August 2011 Card Class

Can you believe it I'm early posting this week's card class projects!!!  We will be learning 3 different style of techniques: Direct to Paper, Misting with Markers and a Diamond Fold card.

The Direct to Paper technique is applying ink from an ink pad directly to paper.  We will be making 3 different cards using this technique, one plain and two using an embossing folder in two different applications.

Misting with Markers technique gives your image a water color look.  Using a variety of markers on a stamp then misting the stamp with water and applying it to water color paper or card stock.  We will be using regular card stock in our project.

The last card is a Diamond Fold card which is really pretty simple to make.  A few scores and some folds give you a unique shape card.

Below are photos of what we will be making on Saturday.

Group Shot

Direct to paper

Direct to paper

Direct to Paper

Misting with Markers

Diamond Fold

Our next class will be on September 10th, hope to see you there.

Hair Accessories

I've been busy making so many things and I'm really getting behind on posting photos of all my creations.

I started making hair accessories along with my jewelry.  Here are some photos of hair adornments I have finished.

I'm making the flowers out of lace, ribbon and material along with custom tye-dyed coffee filters.  Some of the flowers are from various die cuts I own others are from me sewing the lace or ribbon to create the flower.  I'm adding feathers, buttons, jewelry, beads and what ever else I can find to decorate them.

 

cream lace flower with feathers and pearls

cream lace flower in hair

black lace and red material with black beads, red feathers and silver earring center

cream lace with button center & feathers

orange ribbon flowers with feathers

cream double lace flower with material and coffee filter die cut flowers with feathers, beads and button center

Back to creating more goodies for the two events coming up for vending.

Gift Card Boxes and Card Holders

In May's craft class we made gift card boxes and gift card holders.  I've been a little slow on posting projects it's been so crazy around here.

We made a couple of boxes one being a baby buggy and the other a little tote bag.  The gift card holders were a simple card and a purse.

I also made a graduation box for my hubbies grandson who just graduated from High School.  It looks complicated but it wasn't.

 group shot of projects

 tote bag

 graduation box & card

June's craft class will be a button class were we will be making all kinds of jewelry and other items using buttons.

Lots of Jewelry and a Handbag!!!

I have been very busy making jewelry and experimented with a jean handbag and having so much fun!!!

I've been asked to teach a craft workshop at a belly dance event so I thought I would teach how to make magnets out of bottle caps, dominos and puzzle pieces along with a bottle cap pendant using vintage belly dance graphics.  I started flatting the bottle caps and since I'm vending my crafts at the 2nd Friday Night Out in downtown Mesa I branched out and used other vintage graphics for the bottle cap jewelry and magnets. 

Using the bottle caps I created earrings, pendants and some charm bracelets.  I'm having a very difficult time figuring out what I'm going to keep and what I will sell and at this point I'm keeping more than selling; yikes!!! :-)

I have also started creating bracelets with buttons and made up several last night using plastic buttons and metal buttons.  I need to purchase some jump rings larger than what I have to create my next button bracelet. 

While I was in the book purse making mode I created a purse out of a pair of my husband's old jeans and I'm shocked it turned out!!!  I didn't have a pattern I saw a video on YouTube were this woman cut off the legs of the jeans and hand sewed across the bottom, put a handle on it and called it a purse.  I took it a bit further and put a bottom in the purse along with lining and finished it by putting a scarf I had and two of my Grandmother's pins on the handle.  I'm really pleased how it turned out and will be making more of these purses.  I also created a t-shirt tote bag and will be making more of these also. These are great for a dance bag or taking to the grocery store.

Below are photos of some of my new creations.

Back to creating cards for this weekend's workshop...

Book Purse

Finally a sample of this weekend's project is done!!!   I made this book purse using a plain book cover so I could embellish it a little. 

After several attempts I finally found fabric that was easy to work with.  The first book I did you will see at the workshop I used material that was a cotton blend and it's too heavy.  I started this book with another cotton blend fabric and ripped it out due to it being too bulky and heavy and went with this pattern fabric of a nice light weight cotton so much easier to work with.

I found this fabric at Jo Ann's in the quilting section called a "fat quarter".  I had enough for the lining, sides and center piece but not enough for a pocket.  The "fat quarter" is 18" X 21" piece of fabric and my book is 8 1/2" X 5 1/2".

I purchased a purse handle from Jo Ann's and made the flower out of scraps from the lining and a piece of lace.  I used two metal buttons, one the the purse clasp and the other for the center of the flower.

I finally found glue that would hold, Tacky Glue.  I tried other fabric blue and I didn't like the results.  I'm not a fan of a hot glue gun although I was getting pretty close to trying one :-)

All and all it turned out pretty cute and I'm sure the more I make these the easier and better I'm going to get at it.

Below of photos of this cute little purse.

Enjoy your week I'm off to make more jewelry for 2nd Friday Night Out on May 13th.

April Card Class

I'm so far behind this month posting this month's card class.  In tomorrow's class we will be making an easel card and the following techniques: black magic, distressed glue and faux title.

Below are the cards we will be making.

group shot

Black magic

close up

distressed glue

easel card

side view

faux title

On April 30th is the book purse making class.  My goal is to have 3 purses made and posted soon.

Tonight is 2nd Friday Night Out in downtown Mesa and I will be selling some of my craft items along with some of my students will be performing.  It's going to be a fun weekend with crafting and dancing!!!

Strawberry Box Flowers

I'm making strawberry boxes for my friend Kyla who's trying to raise money for her dog Durango's medical bills.

I taught how to make these cute little boxes in one of my box classes and Kyla called me with her idea of selling the strawberries to raise funds for people who have large medical bills for their pets.  She is calling it "Strawberry Sweets Forever". 

Kyla owns Kyla's Keepsakes and makes beautiful hair pieces, jewelry and more and will be selling these strawberries when she is vending.  Here next event in town will be at Downtown Mesa's 2nd Friday Night Out on April 8, 2011.  Stop by her booth and pick up some strawberries.

Today I created something new and I call them strawberry flowers.  It's the strawberry box with a candy kiss inside that I put on a bamboo skewer with paper leaves to be placed in a vase.  A great little gift to give to that someone special for a birthday, anniversary, a thank you or just because.

Below is a photo of my new creation.  I will be giving Kyla lots of these flowers for her to sell.  If you would like some of these flowers you can contact me and I'll get them to you.

Have a great weekend...