Tuesday, July 10, 2012

DIY Wood and Bead Necklace






Wood and Paper Bead Necklace
By Susan I Jones for Beacon Adhesives









Make a statement necklace using inexpensive materials in your choice of colors. With Beacon Adhesives,
create a fashionable accessory in an afternoon. You’ll want to make several for yourself and gifts.



Materials
ZipDry Paper Glue
Fast Finish Decoupage
Assorted paper strips, each 5/8”-1” x 4”
Round pencil or skewer for rolling paper beads
Metallic marking pen
Wooden beads, unfinished (3 large, 2 medium)
Alcohol inks or markers
Small sponges for each ink color
2 yds. Rattail cord
Metallic spacer beads with large holes
Plastic cup or bowl
Skewers or long tweezers*
Rubber gloves
Teflon craft sheet or waxed paper for work surface
Scissors

*Chop Sticks that fit the hole in the wood bead are useful for coloring and dipping the beads. If you use skewers smaller than the hole, wrap a rubber band around the skewer to prevent the bead from sliding down or off.





Directions

1. Roll a paper strip around the pencil or skewer and apply ZipDry paper glue to the paper end to secure
the bead. Hold the glued end in place until the glue grabs and the end is secure. Slip bead off of pencil and repeat rolling until you have 20 – 30 paper beads.



 

2. Cover your work surface with a Teflon craft sheet or waxed paper. Pour about 2” Fast Finish Decoupage medium into a plastic cup or bowl.  Drop paper beads in batches into the medium to fully coat each bead. Use tweezers or a skewer to remove each bead from the Fast Finish. Drain and dry on a protected surface.

     


              

3. Coat the beads twice. When completely dry, edge each bead with a metallic marker.




4. Wear rubber gloves. Put a wood bead onto a chopstick or skewer. With a small sponge apply alcohol inks to the bead. Layer the ink colors for a more interesting bead finish. Repeat with each wood bead.





5. Dip the bead into the Fast Finish Decoupage medium and swirl to coat. Allow the bead to dry then dip again for a glossy finish. Allow beads to dry completely.



Note: Some ink color may leach into cup of Fast Finish. It is ok and won’t affect the project.

6.  String the wood beads, paper beads and spacer beads onto the cord. Begin with a focal bead. Knot cord on each side of the bead to secure it.  Make knots in the cord between the beads where desired. If you’re making a double strand necklace, knot each strand together leaving plenty of cord to tie necklace around neck. Knot cut ends of cord to prevent raveling.



Design Notes:

Use all wood or all paper beads in a color family for a necklace. String wood and spacer beads onto elastic cord for a matching bracelet. Vary the shape of the paper strips for differently shaped paper beads. Thread the beads onto ribbon, leather or yarn for a different look. Add glass, ceramic or other reclaimed beads for additional sparkle.








Monday, July 9, 2012

Crafty People Speak


I had the privilege of interviewing designer Susan I. Jones about her extensive career in the craft and hobby industry. Susan has worked in almost every medium including needlework, jewelry design, wearables, quilting, fashion and paper crafts. Susan lives in Austin, TX with her husband Skip and four cats.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU AS A DESIGNER?

Inspiration is everywhere I look—colors, patterns, texture and forms, indoors and out, as well as in magazines, fashion, home décor and even media fire my imagination. I like the challenge a specific design project brings which usually begins with either form or function, or sometimes both.  Using materials that are not always compatible with my personal taste requires me to leave my comfort zone and personal preferences behind while keeping my designs fresh.


HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A DESIGNER?

Always! It’s sort of like being born that way. Although my emphasis on different crafts changes, I’ve always been fascinated with making “stuff” out of “other” stuff.


HAVE YOU EVER BEEN PUBLISHED?

Yes, in many different magazines, books, and on the web. Some of these publications include Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, Clotilde’s Sewing Saavy, Vogue Patterns, C & T Publishing, Quarry Books, and many more.


WHAT DO YOU SEE AS YOUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

When I can teach my design methods and processes and the student adds her/his own style to the finished project. It’s always exciting to see a personal twist added to my design. I love presiding over Make-Takes at trade shows for that reason.


ARE THERE ANY CURRENT TRENDS THAT YOU FEEL ARE IMPORTANT?

I think it’s important to notice current color trends. If your design consists of traditional techniques in colors that look “dated”, then your project will look dated too. Color trends are probably the easiest way to update your projects. Shapes and forms are important for the same reason. Think of the “retro” trend popular now and in the past year or so. The colors, shapes, and forms are very specific with a nod to the present. Some techniques are ageless and can be refreshed by updating material, color, shape or general execution to drag it into this millennium!


ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD ABOUT YOUR WORK OR THE INDUSTRY?

Everyone is a designer. Each outfit you put on and accessorize, you’ve designed. Every dinner table set for company is your design. Your home, garden, and gift wraps are designed by you! I experiment constantly as in “what if I combine this with this?” Sometimes it doesn’t work and sometimes I get an entirely accidental success!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

BEACON BUDDIES

Beacon works closely with many other companies who offer excellent products and customer service. Please visit their web sites for further information.

CANVAS CORP

Canvas Corp manufactures an extensive and exciting collection of canvas and burlap surfaces along with blank paper items, printed scrapbook papers, and many great embellishments. All of their papers are made from recycled materials and the products are sold with the minimum amount of packaging. Canvas Corp, established in 2006, now owns and distributes BagWorks, 7 Gypsies, and Tattered Angels.

www.canvascorp.com
www.sevengypsies.com 
www.tatteredangels.com
www.networkedblogs.com/blog/canvas-corp


CLEARSNAP

In 1986, Clearsnap introduced the Rollagraph roller stamp system, a self-inking rolling rubber stamp with interchangeable ink cartridges and stamp wheels. Their products also include Cat's Eye ink pads and Smooth Glitz, pearly inks that are available in lovely colors packaged in a nifty nail polish bottle for easy application.

www.clearsnap.com
www.clearsnap.blogspot.com


PRIMA MARKETING

Prima makes an amazing range of beautiful flower embellishments from a wide variety of materials from mulberry papers to luxury fabrics. All of the flowers are hand-made by skilled artisans, never by machines. The flowers are available in a rainbow of colors and styles, many with glitter to enhance any creative project.

www.primamarketinginc.com
www.prima.typepad.com


STAMPENDOUS

Stampendous has been a leading manufacturer of quality rubber stamps for over 30 years. Owner and CEO Fran Seiford began Stampendous by investing $25.00 to make custom stamps from her original designs. Fran still designs all of the stamp and sticker images herself. Stampendous products include Perfectly Clear Stamps, Cling Rubber Stamp Class A Peel Stickers, Glitz glitter, PEARLlustre Embossing Powder and other great craft essentials.

www.stampendous.com
www.stampendousblog.wordpress.com/



  

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Featuring 3-in-1 Glue!
























Halloween Surprise
By Shelly Hickox at http://sizzixblog.blogspot.com/







I know it might seem early, but by late July, I am sick of summer and ready to start fall crafting! Add to that the fantastic Halloween and Christmas products that were released at CHA last week and you can see  why I was so excited to create this project.

This little Halloween piece was featured in the Sizzix booth. It all began as a lowly paper mache box from my local craft store. It makes an adorable decoration when closed, but reveals a fun surprise when opened. I hope you enjoy it!

Begin by covering the outside of a paper mache box with patterned paper (I used this fantastic vintage Halloween paper from Tim Holtz). Cover the inside too (not shown).

Die cut a length of black Sizzix Cut and Emboss Kraft Core paper using the Harlequin Strip Die. Sand lightly and adhere to the outside of the box.

Die cut a spider from Grungeboard using the new Mini Spider die. Paint it and a wooden candlestick black. When dry, sand lightly and ink with Distress ink.

Die cut seven circles from Halloween paper using the Sizzix Framelits Circles die and ink the edges with brown ink. Die cut four strips of Sizzix Cut and Emboss Kraft Core using the Mini Paper Rosettes Strip die and sand lightly. Die cut the center portion of the Rosette out of Halloween paper. Finally, die cut the letters BOO from Idea-ology Mirror using the Word Play die. Apply Adirondack Slate alcohol ink to give the letters an aged look.

Create the banners by assembling the parts as shown. Glue securely.

Color a length of Idea-ology Trimmings ribbon with Spiced Marmalade Distress ink. Sandwich the ribbon between the decorated circle and the plain circle. Adhere with Scotch Tape Glider. Cut a slit in the center of two of the Rosette centers that were cut from black Kraft Core. Insert the ribbon and adhere to the back. Do this for the top and bottom. That will be how we attach the banner to the inside of the box.

Now we're going to work on the top! Cover the box lid with Rock Candy Distress Crackle Paint. When dry, ink with Brushed Corduroy Distress Stain. Trim edge with Idea-ology Tinsel Twine, using Beacon 3-in1 glue to adhere.

To create the little Halloween tree, dye an Idea-ology Woodlands tree with Spiced Marmalade Distress ink. Cut several bats from black Kraft Core using the Mini Bat die. Sand the edges lightly and adhere to tree using Beacon 3-in-1 glue.

To assemble the box, adhere the last of the Halloween paper circles to the center of the box lid. Add a black rosette and attach the decorated tree to the center. Cut a banner from kraft cardstock using the Tattered Banners Strip Die. Stamp sentiment using black ink and add to rosette as shown. Attach the spider to the painted candlestick and adhere candlestick to bottom of box using Beacon glue.

To attach the banner to the box, apply Beacon 3-in-1 glue to the Paper Rosette center and adhere to center of box. Repeat with the top of the ribbon, this time adhering it to the center of the lid. When the box is closed, the rosette circles will fall into place, accordion-style.

Here is the box opened. How fun is that?! This is a versatile project that could be adapted to any holiday. It would also make an adorable birthday gift - just change out the colors and dies to fit the theme.

If you're a scrapbooker, you could even turn this into a cute little mini book. That's what I love about Sizzix dies - your ability to create is truly unlimited!

Friday, July 6, 2012

Get inspired with Scrap 'N Art Online Magazine

SCRAP 'N ART ONLINE MAGAZINE has been providing information, inspiration & education since 2008. Each month, find editorials on new companies, old favorite tutorials and digital downloads. Each article is filled with out-of-the-box ideas as well as a variety of great projects, all available to subscribers. Plus there is a CLICK 'N SHOP feature that allows you to shop right from the articles.

www.scrapnart.com
snablog.pagefarm.com

Thursday, July 5, 2012

P.S.- Get some great ideas from this website





P.S.-I MADE THIS


Erica Domesek's P.S. -I MADE THIS is a big favorite of ours because of her unique approach to, as she says on her website, "Reimagine, Reuse, & Reinvent." Her clever collages include inspired ideas for making your own jewelry, fashion, accessories, and even lifestyle projects that will save you money while creating something new and exciting, all from "found" materials.

Erica's appealing designs will make you take a good long look in your closet. Explore what you can do with a bit of imagination, some trims and embellishments and, of course, a lot of Beacon glue.

Erica was recently a judge on TLC's popular summer show, CRAFT WARS. Visit her at psimadethis.com Erica's motto is "I SEE IT, I LIKE IT, I MADE IT"...and you can, too!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Featuring Fabri-tac!

 

Thrift Store Makeover

By Tami at Clearsnap






Hello! Hostess Tami here with a thrift store makeover just in time for back to school. 

Clothes, shoes, lunch boxes, backpacks, pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, crayons, markers and MORE! The list goes on and on!

Back to school shopping can really put a crimp in your budget. Why not take a spin around your local thrift shop and see what you might find? There are all kinds of bargains to be had, and lots of new or gently worn name brand clothing just hanging out for you to discover. With a little time and a few alterations, you'll create something uniquely their own for your kiddos. No chance of someone else showing up on the first day of school in the SAME outfit! 

My niece was in town for a visit, and we were doing a little back to school clothes shopping for her. We decided to hit the thrift shops first. We found some new and almost new tops and dresses for just a few bucks. So while she browsed for more ready-made items I was on the lookout for items I could alter.

I found just what I was looking for too, a long sleeved white t-shirt in a nice heavy-weight, and a hot pink cardigan with black buttons! SCORE! 



My plan was to use the new Sprays! by Stephanie Barnard to tint embellishments for the cardigan. I thought it would be fun to make rosettes - swirl flowers - and combine them into a removable "corsage" to dress up the plain cardigan.

I made a handful of flowers in bright colors in several different sizes and lots of leaves too. The flowers were then arranged into a "corsage" shape and adhered to a backing cut from the t-shirt. The "corsage" was then pinned onto the cardigan using a few safety pins. The use of safety pins allows the piece to be removed for laundering. I also used a few leftover flowers to embellish a headband to match. Here is the finished outfit; modeled by my niece Talia...



I made a short video showing how I made the flowers. (using Fabri-tac) Closeup photos of the "corsage" and headband are included as well... 


Click here to see video



So add a thrift store or two to your list of stores for your back to school shopping and see what  great items YOU can find to alter. You'll create something special your child will be proud to wear AND save yourself some $$$. 

HINTS:
  • Line Color Catcher with paper towels to absorb excess Spray!. Change out towels as needed to avoid having excess colors from previous sprays transferring to new pieces.
  • Heat set pieces treated with Sprays! by ironing or placing them in a lingerie bag in the dryer set to low. Be sure to clean iron and dryer afterward to make sure there is no ink residue left.
  • Test colorfastness if you intend to permanently adhere pieces to your garment. (The ink did not rinse out of my rosettes after I heat set them, but the colorfastness of the ink will depend on the fiber content of the fabric you use.)
  • I used different color Sprays! on some of the flowers. When rolling, roll with the color you want to show most to the inside.
  • Depending on the thickness of your fabric and how much you apply, the Spray! colors may bleed through to the other side. I liked the speckled pattern it created when that happened, but keep it in mind when selecting your colors.
  • Press down on top of flower to slightly flatten and open petals.
SUPPLIES:
Clearsnap Products:
  • Stephanie Barnard Sprays!: Banana, Guava, Grape, Blueberry, Tangerine and Spearmint
  • Color Catcher
Other Products:
Tools:
  • Scissors 
You can use these technique to add flowers to all kinds of wearables: purses, totes, shoes,hats, jackets, jeans and MORE!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Beacon Donates Glue to Craft Wars!

TLC's CRAFT WARS with host Tori Spelling premiered this summer and pitted three talented crafters against each other in two rounds of crafting challenges. The contestants vied for a $10,000.00 prize awarded at the end of each hour long episode.

Beacon was honored to be asked to provide the liquid glues for this excellent and innovative show. Check out http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/craft-wars/craft-wars-resources-list.htm to view the list of glues we contributed.

Visit Craft Wars web site at TLC.howstuffworks.com to view all current episodes and learn more about all the fantastic and amazing projects that evolved from this show.





Sunday, July 1, 2012

Questions? Glue Gal has answers!

I'm confused about how much FABRI-TAC to apply. I think I use too much as it oozes out a lot and then makes a blobby mess. What do you suggest?

This is a really important question! Thanks for asking it. The biggest mistake people make when applying glue is using way too much. If the glue is oozing from between surfaces, you've been too generous. A little glue goes a long way. Rather than putting down a long line of glue, try little dots along where you're gluing.

Another hint is not to put the glue right up to the edge of the surface, but a little bit in so that when you press down, the glue won't seep out. Don't press too hard, either. Gentle pressure will usually get the job done. If you press too hard, glue will definitely ooze all over the place. Remember, too, that glue needs time to dry so always allow plenty of time before using the item.

One more thing! Fabri-Tac contains a solvent that expands when the temperatures get hot outside. This means that the glue will expand and bubble up into the top of the bottle, occasionally making blobs. When applying the glue, hold the bottle at a 45 degree angle as this will help keep the glue from blobbing.