Altered Drawstring Bag

Mar 30, 2015

Altered Drawstring Bag

I found this cute canvas linen drawstring bag in the dollar spot at Target. I loved it so much that I grabbed all they had knowing I could alter them throughout the year. This design was super easy to make and is perfect to fill with Easter candy. Supplies Used: Easter Elements Tim Holtz/Sizzix Die, Burlap, Trim, Seam Binding, Fabri Tac, Pearl Beads, Silver Blank Disk, Jump Rings, Head Pin Tools Needed: Die Cutting Machine, Scissors, Bench Block, Brass Hammer, Long Nose Pliers, Metal Stamps Metal Stamping Supplies can be found HERE at PJ Tool Jewelry & Craft Instructions:  Using the Easter Elements die and burlap, die cut the bunny. Using Fabri Tac attach the bunny to the front of the bag Using Fabri Tac attach trims all around the top section of the bag as...

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NEW Handmade Penny Candy Dolls

Jan 29, 2015

NEW Handmade Penny Candy Dolls

I’ve added two new doll designs to my Etsy Shop. These Handmade Penny Candy Dolls are created by me from vintage dolls in my collection. They are perfect to alter for art projects or jewelry designs. Each set includes 3 dolls per pack and measure approximately 2.25″ tall. Since these are all handmade each doll will be unique and have its own vintage charm. I ship Flat Rate so please email me if you wish to purchase more than one item as I can get several purchases in the same box. My email address is...

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Making Your Own Headpin

Aug 15, 2014

Making Your Own Headpin

This is one of my favorite headpins to make and add to my Boho chic style jewelry. It’s super easy and really unique. All you need are wire cutters, 20 gauge wire, a hammer and a steel block. Using wire cutters, cut a piece of 20 gauge wire to 2″ in length. The angle of this photo makes it look as though it’s less but believe me the wire is 2″. Using a hammer, flatten one end of the wire as shown. You want the end to be flattened wide enough so the bead you will be using does not fall off. Next, thread the bead onto the wire then wire wrap the bead onto the wire as shown in this previous wire wrapping tutorial. Here is an example of how the beads look...

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Charm Bracelets and Bangles

Aug 13, 2014

Charm Bracelets and Bangles

I love the sweet sound of charm bracelets and I’m so lucky to have my grandmother’s charm bracelet. I still remember the sound her bracelet made as she wore it. I LOVED being able to find the engraved charm with my name and birthdate, it hung nestled among all her grandchildren and other special charms she had been given. These two charm bracelets are crafted from hand cut vintage tin, that I cut, sanded and turned into charms. Each charm creates a soft sweet sound that reminds me of a wind chime far off in the distance on a Texas farm. I accented each charm bracelet with a strand of pearl like beads and the bottom charm bracelet has vintage clear glass beads wire wrapped and attach between the tin charms. Each bracelet is a one of a...

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Handmade Gifts are Best

Jul 25, 2014

Handmade Gifts are Best

I truly believe a handmade gift is one of the best gifts one can receive. I know I love to receive anything handmade. The thought that someone took the time to make something special just for me, means more than I can describe. If you are just starting out in hand stamping jewelry charms or are thinking about starting this charm is something you can create fast and easily. One tip I have for beginners is to start out with ImpressArt Soft Strike Metal Stamping Blanks. These are amazing!!! The stamping blank used in my example is the Pewter, Square, 15/16″ Item # IAD13102. I secured the blank onto a stamping block using stamp straight tape. Don’t even try to stamp your metal without using this awesome tape. I promise you stamp straight tape saves you loads...

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Tin Necklaces

Jul 15, 2014

Tin Necklaces

Not only have I been making cuff style bracelets but I’ve also been making some cute simply stated 24″ necklaces. This necklace is what I call a dressed up version of a dog tag. Since I like my items to have a distressed feel before stamping my word I gave the metal tag several whacks with my brass hammer. Once I the silver metal tag was banged up a bit I metal stamped the word smile onto the silver metal tag using what is now my favorite letter stamp set 3mm Newsprint lowercase by ImpressArt.  I applied some Mustard Seed Distress Paint with my finger into the stamped letters then instantly wiped away the excess with a paper towel. Next I wire wrapped some beads to create a charm and BAM just like that I was done....

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Solitude Leather Bracelet

Jun 6, 2014

Solitude Leather Bracelet

I made this bracelet the other night and love it so much I thought I would share a quick tutorial so you too can make one. Just a little note… the crystal and pearl beads are from old necklaces I’ve found in thrift shops or flea markets and the gold heart charm and red and gold glass bead are some mom and dad found. You can find similar items I’m sure but if you really want that vintage charm you need to dig around thrift shops and flea markets for items you can take apart. Cut a piece of 15m Suede leather cord that is double the length you wish your bracelet to be. Fold the cord in half, at the bent end about .5″ down from the bent area wrap tightly a piece of...

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The Newfangled Neo Chain Blog Hop

Mar 18, 2014

The Newfangled Neo Chain Blog Hop

It goes without saying that there are so many different types of chain to choose from for stringing and sewing projects. Dazzle-it NEO is a new collection of chain and findings featuring classic colors with a new age twist! The vivid colors are quite eye catching and make a great accent to your jewelry designs. Mix these colors together for an extravagant look or simply add them together with black or white beads to pop the individual colors. The possibilities are endless. For this fun blog hop I was sent the black and white chain and findings to use to create what ever items I wanted. I decided on creating a matching necklace, bracelet and earring set. The NEO chain glitters because the cut in the chain exposes the brass beneath, which worked perfectly...

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Hammered Metal Heart Charms

Mar 13, 2014

Hammered Metal Heart Charms

Each of these hearts literally took me 10 minutes to create. If you want to make some for yourself you will need a Steel Block, Metal Stamping Hammer, 16 Gauge Wire (I used Permanently Color Copper Silver Wire and Copper Wire) and Wire Cutters. To begin creating your heart charm using wire cutters, cut a piece of wire to about 6 inches in length. Form a heart shape then twist the ends of the wire together several times. Place the heart onto the steel block and hammer the wire until flat. You can create texture by using the ball end of your metal stamping hammer. Once you have the heart charm as you like, using wire cutters, cut off the twisted end of wire at the base. If you have a rough edge just...

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Stamped Penny Charm

Feb 20, 2014

Stamped Penny Charm

The other day, I was searching on Pinterest for a charm bracelet I saw months ago made from squished souvenir pennies. I have so many of these from places we took the girls when they were young as well as from my travels. I love charm bracelets so I am absolutely going to make this bracelet. I’m one of these crazy people who cannot pass up one of these penny machines. While searching for the charm bracelet I stumbled upon some charms made from hammered pennies with metal stamped words. After seeing these it got me to thinking about the cute “Coffee Break Ring” I saw on the Resin Crafts EnviroTex blog create by Carmi Cimicata and in no time I made this charm for my daughter, Ansley. She loves the story “Alice in...

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Mini Shadow Box

Feb 19, 2014

Mini Shadow Box

Here is another example of creating a faux soldered border using metal foil tape and zig zag decorative scissors. I think this type of edge really completes a project beautifully. The mini shadow box is filled with one of my handmade Frozen Charlotte dolls that I altered with paint, some Maya Road Paper Posies, an Altered Maya Road Wooden Button and a punched butterfly accented with a Maya Road Rhinestone Trim piece. I cut a piece of Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 Clearly For Art Modeling Film and covered the shadow box front to keep everything in place, just another awesome use for this fun product. The patterned papers used are by Pink Paislee. Yes I do hoard this paper line. I love everything Rebecca designs. This shadow box hangs by beautiful rosary type beads and has...

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Handmade Eclectic Jewelry

Jan 29, 2014

Handmade Eclectic Jewelry

Lately, I’ve been creating unique pieces of jewelry in my studio using bits & pieces of vintage jewelry I’ve been collecting. The heart shaped pendant in the photo above is one I cut from copper sheeting, soldered and accented with a vintage postcard image, red rhinestone trim and German silver glass glitter. The front and back of this pendant is covered with a layer of clear resin. Then I created the necklace from pearl, iridescent pink and red beads. This bracelet is created from a vintage earring that I could not pass up at a flea market. I LOVE the coral color and all the detail. The scallop lace around the outer edge and flower center is so intricate. The earring is attached to a bracelet that has a spring type hinge. This type...

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DIY Valentine’s Day Charm Bracelet

Jan 23, 2014

DIY Valentine’s Day Charm Bracelet

This bracelet came to mind as I was strolling the aisles of Hobby Lobby. I love just roaming around looking at things and really love it when inspiration hits. I’ve created this tutorial so you too can create this super cute charm bracelet to wear for Valentine’s Day. To make your bracelet you will need to head to the Valentine’s day aisle to get these cute miniature cookie ornaments (on sale right now for 30% off) then head to the jewelry aisle to get this chain bracelet, some silver 2″ head pins, silver jump rings to make wire wrapped bead charms and some silver earring hooks. I already had pink and red raspberry beads as well as iridescent (large & medium) and pink (small) glass beads to make the triple bead charms. If you...

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Resin Charms

Jan 6, 2014

Resin Charms

This weekend, I had fun making this bracelet and an assortment of charms using glass shards. I have a serious love for glass of any kind so it only makes sense for me to wear it as well. Soon I’m going to be listing some of these charms in my Etsy shop. I have two finishes ~ Classic and Boho Chic. The bracelet seen here has a Classic smooth finish. The Boho Chic finish has a textured surface that can be seen on some charms below. These charms have a Boho Chic finish. They have a slight rustic feel to them. I think these will look nice strung onto a leather cording or Hemp style necklace. They will look perfect with jeans or any casual attire. These charms have the Classic finish. I think...

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Mini Snow Globe Charm

Dec 19, 2013

Mini Snow Globe Charm

As soon as I saw the adorable snow globe charm created by Margot Potter I knew I had to make one of these little cuties. Although, I created somewhat of a Texas sized version. I love wearing big chunky charms and thought this would make for an adorable holiday piece to wear on a simple silver or ball chain style necklace. I pretty much created my charm exactly as Margot,  although I didn’t have to trim off the top of a bottle brush tree as I had one that was super small and fit inside my bottle perfectly. All I needed to do was snip off the wooden base of the tree using wire cutters. Supplies Used: 2″ Glass Bottle with Cork (Tim Holtz), .75″ Mini Glass Bottle with Cork (Maya Road), Tinsel Trim,...

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3rd Annual Creative Retreat ~ Bellagio ~ Class 2

Nov 22, 2013

3rd Annual Creative Retreat ~ Bellagio ~ Class 2

I shared a sneak peek of my “Textile Collage Sampler” a few days ago and today I’m sharing a sneak peek of my second class “Charmed Memento”. In this class I’ll show you how to take a simple wooden spool and turn it into a beautiful piece of wearable art. You’ll use pieces of linen burlap and scallop trim to cover the spool then add accents of iridescent rhinestone trim and vintage buttons. You will create a unique charm holder from copper wire that will attach to the base of the spool to display charms like a miniature handmade crocheted doily lovingly created by my mom, a vintage button, a glass bottle you fill with a bit of sand from Lake Como and a chandelier bead ready for you to add words to from a...

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Delight In The Art of Collage Kit 3 ~ The Playroom

Jun 14, 2013

Delight In The Art of Collage Kit 3 ~ The Playroom

This kit reminds me of all the Moms that have said, “If you kids don’t clean up this playroom right now, I’m throwing everything away”. It’s filled with so many items you would find scattered all around a playroom. Delight In The Art of Collage ~ Kit 3 ~ The Playroom is filled with vintage and non-vintage game pieces, wooden blocks, bingo cards, pages from children’s books and so much more, just look at the long list of contents below. Each kit is filled with awesome items that are perfect for creating three dimensional collages and assemblage type art. Kit Contents ~ 10 Vintage 1903 Flinch Playing Cards 2 Community Chest Monopoly Cards 2 Chance Monopoly Cards 3 Real Estate Monopoly Cards 9 Playing Cards (70’s Design 5 Fuchsia, 4 Teal) 3 Vintage Bingo...

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Dazzle-It Bracelet & Charm Tutorials

Apr 8, 2013

Dazzle-It Bracelet & Charm Tutorials

One thing I love is being asked to create items with products I have never used before. I’m always up for the challenge and get so excited when the mystery product lands at my front door. I do have somewhat of an idea of what product is coming just not the exact items so really it is exciting. So when Carmi Cimicata asked if I would be interested in trying some Dazzle-It products I was pretty happy. Anything Carmi is associated with I’m all in as Carmi creates some of the most amazing jewelry. If you’re not familiar with her blog Resin Crafts you can check it out here… you will be so amazed and inspired.   Click HERE for all the Links to these amazing jewelry projects When I received my envelope from...

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DIY Super Easy Bead Charm

Mar 7, 2013

DIY Super Easy Bead Charm

Making a charm really cannot get much easier than this one. I recently purchased Margot Potter’s 1 Pound Luxury Bead Soup Mix and as soon as Ansley saw the neon beads she instantly claimed them as hers. This bead mix is filled with all kinds of awesome beads. When I poured all the beads onto my work table I was thrilled with the wide assortment. Ansley decided she wanted a double sided charm so I placed the smaller of the neon beads on one side and once the Diamond Glaze is fully dried I will fill the back side of this charm with the larger neon beads shown above. To create this charm I used Diamond Glaze, Neon Beads, a sprinkle of Iridescent Glitter and a My Jewelry Shoppe 3/4″ Circle Double Sided Bezel...

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EnviroTex Jewelry Clay

Feb 14, 2013

EnviroTex Jewelry Clay

Oh goodness do I have an awesome and amazing product to tell you about today. As you know I love EnviroTex Jewelry Resin, well at CHA they released their new EnviroTex Jewelry Clay. I got to play with it during a make n take/demo and this stuff is amazing! I created the blinged out charm using this clay and honestly creating cannot get much easier. You can watch a short video on their website HERE. EnviroTex Jewelry Clay is easy to mix, shape, mold and add texture. It will adhere to stones, crystals, glass, metal, wood etc. and when fully cured it has a smooth porcelain like surface that can be painted, sanded and drilled. This product is AWESOME! To create the charm shown above all you need are the following supplies: Round Bezel,...

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EnviroTex Resin Button Charm

Feb 8, 2013

EnviroTex Resin Button Charm

I love my “Vintage Button Bracelet” so much I decided to create a matching charm to wear on a necklace. Using Nunn Design Glue I attached a piece of vintage ledger paper inside the bezel. I only put one coat of glue on top of the ledger paper since just a bit was going to be seen. If the resin produced stain marks on my paper I was not going to worry about it. But I’m happy to say one layer of glue did the trick. But I’m not going to push my luck with just one coat if I want more of the paper showing. I will do 2 or 3 glue applications because you know how Murphy’s Law works… Once the glue dried I placed a vintage button that was slightly smaller than...

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