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May - Impress Art™ Blog Hop and Contest
Published on 2012-05-12 02:00:00
Metal-Stamping Vintage-Craft Frame Impress Art™ Blog Hop Add a touch of romance around your home with this beautiful frame. Simple and quick to create, it is the perfect summer addition to your home. I was so excited when I received my Impress Art™ supplies for this blog hop. They sent me this great hammer that I saw at their booth during the Craft and Hobby Association > read more
Ribbon Bracelet
Published on 2012-05-11 01:30:00
Gossamer wings and warm summer nights are the inspiration for this ultra-feminine bracelet. You don’t have to worry about knowing anything about making jewelry when you create this lovely piece. It’s all about knowing the right products to use. This is so simple to make that you can create one in every colored ribbon that calls out to you. Here are the > read more
Fabric-Rose Bracelet
Published on 2012-05-09 01:30:00
I have a little niece who loves playing dress up. That includes wearing fun bracelets. Inspired by summer and everything pink, I first designed this bracelet with my niece in mind. A garden fairy dancing about on a warm summer evening, as fireflies encircle her hair like a crown would surely love to wear this bracelet. It is about fantasy, femininity, and pure delight. > read more
Mixed-Media Bracelet
Published on 2012-05-08 02:00:00
Mixed-media is a very hot trend this summer. So, when the jewelry supply company, Cousin, asked me to be their guest blogger, I knew that I wanted to create something trendy. A hot 2012 Jewelry summer trend is that bracelets need to make a statement. They need to be bold and slightly over the top. Look for items that mix fabric, metals, and class. This bracelet is the > read more
Designer Craft Connections - Simple & Quick Jewelry Making
Published on 2012-05-07 02:00:00
The first Monday of every month the Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop is where Professional Craft Designers inspire you through our blog posts. Join us as we create a post that revolves around one subject and each of the Professional Craft Designers in our group creates a post about that subject. There are so many great projects to inspire and captivate you. This month, our > read more
Selling Your Crafts - Key Points to Remember
Published on 2012-05-04 02:53:00
Craft-Selling Worthiness What you need to know before selling your crafts. Key Points to Remember This past week we covered some important elements that you should consider if you are going to sell your crafts. The decisions you make can mean the difference between making a sale or taking your crafts back home with you from a craft fair. > read more
Selling Your Crafts - Using Quality Materials
Published on 2012-05-03 03:34:00
Craft-Selling Worthiness What you need to know before selling your crafts. Using Quality Materials One of the main reasons you are selling your crafts is to make money. It is important to get the best price for your raw materials to lower your cost so you can sell your crafts at a good price. However, if you use inexpensive materials that look cheap, your finished > read more
Selling Your Crafts - Color Trends
Published on 2012-05-02 02:44:00
Craft-Selling Worthiness What you need to know before selling your crafts. What You Should Know About Color. Ever see a peacock in person? His rich blues and purples mixed with a touch of green are beautiful to behold. He’s designed to attract a female’s attention. Nature gets it. Nature knows that color is important – and so should you when crafting. As we discussed > read more
Selling Your Crafts - Know Your Market
Published on 2012-05-01 03:00:00
Craft-Selling Worthiness What you need to know before selling your crafts. Know Your Market When making crafts for others, you must envision for whom you are designing that piece. Is your prospective client a mother who loves dressing her little girl in creative clothing or decorating her child’s room in whimsical pieces? Is your prospective client a young professional who > read more
Selling Your Crafts
Published on 2012-04-30 03:33:00
Craft-Selling Worthiness What you need to know before selling your crafts. Gift Card and Envelope Using Sizzix Dies It’s not everyday that I get to attend a craft fair with my mom and nieces, so I was pretty excited as we walked into the craft hall. After all, craft fairs are a source of inspiration. That’s where I had the idea of writing this series – Craft-Selling > read more
Romantically Rustic Bracelet
Published on 2012-04-27 01:49:00
This is one of my favorite bracelets to wear and you will love it too. It's romantically rustic. You can get my instructions for this bracelet at cousin’s website. > read more
Baby Gift Package Embellishment
Published on 2012-04-25 01:46:00
Having bought a large gift for a baby shower, the pre-made bows at the store would look silly on top of the gift. I didn’t know what to do. Then, I remembered those tissue paper flowers that are so easy to make. You can find instructions all over the internet. Because it was a gift for a baby boy, I used shades of blue paper for the flower and green for the “leaves” on the bottom. > read more
Join Me on Facebook!
Published on 2012-04-23 01:41:00
I love Facebook. It allows me to connect with my family and friends on a daily basis. It's fun seeing what is going on in their lives through their written posts and photos. It "ties" us together. Through Facebook, I have located extended family, which allows our families to learn more about our histories and to reconnect. I have always enjoyed being with my cousins. Now, I have the joy of > read more
Photo Friday
Published on 2012-04-20 01:40:00
My photograph for this Photo Friday is a little bracelet that I made with an old spoon. These are some of my favorite bracelets to make. > read more
Gift Tag
Published on 2012-04-19 01:34:00
Needing an embellishment for a little girl’s gift, I decided to use a Butterfly die by Sizzix. I love this die because it’s so versatile. And, if you are going to invest in dies, you want to be able to use them in a lot of different ways. This is the same die that I used for the summer collage in Monday’s post. I glued the butterfly onto the white tag and used a pink ribbon to tie the tag > read more
The Art of Whimsy
Published on 2012-04-18 01:30:00
Make sure to pick up the June issue of Scrap and Stamp Arts for my Art Smarts!™ article on how to create Whimsy in your greeting cards and scrapbooking pages. This six-page article is jam packed with great information. Pick up a copy at your local store or from SSA online! > read more
Spring - Summer Decor Project
Published on 2012-04-16 01:31:00
Give a spring and summer update to your little girl’s room with this fun project. The entire project came together in minutes with a butterfly made from a Sizzix die. Pick out a few scrapbooking papers that coordinate with the colors of the room. Glue them onto a piece of cardboard and place them inside the frame. Glue the butterfly to the papers. Add a fabric flower and some ribbon. I > read more
Photo Friday
Published on 2012-04-13 02:25:00
Forget Friday the 13th. Instead, check out one of my favorite pieces. I love creating unique mixed-media collages. This piece is about 4 by 4-inches and combines one of my digital collages and a polymer clay molding. The clay is dusted with pigment powders for a bit of shimmer. The base is a compressed paper, which makes the piece very light. > read more
Romantic Cuff Bracelet
Published on 2012-04-12 01:17:00
Midnight-Summer Fairy’s Bracelet It was the warmest March on record here in the Northeast (for those who don’t know, my husband is a meteorologist, so I’m always aware of weather things). That was before we returned to a normal April. Still, I am dreaming of warm summer nights when fireflies light the darkness. My longing for summer was the inspiration for this fun bracelet. It is a fusion of > read more
Project ReMake
Published on 2012-04-11 01:02:00
Do you create craft projects that reuse everyday objects and materials? Are you very creative and love taking on a challenge? If so, celebrate Earth Month and enter Project ReMAKE. Schick has joined forces with Amy Smart and Carter Oosterhouse (above) and Make Magazine to kick off Project ReMAKE. It is an online contest that wants you to share your most creative ways to reuse everyday > read more
Let's Get The Party Started
Published on 2012-04-10 07:05:00
Glitter Sneaker Project SheetSummer is coming up and I have a great new project sheet for you. These Glitter Sneakers will melt the heart of your little girl. And the great news for you is, they are simple and quick to create. I made these for my niece and she loves how they sparkle in the sun. They are one of her favorite shoes to wear. You will love how easy they are to make with fabric > read more
Working in The Fast Lane
Published on 2012-04-09 01:32:00
Style and DesignDo you love working in one medium? Many crafters do. Or, are you more like me. Do you love working in many different mediums? You love the challenge of mixing mediums and techniques to create an unique piece of art? As a professional craft designer, I work in a wide range of materials. One day I may be working with fabric paints or markers to create a child’s wearable-art > read more
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet — Shared Pleasure
Published on 2012-04-06 01:13:00
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet — Shared Pleasure It is not easy finding small bunnies to place on the hat. So, we decided to use flowers instead. While I used straight pins to anchor the bunny to the front of the hat, my six-year-old niece pushed the bunny cupcake toppers into the Styrofoam. She then added the Easter eggs by pushing toothpicks into the eggs and then the other end of > read more
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet — Prepping The Hat
Published on 2012-04-05 01:07:00
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet — Prepping The Hat My niece would be decorating the hat, but I wanted to make it an enjoyable experience for her. I also wanted to protect the hat so it could be used after the parade. I went off to one of my favorite stores — The Dollar Store. There, I not only looked for bunnies, but for something with which I could cover the crown of the hat. That’s > read more
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet - The Challenge
Published on 2012-04-04 00:45:00
The Making of An Easter Parade Bonnet - The Challenge “You have to help me make an Easter Bonnet for my Parade, Aunt Carol”. Yes, those are the words that will send a smile across the face of the most seasoned professional craft designer. Here’s a chance to craft with my six-year-old niece. A thousand ideas float through my head as I ask her what she would like to create. “I want bunnies. > read more
Talented Grandmother and Mother
Published on 2012-04-03 04:47:00
I come from a very talented family. My mom is an expert seamstress who made all of our clothes when we were growing up. She even made suites for my brothers and a tux for my dad. She has reupholster her favorite sofa a few times as well. She loves the sofa’s design and just can’t part with the frame. My mom and I get our talents from my grandmother, Juliana, and my grandfather, John. > read more
Romantic Journal
Published on 2012-04-02 04:37:00
This journal is simple and quick to make and is a great project for all ages. The base is a manila folder to which poppy-red paper is glued. Inside pages are tied to the spine of the journal with matching ribbon. Lace is glued to the front of the journal and then Tulip® Beads in a Bottle™ from ilovetocreate.com® are used to embellish the lace. Tulip ® Glam-It-Up! Iron-On Studs™ > read more
Review: Cousin Snap in Style™ and Make the Connection™
Published on 2012-03-30 04:15:00
I received some of Cousin’s new Cousin Snap in Style™ and Make the Connection™ components from Cousin. Have to admit, it was a bit like Christmas to open the package and see all these beautiful jewelry pieces. In seconds, I customized a Snap in Style™ necklace and bracelet to wear out to dinner that night. The necklace components just snapped together, making it simple and quick to interchange > read more
CraftGeek Punch It Tool Review
Published on 2012-03-29 04:48:00
Tool Review While at the Craft and Hobby Association Winter Show, I was introduced the many great products by CraftGeek. This fun punch creates that delicate lace edge around paper. I tried it out and loved the ease with which I was able to create a lace-edge paper for a greeting card and a lace doily for a small gluten-free brownie. The tool has guidelines that help you determine where to > read more
Five Creative Links to Visit
Published on 2012-03-28 04:26:00
The Internet is filled with a lot of creativity. Here, in alphabetical order, are my five favorite places to visit: Betty Crocker - Purse Cake VideoBetty Crocker is the first major company to make gluten-free cake mixes. I may add a little extra gluten-free four (maybe a tablespoon or two) to the batter before trying to make these cake purses. Cool to Craft - Cool to CraftThe name Tiffany > read more
Basket For Your Easter Table
Published on 2012-03-27 04:33:00
Pottery Barn is one of my favorite places to shop, so I thought I would share a fun item I picked up while shopping there. The wire basket comes without any embellishment at all, which really caught my attention. I knew I would be able to embellish it in so many different ways and for many different occasions. While I did purchase this basket, I would think they are easy to make — providing you > read more
Purse Gift Card & Holder
Published on 2012-03-26 04:11:00
One of my professional friends, Eileen Hull, has a great line of dies on Sizzix®. Her dies are created so you can use them in many different ways. Make sure to visit her Sizzix Spring Linky Party. I needed a gift card and holder for my niece’s birthday party, so I grabbed an old white gift box and made the folder and a gift card. I used dimensional bead paint to creat the white beads on the “ > read more
Duck, Duck -- Bunny!
Published on 2012-03-23 05:17:00
Easter is fast approaching and this cute bunny purse is just ducky when you make it with Duct® Tape brand tape. Use two 6-inch squares and three 1/2 by 6-inch strips of cardstock for the purse base. Cover the squares with pink duct tape and then sponge red alcohol ink onto the squares. Attach the three strips of cardstock to the squares with pink duct tape. The bunny is made by using Aleene's® > read more
Snap in Style™
Published on 2012-03-22 05:47:00
Have you ever wanted to create jewelry but just didn’t know where to start? There is a new line of jewelry components that will have to creating your own customized jewelry pieces in seconds. While at the winter Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show and Conference, I went to visit my friends at the Cousin’s booth. They gave me a tour of their new lines. That is where I fell in love with Snap > read more
Making A Good Connection
Published on 2012-03-21 04:18:00
Some rubber stampers asked me how I get perfect images from clear rubber stamps. Apparently, some stampers are forced to use pigment ink, but long to use dye inks. Here’s my secret for increasing your chances of a perfect image and saving money at the same time. I always make sure I wash and dry all stamps when I first take them out of the package. Many times, this will solve the problem. > read more
Child's Room for Spring 2012
Published on 2012-03-20 04:43:00
Looking to give your child’s room a little spring lift without having to spend hours on a craft project? All you need is some paper, ribbon, a bit of glue, some double stick tape, a flower head and a button. This entire project was made with items that I already had around my studio, but you can use papers and other items that you already own. The collage base is a green 12-inch scrapbook > read more
National Craft Month
Published on 2012-03-19 05:07:00
I was sent the following email that I thought you would love to hear about: March is National Craft Month! When Creativity Knocks has teamed up with the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) to bring you a month of getting your craft on! Ana Araujo, When Creativity Knocks Designer, has created an "I HEART CRAFTS" tattoo image for you to use. Grab your FREE PDF: http://whencreativityknocks.com/ > read more
Scrapbook-Paper-Covered Book
Published on 2012-03-15 03:56:00
Walk into a Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware store and you will find the latest trend in home décor. This look is heavy and solid. Weathered furniture gives the feeling that it has been around and passed down from our grandparents. Here’s a simple and quick accessory project that you can do in minutes. It can be done with items you have around your house. Just take a look at the books > read more
New Home Decor Trend
Published on 2012-03-14 04:50:00
While the wearable-art spring trends are all about bright colors, the new trend in home décor is a more masculine and heavy. Solid-looking furniture pieces are rich with embellishments. The woods are given more of a weathered finished. It is a substantial look that gives a feeling of longevity and stability. You won’t find strong oranges and poppy colors, but more of a neutral and > read more
Vintage Jewelry Impressions by Terry Ricioli
Published on 2012-03-13 05:37:00
Are you a romantic? Do you love making jewelry? I have to admit, I love making my own jewelry and I am a lover of everything Victorian, Edwardian, or Renaissance. When I heard about my friend and fellow professional designer, Terry Ricioli’s new book, Vintage Jewelry Impressions, I asked if I could do a blog post about the book. Every professional designer has their own unique style and > read more
Enchanting Scrapbook
Published on 2012-03-12 04:36:00
Pick up the March issue of Scrap and Stamp Arts Magazine and read my new Art Smarts!™ article, Enchanting Scrapbooking. This mixed-media scrapbook is a charming gift for the little princesses in your life. The article shows you how to distress the cover of an album as well as how to simple it is to create the fairy on the cover. The fairy is made with forms by Polyform and polymer clay. > read more
Spring Collage
Published on 2012-03-09 05:20:00
Pink is a favorite color among many of the women and girls in our family. So, use pink in a craft project and it is sure to be liked. Maybe it is the pink of the cherry blossoms that seem to fill our world or the pink of the tulips that bloom in our gardens, but whatever the reason – we love pink. When it came time to create my project for Viva Décor’s March blog post, I wanted to do > read more
Tea-light Enclosures for your dinner table
Published on 2012-03-08 04:34:00
Spring Lighting Candles can be very dangerous and you never want to use them close to paper. One day, I found these battery-operated tea lights and they opened up a world of possibilities. After all, they are safe to use around paper. While I created the design on these little candle enclosures, you can use your favorite scrapbook or specialty papers. Just remember, you want to use paper > read more
New Rubber Stamping Product from INKADINKADO and eksuccess Brands
Published on 2012-03-07 04:11:00
Gearing Up for Stamping Fun Later this year you will be treated to a whole new way to create professional looking designs in your paper crafting. I was able to get a sneak peek at this fun new product at the Craft and Hobby Association 2012 Winter Show. Inkadinkado® will have a new product called: Stamping Gear. Rubber stamps are placed on a plastic wedge that is placed on this green stamping > read more
St. Pat's Day Paper Necklace to Craft
Published on 2012-03-06 04:47:00
MARCH - NATIONAL CRAFT MONTH Shamrock Green Necklace for St. Pat’s Day It's National Craft Month and to help inspire you to craft, here is a simple craft that kids and adults can make for St. Pat's Day. Keep in mind that St. Pat's Day parades are fast approaching, so now is the time to think about what you are going to wear to the parade. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style this year > read more
Spring Bracelets on Michael’s Arts and Crafts store
Published on 2012-03-05 04:54:00
Spring BraceletWearable Art Spring Trend 2012: Substantial jewelry pieces are HOT! Join in the trend by making this beautiful bracelet for spring and summer. Last week, I opened my email from Michael’s Arts and Crafts store’s loyalty program. It’s a weekly email that announces sales of the week, along with showcasing some of the projects on their website. I was pleasantly surprised that my > read more
Setting Goals In Your Craft Life
Published on 2012-03-02 04:23:00
You might be surprised to learn that my favorite magazine is Inc. Well, my favorite magazine for which I don’t write. Inc. is the only magazine I read from cover to cover. I pour over each and every page learning tips on how to grow my Professional-Craft Designer business. The March issue arrived in my mailbox and I have started my monthly ritual of studying each and every page. One page > read more
Pin It! Just... Pin It!
Published on 2012-03-01 04:16:00
While at the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show and Conference, I was given this and other products from Purple Cow. These are products that I have never seen before. Like most crafters, I enjoy embellishments. This fun product allows you to pin metallic shapes to your paper and fabric projects. They even pinned this metallic butterfly to a large canvas painting. It was easy to do > read more
Serendipitous - A surprising turn of events!
Published on 2012-02-29 04:21:00
Life is always full of surprises. That’s what I love about walking the floor at the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) Trade Show and Conference. Chance meetings creates new bonds and working relationships. I met all of my clients through CHA and enjoy working with them. And, last week I was working on a project for one of my clients. I was using their product to embellish a store-bought > read more
New Product from Jolees: Jolee's Boutique Confections
Published on 2012-02-28 04:16:00
Have you seen these new embellishments for scrapbooking and paper-crafting projects? I have seen these at my local craft store and they really captured my interest. My contact at EKSuccess Brands is quoted: “This month, one of our most exciting new collections is Jolee's Boutique Confections: Create colorful memories with special handmade touches to carry your theme through an event. Jolee’ > read more
Arts and Crafts - Roll On!
Published on 2012-02-27 04:03:00
My husband is the business manager for my Professional Design Company, Carol Heppner, LLC.; because he is part of my company, he attends CHA with me. After my meeting with another company at CHA, I receive a phone call from Paul asking me to meet him at the Purple Cows booth. The owners wanted to meet me. “Purple Cows?” I asked. I wanted to make sure I heard the name correctly. I was > read more
Miniature Mask Pin
Published on 2012-02-24 04:49:00
This miniature mask pin appeared in an arts and craft issue of Belle Armoire by Stampington and Company. Because the mask was so small, it needed to a wire mesh support to keep its shape while baking. I do not remember the issue of the magazine, but they may still have back issue available. After the article appeared and this tiny mask was returned, it found its home in a mixed-media collage > read more
IlovetoCreate to the arts and crafts rescue
Published on 2012-02-23 07:36:00
This year, the Designer’s Showcase was a two-day event at the Craft and Hobby Association Winter Trade Show and Conference. The CHA Professional Designer Section can purchase tables at the Designer Showcase event, which is set up in a room away from the maddening crowds of the trade show. As the Professional Designers were discussing getting ready for the event, a representative from > read more
Mardi Gras Paper Mask
Published on 2012-02-22 05:19:00
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas — Mardi Gras. Maybe it’s the colorful costumes or the imaginative floats. Maybe it’s all the creativity that I love. But my heart has always skipped a beat when thinking about masks. The above mask was create for Somerset Studio using Rubber Moon images. I love the sense of whimsy that is provided by Rubber Moon. The base of the > read more
Wax On! Batik on Paper
Published on 2012-02-21 04:19:00
When I say the word, “batik” do you automatically think of fabrics? What if I told you that you can create beautiful batiks on paper? Seriously. You can. These hearts were created on rice paper using the batik technique, but could I could have easily used white scrapbooking paper and they would have looked just as great. “The dyes,” you ask. The rich dyes I used were from Tulip® > read more
Shutter My Timbers - Choosing Color
Published on 2012-02-20 03:49:00
How do you choose the colors you will use in your craft projects? As a designer, I am always choosing colors for my projects. Many times, the colors I choose depend on what look I am trying to achieve. If I need a client’s project to look romantic, I need to choose romantic colors. If it’s for artwork on a package, that artwork needs to pop and get the customer’s eyes. I choose colors based > read more
Polymer Clay Heart
Published on 2012-02-17 04:23:00
The heart is my favorite shape, so should it surprise you that I use it a lot in my work? I love working in polymer clay and wanted to create a hanging wall pocket. I wanted an update version of a wall pocket using polymer clay instead of using ceramics. This tiny little thing using upcycled necklace parts to hang around the house. You cut out the heart shape and use rubber stamps to create > read more
A heart that was fit to be tied.
Published on 2012-02-16 05:59:00
WARNING: Do not raid your boyfriend, husband, or father’s closet looking for their favorite ties that you hate. Make sure they are really, really, really getting rid of that tie before you grab it and scurry back to your crafting den. Once safe in your craft den… I mean room, you can create a great looking home décor project. This heart was created with a tie that was out of style and had > read more
Spring Project Sure To Make You Smile
Published on 2012-02-15 05:48:00
Long after Valentine’s day is but a memory, this little project will be a fun addition to any room. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and summer. This month's free project for Viva Décor is a collage with a stand using clothespins and aluminum flashing. The stand can be used to display the collage or a favorite photograph. This is so quick and easy to make, you can create it as a project > read more
For Valentine's Day and Beyond
Published on 2012-02-14 06:30:00
At the end of January, I attended the Craft and Hobby Association winter trade show and conference. The show is filled with creativity and excitement. Vendors gather to show their newest products to retailers. As designers, we meet with manufacturers, editors, and publishers. This year, our Designer Showcase case was open to all CHA members. While at the Designer Showcase, my friend, > read more
Spring 2012 Wearable Art Trends - Accessories Part 2
Published on 2012-02-13 03:51:00
Necklaces and bracelets are substantial and multi-layered. They combine traditional metal colors with brightly-colored stones and materials that coordinate with the bright colors of the spring season. Fabrics and leather will also find their way into necklaces and bracelets allowing, mixed-media artists to turn their thoughts to accessories. The heavier-looking necklaces and bracelets have a > read more
Wearable Arts 2012 Trends - Accessories Part 1
Published on 2012-02-10 04:41:00
Lifetime’s Project Runway’s spin-off show, Project Accessories, promises to bring greater awareness to accessories, wearable art, and wearable-art designers. Creating accessories or altering existing accessories will be one of this spring’s strong trends. With garments being sleek, jewelry pieces are making more of a fashion statement. This spring, big is the hot trend. While belts will be > read more
Wearable Arts 2012 Trends - Fabrics
Published on 2012-02-09 04:37:00
The fabrics of Spring 2012 are soft and flowing. The soft fabric gives a relaxed, unfussy look to the sleek, feminine silhouette designs. Many of the fabrics are flowing and provide movement to the design, thus providing another dimension to the garment. Shredded plastic, beads, and feathers are a few of the materials being used for the fringed “Flapper look” of the 1920s Are you inspired by > read more
2012 Wearable Art Trends - Prints
Published on 2012-02-08 04:33:00
Many designers are using color blocking to make a strong statement with their wearable art designs. While some designers are using a traditional approach to color blocking with rectangular shapes, others are updating the technique with a free-style shape that is worked into the design. The trend is to limit the color blocking to two or three colors in the garment. Since the color blocking > read more
Spring 2012 Wearable Art Trends - Color
Published on 2012-02-07 04:24:00
Forget the pale pastels of past spring seasons. Stronger spring colors are Poppy, Geranium, Tangerine, Canary Yellow, Grass Green, Tiffany Blue, Hyacinth, Ink Black, Honey and Sandstone. There are some designers who are also using stronger colors as royal blue. Neon colors are also trending. The above colors are being paired with sandstone or white. However, some wearable-art designers are > read more
CHA - Spring Wearable Arts Report
Published on 2012-02-06 04:01:00
I presented the Spring 2012 Wearable Art Trends report at the 2012 Craft and Hobby Association Winter Show. Here is what to expect for Spring 2012. Spring 2012 promises to be an exciting and creative time for wearable art. Even more crafters will seek fabric-related products to create fashionable pieces or alter existing pieces in order to express their own unique looks. Wearable art > read more
ILoveToCreate™ Blog Hop Challenge
Published on 2011-06-30 00:02:00
Designer Craft Connections Blog HopILoveToCreate® Tulip® Beads in a Bottle™ Paint ChallengeThe T-Shirt Cover Up and No-Sew Bag in my Beach Dreams project was inspired by sunny beach days and the summer-time candy dots that come on a strip of pape > read more
Summer-Time Crafting
Published on 2011-06-14 13:57:00
The Jersey ShoreIt was a beautiful Monday morning and I needed to photograph a project for an upcoming blog challenge. Living close to the New Jersey shore, there was only one decision to be made – “What time do we leave?” We grabbe > read more
Summer Craft Project
Published on 2011-06-03 21:13:00
In This Post:Crafting Summer Fun Free Digital DownloadBrienne Higgins - My Cousin, The WriterTutorials Blog Hop Reminder - Giveaways Crafting Summer FunJune Designer Connections Blog Hop: Patriotic Necklace Summer is the best time for crafting > read more
Mixed-Media Necklace
Published on 2011-05-14 10:36:00
Have some fun when you create and wear this spring-garden inspired necklace.This project has everything – upcycled gallon bottles – rubber stamping – studs – crystals – burnt-fabric flowers. The soft white of the bottles is the perfec > read more
Altered Sneakers - Sneakers for a Playful Princess
Published on 2011-05-12 06:46:00
Altered Sneakers - Sneakers for a Playful PrincessImagine how your little princess' eyes will light up when she sees how you have turned her inexpensive white sneakers into fun play shoes. These shoes will quickly become her favorite. If sh > read more
Romantic Mixed-Media Bracelet
Published on 2011-05-11 11:33:00
Capture the romance of a Jane Austin novel when you make this mixed-media bracelet.This bracelet is perfect for proms, bridesmaids, flower girls, and summer-evening parties. It's perfect for romantic spring or summer dates. You can person > read more
Silk Batik Scarf
Published on 2011-05-10 08:45:00
I've been asked by a number of readers to write a tutorial on how to create batiks. I'm happy to announce that I have created an eight-page booklet on creating this silk scarf batik.The booklet contains:Photographs,Step-by-step instructions,Saf > read more
Blog-Hop Birthday Giveaway
Published on 2011-05-05 00:04:00
Birthday GIVEAWAYJulie McGuffee, host of Scrapbook Memories/Scrapbook Soup TV, is having a Giveaway. May 5th is a great day! It's National Scrapbook day, Cinco de Mayo and her birthday! So, for the month of May the giveaway is a B > read more
Mother's Day Bracelet
Published on 2011-05-02 10:00:00
Create this charming mixed-media bracelet for Mother’s Day and be in style with the hot mixed-media jewelry that is trending this spring and summer. It’s fast and easy to create and is sure to be a favorite. Click on the links in the materials li > read more
Mother's Day Card with Upcycled Fabric Leaves
Published on 2011-05-01 06:00:00
Upcycled fabric leaves on a Mother's Day card? That's right. Not only the leaves, but the tiny white babies breath as well. While they may be too faded or outdated for your home decor, they are perfect for greeting cards for that vi > read more
Wedding Day
Published on 2011-04-29 08:45:00
Did you watch the wedding Friday? It was beautiful, of course. Today, I thought I'd share a wedding album cover that I made for Viva Decor using their products. A plain white album was transformed into a beautiful book fit for a Princess. > read more
Mystery by Hugh Laurie
Published on 2011-04-15 09:50:00
It's no secret that I like watching "House" every Monday. I love the creativity with which it is written, as well as the great acting. When I saw this video of Hugh Laurie perform his song 'Mystery' during an appearance on Inside the Actor's Studio > read more
Signs of Spring
Published on 2011-04-12 06:12:00
The joys I once shared while coloring Easter eggs with my sister, brothers, and cousin are now wonderful memories. Like the time one of my brothers took so long to decorate his egg with wax. My brother tenderly placed the highly-decorated > read more
Spring Greetings
Published on 2011-04-05 14:15:00
Spring! Wonderful, Spring!!! My flowers are in bloom. The beautiful light-green leaves on my trees are making their debut. This is the most wonderful time of the year!Easter Greeting CardEaster is coming soon and here’s a fu > read more
Place-Card Holder
Published on 2011-03-11 22:21:00
Designer Craft Connections Blog HopWelcome to the first official project theme of the Designer Craft Connections Blog Hop: Wedding.That same flower die that I use to create the St. Pat’s Day Necklace on my blog is the same flower di > read more
Published on 2011-03-02 20:20:00
Welcome to the Official Kick-Offof the Designer Craft Connections Blog Hop _____________________________________________________________2011 CHA Convention and Trade ShowI am a professional designer and writer. Every year, I attend CHA. &n > read more
National Craft Month
Published on 2011-03-01 16:45:00
March is National Craft Month and the perfect opportunity to rediscover all that crafting has to offer. Whether you craft to reduce stress, build self-esteem, or for the sheer satisfaction of creating something with your own hands – crafting > read more
Cricut Expression Giveaway
Published on 2011-02-28 12:42:00
The excitement is building as we are just days away from the official kick-off of the Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop and Cricut Expression Giveaway. Cricut LogoOver 40 Professional Designersof the Arts and > read more
Mixed-Media Shoes at CHA
Published on 2011-02-11 11:21:00
The Art to Creating Mixed-Media ShoesLike most women, I love shoes. That passion comes through in my work. A few months ago, Viva Decor hires me to create a showpiece for their booth at the 2011 Craft and Hobby Trade Show and Conference. > read more
In with the new - out with the old
Published on 2011-02-04 15:35:00
New Look After attending the sessions at the Craft and Hobby Association Winter Trade Show and Convention, and reviewing the style of work I am now creating, it was time for a change. I wanted a logo that reflected a more fashion-forward l > read more
New Scrap and Stamp Arts Magazine Article
Published on 2011-01-08 06:50:00
Put some romance in your creative life!Learn how to create my signature paper flower in my next article in the March issue of Scrap and Stamp Arts Magazine. The instructions for the flower also include a full-size pattern. Once > read more
Happy New Year!
Published on 2011-01-05 18:21:00
Wishing you a VERY Happy and Creative New Year!I hope your year will be filled with creative ideas, lots of love, good health, and happiness.CHA - Craft and Hobby Association Show It is a very busy time in my studio as I get my projec > read more
Triple-Play Blog Hop Week 7
Published on 2010-12-16 12:49:00
Merry Christmas! It’s been a busy seven days! Paul and I visited Washington, DC and enjoyed seeing the Washington Ballet’s version of the Nutcracker. The choreography, dancing, costumes, and sets were amazing and inspiring. > read more
Week Six - Triple-Play Blog Hop
Published on 2010-12-08 20:34:00
Snowflake AngelLace-like snowflakes swirling around in the night air gave inspiration for this beautiful Christmas card. The Sizzix® Bigz™ XLDie - Album, Brackets by Brenda Pinnick makes it easy and fast to create a great card on which to di > read more
Week Five - Triple-Play Blog Hop
Published on 2010-12-01 22:41:00
NoelProject and Instructions by Carol HeppnerSizzix® Bigz™ XLDie - Gift Card Holder with 3-D For You, Pop-Up Die by Karen BurnistonTis the season to create your Christmas cards and Karen’s For You Pop-up Die is what you need to s > read more
Week Four - Sizzix Triple-Play Blog Hop
Published on 2010-11-24 21:27:00
Simply GoldenThe scent of pine drifts about my house. I close my eyes and breathe deeply to savor the bouquet. Immediately, memories of my childhood and the many wonderful Christmases I spent with my family fill my thoughts.Ruby red > read more
Week Three - Sizzix Triple Blog Hop
Published on 2010-11-17 22:25:00
One Die - Two ProjectsThis versatile die, Beautiful Bloom flowers by Brenda Pinnick, was such fun to use that I had to create two projects from the flowers. From paper to fabric, you’ll find so many ways to use this great flower die just like > read more
Sizzix Triple-Blog Hop Week 2
Published on 2010-11-10 20:02:00
Romantically Chic Cube ...Twist Cube, 3D Pop-up, Bigz XL Die by Karen Burniston, Sizzix® For Project and Instructions by Carol Heppner Click HereTwist Cube Die: http://www.sizzix.com/product/2381 When we think of parties, we normally focus on indoo > read more
Triple-Play Blog Hop with Sizzix Dies
Published on 2010-10-12 13:07:00
Week 1 - Sizzix's Triple-Play Blog HopYou Make Our House A Home.Click on the Triple-Play Blog Hop Tab (pink tab above) for the instructions to create this fun little house. It will make a perfect gift for the loved ones in your life. The red and g > read more
Coming Soon All-Star Article
Published on 2010-10-01 13:51:00
Learn more about my All-Star Article that will be in the January, 2011, issueof Scrap and Stamp Artsby clicking on the All-Star Tab (above). > read more