DCC Blog Hop: Colorique and U-Paint Metal Crafts

Today, I am blog hopping with the Designer Crafts Connection, ColorBox Colorique by Lisa Marie Jimenez, and U-Paint Metal Crafts!

U-Paint Metal Crafts are the perfect addition to any of your holiday decor projects. I took this plain wire basket from drab to fab with the Holiday Horn metal piece and ColoriQue ink. ColoriQue is amazing -- it's so easy to create a verdigris patina effect in just a couple of steps!

I started by washing the metal piece with soap and water. This removes any grease or metal dust that may be on the piece from the manufacturing process. After drying, I painted the piece with a light coat of white acrylic paint to serve as a primer as well as a base color for my patina effect.

Once the primer coat was dry, I then applied Clearsnap ColorBox ColoriQue by Lisa Marie Jimenez in Verdigris using a foam sponge paint brush. I applied it lightly using a tapping technique so that some of the white paint can still be seen.

Lastly, I applied Clearsnap ColorBox ColoriQue by Lisa Marie Jimenez in Black Diamond using the same sponging technique. This really helped to give the piece an antiqued look!

I finished the piece by sealing the color with a heat tool. Just make sure to protect your fingers -- this piece is metal so it will be hot! I then took a wire basket that I picked up at my local big box store and attached a velvet Christmas bow. Using hot glue, I attached the Holiday Horn to the bow.

Imagine how pretty this would be in your bathroom holding hand towels for guests or as a beautiful gift basket filled with kitchen items!

Now go check out all of the other beautiful holiday pieces from U-Paint Metal Crafts and ColoriQue over at the Designer Crafts Connection blog -- you are sure to find something that will inspire you to make something beautiful!

Hopping with Buttons Galore and Poppystamps -- Holiday Card

Are you hopping with us today?  If you are you should have reached me from Jeanne Jachna's blog.  If you’d like to start at the beginning and get all the details, you can find them at the Buttons Galore and More blog!

My project is a holiday card using an awesome die from Poppystamps and buttons and sequins from Buttons Galore and More!

Materials used:

• "Open Hillside" die from Poppystamps
• 28 Lilac Lane "Winter Whites" Sequin and Bead Mix from Buttons Galore and More
• 28 Lilac Lane "Festival of Lights" Premium Sequin Tin from Buttons Galore and More
• "I Love Snow" buttons from Buttons Galore and More
• light blue card base
• white cardstock
• ThermoWeb 1/4" Super Tape
• ThermoWeb Memory Tape Runner
• letter stickers from NRN Designs
• Sizzix Big Shot
• button shank remover

Instructions:

1. Using a Sizzix Big Shot machine and the Poppystamps "Open Hillside" die, die cut one card front from white cardstock. Ink edges of die cut if desired. Attach the die cut to the blue card using a tape runner.
2. Remove shanks from backs of snowflake buttons. Attach buttons to card using small pieces of Supertape.
3. Using tape runner, attach stars from "Festival of Lights" sequin mix to card front (interspersed among snowflakes).
4. Line all 4 edges of the white die cut with Supertape. Sprinkle with "Winter White" sequin mix.
5. Place letter stickers at top of die cut directly under the sequins. 

This card is easy to make, but looks like you spent tons of time!

Ready to see more designs made with products from both Poppystamps and Buttons Galore and More? The next stop on this shop is Marybeth Lopez. 

But before you go, please leave me a comment!  There’s some blog candy up for grabs and you have to comment to win!   Winners will be selected randomly from comments on blogs on this hop. You have until 11:00 PM (US EST) on October 1 to leave a comment to enter to win.  Winners will be announced on October 2.

Here’s a complete hop list for your convenience:

Buttons Galore and More Blog http://buttonsgaloreandmore.net/

Michele K. Henderson  https://crimsonowlcreations.wordpress.com/category/poppystamps/

May Flaum:  http://mayflaum.com/

Jeanne Jachna  http://akeptlife.blogspot.com/search/label/Poppystamps

Lorrie McCullers: http://lorriemccullers.blogspot.com/

Marybeth Lopez  http://marybethstimeforpaper.blogspot.com/search/label/Poppystamps

Anaya Whye: http://yanadesigns.com/blog/

Nancy Penir  http://artful-notions.blogspot.com/search/label/Poppystamps/

Connie Mercer: http://www.craftygoodies.com/

Jennifer Svare  http://www.jenscraftroom.com/home?category=Poppystamps

Kelli Stradling: http://www.craftshackchronicles.com/

Robin Tharaldson  https://www.stamptress.com/

Rebecca Keppel  http://www.myclutteredcorner.com/search/label/Poppystamps

Poppystamps Blog   http://poppystamps.typepad.com/

"Let Freedom Ring" Mini-Album

Disclosure: As a member of the Deflecto Crafts design team, I received the Deflecto products for free in exchange for my design ideas. 

The July 4th holiday may be over, but now you have to get all of the photos that you took at the cookouts, parades, and fireworks displays scrapped! Why not create a mini-album using Deflecto flexible pouches and pear clips?

Materials:

• White and blue cardstock
• patterned paper in patriotic colors 
• July 4th-themed stickers (I used American Crafts stickers)
• Buttons Galore Patriotic Mix buttons
• tape runner
• adhesive dots
• adhesive foam squares
• scissors
• paper trimmer
• ribbon
• Deflecto large flexible pouches 
• Deflecto pear clip

How to:

1. Using a paper trimmer, cut 5 pieces of white cardstock to 5" x 7".
2. Using patterned paper and blue cardstock, create layouts on both the front and back of each piece of white cardstock. 
3. Embellish each page with stickers and buttons. Use foam squares to "pop up' some of the stickers to give your page dimension. Attach buttons using adhesive dots.
4. Once all pages have been completed, place each page into the pouches.
5. Use a pear clip as a ring to hold the pouches together in an album.
6. Cut 6" lengths of ribbon. Tie around the pear clip. 

Now you have a simple mini-album that you can easily carry to show off those favorite holiday moments!

Patriotic Metal Star Wreath

Disclosure: As a member of the U‐Paint® Metal Crafts Creative Team, I received products for free in exchange for my designs. 

This mini wreath might be small but it packs a large patriotic punch!

I used a star from U‐Paint® Metal Crafts and painted it using Americana® Multi-Surface Satin Acrylic Paint™ by DecoArt® to give it a distressed, rustic look. 

Mother's Day Floral Desk Set

The month of May is here, and we know that May brings two things: flowers and Mother's Day! I decided that I would combine those two lovely things into one beautiful desk set just for Mom.


For the frame, I started with Deflecto's purple border slanted 4x6 sign holder. The gorgeous purple color just lends itself to decorating with flowers! I found this wonderful family quote from Keller's Creations, and I attached it to a piece of patterned paper from the Recollections "Boho" collection and placed inside the frame.

For the outside of the frame, I took 2 doilies (also from the "Boho" collections from Recollections) and folded them into quarters. I attached them to two corners of the frame.

I then took paper flowers and added a little color and shimmer to them with some spray ink and shimmer spray, both from the same collection as the paper and doilies! Once those flowers were dry, I attached them on top of the folded doilies using adhesive dots. I finished them with buttons from Buttons Galore.

For the other half of my project, I used the Deflecto Stackable Cube Organizer. Using the same patterned papers that I used for the frame, I placed 4 pieces of paper inside the cube and attached them to the sides using adhesive dots. I then placed doilies on the outside of each side of the cube, and finished them off with a paper flower and button to match the frame.

Mom will love this set -- it can be used to brighten up her desk at work, hold her makeup brushes in the bathroom, or hold cooking utensils in the kitchen! She will think of you every time she sees it!

"Eggstravagant" Easter Door Decor

Your front door will be hopping with this cute Easter egg!

St. Patrick's Day Frame featuring Deflecto and Oly*Fun

Show everyone what a lucky gal you are with this adorable St. Patrick's Day-themed frame featuring Deflecto craft frames and Oly*Fun fabric!

"Cookies for Santa" DIY recipe frame and signs

We all know the importance of leaving cookies and milk for Santa. After all, he has to get hungry while traveling all around the world, right?

This year, I am keeping that tradition alive with this cookie display using Deflecto frames and sign holders. Both of these can be used over and over so that you can display them year after year.

"Santa Stop Here" sign

Want to make sure Santa pays you a visit? Then make a sign telling him! This quick and easy craft is fun for kids and adults alike.

Materials needed:

• blank wooden sign
• red acrylic paint
• foam paintbrush
• Design Master SnoBlast spray
• JOY embroidered stick-on letters

1. Paint sign with red acrylic paint using a foam brush. Allow paint to dry. I am super impatient, so I used a heat gun to speed up the process.  
2. Stick on the embroidered letters (I like to stagger my letters so that I don't have to worry about them being straight!)
3. Spray sign with SnoBlast spray. The amount of snow is all based on personal preference; I wanted my letters to really stand out so I just gave my sign a light dusting of "snow", but you can always add more! Also make sure you use this spray outside or you will end up with a covering of "snow" all over your house -- believe me!
4. Hang and enjoy!

There's no way that Santa will skip your house with this sign, even if you have been naughty!

Happy holidays and happy crafting!

Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Every Thanksgiving table needs a pretty centerpiece, so let's make one using Deflecto Craft products and JOY embroidered letters!

 I started with a mini straw bale and a fall floral pick that I found at Hobby Lobby. I then split the pick apart into individual pieces so that I could arrange them the way I wanted.

I placed a Deflecto Flexible Sign Dangler under the metal pieces that hold the straw bale together. These sign danglers are amazing -- they are made of thin flexible metal so that you can bend them any way you want! They also have adhesive tabs on them, making it easy to attach a sign to.

I then made a sign using Deflecto Sign Tags and JOY embroidered letters. I cut the sign tag in half and applied the letters and leaves using glue dots (this style of letter is actually an iron-on, but I have had great success on non-fabric surfaces using glue dots or hot glue). Finally I attached the sign to the sign dangler. I covered the sign dangler with a leaf from the floral pick.

What a beautiful addition to my holiday table! And since these are so easy to make and budget-friendly, I may just make a few extras so my guests can take one home for themselves!

"Time Warp" Halloween Wall Hanging

I am getting ready for Halloween with a little dance number!

Can you guess what my favorite Halloween movie is?

If you recognize my project as the lyrics to "The Time Warp", then you know I love "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"! 

I decided to take the Deflecto Sign Tags and make a wall hanging featuring everyone's favorite Halloween dance.

The sign tags (which are awesome and they come with their own wet erase marker) start out looking like this:

But with a little bit of purple and green glitter tape and some Halloween embellishments from Michaels, they turn into this!

I punched holes in the sign tags using a Crop A Dile punch and then strung the signs together with some black glitter ribbon. Now this project can by hung on a wall or even on your door... stand back and let the dancing begin!

This project is a really easy one and is great for kids. You can always use lyrics from Halloween songs like "Monster Mash" or quotes from other Halloween movies too!

Thanks for checking out my project and happy hauntings!

Father's Day Frame

Dad doesn't need another tie -- give him a DIY gift instead!

Show Dad how much he is loved with this fun frame from Deflecto! This masculine-themed frame will be an awesome addition to Dad's desk.

I used the Superior Image black border frame as the base for my project. I then decorated the frame using patterned paper and embellishments from Photo Play Paper's "This Guy" collection.

For sterp-by-step directions, head on over to the Deflecto Crafts blog

"Reasons I Love You" Pocket Frame

I have lots of reasons that I love my husband, but I don't always verbally tell him those reasons. So I came up with this heart pocket project to let him know just why I love and appreciate him!

My reasons look something like this:

See why he's a keeper?

And this doesn't just have to be for Valentine's Day -- you can always use it year-round to show your love for your spouse, kids, and friends!

Materials needed:

• Deflecto 8 1/2"x11" pink bordered frame
• pink and white cardstock 
• plastic hearts (I found mine at the Dollar Tree)
• paper heart doily
• glue dots or hot glue gun
• paper trimmer or scissors
• pen

Instructions:

• Place pink cardstock in frame.
• Use glue dots (or hot glue) to adhere plastic hearts to frame border.
• Adhere doily to the center of the frame using glue dots (or hot glue). Only attach the bottom and sides of the doily, leaving the top open to make a pocket.
• Cut strips of white cardstock (1"x4"). Write one "love reason" on each strip. Place strips in the pocket made by the doily.

This project is amazingly easy, but it would mean the world to the recipient. So share your love today!

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.

"Boo to You" Candy Holder Sign

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!