ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Playful Pom Pom Necklace

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Playful Pom Pom Necklace
Copyright Margot Potter
"Mom crafted, kid approved."

Pom poms have a habit of proliferating in my studio. I just keep buying big bags of them with vague thoughts of projects to come. This idea has been rolling around my brain for a while now and yesterday, with a lot of help from my wonderful husband, this necklace was born. Kooky? Yes, yes it is. Fabulous? Well, of course! It's also lightweight, soft and fluffy. It's not for stuffy, stodgy, conservative folks, this is for the teen with a sense of fun. Much like the designer, who, while not a teen, likes playful accessories with a heaping helping of whimsy.

This is so easy and fun to make and you can take it in so many directions. Pom poms come in all sorts of sizes and colors, so if neon isn't working for you, change up the color palette! A nice black and white story would be striking! These pom pom circles can decorate purses, t-shirts, jeans, headbands, flip flops...where you put them is entirely up to you. After trying this on, I added a final layer of pom poms to the back of the earrings. So you can decide how you prefer to wear it. I'll be sporting this at CHA (a big craft trade show I'm attending this week) and Avalon will take it over afterward. She thought it was adorable and her opinion, as a stylish and fashion forward teen, is the one that counts. This is so affordable, so easy and so fun to make, it's the perfect antidote to the mantra of summer, "Mom...I'm bored."

Materials
Black craft felt
Multiple sized neon pom poms
Aleene's Fabric Fusion glue
11 10mm silver plated jump rings
QuickLinks Oval Chain
2 silver plated swivel lobster clasps
2 silver plated ear wires
2 2" silver plated head pins
(all jewelry making supplies and tools provided by Beadalon)

Tools
White fabric tracing pencil
3 round objects (1.5", 1.75" and 2" diameter)
Fabric scissors
Crop-a-dile or other 1/16" hole punch
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters



1. Trace circles on felt using white pencil and your round objects. You will need four small and two of each of the other sizes.



2. Lay out circles to finalize pattern.



3. Glue various sizes of pom poms to circles using Fabric Fusion glue. If you make a small puddle of glue and dip the pom poms in, it makes quick work of this step. Allow to dry.

4. Reinforce outer edges of outer circles with a second small layer of felt, this will keep the felt from tearing when you wear the necklace. Allow to dry.



5. Turn circles over to determine placement of jump rings. Mark with fabric pencil. Rings need to completely connect each circle.

6. Use punch to place holes for jump rings. Make sure you aren't right on the edge of your circles to prevent felt from tearing when you wear the necklace.


7. Connect the felt segments using your jump rings and 2 pairs of chain nose pliers.



8. Attach a lobster clasp to the jump rings on the outermost circles on your bib section. Connect chain to clasps.



9. To make matching earrings, thread a head pin into the center of a small pom pom, coil and loop on each end. Attach this to an ear wire and a pom pom circle with jump ring. Repeat for second earring. (For more information on the basic jewelry making techniques in this project , please visit my YouTube channel and look for my Crafty Quickies videos!)

Designerpalooza: Week Two!

It's week two of Designerpalooza! Design Diva Kathy Peterson and The Cedar Store have invited five fabulous designers to create their own one of a kind creations starting with a blank Adirondack chair and their imaginations. Check out this sneak peek from Julie Fillo! I'm loving it already. Here's some info about Julie, be sure to follow the link to her blog to see her chair!

Julie Fillo
Julie Fillo has been painting and loving birds and flowers most of her life. She paints in acrylics and mixed media and loves to splash color and portray exuberance in what she calls Contemporary Folk Art. She really enjoys making up flowers and plants and birds, but lately has been collaborating with a Taiwanese photographer, Sushyue Liao, using his bird images in her paintings. She has been married 35 years, has 3 wonderful children and 2 beautiful grandchildren. She paints in a tiny studio upstairs that looks out on the back garden in a 105 year old home in the North Slope Historic District in Tacoma, Washington.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts Sweet Dreams Throw Pillow by Avalon Potter

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Sweet Dreams Throw Pillow
Copyright Avalon Potter
"Kid crafted, mom approved."

I am quite positive that I gave birth to the world's best kid 12.5 years ago. My lovely daughter came home from camp today knowing that I'd been away for nine days at a medical center and was feeling worn down and under the weather and she jumped right in and made this FABULOUS project. She even took the step by step photos! Way to go, Avalon!

We bought the blank throw pillow several weeks back and she had a crafty plan. I decided not to direct her vision, but to allow her to create a design that was entirely hers. Okay, so I did suggest using felt for the facial features...but other than that and a little help with cutting the eyelashes, this is all Avalon. The companion piece is a creation by monster maker Jenny Harada.

Kids will amaze you if you let them. I think that's the key to great teen crafts. Instead of asking them to make the same thing you did, giving them tools to express their individuality and creativity challenges and empowers them. ILoveToCreate has an arsenal of tools to fuel their creativity and there are a host of fabulous ideas on the website for inspiration. Gather some up and step back and let your teens express themselves.

Materials
Blue cotton throw pillow (Target)
White craft felt
Fuchsia craft felt
Black craft felt
Aleene's Fabric Fusion Glue

Tools
Fabric friendly scissors
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine
Sizzix Bigz Die Wedding Flower

1. Use Big Shot and die to cut 8 flower centers from white felt. If you cut small sections of felt, you won't waste any in the die cutting process.

2. Cut out lips and lip center line from fuchsia felt.

3. Cut out eyelashes. Use scissors to cut into felt and create lashes.

4. Glue flowers to pillow.

5. Glue lips and eyelashes to pillow. Allow glue to dry.

Designerpalooza Week One for Kathy Peterson and The Cedar Store!

My friend Kathy Peterson is a whirlwind. She's a TV host, designer, writer, lifestyle expert and all around creative guru. She's got a fabulous new line of Adirondack Chairs for The Cedar Store and recently she invited me and four other designers to participate in a designer round robin. I was so flattered and excited to be part of such an amazing group of creative women. Each of us got our very own Adirondack chair to decorate and every Tuesday for the next five weeks we'll each post a sneak peek and a link to the featured designer's work of art.

Pat Sloan is the first designer in our group and I was intrigued by the painted pattern on her sneak peek. She's a reknowned quilter and artist and I do believe, if I'm not mistaken, I detect a quilt pattern, perhaps even a wedding circle motif, here. Here is Pat's bio below and if you click on the picture above you'll be magically transported to her blog and get the full view! Thanks to

Pat Sloan has been creating since she was a child. From the first shoebox dioramas to sketches for a fabric line, there has always been creative energy flowing. When she tried her hand at quilting in 1985, she never looked back. Now, owner and founder of the quilting design and publishing company Pat Sloan & Co., she has published over 20 books, more than 100 patterns, nearly 10 fabric lines, and has had her work featured in major quilt magazines.

Pat first began sharing her knowledge through her publications, workshops, and lectures, but as expanded her reach through social media. She has built quilting yahoo groups, forums, facebook communities, and even the group “Quilters in Second Life” for quilting enthusiasts using the popular virtual world, Second Life. Also interested in beading, painting, and paper crafting, Pat’s overall passion has always been to help others harness their creative energy.

Bead Chic is HERE!

IT'S HERE! MY NEW BOOK IS HERE! I was a little surprised in between doctor appointments here in Denver at National Jewish Hospital when I discovered that Bead Chic is out! If you'd like a chance to win a free copy, leave a comment here. I'll pick two winners next Thusday! Or you can head over to Amazon and get a copy ASAP! Stay tuned for some free projects and more prizes when I get home!

It's been hectic, scary, weird and wonderful here. I'm hopeful that I'll return with some concrete answers and pathways to getting my breath back. My mom is here to support me, which has been really tremendous of her! I'll have a full report when I return next week.

Love
Madge

Something Exciting!

What's coming? Well my little chickadees...that's for me to know and you to find out. Click on the badge to sign up and become eligible for a fabulous prize!

More fun with medical testing...lots of fun stories to share when I get home!

Love
Madge

And Away I Go...

Lady Agnew of Lochnaw Portrait by John Singer Sargent from 120 Portrait Paintings
by Dover Books

Okay, this is it! I'm finishing up the last minute details on the book before I head out to Denver for my trip to National Jewish tomorrow. I'll be doing the bulk of the writing in my down time, then when I get back it's pack up the supplies for the step by step shoot in August and prep for my appearances at the CHA Show!

A huge thank you to everyone who left such warm and wonderful messages on my post yesterday. I can't tell you how much it means to me to be so loved. Truly. I know the most amazing people.

My aunt Shane Marie Devine is a gifted vocalist and musician and she's been playing music for as long as I can recall. Her husband, Charles Forbes, is a world renowned cellist. Together they recently recorded a lovely duet of Pierce Pettis' St. Paul's Song after performing it at the baby shower for my cousin Ethan and his wife Alexis. They're baby Peregrine was born not long after. I've posted the YouTube video below the links, so check it out! I come from a long line of performers and fine artists on both sides, it was pretty cool to grow up surrounded by so much creativity.

My dear friend Andrew Thornton lost his good friend Amelia Geocos several years ago in a tragic accident. He's auctioning off a stunning piece of jewelry for her memorial scholarship fund. Please go bid!

And now...without further ado, please open wide for this week's hearty serving of TastyLinks from The Crafty Bloggers. We've got glue guns and we're not afraid to use them!

The Crochet Dude
Drew is giving away two copies of the new book "Crochet Prayer Shawls" that features ones of his designs! Just leave a comment on his blog to enter!

The Artful Crafter
Yikes! Eileen learns she can’t doodle.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Read a book recommendation (and not just because I am included!) Craft Corps by Vickie Howell.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi shares the results of her needle felting experiment.

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Turn your 'worst' traits into positives, Madge shares how in this post about The Tao of Success.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy has her fourth earrings kit and tutorial up, and it has a lovely vintage feel to it.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Over at Craftside there are a bunch of hats from the new book 1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats with a tutorial on how to make recycled sweater giant curly pom poms, a tutorial on how to make a calligraphy award certificate, and a charming twig doll.

Cathie Filian
Cathie shares a template and design ideas for creating snapuit themed baby shower invitations.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi uses a stencil to silk screen this faux necklace t-shirt.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen is excited to announce 4 new videos uploaded. Stop by and check them out, and share them with your friends!

About Family Crafts
Have even more fun doing painting projects with kids by whipping up one or more batches of paint using free recipes.

Need Good Wishes!

It's a Pile Up in the Nesting Box!

As you know, because I've been whining about it for a while now, my plate seriously overfloweth at the moment. I just finished the core projects for the new book, am working furiously on instructions and variation projects and I have to have it all completed by the end of the day tomorrow. I also have to whip up a teen craft project and finish a large scale project for an upcoming blog hop...by the end of the day tomorrow. And I need to have everything together for my appearances at CHA and the plans for the step outs for the photo shoot in August...by the end of the day tomorrow.

This is my new mantra.

I will have it all completed...by the end of the day tomorrow.

On Sunday, I fly to Denver with my lovely mother. She's coming with me while I get poked, prodded and tested for nine days at National Jewish Hospital. Am I excited about this? Well...yes of course I'm excited to be going to the world's best lung center! I'm not so excited about the litany of tests I will be having as well as having to stop taking the medicines that make it possible for me to sorta breathe every day. I am filled with a potent mix of excitement and dread. For those of you who have not gotten the memo, I have suffered with chronic unresponsive severe asthma since I got pregnant with my daughter thirteen years ago. The normal asthma protocol does not work for me and we've exhausted local medical options, so I'm going to a hospital that specializes in 'difficult asthmatics.' I'm an overachiever, what can I say? It's a serious condition, people die from asthma every day. I don't choose to give it power over me. I will get my breath back. Take that, asthma.

There is another thing going on I keep eluding to here. It's a big, horrible, messy thing. It's a situation where I should, by all logical counts, be celebrating a wonderful new opportunity that is tailored made for my unique skills and instead it's turned into a huge mess. I have tried to approach things diplomatically, but so far that's not working out. The whole thing is so absurd that we're all scratching our heads in disbelief. That is when I'm not crying or cursing or feeling like running away and joining the circus.

Soooooo...I've been stressed out. My entire family is stressed out. Everything is up in the air and it's been terrifically unsettling. The only upside is this big messy thing is so overwhelming, it's kept me from thinking too hard about the medical testing! Any prayers, well wishes, good thoughts or happy little clouds you might have to spare would be welcome.

I will be posting my weekly links tomorrow and a Teen Craft project while I'm away. If I have time, I'll try to pop in and say hey, howdy hey, but I don't know if that will be possible. So please chat amongst yourselves until I'm back in the blog saddle again.

Love
Madge

The Tao of Success

The Tao of Success
(or My Five Worst Personality Traits and How They Drive My Career)

(Baby Madge ponders turning some simple red ribbon into an artistic masterpiece...or maybe she's about to accidentally choke herself. Put down the camera, people!)

I have been thinking lately about what makes me unique and why it matters. This post is meant to get you thinking about what makes you unique and why it matters. I'm thinking out loud, sharing that with you and hoping it inspires you to look at your reality with a slightly different lens. Here are what I used to believe were my five 'worst' personality traits. My current career has been based almost entirely on turning these negative traits into pathways for success. I spent a lot of years trying to overcome these things, then I realized that they are challenges that offer me unique insights into the world around me. Everything in life is about perspective. If you can turn your challenges into triumphs, your life will shift. Trust me.

1. Impatience

I think we've established that I am impatient. You may think I'm exaggerating that trait, but I can assure you that my impatience is legendary. I simply can not stand waiting for things to happen or taking an extended amount of time to focus relentlessly on one tedious task. I look at people who have patience and the amazing things they can do with that and I am endlessly impressed. I used to think my impatience was my achilles heel and truth be told, it was. Then I realized that it's actually the driving force of my creativity. I am constantly looking for the path of least resistance. I will rework a concept in my mind endlessly until I discover a way to get there faster and more efficiently. That's a dichotomy to ponder, I patiently seek the impatient solution! I will never seed bead a car. Ever. I will, however, come up with innovative and interesting ways to use the variety of materials and tools at hand to create my own impatient masterpieces. I joke that I'm either incredibly lazy or a Zen master in training, which is of course, all about perspective.

2. Transparency

I have always lived out loud. I have never been good at hiding my feelings or my opinions. I started talking before I was a year old and some might contend that I have not stopped since. I would assert that the hours and hours I spend in total silence in my studio are evidence to the contrary, but I digress. I am excellent at keeping a secret, but I love to share my ideas and thoughts and experiences with others. That has, on occasion, been a problem for me when I'm surrounded by people who feel threatened or are seeking ideas to claim as their own. It can also be annoying to those around me who are subjected to my snarky rants about this or that bee that has lodged itself in my bonnet. The flip side is that my books, blog and videos have a humorous personal voice that makes people feel as if I'm talking directly to them and not lecturing them from a podium. I show the seams and share the not so fun stuff and I think that really does make people feel empowered to take creative risks.

3. Longing for Connection

Perhaps having moved over 27 times has made me hyper aware of the importance of connection. There have been endless studies that focus on the hard wiring in our brains for connecting strongly with others. That can be a good thing when people come together to elicit positive change or solve problems or create new pathways. It can be a very bad thing when people come together and start creating fear, war, hatred and misunderstanding by exploiting the concept of 'the other.' That deep longing for connecting with others has been a challenge for me at times. I sometimes work to create connections that sound good on paper, but end up being not very positive. I sometimes feel lonely and disconnected Not everyone sees the world as one big interconnected synergistic wonderland and that means some folks will take advantage of those of us who do. As James Taylor once sang "They'll hurt you, then desert you, they'll take your soul if you let them." I am taking that desire for connection these days and turning it into a platform for building my crafty empire. It's a work in progress, but so far it seems to be working out. You, gentle reader, are part of that experiment.

4. Perfectionism

I know, you're thinking, "WHAT?!" How can someone be pathologically impatient AND a perfectionist? Well, my little buttercup, they can. I may not want something to take a long time, but galdangy I want it to look good. I can accept a little snark under the box lid, or a small splodge on the back of a design, but I freak out when there's even a small virtually imperceptible fly in the ointment of my creations. I will resort to a Photoshop fix sometimes, but generally that little buzzing fly will drive me batty until I fix it. I have a very large reject pile. Wanting things to happen quickly drives a lot of my work, wanting them to look good drives a lot of my success. The perfectionism tempers the impatience. It's actually a good balance.

5. Smarty Panties Syndrome

Yes, I'm an insufferable smarty panties. I have an incredibly fast moving brain, which is a great thing for someone who loves learning, but can be a pain in the arse for folks trying to keep up with me! I love research, I love knowledge and I do quite love being right. I'm always right, unless I'm wrong, which is never. Therefore, I am always right. Whatever belief I hold at any given moment is held with absolute conviction. I am, though, very good at listening, debating and being flexible. I make sure I can back up my beliefs with factual information I've gathered by extensive research. If I'm presented with compelling evidence to the contrary, I'm not afraid to change my mind. Being a bag of hot air is not the same as being a smarty panties. I have taken my love of knowledge and turned that into a career where I get to preach about what I believe on a regular basis. It's the Church of Craft and I do love to deliver a good sermon. I'm trying these days not to preach to the choir, though. That's been a challenge!

So, gentle reader, think about five traits that you possess that might, with a little perspective, actually be pathways to your success. We can't really change who we are intrinsically, but we can fine tune and focus our personality in positive ways. I'd love to hear about that, so feel free to leave a comment!

Love
Madge

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts Have Your Cake Jewelry Box

ILoveToCreate
Teen CraftsHave Your Cake Jewelry Box
Margot and Avalon Potter

It's been hotter than h e double hockey sticks around these parts so most of the activities that don't include a swimming pool have been indoors. Avalon has been helping me in the studio with the new book and my various and sundry design project deadlines. Yesterday we put our heads together on a decorative decoupaged box. She had mentioned needing a place to keep her jewelry and this is a pretty solution to that dilemma. Since we all know how much she loves the Cake Boss and decorated cakes, this box fit the bill for a faux cake project!

Avalon selected the tissue paper from a pile I keep around for craft projects and gifts. She did the decoupage and after it dried I added the coordinating floral embellishments. I am loving these felt buttons from Blumenthal Lansing, you can use them for so many crafty projects! Aleene's Tacky Glue makes quick work of stacking them up and Traci Bautista's Collage Pauge in 'Sparkle' was simple and safe for Avalon to use without my supervision. There are all sorts of shapes you can buy and decorate with decoupage, this is a great way for teens to personalize their decor.


Materials
Paper box
Decorative tissue paper (save this up from gifts for crafting!)
Coordinated Favorite Findings felt floral buttons
Craft flower with wired double stem
Traci Bautista's Collage Pauge in Sparkle
Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Glue

Tools
Foam brush
Non-stick craft sheet
Wire cutters
Pointed tool (I used a clay tool)

1. Shorten the stems on your wired flower to about 3" using wire cutters.

2. Tear sections of tissue paper. Apply decoupage medium to the section of the box you're decorating and apply paper, then put a thin layer of decoupage over the top. Don't oversaturate everything.

3. Keep building layers of tissue paper until the box bottom and top are completely covered. We used two different papers, you can do the same or use all one paper or combine papers. You can also, if you like, decoupage the interior of the box. Allow decoupage medium to dry.

4. Use Aleene's Fast Grab glue to adhere each layer of the the stacked felt flower buttons around the edge of the box lid. Allow to dry.

5. Use a pointed object to poke two holes in the top center of the box lid, these need to be spaced to accommodate the flower stems.

6. Slide the flower stems into the hole and twist underneath to secure.

Update from Studio Madge

Image from Wikimedia Commons by Mathematica Details under a Creative Commons Share Alike 3.0 License

My straw pile has grown exponentially. I am quite certain there is circus music playing in the studio. I have a week to finish the bulk of my book and then a lot of looming travel that is going to keep me away from the studio. It's turning out to be another crazy summer. I am hopeful for a lazy summer next year...

I've completed 28 of the 30 core projects and I need to whip up 2 more. Then I need to create 9 more variation projects (I've completed six), finish the step by step instructions, write the chapter openers, write the tools and materials information and plan the techniques section. Then it's a matter of mapping out and packing up materials for the step by step shoot in August and getting it all to the publisher by July 30th. Plus there's Bead Chic coming out at the end of this month and the PR blitz I need to work out for that and the looming trip to CHA... Ah to have more hands and more hours!

On top of that we have a variety of other wacko things happening behind the scenes here and I know you all know I've been stressed to the max recently. Though folks around me seem convinced it will all work out, I can't be sure of that until I'm sure of that. It's complicated.
Breathing deeply...

I'll be back tomorrow with another fun Teen crafts project for ILoveToCreate. Until then...if you're as hot as we are around these parts...stay cool or if not, take that figuratively!

xoxo
Madge

Happy Independence Day!

It's Independence Day here in the US and I'm trying my best to relax and enjoy, though that darned straw pile is ever present. Here's a video from my appearance last year on The Balancing Act with the lovely Ms. Kathy Peterson. I share a super simple and simply fabulous bracelet featuring Beadalon wire and SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystals. You can adapt this project to suit any day of the year as you'll see when you watch!

Happy 4th of July!

Love
Madge

It's a New Day and I'm Feeling Good! TastyLinks Saturday!

I can not control the world around me. I can not control the people whom I encounter. I can not control chaos.

The only thing I can control is the manner in which I react to these things.

Some days the tough stuff just rolls off of my back like water on a duck. Some days I could give a flying flip through a rolling donut if people aren't nice to me. Then there are those days when it just plain hurts.

Yesterday was one of those days. Today...I'm back to feeling good about the world and the people around me and the chaos I'm currently experiencing. Everything in life is about perspective. I'd rather feel it deeply and then release it than shove it down inside where it festers and bubbles. No matter what we do, there will always be those who don't like us, feel threatened, try to undermine us, try to steal our sparkle and we can either implode under the weight of these things or we can rise up and sparkle anyway. The more you put yourself out there, the more opposition you will find. The only way to thrive is to see that opposition as a thin sheet of tissue paper through which you can easily pass.

Sometimes I want to just confront these people and ask them straight up, "Why are you so afraid of me?" But I don't, because I know they don't have an answer to that question. That kind of insecurity is so deeply embedded that even the person moving from it doesn't fully understand it.

So today, I say, you can't hurt me. I wish you joy. I wish you love. I wish you the peace that comes from knowing that you are an infinitely beautiful creation, as am I. As are all of us, even those who have completely forgotten.

And on that note I shall share the infinitely beautiful creations of some of the most creative folks I know:

Firstly my dear friend Andrew Thornton is having a wonderful giveaway on his blog of Kate McKinnon's fabulous new book! Everyone needs a copy of this book, trust me.

The Crochet Dude
Drew reviews the new book "Crochet Prayer Shawls" and reveals the design that he contributed to the project.

The Artful Crafter
Look how easy it is to personalize a canvas tote bag with Quick Fuse fabric sheets.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See 2 fun mixed-media altered book techniques I tried from the new book Collage Playground by Kimberly Santiago.

Mixed Media Artist
Want to get your feet wet with altered books?

Margot Potter The Impatient Crafter
Madge gets some much needed inspiration from the divine Cecil Beaton and Gigi.

Crafty Princess Diaries
There's more, more, more to do on the jewelry making book! When will this process end?

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside's got the cutest retro style fawn softie pattern and how-to, a free pop-up staircase template download, a bunch of beaded bling inspirations and throw in a bit of fashion with a redo spin all for your crafty pleasure.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi coats some paper with resin to make these pretty wired pendants.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen shows you how to create a faux aged metal look on Anaglypta wallpaper.

About Family Crafts
Are you planning a trip that will keep the family confined to the car or airplane for a long amount of time? If so, these travel games and crafts might be just what you need!