DIY MINI CHRISTMAS WREATH

Hello Friends, Welcome back to my blog!! Today am sharing with you all a Christmas wreath made using craft foam sheet. I also have a step by step pictorial for the same.

Materials needed:

1. Foam sheet
2. Scissors
3. Artificial leaves or grass
4. Golden balls
5. Christmas ornaments
6. Glitter ribbon and twine
6. Merry Christmas chipboard
7. Hot glue gun

Cut a circular piece from green foam sheet. Draw another circle inside the cut sheet using compass. Fold it into half and cut along the line drawn. The base of the wreath is ready. I got these plastic leaves  strip from dollar store .

Start gluing the leaves to the base using hot glue gun. Stick as many layers you want to till you are satisfied with the result.

 Draw and cut the template of poinsettia flower on a cardboard. Here I have cut three sized flowers. Using the template on the red foam sheet draw using a toothpick  To shape the flowers expose it to candle flame. Be careful as the flowers may become black. Exposing it to flame makes the flower soft and easier to shape. Glue the flowers together and stick a golden bead at the center.

Attach the flowers to the base of the wreath and start decorating them. I made a bow out of pink ribbon and attached a bell to it. The merry Christmas sentiment and pink Christmas ornaments are store bought.  Finally glued a twine at the top and my wreath is ready to decorate the front door.

This wreath is very simple and easy to make. Its very cost effective too. Hope you all liked this project. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!!!

MIXED MEDIA TAGS

Hello friends, Welcome to my blog!! Today am sharing with you all three mixed media tags made using different techniques. 

I wanted to create an unconventional shaped tag so made this in circular shape. I gave a thick coat of gesso to my canvas paper and then applied texture paste over heart shaped stencil. Then sprayed blue and pink acrylic paints. The colors were soft so to get a brighter tone I loosely applied blue and violet pearl paints with brush. I added some white twine and pasted the flowers upon it. The flowers are handmade using punches.Finally glued a white lace at the bottom and stamped the sentiment. 

For this tag I took a piece of canvas paper and applied orange , brown and yellow distress inks and blended it using a blending sponge. Then I used Americana stencil over texture paste to get circular textures. Once dried I applied golden color to the textures using brush. Then I used Kaisercraft clear stamps and black archival inks and stamped at the top and middle of the tag. I made a loop using a black rope and glued it to the tag using glue gun. Pasted some handmade flowers. To add more interest I have added the golden ball chain. The trail I went to hike this weekend had lots of berry tree branches fallen on the road. So collected a few of them and used  here. The sentiment is handwritten.

This is my favorite of all the three tags. Its because I have used lots of items that are left over in my stash. For creating this tag I took inspiration from Lynn Kopas april tag. I started off by giving thick coat of white gesso to my canvas paper. Adhered the flowers, terracotta beads, glass beads, tooth picks , a piece of burlap cloth , piece of tree branch,buttons, iron on letters etc using tack glue. The flowers are all handmade. These terracotta beads cannot be stringed into a necklace as they got cracked while baking or the holes are not big enough to slide through the wire. I had many beads like that. So this tag gave me an opportunity to use all those beads and the toothpicks used for creating them. Once everything is glued properly I gave  2 thick coats of white gesso. Then used homemade majenta acrylic spray ( acrylic paint + rubbing alcohol+ water) . To make it a little darker dabbed red color randomly using brush. The sentiment is stamped using black archival ink.

Hope you all liked my tags. Keep visiting my blog.

Submitting to

City crafter challenge blog - " Tag" 

LET IT SNOW MIXED MEDIA LAYOUT

Hello Friends, Welcome to my blog!! Today am sharing a mixed media canvas layout with you all. 

Winter has dawned in US and there is snowfall in many states though we don't get any here in California. Every year during the Christmas week my husband gets a week off in his office . So we visit some nearby hill stations to see the snow and play with them. The tall snow covered Christmas trees and the breathtaking snow clad peaks reminds me of my friends words. When we were in college she used to tell me that we at least once in lifetime we should celebrate Christmas in the snow. When I visit places like these I feel like am living her dream and how nice it would be if she was with me then.With these memories flashing in my mind I created a mixed media canvas layout with the theme " Let it snow". 

I adhered strips of white paper to my canvas and gave a coat of gesso. Then created random textures using different stencils and texture paste. Once its dried I sprayed the color shine turquoise blue and dabbed dark blue acrylic paints. I found it to be very dark so gave a thick coat of gesso to tone it down. 

Then glued the image ( print out) which is matted on a white card stock and added all the embellishments. The flowers are handmade using recollections punches. The bird and the tiny rose flowers are made using playdoh.  I used white glitter foam sheets for the leaves. I made small white dots to give the canvas a snowfall effect. The sentiment is handwritten. 

Hope you all liked my layout... Happy thanksgiving to all of you!!

Submitting this to the following challenges:

1.Country view challenges - " Color blue"
2.City crafter challenge blog - " The snow queen" - I was inspired by the colors and the snow
3.The craft place challenge blog - "Anything goes Mixed media"
4.We love to create challenge blog - " Anything inky/creative"
5. Crafty catz challenge blog - " Shades of blue"
6.Alphabet challenge blog - "Tis the season" - I have created a mixed media layout based on the snowy Christmas theme.
7.The mirror crack'd challenge blog - " Water" - I have created this layout based on the theme " Let it snow"

CLAY RANGOLI AND PEACOCK DIYA STAND

Hello friends welcome back to my blog!! As you have seen I have been posting some of the crafts and decorations which I made for the festival of lights. Today am sharing with you all a unique rangoli created using clay. 

I decided to make decorations and crafts with whatever is available to me here. Festivals are never complete with out the colorful Rangoli.  Since I don't have access to rangoli powders nor  a large area I was thinking of some creative way to make this Rangoli. That's when the idea of making rangoli using clay struck me. I had some playdoh left over after using it for Navarathri. So used them to create this  Rangoli.  For the base of the rangoli I cut a round from a piece of cardboard. I drew the design roughly using a pencil and the started to fill the design using playdoh. The diyas are also made using playdoh.

I also made two peacock diya stand inspired by this video : I cut the base from a packaging cardboard and painted the design using acrylics. 

Hope you all enjoyed the festival... See you soon with another post on Diwali decoration ..  Happy crafting!!

T LIGHT HOLDER USING PISTACHIO SHELLS

Hello friends, Welcome back to my blog!! Today am sharing with you all a T light holder made by recycling an old CD and using pistachio shells.

Materials needed:

1. Old cd
2. Pistachio shells
3. Acrylic paints
4. Hot glue gun
5. T light
6. Rhinestones , Pearls and glitter foam sheet for decoration
7. Empty tape roll

Procedure:

Join the empty tape roll and T light using glitter foam sheet. Take the cd and start attaching the pistachio shells using hot glue gun. Leave some space at the center to place the light. 

Paint the pista shells using acrylic colors. You can add a coat of varnish after it dries to get the glossy look . Finally decorate the holder using rhinestones and pearls.

See you soon with my next post... Keep visiting my blog... 

DIYA STAND USING CARDBOARD

Hello Friends, Welcome to my blog!! Its five days more for Diwali and I hope you all are doing preparations in full swing to welcome the festival of lights. Seeing all the lovely Diwali crafts by some of the very talented crafters I couldn't resist myself from doing one. I saw these colorful diya stands over the internet and liked the way the lamps are arranged like a step. So made these two diya stands using packaging cardboard and glitter foam sheet.

This diya stand can be gifted to our friends for Diwali and also it can be used as a home decor. They are not only easy to make but are cost effective.

Materials Needed:

1. Packaging cardboard
2. Craft knife
3. Acrylic paints and brushes
4. Decoration items ( Here I have used glitter foam sheets, golden color lace, sequins and stones)

Procedure:
Draw the design you want on a piece of cardstock and cut it out.

Trace this design onto the cardboard and cut it using craft knife.

Cut a base for the design. Make circular openings in the size of the lamp. I have cut it in the size of the T light.

Cut semi circular cardboard pieces such that they fit inside the openings.

Paint the whole design and decorate them of your choice. Using hot glue gun glue all the pieces together.

Since this is a packaging cardboard it cannot withstand heavy weight so do not place earthern lamps on the openings.

Hope you all liked my craft... See you soon.. Keep visiting my blog...

TUTORIAL OF MAKING THREAD EARRINGS + 2nd BLOG ANNIVERSARY

Hello Friends, Exactly on the same date TWO years back , I started this blog. Its been an amazing two year journey in which I have learnt a lot from my fellow crafter's and the challenges I participated. I thank all my blogger friends and readers for their support and encouragement given to my blog. Keep visiting my blog and do provide your comments/ feedback. 

Now moving onto today's post. Today I am sharing with you all the tutorial of making Peruvian thread earrings. I have made a post on these earrings last year ( see that post here).That was my first attempt and I was not satisfied with the result. I found the making of the coil to be extremely difficult as the wire which I had was little thick so I didn't continue making them. Last month when I had been for shopping I accidentally bought a thin floral wire instead of a thick one for flower making. Since the golden floral wire I bought was easily pliable and flexible I decided to try making thread earrings. 

I followed the tutorial of Ikologee but modified it a little according to the supplies I had.

Materials Needed :

1. Thick floral wire ( 22 gauge)
2. Thin floral wire ( 26 gauge )
3. Embroidery or silk thread
4. Cutter and plier
5. white glue

Silver wire - Thick gauge wire
Golden wire - Thin wire used for making coil

Procedure: VERSION 1: Making coil

Cut two thick wires of equal length. Take the thinner wire and start winding it around the thick wire.
The windings must be equidistant and close to each other. This is the most crucial step. If you didn't get it properly the first time try it as many times till you get a neat coil.

Wrap it around a circular object to remove any bend in the coil. Then join both the ends of the coil together and twist the wire tightly to form a tear drop shape. Take a single stand of embroidery thread and make a knot at the twisted portion. Start reeling the thread starting from the center of the tear drop. 

Continue to reel up the thread in the direction shown till it passes through every winding of the coil. Once finished make a knot at the top and trim the excess thread.

Similarly take a different color thread and start reeling it from the right side.

Make a small coil using the backside of a paint brush. Apply glue at the twisted ends and knots and slide the coil as shown. Make a loop at the top with the thick wire.

VERSION 2: Using small beads

Those who do not want to wind coils but still wanted to make thread earrings can use small beads and gear locks instead of thin wire.

Cut a piece of thick wire and add a gear lock at its one end. Add the beads one by one and add another gear lock at the other end.  Twist the ends of the wire together.

Start reeling the thread in between the beads and finally glue a small coil at the top.

Notes:

1. In the first step while cutting thick wires make sure they are of equal lengths. Leave some space about 2 cm long and then start winding the thin wire. Similarly leave some space after winding the coil maybe 5 cm. The length of the winding in both the wires should be the same to get two similar shaped earrings.

2. It is better to wear rubber gloves while winding the coil as the sharp ends of the floral wire might hurt your fingers.

3. While trimming the excess wire be very careful to avoid sharp ends. 

4. Start reeling the thread exactly from the center point of the earring then only all the winding will be covered. If you start from some other point you will be passing some winding without reeling.  

Hope you all liked my tutorial. Keep vising my blog... Happy crafting...