Behind the Scenes Scoop!

I've got some exciting behind the scenes scoop to share - but I can only share it through my newsletter until a later date!  The Special Edition of my newsletter went out this morning, but you can still subscribe and view it to find out the scoop, and view the first issue too!   Click here or click on the subscription image in the left column!  

Easy Autumn Bracelet

This quick & easy bracelet project is being shared this week in my Cindi's Creative Solutions article on When Creativity Knocks.  

Let no scrap go unused! That’s my motto when I’m working with Makin’s Clay®. You can store unused clay in a ziplock bag with a damp paper towel, but if I have just a bit left over from a project, I like to either create push molded elements I can use on later projects, or roll the clay into sheets and let it dry for future projects. The latter was the case in this blended piece of clay used for the base of this simple bracelet. I had small amounts of Terra Cotta and Natural left, so I blended them to marbleize them a bit and then rolled them out and let the clay dry. Fast forward to when I was planning some outfits to take to an upcoming trade show and I wanted to coordinate some jewelry. I had this autumn toned top, but nothing to go with it – and it was too late to start from total scratch on a jewelry piece, so I delved into my stash of “ready made clay” and pulled out this rolled sheet that had a similar shade of burnt orange. Perfect! In no time at all, I had a customized bracelet. 

Materials: 

• Makin’s Clay® – Terra Cotta, Natural
• Makin’s Clay® Roller 
• JudiKins™ Islamic Rosette and Fancy Flourish rubber stamps
• DecoArt® Americana® Gloss Enamels paint – Antique Gold, Black
• DecoArt Americana® Sealer/Finisher – Matte
• Krylon® Copper Leafing Pen
• Oversized copper jump rings (4), oversized copper closure 
• Jewelry pliers, scissors, hole punch 

Instructions:

The instructions are very simple.

Choose clay colors and paint colors to coordinate with the clothing you are creating the piece to wear with….. in this case, it was this top.

If you don’t happen to have a pre-rolled sheet of clay in the colors you want, just blend 2-3 shades of clay to marbleize, then roll thin and allow to dry 24 hours. This sheet was made with Natural and Terra Cotta Makin’s Clay®. Cut the rolled clay into a rectangular band wide enough to encircle your wrist, when a closure is added. Makin’s Clay® stays flexible when dry, so it’s easy to cut with scissors, or punch with craft punches, die cut, etc.

Choose two rubber stamps you want to use to add details – I chose two that had a similar pattern to the background in my top. Next, apply Antique Gold DecoArt® Americana™ Gloss Enamels paint to the first stamp, and stamp it onto the strip of dry clay. Reapply the paint, and stamp again as many times as desired, allowing some stamped images to extend off the bracelet. Let the paint dry.

Repeat with black Glossy Enamels paint and the second rubber stamp, allowing the designs to overlap. Let the paint dry thoroughly.

I was using a copper closure, and I wanted to add just a touch of copper accent to the bracelet, so I edged it with a Krylon Copper Leafing Pen.

Spray the entire bracelet, front and back, with DecoArt® Americana™ spray sealer.
Punch two holes in each end of the clay strip, add two oversized copper jump rings, intertwined, and the oversized copper closure.

Asian Inspired ATC's with Monoprinted Backgrounds

Today on the Gel Press® blog they are sharing the instructions for these mixed-media ATC's with an Asian theme.   These cards have mono printed backgrounds, rubber stamped with JudiKins™ stamps, and faux Asian coin accents made with Amazing Mold Putty and Makin's Clay®.  You will find the complete, linked, supply list below.

Materials: 

8 x 10” Gel Press® Plate 

DecoArt® Americana® Decor™ Chalky Finish Paint - Romance, Rouge, Rustic

DecoArt® Americana® Multi-Surface Satin™ Acrylic - Gold 

Brayer

Paper 

JudiKins™ Florentine Background, Sprig Bamboo, Beneath a Plum Tree, Chinese characters rubber stamps  

Palette knife 

Paper trimmer

Alumilite™ Amazing Molding putty 

Asian coins 

Beacon™ 3-in-1 Adhesive 

Makin’s Clay® - any shade

Black glossy cardstock

Fairfield™ Oly•Fun™ - Gold 

Clearsnap® Colorbox® Color Pop Archival Dye Ink by Susan K. Weckesser - Mystery 

Autumn Leaves - Gel Printing on Fusible Interfacing DIY Video

My newest DIY video for Gel Press® is now live on their YouTube channel.  A complete, linked materials list is below.

Materials:

Gel Press® - 6 x 6" Square and 6" Round printing plates (www.gelpress.com)
DecoArt® Americana® Multi-Surface Satin™ Acrylics - Brown Sugar, Canary, Paprika, Woodland Green, Coffee Bean (www.decoart.com)
Skeleton Leaves rubbers stamps (www.stampinup.com)
Sizzix® Big Shot™(www.sizzix.com)
Sizzix® Tim Holtz™ Alterations™ Tattered Leaves die
Fairfield® Fusible Interfacing - Medium Weight (www.fairfieldworld.com)
Fabric placemat
Iron, ironing board
Rubber brayer

Fall & Halloween Designer Crafts Connection Linky Party!

It's time again for the monthly Designer Crafts Connection Linky Party!  This month the theme is Fall & Halloween.   Follow this link to find all the creative projects the participating designers are sharing.   There's a little something for everyone here!    Just a glimpse at some of the projects the group is sharing...

Easy Extruded Clay Autumn Bangle - Creatively Crafty with Cindi McGee DIY Video

Today I'm sharing my latest Creatively Crafty with Cindi McGee DIY video - In this episode I'm showing you how EASY it is to create an extruded Makin's Clay® bangle in all the shades of autumn.      DecoArt® Metallic Lustre™ in Copper Kettle gives the bangle it's metallic sheen, and Beacon Adhesives Tacky Glue holds it all together!  

Makin's Clay® Ghoulish Gothic Skull Bracelet & Earrings

Today on the Makin's Clay® blog I'm sharing the instructions for this creepy jewelry set made with some of my favorite creative products from Makin's Clay®,  Alumilite/Amazing Casting Products, DecoArt®, JudiKins™ and Beacon Adhesives™!

 I love Halloween for a number of reasons.  I love spooky movies, with fabulous special effects and monster make-up (especially those made in the days when they actually used real props and make-up instead of CGI!), and I love Halloween decorations because they are creepy, silly, and fun.   As the season approaches each year my creative muse seems to kick into mega creepy mode and I just can’t find enough time to make all the spooky jewelry and decorations I envision in my head.   Thes “Creepy Gothic Skull Bracelet & Earrings" combines three ghoulish elements - skulls, spiderwebs, and blood - what could be more perfect for the spookiest time of the year?

p.s......learned a few lessons with this project!  Alumilite makes a great line of dyes for their resin - they work wonderfully.  However, being the mad scientist that I tend to be - I had to do some experimenting...... I was trying to make faux blood - which I've done before in a  number of ways - but when I tried adding food coloring to the Clear Casting Resin - bubble, bubble, toil & trouble....... YIKES - a big foamy, bubbly overflowing MESS.  On to a little red acrylic paint - similar "explosion" of ickiness - then one last try - a little red To Dye For ink - yep - you guessed it - YIKES!   Since I did not have any red dye from Alumilite - I went on to use Diamond Glaze tinted with acrylic paint instead for this project!  Lesson learned:  I must increase my stash of dyes from Alumilite because Clear Casting Resin does NOT mix well with products with water content......