Sunday, November 27, 2011

Stained Glass ATCs with Crystal Lacquer!



 For my post today, I wanted to share with you a quick and easy altered trading card [ATC] idea. Sakura Hobby Crafts recently teamed up with Sparkraft Enterprises to feature their outline foil stickers. There are so many possibilities with these stickers, and the stained glass look is really easy to achieve.

To complete this project you will need:
Gold Evergreen Sparkraft Enterprises foil outline stickers
ATC size acrylic
Sakura Hobby Crafts colored lacquer
Sakura Hobby Crafts 3D crystal lacquer

I removed the stickers from the sheet and placed it on the acrylic ATC.
I colored in the tree with Green Lacquer--when you go over the lines of the stickers, the outlines will take on the tint of the lacquer but you will still be able to easily see the foil outline.
I colored the trunk brown and the sky with blue lacquer.
For a "snowy" look, I added the 3D crystal lacquer. It goes on cloudy but will dry clear.
When the ATC is completely dry, it takes on the appearance of stained glass.
I can't wait to trade these ATCs with some friends!!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Oh Christmas Tree!

Well, I guess the Christmas Season is officially here! Were any of you camping out last night to do your Black Friday shopping? Not me! To help promote the Christmas Spirit, I have a card to share with you today. I stamped/embossed a Kanban Crafts tree from Vintage Christmas onto their Mirror Reflective Gold paper. I added green over the gold with Copic markers, and then used my colored Sakura Crystal Lacquer to add my trimmings. The lacquer looks great over metallic papers - almost the effect of a foil-backed rhinestone. I hope you will try this technique!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Birdhouse Fun!



The Route 66 stamp from Viva Las Vegastamps! was my inspiration this week for this cute little birdhouse ornament.
I started with some basic supplies:
Route 66 stamp from Viva Las Vegastamps!
Wooden Birdhouse Ornament
Scrapbook paper scraps
Vintage Gold Fine Glitter
Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Distress Crackle Paint - Rock Candy
I cut scrapbooking paper just a tad smaller than each side of the birdhouse - distressed each edge and glued it down using 3D Crystal Lacquer. I inked the edges with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo to give it a rustic look and to take away the new look of the wood.
For the roof - I used paper that had small license plates (Tim Holtz) which look like shingles and gave it a coat of Rock Candy Distress Crackle to make it look aged. At the bottom I added a layer of Gem Particles and finished off the bottom edge with fine glitter. The stamped image was stamped and embossed, cut out and aged with Distress Ink in Old paper and Vintage Photo.
This was a fun FAST project!
For more creative inspiration - visit Sakura Hobby Crafts blog
and for product info, check out
Enjoy!


Monday, November 21, 2011

Repurposed Soup Cans!

I love this time of year, when the temperatures drop, and soup is a satisfying meal for my family!
(Secretly, please don't tell... I just love to repurpose the soup cans, I really don't care about the soup!)

I started with book pages, neatly cut them to fit my can and used Crystal Lacquer to adhere the pages to the can.


Then, I found a rub-on that was perfect for the can! So, I carefully rubbed it on, ensuring the rub-on would take on the shape of the can.


Then I sealed the rub-on with Crystal Lacquer, and I actually covered the whole can in Crystal Lacquer!


I love the finish. How shiny it is, and how smooth it is to the touch!


This project was pretty simple. I'm not sure what I'll do with the can just yet... 
I was thinking it would make a great flower pot. Or pencil/pen holder. 
Great place to put my five thousand pairs of scissors that I can never seem to find!! :)


For this project I used five products; book pages, a rub-on, tulle, a soup can, and Crystal Lacquer!

I've also made a a card using a Some Odd Girl digital stamp.
I've colored balloons with Copics. 
Then coated the balloons with Crystal Lacquer to make them look more realistic! 


To see detailed photos of the card, check out my blog!

Happy Monday crafty friends!!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Sakura Christmas Tag


Here is the final piece and other tags.
Now you are ready to hang on your Christmas card or your tree.
This transparency paper technique is one of my favorites.


I wish everyone a very happy holidays and may God bless you always.

Fairy in the Forest Card with VivaLasVegasStamps!

Today, Sakura has teamed up with VivaLasVegasStamps!. I'm combining all the fun of Sakura's 3d Crystal Lacquer with the gorgeous rubber stamp image by VivaLasVegasStamps!

--I chased my muse into the forest and there flew the butterfly fairies--

SAKURA SUPPLIES:
3d Color Crystal Lacquer: Red, Yellow, Ivory
3d Pearl and Metallic Crystal Lacquer: Lilac, Gold

Butterfly Lady Rubber Stamp
by VivaLasVegasStamps!

OTHER SUPPLIES:
Copper pigment ink, clear embossing powder, microbeads and glitter, fibers, deckle scissors and distress ink.
Palm Tree Border paper and Glitter Brown Paisley card stock by Robin's Nest

I was very happy to see that the Ivory 3D Color Crystal Lacquer made a perfect skin tone for my butterfly lady.

I stamped the image onto the Palm Tree Border paper with copper pigment ink and embossed with clear fine embossing powder. Then I cut it out, inked the edges and glued it to the background paper (Brown Glitter Paisley).

I applied Ivory first and let it set up for a few minutes and sprinkled micro beads and glitter to the body area. Then the Pearl and Metallic 3D Crystal Lacquer because it's a bit thicker. Finally I colored the rest of the areas with the translucent Color 3D Crystal Lacquer.

Add a touch of fibers and Viola!
I hope you enjoyed my little excursion, I needed a diversion away from the Holidays to a warmer, more serene place :o)

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog, if you enjoyed this project, please become a follower to receive updates when new projects are posted.

Have an artful day!
Becky Conley

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Sparkling Berry Necklace

hollyneck11 
Sparkling Berry
Necklace
~Sometimes simple
uncomplicated projects are the best~

Supplies Used

Clear 3D Crystal Lacquer
 White Brass Jewelry Blank (9/16 x 3/4 x 1/16')
"Viva Las Vegastamps!" (Slient Night Sheet Music Stamp, Star Stamp)
Jolee's Holly Glittered & Rhinestone Stickers
White Tags ("Viva Las Vegastamps!")

Candy Box ("Viva Las Vegastamps!")Extra Fine Glitter Dust
Chain with Jump Ring
Gold Leafing Paint
Card Stock
2 Way Sticky Tape
Stazon Ink (Red)

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Step 1: Start with a Sakura Hobby  Craft jewelry blank, then cut one of the holly sticker's leaves off  so it will fit inside the blank.

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Step 2:  Cover and fill the blank with 3D clear Crystal Lacquer and pop any bubbles you may have with a toothpick.
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Step 3: VERY Lightly sprinkle extra fine iridescent glitter dust over the wet lacquer and allow to dry in a level dust free area.
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Step 4:  Once the first layer is dry add another layer of 3D Crystal Lacquer filling in any areas that may need it and allow to dry.




TAG & Gift Box
Steps:
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Step 1:  Using red stazon ink load your stamp with ink and stamp your tag.
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Step 2:  Using gold leafing paint stamp the star stamp  onto the candy box and allow to dry and repeat on the backside of the box as well.
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Here is an example of both
the tag and the box.

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Step 3: Cut a  1/4" cut on either side of the tag.
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Step 4: Once your sparkling necklace blank is dry add a jump ring and chain to your necklace and slip the chain between each slit you cut.  Tape the backside of the tap to hold the reminder of the chain in place using 2 way sticky tape.

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Step 4:  Place the candy box on card stock and trace around the box and cut it out inside the lines you traced.
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Step 5: Apply your tag with the sticky tape to the card stock and slide it into the  candy box. You know have a fun gift for a friend ready to go!

For more projects visit

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Wintery Charms with VLVS! and Colored Lacquer


Wintery charms with Viva Las Vegastamps! and Sakura 3D colored lacquer
As the coolor temperatures approach and winter is a little over a month away, I'm in full gear creating gifts for friends and family and items for holiday wear. When I chose the snowflake background stamp to work with for my project sponsored by VivaLasVegaStamps!, I knew I wanted to create some fun charms. These charms are super easy to make and can add fun wintery embellishment to any item.
For this project you will need:
Tim Holtz Fragment Charms
Marvy Black Ink Pad 
Random winter colored cardstock--I used Basic Grey solids
Sakura Colored 3D Crystal Lacquer
jewelry findings, sanding paper, scissors

Begin by stamping in black the background stamp
onto your card stock.

Apply a small amount of colored lacquer [either 1 or 2 colors]
onto Fragment Charms.

Add to stamped image. Slide charm around a bit until it stops moving.



I really like how the two colors mix on the page when it spreads .



Once dry, remove the charm by cutting them out close to the plastic edge.
Lightly sand the edges to remove extra card stock. Punch the hole in the
card  stock to make charm usable. Print the backside of the charm with stamp.

Add findings to fragment charm. Here I've used homemade jumprings.


Add your charms to your item. Here I've chose to add them to a fiber necklace.
I hope you enjoyed my project! Thank you for looking!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Winter Wishes



During November, the DT for Sakura Hobby Craft has had the opportunity to play with stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps! There are tons of stamps to choose from, but when I saw Lady with a Snowglobe, I knew this image would be the perfect companion for my Sakura goodies!

Any time a stamp has something that is supposed to be glass on it - I want to cover it in Crystal Lacquer! So the snow globe really caught my attention. I sprinkled some fine, transparent glitter around the edges, while it was still wet to make it look like the glittery snow inside. The other cool embellishment that I added were some of the Gem Particles to the confetti background. Weren't they perfect there?



I hope you will take a look at the tons of stamps that Viva Las VegaStamps has to offer, and remember how cool they are with you Sakura Hobby Craft products!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Summer Memories Vintage Tag


This month I'm featuring a stamp from VivaLasVegaStamps! along with Sakura Hobby Craft products! I created this fun vintage beach tag using the following items.
Manila Tag
Scrapbook paper scraps
Flourish rubberstamp - Tim Holtz
Film Strip Ribbon - Tim Holtz
Vintage Ticket sticker
Hinge Clip - Tim Holtz
charms from my stash
Distress Inks - Old Paper & Vintage Photo
I started with distressing the edges of the manila tag using distress ink. I cut my scrapbook paper scrap the size of the tag and distressed the edges using a Zutter Distrezz It All to really rough up the edges and make it a little smaller than the tag. I stamped the girl image on plain white cardstock using black distress ink and embossed her with clear embossing powder. I aged the white cardstock with distress ink in old paper and vintage photo on the edges.
I stamped a flourish image over the scrapbook paper using StazOn ink in black and outlined some of the flourish with brown Crystal Color Lacquer. I set this aside for a few hours before I finished assembling the tag.
Creating the film strip was a little time consuming - but turned out really cool! I just cut small face images from scraps of scrapbooking paper - here I was using Graphic 45's Bathing Beauties - one of my all time favs! I placed a dot of Crystal Lacquer on top of the image and then pressed the film strip over it. To finish the tag, I adhered a vintage ticket sticker behind the clipped on film strip ribbon and added some fun charms.
You can find amazing rubberstamps from VivaLasVegaStamps! here
Visit Sakura Hobby Craft's website for product info & project ideas.

Have a great week!

Karen

Monday, November 7, 2011

Viva Las Vegas card Sakura style!

Good morning, and happy Monday!

When I saw the Cactus Alphabet and Cactus Numbers I had to have them! 







The rose is the "O" in the Cactus Alphabet set, and of course, the numbers, are from the numbers set. 
I colored one rose, and covered it with Crystal Lacquer to make it pop... and boy does it ever!