Monday, October 16, 2017

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.



Thursday, October 12, 2017

BFF Open House Link Party


TGIAF (Almost Friday). I took last week off for a little creative staycation and this week back at work has been busy busy busy so I'm already ready for the weekend. How about you all?  Let's take a look at some ideas from last week's party and as always, thanks to my regular guests and WELCOME to those of you who are new to this party! 


I shared my Halloween decor here and absolutely in love with this vignette from Masterpieces of My Life. I can see we have a love of Edgar Allan Poe in common! 


You can never go wrong with Shakespeare, especially this time of  year with this timeless quote from Macbeth. Fantastic printable from Lolly Jane

How cute is this Bride of Frankenstein hat from Sew Crafty Crochet

And for this week's chocolate feature: 

Are these not the most perfect cupcakes? My signature drink is a Mocha so these look like a must make for me! From Sugar Spice and Family Life

Now let's see what everyone's been up to this week! 
   
   

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Using My Doodles as Decor: Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull


My doodling addiction continues. Introducing Georgie and Georgina Sugarskull, the newest additions to my doodle collection and Halloween decor. I've been wanting to incorporate some Dia de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) touches and these were an easy addition. I printed them out and framed them in black and gold painted frames to match my color scheme of black and white and  gold.  

I started my drawing by tracing a simple skull outline. I knew I wanted to give her a floral crown so I drew the flowers on top of her skull first and then kind of went wherever my pen took me. This is what I find relaxing about this. I just kind of go wherever in an image, usually without a plan and just feel my way through. 


Georgina was done first, but Georgie was named first. I'd texted him to my son, he asked if he had a name, I said "you name him" and he named him Georgie. Georgina was kind of a no-brainer after that. 

I followed the same process for Georgie, took me a while to get the hat right. If I'm adding an element like that I'll do it in pencil first, then go over it in pen but the Zentangling itself I just go for with the pen. 



The frames were inexpensive plain unfinished wood I had in my stash. I painted with a couple coats of black paint, then dry brushed with gold. 


Now, lest you think I'm allergic to color, I did color each of these in my Recolor app. 






Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Halloween Home Tour 2017


Starting when PhD boy was in college, I started to change out my Halloween decor. I wanted a more grown up , hopefully elegant, and gothic look. So for the past few years I've added things each year with an eye towards a unifying color scheme around black and white and gold. Being a hardcore believer in "high impact / low price" I have had fun making a lot of the pieces!


This year's mantle focal is a skeleton head I picked up for next to nothing at Big Lots a few years ago. I made him paper Top Hat last year to dress him up. 


He sits atop a collection of Edgar Allan Poe (can't have Halloween w/out Poe!) perfectly bound in black and gold. 


I fell in love with the metal pumpkin sculpture you see here which Mr. Chocolate surprised me with for my birthday last year. He was a welcome addition to my Halloween decorations. Shown here w/ a Creepy Crackled gold leafed ceramic skull from a couple of years ago, and one of the Drop Cloth Pumpkins I made this year. 


His twin sits atop a wooden "Wicked" sign I made last year ( $1.50 box from the Japanese dollar store Daiso, painted, and then vinyl applied)

In the background are some decoupaged coffin boxes embellished with Gothic metal accents. 



I like to incorporate holiday decor into my regular decor so I added some ribbon and tulle to a candleabra on my coffee table, filled a glass dish with some  glittered skeleton heads and threw in a bag of plastic skeleton heads as filler. 



Having a September birthday I've often gotten Halloween themed things as presents, like the wood ghosts and ceramic tea light holders here. 


I made this mask last year that went on a pumpkin that I think got put away with the Thanksgiving stuff so just tied it to my candleholder. 


I did strip everything off my side table and did a Witch themed vignette. 

I use a lot of tulle at Halloween! It's an inexpensive way to create a "feel". 


I've loved "The Wizard of Oz" since I was a little girl so another gift from Mr. Chocolate was a Wicked Witch ornament who sits in a glass bowl filled with more tulle. 


The rest of the table is filled with vintage style Witch Hats I made a few years ago, more decoupaged coffins, spooky trees and a black and white pumpkin ( orange $1 pumpkin from Dollar Tree, decoupaged with Halloween paper). 

Since last year was our 25th wedding anniversary, I made a Halloween Bride and Groom. Vinyl on canvas embellished w/ rhinestones and washi tape. 



I have one more place to decorate: the railings. But here's a sneak peak. 



Thanks for visiting! Hope you weren't too scared.



Sunday, October 8, 2017

Girlfriend Gift: Glass Block Sugar Skull


One of my girlfriends loves Sugar Skulls. Like she dressed as one for Halloween one year loves Sugar Skulls, so her birthday present was easy peasy this year...both the decision on what to make her and making it! 

I used a textured glass block that I had in my stash. I thought it was perfect for this since the texture reminded me of melted sugar. 

Supplies 
  • Glass Block ( you can find these at every craft store)
  • Black Vinyl
  • Misc. Embellishments ( I used cording, rhinestones, and tassels from  my stash)

I looked for and found a Sugar Skull image I liked in the Silhouette Online Store, purchased, and downloaded. Sized it, cut it and proceeded to do my least favorite thing in the crafting world, weeded it. 


Lots of little bits and pieces to make sure to remove but SUCCESS!


Centered and applied the vinyl. I cleaned the surface of the glass block with alcohol to make sure and get up any oils etc. so the vinyl would stick well. 

I debated about putting lights inside and tried it and decided I liked it better w/out the lights since they competed with the detail of the vinyl image.  Plopped the thingy that seals the opening into place ( and gave her the extra toppers that come w/ the glass block in case she wants to fill it with anything or add lights) and then finished off by tieing several types of ribbon and fiber around the block and finished it all off with a cluster of misc charms and beads. 


I also added some clear self adhesive rhinestones which are hard to see because they blend into the glass. They stand out much better in person. 


To package it, I pulled some paper scraps from my stash and cut out some flowers using a Tim Holtz die. Repurposed a kraft paper bag using the papers, flowers and some of the Washi tape that was part of my last year's birthday present from the same girlfriend.  She knows me too well because look what she gave me this year: 


SWOON! A collection of gorgeous papers in my favorite colors to play with! See that Sugar Skull paper? Yep it will be coming to another gift for her lol.