How Can I Miss You If You Won't Go Away? No Soliciting Sign.

Sharing a post I did for the Expressions Vinyl blog last month. 

Those of you who've been around a while, might remember I made one of these last year. This one I made for the Mumster ( aka my Mom to those who may be new)  who is the friendliest person I know but who has one nemesis: Solicitors. 

How do you tell people to go away but nicely? With a sign made using Expressions Vinyl Glitter Ultra Cast that’s how!

I tend towards using things for other than their intended purpose so for this project I used some metal flashing(?) from the HW store for my sign.

I chose a frame from my Silhouette library and then did the text in two different fonts. I am still far from an expert with my Cameo but one tip I think worth sharing is when working with text or multiple objects in a project, group your objects. How?

After you’ve completed your layout, click on edit then scroll down to “select all” . Next you’ll want to group them which binds them together so if you accidentally hit your keyboard or something you only accidentally re-size one thing and you don’t mess up the individual parts. Not that I’ve done that or anything.

I cut the frame and text out from the same vinyl. Applied it to the metal piece using transfer tape. For things where it’s just a piece I don’t always use transfer tape. For something like this…DEFINITELY.

I always have to add something so I ran the rest of my vinyl through my Cuttlebug die cutter using a Tim Holtz Alterations die:

Attached all the layers with a brad and then super glued to the sign.

I made a No Soliciting sign for our house last year, and in another attempt to confuse the Hardware Store people, my stand is a metal tomato cage. I just use magnets to attach the sign to it. Someday the HW store people will stop asking me what I’m doing with stuff!

London Olympics Mod Podge and Vinyl Canvas

So I know it’s almost the Fourth of July which seems like a weird time to be doing a project with a London theme given the whole  declaring independence from England thing. I’m nothing if not ironic!

But, this Summer also marks the London hosted Olympics and we are very excited to watch. Will Michael Phelps make history ? Will the world’s fastest athletes break records on the track? Will the US Women’s gymnastics team medal again?

We were at World Market recently and they had a bunch of British themed art pieces in honor of the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ( I still want to know what she keeps in that purse).

Since going to London for the Games isn’t in the picture, I decided to bring a little bit of the Olympics here

16x20 canvas from Goodwill on a 50% off red tag day. $1.99. Score!

Painted with tan acrylic paint. I knew  I was going for an aged look so this was not about precision or perfection. 

Is there nothing you can’t use PicMonkey for? I found an image of a British flag at The Graphics Fairy, uploaded it to PicMonkey and “monkeyed” around with it until I was satisfied. I wanted it big, so I cropped/printed it in two halves. I re-sized each half to the same dimensions and printed each half out. Crown image is also  courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Downloaded images of Big Ben, the Olympic rings, torch, and London Phone Booth from the Silhouette online store, and cut out in red, black and gold vinyl.  I also edged my flag  in washi tape:

Used Antique Matte Mod Podge to cover my focal piece. Mr. C opined that it still needed to be aged up some more ( not that I hadn't already thought that but see what happens when you have your husband watch Craft Wars with you?)  so I splotched ( professional crafting term) some antique gold paint on the vinyl pieces, then went over the whole thing with a dark grey glaze. Brush on. Wipe off.

Still can’t leave PicMonkey alone so used the Sketchedy frame option to age up the picture of my aged up Olympic canvas.

The games may be in London, but Maison du Chocolat will be rooting for team USA!

Expressions Vinyl Birthday Giveaway!

Expressions Vinyl is celebrating their birthday this week and I was very excited when they contacted me to play with some of their newest products as part of the celebration. I was even MORE excited when they said that one of my readers would get a chance to receive a similar box of goodies of their own.

I couldn’t wait to see what was inside the box when it arrived and they didn’t disappoint with a ginormous selection of their newest vinyls which included some incredible glitters, metallics, reflectives, frosted and even glow in the dark! Some sheets were 12x12 but most were 12x24.

They are also now carrying acrylic tumblers and sent a couple of those to play with along with a tote bag. Here’s some of the fun I had!

Mr. Chocolate loves cars, transportation, maps etc. I got the idea to make him a Route 66 tumbler he could use for iced drinks this Summer. I used the Expressions Vinyl in Mist Rainbow and Black and downloaded the sign from the Silhouette online store.

Not to be left out, College Boy, who is a huge Superhero and Comic geek ( his preferred term!) got a Batman tumbler , images also downloaded from the SIlhouette online store:

I just had decide what to make for me!

Also included in the box of goodies was a re-usable fabric tote bag. We’ve been hanging out at lots of used bookstores lately and in trying to be greener, I try to bring my own bags when I remember.

I got the idea to make a book themed book bag. Since my Cricut Expression has been feeling neglected, I used it to cut the images and used the Wall Décor and More cartridge:

I’m lazy…didn’t even iron the tote.

For this I used more of the Mist Rainbow vinyl along with two colors of Glitter Ultra Cast: Blue and Mint.

I also cut a key and the word “Knowledge”  ( I’m so corny…get it Books…learning…knowledge is key”.  Go ahead and groan. I did).

And, not content to leave simple enough alone, I freehand cut some layered flowers from drop cloth scraps and embellished them w/ buttons.

This vinyl is so easy to work with and cuts equally nicely on either the Silhouette Cameo or Cricut Expression. Expressions Vinyl is great because they have a settings guide on their website for digital cutters. Even if you don’t have a machine, you can easily draw an image or trace a template on the back and cut by hand.

OK now for the bestest part! 

Expressions is giving one of my readers a chance to win the same box of goodies they sent me ! 2 Tumblers, a tote and a selection of awesome vinyl.  They will have a lot of fun things going on this week so you want to be sure and check out their site and FB page!

The giveaway will run from today, June 18 through June 24 with the winner announced June 25. To enter: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good Luck!

Vinyl Butterfly Plate With Removable Rolled Flowers

 I  did this project recently for the Expressions Vinyl Blog.  I felt guilty calling it a project because it's so stinkin' easy.

I love putting vinyl on anything and everything. I also change my mind a lot and sometimes want the flexibility to change a theme. Vinyl is perfect for that! I found this plain square glass plate at Cost Plus and knew it was a perfect canvas. I Mod Podged a piece of scrapbook paper on the underside of the plate, but you could also leave your plate completely blank. 

I have been wanting to do something with a butterfly motif and the hardest part was deciding which image to download from the Silhouette online store. I decided on this swirly one. I re-sized it to fit and cut it out using a leafy green Expressions vinyl.

I am definitely not a dainty clean crafter. Just keeping it real here. Sometimes stuff gets stuck to the mat but it mostly comes off pretty cleanly.

I’m also a “I can’t throw that away because there must be something I can do with it “ crafter ( aka as Mr. Chocolate would say a HOARDER). I’ve seen this idea sold in craft stores to decorate your walls…using vinyl as the adhesive to attach paper flowers or lightweight wooden embellishments.

I adapted it to my butterfly plate. Punched circles out of scrap vinyl, and made rolled flowers from some paper scraps:

I hot glued the flowers to the vinyl, peeled off the back and stuck to my plate.  Done and done. And if I decide I want to take the flowers off and/or change my butterfly for something else, peel away!

It doesn't get much easier. If you don't have an electronic cutter or die cut machine, try punches on your vinyl.

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Monthly Post for Expressions Vinyl: Paris Inspired Bath Sign

I was so excited when the folks at Expressions Vinyl invited me to contribute to their blog. I'll be posting a project over there once a month! This is the first project I shared last week .

 I love using old frames for projects and found this bead board looking frame at Goodwill. It was in great shape and I could have left it alone but what fun is that? I definitely had to "vintage it up" a bit.

I thought I had light yellow paint but since I didn’t, I lightened up some bright yellow by adding white paint. Painted my frame with a coat of that, then dry brushed over it with white paint. Instant re-purposed shabby chic frame!

Now for  the fun part! Along with my Eiffel Tower, I downloaded this fabulous laurel leaf image from the Silhouette online store:

Sized in the Silhoutte design studio software and then cut it from metallic silver Expressions vinyl. I love love love the metallic vinyl from Expressions. Did I mention love?

Except when trying to photograph it on a sunny day. This pic doesn't do the metallic goodness justice.  But you get the idea. I even saved the center of the laurel wreath to use on something else. Waste not, want not.

I decided I’d do our monogram, so I cut out the letter “C” and then the letters to spell “Le Bain” ( The Bath) , Paris, a flourish,  and the Eiffel tower using Expressions black vinyl.

I applied all of the vinyl to the glass. What’s that behind the glass?  A piece of fabric drop cloth from the HW store!

Since I was going for a shabby look, I wasn’t concerned about ironing the fabric. OK like that was going to happen anyway. HA!

Lesson learned…I should have placed the monogram over the laurel in the design software before cutting either out. I think this would have positioned things better but I’m still mastering my Silhouette Cameo and that's one of the best things about the design software. Just didn't think of it soon enough.  Guess I'll just have to make more vinyl projects :) 

Now when I’m in the bathroom, I can pretend the bathroom is in an artist’s loft in Paris. Of course I also have a big box of French chocolates in that scenario.  A girl can dream.

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Inspired By Charm

Superhero Art...Big Boys Love Comics Too

When your kids get older, it’s fun to watch them become mature enough to indulge their inner child. Through the Middle to High School years, they're usually trying to act much older than they are. Then they get to college and they are more comfortable in their own skin.

Our son is a self professed comic geek. A fan of both DC and Marvel characters ( although Marvel prevails) and a collector of comics, memorabilia etc.

He’s coming home for Spring Break tomorrow (YEAH) and I found a way to combine what I love to do with what he loves.

He’s excited about the “Justice League” movie that’s in the works so I found an image online ( this is for personal use only Copyright people)  but it was in color and I wanted black and white.

Using My Memories Suite, I not only converted it to black and white, but chose a pencil sketch filter. I exported it as a photo and in my Print Shop program, aged the edges.

Printed on cardstock, framed it in a frame I had on hand and then downloaded the “Justice League” font from here and then cut the words on CoCo, my Silhouette Cameo. I used metallic silver vinyl from Expressions Vinyl.

We got him a very cool black and white Batman statue for his birthday so this will go perfectly with that!

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Shamrocks Don't Have to Be Green!

I don’t do a ton of decorating for St. Patrick’s day but seeing so many cute ideas inspired me to do SOMETHING. This was a very quick project that I could work into my non-seasonal mantle.

I’ve been neglecting CoCo (my Silhouette Cameo) and she was sitting on my desk, staring at me petulantly. She needed to be involved!

I decided to combine one of the iconic  colors of St. Patrick’s day, gold, with its traditional shape the shamrock, and cut my shamrock from gold Expressions vinyl.  I found this great shape with the swirls in the Silhouette online store.

I simply framed a piece of green suede / velvet scrapbook paper cut to size and then placed the shamrock on top of the glass. Of course I needed to add some rhinestones because it’s what I do! The center is one black rhinestone with smaller green rhinestones that fortunately fit perfectly around it!

At the same time I cut my shamrock, I cut the letters LUCK from the same gold vinyl. I absolutely love being able to do exactly what you want in the same project...add a text box on the same page as a shape; choose the font from what's already installed on your computer etc.


Embellished the letters randomly with more black rhinestones. Easy project and the best part is everything was already on hand!

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