check out their StencilGirl Website   StencilGirl Facebook

 or StencilGirl Google+

Thanks for stopping by! -Beth

Smoothfoam & Clearsnap BLOG HOP!

So, excited to be participating in today's Blog Hop with Smoothfoam and Clearsnap!  Both companies have great products that work together wonderfully! 

Welcome to the Clearsnap and Smoothfoam Blog Hop! Hop along to each blog in the hop list to see inspiring ways to use Smoothfoam with Clearsnap’s ink, created by our teams of designers. Be sure to comment on each blog in the hop, then use the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post to enter to win a prize pack of Smoothfoam and Clearsnap goodies!

Materials:

Smoothfoam 12" by 12" by 5/8" Scrapbook Page Mount

Clearsnap Dye Ink: ColorBox® Archival Refill in Mist, Golf Course and Wave 

Clearsnap Decoative Fine Glitter by Donna Salazar in Sugar Shimmer

Rebekah Meier stencils for the Crafters Workshop - Byzantine, Ring Doily and Rosetta

Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue® and Aleene's® Crystal Clear Acid-Free Tacky Spray™ by I Love To Create

Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Melange Tissue Wrap Paper

Golden Soft Gel Medium

Golden Moulding Paste

Hot Wire Cutting Tool, Paintbrush, paper plates for palette, pencil, ruler, palette knife, starfish, sand dollar and/or large sea shells, large and small letter stickers, scissors

Instructions:

1. Measure and cut Smoothfoam 12" by 12"  scrapbook mount into four 6" by 6" pieces.  Apply tissue to front and sides with soft gel medium, let dry.

2. Tint three small dollops of moulding paste with a few drops of Colorbox Archival Refill in Mist, Golf Course and Wave.  Place stencils on "canvas" and randomly apply tinted moulding paste with palette knife, set aside to dry overnight.  Remove stencils and rinse with water to remove moulding paste before it dries.

3. Apply thin layer of Tacky Spray Glue to starfish and sprinkle with Clearsnap Sugar Shimmer Glitter, let dry.  Apply a second layer, if desired.

4. Attach starfish to "canvas" with Tacky Glue, let dry.  Apply letter stickers spelling out RELAX and enjoy the journey.

5. Repeat with remaining "canvases". Give as gifts or hang and enjoy!

Hop List:

Smoothfoam Blog

Clearsnap Blog

Suzanne Austin - What's in a Lousyananut

Julie McGuffee - Life in the Craft Lane

Jennifer Priest - Hydrangea Hippo

Lisa Fulmer -  Lisa Liza Lou

Meihsia Liu - Simply Paper Crafts

Anita Scroggins - The Flamingo Chronicals  

Steph Ackerman - Live Laugh Scrap

Carmen Flores Tanis -  Flores Tanis Studio

Tami Sanders - tami sanders * paper crafter  

Beth Watson - Beth Watson YOU ARE HERE! 

GO HERE NEXT!  Sabrina Alery - The Honor Roll

Marilyn Gossett - Marilyn Gossett Designs

Denise Hahn - In My Blue Room

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth

Vintage Ruler Frame Tutorial

I cannot believe that June and July are gone and we are welcoming August!  Kids will be going back to school soon, so the Designer Crafts Connection theme this month is Crafting with School Supplies!

There are so many out-of-the-box things that you can do with school supplies.  My first attempt was to carve stamps from red rubber erasers - well that was a huge CRAFT FAIL - and a lot more difficult than I imagined!  

So, on to Plan B.  I had hoarded collected these cute vintage inspired rulers from Seven Gypsies several years ago and they have been waiting in my craft stash for just the right project.  Now is their time to shine!  This project was completely crafted from my existing stash!

On to my project:

Materials:

• Seven Gypsies School Rulers - Black, White, Light Brown and Dark Brown.  They have been retired, but I found them at Simon Says Stamp
• Aleene'® Tacky Glue® by I Love to Create
• Americana Paints by DecoArt - Lamp Black and Chocolate Brown
• Mid-West Products Easy Cutter Ultimate - I got mine at Dick Blick
• Paint Brush, Water Basin, Palette, Paper Towels, Burlap Flower, Vintage Button, Black Twine and Unfinished Wooden Frame - 5" by 7" - Craft Store.

Instructions:

STEP ONE:  Paint the unfinished wooden frame with Lamp Black, let dry.  Distress the Black and White Ruler pieces with Chocolate Brown, let dry.

STEP TWO:  Measure and cut your sections on ruler, then dry fit on the frame.  Once you are pleased with the layout then glue all pieces in place with Aleene's Tacky Glue.  Set aside to dry.

STEP THREE:  Thread black twine through vintage button and tie in a knot.  Attach button to flower and burlap flower to frame.  I inserted a piece of dictionary paper with BACK TO SCHOOL written on it, since the kids don't go back for another 2 weeks!

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

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth

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

Handmade Gifts for the GRADUATE!

Today is the first Monday in June and that means it is time for the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop and this month's theme is handmade gifts!

My good friend's daughter graduated from High School this past weekend in Orlando and Saturday they had a large celebration for her.  Such an exciting time, especially since she will be attending FGCU in the Fall which is down here by me in Fort Myers!

Her Mom wanted me to create a WISH JAR, which I thought was such a great idea.  All the guests write a special wish or words of wisdom for the graduate on slips of paper and leave them for her in a jar to remind her of home when she is away at college!

I personalized an apothocary jar with her school colors - black, purple and silver - the initials of her High School, her name and the year she graduated.  This will be a keepsake that I am sure she will cherish for years to come!

I have known the graduate since she was little, so I wanted to make her a personal piece of art that she could take with her to decorate her dorm room.  Something inspirational and colorful.  She LOVED it!  <3 p="">

I also wanted to make sure that she would have everything she needed to start her college life, so I got her a gift card and created this cute Graduation Cap gift box.  I used a 4" round paper mache box, a 6" by 6" square of black craft foam, a skein of purple embroidery floss and a brad.  Quick and easy to make!

I hope you have enjoyed my Graduation Gifts!  

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!

Thanks for stopping by!  -Beth