You are Invited to a Witches Cupboard Charm swap!

The years theme is "Witches Cupboard"

Think of something you might find in a witches cupboard!
Keep it spooky and wicked.
No cutesy, please.
The older looking...- the better!

Size: Charm should not exceed 1 ½" and must included a jump ring.
All charms should also include a  ATC.

ATC's are coordinating  art cards that measure 2 ½" x 3 ½".
One side is the artistic expression, while the other side provides the theme of the swap and the artists info.
Shop my ATC stamps here if you like!



You can get idea's from our past swaps of what materials can be used~ shrink plastic, wire, bottle caps, rusty things, glass, clay, recycled, felt,soldered, fabric, buttons, beads, findings...
The only requirement I have it to make something that you would like to receive and make sure it is durable!

~Idea's of what you can make...

• Tiny potion bottles
• Creatures of the night...
• Mini spell books
• Witches brew ngredients...dried bat wings, eye of newt, toe of frog, tongue of dog.... 
•  Voo-doo dolls
• Crows
• Black cats, Owls or Bats
• Poison apple
• Skulls
• Crystal balls
• Caudron
• Witch hat
• Broom
• Bones
• Candles

 I'm sure you can "conjure" up something!
Sign up by E-mail me with your Name, mailing address.

Last day to sign up: August 31st
Or when we reach max amount of 25 participants.
To be included in this swap you need to email me your name and mailing address.

Final headcount and shipping/packaging instructions will be posted by email on September 2nd. 

 Finished charms are due to me (in my hands) no later than September 30th.
It is very important to meet your deadline date. If for any reason you cannot meet this
date (illness and emergencies do happen), please let me know immediately.

Happy Creating!

How to Personalize Cards and Envelopes with Rubber Stamps

Here's a fun way to add a personalized touch to cards and envelopes using one of my stamp designs!

Supplies:

1. Dandelion Bursts Background Stamp
2. Patterned paper with a simple design.
3. Card blanks and matching envelopes.
4. Paper trimmer.
5. Black ink
6. A large stamping block to fit the 3 ½" x 5" stamp.
7. Favorite adhesive.

 Trim your paper to fit the front of your card blank. Then stamp the Dandelion Burst Background onto your paper.

 I left room at the bottom to write a special sentiment if needed....

  For the inside of the envelope, just trim a stamped piece in half and adhere to the inside.

 Here are some other variations.

So fun!
Feel free to join our Sin City Stamps fan page for more idea's!

How to make a Faux Blooming Cactus with Foil!

When I saw how beautiful and rich the Emerald/Gold Glossy Foiled Paper was, I just 'knew' I needed to make a cactus of some sort.

Supplies:

• Emerald/Gold Glossy Foiled paper
• Petaloo Flowers
• Floral Craft Cube
• Small terra cotta pot
• Sewing pins, both standard and decorative.
• Scissors
• Green spray ink

1. Carefully carve your cube into a mushroom like shape with a knife over a trash can. It will get messy!
2. Roll the top part of the carved piece onto a hard surface. This will 'round' out the edges and make them smoother.
3. Place you carved piece on a paper plate and spritz until it is evenly coated. Place this outside in a sunny spot to dry.

4. While your piece is drying, you can start to texturize the foil. To do this, place your foil green side down onto a foam mat or the underside of a mouse pad. For the 'tool', I cut a small rectangle from clear plastic. Can you see it in the top left photo? I made quick indentations going one way, then rotated the foil and made more indentations, criss-crossing until I had 'spine-like' designs.

5. Next I cut about (15)  1" x 4" strips of the foil with a few to spare.
6. As shown in the photo above, I pinned them in place, leaving the center open. Then I flipped it over and pinned the rest of the strips at the base of the cactus. I added more strips as needed to fill any gaps.

7.  I assembled the flowers, securing them at the top of the cactus with the decorative pins.

I love the color contrast, just like a real blooming cactus but with out any prickly fuss!

Please visit  Rinea Inspires for more foil idea's!

Tea in The Garden Sun-Catchers with Laura K. Bray Stamps

I've known Laura for many years. While our children had their play-date...us mom's had a craft date!

So, when Laura asked me to guest design for her new line of rubber stamps, of course I said yes! How exciting for her! Laura's stamps, Tea in the Garden, are super cute and fun for any project!

 The stamps come pre-mounted with a rubber cling backing. So all you have to do is cut them out, peel off the backing and start creating! Plus they come with a clear plastic sheet to safely store your stamps when you are done with your project.

To make sun-catchers like mine, you will need the following:

1. Tea in The Garden Stamp Set, by Laura K. Bray
2. Stamping block 
3. A black pigment ink pad
4. Colored permanent markers
5. Colored tissue paper
6. Clear contact paper
7. Clear plastic (packaging from a store bought item)
8. A large beverage cup to trace
9. A hole punch
10. Scissors
11. Colored beads and fishing line 

 Trace the top of your cup onto the contact paper and the plastic.
Trace the bottom of the cup onto the tissue. Cut all of these out.

 Place your stamps onto your block, ink and stamp carefully onto the tissue paper.
(It helps to have a piece of scrap paper under the tissue paper while you stamp and color)

 Color in the stamped design with your markers. When done, flip the tissue over and color in on the other side.

Peel off the backing on the contact paper circle and lay face up.
 Next, carefully place your tissue paper circle in the center of the contact paper.
Take a brightly colored marker and draw a simple design onto the tacky party of the contact paper.

 When you have finished your design, you can place the plastic circle on top.
 Flip over and smooth out any bubbles with your fingers.
Punch a hole at the top and thread your fishing line and beads.

 Hang in a bright sunny window for all to enjoy!
Happy creating!

Rinea Paper Foil Goddess Canvas Art!

Check out this Goddess I made with Rinea Paper Foil.
Isn't she heavenly?
I had so much fun creating her, I hope you will too!

• Rinea Metallic Foiled paper
• Sapphire Star Struck Foiled paper
• a canvas
• Any face photocopied on the lowest ink setting.
• Gold embellishments
• Decorative paper
• Paper or floral roses
• Decorative punch
• Foam tape
• Scissors
• Old paint brushes and a round foam stencil brush
• Tacky glue
• Acrylic paint is shades of: white, cream, blues, pink, orange, yellow
• Glitter
• Fine permanent pen in black

Using the round foam stencil brush, start painting at the top of your canvas with the darkest of your blue paints. Gradually lighten the blues as you work your self down into the pinks and yellow paints.
Twist the foam brush as you work to make the painted circles seem 'cloud like'.

Glue your photocopied image onto sturdy craft paper and cut out. Paint the face with white and cream colors. Then add some color for the cheeks, lips and eyes. When the paint is dry, accent features with the black pen. Cut out her outline including hair and torso. Trace her cutout onto the canvas. paint some vibrant colors around the traced design.
Adhere your cutout to the traced design with some diluted glue. Leave about 1" from the edge of the cutout without glue.

Measure your paper foil to be about 5" wide. Starting from the outside, gently crumple the foil towards the center. Then crumple into a neat ball. Next un-crumple the foil, careful not to tear it as you unravel it. Smooth it out as neat as possible.

Cut your foil into ray-like shapes as shown.

Use a old paint brush to spread glue onto the foil.

Place your rays onto the canvas, tucking the ends just under the face cutout.

When all your rays are in place, begin cutting your sapphire paper foil and decorative paper into crescent shapes.

These crescents were approximately 4" wide. Begin adhering them with glue around the face.

The purpose of the "crescent" shape is to  frame the face and to portray the movement of a shawl or scarf.

For the body, you can start gluing down overlapping layers of block/crescent shapes from the patterned paper.

Add more sapphire foiled paper as desired and then start adding thin curved strips of the gold paper foil as desired.


For this goddess, I added gold star shapes.
Finish with your paper roses and more patterned paper.
Accent with glitter and punched foil shapes as desired.
 

Thank you for coming, I hope to have inspired you!
See more idea's on the Rinea blog!

Embroidered 1st Aid Kit

Here's something I made to hold my 1st aid supplies while recently camping with my sons Boy Scout troop.

 Supplies needed:

• Joy embroidered iron-on numbers and letters (found at Michaels and Hobby lobby)
• Zippered pencil pouch
• Hot iron set to cotton setting

Iron-on your numbers and letters to your pouch according to the Joy package directions. Use a pressing cloth to prevent damaging the bag if it's made of nylon. Fill the zippered compartments with first aid items, and done!

See more idea's on the Joy blog!