Inspire Canvas

A simple flat panel canvas turns into an "inspiring" decoration with Mod Podge and some simple embellishments.

After creating a base layer of Mod Podged scrapbook paper, I layered the cut out shapes and the "inspire" wording. When dry, I added some lace trim and buttons. The finishing touch was the adorable charm I created using a Craft Fantastic Charm Tray. The flower charm was designed to be a necklace but I flipped it upside-down and hung the bird charm off of it. 

I loved the results and this canvas became a wonderful decorative touch to my craft area! 

**Please be advised that Plaid Enterprises, Inc. has compensated the designer by furnishing Plaid product at no charge in connection with this posting. 

Abide

"Abide" -This image has been rolling around in my head for awhile, at least a month or more.

 It started with a vine and then I saw a crown of thorns grow from the vine...and the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart "the crown of thorns was made from a vine as well."

 I was reminded of the scripture . "I always carry around in my body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be fully revealed." (2 Corinthians 4:10 my paraphrase) 

Abiding for Jesus led him to a place of death, but he conquered death, and so that place of abiding produced the fruit of eternal life for all who receive.

 As a Christian I am encouraged to " abide in the vine" to draw my identity... my strength from God, to bear fruit of showing people the Savior. 

Some times that means laying down my wants and desires for God's better plan. My "death" to my self, to become resurrected as who He has made me to be and to bear fruit that will last.

(mixed media on canvas)
Supplies used: Canvas, Acrylic Paint, Mod Podge Ultra, Hot Glue, Paper 

**Please be advised that Plaid Enterprises, Inc. has compensated the designer by furnishing Plaid product at no charge in connection with this posting. 

Sharing the Creative Heart-Creativation (Before the show)

Every January, members of the Association for Creative Industries (AFCI) (formerly CHA) get together at "Creativation"  the annual trade show and convention. This is a time of connecting, equipping and learning about new products and opportunities within the creative industry. I have a member of the association (and attending the shows since 2003.)

These last couple of years I have been a part of the designer section of the association. The last couple of years the designer section has held a event called "Sharing the Creative Heart". Designer members are encourage to create an original piece of art to leave someone on the show floor for some random person to find and take home. The only guideline, have a heart someone on the piece.

I participated last year and received such a sweet and encouraging email from the gal that found the canvas I made. She shared how it inspired her to create and share with others.

Since I had such a sweet response last year, naturally I had to participate again! My inspiration came from one of my favorite bible stories found in 1 Samuel 16:1-13, the calling of David. In this story the prophet Samuel is told by the Lord to go anoint the new king of Israel. He is told to go to the house of Jesse to anoint one of his sons. When he gets there and asks to see his sons, Jesse brings out his oldest son, Samuel first thought was "yes this is surly the one to be king." The Lord "NO" for "Man looks at the outward appearance, but I look to the heart." I wanted what I created to be a reminder to "look to the heart" in all that you do and with all those you meet.

This year since I had some down time, I decided I just needed to play, so I pulled out my Gel Press Mono-printing plate and made some prints on mini canvases. I love mixing the paints, and adding texture with plates, bubble wrap and more, it's so fun (and very relaxing) and each print is unique!

I had so much fun I ended up with 12 mini (3"x3") canvases.  

 

Then I got to have fun embellishing. I found a whole bunch of brass charms and findings at the thrift store (a major score for $1.99) the brass color was too dull for what I wanted to use them for so I used Krylon's 18k gold leafing pen. I then added hearts. To create the darker hearts I used cardstock and "leatherized it" (spritz it with water, and crumple it up several different times and ways, smooth out and blast with a heat gun.) The "leathered paper", really does give the paper the look of leather, and adds a fun texture to enhance with ink vs. smooth cardstock. To finish off I added touches of flowers, gemstones, even some random stamping and washi tape.

I then wrote the phrase "look to the heart"  on strips of vellum and added those to the canvas as well. To finish things off I added a flat piece of magnet to the backs of the canvas, since they are small enough, I figured people could use them as a fridge magnet.

If you are at the 

be sure to look for:

To be able to take home your very own piece of art from a creative heart!

Products used: 3"x 3" mini canvases, Gel Press Monoprinting Gel Plates, Plaid Crafts Folk Arts Acrylic Paints, Krylon 18k Gold Leaving Pen, assorted brass charms, vellum, flowers, glass dots, felt trim, Little B Washi Tape-Gold Collection, assorted gemstones, hot glue, ranger archival ink in black, and strip magnet.

What are you "Podging?"

Happy Mod Podge Day!!! 

What are you "Podging" lately?

So many wonderful things happen in May, the "April showers" bring "May flowers." Mother's Day is Celebrated and last but certainly not least May 18th, is "National Mod Podge Day!" Yes, Mod Podge is celebrating it's 51st birthday and I decided to wrap all of our May celebrations in one fun project and a contest!

So how would one tie all of these wonderful celebrations together with one project? By redoing an adorable sewing desk!

 I was given this adorable sewing desk that belonged to my Grandma Helen. I love it's petite size and the drawers hold tons, but it isn't compatible with my sewing machine. So for Mother's Day I asked for help to adapt the desk for my use and time to be able to refinish it.

After filling some holes with wood putty, I sanded down the rough edges. I then taped off edges and started painting the main part of the desk a lovely creamy color of Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint called "sheepskin." For the top of the desk I created my own shade of "Aqua blue" with two additional colors of chalk paint. 

 For the top of the desk and the drawers,  I created my own shade of "Aqua blue" with two additional colors of chalk paint. 

My next step was to use Mod Podge Furniture, to adhere this gorgeous floral scrapbook paper to the front of the drawers. The used the darker aqua in the flowers as my paint inspiration! I love the way the paper reminds me of vintage wall paper.

Now comes the fun part of waiting for Mod Podge to dry! So while things are drying lets have a contest! Answer the question in the comments below, "What are you Mod Podging lately?" or if you have never used Mod Podge before, what would you like to? 

My friends over at Plaid Crafts will award one lucky recipient a wonderful "Mod Podge Prize pack" including: 

-8 oz Mod Podge Mega Glitter

-8 OZ. Mod Podge GLOSS 

-8 OZ. Mod Podge Matte 
-8 Oz. Mod Podge Dishwasher Safe Gloss 
-Mod Podge Image Transfer Medium with Brush
-Mod Podge Silicone Craft Mat
-M/P 4pc Spouncer Set -M/P 4pc Foam Brush Set


The contest is open to U.S. Residents only and will close next Thursday, May 24, 2018(11:59pm CST.) Please don't forget to input your email address when you leave your comment, so I may contact you if you are the lucky winner.

Thank you to Plaid Crafts for sponsoring the paint and Mod Podge used in this project and the contest!

Now if  you are like me and can't wait to win your Mod Podge, Plaid Crafts is having a special sale in honor of Mod Podge Day. From now thru Sunday May 20, 2018 you can get 40% off and free shipping when you spend $60 on all Mod Podge Branded products when you use promo code MPDAY18! See the website for details!

Shop now: http://bit.ly/2wM3wI8

Be sure to check back next week to see the finished project and if you are the lucky winner! Happy "Podging" 

Best Blogger Contest

As a designer member of the Association for the Creative Industry (AFCI), I am privileged to work with some of the most talented artists, designers, and bloggers in the industry.

This past January, during the AFCI annual trade show "Creativation"  Prime Publishing/Fave Crafts invited the creative influencers to their annual Blogger event. The evening is sponsored by some of the best creative manufacturers in the industry.

The event is designed to allow the two groups to mingle and get to know each other. Allow the manufacturers to learn about the designers, artists, and bloggers, areas of expertise, and let the creative influencers learn what the manufacturers are looking for to see if a partnership can be formed between the two.

One of the absolute funnest parts of the event is that all those "creative influencer  types" get to participate in Prime Publishing/Fave Crafts "Best Blogger" Contest using products from the sponsors.
There were over 40 entries, and 20 were chosen as finalists and mine was one of them.

My "Modern End Table from Wedding Keepsakes" is up against 19 other amazing projects. The prizes are all cash awards and determined by public vote.

 You can check out the amazing projects including my end table here at -----> Best Blogger Contest and then vote for your favorite!

Thanks to Prime Publishing/Fave Crafts for being amazing hosts, and to the wonderful sponsors: Deflecto, Leisure Arts, Love Knitting, Marvy Uchida, Premier Yarn, Plaid, Polyform, Red Heart, Sakura, Share A Sale, Testors/Rust-Oleum, Xyron, Yarnspirations

New Product SNEAK PEEK Mod Podge Mod Melter!

The last two weeks or so I have been have loads of fun playing with a new tool from Plaid, the Mod Podge Mod Melter. Now everyone knows I LOVE my glue gun, but let me be one of the first to say the Mod Melter, takes traditional glue guns to a whole new level.

For starters the Mod Melter, can be used as a traditional glue gun with mini high temp glue sticks, but what makes it unique is that the Mod Melter is designed to use vertically.  Traditional glue guns are hard to see around when gluing your project, the Mod Melter is designed to be used above project with the glue flowing downward, meaning you can see exactly where you need to glue.  If the vertically design wasn't enough, Plaid added a longer cord (6ft.)  an on/off switch, a silicone safe tip, and to make holding the tool more comfortable an even a larger trigger, and silicone grip. In addition to it's gluing abilities, the Mod Melter is designed to use Plaid's Mini Mod Melts to create a whole array of embellishments for your crafting projects. Mini Mod Melts, look like a traditional hot glue stick and come in a variety of colors and finishes.

Once I practiced with the melter a couple of times getting used to the trigger, I was ready to attempt filling some Mod Melt Molds, these detailed silicone molds are designed to create resin looking embellishments with the melts.

My first attempt wasn't too bad. After they cooled (recommended time is about 10 minutes.) I found them to pop easily out of the mold, any "extra" hardened mod melt was easily removed with a pair of sharp scissors.

I loved the look of the "milk glass" sticks, the detail shown in the pieces reminded me of a cameo, so my first project I took a ring tray and made a faux cameo ring. To start i created my "shell piece" out of the white milk glass, I allowed this to thoroughly cool. Then I filled the tray of the ring with pink mod melt. I left a bit of space around the edges to allow for spreading. Then I embedded the white piece into the pink. As I carefully pushed the white piece into the tray, the pink mod melt spread out to fill the tray completely because it was still in it's molten stage.

The result a "faux cameo"ring. I can't wait to try this with different shapes and base colors.

 From the ring, I moved onto a project near and dear to my heart, embellishments for hair pretties. I pack shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child, and we love putting hair accessories into the girls boxes. I was given a bunch of plain clips that needed something extra. After creating some bows out of ribbon and hot gluing them into place, I added Mod Melt decorations to the centers of the hair bows. The shapes added a perfect finishing touch.

Even though the Mod Melts come in a variety of colors, you can paint and ink them to the color of your choosing. Here I simply rubbed some alcohol based ink over the owl with my finger. The color collected on the raised edges showing the detail of the piece.

My favorite project of my Mod Melter adventure, is this 8 x 10 canvas. I loved the mini frame molds, and thought mini "gilded" frames showcasing my family would be fun. So taking the frames, I simply painted them with gold acrylic paint. When finished I used them to frame mini prints of my family as the focal point of my "family canvas"

 

The Mod Melter will be available Mid March on Plaid Online and on Amazon.com and HSN.com March 9th. Be sure to check out my blog next week for more on the Mod Melter!

Vintage Pie Safe Inspired Shelf Restyle

My kitchen is getting a "makeover" but unlike the TV show...I'm on a very limited budget! This being the case imaging my excitement when I was at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show this past January and was given some amazing supplies to create with at the Fave Crafts/Prime Publishing Blogger Event and they "just so happened" to be perfect for this project.

Twenty years ago, my husband made me this wood shelf for my canned goods. It has served us well, never complaining as we double stacked soup, or fit more on the shelf by turning cans on their side so they would fit. It's time though had passed and it's new home was the basement. It was stained, and a back piece was loose, the side was even splitting a bit and needed repair. The shelf was good enough for the basement cause no one looked there.

But then inspiration hit! I wondered if I could spruce it up with some paint, and add doors, maybe with some tin panel and make a pie safe? After cleaning it up, repairing some parts, and using some 1"x 2" pieces to create a frame I started to think this just might work!  I collect red and white enamelware and thought it would be fun to have a RED cabinet as a focal point in the kitchen.

I talked to my friends from Plaid Crafts and asked about their Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Ultra Matte Paint. I had worked with this at the show and loved the finish it gave, they were good enough to send me some to use. This paint has a nice creamy texture and is super easy to work with. I started with a base coat of Cottage White, and then allowed that to cure and topped with Imperial Red. I then sanded the top coat, to reveal some of the white underneath. I used the Folk Art Home Decor Clear Wax to seal the surface.

Then it was time to add "metal to the doors." Most pie safes have tin punched metal covering the front, this allowed for the pies to cool, while keeping bugs and other creatures away from the baked goods. I didn't want another heavy closed piece of furniture so decided chicken wire was the way to go! My friends over at MD Hobby and Craft had some chicken wire designed for crafting. It came in smaller more manageable pieces. After grabbing my electric staple gun and suiting up with metal working gloves, I attached a double layer of chicken wire to the door frames, I offset the second layer from the first to give me a "3-D" look with the honeycombs of the wire.

All that was left was to install the hinges and handles. These I easily picked up at a local hardware store.

I LOVED the look of the finished piece and it looks even more adorable FILLED

 

Fave Crafts, challenged Bloggers at their event to come up with a craft from the goodie box items we were sent. These crafts could then be submitted to their "Fave Crafts, Best Blogger Craft Contest." I am entered, and would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE,  your vote! But there are lots of amazing entries! The top prize is $1000 cash!!!  

 

My entry is called "Restyled Red Shelf " by Betsy Burnett.

To vote in the contest and find further instructions....please visit -----> http://www.favecrafts.com/contest/Blogger-Contest

The Most Magical Place on Earth--CHA Show Recap

When you go to a magic show are you the type of person that wants to know "how did they do that?" I sure am. While I understand, a good magic show takes skill, technique and a whole lot of practice, I also realize you need to know "how the trick was done."

I recently returned from what I consider to be the "most magical place on earth." While I did go to Anaheim, California, my purpose there wasn't to visit a mouse, my purpose was to attend the Craft and Hobby Association trade show commonly referred to as CHA for short.

Art for me is magical. It transforms the creators thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories, ideas-- into a tangible and visible form, able to be shared with others. Before you get into a big debate with me over the word "magic" consider the definition:

mag·ic/ˈmajik/

noun

1. the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.
2. wonderful; exciting

Art for me is wonderful and exciting, I love how someone's work can take me on a mysterious journey into their inner thoughts, it can convey emotion, art shares a memory. Art can also be a form of self expression or a way to make "cool stuff" and bring beauty to the world around us. Yet sometimes that whole creative process can be a bit mysterious, therefore, art to me is magical. 

While I appreciate art and love creating, and I do not consider myself an artist, yet somehow, the creative industry has embraced me as one of their own, because of this, I am able to attend the Craft and Hobby Association trade show. The purpose of CHA is to bring together; creative professionals, businesses and manufacturers to further the creative industry. At the CHA show we learn about the latest products, learn new techniques, and connect with others in the industry. I like to think of it as my chance to learn the"how did they do that?!?!" to the magic of creating.

Sometimes the "how did they do that" comes from a fabulous new product designed to make something easier or create a cool effect. Other times the "how did they do that" comes from learning from other creative professionals that share their techniques, and skill with us. All the time it's a chance to connect with old friends and make news ones and celebrate the "magic" that is the creative industry.

So come with me to catch a glimpse of the 2015 Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show and see why I call it "The most magical place on earth!"

 

For those wanting to view via You Tube you can find it HERE