Stamped Happy Birthday Butterfly card!

Hi Everyone!
     Today I would like to show you how to make this beautiful butterfly card using supplies you probably already have on hand.

Here is how I made this card:
I inked the glossy side of a blank photo card with mustard seed, shabby shutters and peeled paint distress inks. Then I placed a paper doily in the center of the card and inked over it with peacock feathers  ink.

 I removed the doily and proceeded to add a stamped music sheet image, -stamp from Anna Griffin.
Next I placed some decorated wide washi tape at the top and bottom of the card.

 For the center, I used some thistle stickles and spread it outwards with my finger.

 I stamped a few butterfly's from Rubber Neck stamps and colored them in with a variety of alcohol pens. The one on the left will be the bottom butterfly for the card.

 I added detail with a fine black pen and formed the butterfly's antenna from thin craft wire.

 I inked the edges of the card, butterfly and stamped greeting with a gold leaf pen. I placed the butterfly onto the bottom image, folding the wings up, as if ready to take flight. I added some polka dot washi tape for a ribbon look, and a few Golden Berry Dew Drops from The Robins Nest for a   final touch.

Thanks for coming by, I hope you'll leave me a comment and let me know what you think of my creation. :)

Leslie-Rahye's International Fairy Day Blog Hop

Hi Everyone, Michelle here to welcome to another fabulous blog hop hosted by Leslie Rahye!
The theme this time is "Faerie", which as most of you know is one of my favorite subjects!
So I thought I would show you some of my recently hand crafted miniature Faerie Chairs!
These are all hand wire wrapped, measure no more than 2" high and look amazing nestled in pots and table top centerpieces. 

These are just a few I have donated for silent auctions or sold through my on-line shop.

For the past 2 years I have been working on more of these chairs, other furniture and adorable Faerie garden miniatures sure to delight the inner child inside all of you. I hope to have them listed in my shop by the end of July if not sooner. Feel free to follow my blog for Faerie garden "updates".

Thank You for coming by and seeing my creations. I hope you liked what you have seen and will be back for more! :)

My giveaway for this hop is one miniature gazing ball decoration for your indoor or outdoor faerie garden. International welcome. I will pick a winner from comments on this post on June 29th.
Good luck and happy hopping!

Star Spangled Wreath!

 Hi Everyone!
     I wanted to get a jump start on decorating my home for next month and nothing says "Summers Here!" like a Star Spangled Wreath!

 For this wreath you will need: a wire hanger, scissors, a pencil, a embossing tool, large piece of cardboard,scotch tape, star punch, glue, double stick tape, the back side of a mouse pad and a card board star from this template. I reduced the size by 50%.

 Trace the star of the backside of your papers. Cut out stars. Begin embossing a straight line from star tip to star inside as shown in the top photos. Do this on the back of the patterned star. Go all around the star until you have connected all the tips as shown. Then begin folding just the star points, creasing the embossed line outwards. When all 5 points are creased out, then begin creasing the other lines inwards.
 Here are the papers that I used:

  Red Glitter Stripe

 White Glitter Swirl

  Blue Glitter Crackle

Here is your finished star. Do this to all the colors.

Next, form your wire hanger to a circle shape.Tape to a circle cut piece of cardboard as shown.

 Turn over and add double stick tape to the surface of the cardboard. Start placing your stars, pressing their tips into the tape.

 Use your favorite star punch with the paper scraps made from the larger stars. Use these little stars as filler to cover tape exposed areas on the wreath

Add little stars to the larger stars and randomly add red dew drops where ever you like.

Red Dew Drops

 Top the wreath with a sparkly bow and hang on your front door to welcome Friends and Family!

I hope you enjoyed this and are inspired to create your own "Star Spangled Wreath!"

Etchall Giveaway!

Have you seen all the etched projects designed by Designer Crafts Connection (DCC) members?  Are YOU itching to etch?  Then here's a newsflash for you:  Hop thru the DCC webring and comment on the projects.  Each time you comment you'll be entered to win the same etchall® kit that the designers worked with - the more you comment, the more chances you'll have to win.  (US &  Canada addresses only.) 
See my post below this one to get started!

You have until midnight, June 23rd!  

Designer Craft Connection
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Glass Etching - Clouds Votive Holder

 People seem to think that glass etching is complicated when really, it is super fun and easy to do.
With the help of etchall®,  you can add great designs to any glass object!

 To make the clouds votive holder, I used a clean glass jar, a vinyl mask,  clouds craft punch, a squeegee  and etchall® cream.

 The mask punched easily with the hand punch. I placed the cloud punched vinyl stickers all over the jar. Then I applied ample amounts of the etchall® cream to the clouds only. After about 10 minutes, I flipped the jar upside down, so the drips can go the other way and let set for another 10 minutes. It really only takes 15 minutes for the etchall® to work its magic, but I figured a extra 5 minutes could not hurt.

After 20 minutes, I used the squeegee to scrap off the etchall® from the clouds and I deposited the cream back to the container as it's reusable! :)

 Then I took the jar to the bathroom sink and washed off the remaining cream, rubbing slightly with my fingers to remove any residue. Before I peeled off the mask, I dried each cloud thoroughly with a dry tissue and buffed the clouds as I worked. I peeled off the mask and had a instant dreamy votive holder! 

Seeing how the candle in the jar cast "clouds" onto the wall had inspired me to (next time) take the punched out clouds, add them to a larger glass jar, then use the dip n' etch® to cover the entire jar and  place on a lazy Susan for a moving light show. Doesn't that sound like fun? So are you itching to etch? What would you etch? Visit the designers below for more etchall® inspiration!

Designer Craft Connection
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Happy Birthday Butterfly Card!

  I really love creating with The Robins Nest White Glitter Swirl Card stock, reason being is that you can customize it to any color you want!

  I began by creating the back ground using a turquoise color mister.

  Then I used a red ink dauber for the inner card. See the instant transformation?
You can wipe off any excess ink from the swirl design with a dry napkin.

  I placed the red card onto the larger turquoise card and made grooves at the corners with a rectangle hand punch. Then I wrapped some Red Timeless Bakers Twine around, securing the starting and ending strands on the back of the car with tape.

I added a pretty butterfly to the center, some Moonstone Diamond Dew Drops for the butterfly's body, and some Indigo Diamond Dew Drops to the red card. All Diamond Dew Drops are on Sale 20% off until June 30th, 2013.
A pretty stamped sentiment completed the creation.
Thanks for coming by, I hope you enjoyed my card.

Multi-Colored Resin Bangles

 Now that School is out and Summer is "officially" here, I knew I needed to spruce up my jewelry collection so I made up some fun colorful bangles!

To start, I mixed up some Amazing Mold Putty, and pressed it on the outside of a old plastic bangle mold that I found at a garage sale. The inside of the mold had someone's resin mishap and was unusable. Then I added some more mixed putty to the inside of the mold.

 Before letting set completely, I flipped it over to look
for any creases or air pockets I could fix.

After about 10 minutes, the mold was ready for resin.

Using the measuring cups provided, I poured "A" and "B" Amazing Casting Resin. Then I added about 3 drops of Alumilite dye to the "A" resin. I do this because once you mix "A" and "B", you have a short window to thoroughly mix and pour before the resin begins to set. I mix the resin and dye with the popsicle stick provided, scraping the sides as I work. Then I quickly pour both into a paper dixie cup, again mixing quickly, before creasing the corner of the cup to serve as a spout.

 I pour as close to the molds opening to avoid resin drips. If dripping occurs, quickly change sides. Make sure to leave room in the molds to add colors. Let each color set before adding a new color. I clean each cup out quickly with a baby wipe and then a dry napkin.

Then I'm ready for the next color batch. 

It takes approximately 15 minutes for each color to set.

 When your molds are filled and the resin is hard to touch, you may pop them out and begin carving off the rough edges with the the open blade of precision scissors. This is easiest to do when your bangles are fresh from the mold because the resin is still not completely cured. Hold the scissors the same way you would curl ribbon for a present. Go all around, inside and out until you have a smooth edge. If you have waited too long and the resin is much harder, keep working at it with the scissors, it will just take a bit longer.

 

  Once you have finished with all your bangles, place them on a bit of wire mesh or a old baking rack outside. Spray evenly on  both sides with a gloss sealer/finisher. Let dry until it's no longer tacky.

 

 Then enjoy your bangles and have a colorful summer! 

 For these bangles I used Red, Yellow, Blue and Green Alumilite Dye.

To achieve the white, I simply left the Amazing Casting Resin to set, uncolored.

~ Michelle Frae Cummings

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Use this COUPON to shop at the Amazing Mold Putty

website HERE and receive 25% OFF your purchase.

Please use coupon code " summerhaus " {no quotations}.

Coupon expires June 30, 2013.

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Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!