Not just for Bakugan....

It looks like the guy on the center is making one final plea before getting axed by Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker! My son found that a Bakugan holster also works with Mighty Beanz. Clever!

Festive Friday Blog Hop on The Robins Nest!

Todays creation can be found on the  The Robins Nest  blog. 

Come join the fun! :)

Beautiful Mystery Succulent....

I found this beauty blooming in a pot outside the entrance to our city mall. So beautiful! Does anyone know what type of succulent it is? I would love to grow one just like this.

You are Invited to a "Kitschy" Charm/ ATC Swap!

 You are invited to the 11th Annual Charm Swap since 2007!

The theme  is titled, "Kitschy".

Kitschy refers to the "low-art" artifacts of everyday life such as items from the 50's, 60's and the 70's.

 "Kitschy" can be sentimental items you remember from your childhood as I've done here.

I remember we had alot of Gold and Orange in our home when I was growing up.

We had Owl spoon rest and quirky themed cookie jars.

And lots of orange and gold dishes that looked like ceramic but were really plastic.

The elements of Kitsch include the use of bright colors, pop-art,

 shiny metals, and clever American slang.

Think of mass produced items, cookie jars, salt and pepper shakers,

lava lamps, odd shaped art, even wacky souvenirs you'd find in a city shop.

What was once considered "bad art" is now something to be remembered and collected.

If you would like to be included in this swap:

 please e-mail me your name, and email and what country you live in.

Even though I welcome international in my swaps, some country's have a ban on incoming items.

I will respond letting you know if you have made the list, plus details on mailing and postage fees.

This swap is open to 15 participants. You can see the head count here.

You will be required to make 15 charms, rings, or even key fobs

All will need to be of good quality and be something you'd like to receive in return.

Charms must be 2- dimensional and durable enough to be worn or displayed.

All media allowed as long as adhere to the theme. No foul language or porn please.

Must be 18 years or older to participate.

Please include 15 of the same, Artist Trading Cards with your Charms.

They must be 2.5"x3.5"  You may include personal information on the backs of each card.

See more Charm Swap guidelines here.

Participants will receive 1 owl charm, 1 key fob, and 1 acrylic ring from Me.

Plus other quirky goodies!

Due date for charms to reach me is May 15th, 2012

....So, what is your favorite Kitschy memory?

Happy Charm Making!

St. Patrick's Day Paper Bead Bracelet!

We have been busy making these paper bead bracelelts for St.Patrick's Day and to welcome Spring. :)

If you'd like to try the easy tutorial, please visit The Robins Nest blog.

Happy St.Patricks Day!

Amazing Mold Putty - St. Patricks Day button ring!

 Have you ever loved a button so much that you just kept it in a pretty jar, wishing you could use it in a craft or make jewelry from it, but since it was your only one, did not? With Amazing Mold Putty, you can make a mold from your button and cast it to use for anything you want!

Here I will show your how to make this St. Patrick's Day button ring! 

 * * *

Start by gathering equal amounts of the white and yellow Amazing Mold Putty.

Mix putty together until one uniform color, no swirls of white.

Roll mixed putty in a ball, making sure all creases are smooth.

 Working on a  non stick surface, press button into ball. Make sure you push it deep enough,

but not all the way through. Let mold set with button inside for at least 15 minutes.

You'll know it's set when your finger does not leave a impression when you touch the mold.

 Pop out the button.

Gather your fill medium of choice. For a button ring, you can use resin, clay or Utee.

I melted clear Utee in a melting pot and added fine green glitter.

Then I poured the mix into my button mold.

Within 5 minutes it had set. I popped out my button and smoothed that little drip

you see by running the edge of the button along the hot plate.

 I made several button rings and found that I liked both sides of the button.

If you are just starting out using Amazing Mold Putty, stick with buttons first. My son wanted me to do a Lego ring, but it had too much detail and we must have shifted it when we formed the putty around it. Once the putty is set, it cannot be unset for reuse.

I remelted the button mistakes until I was happy with my results.

What I love the most about using Amazing Mold Putty

 is how easy it is to make treasures out of ordinary objects.

  What will you make with Amazing Mold Putty?

Please visit The Amazing Mold Putty blog for more creative idea's!

"Goth" Charm Swap - Revealed!

Here are the Goth Charms from last Octobers swap.
For some reason, I thought I had posted this, and then realized I did not! Silly Me. :)
The premise was to make up charm in a "Goth" theme with matching ATC's to swap.

Since 2007, I have hosted 11 Charm Swaps with over 100 participants.
The first Charm swap for 2012 will be posted here on my blog, Monday March 12th.
If you are interested in participating, please visit the guidelines and view past Charm Swaps here.

Dawn Freedain - 4th swap



Fawndolyn Valentine - 2nd swap

These are mine. Can you tell I love Poe? - 11th swap

Marissa Wong - 5th swap



Ashani Samuel - 6th swap



Tami Roth - 4th swap



Vickie Breslin - 2nd swap

Charm Supply Swap - Revealed!

So here are the results from last summers "Charm Supply" swap! The premise was to make up charm making kits and swap them. We started with 20 participants but ended up with 11.
No biggie as everone ended up getting bonus kits to play with!

Michelle Cummings (that's Me!)

 

Dyllan Cummings, (age 7) - wanted to make some charms for his school backpack.

 

Ashani Samuel

 

Marissa Wong

 

Rhea Freitag

Nadine Johnson

 

Sara Twycross

 

Sue Cox



Vicky Breslin

Victoria Sturdevant

Sherry Edwards

If you recieved one of these kits, please post in comments if you've made up your charms. If you are new to this site and would like to be informed of future charm swaps, please post your email here.

DCC Faux Stained Glass Butterfly's!

What makes us think of Spring? For Me, it's the Butterfly's that will visit my garden when my flowers begin to bloom!
I can't wait!
In the meantime, I made up some colorful stained glass butterfly's for my kitchen window and here I am to share this craft with you!

You will need the following tools and supplies:

1. Clear plastic packaging. I used what a toilet valve came in plus packaging from some new embossing folders.
2. Your favorite butterfly die. I used sizzix Butterflys by Stampin Up. Also a die cutting machine.
3. Assorted colors alcohol inks. I used both Ranger inks as well as Jaquard Pinata colors.
4. A alcohol ink applicator, makeup sponges, something to protect your work surface, and blending solution.
5. Q-tips, Stickles, Diamond glaze, 1/16" hole punch, permanent black pen, clear fishing line and suction hooks.

Start by cutting up your package plastic into workable pieces. Run it through your machine. Ink up your applicator and decorate your butterfly's.

click photo for close up

 Put a few drops of the blending solution onto a applicator or makeup sponge and remove some of the ink on some butterfly's. Then carefully redecorate them with a more vibrant color as I did here. If you don't let the blending solution dry before adding new color, you'll get this neat blotchy effect.

click photo for close up

 Turn over some butterfly's, on the clean unpainted surface, draw a design onto your butterfly. Turn it back over and use a Q-tip with some blending solution on it to remove color from selected areas. Add new color with a clean Q-tip and inks or parts of a makeup sponge.

click photo for close up

 Try adding the inks directly to the plastic with out a applicator. Then add drops of another color on top. When the color has set, draw your design on the back of the butterfly with your black permanent pen, or leave plain.

click photo for close up



When working with the lighter colors, its good to hold your butterfly's up to natural light to see where you may have missed some ink or if the color combination is right.

click photo for close up

 Punch holes in the wings of the butterfly's. I found that they hang better from the wing than from a hole in the middle. Decorate your butterflys with assorted color stickles. You can color them in completely or just add a touch. I use the new "Dazzle Caddy" for my stickles. I bought a 3-pack set at the recent Scrapbook Expo. Best buy ever! It keeps my stickles upside down, always ready for glitter action. :) Set your glittered butterfly's somewhere to dry. Then as a last step, apply with your finger (for better coverage) the diamond glaze to the glittered and painted surface of the butterfly's.I used part of the plastic packaging to hold my glaze. Set aside to completely cure before hanging.

click photo for close up

 If some of the glaze covered the holes while drying, simple use a needle or paper piercer to free the holes so you can string them up with your clear fishing line.

click photo for close up

Thanks for coming by to see my tutorial! I hope I've inspired you to make some pretty butterfly's of your own! :)

Simply Sweet Button Hair Clips in Seconds Flat!

 I have been making these hair clips for my friends and family as a token of my appreciation for them and the things they do for me. It all started when I was fiddling with the maroon flower buttons and some bobby pins. When I saw how easily they came together in a matter of seconds, I knew I had to share this idea with you!

 All you need is what you see. Bobby pins and some pretty buttons.

 Just push the top part of the bobby pin through the button, and you are done!

Simply sweet!