Harvest Plaque

Hi friends!

Ready for some quick and easy fall decorating?  JOY Iron-on letters make it easy to create memorable designs for any occasion!

Harvest Plaque

Go to the Creating with Joy blog for all the details on what you'll need to create this plaque.

Basically, you paint a canvas with a wash of orange.  I went around the edges with full-strength orange paint (Jack-O'-Lantern Orange from DecoArt.)  Cut out a nice fall napkin and decoupage it to the canvas.  I tore the napkin edges and inked them (Ann Butler's ColorBox(R) Crafter's craft ink in Canyon).  Then, I glued burlap ribbon to the canvas.  I pulled threads from the edges of the burlap ribbon and inked the edges with Canyon.

I added JOY letters across the napkin.  To paint the letters easily, stretch a piece of tape across a box sticky side up.  Adhere the letters to the tape and paint!  It's so easy when they don't move around!  Here's another word that I thought about using.  You can use your favorite fall word or saying.

Here's how the plaque looks after the word and the ribbon.

Before adding the leaves

I die cut some leaves from scrapbook and amate papesr, inked the edges and added splotches here and there.  I also folded and wrinkled the leaves a bit.  I arranged them and glued them down, then added a twine bow.

So easy - you can make one for any season!

Happy Crafting!

Terry

(Disclaimer:  As a member of the design team for JOY letters, I received monetary compensation and iron-on letter samples to use in my designs.)

Amazing Casting Products Blog Hop

Hi all,
Today I'm working with a couple of products new to me provided by the Alumilite Corporation - Amazing Mold Putty and Amazing Clear Cast.  I was provided samples to try and to use in my design work as part of a blog hop with Designer Crafts Connection.

I had never used an epoxy mold-making compound before and found Amazing Mold Putty very simple to use.  I have an old desk with carved knobs, so I decided to make a mold of one of those.  It was ready in minutes and I was ready to mix the Amazing Clear Cast epoxy resin to go into the mold.  One thing I noticed when I molded this knob - the Mold Putty picks up everything - every defect in the knob - even the dirt!  Next time, I'll brush the crevices!

My first mold

As with all epoxies, it's a two part compound that you mix together.  Then, you can add color.  I decided to add a drop of acrylic paint (Buttermilk).  It wasn't enough paint to achieve the opaque effect I wanted, but it has a nice antique look. 

Clear Cast with yellow acrylic paint

I had extra Clear Cast, so I set up some bezels and proceeded to fill them.  I added a couple of brass pieces to the first one, but it was too soon and they sank.  Not so good.  Then, I decided to add more paint to get the opaque effect I wanted.  I added some blue acrylic paint and filled a couple more bezels.  This, I liked.  They look like enamel.

Here's one:

Clear Cast with blue acrylic paint

After the resin set up, I made a necklace with the door knob resin piece.  First, I added some Antique Gold Rub 'n Buff(R).  This made it look even more like an old antique piece, so I found crazy lace agate beads, ribbed howlite rounds and natural brass chain to coordinate with it.  I found that a bead reamer will make holes in the resin, which was something I didn't know. 

Here's my necklace:

Antique Flower Medallion Necklace

Here's another shot:

Antique Flower Medallion Necklace

There is a giveaway of these great products.  Here's what you get if you win:


Be sure to go to the Designer Crafts Connection blog to see all the "Amazing" designs and to enter the contest!

Pumpkin Earrings

Hi all,

I love pumpkins, and looking around Pinterest, I saw some fun pumpkin earrings.  So, when I ran across some ribbed orange beads at my local bead shop, I knew what I wanted to make.

These ribbed howlite beads came in a variety of colors on each strand, so I picked the orange and white ones out for the earrings.

I strung them on a long head pin (3") so that I could add a tendril to the top.  Besides the bead, I also used an antique gold bead cap.  If the bead is large, you need a spacer at the bottom, too.  And, earring wires, of course. 

Use the extra length on the head pin to make a tendril by wrapping it around your round nose pliers.

You can make them in the traditional orange:

Or, try some white pumpkins:

I love the way the dye in the crackling of the howlite looks like real pumpkins.  These are just the thing to wear this month and into the next!  They make a great gift, too!