The Hollywood Sign

View of the Hollywood hills from the top of the Griffith park
observatory.

Puppy Love! Dogs at Weddings? wedding patterns for your pups

picture from weddingwire.com

The music plays, the doors open, the guests rise and here comes . . . a dog wagging down the aisle? Yes it is true! Dogs at weddings are more popular than ever. On the most important day of your life, you don’t want to leave out your best four legged friend! Have your pup join in the bridal party!

You might be planning on having your dog serve as a ring bearer or little flower pup at your wedding. If you are then you will need some spiffy clothing to go along with your bridal party. In my latest book, Bow Wow WOW! I have patterns for both a bride and groom outfit for dogs. Both patterns can be adjusted from a tea cup to a large dog.

If you are thinking about having your dog at your wedding, check out the following websites for tips and tricks to including your pup in the ceremony. Ehow, The Knot Message Boards.

The Bride costume from Bow Wow Wow!

detail of flowers - can be made in any color

The Groom from Bow Wow WOW!

full view

Get a copy of the book at Barnes and Noble or Amazon!

Step by Step instructions!

Creative Juice Re-Craft Book: Tie Dyed Slips

Creative Juice Re-Crafting Book:

Tie Dyed Slip Dress

click picture for a larger detail pic

Transform a plain slip into a funky and flirty tie dyed creation. The dyed slips can be worn over a pair of leggings or skinny jeans and they look especially cute with a little pearl button cardigan.

Supplies:
A pale-colored nylon or silk slip
Fabric dye
Rubber bands
Rubber gloves
Washing machine
Mild detergent
Sequins or rhinestones
Jewel glue

Steps:
1. Wash the slip to remove any sizing if you are working with a new slip.

2. Saturate the slip with water and wring out any excess water. This will allow the dye to distribute evenly.

3. Lay the slip out and fold the slip up in an accordion fashion.

4. Bind off the slip in 6 sections using rubber bands. Make sure the rubber bands are tight. Where ever the rubber bands are the slip will not dye.


5. Mix dye according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Wearing rubber gloves submerge the slip into the dye bath. Allow the slip to remain in the dye according to manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Rinse the slip until the water runs clear. Remove the rubber bands. Wash the slip in the washing machine with a mild detergent. After washing the slip in the washing machine, you may want to run an empty load with bleach to remove any residual dye.

7. Allow the slip to dry. Use jewel glue to add sequins/rhinestones or other trims and embellishments.

If you like this project then you might like my book - Creative Juice, 45 Re-Crafting Projects. You can get it at Barnes and Noble or Amazon!

Make it: Gardener Lotion Bar

From the Nature's Gifts episode of Creative Juice!

Smooth out skin's rough edges with a homemade lotion bar. Perfect for gardeners, knitters or anyone who needs a little soothing care for their hands. This easy recipe is so good for the skin!

Gardener Lotion Bar

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. beeswax pellets
2 tbsp. regular cocoa butter
3 tbsp. shea butter
2 tbsp. sweet almond oil
2 tbsp. calendula oil
¼ tsp. vitamin E acetate
soap bar mold
glass measuring cup
small saucepan
popsicle stick for stirring
optional – essential oils

Steps:

1. Mix ingredients together in a very clean glass measuring cup. To create a double-boiler, place the cup in a large pot filled with enough water to come half-way up the height of the cup.


2. Heat the mixture on medium heat, stirring until all ingredients (except essential oils) are blended together.

3. Remove from heat and add, if desired, several drops of essential oil for fragrance.



4. Pour into a mold and let cool for approximately 30 minutes before popping the bar out of the mold.

5. To package as a gift, wrap in a cello bag and tie or staple a handmade gift tag, silk flower or decorative ribbon to the package.

Link-O-Rama

Aileen's Musings
Get your groove on with Aileen's tie-dyed deli paper background technique. While your at it download her freebie fractal backgrounds!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
How do you brand yourself and your business? Alexa shares how she brands herself and offers some helpful marketing and graphic design ideas to help you build yours!

Blisstree Arts
Many of Cyndi's favorite Photoshop tricks!

Cathie Filian
Forget about "gone fishing" signs and "golf anyone" trinket boxes. Grab some fabric paints, freezer paper, iron-ons and get creative making one-of-a-kind fashions for your pop, pal or hubby.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside has the first in their how to video series, Look, Learn & Create with this week's guest Christi Friesen author of Polymer Clay and Mixed-Media Together at Last, as well as some inspiration and tips for working in series, wordless journaling and a free deer stencil from the new book The Art of Paper Cutting with a how-to for a pattern slider card.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy shows off an oldie but goodie, her old Kenmore sewing machine.

CraftyPod
Sister Diane shares some tips for using Twitter and Facebook to market a creative business.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Connie's Grandmother was a quilter and she's created a special chart to memorialize her. Stitch it up for the quilter in your life.

Naughty Secretary Club
Inspired by Marty Stevens-Heebner's new book Altered Shoes, Jen gives a pair of white cotton Mary Janes a full makeover.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Stefanie's cross stitched up the 7 deadly sins in Latin with a scissor accent and gives you the pattern so you can make it too!

The Crochet Dude
Drew talks about what could be better than a crochet cruise to the Caribbean!

The Impatient Crafter
Madge is giving away a melange of beads from her Bead Board of Wonders and shares a fun mixed media project!

Vickie Howell
Create earth-friendly vases out of re-used mason jars & twine. This one's for both knitters and crafters alike!

Creative Juice Re-Craft Book: Wine Bottle Soap Dispenser

Creative Juice Re-Crafting Book:

Wine Bottle Soap Dispenser

Recycle a wine bottle into a cute soap dispenser. With a little clay and a lot of soap you can have the coolest and cleanest kitchen. This project is makes a great gift...perfect for a new home or open house party. This same technique can be used to create funky olive oil or vinegar bottles.

Supplies:
Wine Bottle
Rubbing Alcohol
Pearl Polymer Clay
Blue Polymer Clay
Clay Roller
Optional: Pasta Machine
Alphabet Stamps
Blue Fine-Tipped Permanent marker
Quick Hold Craft Glue
Large Mouth Plastic Drinking Glass
Dish Soap
Liquor Pour Spout

1. Thoroughly wash the wine bottle and soak the bottle in water to remove the label. Use rubbing alcohol and a paper towel to remove any excess glue/gum.

2. Kneed both polymer clays by following the manufactures instructions for your brand.

3. Roll a thin layer of pearl polymer clay about 1/8 to 1/4” thick using either a clay rolling pin or a pasta machine. This is the base of the “soap” label so make sure it is large enough for your label.

4. Create a circle from the clay by pressing the “mouth” end of the glass into the clay. You might need to give it a bit of a twist. Remove the glass and clean up edges if you desire.

5. Use a rubber stamp to press the word “s-o-a-p” across the clay circle. Clean your stamps right away. Create small bubbles with the blue polymer clay by rolling a small ball of clay in your hands and flatten with your fingers. Apply to the circle.

6. Press clay label onto the wine bottle, working the circle around the curve of the bottle. Place in the oven and bake as per the clay manufacturers instructions – usually about 15-20 min. Turn off oven, using oven mitts, remove the bottle from the oven.

7. Remove the baked clay circle from the bottle and apply quick hold glue to the back of the clay circle. Glue to the bottle in the desired position.

8. Use a thin permanent marker and trace over the letters to add additional details. Fill the bottle with soap and cap off with a pour spot.

If you like this project then you might like my book - Creative Juice, 45 Re-Crafting Projects. You can get it at Barnes and Noble or Amazon!

Make it: Sushi Magnets

Sushi is so yummy for the tummy and double nice when you get to enjoy it with good friends....but don't eat this sushi, because it is made from polymer clay. Each piece was "free form" sculpted - so dig into your clay stash and start creating your own designs. I have included some tips and materials needed to get started.

Supplies Used:
images of sushi (available online)
polymer clay in various colors
parchment paper
cookie sheet
oven
heavy-duty glue
small magnets

Steps:

1. Find some photos of sushi for reference when making these magnets — a quick online search can turn up hundreds of examples. Here is a Google Link to sushi images.

2. Knead the clay for a couple of minutes until it's soft and easy to work with.

3. Using different colors of clay, sculpt small pieces of sushi. Try to capture details like the lines and eyes on a shrimp, the seaweed and sesame seeds in a classic roll-style sushi or the suckers on a piece of octopus. Don't forget to sculpt some green wasabi and pink pickled ginger as condiments.

Tips:
* Polymer clay may leave a residue on hands. It's a good idea to clean hands when switching colors to prevent accidental mixing.

* For custom colors, knead two or more colors together until they blend completely. Or, stop partway through the kneading process for a marbled look.

4. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake the pieces according to the package instructions. Baking times will depend on the thickness of the pieces.

5. Once the sushi has cooled completely, glue a small magnet to the back of each piece with heavy-duty glue. Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours before using.

New House: zebra chair

Here is the new chair for our bedroom! Made by Hooker Furniture (no joke) the chair is called French Quarter. I just love the zebra print and think the chair will smashing with the other new furniture.

At Home Wine Tasting

Robert Hall - Merlot - 2006
around $20.00

Eddie and I are planning a trip up & down the California coast line this summer for our 5 year anniversary. We will be stopping in Wine Country - specifically Paso Robles. We will only have time for 1 or 2 wineries so we have been testing wines in order to narrow down where we want to go. I know...boo hoo....I have to test fabulous wines with delicious cheeses, crackers and marinated olives.

Last week we tested the Robert Hall Merlot from 2006 and we both loved it! You can learn more about Robert Hall at www.roberthallwinery.com. We think this will be a must stop on our trip...but of course we have a few more wines to try.

I whipped up some marinated olives to go along with our tasting. Check out this previous blog post for my recipe.

Creative Juice Now airs in Australia!

Creative Juice Now airs in Australia!

Foxtel - Channel 118 - How To

Monday through Friday - Twice a Day.

Make it for DAD: Fashionista Fathers

Make it for DAD: Fashionista Fathers

Forget about "gone fishing" signs and "golf anyone" trinket boxes. Grab some fabric paints, freezer paper, iron-ons and get creative making one-of-a-kind fashions for your pop, pal or hubby.

T-shirt Dad

Make this easy reverse applique design with a faded eagle iron-on and some iron-on studs. For complete instructions visit my page at Plaid!

Rock and Roll Dad

For this design I attached a flocked skull iron-on to a grey satin tie. I positioned the tie at a slight angle for a little interest. Visit my page at Plaid Online for all the skinny.

D.I.Y Dad

Hammer slinging Dads will love this design! All you need is a bottle Folkart fabric paint and a funky plaid tie. For this design I used the freezer paper stencil technique. For complete instructions visit my project page at plaid.

click to download

Trophy Dad

For this design, I used the same painting technique as in the D.I.Y. Dad tie and I added some iron-on studs.

Click to download

Stenciled and Stitched for Dad

Go free form with this design. Overlap large and small stencils and paint with different colors of Folkart fabric paint. After the paint dries, sew random stitches over the entire design. For step-by-step instructions visit my project page at Plaid.

Max freaking out at the vet

Max gets his check up and shots today! Don't forget to check your
pets records.

Linky Love

Vickie Howell
Need a home decor, quick-fix? Vickie shows you how to use fabric scraps to over those otherwise drab, light switch plates!

The Impatient Crafter
Style Guru Brini Maxwell and The Impatient Crafter Margot Potter want you to join them on their Crafty Cabaret Carribean Cruise in Fall of 2010! Here's the 411!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Sweater Surgery in the Pratt Institute Magazine and Bookmarks You can make at Maker Faire with me!

Naughty Secretary Club
Love the look of the groovy spaghetti string lamps from the 60�s? Make your own with Jen, some yarn, a balloon and a little fabric stiffener.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Connie's been in a Sci-Fi mood lately - check out her Out of This World Patterns.

CraftyPod
Sister Diane shows you how to make a quilted fabric pendant.

Crafty Princess Diaries
Are you cutting coupons these days? Then make this simple little crochet coupon holder to keep them organzied.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Inside peeks into the new books: Mosaics: The Art of Reuse and my shotgun and sea shell stepping stones, SKETCHBOOK and a few of my sketchbook sketches and their end result, Re-Bound and the story behind this month's San Metao Maker Faire (30th and 31st) "Makeready" journal we will be giving away in our booth, and a Sweater Surgery Hello Kitty Sunglass case how-to.

Cathie Filian
Cathie whips up a "no calorie cake" with a few items from the dollar store!

Blisstree Arts
Digital art calls for a creative framing method!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Swelldesigner shares with you why you need a mini idea book !

Aileen's Musings
Aileen has a new tutorial perfect for teen birthday parties!

About Family Crafts
Discover how you can create your own fancy, garden stepping stones.

if u care.... 20 things about me...

1. My maiden name is Bush; I could retire tomorrow if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me if I was related to George 1 or 2. I voted for Obama.

2. My married name is Filian, an Armenian name. (My hubby is half Armenian/half Russian) Our name means Elephant.

3. I worked in film (in the costume department) for almost 10 years. One of my early films was Bottle Rocket and my last film was Vanilla Sky.

4. My husband and I went on one date (Nov. 6th, 1999) before we moved in together. I know – sounds crazy….I got very sick after our first date and he nursed me back to health.

5. My grandmother taught me how to sew at 8 years old - My first sewing project was a pair of pj’s.

6. I have a dog named Max. I dress him in clothes. He loves it – Eddie does not.

7. We call Griffith Park our “Country Club.”

8. I have lots of family – 2 sets of parents, 1 set of in-laws, 1 sister Debbie, 1 brother Mike, 1 sister Erin, 1 step-sister Kathy, 1 step-brother Ken and 1 brother in-law Ruben, 1 brother in-law John, 1 sister in-law Andrea, 1 brother in-law Nick, 1 step brother in-law Tim and 1 step sister in-law Jo-Ellen. I have so many nieces…….8 in total and 1 nephew.

9. I prefer wine over beer, skiing over snowboarding, cream over chocolate, green over blue and I love popcorn.

10. I was nominated for a Daytime Emmy against Martha Stewart for Creative Juice. I was nominated a second time as a producer on my show Witch Crafts.

11. I really do love Mod Podge - I also love E6000 glue, fusible webbing, rhinestones, glitter, my needle nest and my new craft room.

12. I have a Mark Ryden art collection.

13. I once dated a “movie star” – he is in lots of blockbuster films. Sometimes I feel funny when the commercials come on or when my hubby and I pass the billboards.

14. Lifetime movies on Saturday are a guilty pleasure of mine.

15. I knew my great-grand parents.

16. Steve Piacenza and I are as thick as thieves. The first time we went out for drinks (1999) we sang karaoke in Korea Town. We sang, “I got you babe.” The rest is history.

17. I have a fondness for dolls and art with big eyes. My family supports me in my never-ending quest for the best big-eyed dolls and I thank them very much.

18. I am working on an invention that I think can change the world…..UPDATE: my invention is being prototyped with the help of Plaid at Plaid Far East.

19. I was robbed at gun point and once out-drove a tornado…I was pretty far away from the tornado and too close to the gun.

20. I am so happy – I could just giggle!

press: Women's World Magazine

Women's World Magazine asked me, Terri O and Kathy Peterson the question....."I love crafting! How can I do it for less?" Click the scan below to see our dollar saving ideas and resources for good deals!

Click to enlarge

Dollar Store Do Over: No Calorie Cake

Dollar Store Do Over: No Calorie Cake

For this "No Calorie Cake" I used a tortilla warmer, glass candle holder and green taper candles from the dollar store.

I also used some moss, silk flowers and bud sprigs.

Begin by removing the lid of the warmer and discard.
Flip the warmer upside down.

Hot glue moss to the top of the warmer.

Continue adding moss to the top.

Hot glue moss to the sides. Fill in any open spots.

Break apart the petals from a large silk flower.
Glue them in layers to a small candle holder.

Turn the candle holder upside down.
Continue gluing the petals.

Hot glue to the center of the "Moss Cake"

Add more silk flowers and sprays of buds around the candle holder.

Add a bow around the moss cake.

Place on a cake stand!