The Impatient Crafter : February 2012

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Teen Crafts: The Original Hip Hop Easter Card

The Original Hip Hip Mixed Media Easter Card Copyright Margot Potter for iLoveToCreate

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Teen Crafts
The Original Hip Hip Easter Card
Margot Potter
"These ARE your grandmother's crafts. Ya gotta problem with that?!"

It's hard to believe, but it's true. Easter is on the way and Peter Cottontail is not far behind! Miss Avalon is buried in school projects and Miss Mom decided to make what she calls a "retrofabulous" holiday card. Avalon approved heartily, so we're calling this a vintage inspired teen craft. This wonderful image is from the turn of the last century when anyone behind the wheel of a horseless carriage, let alone a rabbit, was truly a sight to see. The original postcard was scanned, the image cleaned up and extracted from the background and new text was added. Ya gotta love technology! I'm sharing the image here for you to download, for PERSONAL USE ONLY. (That means, please don't make something from this image and sell it.)

Aleene's AWESOME dry adhesives make it so easy to whip up fun filled holiday cards in the blink of an eye. Why not make your own "retrofabulous" Easter cards for your friends and family? It's a great way to use up those old trims, buttons and scrapbook papers.

Materials
Coordinating Scrapbook Papers (I used Me and My Big Ideas Mambi Sheets)
Simplicity large orange rick rack trim
One large green or coordinating color button accent
Image and text for front and inside of card (Hippity, Hoppity, Happy Easter) printed. (I used Modern #20 font sized to 26pt.)
Aleene's Tacky Dot Runner
Aleene's Tacky Line Roll

Tools
Fiskars Paper Cutter
Fiskars ShapeCutter Templates (circles for the scalloped edge and brackets for the interior background)
Fiskars ShapeCutter Tool and Mat
Bone folder

1. Print your images and text. The image will be cut to 5"h x 4"w.

2. Use paper cutter to cut image and text. Interior text should be 2.5"h x 2"w.

3. Yellow background paper should be cut to 6"h x 4 3/8"w. Add scalloping to the left edge of the yellow background paper with ShapeCutter template and tool.

4. Cut a strip of striped paper (after using ShapeCutter template and tool to add scalloping to the left edge of paper.) The strip should be 6"h x 3/4"w at the widest scallop.

5. Cut dotted orange cardstock to 6 3/4" h x 5 1/2" w. Fold in half and use bone folder to crease edge.

6. Cut the rick rack trim to fit top and bottom of yellow cardstock, 4 3/8"w.

7. Use wire nippers to cut shank from back of button.

8. The elements are layered as follows: Yellow cardstock, rabbit image centered on cardstock, striped edge on right side of rabbit image, rick rack on top and bottom of yellow cardstock and button in lower left corner. Use Tacky Dot runner for paper elements and Tacky Line roll for trim and button.

9. For the interior, cut a piece of striped paper to frame the text. Striped paper should be 2.5"h x 3" w. Use ShapeTemplate to cut a bracket big enough to fit layered papers. Layer these and attach to inside center of card using Tacky Dot runner.

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts: Dazzling Dahlia Dimensional Canvas

Dazzling Dahlia Dimensional Canvas Copyright Margot Potter 2012

Pop Art Pillows from Christmas Helps 1966 Family Circle

Christmas Helps 1966 Family Circle

iLoveToCreate Retrofabulous Crafts
Dimensional Dahlia Canvas
Margot Potter
"These are your grandmother's crafts. Ya gotta problem with that? I didn't think so."

The idea for this canvas came from a fabulous pillow project featured in this 1966 Christmas Helps magazine from Family Circle. I LOVED these pop art pillows and plan to make some of my own, but these Anna Griffin vintage patterned papers were so yummy, I thought why not make a canvas using the same idea? I am a huge fan of Lilly Pulitzer’s vintage fabrics and these papers have a very similar appeal. Think about making a series of two or three of these using the same color scheme but slightly different patterns (maybe a full flower, half flower and butterfly.) Use recycled paper or fabric remants if you like; this could be stunning using say Coca Cola can boxes or old book pages. This was super simple to create using Fiskars ShapeTemplate™ tools and the new Aleene’s Dry Adhesives! For a final touch of whimsy, I added some dimension using Tulip Beads in a Bottle. I am knee deep in the winter blahs, so this is a cheerful reminder that spring is on the way! (If you want more precision, mark and measure placement with a ruler before layering petals.)

Materials
10x10 mini canvas
Anna Griffin Carmen Collection scrapbook paper pack
Saturated pink and yellow cardstock
Aleene’s Tacky Dot runner
Tulip Beads in a Bottle sparkly pink and pale yellow

Tools
Fiskars ShapeTemplate™ Circles
Fiskars ShapeCutter™ and Mat

1. Cut out 22 patterned yellow and pink floral paper 2” circles and 11 yellow and 12 pink 2.5” paper circles using the Fiskars template, cutter and mat. You could also use circle punches or trace and cut by hand. I am impatient, so anything that makes it easier works for me!

2. Layer the patterned circles in the center of the solid color circles and adhere using Aleene’s Tacky Glue dots runner.

3. Begin on the outside, I found it helped to lay this out first and then reassemble just to get a sense of the layout before I committed to it permanently. The flowers overlap slightly and work around in a circle and repeat on the inner layer overlapping slightly.

4. Tape just the right side of your petal and start making a circle overlapping on the outside. Continue this process until you reach the final circle, which will get full tape runner coverage. Repeat for the inside layer. There are 14 petals on the outside and 8 on the inside. Finish with a large pink petal in the center.

5. Use Beads in a Bottle on the solid color edges of the petals in a color that coordinates. I used sparkly pink and pale yellow and found that the sparkly beads were a skootch less puffy than the solid color, I like the slight variation. You can take great care and put the exactly same amount of dots on each petal, but as I mentioned earlier I am impatient and simply thrilled I made it around every petal without a craftastrophe. It’s the little things.

6. Allow to dry overnight before touching or hanging!

Mandala Flower Copyright Margot Potter 2012

(PS: I love this flower so much, I am going to use it on some other projects as an image! Too fun!)

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Geek Chic Dazzling Calculator Cover

iLoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Geek Chic Dazzling Calculator Cover
Copyright Avalon Potter
"Teen crafted, mom approved."

Avalon is one of those amazing kids who excels at math and science and the fine arts. She takes advanced level classes and there are times when the work gets pretty tough. What better way to face the daunting task of a quadratic equation than armed with a little sparkle power? Tulip PDA (Personal Dazzle Assistance) makes quick work of taking a calculator from blah to BLING as quick as you can say Pythagorus. Isn't this fabulous? I am a proud mom indeed. Go, Avalon!

Materials
Calculator with cover
Tulip Glam-it-Up PDA Crystal Set in red and clear crystal
Scrapbook paper or cardstock
Heart stencil (we used the Fiskars 3" heart shaped template, cutting out the center of the heart using the 2.5" stencil.)
Aleene's Tacky Dot Runner

Tools
Fiskars Hearts Template and Cutting Tool
Nimble fingers!

1. Use template and tool to create open center heart using cardstock or scrapbook paper.

2. Use tape runner to add a little stick to the back of the stencil and adhere to the center of the calculator cover. Be sure cover is clean.

3. Starting from outside work your way to the center of the heart adding crystals as in photo. Alternate between red and clear crystals until you reach the center red crystal. Remove stencil and wipe any glue residue away.

4. Use the crystals to frame the outer edge of your calculator cover. Work only on the hard areas, leave the soft areas uncovered. There are 16 clear crystals at the top and bottom with 15 red crystals directly beneath them. On the sides there are 5 clear crystals on the top sides and 22 clear crystals on the bottom sides. This is a TI-inspire calculator, so adjustments will need to be made if using a different model. This calculator cover is 3"x8".

5. To create the x patterns, form a v shape with five clear crystals at the point of your heart. Add a second 10 crystal v shape using the red crystals. Create a 15 crystal v shape using the clear crystals. Repeat this pattern to form a mirror of the top half as in picture. Add 10 red crystals in the open areas of the center crystal x as in picture. Repeat this process at the top of your cover.

6. Check back to be sure all crystals are securely applied. Now get to that math homework already!

Brown Eyed Susan Necklace

Yup, one more design! There are more, but the lighting and focus gods were not with me. I shall share pics after the shows. This is a fun, simple design featuring FAB vintage reproduction German plastic components from The Beadin' Path. I used those and the bright orange faceted plastic beads as my jump off point for this simple, but striking, design. It's a mix of gemstones, plastic and Beadalon antique brass components. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!

xoxo
Madge

Mud Pie Necklace!

Yup, another design for the shows. This was a rework of a design I shared recently on JTV's Jewel School. I decided it needed more color and movement. The faux DZI agate beads I scored for a song in Tucson last year. These are longer rosary style links and I'm pleased as punch with how this came out. I've added serpentine, smoky quartz and a judicious smattering of SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS. It's all put together with lovely silver plated Beadalon components.

Cheers,
Madge