#Cre8time Road Tripping...

Greetings Friends! Hope you are having a fantastic Monday. I just wanted to share a bit from my weekend artsy field trip... and to let you know that the "ANYTHING GOES" challenge at Anything But a Card Challenges has been extended until midnight August 1st, 2015.

The Challenge is OPEN - Anything But a Card Challenges No. 49 is ANYTHING GOES. Share you're creations, whatever it may be... scrapbooking, collage, ATCs, tags, art journal pages, altered shrines... whatever tickles your muse and her fancy!

Over the weekend I took a Cre8time road trip up to a magical place called Art More Place in Melbourne, FL to attend a workshop from the super fantastic Cat Kerr. This is the second workshop I've taken with her learning to make charmed soldered whimsies. If you missed out and would like to take a class from her she will be having another workshop there real soon {CLICK HERE for event listings}. Last month I traveled up to Art More Place for two days of painting "Funky Little Houses" with Jodi Ohl.

Soldering is new to me and I think it's beginning to grow on me. It requires patience, attention to detail and leaves you living on the edge of your seat awaiting the end result. With the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning, I am ready for a day of learning and creating with abandon - stocked with healthy snacks and a jumbo homemade smoothie.

I brief message came across social media the night before instructing us to bring any photos, charms or other misc personal ephemera we would like to use in our pendants - I filled my scrapbook roll-a-round. In my stash I selected items to pair with a supplied stamped mermaid to make a seaside pendant; and an assortment of christmas theme/colored items for a holiday vignette. The time invested in learning new media always gives my muse a giant shot of vitamin "C".

"Mini Soldered Shakers"

Thanks for visiting! CLICK HERE to jump over to Anything But a Card Challenges and see what everyone else has created. I hope you join in and share your creations. Have a creative week! :) Sb

#Cre8time for #Upcycled Handmade Holiday Decorations... Christmas in July Bloghop with The Robins Nest and Smoothfoam™

It's Christmas in July!! Have you started your handmade holiday cards or giftmaking? I have and I just returned from having a Christmas in July with my whole family in Chicago. This trip it was hot, just like South Florida... but anytime I'm home in Chicago I can get in the holiday spirit... and I've captured "Frosty" in a snowglobe!

Today you are in for a treat - so go grab some hot chocolate and some cookies! Today we have a new Designer Crafts Connection Bloghop which we have teamed up with Smoothfoam™ and The Robin's Nest... making dimensional, paper-crafted Christmas projects to get you ready for the holidays and early enough to get your holiday Cre8time creations started.

I began with a Smoothfoam™ 12" x 12" x 5/8" Scrapbook Page Mount and one 2 1/2" Diameter Ball cut in half, then quartered. The Smoothfoam™ is suprisingly easy to cut and doesn't leave a blizzard of foam bits around.

  

I'm fashioning my snow globe from recycled one liter water bottle, topped off with a recycled wine cork, and a recycled container lid for a base. I trimmed the bottom off the bottle, laid on side and traced shape onto The Robin's Nest Black and White Pinetree Glitter Cardstock with a pencil. I cut the shape using a paper trimmer for straight edges and scissors to round the top, then slid into bottle to test fit. After a few adjustments to the height and width - this snowy scene is a perfect fit!

  

The foam circle cut serves as a base for my snow globe scene which will be concealed when complete. This will help suspend my background and snowman. Using a metal ruler I created a gap going about halfway through the foam to slide the pinetree cardstock into. I hot glued a section of the quartered foam ball to each side of the background paper.

After fussy cutting The Robin's Nest Glitter Snowmen, I added some dimensional glaze to the hat, eyes and nose and adhered Black Diamond Dew Drops to his front. The scarf is a tied section of Robin's nest rick-rack with edges frayed. I added clear adhesive to keep fraying to a mininum - this darkened the The Robin's Nest Rusty Rose Rickrack... so I added more lines adhesive to create a striped effect. So cute!

I could have two completely different scenes in my snowglobe, but for this project - I made it the same with a snowman on each side. The embellished snowmen are hot glued to the base. I filled in around the base with some scrunched up white tulle and a section of recycled tree tinsel.

  

I punched a snowflake from The Robin's Nest Stormy Skies Glittered Cardstock, then adhered six Clear Diamond Dew Drops in a star pattern to add dimension and shine. This will be my topper accent piece - nestled amongst a wrapping of fuzzy fibers and a wrap of matching Rusty Rose Rickrack.

Using a clear adhesive, I glued Pearl and Red Diamond Dew Drops around the edge of my recycled container lid - this adds some color and transforms the lid into a whimsical base for my snow globe.

I tore a strip of The Robin's Nest Stormy Skies Glittered Cardstock and wrapped around base of bottle to add a layer of faux snow and to conceal edges of foam structure inside. Placed onto the blinged up base... this scene is complete.

"Frosty the Snowman" in a Bottle!

CLICK HERE to see jump to the beginning of the hop at DesignerCraftsConnection.blogspot.com.

Visit The Robin's Nest blog at

chatteringrobins.blogspot.com 

Visit the Smoothfoam™ blog at

smoothfoam.com/blog

Want to get a jumpstart on your Christmas Crafting... there's blog candy to be won! Enter to win $50 worth of Smoothfoam™ and $35 worth of The Robin's Nest products by leaving comments on each post. This blog hop runs today through midnight 7/28/2015.

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Thanks so much for visiting! For more ideas and inspiration follow the Designer Crafts Connection "Christmas Crafts Challenge" by selecting hop back/forward on the logo below to enjoy all of the wonderful creations. Sb :)

Designer Craft Connection

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#Cre8time Dormroom Doodling... Heading Off to College with Deflecto Craft

Hello Everyone! Today I'm bringing you some "Back to School" inspiration using some supplies with Deflecto Craft. My project is geared for the college student who's moving into the dorms and setting up for classes and studying in style!

My project is super fun and easy... and perfect for the college student - combining sweet treats and brand new school supplies in a caddy that is hand-doodled with Deflecto Dry Erase Chalk Markers. These pens can turn virtually any surface into a place to leave a Cre8time impression! A college student could go wild in the blank canvas called a DORM ROOM.

I customized the outside and around the framed inside of the pencil cup creating a whimsical circular pattern. Who doesn't love to doodle? The chalk ink can be wiped away with a damp cloth and it's ready for new design.

In lieu of photos, I added some fluorescent pink cardstock to the photo frame and wrote a fun message using the blue wet erase chalk marker onto the protective plexi window.

The Deflecto Craft Pencil Cup with Photo Frame Item No. 35004 makes desk organization easy! Conveniently store pens, pencils, scissors and more. The matte black surface and photo frames are ready for a personal touch and ready to hold all your necessities within reach {for my student its candy and plenty of colored pens}!

How will you dress up your desk with Deflecto Craft?

Thanks for visiting! CLICK HERE to jump over to the Deflecto Craft Facebook Page or Deflecto on Pinterest to see more of the teams creations.  :) Sb

For more information on the Deflecto line of products,

please visit: http://www.deflecto.com/craft/

#Cre8time gets a Vintage Makeover... Dollar Tree Frame REDUX

Welcome to my stop on the Viva Las VegaStamps! and WOW! Embossing Powder week of inspiration... two product lines that are a match made in creative heaven. I'm so excited to WOW and AMAZE you with my project today - using two stamps and two embossing powders, and a few staples from my crafty stash.

So you don't miss anything,

please be sure you check out these links:

For WOW! Embossing Powder : 

Shop • Blog • Facebook

For Viva Las VegaStamps! :
Shop • Blog • Facebook

Today I'm sharing a dollar store REDUX project... a $1 framed mirror RE-Imagined into a vintage boudoir tray! I was excited to find a 5x7 beaded trim frame with a glass mirror at the Dollar Tree - the perfect item to alter with stamps and some embossed goodness.

The frame was a black matte finish with a dotted gold beading on the inner edge... but not for long! 

I mount my Celtic Cross stamp to an acrylic block that is very close in size and inked up with black Versafine pigment ink. I stamped once at a diagonal and continued stamping to create a pattern - reinking the stamp after each impression.

This took a bit of time and patience... and a few wipe offs with alcohol and starting again. The resulting decorative pattern using just one stamp is stunning and worth the time invested!

Once the Celtic Cross pattern was completely stamped, I completely covered with WOW! Verdigris WL05 embossing powder and tapped away excess.

There was a lot of powder clinging to non-inked areas due to static cling so I blew away as much as possible using a thin straw. Then I gently heat set - careful not to overheat, as I was concerned that the glass might break.

Ooh-la-la!!! This looks so amazing! The embossed mirror now has this gorgeous pattern with a distressed patina. The brand new mirror looks like it's been around for years.

Now this frame needs some attention too. Working on one side of frame at a time, I inked the Charred Wood Background stamp with black Versafine pigment ink and pressed onto the frame - bending the stamp around edge to give imprint on front and side; overlapping and continuing stamping down entire side. This is a large stamp so I could add texture to the entire side with just one inking by moving stamp and impressing a different area until entire surface is covered to my liking.

The WOW! Embossing Powder comes in cute little tiny containers that make precise application easy. I cover the stamped area with WOW! Clear Semi Dull WA03, tap off excess and heat set. Then pour back into container and move on to repeating process on next side of frame.

Now this plain jane frame has some wood grain texture!

I finish off the frame with a daubing of Ranger Distress Paints in a few coordinating colors, then rubbed into the faux woodgrain texture to bring out the detail and give some color.

I give my metal brads and recycled hardware a matching kiss of the same coloring, then pounce the metal recycled hardware into the ink, then the WOW! Verdigris WL05 embossing powder.

When heat set, the hardware now has the same gorgeous distressed patina as the mirror. I mount them with some E6000® adhesive and mount some recycled glass floral beads for feet on the bottom. This transformation is complete!

Now this frame is ready for the dressing table... the perfect touch of girlie vintage grunge! I can't believe I stamped this!!!

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SUPPLIES: From Viva Las VegaStamps: Charred Wood Background #16387 and Celtic Cross #7958 stamps. From WOW! Embossing Powder: Verdigris WL05 and Clear Semi Dull WA03. Other Supplies: Mirrored Frame from Dollar Tree; black Versafine pigment ink; heat gun; thin drinking straw; recycled metal hardware; brads; E6000® adhesive; recycled glass floral beads; paper towel and Ranger Distress Paints.

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Thanks so much for dropping by! Don't forget to check out the other works during this week of inspiration from the VLVS! and WOW! Embossing Powder teams... if you visit each blog stop each day and leave a comment, there is blog candy to be won.

I'm going to link up and enter this in the Craft Stamper Magazine "Take It Make It" July Challenge and also to the current Anything But a Card Challenges "Vintage + Recycling" Mini Challenge. Happy Stamping!  :) Sb

Freshly Squeezed #Cre8time Summer Crafts with Designer Crafts Connection

Hello Everyone! It's the first Monday of July which brings another Designer Crafts Connection Bloghop... this month is all about "Summertime Crafts". Summer is the time for vacations, days spent at the shore and for many scrapbooking and crafting! Our creatives are sharing projects that inspire your Cre8time for the summer season. 

My project I'm sharing today is a bright, sunny citrus paper gift tote created with a handmade stamp. Summer is the perfect time for making mini albums and gifts that are in bright, tropical colors... fortunately, I live in South Florida and it's summer pretty much year round. I don't have to look far for inspiration.

I love making molds of interesting items, many from nature and especially food! For the past couple of months, I have been developed a series of citrus molds - grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime slices to use for my mixed-media and handmade resin jewelry creations.

As a paper crafter and stamper, I think ahead to get double duty from my molds so they can be used for mixed-media applications too. I took this particular mold one step further to create a custom stamp from my citrus slice. I took the existing mold, and generously lubricated mold with vaseline {because Amazing Mold Putty will fuse to itself}. 

I mixed up another batch of Amazing Mold Putty and pressed into the mold to make a reverse. I used a small juice glass to press into mold and get a nice flat surface. In about 15 minutes this is cured and ready to use... and I have a relief stamp that is a slice of heaven!

I mount to my acrylic block with some double-sided

adhesive tape and apply ink using a brayer.

Voila! My resulting stamped image. I love the subtle impression it gives, very similar to a traditional fruit or vegetable print - EXCEPT - this stamp is permanent, washable and re-useable! I carried on inking and stamping until I created a couple of sheets of handstamped paper... which I fashioned into this bright, sunny and oooh so tropical paper tote. I accented with some ribbon, burlap trim, purse handles and a few handmade danglies! This came out so AMAZING – this pattern would be fabulous stamped onto fabric to make a tablecloth or a beach tote for the summer, too!

"Tropical Citrus Tote"

This STUNNING background paper for this paper tote is entirely hand-stamped from my DIY stamp created using Amazing Mold Putty!!! It totally looks store bought, right? Who wouldn't love a handmade gift wrapped like this?

Thanks so much for visiting! Continue on the Designer Crafts Connection "Summertime Crafts" by selecting hop back/forward on the logo below to enjoy all of the wonderful inspiration. Happy Creating! Sb :)

Designer Craft Connection

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Daring to try New Colors and Techniques for Anything But a Card Challenge No. 49 "ANYTHING GOES"

Greetings Friends! I hope you are having a fabulous 4th of July weekend. Today begins a brand new challenge at Anything But a Card Challenges. 

The new Challenge... is OPEN! With summertime in full swing... we want to see what you're creating! Anything But a Card Challenges No. 49 is ANYTHING GOES. Share you're creations, whatever it may be... scrapbooking, collage, ATCs, tags, art journal pages, altered shrines... whatever tickles your muse and her fancy!

Challenges are a fun way to push yourself to try new things and new styles – and to be perfectly honest – this was way out of my creative box. I was a bit scared as to how I would tackle this challenge board... it's totally out of my box and I had butterflies in my stomach until my creation was complete! But I'm so glad I played along.

I started with a watercolor paper that I monoprinted with a blend of blue and green metallic Ranger Adirondack acrylics. Then I scribbled and smooshed on some blues and green Faber-Castell Gelatos to my liking. Using gel medium I fused a ghost monoprint on deli paper, which glues the layers together while giving translucency to colors below.

I wanted to have a scribbly heart, so I made a dribbly heart mask {click here to see how to} and placed onto my background then sprayed with black Ditto glimmer spray.

Look at all the glorious blue and green exposed! I brushed some water at the top where the spray was still a bit wet and let the black color drip down. This was fun and a bit scary... I'm a total newbie to the dripping technique.

I gave a blast with the heat gun to dry everything and added a few strokes of Gelatos to the heart. To finish this mini masterpiece, I overstamp a bubble wrap texture and spell out "dare to dream" with Hero Arts Unicorn white pigment ink {love this new white ink} and heat set. I stamped, embossed and fussy cut butterfly wings on matching painted paper. I gently slide the my collage into a Deflecto Acrylic Craft Frame and tucked the wings off each edge... and I have a new inspirational whimsy.

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Supplies: Stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps: "Distressed Alphabet from December Daily Plate #1430"; "Bubble Wrap Texture" #19566; and  "Butterfly Spotted" #9459. Ultra High Gloss Embossing Powder; watercolor paper, white cardstock detail scissors, black Versafine pigment Ink; Hero Arts "Hero Hues" Unicorn {white} pigment ink; various blues/greens Faber-Castell Gelatos; detail scissors; Faber-Castell Gel Medium; drizzle heart mask made with Amazing Remelt; Ditto black shimmer spray; and a Deflecto 3" x 4" Acrylic Craft Frame.

"Let Your Heart Soar..."

Thanks for visiting! CLICK HERE to jump over to Anything But a Card Challenges and see what the rest of the designer have created. I hope you join in and share your creations. Happy Sunday :) Sb