Another Spectacular Halloween Project from Rina Meyers!

Rina not only completed one spooktacular project for us this month, but she followed up with yet another and I am estatic about it!

This time Rina has applied her ghostly skills to a Spooky Configuration box complete with haunted nooks and crannies. Each room is filled to the brim with tiny vials, skulls, scrolls, spell books, and numerous other intricate details. You'll definitely want to see how she transforms Craft Fantastic trays, glass and findings into ghastly little tidbits to adorn her configuration box.

Don't miss a single scary detail on this project! Sit back, grab a bag of your favorite Halloween candy, and watch this video.

Be sure to subscribe to Rina's YouTube channel so you will always be up to date with what she's working on!

Faux Turquoise Water Marbling Technique!

Lately, I've been smitten with water marbling on glass and wondered how I might use this technique with the Craft Fantastic product line. I thought I would play around with it and see what happened.

I like projects that don't require a lot of supplies. These types of projects cater to my impatient side and allow me to get started right away rather than having to gather and shop for exotic tools and ingredients. For this project, I just so happened to have everything needed right at my fingertips. Yippee!

Once again, I reached into the medicine cabinet for this one pulling out my nail polish collection. I've used nail polish in several of these posts. Maybe it's time to relocate these colorful bottles to the craft room and just be done with it.

Typically, this technique requires you to water marble either on the front or the back of the cab and then follow with a coat of contrasting polish on the back to bring out the colors in the marbling. I decided to do something a little different. I decided to start by painting the top of my domed glass cab with polish and then marble on top of that. My goal was to achieve a stone look and in this case specifically faux turquoise. 

This technique is so fun and unpredictable (in a great way)! Gather your supplies and...

Let's get started...  

What You'll Need

Craft Fantastic Glass Cabochons - Assorted shapes and sizes. Be sure and have lots on hand because once you get started on this it's hard to stop.

Nail Polish - Specifically, light turquoise, black, white, silver or gold, and a top coat. 

Water Cup

Heavy Mug

Pin or Needle

Pencils with Eraser Tips

Flat Topped Tacks

Fantastic Jeweler's Dots

A few simple supplies that you undoubtedly have on hand already are all you need to get started.

The trick to making these cabs is affixing the glass bead to a long stick in order to dip them cleanly without getting your fingers in the water or the nail polish. Lucky for you, I found an easy way to do this using a pencil with an eraser tip, a flat-topped tack and a couple of Jeweler's Dots...yes, you read that right, good old Jeweler's Dots. They really can do everything!

Start by affixing a Jeweler's Dot to the top of the tack. Remove the red backing and apply another Jeweler's Dot. I use two dots to ensure that the adhesive is strong enough hold the piece of glass onto such a small surface.  

Two Jeweler's Dots stacked on top of each other form a nice sticky bond to hold even our largest sized glass cabochons to the top of the tack.

Here I have a Large Glass Oval cab affixed to the end of a tack with Jeweler's Dots ready to be painted and dipped.

I used a pale turquoise nail polish to paint the top of my cab. This polish was rather sheer as you can see in the photo on the left, so I applied three coats of the polish letting the layers dry completely between each coat.

My coffee mug provides a sturdy upright place for my cabs to rest while they dry.

Now the fun part! Working pretty quickly, take a cup and fill it with room temperature water. Next drop nail polish into the water. The droplets will float to the top and and spread out. Use a pin to gently drag the colors around. 

Dip the bead in the water to pick up the layer of nail polish floating on the surface. Pick up as little or as much as you find aesthetically pleasing. 

Sit this little beauty back in the coffee mug to dry. Once dry, brush with a layer of top coat to finish it off and add it to one of our Craft Fantastic Trays, then sit back and admire your handiwork. 

Lovely in a Mini Round Rope Ring.

Fabulous in a Faux Leather Bracelet.

Gorgeous in a Medium Round Pendant Tray.

 Stunning in a Medium Round Frame Tray.

A show stopper in a Large Oval Tray.

I love the large ovals so much I had to make two!

I chose to finish these using the silver trays and findings because the look lends itself to the Southwest style found here in New Mexico. What color combinations will you use? Give this super easy technique a whirl and share your pics with us on the Craft Fantastic Facebook Page. We LOVE to see what you're working on! Also follow this blog by email so you never miss a post. We'll drop the latest and greatest blog news right in your inbox.

Customer Spotlight, Tricia Giazzon!

Tricia Giazzon shared these photos with me on the Craft Fantastic Facebook Page and I was so impressed that I absolutely had to share them with you. She has used the Slider Trays to create fun ribbon bracelets that are finished with ribbon clamps to give them a professional looking closure.  The addition of chain, charms and lobster clasps complete the look and create fun bracelets ready to give or sell.

Visit Tricia's Etsy Shop, PPR4URTHOUGHTS, if you're interested in purchasing one of these bracelets for yourself.

Thanks for sharing these great photos with us, Tricia!

Share YOUR project photos with me at DearCrafty@CraftFantastic.com and I might select your project to share on Facebook and/or the blog! If I do, I'll send you a coupon to receive 10% off your next online order at Craft Fantastic as a "thank you"! Come on, let's see those photos! 

Dimensional Trays with Fantastic Glaze & Glue!

I love the look of dimensional trays using resin to suspend chunky charms and gems in it's clear base, but I don't care for the fumes and chemicals that tag along when using it. The Craft Fantastic Jeweler's Glass is such a beautiful and safe alternative, however, while the glass is perfect for showcasing photos and art images, it's not quite as useful for the chunkier bits. For today's project, I opted to forgo the glass and ended up with some lovely dimensional pieces.

Let's get started...

What you'll need

Assorted Craft Fantastic Trays -  Squares and rectangles were definitely easier to work with for this project as we carry perfectly sized art images to fit them making them easy to trim out.

Assorted Craft Fantastic Art Images

Fantastic Glaze & Glue

Charms

Gems

Scissors

Stylus

There's not too many supplies needed for this project, which makes it easy to gather everything and get started. I made three of these pendants and by far the medium square and the long rectangle trays were the easiest to work with. The medium square images and the long rectangle images are perfectly sized to fit those trays. The large oval I trimmed out was more difficult. I ended up tracing a piece of large oval glass onto my image and cutting around it, then positioning it in the tray and pulling it out to trim off excess paper in tight areas. This took awhile, so I highly recommend sticking with the medium square and long rectangle to keep this project quick and easy. 

Start with trimming out the selected image. For this example I used a medium square tray and opted for a medium square image from the Paris Art Image Sheet.

Apply a thin layer of Fantastic Glaze & Glue in the bottom of the tray using the nose of the bottle to spread the glue evenly. 

Gently press the image into the glue using a stylus to push the corners of the image into place. Be sure to press the center of the image down as well or the image will bubble in the middle. Glue should ooze out from around the edges. 

Once the image is in place, apply another thin layer of Fantastic Glaze & Glue on top. Don't leave any bare spots, but don't go too thick either.

Now the fun part! Press your charms and gems into the glue and let it set. It will take a very long time for these to cure because of all the glue used (maybe days), but be patient and you will have something fabulous to show for your efforts in no time.  

Here's my finished piece. 

And a few more...

Give this easy project a try! In addition to charms and gems, imagine using tiny buttons, trims, little bits of lace, glitter, etc. to bring these special customized trays to life. I think I'll invest in the 8oz bottle of Fantastic Glaze & Glue just to be sure I have plenty on hand to make these fun pendants. 

Subscribe to this blog via email and you'll never miss a post, plus you'll have all of the latest and greatest Craft Fantastic news delivered right to your In Box.  Also, follow us on Facebook for giveaways, product peeks, and project inspiration! See you next week! 

Remembering a Special Furry Family Member

Ah, those furry faces, big or small, canine or feline, or perhaps something a bit more exotic; they all leave an impression on our hearts. Those wet noses nudge us awake in the mornings and they're the first to greet us at the door when we get home. We are their whole world.

The bond created between two beings that rely on each other to such a degree is undeniable. One loves unconditionally and relies solely on the other for not only the rudimentary necessities, but also physical exercise, social engagement, leadership and affection. The other cares for this trusting soul, nurturing it, loving it, watching it grow and blossom. The joy of such a relationship cannot be measured... and neither can the loss. 

When I lost my 20 year old cat, Hunter, I was heartbroken. He was a 12 lb. Main Coon with all of the confidence, sophistication, and grace of a lion. He was far wiser than I could ever hope to be and I could tell by looking in his eyes he had lived many lifetimes. His presence filled our house and the day I lost him our tiny 1100 sq. ft. townhouse felt vast and empty. It's been 5 years and I still think of him daily and miss him dearly.

It's hard to let go, but we can carry a small piece of them with us and that sometimes makes the transition a little easier. I found myself thinking a lot about Hunter the other day, so I decided I would  invest a bit of time in some crafting therapy and create an homage to him.

This process started with combing through photos...LOTS of photos. Each one made me smile and gave me an opportunity to relive a precious memory. The one I used for the piece in the photo below really captures Hunter's character and reminds me of the bond we shared. He would frequently make eye contact with me and I just knew that those green eyes and that intense gaze knew the meaning of life and the answers to all the other mysteries lost on us humans.   

I decided to keep these pieces simple. Nothing too ornate or lavish. My feline companion exuded all the elegance needed to make these special. I opted only to use a small photo and a monogram. After all, Hunter was all class and these needed to reflect that.

It felt good to put these three pieces together and it gives me a way to keep Hunter close. It's painful when a furry family member passes, but I think part of that pain is brought on by our desperate need to hold onto the memory of them and not forget. 

I'm glad I made these and sharing them with you today. This project gave me peace and provided an opportunity to reflect back on some wonderful memories. As I was putting these together, I relished the simplicity of the project and loved that this small effort yielded such a sweet way to remember my furry friend. This made me think that this project might even be a good way to help children transition through this type of loss. The passing of a beloved pet is a difficult event to process as an adult, but for a youngster it can be incredibly confusing and emotional. Creating a simple commemorative piece (no matter the medium) allows us to acknowledge that they are no longer with us, but it gives us an opportunity to celebrate their life and carry them with us in our hearts. That can be immensely empowering during a time when it's easy to feel helpless. 

Thank you for joining me today. Visit me next week for something new.

A Special Halloween Project from Rina Meyers!

It's that time! The evenings are crisp and cool, and the leaves on the trees are beginning their transition into the Fall palette. The lush verdant greens are slowly giving way to rich golds, vibrant oranges and fiery reds. Yes, Autumn has made it's annual debut bringing with it wonderful celebrations that promote the absolute best of this season...Halloween, Dia de los Muertos and Thanksgiving.

I love them all, but Halloween has a special place in my heart. Maybe it's the nostalgic memories of dressing up in my favorite costume and panhandling for candy door to door when I was a kid. Those were good times even if mom did make me wear a jacket over my awesome Wonder Woman outfit. I still knew I was wearing it and it made me feel like a superhero, which is all that mattered.

I loved scouring the neighborhood with a group of my best pals and shouting "Trick or Treat" through an ill-fitting plastic mask that had to be adjusted every time I moved my head. I remember carrying a large orange plastic pumpkin that I hoped would be overflowing by the end of my trek. The more ambitious kids in our group carried pillow cases, which at the time, I thought was strange, but those kids are all probably very successful business people now due to their "think big" attitude. The evening would end by dumping the contents of my big orange pumpkin on the dining room table for all to admire. To me this glorious pile of sugary confections resembled Mount Everest. Much to my chagrin Dad always plucked a few of his favorites out of my hard-earned candy wages, but now that I look back it was sort of like paying a kid tax, so I guess that was fair.

Today, Craft Fantastic Design Team Member, Rina Meyers has tapped into my weak spot for all things Halloween and created a special project that is dripping with spooky details! She has used LOTS of Craft Fantastic trays, glass, chain, and findings to create a gorgeous Halloween Wonderland! Everywhere you look your eyes will be rewarded with yet another fabulous detail. She has also included a tutorial showing you how you to make the vintage Halloween books featured in her design. Be sure to subscribe to Rina's YouTube Channel and you'll never miss one of her posts!

 

Printing Photos and Images at Home

I get questions each week regarding the Craft Fantastic line of products and how to use them with various mediums, but the one that pops up more than any other is the topic of this week's blogpost...

"How do I print images at home to use with the Craft Fantastic glass, trays and findings?"

(The Short Answer - If you read through this post and continue to have trouble printing images at home, the issue is most likely your printer. Your best bet, in this case, is to have the images printed by a professional printer such as FedEx.)

Back to my blogpost... Sure, it's phrased in different ways, but it's the one question that's in the forefront of everyone's creative brain when they first discover how easy and fun the Craft Fantastic products are to use.  

Maybe you want to scan some family photos and create some personalized pieces for special members of your family. Perhaps grandma would love a pendant featuring a picture of the grandchildren. Or maybe you want to make a Christmas ornament using a photo of the house you grew up in as a child to give to each of your siblings. Or maybe you want to scan a picture of some of your own artwork and reduce it down to use on a bracelet. Whatever the case may be, I'm going to try and answer your most common questions about using computer printed photos and images.

I'm going to break this topic down into a series of smaller questions. 

Let's get started...

Can I use real photos or original artwork?

A. NEVER use original photos or artwork. Most photos have a glossy coating which will not work with the Glaze & Glue and the application of the glue might even cause the photo colors to run. Preserve your original photos and artwork by making copies or scanning them into your computer. That way you can make as many copies as your crafty heart desires and still have the originals tucked away in a photo album for all to enjoy years later.  

Is it best to use a laser printer or an ink jet printer to print images?

A. Laser printers produce the best copies, picking up minute details and replicating a vast array of colors, however, ink jet printers have come a long way, baby, and produce pretty good looking copies, as well. Some ink jet printer ink will smear when used in conjunction with the Glaze & Glue, but over the years this seems to happen less and less. I think vast improvements have been made to the production of ink jet printers, so print some images and give your ink jet printer a whirl to see if it will work. I've not had any problems with my home printer (its' an HP and certainly nothing fancy), but if you do run into an issue with smearing, you can always take your photos to a professional printer such as Fed Ex and have them print some inexpensive laser printer copies for you.

What type of paper should I use?

A. I know that there is the natural inclination to go fancy and expensive with paper, but in this case, fancy schmancy paper is the enemy. The best paper for this process is a standard 20 lb text weight copy paper found reasonably priced at Walmart or any of the office supply stores. Steer clear of glossy photo paper or any other coated papers as these will not allow the glue to bond the paper and the glass cab together. In fact, the Glaze & Glue will not cure properly and will most likely cause the image to eventually smear. Also, don't go too heavy. Cardstocks usually consist of layers of paper and when the Glaze & Glue is applied it can sometimes cause those layers to separate and may even cause your bead to fall out of the tray. So, in the case of paper, a cheap, standard, text weight paper is the best.

What type of paper are the Craft Fantastic Art Images printed on?
A. The Craft Fantastic Art Image Sheets are printed on brochure paper. It almost feels like a heavier magazine type paper. At first you might think this looks like a coated paper, but it is actually quite porous and therefore it works well with the Glaze & Glue.

UPDATE (June 16, 2016) - I want to also add that our Art Image Sheets are printed by a professional printing company. We don't have access to information regarding the brand of paper used or the exact process. The sheets are printed to our specifications using brochure paper. We cannot be sure that the brochure paper available in big box office supply stores is comparable to the paper used by our printer. When printing at home, we always recommend using a standard 20lb text weight copy paper.  

How do I resize my images?

A. Once you have selected the image you want to print, you can resize the image in your printer settings by reducing the scale from 100% to whatever size you want. You may have to print a few test copies to get it just right, but thankfully we're using inexpensive text weight copy paper so the loss is minimal.

What if my image smears?

A. Not all printers are created equal. We still occasionally encounter a printer that will smear the image when the Glaze & Glue is applied. This is rare nowadays, but if you run into this problem have them copied at a professional printer such as Fed Ex. 

What if I absolutely hate the way my jewelry piece turned out? Do I have to throw everything away and start over?

A. NO! Never throw a Craft Fantastic project away. If you have already affixed the glass cab into the tray, gently pry the tray out with a craft knife. Continue to scrape the tray until you have completely removed the Jeweler's Dot. Soak the piece of glass for a few minutes in very hot/boiling water. When it's cooled enough to touch, use your thumbnail to scrape the softened glue and image away from the glass. Continue to scrape until the glass bead is completely clean and ready to use again. Then take that piece of glass and tray and create something wonderful!