I am so excited to be a part of the "See You at CHA" blog hop! Every day this week, Craft and Hobby Association members of all types (manufacturers, buyers, and designers) will be sharing posts that are all about the CHA Mega Show. Don't worry if you aren't attending the show -- this blog hop will be showing you new product sneak peeks, tutorials and project ideas, behind the scenes of the show, and more!
And no blog hop is complete without a giveaway -- we are giving away a $600+ Visa gift card! Wouldn't that be an awesome early Christmas gift? At the end of this post, I will tell you how you can enter to win.
Today, I am giving y'all the scoop on a new product from Deflecto that will be prominently featured at the CHA Mega Show: the 3 tier dessert stand!
For me, Thanksgiving is all about sharing our bounties with friends and family. And the best way I know how to share is through food. So for my November Deflecto design team project, I wanted to share my favorite holiday recipes in a special book.
I am excited to bring y'all an awesome opportunity -- it's a FLASH SALE on the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle! Less than $30 for an amazing collection of ebooks, printables, and bonuses that's worth over $900! Just the bonuses - a Craftsy class. a membership to List PlanIt, and more - are worth the price of this bundle.
The Ultimate Homemaking Bundle is back for just 48 hours, until 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, November 3rd.
This bundle will help you nurture the beauty and productivity in your home and family relationships with proven, simple, and effective tools that really give you a boost as a homemaker – help, inspiration, tips, encouragement, resources at your fingertips.
It is a complete library of carefully selected eBooks, eCourses, audios, online conferences, and printable packs designed to help you turn your house into a home… without all the overwhelm.
At Craftiprint, I show you all the fun things you can make with a 3D printer. So what is 3D printing? Well, I wrote a little post about it here so you can learn about what it is and what it can do.
The awesome thing is that 3D printers are becoming more affordable every day. Soon we hope that everyone will have one in their home! That's why I am sharing all of these great craft ideas; you can see the cool things that can be made on a 3D printer and then get one for yourself!
So please come check out Craftiprint and get ready to get printing!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team, I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
Let's face it: Halloween is all about the candy. This "Boo to You" sign lets you combine candy with a cute decoration that can be used even after the candy is gone!
Fall and back-to-school time usually means people are getting ready for football games and tailgating. Not me! I start thinking about all those fun scrapbook events I go to in the fall!
If you are a scrapper like me, chances are you have gone to a crop and there are several people with the same bag that you have. I have a really nice black canvas bag that I got several years ago at a scrapbook store. It's great for crops or shopping, but it looks just like everyone else's bag. Not anymore with the embroidered letters from JOY!
I love these letters because you can just peel off the backing, stick them in place then iron them on to stay permanently. The varsity-style lettering makes your project look sporty and you can use them to spell out words, initials, or your favorite team's name.
And now I can say that I went to my favorite school - SCRAP U! I'll bet no one else has a bag like mine at the next crop!
One thing that people may not know about me is that I am a big baseball fan. I love my Atlanta Braves! Growing up in Georgia, we have seen the Braves go from worst to first... and unfortunately, this year, back to worst. However, no matter if the Braves are in the race for the pennant or not, I still love to follow the sport. And with my new Major League Baseball standings board featuring Deflecto magnetic craft sheets, I can keep track of all the teams in baseball!
This month, I am participating in the Designer Crafts Connection Manufacturer Challenge sponsored by Deflecto. We are crafting with office supplies!
When I look around, I see all kinds of surfaces that need to be "jazzed up". Office supplies are no exception. Why have a boring nameplate like everyone else when you can bling it up and show off your personality?!
Tell everyone in your office that The Diva is In (or out) with a nameplate from Deflecto. The sparkly beauty above started life as a regular black nameplate, but with just a little work, became a diva-fied office statement!
To make your own, you need:
Deflecto Interior Image Sign Holder Nameplate (available at Amazon and other retailers)
glitter paper
adhesive rhinestones
ribbon
Mod Podge (I used Glitter Mod Podge for extra shine)
letter stickers
cardstock or patterned paper
glue dots
scissors
foam brush
How to:
Trace the top part of the nameplate onto the back of the glitter paper and cut out. Using your foam brush, coat the back of the paper with Mod Podge and place the paper onto the nameplate. Coat the paper with Mod Podge, making sure that the edges are adhered well. Let dry.
Once Mod Podge has dried, place assorted rhinestones on the glitter paper.
Using glue dots, attach ribbon to top and bottom of the area where the nameplate goes, leaving one end unattached (so you can slide your nameplate in).
Cut your cardstock or patterned paper to be 8.5" x 2". Then use letter stickers to spell out your name or message. I made an extra piece so that my sign could also read, "The Diva is Out".
Want your own Deflecto supplies to craft with? You can win them in the Deflecto/DCC giveaway!
We are giving away a Deflecto frame and a Stackable Cube Organizer, perfect for your craft stuff like pens, inks, buttons, beads, and more. Just go to the Designer Crafts Connection homepage and enter to winvia Rafflecopter.
If you want to see what other designers have done with their office supplies, use my DCC link button on the right side of this page to hop to all of the other fun projects!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
DISCLOSURE: I received free product from Buttons Galore and Deflecto Crafts to use for this project. All designs are my own.
I love buttons. Round buttons, big buttons, shape buttons -- I love them all. That is why I am such a fan of Buttons Galore. They have a ton of adorable buttons made for sewing, scrapbooking, cardmaking, and any other crafty project you can think of. So I was so pleased be chosen to be a guest contributor over at their blog!
For the full instructions and supply list for this awesome back to school frame featuring Deflecto frames, head over to the Buttons Galore blog!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
It may be only July, but here in Georgia it is almost back to school time -- kids go back in just a couple of weeks! And while a new school year is always an exciting time, it can also be a little stressful, especially for kids who are just starting school or kids who need a routine. That's where the "My School Day" book comes in.
When I was a teacher, I got a lot of questions about what time we would do certain things. First graders always wanted to know, "When do we go to recess? When do we go to art/music/etc?" With this little book, made from Deflecto's 3"x5" flexible pouches, you can introduce kids to their daily school schedule before the school year starts AND practice telling time!
Directions:
1. Stamp a clock face onto 3x5 pieces of white cardstock and put the appropriate time for the child's activities (you can get the daily schedule from the teacher before school starts). I made cards for getting on the bus, school start time. lunch time, "specials" time (art/music/PE), recess, and end of day, but you may need different ones for your kids.
2. Print the words and the times for each activity on the computer and attach them to each card. Of course, you can always hand-write these! With this, kids learning to tell time can match the clock face with the "digital" time.
3. Edge each card with washi tape.
4. Make a front and back cover. This is a great place to use scraps! Be sure to include a place on the inside of the front cover for the child's name, address, and phone number. If the child rides the bus, put what bus number they ride home on the inside of the back cover.
5. Use a book binding ring to hold the pouches together and decorate with ribbon!
With this book, kids get an introduction to their school day before the big day arrives. Since it's made with these cool pouches, it's small enough that kids can carry it in their book bags.
Here's to a less-stressful first day of school!
Materials used: Deflecto flexible pouches
white cardstock
patterned paper and journaling card from Keller's Creations
letter stickers from The Paper Studio
embellishments from Queen and Co.
adhesives from ThermOWeb
book ring
ribbon
clock face stamp
pen from Zig
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
Today, I am participating in a manufacturer's challenge showcasing products from Fairfield (the makers of PolyFil, American Spirit batting, and lots of other sewing/fabric products). I used their versatile Oly*Fun fabric to make a no-sew "proggy" pillow!
First of all, you may be asking, "What is Oly*Fun?" Well, Oly*Fun is an awesome, water-repellant fabric that can be used to make just about anything. You can use it like you would use paper or fabric so it's very versatile. It comes in a wide array of colors, and it is perfect for outdoor projects because it's weather-resistant.
Next you may say, "Then what is 'proggy' rugging?" Proggy (or proddy, depending on what area of Great Britain you are from) is a style of rug-making that uses small strips of fabric, a pointy-tipped tool called a proddy, and burlap (or "hessian" as the Brits call it!). Now, while this technique is mostly used for rugs, you can use it to make wreaths, stuffed toys, and more.
Check out this short video that explains how to make a proddy/proggy rug. This lady does a great job explaining how it's done, plus her accent is fantastic!
My favorite part about this pillow is that it is completely NO-SEW! Yep, not one single thing is sewn on this pillow, making it perfect for non-sewers (like me!) and older children!
1. Cut Oly*Fun fabric into strips of approximately 1/2"wide and 2-3" long.
You need enough fabric for about three times the area of
your finished piece.
2. Get a piece of loose weave burlap. It needs a more loose
weave so that the proggy tool will go through the holes more
easily. Size of the burlap depends on how large you want
your pillow.
3. Fold one edge of the burlap over about 2 inches. Always
work from the back of the project (the front will be the fluffy
side).
4. Starting in the middle of the row, poke a hole through the
burlap with the proggy tool. Use the proggy to poke the fabric
through the hole. Then move over three strands of burlap
and poke another hole, weaving your fabric into this hole.
5. Move over three more strands of burlap and repeat the
process until you get to approx. 2 inches from the ends. Fold
over the ends and repeat steps 4 and 5. You will fold over all 4
sides of your burlap until all sides are finished and you have a
square.
6. Once your borders are done, continue filling in the middle.
You can work in rows or just random -- its up to you!
7. After the burlap is filled in, take a piece of Oly*fun and cut it
approx. 2 inches larger on all sides than your burlap square
(so if your burlap square is 12x12, then your fabric should be
16x16).
8. Cut fringe into the Oly*fun edge with each fringe strip measuring
2 inches by 1/2".
9. To attach the backing, use your proggy tool to poke
the fabric through already established holes once(the backing
and fabric will share holes). Repeat until 3 edges are complete.
Leave the 4th edge open so you can stuff the pillow.
10. Stuff the pillow with polyester filling.
11. Finish last edge with the larger Oly*Fun backing
To get you started on your own pillow for less, use coupon code AMYCOUP to save 20% on orders at Fairfield World through the month of June!
For more "pillow talk" from other designers, just click on the Designer Crafts Connection logo in the right sidebar!
Cricut Explore One™ is a simple design-and-cut system. It’s versatile, easy to use, cuts very precisely, and is also incredibly affordable. With its irresistibly low price and limitless cutting potential, the Explore One is perfect for a new or beginning crafter. Here are a few notable features of the Explore One:
Materials – All Cricut machines can cut an unbelievable variety of materials, for example:
Paper
Vinyl
Iron-on
Craft materials
Upcycled materials
Fabric
Plastic
Thick materials
Precision - Features Cut Smart™ technology, which allows you to cut a wide range of shapes and sizes with exceptional precision, from ¼" tall up to 11½" wide x 23½" tall.
Smart Set® Dial - Each machine features a Smart Set® dial, which sets your settings (e.g. speed, pressure, etc.) for you so you don’t have to keep track of them. You just select the material that you're using on the Smart Set® dial and the machine's Cut Smart® technology will deliver a clean, professional cut.
Images and Fonts - You can upload your own images and fonts for free on all three Cricut cutting machines.
Cartridges - Both machines work with any Cricut cartridge and have the capability to hold all of your cartridges “virtually” in the cloud within your Cricut Design Space online software. So once you’ve loaded a cartridge, you’ll have it everywhere you go.
Cricut’s Design Space™ and iPad® app - All Cricut Explore machines work hand-in-hand with Cricut’s Design Space™ (for PC, Mac®, iPad®, and iPhone®) that you get access to for free.
Cricut Explore Air™
The Explore Air is the whole kit ‘n caboodle. It offers all the impressive features mentioned for the Explore One, but two key things set it apart:
It has a dual carriage for cutting and writing or cutting and scoring in one step. If you do a lot of paper crafting, this is the machine for you!
It has built-in Bluetooth® capability. You just use Cricut’s free iPad app and design anything you want from your iPad, just like you would on your home computer, but with the convenience of being able to take your projects with you anywhere. Then, you can just wirelessly send your project from your iPad to your Explore Air to bring it to life.
Now that you know a lot more about how Cricut Explore® machines work, I’ll focus next week’s post on how you can design here, there and everywhere with Cricut Design Space. You’ll be blown away by how easy it is.
You may know from my last post that I love summer. However, there is something I love even more than summer: saving money!
I am a crazy frugal girl; heck, I was even a panel speaker at the International Coupon Conference a few years ago! So it is almost needless to say that I do a lot of shopping at the Dollar Tree. I can always find a good bargain there. Just this month, I found a fun tropical print tote bag and a pair of all black sunglasses, each just $1. Cute enough as they were but kind of plain. So I gave these two items a million dollar makeover with Joy embroidered letters!
I used the white varsity letters on the bag to add my initials. Full disclosure here: I didn't iron these letters on since the bag is made of a synthetic material that doesn't hold up to an iron. Instead, I attached the letters using 3-in1 Adhesive from Beacon Adhesives and it worked perfectly. However, if you use a bag that is made from canvas or another fabric that won't melt when subjected to heat, iron those letters on -- it's super easy! Just iron from the back side of the fabric!
Next, I used Joy's small monogram letters to add my initials to each side of the glasses again using Beacon's 3-in-1. And since a girl can never have enough bling, I added a clear rhinestone to the letter and used black adhesive rhinestone sheets from The Buckle Boutique to decorate the earpieces (I laid the earpieces down on a sheet of scratch paper and traced around them, then used that as a template for cutting my rhinestone sheets).
Now, instead of just an everyday bag and pair of glasses, I can hit the pool looking like a million bucks!
Want more ideas on how to use Joy letters? Come on over to the Creating with Joy blog. My fellow designers have some amazing ideas!
Materials used: Joy embroidered letters tote bag and glasses from the Dollar Tree adhesive rhinestone sheets from The Buckle Boutique adhesive from Beacon Adhesives single rhinestone from Want2Scrap
Disclosure: I received these embroidered letters from Joy as a part of their design team. However, I received no compensation or consideration from Dollar Tree or any other companies included in this post. All opinions are my own.
I have always loved summer. The laid-back times, the hot weather, my birthday -- I love everything about it. But the best thing about summer has to be vacation. It seems like almost everyone takes a summer vacation and it's something to look forward to during those long winter months.
So how about a summer vacation countdown calendar to mark the days until your getaway?
I used the Deflecto sign holder that is made especially for cubicles (it comes with mounting clips, Velcro, and magnets so that you can mount it almost anywhere). Won't your co-workers be jealous of your upcoming adventure and your cool calendar? Just keep track of the days with a dry-erase marker, writing the days left on top of that cute little die-cut suitcase.
So where are you going this summer?
Materials used: "Going Places" and "Base Camp" Cricut cartridges We R Memory Keepers "Jet Set" collection SEI paper and washi tape K and Co. dimensional stickers
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
Joy S.A. Embroidered Letters & Appliques for Wearables & Home Decor
I am pleased to announce that I am going to be a part of the "Creating with Joy" ambassador team. Joy S. A. Inc. makes awesome embroidered applique letters and designs that make any project beautiful.
Joy S.A. is sponsoring a blog hop with Designer Crafts Connections so be sure to check out all the amazing projects from the other designers. Use the arrows beneath the logo in my sidebar to the right to navigate the web ring. And there is a new blog that where we will be sharing our projects each month -- check it out here!
Here's my project!
I am a huge Atlanta Braves fan, so I wanted to make a frame to feature my favorite teamI just added the Joy 3" Varsity Letters in red to a clear acrylic frame from Deflecto to go from plain to fab! These letters are gorgeous! The embroidery is beautiful and the adhesive really sticks, making them a great way to personalize almost anything.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
We just celebrated our moms on Mother's Day, so now let's turn our attention to the dads out there!
For this Father's Day, I am giving my dad something that combines two of his loves: me and cars! You see, my dad has always loved cars. He knows more about cars than almost anyone I know, Because of him, I have attended lots of classic car shows, drag races, and NASCAR races, and I have loved every minute of it too.
The picture above is me and my dad at a NASCAR race at Talladega a few years ago. The picture needed a cool frame to go with it, and the Deflecto curved magnetic frame was just right. (By the way, this frame is so neat because the frame snaps together with magnets and the photo just "floats" between the two panels.) I placed my photo on Rowlux Illusion Film and placed it in the frame. Then I added some fun car-themed stickers and die-cuts to the frame itself to give it a "high-octane" look!
So if your dad is a car guy, give him a gift that will rev his engine!
Materials used: Deflecto curved magnetic frame (5"x7") Rowlux Illusion Film in Red 3-D Die Cuts with a View car die cut Creative Imaginations stickers Studio G by Hampton Art glitter glue Glue Dots adhesive Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
May will be here before you know it, and with it comes Mother's Day!
My mom always loved the gifts I made for her the most (and she still does), and I think most moms are the same way. So this month's Deflecto Crafts project is a fun gift for moms that they will love and kids will love to make!
I started with the Deflecto customizable magnetic craft sheets. These sheets are so easy to use! They have a white facing to them that can be painted, inked, covered with paper... you name it. They can also be easily cut with scissors and craft knives and you can use punches and die cut machines. (These sheets are being rolled out to stores soon -- ask your local craft store to carry them!)
I just used a ruler, a permanent marker, a pair of scissors, and a craft knife (for the center) to cut out my frame, making it 4" x 5". The great thing about this simple frame is that you can let kids make whatever design they want using markers or paint, drawing directly on the white surface. I used Copic and Spectrum Noir markers, giving my frame a little bit of a stained glass look.
For the finishing touch, I put a school picture in the frame and added a little tag that says "Happy Mother's Day from your little masterpiece!"
And yes, that little girl in the picture is me in the 3rd grade!
Materials used: Deflecto magnetic craft sheets Copic and Spectrum Noir markers Fiskars Amplify mixed media scissors Fiskars fingertip craft knife Martha Stewart Crafts permanent marker
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
This year, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Blogger Networking Event at CHA (hosted by FaveCrafts). This is an opportunity for us bloggers to meet with crafting manufacturers so we can get the word out to you readers about new and awesome products.
One of my favorite products from the event had to be the sweet treasure trove of Swarovski crystals from PrimaBead.com. I am like a magpie -- I adore anything sparkly! I used some of these gorgeous crystal beads to make a pair of gypsy-inspired earrings. These earrings are super-easy to make; if you can open and close a jump ring, you can make these!
Springtime Gypsy Earring Instructions:
Start with a chandelier-type earring finding.
For outer beads, place 3 bicone beads on a head pin. Create a loop at the top of the head pin and attach to the earring with a jump ring.
Attach the rest of the crystals to your earring with jump rings.
Attach earring to earwires (I didn’t use a jump ring so that the earring would face forward. If you prefer your earrings to swing sideways, use a jump ring.).
It's March which means it's time for St. Patrick's Day! It's also National Craft Month so it's also time to make something. So let's go green!
I decided that for this month's Deflecto design team project, my frames needed to wear the green! And I got to decorate my frames with the decorating items that I love most: washi tape, buttons, and (my new favorite) glass stones.
My first frame was already decked out in green; it's one of Deflecto's cool acrylic frames with a color border. Then I just added green-striped washi tape and lots of buttons in all shades of green.
My second frame was a just clear acrylic frame that got jazzed up by some green glass stones. The best part about these stones? They came from the Dollar Tree! Yep, a big bag of these beauties were only $1. They may have been inexpensive, but they look like a million bucks! They were so easy to attach too; I put a thin line of Beacon Quick Grip adhesive around all four edges and stuck the glass on (the quick grab of this adhesive means this frame was ready to go in about 15 minutes).
But of course, a frame is just a frame without a picture, right? I am especially proud of these photos as they were taken in Ireland. The "Leprechaun Crossing" sign was taken at Killarney National Park in Co. Kerry, Ireland. The photo of my husband and me was taken near Dingle in western Ireland. We are posing with a ogham (pronounced "ohm") stone. An ogham stone is an upright stone inscribed with the lines and notches of the early Irish ogham alphabet. This stone has a hole in it; people would use these stones with holes as a way to make deals. If you touched fingers through the hole in the stone, the was binding until death.
Buttons: miscellaneous Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
It's February and love is in the air... and I am in love with these frames!
For the first frame, I used this cool beveled edge frame from Deflecto. I stamped directly onto the frame with white Staz-On ink.
I used a background stamp from Hero Arts and just used the edges to stamp around the edges of the frame.
Never stamped on acrylic before? It's easy! Just make sure you use a solvent-based ink like Staz-On. Mess up? No problem! I use a product called Bestine which is a paint thinner/solvent on a paper towel -- the ink wipes right off.
I love this technique because it gives the look of glass etching.
The next frame was inspired by the big trend at this year's CHA show: GOLD!
I used a pink-edged acrylic frame for my base. I added gold glitter tape from Darice around the edges of the frame opening. I then used ribbon that I have been hoarding for years! It's so cute -- the words "I Love U" are actually cut out of the ribbons and edged in gold. Finally, I added some hot pink and gold bling to each corner of the ribbon.
Here's wishing y'all a wonderful and love-filled Valentine's Day!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
It may be the beginning of a new year, but I am feeling a little retro! This month, I decided to give a Deflecto wet-erase sign a vintage feel.
Deflecto makes these beautiful display signs that you can use with Deflecto's wet erase chalkboard markers. They start out looking like this.
To make the sign look vintage, I painted it with DecoArt Americana Decor Chalky Finish Paint. It is an ultra-matte paint that leaves a gorgeous finish. I used a foam brush and very little paint, almost a dry brush technique, so that a little of the wood finish would show through.
I covered the black wet-erase sign surface with paper from Graphic 45's "Little Darlings" collection from a few years back -- it is still my favorite vintage baby collection! I then accented it with a small piece of canvas, a metal filigree embellishment, a button, and a bit of vintage ledger paper.
And who is that cute baby? Well, I don't know! You see, I love to buy old photos at flea markets, antique shops, and the like. Consider it store-bought ancestors -- how else can you choose your own relatives?! I especially love old baby photos; I love to make up stories about them and who they might have been. I decided to call this sweet baby Ruby Sue!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. As a member of the Deflecto Design Team I have been provided product in exchange for my creative ideas, views and opinions.
