Crafting Archives - Page 2 of 7

Geode Necklace Tutorial

July 29, 2015 By candiecooper 9 Comments

This post brought to you by Beadalon.The dog days of summer are here. Barefoot, I walked outside this evening to get something out of my car and the pavement was still plenty warm. Visits to the farmer’s market and dinners of garden veggies. Yes, this is summer.

Poking around on the internet, I’m still seeing plenty of boho style. That’s what I do–look at fall fashions, dreaming of scarves with fringe and ankle boots. In reality it’s so hot you want to sit around in your underpants. I like to layer clothing and the sweltering summer temps don’t care.
Today I’m serving up some boho pendants using agate slices. These go together in seconds. Let’s celebrate Beadalon’s new 21 g. flat Artistic wire.
Beadalon also has a new small hole punch tool (on the left). Hole punches make my heart flutter if you can’t tell from this last post.
You can eyeball the length you want your wire or you can measure. Either way this flat wire cuts easily with wire cutters.
Use a file to knock off the corners so it’s not sharp.
Hammer the wire piece on a steel block and the round end of the hammer to add a planished texture.
This is a cool jump ring mandrel. Use it for forming jump rings (not just a clever name), ear wires, wire wrapping or to bend this bail piece.
Punch a hole with the metal hole punch (psst…you can use it on leather too!). Again, I’m eye-balling all of this. Don’t tell my boss.
Use a micro bolt to hold the agate slice in the bail.
Twist the nut onto the bolt.
This is obviously too long so cut it, leaving about 1mm above the nut.
CAREFULLY hammer the cut end to create a rivet head so the nut can’t come off. Take care to protect your eyes should you accidently hit the agate slice. That would be bad. Real bad.
String it onto a leather strap. String it on a chain. With beads. Without beads.

Treats:

Artistic wire for bail

Hole punch tool

Jump ring mandrel

Filed Under: Crafting, Jewelry, Uncategorized

How to Form Leather Flowers

May 18, 2015 By candiecooper 1 Comment

This post brought to you by LeatherCord USA.April showers bring May leather flowers. This is part I of a two part post all about working with leather flowers to make jewelry and embellishments. Get excited because these things are like super yummy calorie free candy! Who can make the sunshine, already!?!These are just some of the flower colors available. I love all the fun shapes and the sizes make them perfect for stacking!To be honest, I’ve never been able to leave well…well enough alone. So welcome to my brain where I think, “how can I ~~wreck~~ alter these flowers today?” First up: FORMING.

Soak the flowers in a bowl of water for a couple minutes.Then you can push them into shaped containers while they dry so they hold their shape or….squish, pinch, fold and twist them with your fingers. SO many options!One idea will lead to another and another…. Did I mention this is a two part post?Second way to ~~wreck~~ form the flowers is to cut and fringe said flowers. You can re-wet the flowers at any point to form them more.One of my most favorite findings are tie-tack findings with a glue on pad. I’ll warn you now that if you plan on selling these, you’ll hear over and OVER that they will leave a hole in your shirt. My response: thank you for the day you were born (but I’m still doing it my way). For this piece, I cut the back off of a button and glued it to the tie tack.Then you can start stacking the leather pieces behind it.Yes, I know it’s going to make a hole in that purse. Thanks for letting me know (and the day you were born).Sweet right? I think these would make the cutest bridesmaid clutches. I got this linen clutch at the craft store P.S. You could also stencil it first with an accent color and then embellish with the leather flowers.It’s my birthday this week. I think I just made myself a present. 😉

See all the leather flowers at LeatherCord USA here.

Filed Under: Crafting

How to Make Tassels

April 15, 2015 By candiecooper Leave a Comment

This post brought to you by Beadalon!I spent the last day of ~~Spring~~ Beadalon Break at Bead Fest in Oaks, PA!

Guess what? Beadalon was there too!

So I got an up close look at their new Tassel Making Tool! This thing is great for jewelry makers and crafters.

I put Madeline Roddy on the spot and asked her to walk me through tassel making basics with the tool. It was super easy! Watch and see…Suction the tool to your work surface. I think we all have a bead box (or 75 laying around) that we can stick this thing too like Meredith did.Wind the desired amount of cord (check out this twinkle thread from Beadalon) around the two mandrels. You can change the distance to make shorter fringed tassels (or make them long and custom cut the length). When you have enough cord wound, thread a short piece of cord through the wound threads and tie off next to the mandrel.

Cut the bottom cords open next to the mandrel.Now you can hook the tied piece to an eye pin and thread it through a bead cone to give it a nice finished look. This bead cone was made with the ConeTastic.Check out this fancy pants tassel piece I spotted in the Beadalon booth. So pretty with the metallic thread!

Here is a video of the Tassel Maker from Beadalon so you can see it fully in action!

Filed Under: Crafting, Tutorials

3 DIY Valentine Ideas

February 12, 2015 By candiecooper Leave a Comment

I’ve had this project in my stash for almost two years! It all started when Canson sent a box of their amazing printable papers.Definitely the watercolor paper is my favorite to print on, but they come in all sorts of papers.The first photo I altered in PicMonkey, adding the Polaroid frame. It came out distressed like this. So easy to mount with the Canson photo corners onto scrapbook paper. Then I added the XOXO embellishment. Sweet and simple.Same idea here except this time I punched holes around the edge and laced it with chunky yarn. Lacing. This simple stitched border makes my heart flutter in all it’s homemade-ness. Perfect for grandma!The last idea is a fave. My friend sent some scans of a little bug drawing by her daughter, Lily. I printed them and colored with Koi watercolor markers from Sakura.Your kids would have a blast coloring their own art work (obviously)!Because these were intended to be Valentines (and that I love layers and hearts and needed an excuse to add more), these little love bugs got a set of heart wings made from scrapbooking paper.Mount them on solid paper and you’re ready to rock, Valentine!

Filed Under: Crafting, Kids Arts and Crafts, Valentines

How To Decoupage with Gold Leaf Paint Tutorial

February 12, 2015 By candiecooper Leave a Comment

This project is brought to you by Decopatch–fine decoupage papers with a French flair!Monograms. I love them. My husband found this one at Hobby Lobby on the clearance rack (I love that man) for $15. He was on an errand for me (I really do love that man!) for a paper mache’ deer head (they didn’t have it) and found this “M” instead. She needed a makeover, don’t you agree? I’m all for distressed, but….strung out? No. They had a ton them left! I love those big letters covered in Indian patchwork fabric that places like Home Goods and Anthropologie sell (but I can’t afford) so that was my inspiration.First, I brushed over the brown areas with a bit of white paint to even out the tone. I’ve never used the Decopatch papers before and worried that the dark areas might show through. Now, I’m convinced this step wouldn’t have been necessary.Then, I broke out the Decopatch papers. These are extra special papers that are strong, FLEXIBLE and brightly colored–SUPER for decoupage crafts. Check out all the colors and patterns here. So hard to choose just one.One side of the Decopatch paper is shiny and super smooth.The reverse has a matte finish, almost like a tooth that grabs the decoupage glue perfectly. Yes, these are the things that excite me. Well designed paper.Once I picked out my papers I cut them into strips and squares. There really was no rhyme or reason to my cutting. That would have made it “work.”I used a decoupage glue like Mod Podge to adhere the papers to the front of the M and sealed them with the same glue. Also very randomly, mixing and matching with a little layering. The company describes Decopatch papers as “painting with paper” and I’m going to agree. It goes on like butter on hot toast! A little addicting! When I finished, I was like a decoupage predator looking for innocent pray to be covered in pretty paper. A craft vampire of sorts.Once the decoupage glue was dry I decided to hit the edges with liquid gold leaf paint.I love this paint. You’ll need mineral spirits to clean it up, but so worth it. This stuff brought out the gold in the papers and really framed up my M beautifully. It’s also a little potent on smell–so take good care. We don’t need any crafters high on liquid leaf paint.Look how smooooth!!
I only used two papers because one set had tons of different patterns included on it. All in all this project took about an hour to complete. Saaanap!There she is! My decoupage glue was the gloss version so it made it a little tricky to photograph. Blinded by the decoupage light already.Pink and red are some of my favorite go-to colors.

I’ve propped it on top of this little cabinet in our dining room. My main new year’s resolution for this year is to clear out clutter and keep beautifying our home.

Now I need to re-work the inside contents of the cabinet.

Brick by brick.

Candie

Filed Under: Crafting

Valentine’s Box Idea

January 19, 2015 By candiecooper Leave a Comment

Valentine’s day is coming! I was picking up photos the other day at the drugstore and came to a screeching halt when I looked up to see the wall of valentine treats. My heart fluttered. Not gonna lie. Heart shaped chocolate boxes, tacky silk roses, boxes of valentines and conversation hearts. Oh. be. still.

This is a project I made a couple years back and I thought I’d share. It’s a valentine mailbox using a vintage purse. Something my little self would have loved to collect valentines in.It doesn’t take much: a purse, some embellishments, ribbon and Mod Podge. The paint is pretty optional. If you’re a craft supply hoarder like me, you’ve got the stash ready!Mod Podge your paper pieces on. Hot glue til’ ya drop the rest.Tie short pieces of ribbon onto the handle and away you go!

Filed Under: Crafting, Valentines

How to Set Up an Art Fair Tent

July 1, 2014 By candiecooper 4 Comments

Once or twice a year I sell my jewelry at an event locally. This time it was the Charley Creek Arts Fest. If I did this every weekend the pictures would look differently. I’m positive! Starting with simpler furniture and displays. However, since I only do this once every blue moon, my sister and I drag everything but the kitchen sink with us because we like stuff and we want it to look like a real live boutique. In other words…we play shop.

I’ll try to point out some things that have really worked for us.

The first: screens hung with fishing line! We staple gun screen into everything from old cabinet doors to picture frames. Use ornament hooks to connect necklaces or carded earrings to the screens easily.

Zip ties. Use zip ties to hang things easily (see white boxes hanging on back side walls). Third, make a garland. The past two years my friend has made a fun garland for me to hang from the cross bars in the booth. For some reason it makes the ceiling feel higher.

Another fun element: RUGS! I started putting rugs in my booth years ago to cover the ugly pavement or patted down grass. They are so welcoming, I think.Then fill it with fluff: white washed ladders, some plants, postcards and business cards, and seating. The past two years, I’ve added a big jug of peppermint iced tea to keep folks cool and refreshed (and hydrated! see the chalk sign on the pavement?). It’s an easy treat! Here’s a look at last year’s booth:More pennants hanging from above! A tower of sea shells filled with earrings. The white shells really show off the colorful elements in the earrings.A plant hanger turned upside down for a butterfly chandelier.

Twine. We love twine! You’ve got to have twine.And last year I was trying to think of something other than a rug because we were in the grass and came up with straw. It worked great! Especially since it had been raining.