Navy and Silver Candles with Metal Flowers

There's something about candles as a housewarming present  Maybe it's because I live in the PNW and we're approaching power outage season? I think of it more as new homeowners always having light in their home. 

For these, I tried something new which was making the flowers that are the focal out of metal. This was easily done using pewter that's used in metal embossing. 

Let's get started. 

Supplies: 

• Plain altar candles ( Dollar Tree)
• Decorative  / Scrapbook paper
• Mod Podge
• Glitter Washi Tape
• Acrylic Paint
• Embossable Metal ( I used Art Emboss by AMACO...you can find at craft / art stores, Amazon etc. ) 
• Die Cutter ( I used my Cuttlebug)
• Dies ( I used the Tattered Florals die by Tim Holtz)

I started with a base layer of white paper that I'd trimmed with the glitter washi tape. Measure and apply to your candle using Mod Podge. My go to formula is the Matte. 

I realized I didn't have any paper that worked with the color scheme I was using which is the new homeowner's palette of navy, white and grey.  So I did what creative people do. I made some. Well I painted some. 

I have a roll of paper painter's masking tape like this that I use for projects like this because it's very think but holds the paint well. I covered a couple of pieces in navy acrylic paint and then stenciled the leaves with metallic silver. Originally, I thought I was going to silver leaf the leaves (no pun intended) and then decided to paint. 

Once the papers were stenciled and dry, I tore the edges and then used the Mod Podge to apply to the candles. 

While waiting for the papers to dry, I cut the flowers. I used a crinkled white paper along with the pewter. Layered these and let the glue dry ( I live for Loctite gel control super glue) and then glued them to the candles. I curled the edges of the flowers using the handle of a paintbrush. 

I'm terrible at photographing metal and glitter but this is a closeup. I didn't emboss the metal flowers but I did freehand cut and emboss the leaves: 

To finish, I wrapped the tops with some metallic crochet thread beads and charms. 

I used a scrap of the stenciled paper for the card and used a quote from Maya Angelou as the focal: 

I re-purposed a paper bag by adding some scrapbook papers and more leaves I cut with my die.

Father's Day With Tim Holtz...Well His Assemblage Line

I hope everyone had a Happy Father's Day with the Dads in their lives. Sharing what I gave Mr. Chocolate which was seriously the easiest project I've ever done EVER, thanks to Tim Holtz "Assemblage" line. 

If you haven't seen it, it's available a Jo-Ann (exclusively) and if you've ever wanted to make jewelry and thought it was too difficult, you definitely want to check this out. This isn't even a sponsored post lol. I was just on my own weekly wander through there and it screamed at me. Loudly!

It comes with mix and match pieces that all work together but the best part for me was the inclusion of "MAN STUFF".  

I chose this textured leather band and these slider charms that come two in a pack. This is how simple this was: 

• Remove strap and charm from packaging
• Slide charm onto strap

Do I need to repeat that? 

It was serendipity when I saw the Wanderlust charm.  Little could he know the night before when he randomly brought up the term that he'd be seeing something using it the next day. We have been married for 25 years so maybe we have developed a freaky psychic connection? 

The card was simple as well. One sheet of patterned paper, some coordinating scraps, and the focal was made using graphics downloaded from Creative Market ( Boho Style collection I talked about here).  I created the focal image in PicMonkey. 

Now I have to go back and get another band to use the other charm!

Pretty In Pink Valentine's Cards

I've never been a big pink person. Maybe it was because I was supposed to like it as a girl and being the contrarian that I am, I didn't.  But for this year's Valentine's cards I was kind of drawn to the idea of it, especially when I found pink glitter paper at Michaels. 

For these cards I combined the pink glitter paper with gold foiled paper I picked up during the holidays and used Paris themed stamps by Tim Holtz. What's more romantic than Paris?

Supplies: 

• Cardstock for base card ( I used Stardreams black metallic)
• Craftsmith Gold Foil Paper
• Pink and Black Metallic Glitter Papers
• French Themed Stamps ( I used Tim Holtz)
• White cardstock for stamping
• Black pigment ink ( I used Recollections)
• Pink and Gray Inks ( I used Fresh Ink)
• Punches, embellishments,stickers

I stamped the images in black pigment ink, set with a heat gun and then dusted pink and grey inks on top. Trimmed and mounted as shown on the black and pink glitter papers, then embellished with punched hearts and the black, white, and gold "LOVE" stickers ( Recollections, Michaels). 

I used foam dots to mount the focal images to the front of the card and embellished with self adhesive pink pearls. Also Michaels in their 2 for $3 section. My name is Carol and I spend too much time at Michaels. 

Masculine Thank You Cards

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I had an early Mother’s Day weekend. College Boy flew home from school to attend a symposium at the University of Washington. He wanted to thank both the Professor from his school who selected him to attend,  as well as the Professor who hosted the event. 

He’s so cute…”would you mind making a couple of cards?”

"Oh no. Me make cards? I would hate that!"

I chose a muted teal metallic cardstock, kraft cardstock and some of the cards from the Project Life Vintage Travel kit. Who better for masculine cards than Tim Holtz, so I used one of his grunge embossing folders and Tim Holtz stamp.

Make a 5x7 card from the teal cardstock. Cut a 4.75 x 6.75 panel from black card stock and layer.

Cut a 5x6 panel from the kraft cardstock and run through your Cuttlebug or equivalent using the embossing folder. Layer panels at an angle (corners will hang over the card, trim flush with card when all panels are adhered)

Stamp image on kraft scrap and trim with black panel. I double stamped this image to get the slightly blurred effect.  Apply washi tape strip and baker’s twine . Layer on top of card . embellish with vintage buttons and done!

The “Dream” card is the same basic card  construction except join two coordinating papers together then cut to 4.75 x 6.75 panel. For this card I used a grey card stock and coordinating Basic Grey ( "Perphery") papers.  Use a leftover piece of the teal cardstock and run through the embosssing panel. Adhere across the front as shown. Apply “dream” sticker to flattened bottlecap and adhere to panel.

Tattered Florals Sympathy Cards

January has been card month for me. Not intentionally, but that’s all I’ve made and it’s been a combination of happy and sad. Birthdays and Sympathy cards. Cycle of life I suppose. Sharing a sympathy card I made and a couple of note cards for other members of the family.

The floral paper is from the Basic Grey Little Black Dress collection. Other papers are a metallic silver and chocolate glitter.

For the sympathy card, I used Sizzix Framelits to cut out the main card  focal and also used a  Tim Holtz die ( Tattered Florals) to make the flowers for the main card and the notecards.  I cut the flowers from the silver metallic paper and then used the end of a paintbrush to curl the edges of each layer of the flowers.

Used coordinating scraps from my stash and scraps of the chocolate glitter paper for the notecards.

Added black rhinestones to the center of each flower.

For the sympathy card, I inked the edges of the oval die cut, stamped the sentiment, added a floral rub-on and edged it with a gold ink pen.

More Birthday Fun With Tim Holtz Stamps and Embossing Folder

I’m sharing a couple more things I made to celebrate Mr. Chocolate’s birthday. As we get older, we’re less about giving each other “things” and more about experiences. So for his birthday this year, I planned a day filled with stops at some favorite spots as well as a couple of places he’s mentioned wanting to check out.

Since he’s a good sport and comes with me on some of my crafting stops, I’ve discovered that he likes Tim Holtz designs. So Tim helped me out with my birthday plans.

You might recognize the stamped car on the front of the card from the altered cigar box I recently shared. That box held the card, along with the little altered box shown above.

For the card, I covered a blank 5x7 card with a piece of “wood paper”. It’s actual wood veneer over cardboard. I picked it up at one of my favorite stores before they went out of business. I added strips of paper from the Tradewinds collection by DCWV to the top and the bottom.

I ran a piece of chipboard through my Cuttlebug using a Tim Holtz gear embossing folder. Went over that with Ranger Distressed Ink in black and Fresh Ink pigment ink in grey, leaving some of the chipboard exposed.  Layered this onto more of the DCWV paper, alternating with black cardstock,  and added some gear charms by Bead Landing. I stamped the car and sentiment ( both Tim ) onto scraps of the wood paper and tore the edges. Finished with some coordinating washi tapes.

The other part of this present was a little altered “clue” box I made. I created vintage themed clue cards for  the places we’d go during the day (breakfast at a favorite spot, a tour of a local small batch distillery, a fun little 20’s / 30’s style tavern with a secret room, and a favorite restaurant for dinner)  numbered them and tucked them inside the box. I told  Mr. C. throughout the day when it was time to look at the next clue. In between our "scheduled" stops we had fun roaming around new neighborhoods and places we just stumbled upon. Including a CHOCOLATE FACTORY! More on that next month.

The box ( see how it matches my wood paper!) I found in the  $1 bin at Michaels. You know I had to buy a few of these right? I decided not to cover the whole thing but went over parts of it with printed tissue paper and washi tape, sealed with Mod Podge. I forgot to take pictures of the sides but I traced around them and used up the last of the DCWV paper from the card and Mod Podged them to the box.

Accented the button closure of the box with another of  the gear charms.

We had a wonderful day and even had cooperation from Mother Nature with the Seattle weather! 

Sharing At::

Mr. Chocolate's Birthday: Altered Cigar Box

Mr. Chocolate recently had a birthday and I made him an altered cigar box as part of his gift. He actually contributed to his own present because one day he came back from Total Wine with a bunch of cigar boxes he’d found there for $1.50 ea. I was thrilled since when I’ve tried to buy these at different places they’ve been anywhere from $5-$10 ea. Ridic.

Here’s my “before” cigar box. Can’t stand the smell of cigars, but love the boxes. Luckily the empty boxes don’t smell.  I panted the edges of my box in black and then Mod Podged coordinating papers onto the box.

I used a different paper for the inside of the lid.

And went around the edges with coordinating washi tape. I wanted a vintage 1920’s feel and was thrilled when I found this Susan Lenart Kazmer antique license plate pendant on sale for $2.99 at Michaels.

I loved it as it was but wanted it to coordinate better with my color scheme so painted it with black acrylic paint and then went over it with silver Rub n Buff .

I stamped an antique car and sentiment (Tim Holtz) onto a torn dictionary page and distressed it with Ranger Distress inks. Mod Podged that onto the lid and added some coordinating chipboard stickers I’d found at Michaels (Recollections). Added a watch charm I’d also found at Michaels.

I’ll share the other parts of his present in an upcoming post.