Creative Juice

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April 9, 2009

Colorado Women's Expo...Come See Me!

I'll demonstrate how to transform bits of scrapbook paper and game pieces into fun jewelry and accessories. And I'll explore ways you can extend your kids’ clothes into another season with a few simple tips and tricks.

April 25th - Creative Living Stage @ 10:30
Parties don’t have to be hard on the wallet! You can re-craft everyday items that you would normally toss out into stunning and fun party decorations that will wow your friends and family.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 9:23 PM

Spring Project Round-up!

Posted by cathieandsteve at 8:19 PM | Comments (1)

April 8, 2009

Make It: Flirty Flower Pin

This flirty flower pin can whipped up in just a few minutes. To coat and stiffen the fabric, I used Mod Podge prior to cutting the shapes. To add sparkle and glitter to the fabric I used the new Hologram Gold Glitter Mod Podge.

Materials:
Mod Podge Paper - Matte
Mod Podge Glitter - Hologram Gold
Foam Paintbrush
10” x 10” piece of cotton fabric – patterned
10” x 10” piece of cotton fabric – polka dot
Scrap of tulle
Large silk flower
Wax paper
Scissors
Large shank button
Needle and thread
Hot glue
Pin back
Tiny scrap of felt

Steps:
1. Iron the fabrics if needed. Place the patterned fabric on a piece of wax paper. Using a foam brush coat the right side with a thin layer of matte Mod Podge. Place the polka dot fabric onto wax paper and using a foam brush coat with gold glitter Mod Podge. Allow to dry 1 hour.

2. Peel the dry fabrics from the wax paper and cut into 3 or 4 rough circle shapes. The circles should be approximately the size of your silk flower. Cut the circles into random flower shapes; spiked, round and daisy. Cut the tulle into circles approximately the size of the silk flower.

3. Separate the petals of the flower and discard the plastic stem.

4. Layer the petals of the silk flower, tulle and Mod Podged petals together. Hand sew together in the center. Sew a button in the center. Hot glue a pin back to the back. Add a small piece of felt across the pin back base to cover your glue marks.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 12:01 PM

April 7, 2009

Make It: Freezer Paper Stenciled Easter Napkins

Jazz up some plain fabric napkins with a little bit of Plaid's Folkart fabric paint. Using freezer paper to make the stencils is so easy and the results are a smooth crisp line each time. For best results, use a small amount of paint to begin and work in an up-and-down fashion. Materials: FolkArt Fabric Paint - Brush On - Light Red Oxide FolkArt Fabric Paint - Brush On - Metallic Rose Shimmer FolkArt Fabric Paint - Dimensional - Pearl White Pink or pastel napkins Bunny template Freezer paper Craft knife Iron Foam paintbrush Toothpick Fabric glue Silk flower petal Crochet flower trim scrap Blue rhinestone 1. Working on a protected surface, create a stencil of the bunny by tracing and cutting it out with a craft knife from freezer paper. (freezer paper is waxed on one side)

2. With a medium heated iron, attach the freezer paper stencil in the corner of the napkin.

3. Using a foam brush, paint the inside of the bunny with the pink paint. Allow to dry and remove the freezer paper stencil.

4. Add highlights to the bunny ears and a cottontail with pearl dimensional paint. Use a toothpick to flatten the paint on the ears. Add a small dot of paint for the bunny eye. Allow to dry.

5. Use fabric glue to attach a layered flower, trim and rhinestone embellishment.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 2:15 PM

Make it: Easter Centerpiece Topiary

This project we designed for Plaid using the new Extreme Glitter on the silk petals and Easter eggs. The topiary is firmly set in the container using Plaid's Faster Plaster. This plaster is a shake and pour , so it is mess free!

Materials:
FolkArt Metallics - Rose, 2 oz.
FolkArt Acrylic Colors - Buttercrunch, 2 oz.
FolkArt Acrylic Colors - Fresh Foliage, 2 oz.
FolkArt Extreme Glitter - Glitter Hologram
FolkArt Extreme Glitter – Peridot
FolkArt Extreme Glitter – Gold
2 Packages Faster Plaster
Foam paintbrushes
Metal floral container
Dowel rod
Styrofoam ball
Dried moss
Hot Glue
Spray primer
7 Plastic Easter eggs
Silk flower petals pink & yellow
Silk pins
Pearl beads
Crocheted flower trim
Rhinestones
Easter grass – natural
Ribbons – various patterns and sizes

Steps:
1. Paint the floral container with buttercruch paint. Add highlights by lightly painting a coat of extreme glitter gold to the container.

2. Cut the dowel rod to the appropriate height for your container. Mix the faster plaster as per the package and set the dowel into the container with the plaster. Allow to dry for 24 house. Paint the dowel with 2 coats of fresh foliage paint. Paint the dowel with 2 coats of extreme glitter peridot. Allow for dry time in between coats.

3. Place the Styrofoam ball onto the dowel by pressing, hot glue to secure to the dowel. Hot glue moss to the ball.

4. Paint the pink petals with extreme glitter gold. Allow to dry. Layer two pink petals with a yellow petal on top. Place a pearl onto a silk pin, pierce the center of the layered petals with the pin, add a drop of hot glue to the back of the petals and poke into the foam ball. Repeat until the ball is filled with petals.

5. Spray prime the eggs and allow to dry. Paint the 2 of the eggs with 2 coats of buttercrunch paint. Paint the 3 of the eggs with 2 coats of fresh foliage paint. Paint the 2 of the eggs with 2 coats of rose paint. Allow for dry time in between coats. Paint the rose and buttercrunch eggs with 2 coats of extreme glitter hologram. Paint the fresh foliage eggs with 2 coats of extreme glitter peridot.

6. Fill the base of the container with Easter grass. Hot glue the eggs in the grass and tie the ribbons in a bow at the base of the ball. Glue layered petals, flower trim and a rhinestone to the front of the container.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 1:51 PM | Comments (1)

April 3, 2009

Dollar Store Do Over: Easter Bunny

Supplies:
FolkArt paint – 438 Ballet Pink
FolkArt texture paint – 2862 sparkle
FolkArt extreme glitter – 2782 Glitter Hologram
Ceramic bunny from the dollar store
2 Foam paintbrushes
Hot Glue
Crocheted flower trim
Silk flower petals
Crochet flower trim scraps
Blue rhinestone
Optional: spray primer

How To:

1. Depending on the surface of the bunny you may need to spray prime the bunny first. Paint the bunny with 2 coats of ballet pink paint. Allow for dry time in between coats.

2. Add a cottontail to the bunny with sparkle texture paint. Use you fingers to press the paint in the tail area. Allow to dry.

3. Coat the entire bunny with 3 coats of extreme glitter hologram. Add highlights to the inside of the bunny ears, eyes and nose with rose extreme glitter. Allow to dry.

4. Hot glue flower trim around the bunny neck. Add a layered flower petal, trim and rhinestone detail to the bunny with hot glue.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 11:40 AM

April 1, 2009

Make It: Easter Chick Dessert Fork Caddy

To spruce up my dessert station for Easter dinner, I created this papered chick fork holder with a wooden pencil caddy that I picked up from Michaels.

When hosting a large family meal, I like to set up a dessert station with the plates, utensils and of course the yummy dessert on a separate table. That way when it is time to dig into the sweets, I can easily make the table transition from dinner to dessert.

This project was created for Plaid. Visit this link to see all of our Plaid projects.

Materials:
FolkArt Acrylic Colors - Fresh Foliage
Mod Podge - Gloss
Bird Pencil Caddy Surface
FolkArt Extreme Glitter - Hologram Peridot
Foam paintbrushes
Polka dot scrapbook paper
Yellow ribbon
Silk flower petals pink
Silk flower petals yellow
Crocheted flower trim
Rhinestones
Hot Glue

Steps:
1. Paint the caddy with 2 coats of fresh foliage paint. Paint the caddy with 2 coats of extreme glitter peridot. Allow for dry time in between coats.

2. Trace the bird shape onto the back of the scrapbook paper. Cutout shape. Apply Mod Podge to the back of the paper. Center on the caddy, top coat with Mod Podge. Use your fingers to press out any air bubbles. Smooth your brush strokes.

3. Using hot glue, attach a ribbon around the back of the caddy. Glue layered petals, flower trim and rhinestones near the tail of the bird. Glue a rhinestone for an eye and add additional stones around the base of the bird.

Note: The pencil caddy was in the spring/seasonal section with lots of other wood shapes and surfaces.

Posted by cathieandsteve at 12:02 PM