Halloween Votives 2

I'd forgotten how much fun it was to wield a sponge brush dipped in Mod Podge.  I've already given away the votives I made with napkins, so this time I thought I'd use orange tissue paper.  I cut strips long enough to go around the glass votive and about 2.25" wide - a little less than the height of the glass.   I adhered one strip around the glass with Mod Podge same as the instructions on my post below.  While the découpaged tissue paper was drying, I printed Halloween silhouette images, sized to fit, onto an adhesive ink jet transparency sheet then adhered the image on top of the tissue paper.  This is what they look like:

 

They hardly take any time at all to make and at $7.99 for a box of 16 at Michaels they're pretty inexpensive - even less if you have a 40% off coupon!  Try some for yourself.  You can find Halloween silhouette images to use on my images page right here.  They are copyrighted, but you're welcome to use them for personal use.    Had another idea - decorate mason jars (same as the votives); wrap wire around the neck and make a handle. Display hanging from tree branches, or on your patio.  Y'all come back now.....

Yours truly,

Julie :) 

Halloween Votives

Votive candles are a quick and easy way to add a warm glow to any room in the house, 365 days of the year.  Check out these Halloween votives - made in literally minutes.

All you need are a few inexpensive glass votives, decorative napkins, a sponge brush and Mod Podge.

Napkins come in 2 or 3 layers.  Cut away the part of the napkin design you want to use then separate the layers.  You will only use the layer with the pattern on it.  (2 ply napkins from the grocery store are less delicate, than the more expensive ones.)

Using the sponge brush, cover the outside of the glass votive with an even layer of Mod Podge then lay the print on top.  Pat gently in place then cover with a coat of Mod Podge.  Let dry then add tea lights or LED flickering candles.

With so many napkin designs to choose from throughout the year, you'll have no shortage of decorative votive candles for any occasion.  Enjoy!  Y'all come back now........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Halloween

Ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties and things that go bump in the night!  It's almost Halloween which reminds of a rap I wrote for my children to perform in elementary school about 25 years ago.  This is a very condensed version; no idea what I did with the original, but that maybe a good thing:

It's Halloween and party time, so I thought I'd write a little rhyme

About pumpkins and witches, ghoulies and ghosts, all dressed up like 
(TV hosts?)

On All Hallows eve we go trick or treat, looking for lots of goodies to eat,

We score lots of chocolate and candy too, that sticks to our teeth like Elmer's glue.

Jack O'Lantern faces that glow in the night, are scary ol' pumpkins with their insides alight.

Bats and witches fly all about, so take it from me, you'd better watch out!

  

It was really cool back then at the height of rap music popularity....... 

Fall is also one of the busiest decorating and crafting seasons of the year.  Over a period of only 8 weeks, we decorate for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Kwanza, Hanukah and Christmas, depending on personal family traditions.  But let's start with a couple of EZPZ Halloween cards.

You can find the images on my Images for Personal Use page.  Just drag into a Word document then print them out onto colored card stock together with titles.  Cut to size for cards and invitations, or use to decorate treat bags.  You can also print onto inkjet transparency sheets then cut to size and place inside a glass vase or candy jar filled with candy corn, marshmallows, or even an LED votive.  Print on vellum then adhere to the outside of a glass jar then place a tea light inside for a cool, spooky effect.  Inkjet transparencies can also be hung in a window, or from a light fixture. So many ideas, so little time.......   Y'all come back now!

Yours truly,
Julie :)

First Monday - Westcott® Challenge

It's unbelievable how quickly the months are flying by.  Can you believe it's October already!  Our theme for First Monday projects should probably be Halloween, since it's just around the corner, but come back in a week or so, I'm sure we'll have some great project ideas to offer.

This month the Designer Crafts Connection is participating in a manufacturer challenge.  Sponsored by

Each of us received Westcott® Brand Cutting Tools to work with.  The thing I like best about these scissors is the fact that I can cut paper and fabric with the same pair!  Do you remember the days when you couldn't use the same pair?  I had to have one pair for paper and one for fabric.....  well not any more! Plus these scissors are non stick titanium bonded to boot.  This was really important for this challenge because we also received product from VELCRO® Brand Hook and Loop Fasteners and The Duck Brand® Duct Tape Rolls and sheets.  Lots of sticky stuff to work with.  

Without further ado, here's my project - a woven ribbon purse and bangle:

And these are some of the supplies I had to work with.  I also used double sided, tacky tape, jewelry chain, 2 silver eyelets and an eyelet setter.

The first step was to measure the ribbon (no ruler needed when you have a cutting mat).  I cut five, 15" lengths of black 1 1/2" gros grain ribbon and one, 21" long.  I also cut eight, 9" pieces of pink and black zebra ribbon.  It was also 1 1/2" wide.

I taped the top edges of the black ribbon to a large piece of poster board to keep them aligned, then wove 4 pieces of the patterned ribbon across as shown.  You will then add the long piece of black ribbon.  This will be the bottom and sides of the purse.
 

Once you've added the additional 4 pieces of patterned ribbon, tape the opposite ends of the black ribbon to the poster board to keep them in place.  Then starting at the center, cover the woven ribbon with duck tape.  BTW - the patterned ribbon is woven with the pattern side down, otherwise you'd be covering it up with the duck tape.

Remove the tape from the top and bottom, then fold the ends inwards even with the first horizontal piece of ribbon.  Hold in place with tacky tape.  I then placed a piece of duck tape across the bottom to cover the raw edges of the ends of the ribbon.  Cover the ribbon that extends on either side with duck tape. Fold the edges inwards even with edges of the black ribbon, the fold the sides upwards.  Adhere the black ribbon to the edges to form the purse.  Fold the end over, so they are even with the top, then punch a hole in each side and place an eyelet in each about 1/2" from the top.  Attach a jewelry chain to each side using a large jump ring if needed.  To finish I cut a 1" piece of black Velcro® to the inside of the purse at the top for a closure.

The rose can be made from the same patterned ribbon, but I made mine from the pink Duck tape then placed a self adhesive "jewel" at the center.  The bangle is simply a wide ring (section) cut from a sturdy plastic bottle of water.  I covered the outside with Duck tape and added a rose with small squares of Velcro®.  This way the rose is interchangeable.  There is also gold metallic Duck tape which would have looked great with a bunch of jewels placed all around it.  So many colors to play with, so little time!

There's a lot of pink going on since, October is Breast Cancer awareness month.  Which reminds me, I'm due for a check up.  Have you had yours this year?  I'm an eleven year Colon Cancer survivor, so, believe me, check ups are important - I'm living proof!

Some of the projects you see on your journey round the webring are being auctioned for a fund raiser at   Charity Wings Website .  You can see them, and bid on them here: http://charitywingsnews.blogspot.com/2011/10/westcott-brand-and-friends-auction-for.html

This is our giveaway for October (US residents only please), provided by Westcott:

 

http://westcottbrand.blogspot.com/2011/10/designer-crafts-connection-charitable.html

To enter to win, click on the photo/link and it will whisk you away to the Westcott® blog where you can comment on your favorite projects, but make sure you hop round the ring first to see what everyone else came up with.  The winner will be announced November 1st.  Good luck and enjoy the hop!  Y'all come back now......

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Sea Glass

Back home today, swapping the cool sea mists and ocean waves for parched dirt, blue skies and the hot Texas sun.  But home is where we are and it makes being away so much more special.

We collected a bunch of sea glass for Carole's jewelry pieces and I left with a bag full of shells.  I LOVE shells and have tins full of them from everywhere I've been where there was a beach....  I've used them to decorate mirrors, frames, boxes and more.  However, for those of you who aren't sure what sea glass is, here's a photo of Carole's collection.  Notice she collects small pottery pieces too.

And this is a piece of jewelry she made.

It takes dedication (and good eyesight) to find all the right pieces and they're not that easy to spot.  Look at this photo below and see if you can spot the piece of sea glass:

Can you see it?

 Here it is - right inside the circle!

As you can imagine, I came home with a severe case of "beachcombers' back"...........LOL, but it's back (no pun intended) to work this week.

Lots going on next week that I have to get ready for.  Designer Crafts Connection members will be posting First Monday projects on October 3rd featuring Westcott brand product and a fantastic GIVEAWAY.  I posted a photo about a week ago, so be sure to check it out.

I'm also participating in the Sizzix Fresh Vintage blog hop to support fellow designer, Eileen Hull and I'll be posting my project next Tuesday!  As you can imagine, when I said I had to get to work - I meant it!  Plus there's lots to catch up with from last week.  Y'all come back now....................

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Sea Mists and Sea Glass

There's nothing more serene than watching the mists roll in off the ocean, covering the tops of the trees like a lightweight blanket.  There's the sound of a lonely bell chiming in the distance with the swell of the waves and the delicate swooshing noise as the touch the sand.  However nothing deters the intrepid Sea Glass hunters as they continue the hunt......  (we are Brits after all and certainly not strangers to this kind of weather).

  

  

Now we're just waiting for a ghost ship to appear out of the swirling mists and an army of zombies to jump out from behind the rocks.....    y'all come back now...........

Yours truly,

Julie :) 

Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

This is what I was looking at while drinking my morning cup of tea!  Now I'm off sea glass hunting with my sister.

Y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

I'm Going On Holiday!

I'm going on holiday tomorrow and won't be back till Sunday.  I'll try to post pictures while I'm gone, but you'll have to excuse me if I don't - I think I'm going to give my eyes a rest and stay away from the computer for a while.  They deserve a holiday too..........  in the meantime here are some ideas to get you thinking about the December holidays! 

 

 

I love all kinds of holidays!  So many creative opportunities........  which reminds me..... it's Craft Day at HSN next Monday, September 26th.  You really should tune in.  They always have great craft kits and really good pricing.  Y'all come back now..........

Yours Truly,

Julie :)

When is A Frame Not a Frame?

A frame is pretty much always a frame, but it doesn't always have to have a photo.  This frame was découpaged with scraps of leftover paper then embellished with ribbon.  Even the center part was covered with ribbon, but, yes you could use paper for the center too.  I also glued gros grain ribbon around the outside edge to finish then glued a letter to the center!  Not bad for an EZPZ project!  And the frame was only a $1 - less if I'd had my coupon.......

I used Elmer's Fabric and Paper glue and applied it to the wood surface with a sponge brush.  I could have used it for the ribbon too, but, except for the ribbon around the outside edge, I used Elmer's adhesive dots to hold the short pieces in place and Tacky glue for the letter.   Enjoy!  Y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Giveaway Winner!

Margie from Chicagoland won this month's giveaway - a set of DVDs of the new TV show, Scrapbook Soup.  Now let's see what's coming up next month:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Westcott is challenging members of the Designer Crafts Connection to come up with something spectacular for their First Monday projects using Westcott tools and........... well, you'll just have to wait to see what other products we have to work with.  Details on how you can enter to win will be posted on First Monday, October 3rd, so y'all come back now......

Yours truly,
Julie :)

Giveaways

I'm loving all your comments about Scrapbook Soup and I know everyone is hoping to win the DVD set of this first series, BUT don't forget the requirements to enter.  You have to list the names of the Designer Craft Connection blogs where you see this logo

You can visit all the blogs in our group by "hopping forward" from one to the other, wherever you see this logo in the sidebar of each blog.  If you get "stuck" at some point come back to my blog, then "hop backwards".  In a perfect world you would start here and end up back here, but there are occasional technical difficulties

Good luck!  The winner will be announced on September 15th together with some exciting news about our next giveaway, so y'all come back now...............

Yours truly,
Julie :)

September Giveaway and First Monday Projects!

Members of the Designer Crafts Connection Blog group post projects on the First Monday of each month and to celebrate we also have a giveaway!  The theme for the month of September is parties, baby showers, wedding showers, etc., basically anything to do with decorating for a celebration.

We recently celebrated my granddaughter's 3rd birthday.  The party theme was a monumental decision.  Were we going to decorate with Tinkerbell and Fairies, or Princesses.  She eventually decided she would be a princess and hold court from a big bounce castle in the back yard complete with water slide.... perfect for the hot weather we've had all summer.  For this party I made a garland, or rather pieces for a garland.  We ended up hanging them individually from the light fixture over her party table.

Garlands are normally hung across a window, but since we'd been to Disney World earlier this year, I had photos of Jovie with her favourite princesses and decided to put the photos on the back.  I used a Spellbinders Nestability® die to cut the decorative rectangles from white glitter cardstock then using pink, blue and yellow glitter cardstock, I glued a colored rectangle to the center of each of the decorative ones.  I covered white chipboard letters with glitter, then glued one to the center of each rectangle.

I printed photos of Jovie with each of the princesses, plus two additional photos, cut them to size and glued one at the back of each piece.

I could easily have made a garland by attaching the pieces together with a ribbon at each corner.  Bakers twine is ideal, but there are lots of things to use depending on the "look" of your banner.  Embroidery floss works well for something delicate and there's an unlimited number of colors to choose from, plus check out decorative yarns, silk ribbons and more - all with "sparkle".

 

Banners and garlands are a great addition to any party decoration, whatever the celebration.  Now let's continue our celebration with a GIVEAWAY!

SEPTEMBER GIVEAWAY!

We have something special this month - a set of Scrapbook Soup, Series 100 DVDs!  Scrapbook Soup is now airing on your local PBS TV channel.  Check your local listings and if it isn't listed, call the station and request it!  Program managers always like to hear what their viewers want to watch. 

To enter to win, list the names of the Designer Crafts Connection blogs where you see the Scrapbook Soup logo here in my comments section.  To see all the blogs, click on the "hop forward" button wherever you see the blue DCC logo in the sidebar.  Keep on hopping and you will end up back here where you can add your comment. The winner will be announced on September 15th, so y'all come back now.........

Yours truly,
Julie :)