Polished to Perfection

Create faux ceramic beads from scraps of paper

Everyone knows I love projects that use scraps of paper!! Can you believe that the white beads in this necklace with the black and grey daisies started out as scraps of paper???  For months now I have been trying to resist roaming into the bead aisle, but on my last research trip I ran into friends who had just made beads out of scraps of paper. And within moments I found myself in the bead aisle dreaming of creating necklaces with scraps of paper.  So here is my first necklace...I have been in a black & white mood all month, so it seemed fitting that my first creation would be black and white. 

To create your paper beads you will need:

1. Scraps of light weight paper with a very tiny print or scraps with multiply colors...I suggest playing with a variety of your scraps as you will be surprised which scraps will actually make the prettiest beads.  To create the longest beads I cut strips 3/4" x 6".   For the short beads the strips are 1/2" x 6".
2. Tiny bamboo skewers- to wrap your paper around
3. Scotch tacky Adhesive to adhere your paper as you roll it around the skewer
4. Versamark watermark pad and super fine clear embossing powder from Ranger to change your bead from paper to faux ceramic bead.

Begin making your bead by rolling the scrap of paper tightly around the skewer, next apply a tiny amount of glue on the backside of the paper and continue rolling the paper around the skewer, as you roll the paper the glue will extend further on the strip.  Keep applying glue as needed.  You will want to roll your bead as tight as possible.  When you get to the end of your scrap strip make sure that you adhere the edge completely.  Set aside bead to dry.  After you have made several beads, place a paper bead back on the skewer and roll the bead while on the skewer across a versamark watermark pad.

Sprinkle clear embossing powder or UTEE on a scrap of paper and roll the bead in the clear embossing powder.  Using a heat embossing tool, heat the embossing powder.  While the bead is still lukewarm roll the bead in the embossing powder again and heat set. I recommend 3 coats of clear embossing powder - you now have a paper bead that looks like a ceramic bead.

If you are a newbie to jewelry making like myself, I recommend purchasing a jewelry design board to layout your necklace design.

 

My beads were made with from Diecuts with a View.  I experimented with papers from my black and white 4.5 x 6.5 mat stack.  This was a great way to play with a wide variety of papers as I decided what I would like my paper beads to look like.  Have fun making your beads and I am not responsible for any addictive behavior developed as a result of reading my blog!! Don't you just hate enablers!!!

P.S.  I made 3 trips to the bead aisle before I completed my first necklace.  I suggest purchasing a few large seed beads and round beads which will sit nicely against your paper bead.  If the bead is too small it will get lost inside your paper bead. I would also recommend making your beads and bringing them to the bead aisle to decide what beads you need to purchase to complete your design.

Chill Out Paint Can - Version 2

During my paint can class today -Debbie and Fran picked out this fun snowflake paper from MOD- I thought you might like to see the same design used in an entirely different color scheme!! Isn't amazing how different the two color combinations look!! Thanks Debbie for letting me show off your paint can!!

Penguin and Snowflake Peppermint Patties

Here is the first item I decided to put in my Chill Out Paint Can.  I used my Spellbinders -Scalloped Circle Nestabilities to cut out 2 circles which would cover my peppermint patties. Then I placed each circle (both layers are embossed) inside my cuttlebug  A2 snowflake embossing folder to dry emboss them with these beautiful snowflakes.(You can fit several circles in the A2 folder at a time). Yes, it took a little while to die cut and emboss all these -- but definitely less time then making homemade chocolates.  And they were just so darned cute, that I couldn't stop making them. I made some red and white, some white and red and some black and white.  Then I stamped my penguin image from Serendipity Stamps 2 more times and using my Scalloped Circle Nestabilities I isolated each of the three penguins in my scalloped circle die and die cut them. Next I colored them with my Copic Markers.  I also dry embossed the circles which had the penguins on them and colored in the embossed edge with copic markers to add more depth to the peppermint penguins!!  Aren't they SWEET!!  As you may have guessed my CHILL OUT PAINT CAN would have lots of chocolate and definitely a Diet Coke to wash down the chocolate.

Directions for Chill Out Paint Can

I've had my design eyes on this great Peppermint Snowflake Paper from Francis Meyer for months, just trying to decide what I wanted to do with it.  And after I finished teaching my altered scenic paint can class I decided that this would be a fun print to play with. I wanted to create a winter paint can...and from there everything else just fell into place. After playing with my ribbon stash I decided on this white ribbon with black polka dots from Creative Expressions.  Next I added foam snowflake stickers from AcMoore, which gave my snowflake paper dimension.  These snowflakes had glitter, but not enough bling, so I added red rhinestones from Kaiser Crafts to each of the snowflakes.  I ran out of red rhinestones in the middle of my project so I gave my clear rhinestones a copic maker over, by just simply coloring them with my R29 marker over the top of the stones.  Here is a photo of the rhinstones so that you can see the original color and the beautiful new red rhinestones I created with my Copic Markers:

 

It was so simply to change the color of the stones by just coloring the stones right on their display package with my Copic Marker and since the markers are alcohol ink based the color is beautifully translucent.  I love these rhinestones because each package contains 3 sizes of stones and over 100 stones per package.

Next I decided to add Large Snowflake Brads to a few on the foam snowflakes.  I found these giant snowflake brads in the stationery department of Target.(maybe 2 years ago)  Once I added them to the snowflakes, I then also decided that they would be striking as ribbon charms. 

I added a countertop chip tag to my project.  On one side I used rich red embossing powder to alter my counter chip swatch and on the reverse side I altered the chip with Rudolph Paper from American Crafts. I stamped the verse on both sides of the tag- this verse is from the Penguin set from Serendipity Stamps.

This is the front side of my Chill Out Paint Can.  The adorable Penguin trio is from Serendipity Stamps. I used my Copic Markers to color in the penguins and then highlights the entire image with Spica Micro Glass Flake Pens.  I love using Deco Art Snow text writer to create 3-D snow on the iceberg.  I used Making Memories Shimmer Stickers to write Chill Out of my paint can.  Originally they were silver and just didn't pop off the can, so I used my Copic Markers to alter the stickers - which gave my stickers a very cool black ice feel.  Here is a close up of the stickers in both silver and black:

How cool is that !!! I loved how some of the silver glitter still showed through!!! Next I added snow text writer to each letter - to give it a true winter feel!!  (remember it is very cold here in Maine)) -BRR!!!

For the top of the paint can I used the same  penguins and just added a chill out stamp from MSE to the top of the image:

Here I added Hologram Peel off Stickers from Best Creations, since my snowflake brads wouldn't work here. I used my circle scalloped nestibilites to die cut my stamped image and to dry emboss the edge of the scalloped circle.

Last night I asked for suggestions for what to put in my Chill Out Paint Can and I loved all the responses. Thanks for all you replies - it nice to know that we all have crazy lives!! Stop by tomorrow to see the first items I made to go inside my paint can.

Serendipity Penguin Stamp - Chill Out Paint Can

Unlike many of you who might be fortunate enough to live in a warmer climate- I live in Maine, where we will probably have snow until mid April. And I love working on Spring and Summer projects, but the reality is there is still alot of winter left to go!!!  When I was teaching my paint can class last  Saturday, I began thinking about making a winter paint can which evolved into this Chill Out Paint Can. Which I thought would be a perfect gift for a sick friend or anyone who gets a case of the Winter Blues.

Today is an organizational day at our house, so I'll be back later tonight to write directions for this project and share more photos. I thought I would give you a quick sneak peek at today's project and get your feedback on suggestions of what I should fill my can with???  So today's question is  - What would you need to just take a break from Everyday life - so you could just CHILL OUT!!!???

Stampin' Up - Embrace Life -My Asian Version

I have always loved the beautiful colors and prints of Washi Paper.  When I saw this stamp from the SU Embrace Life Set, I couldn't wait to get home and use it with the little stash of Asian Paper I have been hoarding for months just waiting for the right stamp. I started with a SU Basic Black A2 sized card. The Asian Sticker is the from Magenta and is the symbol for Serenity which I thought was the perfect sentiment for this card.  Washi Paper is expensive but as you can see a little goes a long ways. The white paper is shimmery white from SU which I colored with the following Copic Markers R22, R27, R29 and R59. I always work from light to dark. I matted the Washi Papers with Copper Ore Petallic Cover from Worldwin Papers.  I used a red shimmer Krylon Pen to edge the card and the edges of the white shimmer paper.  Today I hope to get the chance to play with the other stamps from this set with my Asian Papers at Tracey's Open House (click here to see the projects that she is doing for her open house). Have a great weekend!!

Stampin' Up - Embace Life Cards

My sister Tracey (aka LakeshoreStamper) is hosting an SU Open House on Saturday, so yesterday I spent the afternoon with her designing cards for the Open House.  This image is from the Embrace Life SU Stamp Set.  To create this card I used my A2 Cuttlebug Embossing Folder to Dry Emboss the entire card and all the mat layers and I also decided to match the print chich gave my card a striking effect.  This is really easy to do..easier than matching Wallpaper.  I took some photos so you could see the card in process:

I started by dry embossing the entire card front in my cuttlebug.  You can do this by placing the front on the card in the A2 Folder - make sure it is in the folder even, now leave the back of the card extended beyond the A2 Folder and place it flat on your B Plate.  To match the print determine the size of your next mat (this one is SU Pixie Pink).  Place it on your card and determine where it will fall on the swirl design, then place it into your folder matching the design and the direction of the embossing imprint.

Continue this for each layer of matting. This layer is SU's Tempting Turquoise.

Next I added a basis black layer - which I again embossed matching the print. I staped the beautiful blossom on shimmery white and used SU Markers - Pixie Pink, Pink Passion and Rose Red to color in my blossom.  I colored the petals closest to me with the Pixie Pink first and then colored the petals that were further back with Pink Passion.  Next I shaded the Pixie Pink Petals with the Pink Passion and I shaded the Pink Passion Petals with the Rose Red.

Next I used the SU Large Oval Punch to diecut a Pink Passion oval and the SU Small Oval Punch to diecut a small shimmery white oval which I then stamped using the 3 for you Punch Set.  Next I added an oval embellishment fro the SU Hodgepodge Hardware Pewter set.  Now I loved the card ...but I always like to do one more step so I added tempting teal ribbon next.

I love the simplicity of this card.  Now Yesterday I asked everyone which card they like better - the black & white or the red and white, since it was a Valentine's Day Card everyone had great difficulty choosing since it was a Valentine's Day Card.  So I was having difficulty photographing the dry embossing with the basic black cardstock - so I decided to make it in white as well.  So again the question is - Black or White??  Which design do you prefer??

Thanks again for stopping by!!  Stop back tomorrow to see a truly Asian Twist on this blossom.

Happy Valentine's Day - the Red & White Version

Here is one more design for this stamp in a more traditional Red, White and Black version. For this version I increased my card size from 5 1/2" square to a 6" square so that I could add one more layering of matting.  I thought it would be interesting for you to see the two versions of this card and how strikingly different the cards look from just making a few changes.  Here is a photo of both cards together:

For the red version I used my scalloped circle nestabilities to double cut my red mat.  To do this cut the largest circle and then place a smaller circle inside the original die cut ( you may use removeable tape to hold the die in place)  This creates a red scalloped circle frame which I placed over the large black scalloped circle. To simplify the card I colored the heart in this version with my R29 Copic Marker.

For the directions for the Black and White Card visit yesterday's post.  I can't decide which version I like best.  I would love to know which version you like better - just leave a comment on this post!!

Black & White Happy Valentine's Day

As I was designing Valentine's Day Projects this month, I realized that I didn't own a single stamp that simple said Happy Valentine's Day. So yesterday I found this beautiful stamp from Inkadinkadoo 97467-O and you all know how I love swirls and flourishes....so it kept calling my name from the store shelve. I decided that I wanted to make a simple black and white card.  I used a pre-embossed floral card from Die Cuts with a View which I cut the front embossed image off the card and lightly scuffed it with a graphite black brillance ink pad to highlight the dry embossing.  Then I went back and scuffed the edges of the card a second time with a little heavier hand to create a slightly darker edge for the embossed mat.  By darken the edges I added more dimension to the card. I then placed it on a new black 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" card.

Next I stamped the Happy Valentine's Day image on Luster White Paper and using an exacto knife I cut out the stamped heart image and backed it with red.  I used my scalloped circle nestibilities to cut out the stamped image and then cut a larger scalloped circle from black and dry embossed it with the Cuttlebug A2 Textile Embossing Folder.   This was so simple yet so elegant...a perfect card for your Mom, Sister or Husband.

Happy 10th Birthday Jack

Today is my Son Jack's Birthday...we are a Bi-Coastal family and Jack lives with his mom during the school year which is why I stamped I miss you on my ribbon....and if you have been reading my blogs - you will remember that I have never actually sent a card- so this is a first!! ( I use my cards for class samples) Jack will be very surprised!! Probably not as surprised as my husband was when I told him I had made this card for Jack. 

I love this elephant from the Happy Heart Day set from Stampin' Up!! I am having so much fun designing cards using him.  For this version I stamped him on a tiny star print from Pebbles Inc and then cut him out.  I painted his toenails green with my Melon Spica Micro Glass Flake Pen . Next I designed my background mat on this fun paper from Best Creations - it reminded me of blowing bubbles. I used my rectangle scalloped nestibilities to die cut my design and scuffed the edges with Graphite Black Brilliance Ink.  Since I am on this mission to really use my stamps - you will notice that I used stamps from 3 Companies to create this card.  The happy birthday is from Lockhart Stamps and the heart flowers, XOXO. Love You and Miss You are all from My sentiments exactly...I loved the fact that the verse in this set was perfect for stamping on ribbon- I used brillance ink to stamp on my ribbon.  The ribbon is from American Crafts.  I chose this Cuttlebug A2 Embossing Folder - to accentuate the circles in the DP.  The epoxy stars are also from Best Creations.  I colored the heart flowers using my Copic Markers.

Here is a view of the interior of the card...which holds Jack's Gift Card in it!!