The Impatient Crafter : October 2008

The Last Free The Impatient Crafter Halloween Craft Project of 2008

Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements

This is my final, final Halloween craft post. This one is pretty intense and seemed like the perfect ending to the Free Halloween Craft Projects for this year. I created this for Swarovski's International Brazil and Russia themed Create Your Style publication two years ago. My challenge was to make designs based on Russia. This is my Baba Yaga necklace. She is the crone/witch figure in Russian mythology. I really, really love this design. If you really want to see it, you need to click on it and view it in close up. You could surely modify it for a costume or make a smaller and less intense version for yourself. I wanted it to be feral, wild, magical and mysterious, like the Baba Yaga herself.

I created this necklace on a memory wire base with thin leather strips that cascade from the center and thick rubber tubing concealing the wire on the back. It's very heavy, so I added a clasp. It 's embellished with black crystal stars, clear crystal moons in two sizes and hand crafted Sculpey polymer clay bones. Each bone is wrapped with black ColourCraft wire and red, black and clear crystal rounds. The bones were tinted with Walnut Ink and sealed with Mod Podge after baking and I used pliers to tighten the wires around each bone. I used gun metal eye pins to create a bail on each bone, bending them before inserting them into the formed clay. Each item is attached using jump rings knotted into the leather. This is a very time consuming Haute Couture style piece, but the journey I took while making it was incredible.

I'll be back with the Linky Love tomorrow!

Until then...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

One More Free Halloween Craft Project!

Terrorific Tuesdays are over, but I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve. Here's a free project I made for Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements. It's super easy and affordable to re-create and you can opt out of the sew on stones if you want it to be even easier and more affordable! This is also available on the Create Your Style website along with lots and lots of other fabulous free patterns from a huge variety of designers.

Trick or Treat Tote Bag and Purse
Margot Potter for Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements

This sizable tote has a retro flair and can double as a seasonal purse for Mom before the “big day.” It will hold plenty of candy and a flashlight too! Vintage style grosgrain ribbon is threaded through the purse and the handles on both sides. A permission free Dover vintage image takes center stage. A judicious touch of gorgeous hot fix and sew-on crystals takes this design from every day to gorgeous.

Materials
Blumenthal Craft 17”x13”x4”x4” black canvas tote bag
1 Spool 4513310 3/8” Michaels grosgrain ribbon in orange with black stitched accents
1 ½” S23670 Sheer Creations Michaels wired black and white polka dot sheer ribbon
Girl with cat on pumpkin image Dover Publications Halloween Illustrations and Clip Art
6 2028 SS8 black diamond hot fix crystals
11 2028 SS12 crystal ab hot fix crystals
6 2028 SS8 crystal ab hot fix crystals
42 2028 SS20 sun hot fix crystals
71 2228 SS16 jet hematite hot fix crystals (you can also substitute with 2028 jet hematite in the same size)
4 3240 16mm crystal sew on stones
6 3240 22mm jet sew on stones
Sheet of Pabric Soft printable fabric
Aleene’s Fabri-Tac Glue

Tools
Photo quality ink jet printer
Computer
Ruler
White marking pen or chalk
Black permanent fine tip pen
Sharp scissors
Hole punch or We R Memory Keepers Crop-A-Dile
Kandi Kane hot fix crystal applicator tool

1. Use a ruler and marking pen or chalk to mark every inch from bottom of tote, around handle and back to bottom of tote on both sides.
2. Fold fabric to cut small slits (3/8”) using sharp scissors on marks you made on the body of the tote bag.
3. Use hole punch to punch holes at marked spots on handle of tote bag.
4. Repeat on other side.
5. Thread a thrice knotted grosgrain ribbon from the inside bottom left side of your tote out and back into the next slit. (Use half of the length on the spool; you have exactly as much as you need in the 3 yard total length.)
6. Continue threading the ribbon through the slits and holes in handle working your way around to the other side. Try not to pull too hard on the ribbon, it shouldn’t pucker the fabric. Knot three times when you reach inside of the final hole and cut ribbon. Repeat process on other side of bag.
7. Print image on Pabric using ink jet printer. Allow to dry.
Carefully cut out image using sharp scissors.
8. Adhere image to tote using fabric friendly glue, be sparking as you don’t want to get the image too wet. Allow to dry.
9. Arrange sun hot fix crystals down the ridges of pumpkin on image as in photo. Use hot fix applicator tool to carefully adhere each crystal to the image. Try not to get tool on image as it will damage it.
10. Arrange jet hot fix crystals around outside of image “connect the dots” style. Use hot fix applicator tool to carefully adhere each crystal so it straddles the edge of the image and also is attached to the tote, this will help the image to remain stationary on the bag.
11. Add hot fix crystal “stars” around upper background area surrounding image using hot fix crystal applicator tool changing tips to fit varied stone sizes.
12. Sew stones on tote between ribbon accents.
13. Finish with two polka dot bows tied around the bottom lace on each handle on the front of your tote. Use fingers to give the wired bows dimension.

Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea Part 2 Terrorific Tuesday Final Free Halloween Craft Project

Copyright 2008 Margot Potter (Click on images to view close up.
See below for photos of the details. Click here to see coordinating necklace project.)
You can easily tailor this invitation to your own sinister soiree, just change the info up to suit your purposes. I'm telling a story here. A story of friendship...Goth style.

Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea
Paper Crafting Project
Copyright 2008 Margot Potter
For Personal Use Only

Morticia was feeling a little lonely. Oversized, drafty, decaying mansions can do that to a girl. She thought it would be such fun to have a Hallowe’en party and invite some of her more Gothically minded friends. Miss Havisham, a bit of a home body, needed an excuse to get away from that dreadful rotted cake and those pesky rats. Morticia handed her one, courtesy of Lurch who actually was the one doing the ringing in this scenario.

Materials
Light grey textured cardstock
White printer paper
Bronze bat component
Fiskars Spooky Frightful clear stamps (bat, star, spider, left and right squiggle)
Fiskars Stamp Block Set
3” length silver plated small link chain
Head pin
5mm jump ring
Ranger Nick Bantock Ink Lamp Black
Ranger Paint Dabber Red Pepper
Ranger foam applicator square
Ranger non stick craft sheet
Micron .01 black archival pen
Scrapbook Adhesives EZ-Runner Clear
Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Foam Squares
Tools
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Safety pin
Printer
Computer with Microsoft Word or other equivalent program
King and Queen Font Size 11pt. (available at http://www.dafont.com/)
Old toothbrush
Paper Cutter
Ruler
Fiskars scissors

1. Create invitation using Word and King and Queen Font 11pt. Click on project shots for close up of text. Print invitation.

2. Use an old toothbrush with a smattering of red paint to flick a judicious amount of blood across invitation. Allow to dry.

3. Measure, mark and cut invitation background (grey cardstock) to 7 3/8” wide and 8” high.

4. Measure center top point and mark. Measure down 1/5” on each side and mark. Cut in a curved shape from sides to top point working from left to right making a gravestone top.

5. Use a foam applicator to work Lamp Black Nick Bantock ink along sides of invitation background. Move applicator across craft sheet in a swirling motion as you work ink gently into the paper from the outside edge in about ½”. Use applicator to blend ink so it has a hazy look and you don’t see demarcation lines.

6. Stamp Bat on top center of invitation using Archival Ink in jet black. Move down about 7/8” and stamp stars. Move another 7/8” and stamp mirror swirls.

7. Use Micron pen to add some freehand flourishes to stamped swirls. Add a swirl and a dot coming from tips of bat wings. Add some definition to stars.

8. Cut dried painted printed page to 5.5”wx6”h using a paper cutter.

9. Use foam applicator to dab Ranger mixative in silver on brass bat. Allow to dry. Accent raised portions with archival ink in jet black on foam applicator.

10. Adhere invitation to center front of background using EZ runner.

11. Use a safety pin to GENTLY poke a hole just above and to the right of your printed page.

12. Insert a head pin into hole from back. Cut off excess leaving about 1/8”. Use round nose pliers to gently bend into a closed loop.

13. Stamp spider on a scrap piece of grey cardstock. Cut out spider.

14. Use safety pin to GENTLY poke a hole in top center of spider.

15. Insert a jump ring into the back of the hole.

16. Attach spider to a 3.5” section of chain. Attach top of chain to looped head pin.

17. Cut foam squares to fit back of metal bat and adhere along center bottom of printed portion of your invitation.

Materials
Stamps, scissors, stamp block Fiskars, ink and paint Ranger, free font DaFont, bronze bat Ornamentea, head pin, jump ring and chain Beadalon, EZ runner and foam squares Scrapbook Adhesives, Micron pen Sakura, cardstock COLORBOK

Text Detail

Inked bat detail

Spider detail

Final Free Halloween Craft Projects for Terrorific Tuesday Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea!

Copyright 2008 Margot Potter Click on Image to View Close Up

(This week's final offering for Terrorific Tuesday is a two part post with two spooktacular projects for your perusal. Tomorrow I'll share the instructions for the invitation, today I'm showing you how to make the necklace. Make sure to stop back tomorrow for part two...until then...here is a little story of friendship...Goth style...)

Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea Choker copyright 2008 Margot Potter
(Click on images to view close up)
Morticia Invites Miss Havisham to Tea Choker
Free Jewelry Project
Copyright 2008 Margot Potter
For Personal Use Only

If Morticia were to have tea with Miss Havisham, this charming choker would be just the perfect combo of Victoriana meets Goth to complement her ensemble. Would Thing pour the tea and serve the crumpets? Oh to be a fly on the wall during that meeting of the minds. If you want to get your Goth on, you simply have to whip up this little number.

(Designer tip: Chokers have to be fitted so make sure to adjust the size and materials to fit your neck!)

Materials
Plaid ‘fresh’ acrylic Teardrop Black Chandelier pendant
25 tiny white metal skull charms
24 9x6mm jet CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements briolettes
2 3/4” silver plated fold over ribbon ends
Silver plated medium swivel lobster clasp
6” length silver plated elongated cable chain
10mm heavy duty silver plated jump ring
43 4mm gun metal jump rings
4 5mm silver plated jump rings
2 60 link lengths gunmetal curb chain small
7/8” wide 12” (more or less depending on your neck size) black satin ribbon with loops
Ranger Adirondack Pigment Pad in snow cap
Inkadinkado Swirl Stamp 96253-P

Tools
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Electric drill with 1/16” bit
Sewing scissors
1. Measure your neck to determine ribbon length; remember to account for the clasp and jump ring. My neck is rather smallish so you may need a larger length of ribbon and therefore more dangles and longer chain sections.
2. Stamp ribbon with pigment ink on flourish stamp alternating between top and bottom of ribbon. Set aside.
3. Drill three holes in bottom of chandelier pendant, one in center and one on either side. You can use the image as a guide.
4. Attach metal fold over ends to ribbon using pliers to secure them closed. This takes a lot of effort.
5. Begin attaching dangles to bottom loops alternating between skulls and briolettes on gun metal jump rings.
6. Stop one loop from center loop. Attach pendant on 5mm silver plated jump ring. Skip another loop and continue attaching dangles starting with the same dangle style you ended with on other side of pendant.
7. Working on one side of your ribbon, attach a 60 link length of chain on a gun metal jump ring to the inside of the first dangle. Attach it again on the 30th link with a jump ring on the center dangle ribbon and again to inside of the final dangle on the final link. Repeat on the opposite side.
Attach a briolette and a skull on a 5mm silver plated jump ring to each drilled hole at the bottom of your pendant.
8. Add the elongated cable chain on the 10mm jump ring to the ribbon end on the right of your pendant. Add a 5mm sp jump ring with a briolette and a skull. This will hang down the back of your neck.
9. Add a swivel lobster clasp on a 5mm sp jump ring to the opposite ribbon end.

Sources
Pendant Plaid ‘fresh’ line, Basic ribbon from Michaels, skull charms Sacred Kitsch Studio, briolettes CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements, stamp Inkadinkado, pigment ink Ranger, fold over ends available at craft stores and online, gun metal chain and jump rings Rings & Things, plated chain and findings Beadalon.

Hooty the Halloween Hoot Owl Terrorific Tuesday Free Jewelry Project

( Click on Image to See Close Up)

I finally stopped obsessing over this design yesterday afternoon. My initial concept was to create a paper crafting focused jewelry set that had a kitschy retro appeal. I think I achieved that goal, but it is (much like the creatrix who crafted it) not exactly perfect. I tweaked it several times, but sometimes you have to know when to walk away! Enjoy this free project and check back Saturday for TastyLinks™ and look for lots of links to a vast array of Halloween themed crafty creations on next week's installment of Terrorific Tuesday.

xoxo
Madge
Hooty the Halloween Hoot Owl
Pendant and Earrings
Copyright 2009 Margot Potter
For Personal Use Only
Hooty the Halloween Hoot Owl says, “Boo!” He’s not a very talkative owl, but you get the message. Actually if you count the earrings, he says, “Boo. Boo. Boo.” So he’s actually more talkative than he seems at first glance. He’s either trying to scare you or he’s really sad. This set is made of paper, therefore you have to handle it with some care or it might just disappear on you, in which case it will be you crying, “Boo. Boo. Boo.”
Materials
2 ¾”x1.5” thin chipboard tags
2.5”x1.5” thin chipboard tag
Die Cuts with a View Mini Stack with Striped black, white and grey paper
Plain white paper
Dover Art Deco Motifs Owl
Micron Pen .01
Ranger Ink Adirondack Sunset Orange Ink
Ranger Ink Jet Black Archival Ink
Ranger Ink Stickles Orange Peel
Ranger Ink Foam Ink Applicator
Mod Podge Paper Gloss
Inkadinkado Dawn Hauser 8492-L star stamp
Hampton Art Studio G alphabet stamp set VS5731
2 crystal satin silver CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements rounds
5 4mm fire opal Swarovski bicones
5 4mm jet Swarovski rounds
2 silver plated eye pins
2 silver plated dapped French ear wires
19 strand .018 Beadalon wire
Size 2 silver plated crimp tube
2 10mm heavy duty white jump rings
2 5mm silver plated jump rings
2 skull charms
2mm white ball chain and connector (16”)
ToolsPhoto manipulation software (I used Photoshop)
Publishing software (I used Microsoft Publisher)
Printer
Round nose pliers
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Paint brush
1/9” hole punch

1. Drag owl image into photo software. Size to fit tag (about 1” wide by 1 ¼” tall.) Save.
2. Drag saved owl into publishing software in a blank publication. I made multiple owls on a sheet so I could make more pendants later.
3. Cut out an owl leaving a thin white border.
4. Trace tags on lined scrapbook paper.
5. Cut out paper to fit front of tags.
6. Use letter stamps to stamp “BOO” on plain white paper vertically. Make three of the same size. Cut out. Use Micron pen to make letters look spookier.
7. Glue lined paper to tags.
8. Stamp stars in orange ink on tags. Work orange ink from edges of paper with foam applicator using a circular motion. Allow to dry.
9. Edge owl and words with orange ink using applicator working your way from edges into paper using a circular motion. Allow to dry.

10. Adhere owl to right edge of large tag and 'boo' to left edge of owl. Adhere two more 'boo's to smaller tags on left edge. Allow to dry
11. Paint a layer of Mod Podge in diagonal strokes over tags. Allow to dry. Paint a second layer of Mod Podge in opposite diagonal strokes. Allow to dry. This creates a nice texture.
12. Paint a layer of Mod Podge on back of tags and allow to dry.
13. Apply a thin edge of orange peel Stickles around tags. Dab small splotches of Stickles on stars. Allow to dry.
14. Use small hole punch to puncture through paper covered tags at the existing hole in each tag. Add a new hole to the center bottom of each smaller tag.
15. Side a 3” section of wire into large tag hole. Thread a single jet round on the end that comes through the back of tag. Thread 5 fire opal and 4 jet beads alternating between colors on the end that comes through the front of the tag. Thread both ends into opposite sides of a crimp tube.
16. Secure ends taut and compress tube with chain nose pliers. Cut off excess wire tails.
17. Created a double looped rosary style bead with each eye pin using the 8mm crystal satin silver rounds.
18. Thread a 10mm jump ring into each of the smaller tags, add a double looped bead and secure. 19. Add a French wire to the top of each double looped bead.
20. Attach a skull charm to the bottom of each earring using a 5mm jump ring.
21. Thread ball chain through beaded bail and secure with connector.

Supplies
Owl image Art Deco Motifs Dover Books, scrapbook paper Die Cuts with a View, inks, foam applicator and stickles Ranger Ink, crystals Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements, ball chain and heavy duty jump rings Rings n’ Things, findings and wire Beadalon, star stamp Inkadinkado, letter stamp Hampton Art, skull charms Sacred Kitsch StudioBut wait...there's more! Bonus Project!

“S P O O K Y” bracelet!
Copyright 2008 Margot Potter
For personal use only
(7” finished length)

Here’s a tasty little treat for your wrist that’s entirely calorie free! It looks great on its own and even more fab worn alongside the Hooty set. Can you tell I like saying “hooty?” Hee.

Materials
4 6mm hematite bicones
12 4mm fire opal CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements bicones
11 4mm jet ab CSE bicones
5 4mm black diamond CSE bicones
Plastic letter beads to spell “s p o o k y”
2 EZ Crimp ends
1 silver plated large swivel lobster
2 silver plated 5mm jump rings
1 silver plated skull charm
3 silver plated head pins
19 strand .018 Beadalon wire

Tools
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Mighty Crimp Tool
Bead Board

1. Place your beads on the bead board in the following pattern: fire opal, jet, black diamond, jet, fire opal, hematite repeat and add S, fire opal, P, jet, O, fire opal, O, jet, K, fire opal, Y, jet and repeat initial pattern twice.
2. Attach wire to EZ-Crimp using Mighty Crimp Tool to compress end closed.
3. Thread beads on working from bead board left to right.
4. Thread wire into second EZ-Crimp using chain nose pliers to pull wire flush to end of last bead.
Round bracelet before securing closed so it’s not too stiff when worn.
5. Compress end of EZ Crimp as before.
6. Attach a jump ring and a lobster clasp to one end of bracelet and a jump ring to the other.
7. Create coiled dangles with one fire opal, one jet and one black diamond crystal. Attach these and the skull charm on a 5mm jump ring to the plain jump ring side of your bracelet.

Supplies
Crystals CYSWCSE, letters JoAnns Fabric, skull charm Sacred Kitsch Studio , hematite available at most major bead retailers, wire and findings Beadalon

Don't forget! I'll be at AC Moore's grand re-opening in Middletown, New Jersey this Saturday from 12-2pm signing books and sharing beading basics with Beadalon and Jolee's Jewels products! Come and see me!

Terroriffic Tuesday Runs With Scissors Bracelet

Here's my offering for next Tuesday's Terroriffic Tuesday Round Up. It's a very simple to create charm bracelet using a genius bracelet blank from the folks at Fusion Beads and fabulous ceramic beads from Earthenwood Studio. You can change it up to suit your style or make your own quirky charms to add to the mix, in fact I encourage you do to so. This is much more of an "impatient crafter™" idea than last week's design, this one you should be able to whip up in about an hour or so. I think this is one of those ideas you could work a whole Runs with Scissors costume around.

Or you could just wear it because it's fun. It's certainly got year round appeal in my style book.

Until Saturday...craft on with you bad selves.

xoxo
Madge

Runs with Scissors
Terroriffic Tuesday #2
Free Project for Personal Use Only (No resale please)
Copyright 2008 Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter™

This wonderfully wicked bracelet features beads from Earthenwood Studio combined with CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements crystals and a scissors button from Streamline. For those who know the hazards of crafting far too well and yet continue to play with sharp objects, toxic substances and messy paints and inks, this bracelet is for you. Scary? Yes but oddly appealing and incredibly simple to whip up at a moment’s notice.
Materials
Skully Muertos Charm Earthenwood Studio
8 candy red pumpkin pair beads (a.k.a. four pairs)
7 8mm eight ball beads (can be replaced with bones or mini hearts)
7 mini skull beads from Mexico
16 3mm crystal vitriol rounds
14 3mm jet rounds
7 4mm black diamond rounds
7 4mm Indian red rounds
1 metal scissors button/charm
1 sterling bracelet blank with loops
23 5mm silver plated or sterling jump rings
36 silver plated or sterling head pins

Tools
Round nose pliers
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Wire cutters

1. Create 16 coiled dangles using pumpkin beads with 2 crystal vitriol rounds on each side of the beads to prevent the head pin from sliding out.
2. Create 7 coiled dangles using mini skulls with 2 jet rounds on each side of the beads to prevent the head pin from sliding out.
3. Create coiled dangles for 7 mini eight ball beads.
4. Create coiled dangles for 7 black diamond rounds and 7 Indian red rounds.
5. Assemble the bracelet by attaching the charms in the following pattern: Attach scissors and ‘Skully’ bead to a bracelet loop on a jump ring using two pairs of chain nose pliers to open and close ring, attach a pumpkin bead on a jump ring to the next loop, attach a mini skull on a jump ring to the next loop along with an eight ball and the Indian red and jet beads on the same loop on a separate jump ring...continue alternating between single pumpkin beads and mini skull/eight ball/crystal combo working around bracelet loops until you reach the final loop and pumpkin bead.
6. Check the jump rings carefully to ensure they are closed. (Designer tip: Make sure when you are closing each one that you are creating tension in the ring so it remains secure. There should be no exposed space between the two ends of your ring. You do this by pushing them gently together as you pass the ends by one another until they click into place.)
Sources
Skully, eight ball and pumpkin beads Earthenwood Studio, crystals CRYSTALLIZED™-Swarovski Elements, bracelet blank Fusion Beads, jump rings and head pins Beadalon, scissors button Streamline, Mexican skull beads Eyes Gallery Philadelphia