Thursday, January 31, 2013

Not your everyday Valentine's Day wreath



Hello all! It's Arin here and I'm back to share a sweet Valentine's Day wreath idea with you combining Globecraft and Piccolo products and an everyday household item you probably have lying around in your laundry room!

Love is in the air and so is my obsession love for clothespin wreaths. I wish this idea was my own, but sadly no. However, I saw the idea a while back and have been holding out making one specifically for Valentine's Day, using some of my favorite Globecraft and Piccolo products!



Arin Flynn
A Piece of Life's Pie
Materials List: 
  • G&P Key to My Heart Charm Set (used only the mini hearts and keys)
  • G&P Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze
  • G&P Glastique Matte Finishing Glaze
  • G&P Embossing Powder Adhesive
  • G&P Poodle Skirt Embossing Powder
  • G&P Berry Red 3D Enamel Gel
  • G&P Pink Rose 3D Enamel Gel
  • G&P Protectant Easy Grip Tweezers
  • Queen and Co Trendy Tape-Valentine's Day Collection
  • Recollections Tinsel Glitter- Cherry
  • Recollections Course Glitter -Cherry
  • Recollections Extra Fine Glitter -Cherry
  • 6 inch wire wreath (found at local craft store)
  • Rust-olium Painter Touch White Gloss Spray Paint
  • 19 wooden clothespins
  • Gesso white acrylic primer paint
  • Close to My Heart - Embroidery Floss Baby Pink and Cranberry
  • Recycled 1 1/2 inch ribbon from a gift from Pottery Barn Kids
  • Heat Gun
  • Foam paint brush
  • Scissors
  • Straight pin

Step 1: Prepping the wire wreath and clothespins:
Using a white spray paint, paint the wire wreath 2 coats per side and set aside. Prep clothespins by applying two coats of Gesso acrylic primer paint with a foam brush and let dry.


Step 2: Applying Piccolo Enamel 3D Gel to clothespins and Globlecraft and Piccolo book board charms: Apply Piccolo's Berry Red and Pink Rose 3D Enamel Gel to four clothespin tops and set aside to dry. Then apply Piccolo's Berry Red 3D Enamel Gel to one each of the mini hearts and mini keys from the Globecraft and Piccolo My Heart Charm Set. To assist in applying the 3D Enamel Gel to both the mini heart and key, use a straight pin. Set aside to dry. Repeat on other side.


Step 3: Applying Glastique Matte Finishing Glaze and Glitter to clothespins: Apply Glastique Matte Finishing Glaze to the top surface of of 3 clothespins, then dust each with glitter (used for this project was tinsel glitter, fine glitter and course glitter) and remove excess glitter and set aside to set and dry.

Step 4: Applying Embossing Enamel to clothespins and book board charms: Using Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive apply one coat to two clothespin top surfaces and to the mini heart and key charms from the My Heart Charm Set. Dust each with Piccolo Poodle Skirt Enamel Powder and use tweezers to handle the mini heart and key charm remove excess enamel powder. Set with a heat gun and let cool and then repeat the heat enamel process again two more times starting with the Piccolo Embossing Enamel each time (this will add a nice smooth texture, amazing depth of color, sparkle and dimension to the charms and clothespin surfaces). Once set and cool, repeat on other side of the key and heart. Once enamel powder is set and cool on both clothespins and charms, apply Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze to each area that has enamel powder (use straight pin to assist in applying Glastique on mini charms). Set aside to dry.


Step 5: Adding Washi tape to clothes pins: Using nine clothespins, secure the washi tape to the top surface of each clothespin and trim all edges to size to the top surface (lining up one edge of the washi tape to one side of the clothespin and trimming down the excess is a quick and easy method to this process).


Step 6: Securing clothespins to wreath and adding final touches: Once all components are ready, begin to assemble the wreath by attaching the clothespins inward clipping them to the first three wire rows in a pattern of choice, leaving about an 1 1/2 inch gap at the top of wreath for the charms and hanging ribbon. Using embroidery floss, hang the mini hearts and keys to the open 1 1/2 inch area (be sure to secure the heart and key by knotting it at the top of the charms). Loop the ribbon through the wreath and it is ready to be displayed.


To see how the other half of the Globecraft and Piccolo My Heart Charm Set was used to make a romantic and easy table-top decor to coordinate with this sweet Valentine's Day wreath, head over to my blog, A Piece of Life's Pie.



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Tips for decorating G&P Bezels


Hi everyone, Rebecca here with a few ideas you can use on the new G&P Bezel designs! One of the greatest things about all G&P bookboard products is that they are a blank canvas, just waiting for your ideas to spring to life. You can use so many techniques and mediums on them, and I want to show you two ideas to keep in mind when creating with G&P pieces.




Use paint: I love painting by hand. If it sounds scary or you don't believe you have the talent to do it, just remember that expressing yourself is the greatest thing you can do and you don't have to be Picasso to paint simple things! On this new large circle bezel (above) from G&P, I did a very simple sky scene with clouds, sun, and rainbow. The piece is full of whimsy, and it's unique! I urge you to try painting a scene, it really is relaxing and brings a great sense of accomplishment!

                                              
Use pretty papers: This is a fun and easy tip, just pick your favorite patterned paper and adhere it to the piece using G&P Glastique. When dry, cut along the edges, and distress/ink it for depth. Then just decorate as desired. You'll get lovely results with minimal effort!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Tips & Tricks: Creating texture with Glastique


Hi, it's Candy with a neat trick I discovered using Glastique Gloss.

Glastique Gloss is a clear, dimensional adhesive and sealer that has a beautiful shine to it.

Because it is dimensional, it dries exactly how it is applied. If you drag a squiggly line and let it dry, you will have a raised, clear squiggly line when it is dry.





For this frame, I applied Glastique Gloss to this frame that I painted black. Then I used a paintbrush to drag the Glastique around. I kept going from the outside toward the center. With each swipe, I got a larger edge of Glastique on each side of the paintbrush, which I thought was a great way to add texture and a bit of shine. (In this picture, the Glastique is still wet, so it is opaque, but will dry clear.)

Be sure to wash your paintbrush immediately when doing this ... otherwise your bristles will be glued together!


Here is a photo after it dried ... notice the texture inside? In contrast, the outside frame is coated in Glastique Gloss straight from the bottle. Two great looks with one product!


Monday, January 28, 2013

This steampunk airship is smokin' hot




Hello crafters! Chrissy here with some steampunk fun using G&P embossing powders and the G&P Classic Airship.

Here's the breakdown on how I put together my airship and the product I used. 
  • Embossing Powder Adhesive
  • Piccolo Embossing Powders: Vintage Black, Copper Kettle & Gilded Rose
  • Steampunk Airship Kit
  • Glastique Finishing Glaze
  • Vintage Gears Set
  • Floral Whimsy Accents
  • Halloween Graveyard Haunting Accents



Christina Colón
The Twisted Muse
Every piece of this project has been heat embossed using Piccolo embossing powders and then glued together using Glastique. You will have to excuse the nature of this tutorial. Once I got into my groove, I forgot to take the pictures! Doh! 

First, I embossed all of my little pieces.










While those were cooling off, I embossed the rest of my pieces and starting putting the main elements together.


Tip: Use a fine-tip paint brush to apply Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive onto the tinier pieces.


Start building and layering your elements. I used foam adhesive so that there was added dimension.







I like adding other Piccolo pieces for visual interest and to make my airship more unique. You may recognize the gears from my last post. Told you I had a project in mind for them!

I also used a small flourish as the 'smoke' and cut another flourish in half for the decoration on the hull of the ship, both from the Floral Whimsy Accents set. See that spiky 'Mohawk' on my ship? That is the fence from the Halloween Graveyard Haunting Piccolo Accents set!




And there you have it! You can use any G&P colors of embossing powders you like or you could even use paper, which will probably be my next idea.

For another steampunk tutorial, head over to The Twisted Muse and see how I made a piece of jewelry!  Thanks for taking a look!

Friday, January 25, 2013

Wearable Valentine's Day Bling


Hello! Tracy here again with another tutorial this time using Globecraft and Piccolo for a little bit of Valentine's Day wearable bling! As you already know Piccolo bookboard charms come in all shapes and sizes, but did you know their lovely heart shape jewelry and card decor kits are just perfect for Valentine's Day crafts?



Tracy Alden
Art Resurrected


Supplies:
  • G&P Key to My Heart Charm Set H006
  • G&P Keys to My Heart Accents H009
  • G&P Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze
  • G&P Ruby Red Slippers Embossing Powder
  • G&P 24K Gold Embossing Powder
  • G&P Piccolo Embossing Powder Adhesive
  • Piccolo Easy Grip Tweezers
  • Gold Bail
  • Red Real Silk Cord Necklace with Lobster Claw Clasp
  • Red crystal stickers
  • Gold jumprings
  • 2 Earring wires
  • Flat nose pliers


Carefully remove all of the Piccolos from the chipboard frames. Separate the large heart, the two small lock hearts and the large keys from the keys shown. Place all of the other pieces to the side for Steampunk Valentine, check out my blog for that tutorial. :)


I applied
Embossing Powder Adhesive to the hearts and keys. Then I coated the keys with 24K Gold Embossing Powder and the hearts with Ruby Red Slippers Enamel Powder, heat to set.


Use Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze to glue on the red sticker gems to the keys and hearts as shown. Let dry.


Carefully apply Glastique Gloss Finishing Glaze to the front of all the elements. Let dry. Repeat for the back of all of the pieces.


Open up jump rings and put one through each of the loops on small heart locks and keys, close jump rings.


Add a mini jump ring to the earring wire and attach to the jumpring on the heart lock, repeat for the other earring. Add three tiny jumprings (in succession) to the jumpring on the large key and attach to heart lock. Repeat for the other earring.


Open the gold bail and put it through the loop on the large heart locket. String on the silk cord necklace and crimp the bail shut.


You can give the jewelry set as a Valentine or wear it to be festive!

Jump on over to my blog Art Resurrected for a Steampunk Valentine tutorial for using the extra Piccolos from this project!


Until next time, safe travels!



Thursday, January 24, 2013

A Cute Cuckoo clock!


Hi everyone, Rebecca here to show you how to make an adorable embellishment with the G&P Cuckoo Clock.

Supplies:
  • G&P Cuckoo Clock
  • G&P 3D Enamel Gels
  • G&P Glastique Gloss
  • Kaisercraft  Fine & Sunny Paper
  • Kaisercraft Fine & Sunny Layered Chipboard
  • Acrylic Craft Paint



Rebecca Price
Distress to Impress
I knew as soon as I laid eyes on the G&P Cuckoo clock that I wanted to make it into a focal point embellishment for a scrapbook layout. I love this shape because you can go elegant and vintage, or trendy and cute. I wanted a cute vibe so I chose to cover the body of the clock with fun patterned paper. This is easy to do, I simply traced the shape onto patterned paper, cut it out, and adhered it to the clock with G&P Glastique Gloss. I also used G&P 3D Enamel Gel in Napthol Red to cover the bottom ledge of the birdhouse body.


I needed to color the rest of the pieces in order to build my clock, so I turned to the G&P 3D Enamel Gel colors Cobalt Turquoise, Leafy Green, and Napthol Red. I colored a few pieces with acrylic paint as well. After coloring the pieces, they needed to dry so I left them to set up. During that time, I kept busy by planning and beginning the rest of my layout.


When the pieces were all dry, it was time to assemble the clock. This is easily done by using G&P Glastique Gloss as an adhesive!



Now that my adorable cuckoo clock was done, I finished scrapping my layout. I think having such a bold, beautiful embellishment truly makes this page about me and my scrappy Bestie sing!


Can't get enough G&P goodness? I don't blame you one bit! Head over to my blog  Distress to Impress to see how I used the G&P Keys to make a border for heritage and vintage pages.