Photo Hat

Is that kind of like Photo Hut?  Remember those? 

I'm going to a meeting on Wednesday where we're having a hat contest.  I started a photography group a little other a year ago and thought I'd decorate my hat with flowers of photos I've taken on our field trips.  I wanted to make them dimensional, so I printed them on both sides (you have to reverse one of the images), cut them out, formed the petals around a pen (it gave them a more life-like look) and in some I added dimension in the centers with glitter, Tulip 3D Paint or Tulip Crystals.  Can't wait to put them on my hat!

 I used Tulip 3D Paint in the center of this Zinnia.

 Tulip Crystals on this one.

My hat before...the transformation to follow.

Forged Foil

Aleene's Forged Foil


















I recently ran across a 40 year old book entitled Tricks with Tacky - A Craft "How To" Create Book.
I was so inspired by the Forged Foil technique that I just had to 'update' it and in thinking about it, I decided to take a twist on it. The original projects were created by gluing twine to cardboard, gluing crumpled foil over the image, 'forging' it so the twine had a 3D effect and then antiquing it with a paint wash.


I thought gluing the twine in place would be a bit cumbersome, so I used Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ instead. I was able to get more intricate details - I really like the results.














Here's what it takes to do Forged Foil Joan's Way...


Find a cardboard box that the letters will fit on.


Enlarge the desired letters on your computer and print them off.









Cut the letters from the cardboard box.





Draw designs on the letters with a pencil.

Trace designs with Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™. Let dry.

Crumple foil. Uncrumple and flatten with hands.

Spray one letter with Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™. Place foil on letter. Smooth with your hands to adhere. Use a smooth object (I used the handle end of a paintbrush that had a rounded end) and 'forge' the foil by lightly go around the 3D areas. Repeat for all letters.

Thin paint with water until a milk consistency. Brush on a letter and immediately wipe with paper towel. Repeat for all letters.

That's all there is to it!

Enjoy!
Joan

Eggshell Mosaic

Easter Eggshell Mosaic

Don't discard the shells from your colorful Easter eggs!!!!

Peel the eggs. Let dry completely.

Brush Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue® on the piece.

Place eggshells on glue and press with fingers to crack and lay flat.

Continue applying glue and pressing on eggs until the item is covered.

Isn't this cool looking?

Let the glue dry.

Brush a wash of black paint over the entire surface. Let dry.

I wanted sparkles, so I brushed on a coat of Tulip® Sparkles 3D Fashion Paint™ - Gold. The Fashion Paint protects the surface.

Craft and Hobby Association

Jane Seymour, Lauren Johnston, PattieWack, Jack Canfield the Chicken Soup for the Soul guy, Cheryl Ball, Vanna White, Craft Products, Friends, Crafty Chica, Home Dec Ideas, Carol Duvall, Beads, Retro, Beaded Corvette, Road Trip...I'm EXHAUSTED!!!

There is so much to tell you about my trip to Anaheim...we had a great group on our 6 hour trip to Anaheim - Valerie, our VP of Marketing, her daughter, Allee now a designer at work and a Jenn our trend spotter - my, what a group we were! I started the adventure about 8:15 Saturday morning, picking everyone up in the company van and we laughed, we shared, we talked about our lives and we waited in traffic - it was a beautiful day with downtown LA looking particularly stunning since the air was clear and the snow on the mountains was wonderful.

To get to Anaheim and see the booth in all its glory was great! Everything went together and to see all our hard work in front of us was so powerful - we work on our booth for months coming up with themes, signs, new products...

We introduced Crafty Chica at the show - Kathy Cano-Murillo is a tremendous designer and businesswoman. I am so inspired by her and her giving ways. She shares so freely and has such an awesome, upbeat personality - I love being around her.













I was so taken by this mural - it was huge and all made out of beads - you can click on the image and see all the detail.








Aprons, aprons and more aprons!!! AND RETRO - These aprons were made from patterns from the 1950's. So cute!









More retro aprons!








I was so excited about his booth - It was like a little cabana and people sat and did their make-it and take-its.








This ice cream cone was stuck to the carpet on the aisleways of the show - they were probably 5 feet long - it really made we want to find some ice cream!!!








This blouse was on display in the Designer Showcase - it uses the Tulip Sticky Fabric Stencils.












friends...
when you've been in the industry as long as I have, there are people you know everywhere. I had the opportunity to get together with Lauren Johnston a few times - here we're taking a break to have a lovely convention center lunch - you'll notice that all of these pictures revolve around food...




Here's Lauren and me again, but this time with our old friend Marina - Marina was one of the art director's at Aleene's - we worked together on books and the magazine.









OK, not such a great picture of me, but I wanted to include a picture of Julianna - we worked together at Aleene's and at Jangle.com - she lives in New Jersey, so I just get to see her once a year.






And, Jane Seymour - she was demonstrating her watercolors kits - her pieces were beautiful! I was a HUGE fan of Medicine Woman (I believe I should have been born back in the 1800's!!!)






I kept walking passed his ginormous hanging thingie above a booth - it's made of ribbon...I have to incorporate this idea somewhere.







Here's a dress Debbie Rines recreated in Tulip Fashion Glitter.

More details later...I think I need a nap - oh, that brings to mind our trip home - someone, who shall remain nameless, gave us directions to save us time during the rush hour traffic - what took us 6 hours down took us 8 hours to get back home and even the six hours to get there should only have been about 4 to 4-1/2, so yes, I'm tired, but the trip was fantastic!!!

OK, still more...I had a kind of funky afternoon yesterday because I was SAD, but happy at the same time! I had to tell my friend, PattieWack goodbye and I don't know when I'll be able to see her again - she has taken a job in Nashville - just when I thought they'd settled in California again. My best to you, Pattie and Scott - to new beginnings my friends...

I'm sure more pictures will come my way as my friends make their way home - the trade show goes on through tomorrow afternoon.

Joan

Time Out Stool

What You Need
~ Aleene's® Instant Decoupage™ Sealer and Finish
~ Aleene's® Thick Designer Tacky Glue™
~ Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™, colors to go with print
~ Wood stool
~ Poster or fabric
~ Sponge brush
~ Scissors
~ Chalk pencil

How to Make It
1. Basecoat wood pieces. Let dry.
2. Cut print to fit top of stool.
3. Apply Instant Decoupage to stool top where print will be placed.
4. Place print over Instant Decoupage. Smooth with your hands.
5. Brush Instant Decoupage over print. For a protective finish, brush Instant Decoupage over all wood pieces. Let dry.
6. Write desired words on stool using chalk pencil. Trace with 3D Paint. Let dry.
7. Glue stool pieces together with Thick Designer Tacky Glue.
Make It You! Tip
Choose a print that's so you! Add Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™ for a sparkly touch.

Wrap It Up! Tip
This is another tricky gift to wrap. Add a large teddy to the seat and tie a big bow around it!

Picture Frames
The perfect gift for everyone
What You Need
Wood frame
Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™
Tulip® Soft Fabric Paint™
Aleene's® Original Tacky Glue™
Wood shapes of your choice (hearts, stars, circles, triangles, etc.)
Paintbrushes: various
Tape for checkerboard

How to Make It
1. Paint frame desired color. If you want the checkerboard look - use tape to divide off sections before you paint.
2. Paint the wood pieces. Layering different colors and shapes looks awesome! Let dry.
3. Glue and layer wood pieces to frame.
4. Add squiggles, dots and personalize with 3D Fashion Paint. Let dry.

Make It Yours Tip!
Paint the frame in the person's favorite color (school colors make a great checkerboard frame!), add wood pieces that fit the person - megaphones and mascots for a cheerleader, airplanes for the plane enthusiast - check out the wood aisle of your craft store. Stamps work great too!

Let them make their own custom picture mat - Include the mat, some decorative scrapbook paper and a can of Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™.

Wrap It Up Tip!
Wrap the frame add a bow and actually place it on the wall. It's a decorative touch to the room and a gift all in one!

SOCK IT TO ME DECORATED SOCKS

I was just out shopping and ran across some adorable decorated socks for $7.99 EACH!!! It reminded me of these socks I made a few holidays back and I thought I'd share them with you.

What you need to make them
Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™, desired colors
Aleene's® Fabric Fusion™
Socks
Fabric, Christmas print
Scissors
Giftwrap tube or jar
Cosmetic sponge
Plate
Waxed paper

Here's How to Make Them
1. Prewash fabric and socks using no fabric softener. Dry.
2. Loosely cut out desired designs from fabric. Place fabric, wrong side up, on waxed paper.
3. Pour a small amount of Fabric Fusion on plate. Dab sponge into glue and dab on back of fabric. This will keep the fabric from fraying. Let dry.
4. Cut closely around design.
5. Dab a generous amount of Fabric Fusion on back of fabric. Smooth on sock. Repeat until desired look is achieved.
6. Place socks on jar or giftwrap tube. Make dots or outline fabric with 3D Fashion Paint. Let dry. Socks may be washed after 72 hours. Turn inside out, machine wash gentle, line dry.

I've been feeling under the weather the last few days and just got some antibiotics tonight, so I'll have to share my tips with you another time.

Jolly Snowman Apron - We're counting down to Christmas with a craft a day and today's project is this cute snowman apron that you can create with a wink of the eye. The apron makes a great hostess gift, a gift for the new bride and don't forget a gift for yourself!

Here's what you need
Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™

Shiny® Black

Shiny® Orange

Shiny® Brown

Crystals® Icicle

Aleene's® Fabric Fusion™

Fabric: white, print for scarf, black for hat
Scissors
Apron, red
3 (1/2") black buttons
Chalk pencil

Cosmetic sponge

Straight pins

Here's how to do it!
1. Prewash fabrics and apron to remove sizing. Do not use fabric softener in washer or dryer.
2. Enlarge patterns to desired size and print off - patterns are below. My snowman is about 8" tall. Cut out patterns.
3. Pin body pattern on white fabric, scarf pattern on print fabric and hat pattern on black fabric. Trace with chalk pencil. Cut out.
4. Squeeze some Fabric Fusion on paper plate. Dab cosmetic sponge in glue and dab on back of snowman fabric. Place snowman on apron. Repeat with scarf and hat.
5. Paint dots for eyes, using Black 3D Paint. Place a dot of paint where buttons will be placed on body. Gently tap buttons into paint. Paint smile and a 1/4" diameter circle at top of hat with Black.
6. For carrot, paint a long, thin triangle, using Orange. Paint sticks for arms, using Brown.
7. Paint dots for snow and squiggly line under snowman, using Crystals Icicle. Let dry.
8. Can be washed after 72 hours on gentle cycle and line dry.

Make it Yours Tip - Use non-holiday or preprinted fabric that already has a large design on it and just cut out and glue on.

Wrapping Tip - Buy an inexpensive mixing bowl, place the apron and some spices in the bowl, wrap it with cellophane, tie a bow with fabric used from the project and you're done!

Spring in to Spring!

My oh my! Did I have a fantastic day on Saturday - I got to see beautiful model homes, learn how to make a bow and watch my extremely talented friend Doug Alves create!

He made a fabulous placesetting using the Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ and Tulip® Soft Fabric Paint™. He used a stencil and the Soft Paint to paint the flowers and then accented them with the 3D paint. For added flair, he decoupaged daffodil giftwrap paper on a clear charger plate. I was so impressed!

It's National Craft Month!

I was just writing some copy for the Duncan website about March being National Craft Month. It made me stop and think that I really need (OK, and want!) to take time to CREATE!

Last weekend, my 5 year old nephew and I painted using the Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint™ - every time he visits (which isn't often enough for me!) he asks to paint. I LOVE IT! We went to a local craft store and he selected a wood 'bug carrier' as a gift for his brother's hamster. Well, after he got it painted, it quickly became a holder for the plastic animals he had also gotten at the craft store.

Back to me being creative. My next stop is to check out the Duncan website and get inspired for my next project. Hmmmm...tie-dye, invitations for a special party I'm planning - I'm sure I'll find something!

Oh, I am getting to test another new craft product this week - can't wait to share that with you when it's released! Just a little teaser!

Here's my weekend craft!!!

My new saying is 'Let go of the outcome'...I've been using this whenever life seems to get a little tough and it is working amazingly well for me. I wanted to keep a reminder of it close at hand, so I decided to put it in front of me where I spend most of my time - in front of my computer.

I wrote the letters using Tulip 3D Fashon Paint on some stiff plastic and when it was dry, I peeled it off and applied it to my computer. If you don't feel comfortable freehanding the lettering, write it out or print it off on your printer and place the plastic over the lettering and trace with the paint! The flowers are dots made in a circle with more paint in the center. My mind is racing with ideas for each month - 4 leaf clovers, Easter eggs, flags...when you're ready to change them out, they easily peel off.

If you look really close, you'll see little hearts - those have been on my computer for literally years using the same technique.