July Projects and Giveaway!

This month's projects feature a brand new product - Tulip Beads in a Bottle now available at your local craft stores.  Earlier this year 30 Designers in our group received samples to create projects to give you some great ideas on how you can use this new product.  The Giveaway this month is also sponsored by i Love to Create and you won't want to miss it - just look what you can win!

 

http://ilovetocreateblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/beads-in-bottle-blog-hop.html

Want to know how to enter?  Click on the link to the iLovetoCreate blog where you will find all the details, but don't forget to check out all the designer projects by hopping forward wherever you see this logo in the side bar

Beads in a Bottle is a self-rounding fabric paint that you can use to create beads on a fabric surface.  It comes in packs of 4 colors and there's a whole lot to choose from.  My first project is a Felt Folk Art bird.  It's not easy to think about Christmas in July, especially when it's 100˚ outside, but it's never too soon......  it's just not Christmas without a red bird.  This one can be used to hang on a tree, used as a pick (as seen here - it's stuck in a spool), or it will perch beautifully on a tree or hang from a ribbon.

Beads are a also a great way to add dimension.  I added a photograph of a sunflower to a small canvas tote using TAP (Transfer Artist Paper) then added black beads to the center and trios of dots around the flower.  The bow was made using a plastic tie - come back in a few days and I'll show step by step photos on how to make it.  It's E Z P Z - and perfect every time.

Now hop forward and enjoy!  Good luck with the Giveaway and have a fun and fabulous fourth!  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,
Julie :

Bavarian Folk Art

A few weeks ago a lady from Kentucky called to ask if I would paint a Bavarian Wedding Box for her to give as a wedding gift.  She had seen one that I had painted in the October issue of Paintworks magazine - October 1998!!!  Apparently she is an elderly lady and doesn't have access to the internet, so she went to the local library and asked them to help her find my phone number.

Some of you may know that I'm a decorative painter and I've authored a number of painting books over the past 20+ years.  In fact, I just finished two painting booklets for DecoArt, which will be in Michaels stores in the not too distant future, but more about that later.  Since all my brushes and paints were unpacked, I agreed to paint the box and she arranged to have a blank bentwood box shipped to me.  Ta daa, here it is:

I know that Folk Art isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I truly enjoy "strokework" and the history behind this European style of painting.  From the Roses & Castles style found on the narrow boats floating through the English countryside, to the Bavarian style found on furniture and buildings in the alps of southern Germany, each country has its own style and use of color.  What really stood out on this old design, were the scrolls or flourishes that are so popular today - another example of what was "old" is "new" again.

I'm loving the new "mixed media" trend, another great example of re-discovering and updating old techniques.  As I searched through a mountain of magazines and tear sheets to find this particular project, I re-discovered a whole bunch of my old ideas, techniques and projects that I can re-cycle and update, so keep checking back, I may even inspire you to pick up a paintbrush too!

Don't forget, there's going to be a fabulous giveaway for July, sponsored by iLovetoCreate.  Here's a sneak peek

More details on how YOU can enter to win on July 1st, so y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Chipboard Baby Album

My nephew and his wife are expecting a baby next month, so, of course we've been talking about different ways to display and scrapbook baby pictures.  One of the projects we talked about was a chipboard album I designed for Elmer's for show 1407 of Scrapbook Memories.  Here's a recap of the segment. Enjoy!

Don't forget to check back here on July 1st for our monthly giveaway.  It's a FIRECRACKER of a giveaway brought to you by ilovetocreate and you won't want to miss it!!

Yours truly,

Julie :)

And the winner is..........

"jengd" 

  Congratulations! 

Please e-mail your address to me (julie@juliemcguffee.com) by June 30th and your books will be on their way!

Our next giveaway will be on JULY 1st and is being provided by "iLovetoCreate".  You won't believe the fantastic assortment of product they are donating to a very lucky winner.  To support the giveaway, members of the Designer Crafts Connection blog group have created projects using a brand new product - Beads in a Bottle.  To enter to win - well, you'll have to come back on July 1st....!!!  You'll be glad you did!  Have a crafty day!  Y'all come back now.

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Découpage on Wood

Découpage has been around for a long time, but it's still a great way to accent lots of different surfaces and use up all those leftover scraps of scrapbook paper and wrapping paper!  I created this découpaged project for show 1512 on Scrapbook Memories.  You can find full instructions on our website.

Don't forget to sign up for the Giveaway! (See below.) The winner will be announced on June 20th. Y'all come back now.

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Scrapbook Soup Sneak Peek!

This is the first segment of the first show of the new TV series, Scrapbook Soup!  Enjoy!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

0606 - June Giveaway!

This month's giveaway also falls on First Monday, the day we post Designer Craft Connection projects.  The theme for this months is patriotic, so don't forget to check them out then enter to win.

I have two books to give away this month.

The Big Book of Scrapbook Pages and Cherish by Jeanette R. Lynton.  At 256 pages, the first book features 500+ new designs for capturing all your memories.  The second book is a beautiful hardbound coffee table book, full of inspirational scrapbook pages and layouts - a book you'll be sure to "cherish".

To enter the giveaway, please hop around our blog ring then comment here on which project you liked the best and why.  You can also let me know which crafting technique, or idea you liked the best.  The winner will be announced on June 20th, so you have lots of time.  Sign up as a "follower" and you'll be entered twice!

Check out my project below, then use the Designer Crafts Connection logo in my sidebar to the left to hop forward.  Enjoy the journey, but y'all come back now to enter the give away!

Yours truly,
Julie:)

First Monday Projects

The Designer Crafts Connection theme for June is Patriotic so hop around for lots of ideas and inspiration for July 4th.  This project will make a great accent piece or a table decoration, but the technique is all about creating a "Rosette".  Once you get the hang of this you can make rosettes in any color for any occasion.  Add to banners, garlands, gift bags and more!

1.  Cut two, 2" wide strips of blue paper and two, 1 1/2" strips of red & white striped paper.  These can be either 11" long, or 12" depending on what size sheet of paper you have.

2.  Score each strip at 1/2" intervals.  TIP:  I cut one, 4" wide strip, scored it then cut it into two, 2" strips.  This way I only have to score one strip, instead of two......

3.  Accordion fold each strip.

 

4.  Overlap the ends then glue the two blue strips together, then overlap and glue the opposite ends to create a circle. 

5.  Create a red & white circle in the same manner.

6.  Folded circles have a tendency to pop up, making it a little tricky to hold the centers together to make the rosette.  You can either enlist the help of a crafty friend to squish and hold the folds down while you glue a punched circle over the center, or drum roll please

You can hold them together by placing inside a circle cookie cutter!! I bought a set of four just for making rosettes...... EZ PZ...... 

7.  Punch a circle from cardstock then glue it over the center at the front of the red & white rosette.  Let dry.

 8.  Glue a circle to the back of the blue rosette.  When both are completely dry (depending on what type of glue you use - tacky tape works great too BTW) set the smaller rosette on top of the larger one.  With a little coaxing, the folds should nestle into the folds of the blue rosette quite nicely.

9.  I glued my rosette to the end of a dowel which I had glued inside a wooden spool base.  I decorated the spool with strips of paper, then added a star to the front and tails to the rosette.  I also covered a second red circle with glitter then glued it over the front of the rosette.  Gotta have some sparkle for the 4th!

Rosettes are fun embellishments and now you know how easy they are to make.  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.............

Yours truly,
Julie :)