Wood Collage Jewelry

This first week of December is always crazy - lots of festivals, online orders and gifts to make for friends. Instead of spending a lot of money on new supplies, I combed through my stash to find what I had a lot of. I came across a plastic bin full of little wood pieces. I immediately thought of painting, glueing and glittering them into necklaces and bracelets. I love how they turned out! Here's is my tutorial so you can do it too, they make great little gifts to pass out to friends and family!

Glitter Makes Everything Better

Every January most of us make the same resolution - to lose a little weight. For me, losing the baby weight is on the top of my list. I thought if my scale and I are going to be spending a lot more time together in the near future I might as well make it a little easier on the eyes.


SUPPLIES
Scale
Scrapbook Paper
Collage Pauge
Fast Grab Tacky Glue
Crafty Chica Glitter
Paper Glaze
Scissors

After you choose a decorative paper that tickles your fancy cut it out to the size of your scale. Using Collage Pauge adhere your paper to your scale.


Next trim the paper in Fast Grab Tacky Glue. While the glue was still wet sprinkle red glitter. You might want to try and get your lines a little straighter than I did. Allow the whole thing to dry completely.

When everything is dry give the scale a top coat or two of paper glaze.


Every week when I weigh in to try and reach my goal I'll get to look at bright colors and glitter. Sparkles make everything better, even my weight.


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Recycled Board Book Lacing Cards

Welcome to our week long series on handmade stocking stuffers. First up we have recycled board book lacing cards. Sure you could buy lacing cards, but why not make your own with one of those countless board books you have flopping around with a broken spine.


SUPPLIES
Beat up Board Book
Sheep(ish) Yarn
Large Plastic Needle
Scissors
Crop-a-Dile
Aleene's Paper Glaze


The first thing I did was choose my book and cut out my cards. You are going to want to choose a board book with thick cardboard pages. After some serious toddler wear and tear I have several books that are falling apart and begging to be made over. Once you have your book, cut out the images you want to use as your lacing cards.


I used a Crop-a-Dile to punch holes in my cards, but you could also use a drill. Place the holes wherever you want.


To seal the edges and keep them from splitting I used Aleene's Paper Glaze. Allow to dry completely.


All that is left to do is cut some strands of yarn. I used my friend Vickie Howell's yarn Sheep(ish). You will also need a large plastic sewing needle. Be sure to supervise the wee one doing the sewing if they are still prone to putting small things in their mouth.


I wrapped my set of cards up with colorful strands of yarn and all that is left to do is pop it into a stocking.

Check back every day for the next week for more handmade stocking stuffer ideas. Be sure to check out my other Christmas craft ideas here.

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Beach Blanket Lingo Frame

Materials List

• Aleene’s® Acid-Free Tacky Glue™ Glue Sticks
  
  

  25525 Acid Free Glue Sticks 2PK 8g

• Aleene's® Paper Glaze
  
  

• Miscellaneous

  •   Scrapbook paper
  •   Sea beads
  •   X-Acto® knife
  •   Cardstock (multiple colors)
  •   Scissors
  •   Design punches
  •   Shadowbox frame
  •   Paper towels 

  Instructions

  1. Using desired design punches to create beach theme, punch out from colored cardstock paper.
  2. Cut pieces of other cardstock paper large enough to mount on photos.
  3. Use Acid-Free Tacky Glue® Glue Stick to mount photos onto cutout cardstock.
  4. Position mounted photos onto selected background scrapbook page.
  5. Once pictures are positioned in desired areas on background page, use X-Acto® knife and small slits in background page underneath the mounted pictures. Place corners of mounted photos in the slits in the background page.
  6. Tear off a long edge of another piece of cardstock paper (keep jagged).
  7. Glue torn piece onto one side of the border of scrapbook page.
  8. Apply Paper Glaze to selected punched out designs. Immediately add sea beads. Let set. When dry, glue designs to background page in desired locations.
  9. Insert scrapbook page into shadow box frame.

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Dimensional glazed cards by Papercutting Kind of Day

Paper artist, Linda, from the blog Papercutting Kind of Day used our Aleene's® Paper Glaze to create a raised, glossy look over marker-drawn images on her greeting card.

Aleene's® Paper Glaze adds a clear dimensional layer to card and paper designs, including simple line work and larger design areas. It dries to a hard, nontacky glass-like finish to accentuate design details for dimensional designs and laminating effects on paper.

Paper Glaze can be used alone or tinted with acrylic paints, and it won't run colors. It can also be accented with a variety of embellishments, like microbeads, glitter and trims.

Brush it on to cover broader areas. Use the convenient needle-nose tip for precise application and to squeeze out dots. And cut the tip up a bit more to create thicker lines for design.

You can also use Paper Glaze with rubber stamps to create watermarks.

Fashion Icon Jewelry

Designed by Pattie Donham-Wilkinson

I absolutely LOVE Audrey Hepburn, and the Aleene's Paper Glaze glides onto paper to create a crystal clear dimensional effect that reminds me of cloisonne' enamel jewelry when it dries.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE REST OF THIS POST AND PROJECT DIRECTIONS

LUCKY CHARM

St. Patrick's Day is March 17th, and it'll be the perfect day to show off your crafty side with this snazzy little shamrock captured in a charm with Aleene's® Paper Glaze. It dries to a hard, nontacky glass-like finish to accentuate design details for dimensional designs and laminating effects on paper.



Believe it or not, the shamrock isn't real. I found it by "googling" shamrock and it was easy to find actual photos of the real thing. So, I simply printed it out, and I was ready to craft!

First, I cut two 1” wide circles from white cardstock. Then I printed the shamrock image from the web to fit inside 1” circle.

I glued an earring hook between the two circles of cardstock with Aleene’s® Original Tacky Glue®, exposing only the ring of the earring for joining to the chain when completed. (That's why I never throw any old jewelry away when it breaks... you can always use strays for crafting later.)

Next, I carefully cut out the shamrock and glued it to one side of the charm and let it dry.

I wanted both sides to look nice, so I turned the charm over to the backside and glued green Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™ over the entire circle. Yes, I know the crystals are iron-ons, but they are positively wonderful to glue to paper!

After the crystals dried on the back of the charm I turned it over to the front and glued crystals around the outside edge, circling the shamrock.

Next comes the amazing part. I squeezed a thin layer of Aleene's® Paper Glaze over the shamrock, carefully covering to the edge of crystals. That's what makes it look like resin, and all shiny. It's important to let it dry overnight before you touch it, so you don't get your fingerprints on it and make it dull.

Last of all, I used needle-nose pliers to attach my lucky charm to a chain with a jump ring.

There ya go....A cute little lucky charm to wear or give away on St. Paddy's Day!

For more wacky & crafty ideas,

Come see me at: iLoveToCreate.com and at PattieWack.com

Fashion Icon Jewelry

What do you do when you buy stamps, just because you love'em?

You grab some Aleene's Paper Glaze and turn them into Fashion Icon Jewelry!

I absolutely LOVE Audrey Hepburn, and the Aleene's Paper Glaze glides onto paper to create a crystal clear dimensional effect that reminds me of cloisonne' enamel jewelry when it dries. I've been experimenting with it at the iLoveToCreate studio, and this is just one of the fabulous things it can do.

The Audrey Hepburn stamps caught my eye a few years ago, and I bought several, not knowing what I planned to do with them. I'm so glad! The beautiful fashion icon was perfect for creating a beautiful pendant and a pin, for barely a little more cash than what I paid for the actual stamps!

Just think...... you can turn ANY pendant sized photo, stamp, gift wrap, greeting card, or even a note or drawing. I'm thinking of making a pendant from a tiny note my friend Darsee stuck in my Christmas present this year. Very personal, and an amazing way to preserve a delicate item forever.

Here's how to make your own pendant or pin with Aleene's Paper Glaze:

You'll Need:
Aleene's® Paper Glaze

Aleene’s® Acid Free Tacky Glue™ Glue Stick

Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™

Postage Stamp or other paper image of your choice
Heavy Cardstock
Scrapbook Paper
Hole Punch
Scissors
Tweezers

Pencil
Needle Nose Pliers
Jump Rings, Wire & Beads
Ribbon for a necklace, or a pin back

Aleene’s® Platinum Bond™ 7800™ Adhesive (for pin)

Wire and Bead (for pin)

The Steps:
1. Adhere postage stamp to scrapbook paper. Trim 1/4” around the edge of the stamp to create the face of the pendant/pin.
2. Trace around pendant onto heavy cardstock, cut out two.
3. Stack the two cardstock cut-outs and glue together with glue stick. Glue the pendant/pin on top of the cardstock pieces. Let dry. This will make it very sturdy.
4. Punch out a hole at the top of the pendant. Punch another hole at the bottom if you're making a pin.
5. Squeeze a smooth layer of paper glaze over the entire top of the paper, to the edges.
7. Drop crystals into the paper glaze with tweezers. Let dry overnight.
8. Re-punch holes in pendant/pin. Attach jump ring to the top of the pendant to create a necklace by threading a ribbon through the jump ring. If making a pin, add a bead onto a piece of wire and attach to the bottom of the pin with another jump ring.

9. For a pin, glue the pin back to the back with Platinum Bond 7800, let dry.

Oh! If you are going to the 2010 Winter CHA Trade Show in a couple weeks, come see me at the iLoveToCreate booth, and you can check out my Audrey Hepburn necklace.

Meanwhile, you can check out lots more projects at iLoveToCreate.com, and at Pattiewack.com. Send me your crafty pics. I'd LOVE to see the amazing craftiness you're up to!

Happy crafting!

Pattiewack