Lucky Shamrocks

WHITE RABBIT!

Not sure why, but you're supposed to say this before uttering any other words on March 1st. It's just one of those things we remember from our childhood.... LOL

There’s always a reason to celebrate each month of the year, and whether or not March arrives like a lion or a lamb, it heralds St. Patrick’s day and all the fun that goes along with it, so let's make some decorations, without spending too much "green".  Here's a place mat, candle collar and a few shamrocks to get you started. 

Supplies:

• Kunin Classics™ Felt  9”x 12” – Apple Green (one for each mat) 
• Kunin Friendly Glitter Felt 9”x 12” – Apple Green 
• Kunin Premium Felt 12” x 18” - White  (one for each mat) 
• Chenille glitter stems 
• Adhesive backed acrylic jewels - green 
• Extra strong glue dots 
• Fabric glue 
• LED Pillar Candle

Instructions - Place mat:  

1.  Cut one 8” x 8”, filigree shamrock shape from green classic felt using the rotary blade on the default setting.  Place the felt horizontally on the mat and you will be able to add 3 simple heart shapes, which can be used to make Shamrocks.

2.  Carefully remove the felt surrounding the shapes from the mat then weed the large shape.

3.  Cut one 9” x 9”, large shamrock shape from white premium felt using the rotary blade with more pressure.

4.  Position, then glue the green filigree shamrock on top of the white shamrock and voilà, your placemat is finished.

 5.  Place 3 or more together for a table runner, or use individually as needed. 

Candle Collar

1.  Upload the small shamrock pattern into design space. Adjust the height to 4” then copy and paste 2 additional images.  Overlap, select all, then weld to create the border. Change the length as needed to wrap around your candle or container. Note: You can also use this to decorate an empty plastic bottle, tin can, or other container to use for candy, gold coins, flowers, or shamrocks....

2.  Cut from premium white felt using the rotary blade with more pressure.  Remove the felt from around the border then gently weed.  You can weed while the felt is still on the mat, or remove it first.

3.  Cut one strip of green glitter a little wider and about 1/2" longer than the shamrock border.  Glue the white, shamrock border on top. Wrap around the candle, or container, overlap then glue the ends.  Add a green, adhesive "jewel" to the center of each shamrock.

Shamrocks:

1. If you cut the extra hearts, you can use these to make shamrocks.  

2. Fold each heart in half lengthwise.  With folded edges aligned, stack 3 together. Pinch at the bottom then wrap chenille stem around the ends to secure.  

It’s fun to make a bunch of these and add an extra heart to one of them for luck!

Select pattern to download png file  ©2011-Julie McGuffee 

      

 

May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind always be at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face

and rains fall soft upon your fields... 

And, until we meet again

May God hold you in the palm of His hand

May you always find a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow...   Enjoy!   Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,

Julie

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Etching Colored Glass

I love to shop - at the dollar stores!  My favorite aisle is the glass aisle, where I keep an eye out for colored glass containers.  There's a color for every season to create a simple, elegant piece for an empty corner.  Of course, they look like inexpensive glass pieces, but with a little bit of etchall® magic, they can easily be transformed into something special.  And, the best part of all, it only takes 15 minutes, plus an extra 15 minutes or so to clean the glass before and after.  EZPZ Quick'n EZ.

 

Unlike a colored wine bottle for example, not all colored glass is actually colored glass. These pieces for example are color coated on the outside and will not etch.  How can you tell?  Hold the vase up to the light, then look at the bottom.  If the glass is clear, then it's color coated on the outside and will not etch, but the inside will!  All you have to do is clean each piece thoroughly then fill with etchall® dip'n etch.   Let sit for 15 minutes, then pour the dip'n etch back into its container -  Etchall crème and dip is reusable - so don't throw it away.  Cut the top off an empty soda bottle then turn it upside down to use as a funnel.  Remember to clean and dry it first.

 

Rinse your glass pieces thoroughly then dry.  I like the "milk  glass look" and think they look great  "as is", but adding a few decorative elements is easy too. 

   

Here's how I added a few daisies to the green vase.......

You'll need:

Craft paint for glass - White & Yellow

Paintbrushes - any kind because you'll be using the handles

Palette - a disposable plate, plastic lid, or wax paper works great

 

1. Place the vase on a flat surface  then pour a puddle of white paint onto your palette.

    

2. To create the flower petals, dip the end of the paint brush handle into the paint.  Holding the brush straight upward, press the end onto the glass, slide down about 1/2" then lift.  Voilà - you've created a petal.  Make 4 petals N S E W as shown then referring to the diagram below, add additional petals between these 4.  For even more petals, add additional petals between these. Petals don't have to be perfect and no two flowers are the same. You can make small and large flowers using this technique.  Let dry.

  Diagram for Petal Placement 

                                 

3.  Add a large, yellow dot of paint for the flower center - the thickness of the handle determines the size of the dot, so use a brush with a larger handle, or, I added a yellow adhesive acrylic jewel at the center for extra sparkle!

4.   To make the dotted lines, dip the end of the handle into the paint. Make a dot on the surface, lift up then make another dot next to the first. Repeat until you have 5 dots.  Each subsequent dot will be smaller than the one before.  If you want to create same size dots, you have to dip the end of the handle into the paint each time.

If you don't want to decorate with paint, you can also use charms, tassels, chains, etc.

    

Enjoy!   Y'all come back now............

Yours truly,

Julie

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!

Welcome to My Craft Room!

Welcome to my craft/work room aka my creative space......   Come on in!

I can't remember a time when I wasn't either making something, or drawing, painting, knitting, sewing, and more.....  There's very little I don't do when it comes to being creative, evidenced by the sheer magnitude of stuff I've collected over the past 30 years in the Arts & Crafts industry and for years before that - you should see my shell collection.........  

I've always had a special place to work wherever I've lived, ranging from a tiny table top and a couple of boxes next to my sewing machine, to a designated craft room at the top of the stairs in the house where we've lived for the past 14+ years. It's certainly not a room that will ever be featured in a Better Homes type magazine, it's literally a hot mess at the best of times, but it's all mine and I love it. So come on in and take a look around.  

Walk past the bookcases on the landing, full of books on a variety of subjects from decorative painting to silk ribbon embroidery collected over the past 50+ years, then step thru the pocket French doors and here we are.

Like I said, it's a hot mess, but, even though it may not look like it, it's an organized mess.... that means that I know where everything is.....  In the center of the room there are 2 folding tables in an "L" shape. I rarely sit when I'm working, so I stack boxes under one of them, but the other is open underneath - at least it is today.  To the right there's a paper rack and I'm sure you recognize the colored drawer units.  There's also a shelf across the top for small shelf units for all kinds of small stuff - replacement blades, etc.

The shelving is industrial type shelving.  It's nice and sturdy and holds a lot of weight - my hubby worries about the floor giving way, but we haven't noticed the ceiling sagging downstairs....yet,  LOL. There are more stackable units to the right and, in case you're wondering, the labeled "pizza" boxes are full of project set ups for on-air presentations at HSN (from a few years ago).

As you can see, this type of shelving holds lots and lots of stuff....  here's a view from the opposite side of the room.

As you walk through the door there are 2 windows straight ahead and this is the wall to the left and far corner.  Wire racks hold more paper and there's a smaller folding table for my Cricut Maker and the Explore is underneath.  Yes, it's sitting on the empty boxes that the machines came in - gotta store them somewhere.  

To the left of the doorway is the "office" area of the room....  for work type work and graphic design.... a smaller file cabinet, printers, etc.

It's no secret that I'm a "Yorkshire Lass", which means I'm from the North of England.  It's an area known for people who "turn a penny over twice".  It kinda goes along with being creative - using what's available and what you already have, which is why you see a lot of boxes (from Costco) for supplies....  I guess it sounds better to say I'm re-purposing.....  if I covered them, I'd be up-cycling, but ain't nobody got time for that....  

Same size boxes stack well and the price can't be beat and, let's face it, everybody loves bacon.  

I do purchase some when they're on sale.......  boxes with lids really are better for some things.

I paint downstairs in the utility room where's there's a long counter and sink, so I store brushes and paint in the closet there.  The "tray" type boxes are great for the small bottles of craft paint, which I store upside down for two reasons: easy to see the colors and the paint comes out much more easily, if the bottle is half, or less than half full.  

 

  

It's hard to get a good photo, but there's a work bench under the two windows in my craft room between the file cabinet and the door.  The bench is actually a kitchen counter top from Home Depot, supported at each end by a wire drawer unit from the Container store...  works great!  And

this is the view from the window....

There's a balcony outside which is great for photography and a breath of fresh air.... it doesn't look that great in Winter and this is Texas, but it's wonderful the rest of the year........

I'm looking forward to Spring - it's a good time of year to sort thru supplies and attempt to de-clutter. As you can see, there's a lot to sort thru and, unfortunately what you see in this room is less that half of what I have..... did I mention the utility room? The closet off the landing?  Plus, my sewing machine, fabric and felt is in another room upstairs, and guess what's stored in the garage........  but, no worries, it's all organized, stored in boxes and labeled...  

I hope you're enjoying the craft room tour...  there's still much more to see..... enjoy!

Y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON CRAFTING!