Designer's Craft Connection: iLove to Create challenge

Fun new product!


For this month’s challenge, the Designer’s Craft Connection has partnered up with iLovetoCreate for a new product challenge! Thirty of us were provided with a fun new product called, Beads in a Bottle by Tulip. We’ve each created a unique project to share with all of our readers. On July 1st, start here and then use the link in my side-bar to hop along to the next fabulous design!

I love to leave a little somethin’ behind when I’m visiting family or have stopped by to visit at a friend’s home. When I was dreaming up something fun and unique to do with the Beads in a Bottle, I thought of these sweet little message stones and how much fun it would be to tuck one here and there under the leaves in a potted plant or in a garden amongst the basil. Finding one of these, when you least expect it, would surely put a smile on your face!











Materials:

*Beads in a Bottle by Tulip
*Flat stones
*Krylon Indoor/Outdoor spray paint in light colors
*Krylon Chalkboard spraypaint
*Permanent marker
*Chalk

Instructions:

1. Clean and dry flat stones
2. Spray paint stones with Krylon spray paints and/or chalkboard paint; allow to dry.
3. Embelllish stones with Beads in a Bottle leaving space in the center for message; allow to dry.
4. Use permanent marker to write message or inspirational word on face of stone. Use chalk to write erasable message on stones painted with chalkboard paint.





iLove to Create has generously offered a giant giveaway to a lucky follower of the Designer’s Craft Connection blog hop. Check here http://ilovetocreateblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/beads-in-bottle-blog-hop.html

  Visit here for all the details about how you can enter for a chance at this amazing stack of creative goodness!

For more BEADS in a BOTTLE inspiration be sure to check out their video here.



Thanks for stopping by!

I hope Michelangelo doesn't mind...

We were gifted with a giant print of Michelangelo's "Creation of Man" as a housewarming gift back in 1999. Over the years, hanging near large windows, this painting faded to blue from the golden browns of its original. I knew I could repurpose the frame and the canvas into something useful. I always have loose photos leaning against framed images, candle holders, against books... basically anywhere I could prop them, so I could see the faces of my loves. Having used chicken wire for lots of other purposes over the years... besides confining chickens... I decided to construct a giant framed "bulletin board" to display all those snapshots.



The before...



After disassembling the painting, I sprayed the frame with a few layers of Krylon Interior/Exterior Paint in Black...



I used wire cutters to cut chicken wire to size and spray painted black...



I sanded the painted frame lightly to add that "I've lived and loved and have stories to tell" sort of feel...



I covered the canvas with a thin layer of batting, then with natural linen; wrapped fabric to backside and secured with a staple gun. I laid painted chicken wire over front of covered canvas and strategically attached it with staples where they would be covered by edge of frame.



I placed canvas back into frame and secured with straps stapled across corners on backside. I used heavy wide ribbon.



Because of the narrow hallway, I couldn't seem to get a photo that did this project justice! I absolutely love having a special place to hang all those pictures of our favorite people! I can't seem to bring myself to taking down all the photo Christmas cards we received this year and our family is in serious "production" mode, so we have loads of adorable faces gracing this project!



To clip the photos in place, I use miniature clothes pins that I inked with Clearsnap Chalk Ink in Chestnut Roan then stamped with a french script stamp with black ink.

It's so much fun to give new life to something old!

Sneak Peek...

I just learned that a piece I created in honor of my Son's wedding will be featured in the upcoming December issue of Create & Decorate. It should be hitting the shelves any day now... just in time for their first anniversary. Here's a sneak peek...



Tip of the day... use all those leftover letter stickers as masks! I used Krylon's Brushed Metallic Paints over the masked letters, which were positioned on the beveled sides of very large wall monogram letters, then peeled them away to reveal the sentiment. Find the details in the magazine.

Jewelry Creations

Fun Mail Day! I had totally forgotten about making these Marbleized Beads for this CK Media Special Publication. The magazine is called Jewelry Creations and should be available soon.



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