Rainbow Suncatcher for Gwen Studios

 Hi everyone!

Gwen Studios not only has some of the cutest ribbons available as you've seen from my past posts, it has spectacular patches.

Here's what I received for this month's designing:

With these, I created a sparkling rainbow suncatcher:

The colors are so bright and cheerful.  I love the polka dots!

To make my suncatcher, I cut 7" pieces of ribbons in rainbow colors and arranged them on the back of one of the rainbows overlapping the edges slightly.

This is the back of the polka dot ribbon.  I glued the ribbon on to hold it in place.  You can also carefully iron-on the ends of the ribbon.  Then, I added a second rainbow patch over the top.  Since they are symmetrical, the edges match.

Before adhering the patches to each other, I inserted a loop of thin white ribbon.  Follow the instructions on the package to iron the patches together.  Then, I trimmed the ends of the ribbons diagonally.

Here's the finished Rainbow Suncatcher.

What a great addition this would make to a child's room or any sunny window!

Here's where you can find these products from Gwen Studios at WalMart:

Sequin Rainbow Patch

Fox Patch

Star Patch

Unicorn Patch

Mermaid Patch

Solid and Polka Dot Ribbon Assortment

Mobiles, Sun Catchers and Wind Socks

Hi Crafty Friends!

Sometimes it's only in looking back at your work that you discover a theme or a direction in your creative journey.  I realized lately when trying to find a place to hang one more mobile that I create a lot of wind chimes, sun catchers, mobiles and the like.  I like the light catching bright colors floating in a breeze and the sounds of wood or metals resonating in the air.  And, I have a lot of fun creating them.  So, here are a few of the many I have created for your inspiration.

Here's my latest mobile. I created it with Smoothfoam™ hollow half balls so it's nice and light and perfect for a child's room or a party decoration.  You could use this for lots of different parties such as retirement, a baby shower or a wedding. 

Hot Air Balloon

Here's another mobile that I created for Smoothfoam™.  Here I used a disc as a base and added bright Rowlux® Illusion Film flowers on the base and hanging from it.  You can't beat Rowlux® film for vibrant color!  And, the Smoothfoam™ base holds the pins without glue.

Flower Mobile

Links under the photos take you to the Smoothfoam™ blog where you can find the instructions for these projects and many other wonderful projects created by the Smoothfoam™ design team.

Some of the other materials that I've used to create wind chimes, sun catchers, wind socks and mobiles are plastic canvas, bamboo, old felt pens and beaded wire.  Here's just a few! 

April Showers Mobile

Felt Pen Wind Chime

Here's an easy plastic canvas windsock that I did with a kids' group.  It's plastic canvas, twine and plastic beads. Just roll a rectangle of colored canvas into a tube and use twine to lace it together.  To hold it into a tube while you stitch, use clothespins or binder clips.  Cut out butterflies and use more twine and beads to stitch them to the canvas.  Add twine fringe and twine strands to hang.  This is great for the kids because you don't even need a needle!

Plastic Canvas Wind Sock

In fact, I've got so many different hanging designs that I decided to collect them all on a Pinterest page! 

Have fun creating! 

Terry

Rowlux® Illusion Film Blog Hop - Colorful Mobile

Hi Crafty Friends!

One of the things I like best about being a professional designer is the opportunity to try new materials fresh from the manufacturer.  It's fun to be able to help introduce a new product to the crafting public and design new ways to use it.

On this hop, some of the Designer Crafts Connection designers will be presenting projects made with Rowlux® Illusion Film.  This fascinating plastic film has been in use in many areas and is now being introduced as a craft material.

Here's a Colorful Mobile that I designed using the film.  The colors are vibrant and the plastic sheets are very sturdy.  It has wonderful 3-D patterns that dazzle the eye and reflect light in all directions.  



Colorful Mobile
with

Rowlux® Illusion Film

Here are the beautiful colored sheets.

Here's some information about this product from the manufacturer:

Rowlux® Illusion Film is made in the USA and comes in a diverse range of spectacular eye-catching colors and patterns.  These durable, translucent, 12" x 12" polycarbonate sheets add instant pizzazz to craft projects, seasonal accents, party decorations, scrapbooks, greeting cards, jewelry, furniture, frames, gifts, favors, accessories, art and DIY home decor projects. Easily cut with scissors, Rowlux® is also the perfect material for scoring, folding, embossing and die cutting. The creative possibilities are endless. This innovative and inspiring new craft material manipulates light to create dazzling visual effects. The illusion of depth and motion is the result of thousands of tiny parabolic lenses that are molded into the surface of both sides of the material. These lenses create a pattern of light reflection and refraction resulting in stunningly brilliant optical effects.

I cut strips of the film using a metal ruler and a craft knife.  To do this, score the film with the knife and bend along the scoring line to snap the strip from the sheet.  Then, I used a 1" punch to cut circles.  You may have to squeeze a few times to punch through the film.  Just keep squeezing in the same position and it will pop out cleanly.

After I punched out the circles, I was left with strips with holes in them.  Well, I couldn't waste those, so I decided to cut them into squares and use them also!

I connected the pieces with 8mm silver jump rings after punching small holes for connecting.

I wrapped a 5" metal ring with bright yellow acrylic beads using 28 gauge silver wire. 

Here's the finished bead-wrapped ring.  Wrapping took about 50 beads and 2 yards of wire.  Then, I connected the strands of circles and squares to the ring with jump rings.  I also connected four pieces of chain to the top of the circle and connected it to a wire hook for hanging.

Here's my Colorful Mobile hanging out in my garden!


Rowlux® Illusion Film

is available on Amazon at:  http://www.amazon.com/Rowlux-Illusion-Film-Polycarbonate-12-Inch/dp/B00CW7940Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1372292244&sr=1-1&keywords=rowlux

To see more amazing craft designs with this wonderful new material, hop forward on the big blue Designer Crafts Connection button or visit this link:
http://blog.modernsurrealist.com/2013/06/26/Rowlux-Illusion-Film-Designer-Blog-Hop.aspx

I can't wait to see what the other designers have created!  Come back soon and see what I did with my extra circles and squares...I'm thinking a pair of bright, fluttery earrings!  What would you create?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Happy Crafting!

Terry