Easter Minibook, Page & Candlemaking

"Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:12-15

How we need Jesus to minister humility to us!! Show me those who need their feet washed today, and help me follow through. prayer from Beth Moore

This marbled shiny paper was made at one of my local scrapbooking stores. This wonderful mini-book and scrapbook page below was 2 of the several projects I did at Murdock's a couple years ago. They have since closed but the owner, Kelly seems to be doing very well. She is one of the designers for the JustRite Stampers team and has many project ideas. Here is her Blog . I love the effect of the paper crafting we did with these folds but I don't think I could remember now how we did it!! But there was a template to follow.

I had the chance to work with my neighbor and friend who has always enjoyed making candles. I have never attemped such a project but that didn't stop her. I decided to use papertowel rolls so I could have tall thin candles but 3 different heights. Charming but do I dare try to burn them...I didn't use the starin that is suggested!! I need to add some of that ArtGlitter to the outside.
She filled egg shells with wax for Easter eggs. I will have to get some pictures of her results next week.




The I collected as many large white pinetree cones as I could from my yard. Dipping the pinecones is fun but the temperature of the wax needs to be just right. Too hot and it doesn't stick at all. Then when it cools too much, it sticks too much and creates "bunches" of wax build-up. So you need to heat the wax back up. I do love the results.



Tie thin twine around the cone from bottom to top for short cones. These long cones I really only had to tie it around the top 1/4. Leave enough to hold onto for the dipping. It will take several dips but when the temp. is just right, it leaves wonderful coverage and color.
I made enough to make firestarter gift baskets for next fall and Christmas.

ArtGlitter

Check out ArtGlitter with Martha Stewart. She has some great ideas for our artglitter, glass glitter and diamond dust we don't tend to reach for in our projects very often. I especially love the bird cards with the wonderful banner. The banner templates can be downloaded for printing.

Scrapbook Pages/Cloth Frame

I cut out some denim cloth I kept from an old children's dress, cut out the opening on three sides, rolled it back and tied it off with ribbon. My friend I was scrappin' with had the perfect denim paper for the opposite side. When I got home I put my sewing machine to work. I love texture so the sewed edges, rose corners and real dried leaf (below) make me happy!!

In November I posted a lay-out with these same pictures. I know I'm a bit crazy with trying to be "fair" with my girls...so I did another lay-out for my other daughter's book. I'm trying to get to the point where most of their pictures will be in our family album except for the personal things they do seperately. I keep telling myself that will be more likely when they are in school full time which is this school year. But now I am 2yrs behind with working on two seperate books. Whew!! I need to speed up. I will go months without scrappin' to do other projects.

Creative Homearts Club/Glass-Like Bookmarks

I'm so excited to be in the March/April "Today's Creative Homearts"
Magazine/Club.

They have a section called "Re-Created by You" for recycled objects. I sent in a few of my creations hoping to have a "recycled" object make it into their monthly article.

They chose my Vintage Bookmarks sold on my Etsy!

They are layered with torn paper, stamping, dried flowers, Glimmer Mist,ink, acrylic paint, vellum images, ect.... then covered with layers of UTEE or epoxy for a glass finish. The UTEE piece went into the freezer for a few minutes so I could "crack" the finish. I then inked over the cracks with walnut ink.

This has been a fun club to be a part of. I receive free gifts and have taken part in project packages I was able to keep just for trying the product and doing a survey.

Goddess of Lost Earrings Mask+TeaCup Pin Cushion

This is me as the "Goddess of Lost Earrings".

My friend Nannette Giacoma, casted my face, a very strange but peaceful experience. It was worth it to then be painted, and decorated beyond my imagination. She has a few other mask pieces decorating her home that are just wonderful.
She has a whole business practice called New Moon Rising Coaching developed for artists and their businesses.
This was so fun Nannette, thanks for inviting me to be a part of your creativity!

For a very long time I have wanted to attempt this pretty little project inspired by Lauries Charming Designs. I have been watching her make her lovely pincushions on teacups and spoons. She makes her own birds from wool. I'm going to have to purchase some of those.

So I used my Lenox tea set, my little cardinal winter bird, some vintage buttons I found at my flea market and thought it was a nice spot to also display my white buttons cluster I made a while ago.

Clay Transfer Tile Keepsakes

The above keepsakes are two examples of four I was able to finish. Wow, there were alot of trial and error, mistakes and throw-aways on this project. But I am very happy with the end results.

It all started with my love for the art of transfers. I love the look on clay and transparencies. So I tried transferring onto raw clay using the rub off technique, very hard to do without getting smeared toner. Then I followed the directions for using the baking method with this transfer medium. But the best results came from this Sculpey project idea. Heating this medium directly onto the photo then using the rub off technique gave me the best results for this photo. I'm guessing a lighter colored picture wouldn't have such smearing issues with the basic rub off technique that doesn't use a medium at all.

Then I wanted the edges finished so I tried many different ideas. The best results was simply platinum UTEE after a light layer of silver perfect pearls.

This has perfect pearls added with a bit of water and a brush. This looked really nice with the light gold sheer ribbon and jewels as a finished piece. I didn't get pictures before I gave it away.

These smaller tiles were baked with the perfect pearls on the edges.

The techniques for transferring images, getting the images the correct size, no bubbles in especially transparent clay, and use of jewerly pieces, are all new to me. Thank goodness for web-sites that help because I was really amazed at the learning curve and number of pieces I threw away. I have a whole new respect for artists and jewerly makers who sell their goods!!! Mine were for the parents of the owner of these sweet little feet and my daughters who adore their little cousin.
Cindy,a Polymer Clay Tutor has some great tips!!

"Family Traditions" Scrapbook/Glass-Like Tags

This is a beautiful victorian Christmas picture that came from a wonderful blog Kissed by an Angel. I just love it and had to share it.

I finally put together a scrapbook that will be for truely "throwing" things into. I want to keep all of our traditions in one place, especially our Christmas Advent count down activities, verses we read together each day, recipes and some pictures of each year's, special gingerbread houses.
I love the pull I was able to attach. It came from one of my mom's cabinets. Too bad I let her throw a handful away last year.
The clay pieces I made and posted last year. They now have a home on our new book.
Click on the pictures for a closer look. The clay wings have a blend of perfect pearls powders for the shimmer.

These are a few more of my resin epoxy tags. This butterfly tag has sprinkles of clear twinklets over the butterflies and around the edges (looks like bubbles in the picture but it's just the sprinkles). An example of using these on a scrapbook lay-out is in my November post. I really love the look of these on the pages and other projects!!

If you have tried any projects with epoxy, I would love to get some tips and see what you have done. It's messy stuff!!

Whimsical Christmas Jars

This a close up of the first picture. Gold and green leaves with berries, mitton and candy cane.

I can't stop making these!!

I love using the real pinecones and cedar for a touch of that Maine woods charm .

This is the other side of the previous picture...the stocking.

I add use extra snow on top of the pieces along with twinklets and microbeads.