Brooch Bouquet Topiary

I have a large collection of pins that don't do much of anything except collect dust.  Recently I was inspired by some adorable bridal bouquets I saw on the Amy Atlas blog and thought there has to be a more creative way to display my collection.  Out of the jewelry box and onto the dining room table is what today's I Love to Create post is about.

SUPPLIES

Craft Moss

Tulip Sponge Pouncers

Terra Cotta Pot

Liquid Fusion Glue

Collection of Pins

Crafty Chica Little Chica Paint Pack

Foam Topiary

Tulip Sponge Brushes

Floral Pins

Foam topiary bases come in various sizes and shapes.  I chose a double stacked model since I have a lot of pins.  I found mine in the floral department of my local craft store.  As you might guess they come pretty plain looking, so I needed to fix that.  I used Crafty Chica paint in green to cover the wooden poll in-between the foam balls.

Once my green poll was dry I started inserting my collection of vintage pins into the foam.  Occasionally I used floral pins to help really anchor things down.  I could have used glue, but there is that off chance that I might want to wear one of these pins again some day.

I'm a big fan of using oddball objects as planters, but the base of this topiary was made to fit inside a terra cotta pot.  A plain brown pot was not a fitting home for my colorful collection of pins so I busted out the Crafty Chica Paint.

I needed to hide that icky green styrofoam so a little Liquid Fusion Glue and some moss fixed that right up.

Once my pot was dry I placed my topiary inside.  Now I have a colorful floral display that shows off my collection way better than any jewelry box and the best part is it never needs watering.  Do you have a slew of pins?  Got any other fun suggestions about how to display them?

Looking for some other fun ways to display your collections?  What about wearing them?

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Au Naturale Mosaic Eggs

Designed and Decorated by Cheryl Ball

The perfect springtime project for those inspired to use natural elements in their creativity and their everyday lives. Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ helps you tap into your refrigerator – and your imagination – to decorate these au naturale, delightfully colorful eggs!

Materials List

• Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™
  
  

• Miscellaneous

  •   Purple cabbage – one head
  •   Excelsior – natural or colored
  •   Turmeric spice
  •   White vinegar
  •   Paper towels
  •   Beets – 3
  •   Eggs – 2 per color
  •   Scissors
  •   Twigs
  •   Tongs
  •   Wood eggs – natural or painted
  •   Silk leaves
  •   Newspaper
  •   Measuring cup
  •   Cooling rack 

  Instructions

  1. The color for each egg is derived from a natural source. Pink from beets, yellow from Turmeric and blue from purple cabbage.
  2. Boil six eggs until hardboiled then dry with paper towels.
  3. Cover work surface with several layers of newspaper then a few paper towels – the dyes are very strong and may dye kitchen surroundings. Place cooling rack over paper.

  PINK:
  1. Cut up beets into chunks and place in pot. Cover with water then add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
  2. Let boil 30 minutes then strain out beets and let reserved liquid cool.
  3. Place two dry hardboiled eggs in dye and let sit to desired intensity of color.
  4. Remove eggs with tongs and let dry on cooling rack.
  BLUE:
  

  1. Cut up half a head of purple cabbage and place in large pan. Cover with water and add ¼ cup white vinegar. Let boil for 30 minutes then strain out cabbage and reserve liquid.
  2. Place two dry hardboiled eggs in dye and let sit to desired color.
  3. Remove eggs with tongs and place on rack to dry.

  TURMERIC:
  

  1. Place 3 cups water in non-stick pan. Add 2 tablespoons of Turmeric and bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer about 15 minutes.
  2. Take off heat and let cool.
  3. Pour liquid into measuring cup.
  4. Place two hardboiled eggs in dye and let set to desired color.
  5. Remove eggs with tongs and place on rack to dry.

  Assembly of eggs:
  

  1. Select two eggs of the same color to begin working with. Crack eggshells and peel off in large sections if possible. Place on paper towel. Repeat for other colors of eggs.
  2. Carefully peel shell pieces from inner membrane and place on paper towel.
  3. Determine design for each egg – gradation of color, center stripe or dots – or any design of choice.
  4. Select colored shells you would like to begin working with. Working in small sections at a time, use tip of bottle to apply a thin layer of Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ on wood egg. Place shell in glue and press lightly to secure. Continue with next piece, placing right next to last but leaving a very thin gap between. Refer to photo. Continue process for entire egg, adding different intensity of color for each design. Repeat step for all eggs. Let dry.
  5. Nest – Use hands to form a nest from excelsior, pressing tightly so it will stay together. Add Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ to ends of twigs and insert into nest as shown. Pull plastic backing from silk leaves then glue leaves in place at tips of twigs. Let dry.

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Crafty Chica's Glittered Elizabeth Taylor Silhouette Top

When I was 18, I dated a boy named Paul. Paul was obsessed with Elizabeth Taylor, it made me mad jealous! The only thing I knew about her was in sixth grade when my language arts teacher explained what the word "understatement" meant. Her example: "Elizabeth Taylor likes to get married." So until I met Paul, I thought she was a crazy actress with a string of husbands. I had yet to see her films.
 
One night I asked Paul why he liked her so much. He answered by taking me to the video store so we could rent A Place in the Sun, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and what would later become one of my all-time favorite flicks, Giant.  That night, I fell in love with Elizabeth too. I remember going home to inform my mom, only to find out that Elizabeth was her favorite actress too!

Paul and I eventually broke up, but I'll always remember and thank him for turning me on to classic Hollywood films, mostly for Elizabeth Taylor. Her movies even helped strengthen the relationship with my mom! From then on, whenever my mom and I had rough patches between us, we would watch a Elizabeth Taylor movie to serve as a buffer - a happy medium to bring us together to laugh again.

Some people wonder why we care so much about a dead celebrity. For me, she was more than that. She was a talented and gifted artist who brightened the lives of so many people. Her work helped us escape the stress of daily life, and her campiness, humor and devotion to charities showed us she was more than just celebrity, she was a real person with a diamond-encrusted heart.

My daughter is now a big Elizabeth fan too, and I decided to make this shirt for her. Viva Elizabeth Taylor!


Supplies: An 8x10 print-out of a clean black and white image, carbon paper, ballpoint pen, watercolor paper, Tulip Sponge Pouncers, Tulip Black Fabric Paint (3D slick or Soft Paint), craft knife, self-healing cutting mat, Tulip Fabric Glitter Spray.
.

Set the picture on top of the carbon paper, and then the carbon paper on top of the watercolor paper. Trace the BLACK areas with the ballpoint pen. NOTE: I have used freezer paper stencils before, but always use watercolor paper for my hand cut stencils so I can reuse them.


Put an "X" on the black places, this is where you will cut.


Cut out all the black areas.


Set the stencil on your shirt (insert a t-shirt form) and tape down the corners so the stencil won't move. Apply paint to the pouncer and add color all over the open stencil areas. Hold down edges with your fingers.


Let the black paint dry, and then add the Tulip Glitter Spray. Let dry. Peel off the stencil.


Here you have the finished shirt! My husband said she needs crystals, so I may add those next!


Preserve your stencil! Spray it with glossy spray paint, it will dry thick and flexible so you can use it over and over again!

Here is my favorite Liz Taylor scene from Giant. Enjoy!






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Our products on ABC's Grey's Anatomy!

Last night on Grey's Anatomy, they were having a onesie-making party using a bevy of our great Tulip® and Scribbles® products! The actors were seen decorating onesie's with Tulip® Markers, 4oz Tulip® Paint, 1oz Scribbles Paint, and Tulip® Paint Pens, with our product displayed up and down the table. Wonder if we'll get a Primetime Emmy nomination for our fabulous product cameo?? Haha!

This isn't the first time our products have been featured! Our products have been seen twice before on Grey's Anatomy, 2 times on Glee, and a handful of times on VH1, MTV, and Food Network reality shows!

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Introducing...Craftovision by Corinne Leigh!

LINK

We are huge, glittery fans of Corinne Leigh, formerly of Threadbanger. We're giddy to share that she just launched her new craft channel, appropriately titled CRAFTOVISION: A Show About DIY Culture!

Check out her first video where she shows how to make sexy feather earrings, it features Aleene's Original Tacky Glue! Here is a link to Corinne's Craftovision blog!

Congrats, Corinne!

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Personalized Placemats

Recently when I was invited to my friend's house warming party, I knew I could not show up empty handed. The couple already had a fully functioning house with all the staples, but I followed my instincts that they were without a set of personalized place mats. Good thing I did because they were smitten on the place mats and it was a gift that no one else brought them.


SUPPLIES
Ready Made Place Mats
Embroidery Floss
Computer Program (such as Picnic) to covert photos into line drawings
Tulip Fabric Markers
Fabric
Embroidery Needle
Aleene's Tack It Over and Over
Iron On Interfacing
Pen
Carbon Paper
Photographs

Because I can never say no to the random kitschy junk I find at the thrift store I already had some groovy vintage quilted place mats in my stash. I had been saving them for a special day and a house warming for one of my oldest and dearest friends qualified. You can find place mats at Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, World Market - or sew your own.


Next I needed to get portraits of the new home owners. I snagged pictures from their Facebook pages and ran them through a Picnic program to make them into line drawings.


Once I had line drawings to follow I traced the basic outline of their faces onto a piece of cotton cloth using carbon paper and a pen.


After my drawing was complete I went back in with Tulip and Crafty Chica Fabric Markers and did a little augmenting.


I needed to attach my fabric to my place mats so I started by using some iron on interface to stiffen my drawing and also set my fabric markers. Then using Aleene's Tack It Over and Over I glued the portraits to the place mats.

I also added a little banner that read "Home is Where Cory is" and "Home is Where Tom is". I used a Sublime Stitching iron on embroidery pattern for the banner.


Once everything was tacked to the placemat I went through and did a bit of embroidery to add a touch of fancy to the place mats and give them a more of a mixed media feel.


The new home owners seemed pleased as punch with their new place mats, hooray!


Check out more of my I Love to Create Projects here!

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ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Pink Sparkles Easter Bunny Ears

Pink Sparkles Easter Bunny Ears
Avalon Potter for ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
“Teen Crafted, Mom Approved”

I was walking through a store when I saw this adorable Easter bunny ear headband! I took it home and after I tried it on I felt it was lacking...something. So what did I do next? I headed straight to my Tulip® bins to dig up some pink glitter and Tacky Glue! Next I looked through my ribbons gathering up some that matched the sparkles, and then I grabbed some tiny pink chicks. Finally I was ready to make some super cute pink Easter bunny ears!

Materials
Tulip® Fashion Glitter Bond™
Crafty Chica® Chunky Glitters™ (Frida's Fuchsia)
Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™
Pink ribbon
Pink tiny chick
Newspaper
White fuzzy bunny ears with satin fabric inside the ear

Tools
Scissors

Instructions



1. Gather your materials and place newspapers around your workspace. Take Tulip® Fashion Glitter Bond™ and apply a thin layer inside of the ears.

2. Take your Frida's Fuchsia Crafty Chica® Chunky Glitters™ (if pink isn’t your color just use a different one from the various assortment) and sprinkle over the glue then shake it around making sure everything is covered. Shake off excess glitter and put back in container.

3. Let the glitter/glue dry for two hours. While you are waiting start on your bow.

4. Decide how big you want the bow loops to be and cut a piece of ribbon in the desired length. Place a small amount of Aleene’s® Quick Dry Tacky Glue™ in the center and fold in the ribbon ends.

5. Add another dab of glue in the center of the bow. Cut a small piece of ribbon just long enough to go around the middle of the bow.

6. Fasten the small ribbon around width of your first ribbon forming a bow and secure with a small dab of glue.

7. Use the Tacky Glue to attach the ribbon in the middle of the two ears directly in front and let dry.



8. Take the little chick and glue it on top of the headband positioned in the very middle. Allow to dry before wearing, even though you know you’ll want to wear it them right away!

embellished shoulders tutorial

I am loving the current fashion of trend of embellished shoulders. I am seeing it everywhere and I think it is a fun way to wear a little bling. And of course I had to come up with an easy way to create my own!

I started with a black jersey tunic

and used my new favorite Tulip product- Beads in a Bottle. A little like puff paint but once the paint dries is hardens up and feels and looks like beads on the surface. It is machine washable and permanent.

Beads in a Bottle is brand new and will hit stores next month!

I used lots of dots and shapes to embellish the surface of the shoulders.

I let it dry over night and just like that I have a new fun embellished tee!

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A Painted Pocket Square Poem!

How does one transition creatively from March (National Craft Month, woo-hoo!) into April (National Poetry Month)? Here's one idea: To celebrate Poetry Month, the Academy of American Poets is sponsoring National Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 14, 2011. Basically, you carry a poem around in your pocket, and take it out and share it throughout your day with friends, colleagues, and family. The poem can be an old classic, a modern ode, long, short, silly, or serious -- Anne Sexton or Dr. Seuss, Will Shakespeare or Shel Silverstein, Emily Dickinson or e.e. cummings... And if you can't find a poem you'd like to share, write your own! But my point is, why limit the printed word to paper (or digital smart phone)?

Perhaps I'm taking this pocket thing too literally, but I do like to play with words and type -- experimenting with the way the letters themselves can create fascinating visual patterns (even before we get anywhere near discussions of assonance, alliteration, and onomatopoeia!). A pocket square (or a hanky -- just pop it in your purse!) is a more permanent way to commit to that poem. And, bonus: If you forget to take the poem out of your pocket before laundry day, you won't end up with a pocket full of disintegrated, dried paper pulp.

Materials:

-white or light-colored T-shirt

-rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat (or ruler, marker, and scissors)

-masking tape

-letter stencils

-fabric paint (variety of colors)

-paint tray (optional)

-sponge brushes

-needle and thread (in a color to match the T-shirt)

Make It:

1. Cut a 17" x 17" square (or smaller, depending on your preference) from one layer of the T-shirt. Tape the edges of the square to your painting surface with masking tape. (This will allow for a margin as well as keep the fabric straight while you're painting it.) Choose a poem or stanza and arrange the letter stencils on the T-shirt square. And don't forget to save room to credit your poet! Note: The paint will bleed through (as evidenced in the following photos!) -- use a paint surface that you don't mind making permanently colorful!

2. Select your paint colors. I chose to use a different color for each line of the poem to highlight the original line breaks. (P.S. Can you guess the poem, Wheel of Fortune-style, based on the letters placed above?)

3. Use the sponge brush to dab the paint over the stencil one letter at a time. Note: Some of the letters will need to be moved as you go, to ensure even spacing and to account for repeated letters.

4. Continue painting, changing colors as needed, until the square is filled and/or your stanza or poem is complete. (P.S. Yes, it's Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky.")

5. Remove all the letters and peel off the masking tape to release the T-shirt square. Let the paint dry completely. (Don't forget to wash your fingers if you, like me, inadvertently gave yourself a rather colorful but clumpy-looking manicure!)

6. Thread the needle, knot the end and carefully turn the edges under twice. Use a slip stitch to sew the edges in place around the perimeter of the T-shirt square.

7. Tie off the ends, snip your threads, and look online to....

8. ...learn to fold (and unfold and fold and unfold--and read--and fold again) your poetic pocket square! So, is that a poem in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Variations:

-Use fabric markers in lieu of paint and stencils to fit more text (and/or more stanzas) on the square.

-If poetry's not your thing, paint or print a quotation that inspires you!

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