Crystal Heart Candles

Crystal Heart Candles

Heart Day is just hours away and if you need a quick, inexpensive gift idea, your hunt is over.

All you need is an inexpensive candle from the dollar store and then zap on some Tulip Glam-It Up! Iron-On Crystals in the shape of a heart and you're ready to celebrate!

Joan

Last Minute Gift Idea
Glade® Wisp® Flameless Candles

These Wisp® Flameless Candles from Glade® are awesome! I decorated one at Halloween and now, I'm decorating them as gifts. These are faux candles (they look real!) and they put off a puff of scent! They're inexpensive and I just had to share them with the people on my gift list. I hope they enjoy them as much as I do!

Here's What You Need

Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™

Aleene's® Platinum Bond™ 7800 All-Purpose Adhesive™

Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™

Glade® Wisp® Flamesless Candle

Tissue paper or rub-ons

Tiny frame ornaments (I got mine at Target)

Trim, optional

Scissors

Here's How to Make It

Rub-On

1. Follow instructions on package to adhere the rub-ons.

Tissue Covered

1. Spray globe with Tacky Spray. Immediately smooth tissue around globe. Cut excess.

All Globes

1. Print off picture and place in frame ornament.

2. Glue ornament to globe.

3. If desired, glue on Crystals.

4. If desired, glue trim around top edge of globe.

Make It Yours! Tip

There are so many tissues, even napkins that you can select just the right one for everyone! Use scrap trims and things you have in your craft room to decorate them up!

Wrap It Up! Tip

I just have to put these in a gift bag (gift bags just don't do it for me - I love to tear open a gift) - I want to take them out and show the person how to turn them on and use them.

We're getting closer and closer...

I chatted with or emailed with friends this weekend and I heard over and over how they weren't ready for the holidays - some didn't have a tree yet, some were still looking for that perfect gift, one was calling to confirm my address and then there were some who were going to events and waiting to do their power shopping this week. Me, I'm usually done way before this (Halloween is my goal) but this year, it's been different and I found out it's OK!

Friday was our company holiday lunch - it usually consists of a very nice lunch, a couple of fun games and then we go about our merry ways on our afternoon off.

This year was DIFFERENT! Well, my name wasn't drawn for karaoke (but, my friend did insist that I take a photo with the mic in hand (she really just wanted a picture of the fabric 'column' behind me!) - but what a hoot it was to watch the five teams - who knew my co-workers could actually sing?

We had the Alvin and the Chipmunks team where they did the helium thing and sang like the Chipmunks (cute!), the Marketing group sang 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!' and that they did - except that one was not a girl - Roque (Q as we know him) had his wig leftover from his Thor costume at Halloween - and that guy wore that long blonde hair well! He came out into the audience and 'flirted' with the guys in my department - fun to see big, strong guys get a lot embarrassed at the 'affection' - you ROCK Q! The group that won was IT and Finance - our local football team is the Bulldogs - and our president's father (former head of the company) LOVES the Bulldogs - there's even a huge building next to the stadium named after him - (you need all this to understand the enthusiasm that filled the room.) Most everyone wore the team colors and Bob, who is 80+ years old, was at the microphone wearing a sideways team hat - they sang 'Who Let the Dogs Out?' - the roar of laughter filled the room the entire time the team sang. Hilarious! Friends at my table said their cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so hard!

We had an ornament contest and my friend Barb won a wonderful gift basket!

Joan's Fluffy Ornament

Here's What You Need

Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™

Tulip® Fashion Glitter™

Aleene's® Clear Gel™

Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™

Boa

Ornament

Cup

Here's How To Make It

1. Spray Tacky Spray all over ornament.

2. Immediately, sprinkle Glitter over ornament. Pat the glitter to help it stick. For a heavy coverage, spray on more Tacky Spray and sprinkle on Glitter. Hang to dry.

3. Glue Crystals randomly on one side of ornament, using Clear Gel. Place in cup to dry. Repeat until desired look is achieved.

4. Glue boa to top of ornament.

Beautiful topiary trees graced the hall of the banquet room - I think an upside down tomato cage could work as the base of this!

Back to Friday - Since my holiday shopping is done - I scheduled a massage for Friday afternoon - what an awesome experience - it was a new place and I know I'll be going back - I registered in this beautiful area and then was taken to the Quiet Room to wait for my masseuse - the room was complete with a huge aquarium and tranquil music. I had asked for a soothing massage, but one that would work out some of the stress too - well, she worked me over until it hurt so bad it took my breath away - but, oh my! It worked! I walked a little straighter and the tenseness was gone.

I worked yesterday on a couple gifts I will finish for Christmas - I'm covering more of the Glade Flameless Candles and I'm also working my brother's gift - some of my photography - but it's mounted very unique - more on that this week.

I'd better get back to cleaning so I can then have fun crafting for the holidays!

Until tomorrow -

Joan

Dazzling Dance Wear










Here's What You Need
Tulip® Fashion Glitter™, desired color
Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™, desired size and color
Tulip® Cordless Heat-Setting Tool™
Aleene's® OK to Wash-It Glue™
Dance costume
Cardboard
Hair bow
Scrap paper

Here's How to Make It
1. Wash and dry costume following manufacturer's instructions. Do not use fabric softener in the washer or dryer.
2. Stretch over cardboard.
3. Adhere Crystals where desired, using Heat-Setting Tool, following instructions on package.
4. Add dots of OK to Wash-It where desired and sprinkle on glitter. Let dry. Tap excess off on scrap paper.

Make It Yours! Tip
If you want a glitzy all-over look, use Tulip® Glitter Spray™ and then add crystals.

Wrap it Up! Tip
Wrap the costume with regular wrapping paper and place the bow on top of the package.

WINE STOPPER
INEXPENSIVE GIFT IDEA


I'm widdling down my holiday gift list - here's one for the wine (or vinegar) lover!

Here's What You Need

Aleene's® Platinum Bond™ 7800 All-Purpose Industrial Strength Adhesive

Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™

Wine Stopper - I bought mine at Target - $2.99

Craft stick

Crayon

Here's How to Make It

1. Apply adhesive in a small area of stopper, using craft stick - the glue dries quick.

2. Pick up a Crystal with crayon - it will hold the Crystal until you place it in the glue.

3. Continue gluing Crystals on stopper until filled in.

You're done! Quick, easy, looks amazing and INEXPENSIVE!!!

Keep stopping by - I have many, many more craft projects to share with you!

Halloween, Lauren the Fashion Policeta, Iron-On Crystals and Brain Cookies

My friend, Lauren, thinks about her Halloween costume for months! I remember a Marilyn Merlot costume a few years ago and it's always fun to hear about them and see her finished creations. She loves the Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™ so much she used them in mass this year! Lauren ironed the Crystals to the dress and glued them on the brim of her hat and martini glass using the Aleene's® Platinum Bond Glass & Bead adhesive.

I hear The Fashion Policeta wrote citations for some pretty outrageous fashion no-no's. Love it Lauren! Thanks for sharing!

She also shared a photo of the brain cookies she made - yummy!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

An estimated 178,480 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in American women in 2007 alone.

Unfortunately, with statistics like this, we all know someone with breast cancer or a survivor. Sometimes it's hard to find a way to reach out - this journal is a simple way to show you care and allow the person to write about all of life’s important events and thoughts.

Want to be a part in finding the cure? Contact the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation.

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982 that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched a global movement that has changed the world. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. The foundation has raised and invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill the promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-800-I’M AWARE.

Remember to do your monthly exams and schedule your mammogram.

Journal

Materials needed
Aleene's® Crystal Clear Tacky Spray™
Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Fashion Design™
Design 12
Tulip® Fashion Glitter Bond™
Tulip® Fashion Glitter™
Neon Ultra-Fine Assortment
Notebook/Journal
Paper, decorative with pink accents
Iron
Fabric or paper, plain pink
Newspaper

Directions
1. Cut decorative paper to fit front of notebook. Place paper, right side down on newspaper. Spray with Tacky Spray. Smooth on front of notebook.
2. Cut plain fabric or paper slightly larger than Iron-On Fashion Design. Iron Fashion Design to center following manufacturer's instructions. Spray back with Tacky Spray. Center on notebook.
3. Apply Fashion Glitter Bond where desired. I highlighted the dots and the edge of the paper/fabric around the plain pink to accent the Fashion Design. Sprinkle on Glitter. Let dry. Tap off excess on scrap paper. Return to container.

Video Taping and a Photoshoot!

It's been an exciting week! I was photographed with my decoupage projects for an ad that will be featured in a craft trade magazine in January. I love decoupage - it's so easy and the results are fantastic! Here's how I created these floral projects:

• I photocopied the picture of a flower I took on my vacation last month.
• Cut it out.
• I applied Aleene's Instant Decoupage on my base piece and on the back of the photocopy. I placed the photocopy on the base piece and brushed Instant Decoupage it.
• I wanted some dimension, so I attached silk leaves to the pieces by dipping the end of the leaf in the Instant Decoupage and placed it along the stems.
• I wanted to add a touch of sparkle, so I attached Tulip Glam-It-Up! Iron-On Crystals in the flower centers and along the stems.

I love being able to show off the photos from my vacation instead of sticking them in a photo album!

Video Taping

I had so much fun this afternoon taping a Bread Dough How-To Video featuring Aleene's Original Tacky Glue with Alexis, a designer I work with. We laughed so hard watching our play back. It needs to be edited (just a little) and will be at http://www.duncancrafts.com/ under the Education section. I'll let you know when it's available.

If you haven't tried bread dough in a while, Alexis shows some new ways to mix the dough and also includes how to make a dough with cornstarch.

Upward and onward...

Joan