Vintage Inspired Christmas Tree Light Reflectors

I've always loved the look of vintage tree light reflectors and I love how Rinea Foiled Papers can help achieve that look with out any fuss.

Because I was using the reflectors on our Mexican folk art tree, I wanted to use colors that were bright and festive. I used Rinea Glossy Foiled Paper because one side was colored and the other side was gold.

• Emerald/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
• Ruby/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper 
• Silver/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
• Turquoise/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
• Sapphire/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
• Violet/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
• Fushia/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper

Cut your foiled paper in 1 ½" strip and score at the ½" mark. Use fringe scissors to cut up to the ½" line. Cut strips into 1" pieces.

Pick out 2-3 colors to layer. 

Place 1/4" strips of double stick tape at the top of each strip. A ball point pen is about the same size as a Christmas tree light, so use that as your wrapping base. Wrap a un-taped fringed square around the pen. Then add the 2nd squarewith tape and then the 3rd square.

Before slipping these over any lights, fringed reflectors. 

I personally love how these look on colored lights, they remind me of childhood trips to mexico during the holidays with my Dad.

Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas! 

2018 Inspiration Team for Blank Page Muse!

Please welcome the 2018 Inspiration Team for "Blank Page Muse Stamps!" (formerly sin city stamps) 

Flaming Heart Holiday Decor

I absolutely love anything to do with Mexican folk art, don't you just love the flowers I painted on my kitchen wall? Festive right? Well I thought I'd make a flaming heart garland to match.
Enjoy!

You will need:
Ruby/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
Emerald/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
Violet/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
Sapphire/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper
Flaming heart die by Sizzix
Tacky glue
Cardstock
Tools to emboss / foam pad
String or wire garland
Tape

I ran the foiled paper and flaming heart die through my die machine in all the foiled paper colors, using the back side of some for 'gold' as needed.
Then I separated all the layers.

I traced one of the hearts onto cardstock and cut this out just a lit bit larger than the trace.
I made enough for each flaming heart.
Next I began to assemble the hearts, alternating the layers and securing with glue.

I placed the hearts onto a foam pad and used various tools to gently press into the foil to create a 'hammered' tin effect.

The bone folder adds nice ridges into the 'flames' of the heart.

Then I turned over the hearts and taped the wire garland to their backs. You can also use string or ribbon. I used wire so I can eventually hang the garland onto a small Christmas tree I decorate with Mexican folk art ornaments.

See more Foiled Paper idea's on the Rinea blog!

Felt Candy Cane Holders

These miniature stocking candy cane holders are just the right size to adorn a package or hang on a tree!
Plus its a craft you can easily do with the whole family!
See the full tutorial here! 

Foiled Paper Christmas Tree Card

Dazzle your friends and family with this handmade foiled paper Christmas tree card!
See the tutorial here!

Mexican Folk Art Holiday Decor

 This month on The Designer Crafts Connection blog, we are featuring U-Paint metals and  Colorique by Lisa Marie Jimenez. 
The theme of this hop is holidays. So I chose Our lady of Guadalupe since a huge part of my holiday decorating is Mexico folk art! I decided to make a shrine.
Enjoy!

The metal shape I used for my shrine was 4" x 9" but you can use any size.
The Colorique paints I used were Ruby Slippers, Honey Bee and Pacific Ocean. You can see all the colors here.

 Before painting, I washed the metal with hot soapy water to remove any residue. Then after drying I went over the whole thing with a little bit of rubbing alcohol.

I primed the piece with a bit of gesso.

 Next I made sure it would fit in my shrine. This particular shrine is actually a cigar box with the lid removed.

 The Colorique paints flow very nicely and can be thinned with water if desired. I chose primary colors for easy blending and mixed some with the gesso as needed.
I started off coloring in the flesh tones and yellow first. Then I set the metal piece aside to dry in between colors while I worked on the shrine.

 I painted the shrine with bright acrylic paints and constructed the rest of it using cardboard remnants.  This particular box had a convenient rim all around the outside of the box.

 I painted those cardboard pieces and glued them in place onto the rim.
 Next I randomly decorated the inside of the shrine with paint, clip art and washi tape.

I continued painting the metal piece, color by color, letting each hue dry before going onto the next detail.

When I was done, I painted the piece with a thin layer of clear sealant.

Then I added extra paint details, glitters, embellishments and flowers. 

 I glued the metal piece in place on a small piece of wood that came with the cigar box. 

 I used clear drying adhesive to add all the extras.

 "Highlights" on her robe were made with some shimmer paint.

 Lots and lots of glitter and bling!

Thank you for coming by to see my creation! Be sure to visit The Designer Crafts Connection blog to see more painted metal idea's!

Crunchy Fall Leaves Card

Here's a new card I made for fall...classically easy too!

Supplies used:

• Autumn Foiled Paper Variety Pack
• Blank cards
• Tattered Leaves die by Sizzix
• Tacky adhesive

You can see the full tutorial here!

Halloween Treat Containers with Rinea Foiled paper

Check out how I made these spooky Halloween treat containers here on the Rinea blog!

Decorated Halloween Treat Bags

All this week, the designers on the Rinea Foiled paper team are working with with Pink & Main stamps and dies for a fun filled week with with amazing inspiration!

Both are having giveaways !

You can enter for a chance to win by leaving comments on the Facebook pages

 for Rinea Inspires and Pink & Main.

For my decorated Halloween treat bags, you will need the following:

1.  Pink & Main Witch brew - Stamps
2. Pink & Main coordinating Witch Brew- Dies.
3. Rinea Foiled Paper 
4. Black and white cardstock
5. Decorative crepe paper
6. Clear treat bags
7. Double stick tape
8. Black ink and stamping blocks
9. Paper trimmer and scissors
10. Colored pens
11. Halloween embellishments and glitters.
12. Die cutting machine 
13. Candy

 Begin by measuring the width of your treat bag. This treat bag is 5".
 So now I want to cut a 5" x 5" square of black cardstock.

 Fold square in half and cut as shown. Open up and place pieces of double stick tape on just one half.

 Pleat your crepe paper all around, pressing into the tape to form a circle.
Stamp the witch and spider web onto white cardstock. Cut designs out using the coordinating dies. 

 Cut a circle of foiled paper to be larger than the witch. Snip the edges with the scissors to create a fringe. Adhere to the center of the pleated crepe paper. Colored your witch in with your pens. Adhere to the center of the foiled paper and tuck the die cut spider webs around.

 Cut your treat bag down to size and fill with candy. Tape the bag shut.
Open your circle and adhere double stick tape to top and bottom.place the treat bag onto the bottm and then close, pressing firmly.

 Accent with glitter and any Halloween embellishments. 

Don't forget! .....To enter for a chance to win

 by leaving comments on the Facebook pages

 for Rinea Inspires and Pink & Main.

Good Luck!

How to Make a Crystal Ring from Resin

 Welcome!
I love all things to do with crystals and I love working with resin, so  I decided to try making some crystal jewelry!
Enjoy! 

 Supplies needed:

1. Amazing Mold Putty
2. Amazing Clear Cast Resin
3. Violet Alumilite Dye
4. Gold and Blue/Green Alumidust
5. Gloves
6. Craft mat
7. Tape
8. Crystals
9. Ring blanks
10. e-6000
11. Scissors
12. Small paintbrush.
13. Glitters and gold leafing foil.

 Gather 3 crystals and tape together as shown.

 Next, open your containers of the Mold Putty and remove equal amounts of both the yellow and white putty. Mix together until all of the white is gone.

 Round this into a ball and quickly insert your wrapped crystals. Leave to set- about 10 minutes. 

 The Clear Cast Resin takes at least 24 hours to set, so give yourself a couple of days or more to make this project. The more patience...the better the outcome.

 A little bit goes a long way for the dust. I use a toothpick to measure what I need.

*When using the 1 oz. bottles of the dye, I generally don't cut the applicator tip which allows the dye to dispense. I do this because the dyes are super concentrated...so I use the tip of a pin to add color as needed. 

 All the resins come with mixers and measuring cups.
You will need to measure out equal amounts of bottle "A" and "B". Mix well and then add a tiny bit of color to the resin and mix again.
I used the provided mixing tool (the popsicle stick) to slowly drop some colored resin into my mold.

(I had other molds ready for any extra resin so not to waste a drop.)

Add a little bit of gold and blue/green dust into the mold now.
 Then set aside onto a flat surface for at least 3-5 hours.
This will give the resin some time to firm up some before you add the next color.
Clean cups and sticks with baby wipes. 

When ready, mix your Clear Cast Resin again. Add the tiniest amount of color or keep clear. Pour into the mold. Sprinkle with dust and glitters if desired. Leave to set over night.

 Remove the hardened resin from your mold. With scissors, trim off any stray resin strands.
With the first paintbrush, paint some newly mixed Clear Cast Resin around the base. Attach the gilding flakes to the crystal base with the second brush.
Finish the crystal with a over all coat of resin and leave to set overnight or until its no longer tacky.

 The easiest way to attach the ring is to place the crystal back-into-the-mold, and adhere the ring with adhesive. That way everything stays put as the glue sets.

 Here, I made molds from crystal clusters. I used these molds for any extra resin that was left over from making the ring. So beautiful. Like a cross between my birthstone Amethyst and Aquamarine gemstones. One of them reminds me of a galaxy too! *Swoon*

The best part about making crystal jewelry from resin is that its so much lighter to wear and if you drop them, they won't chip!
Plus it looks fabulous. Don't you agree?

See more resin jewelry idea's here.