Spiders made from Beads and Wire - in time for Halloween

There are many tutorials online showing how to make a variety of beaded spiders.  I would have never guessed they were so easy to make until I came across this 3 minute video by BeadClub.  My nieces and I spent 2 nights watching tv, making spiders, and enjoying conversation.  They are soooo much fun!  The video I watched is no longer available on YouTube but I found another easy to follow tutorial by Emilie Lefler (you can easily search for others as well) Here's a link to the quick video and a few pictures of my first creations. BEAD SPIDER TUTORIAL by Emilie Lefler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alr_GaooeaQ

Alice in Wonderland Assemblage Clock Night Light using Oxford Impressions Stamps, Tim Holtz products, Handmade Embellishments

  Finally decided to take the Tim Holtz Idea-ology Assemblage Clock out of its package and make a fun Alice in Wonderland inspired night light.  I used Graphic 45 paper for the background of Cheshire Cat, Oxford Impressions rubber stamps "Classic Alice" for all the figures, embossed with Ranger black UTEE (colored with Spectrum Noir markers), handmade and purchased embellishments.  If you have a question about anything just leave a comment :D ... now down the Rabbit Hole (....of photos)!

There's some texture paste inside the clock too :D oh and the little Q<3 and the knight's cards are from the web as well, just made them different sizes and printed them out.

The Alice's Adventures in Wonderland mini book is simply a clipart from the web, made tiny and I glued some little rectangles of cardstock together, stuck in a wire with a loop, and coated it in Glossy Accents to make a charm.

I used dry wall tape and scraped some Ranger Texture Paste over it ... left on some of the tape and removed other pieces for a fun effect ... drizzled alcohol inks over it ... I love how the Ranger Texture Paste absorbs the colors even after its dry!  E6000 a little crown on the "bell" under the bow.

Little fuzzy, just wanted to show off the mushrooms!  The red ones are purchased and the one with the face I made from polymer clay.

I cut the head, arms and legs off the knight and glued them around a little card I printed out.

You can see where the candle "LIGHT" is poking through, even though you can't see it in the pictures, it's tucked behind the Queen of Heart's dress.

Was playing around with the texture paste on the back plate, but here you can see where I punched a hole in the back plate with a We R Memory Keepers Big Bite and glued a battery operated tea light on with E6000 glue.

Just a better mushroom view :D

Artist Trading Block - with Victorian twinge and Corset Top Hat and Luminary Night Light

A recent craft trend (at least for me) has been the ATB or Artist Trading Block.  Some have called them "Chunky ATCs".  I joined one of the recent swaps on The Craft Hole for a one-on-one swap for a 3" x 3" ATB, so this is my first ATB.

The corset is made from a paper towel (formed around a doll bodice and decoupaged).  This one was a gift to me from Andrea (http://talkinghorsesarts.blogspot.com) last year and I've been waiting for some fun project to give me a reason to decorate it.  The top hat is made from chipboard and wrapped in embossed aluminum ventilation tape. The 3"x3" box is made from cardstock with chipboard overlay & Graphic 45 paper.  Wooden knobs, painted for feet.  I used Tim Holtz' smallest circle die to make "windows" on each side so the flickering battery operated tea light, nestled in roses, could shine through for a night light.  The clear resin pieces were made from molds by me and the clay corset was also made from a mold.  Thanks for looking!

Dark Forest Peacock Feather Birdhouse from Sizzix die and Inka Rubs

Again The Craft Hole posted a challenge that got the fun creative juices flowing.  The challenge was simply to decorate your own birdhouse.  I had the Sizzix 3D Rounded Birdhouse Die and had not yet used it so it gave me the opportunity to give it a try.

Steampunk Zeppelins from Upcycled Trash (Hot Air Balloons on the way)

Using drink bottles, plastic cups, detergent caps, broken ink pens and chipboard scraps with aluminum foil and charms/chains from my stash - had a ton of fun putting together a little steampunk decor.  The big gears cut from chipboard are cut from a Tim Holtz die. Wings were handdrawn.

Dia de los Muertos ( Day of the Dead ) Rosette Challenge with Handmade Flowers

Another challenge from The Craft Hole!  Friday night challenge, to create a rosette (at least 6") and decorations/theme is up to you :)  I had already found this clipart on the net and had it mounted on chipboard with some Triple Thick coating so it worked perfect to have a Day of the Dead rosette.  Dotted paper from BoBunny, all solids, including the handmade flowers are by Bazzill, stamens and feathers just from my stash.  The banner is another clipart printed on the cheap white cardstock from Walmart.

High Heeled Shoe Card, using Graphic 45 An Eerie Tale paper, Tim Holtz Bow Tied and Handmade Paper Flower Roses

The Friday Night challenge at The Craft Hole (Facebook Group) gave us a template and 3 hours to make a card - cards are my bane! They take me FOREVER to get the way I want so I was pleasantly surprised the way this one turned out in less than 3 hours. It was my first time using Tim Holtz' Bow Tied Die (another die that I bought because I'm a crafting hoarder and actually didn't think I'd use much and now realize I'm in LOVE with it and will use it day after day after day). By the way, the die was made so that you can join the bow with the Idea-Ology Tiny Attacher and the center pieces are made to perfectly fit over the itty bitty staple.  The man is a crafting genious! 

There unevenness on the bottom is just a shadow.

The background paper is "Enchantment" - part of Graphic 45's new An Eerie Tale line (gorgeous!) and though the pic doesn't show it well, the bow and bottom of the shoe are a metallic gold.  All flowers were made using the EK Sucess Retro Flower (medium size) and leaves are the Punch Bunch Fern punch, Martha Stewart's Branch, McGill's Birch Leaf Punch, the 3 prong leaf is an end off  a die cut from the Tim Holtz Garden Greens die.  Card is made from Bazzill (brown).  The black little ball embellies were white, but that didn't look so "sexy" so I used the enamel black (model paint) and made the color change. :D  Thanks for looking.

FRIDAY the 13th TAG using Tim Holtz Tag, Apothecary and Cargo Stencil Numbers Dies and Resist Papers

Started making this tag on Thursday night and after seeing a tag challenge on The Craft Hole for a tag on Friday 13th decided to use the newly released CARGO Movers & Shapers Die set by Tim Holtz (put a few in the pic below so you can see how they are arranged.  At first I didn't think I would use them, now I don't think I will stop.  I cut  these numbers out of medium/thick black chipboard and altered them with Tim's Distress Stains and Paints and Ink Gold Rubs.  The test tub on the side is a real pharmaceutical grade glass test tube with a cork, I found both at a military surplus store.  Wishbone=Tim Holtz.  The labels are by 7 Gypsies.  Chain handmade from wire in my stash.  Charms & skull from stash.  Eyelets are WeRMemory Keepers.  In the test tube (since the label I chose stated "CHLOROFORM" I used the Huggies wet wipe I had used to clean the ink off my mat, dried it with the RANGER HEAT IT tool and tore off a piece and stuffed it in the test tube for an aged look.  The skull on the resist paper was initially covered in Picket Fence (white) Distress Stain, then rubbed off, dried, coated in CRACKLE Glossy Accents, and after drying touched with some of Tim Holtz' Adirondack Alcohol Inks.

Altered Wine Corks - Steampunk Nautical / Ocean and Victorian

I love love love altering wine corks.  I'm not an alcohol drinker so I have to be a bit savvy in how to obtain them without paying much for them.  JoAnns has some in their floral department but they were quite plain, you can occasionally get some on ebay or etsy.  However, since I wanted quantity and variety I hit up a local Wine Store!  Just walked in and asked if they had any wine corks I could have or pay a couple dollars for and they loaded me up.  I go back every 2-3 weeks and tip the lady behind the counter $3-$5 or give her a cork I altered and she always seems happy to see me :)  I had started working on these a while back and a swap event over on The Craft Hole ( a Facebook group ) inspired me to finish them up.  I couldn't figure out if I wanted to do Steampunk or Beach / Sea inspired, so I combined the two themes.  I used a 3/4" metal washer, painted it, and E6000 glued it behind an oval glass dome for the large eye, did some wire wrapping and added some charm and crystal elements.  The eye reminded me a bit of a squid eye (except the shape) but round just didn't look right :P

 

Just on a different background so you can make out the flowers better.  These flowers and leaves are from I AM ROSES

Chain and Dangling Rhinestones are from jewelry I took apart -- the porcelain charlotte head with rhinestone collar and metal flower are by Amy Labbe (Art-i-Cake).

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