Celestial Candle

Do you love candles? How about alcohol inks? How about combining both into a fun project? Well, then I have the perfect project for you today!


I started by taking a plain jane white candle and completely covering it with several shades of alcohol ink.


Next, apply a couple drops of Kurecolor Ink in Orange and Snow Cap Mixative to an applicator felt and apply to an acrylic star from the Basically Bare Bare Basics Celestial Set.


For this last step, you'll need to raid your pantry! Yes, the pantry. The moon shape, also from the Celestial Set, is covered completely in foil and then ran through a Cuttlebug for a bit of dry embossing. Carefully cover the raised portions of the moon with embossing ink, sprinkle with embossing powder, and then heat set the powder. I used WOW embossing glitter in Metallic Platinum Sparkle. It's a perfect match in color to the foil and also provides a fun texture to contrast to the smoothness of the foil.


For a last bit of embellishment, I added a metal sentiment and a few beads.

White Christmas Canvas

Today I have a fun Christmas canvas to share. I hope you enjoy!


Step One: Cover entire canvas, both the top and all four sides, with a thin layer of gel medium and cover with tissue paper. Set aside to dry.


Step Two: Dip a paintbrush into white paint and flick the paint onto the canvas. Repeat with silver paint.


Step Three: Attach a thin strip of punchinella.


Step Four: Trim around the edge of four strips of fabric with pinking shears and adhere to the canvas.


Step Five: Using a paintbrush, add a fairly thick layer of SnowTex to the bottom of the canvas. Then, using a dry brush technique, add random bits of SnowTex to the remainder of the canvas. While the SnowTex is still wet, sprinkle with glitter and tap off any excess. Set aside to dry.


Step Six: While the canvas is drying, ink a couple of Grungeboard snowflakes with white Distress Stain and dip into glitter while they are still wet. Set aside to dry.


Step Seven: Completely cover one side of an acrylic bird with glitter glue and set aside to dry. Once dry, adhere to bottom right corner of the canvas.


Step Eight: Add remaining embellishments and sentiment.

Christmas Wreath

I'm back once again with a fun Christmas idea! Can you believe there's only 12 days to go? How about some lights, a couple stockings, and a nice fire to get you in the holiday spirit?


Now let's zoom in close on the ornament hanging between the two stockings. And what do I spy but the cutest little wreath made with a Basically Bare Chipboard gear and buttons.


To make the wreath shape, I simply cut a circle from the middle of the largest gear in the set.


The button "berries" were first inked with Festive Berries Distress Ink, then heat embossed with Polysparkle Embossing Powder, and lastly covered with Glossy Accents.


The gear "wreath" was heat embossed with two layers of Ranger's Verdigris Embossing Powder and then with a layer of Polysparkle Embossing Powder. It is Christmas time after all, everything must have a bit of sparkle and shine! :)

Lastly, I added a couple of holly leaf shaped stickers that had been coated with Lime Green and Holly Stickles.

Christmas Tag

Ready for another Christmas project idea? How about a cute little hand sewn tag? It would be the perfect addition to a gift bag or box. I hope you enjoy!


Step One: Cut two pieces of fabric and a piece of quilt batting to tag size.


Step Two: Using a Christmas tree stamp and two shades of StazOn, stamp image onto one piece of the fabric.


Step Three: Using gold Brilliance ink, stamp snowflakes.


Step Four: Adhere the pearl "ornaments".


Step Five: Stack the fabric and quilt batting so that the unstamped piece of fabric is on the bottom, then the layer of quilt batting, and lastly the stamped image on top. Pin the layers together so they don't shift.


Step Six: Stitch the tag shape. This can be done with either a sewing machine or by hand.


Step Seven: Trim all edges using a pair of pinking shears.


Step Eight: Lastly, add a flower, ribbon, and the sentiment.

Ornament Wreath

Today I have a fun wreath. Shhh, don't tell anyone how simple this is to make. It's our little secret. The wreath itself is made using a sewing hoop with has alternating colors of tulle tied all the way around. It only takes about 30 minutes to make and is also a great way to let the little ones help with making projects.

Now, on to the decorations. I used a set of Basically Bare Stack-a-Bellies Holiday Ornaments and lots of fun techniques. To start, I took an acrylic ornament and inked one side with alcohol inks. Once the ink was dry, I flipped it over and stamped a Santa and snowflakes with StazOn ink.


Next up is a chipboard ornament. For this one, I painted the entire ornament white. Once the paint was dry, I ran it through my Cuttlbebug for a bit of dry embossing. Then I inked the raised portion with red and green Distress Inks.


For the last ornament, I misted the entired piece with Adirondak Color Wash and then with Perfect Pearls mist. While the inks were still wet, I sprinkled on some white and glittery clear embossing powder and then heat set the powders. I also embossed around the edges with a dark green embossing powder. Lastly, I added a felt strip and stitched on some beads.


To finish off the wreath, the ornaments were suspended on monofilament.

Can you believe there's only 21 days left until Christmas? Are you ready?

Faithful Pet

Time for another layout that was in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine. We all love our pets as we do any other family member and I couldn't resist snapping this pic of Brandy when she was lounging in the sun one afternoon.

Can you believe this layout started as a white sheet of cardstock? I used one of my Martha Stewart border punches and punched strips of white paper to entirely cover the cardstock page. Then I used Ranger Color Wash and randomly spritzed color over the page. Once that was dry, I took a smaller piece of white cardstock and painted on a couple different colors using Faber Castell Gelatos.


Lastly, I added the picture, a floral vine, and a piece of shear fabric. This really was a fun page to complete!

Turkey Time!

I hope everyone is enjoying Thanksgiving Day! In honor of Turkey Day, I thought it would be fun to make a couple of cute little table decorations. Can you picture these guys as name cards on the dinner table?


Follow along and we’ll get started making these guys. To start off, you’ll need a set of Basically Bare acrylic gears which have been cut in half. Next, I inked up all the pieces of acrylic with several fall shades of alcohol ink.


Once the alcohol ink is dry (which only takes a few seconds), layer and attach the pieces of acrylic with pop dots. Be sure to only place the pop dots in the middle portion of the gears, otherwise they will be visible on the finished project.


Next up is the body of the turkey. I took a 4 inch circle piece of fabric and inked it brown. Once the ink was dry, I took a needle and thread and slip stitched around the border. Next, add a bit of stuffing and then pull the thread. By pulling the thread it will close up the fabric and you will have a little ball.


Lastly, just adhere the body of the turkey to the acrylic “feathers”, add a couple of googly eyeballs, the waddle, and the beak.


Now, off I go to finish my Thanksgiving Day dinner!

Deer Friend

What a cute card for a special someone! This card was in a previous issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine and now I can finally share it here.

The background was heat embossed with clear embossing ink and then I inked over the embossed areas to create a cloud effect.


The grass was made with a die from The Cat's Pajamas and the deer was stamped with a stamp from Sideshow Stamps and then colored with Prismalcolor watercolor pencils. The butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch and lastly a few Prima flowers were added. It all comes together to make one adorable card!

Showing Off The Twins

Both of these layouts were in the September issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine and now I can finally share them.

My star of the show for both of these is Sheyla. Someone decided it was time to experiment with make-up but only managed to get a glob of mascara on the side of her nose.


And the second layout shows Sheyla as she is the majority of the time, with a huge smile on her face.


Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Soar!

I was looking at the beautiful display of color Mother Nature has graced us with and used those colors as inspiration for today’s tag.


This tag has a lot going on and I wouldn’t want you to miss any of it. To start, the background was inked using several colors of Distress Inks and a Crafter’s Workshop template then a stamp was added in the bottom corner.


Now on to the embellies. I’ve used two of my Basically Bare gears, the first being the acrylic gear. Acrylic is one of my all time fave mediums to work with. Why? Because there are so many different techniques that can be used! One side of the gear has been inked with alcohol inks and then the other side was stamped with Staz-On ink.


The chipboard gear has been heat embossed with Distress embossing powder in a couple of different shades.

Next up is the key and wings. The wings have been inked with a metallic gold ink and the key was inked with Adirondak Color Wash.


To add a bit of distressing, I pulled up a layer from the chipboard. It just gives a bit more dimension to the gear.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get those fingers nice and inky! Plus, if everyone is inky, I won’t stand out so much with my orange hands. :)

Cards Galore

It's time once again to share a couple of cards that were in the September issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

First off is a clean and simple card made with a fabric mesh I found at a scrapbook convention a few months ago. I simply cut a small piece of the mesh and then layered it Prima paper and then added a butterfly.


My second card has three layers of Prima paper, each at an angle as they were layered. Then I simply added the felt vine, heart, butterfly, and sentiment.


And as I'm uploading these pictures, I realize both cards have ink on them. I'm starting to realize I use a LOT of pink. :)

More ATC's

It's time to share a couple of ATC's that were in the September issue of Scrapbook News and Review Magazine.

This first one I used a lot of Mixed Media techniques. I started with a piece of canvas cut to ATC size and randomly painted the background with a couple different colors. Once that was dry, I used a stencil and some white paint to create the circles. Then I took some red watercolor paint and allowed that to run down the card. Lastly, I took a heart, ran it through a Cuttlebug, then tore it in half and added a game spinner in the middle. Then I coated the entire card with Glimmer Glaze. The spots that been heat embossed resisted the glaze so you can see the original layer of color.


For the second ATC, I used a fun resist technique. Using watercolor paper, I inked the background with yellow and orange ink. Once the ink was dry, I stamped several hearts then heat embossd the hears with clear embossing powder.


If there's a new technique you really want to try out, an ATC is the perfect place to start. It's small enough to practice with so you don't waste a lot of product if you just absolutely hate the result. But the small size can also pack a punch if you love the outcome.

Bottlecap Earrings

Jamie Pope back with you again today with a fun set of earrings! By now, I think most of you know I like projects that are quick and simple (it's the whole instant gratification thing for me :) ). With the exception of drying time, this set of earrings can be completed in about 40 minutes.


Start by selecting a patterned paper with a small print and cut out two circles to fit inside the Basically Bare bottlecaps. Glue down the paper and then cover with a thin layer of Ranger's Glossy Accents. Once the Glossy Accents is dry, it's time to add the beads and earring hooks.

Using a piercing tool, add two holes to each bottlecap - one at the top and one at the bottom. Add the earring hooks through the top holes. On the bottom holes, add a jump ring and on the jump ring add three beads which have been attached to head pins.

Here's hoping everyone has a spooktacular Halloween!

Spiderweb Tealight Holder

I'm always looking for unique ways to use my Basically Bare items so when the idea of turning the pennants into a tealight candle holder popped in my head I had to run with it! And the best part of this project is that it took less than 30 minutes to complete (drying time aside). Which means you could make several of these and turn them into a spidery tablescape.


I used four of the Basically Bare large canvas pennants and stamped them with Ranger's Archival Ink in black. Be sure to use a permanent ink for this project, otherwise the stamped image will bleed out in the next step. Once the stamped image is dry, I inked all four pieces with a watered down mixture of Distress ink reinker and Perfect Pearls. Because the canvas pieces hold a lot of moisture from the inking, I sped up the drying time by tossing them into my dryer for a few minutes.

While the canvas pieces are drying, I made the spider. I simply stamped the spider on white cardstock, heat embossed with black embossing powder, then cut out the embossed image.

Once the canvas pieces were dry, I used a hot glue gun to glue all four pieces together. Lastly, I added a piece of black zipper trim and then the embossed spider.

Note: As this piece is made from canvas and thus flammable, only use with a battery operated tealight candle.

Playtime

I fell in love with these pics of the munchkin the minute I saw them. She was lost in her own little world playing with the blocks. So of course I had to scrap them right away.

I've been on a clean and simple kick for a bit and this layout is no exception. I used a scrap piece of cardstock to mask the area in the top left hand corner and then used a mister for the ink splatter in the lower right hand corner. For embellishment, I layered strips of tissue tape and film strip ribbon, added a piece of pom-pom ribbon, and some chipboard letters.


The finishing piece was a Basically Bare acrylic heart inked with two colors of StazOn ink. I now have a secret weapon in my arsenal that allows me to layer StazOn colors without them mixing or bleeding together, a fairly new product called GlazOne. Simple apply the first color of StazOn to the acrylic heart and allow to dry for a few seconds, apply a thin layer of GlazOn and allow to dry, then apply the second color of StazOn right on top. No mixing of colors so you can now clearly see both colors of ink on the acrylic piece!