Cathie Filian {Make Something}

New nail polish.

2012-01-28T14:01:00.001-08:00

I am loving my DIY mani with Sally's xtreme finish. They have the perfect Mod Podge pink and orange.

Pinch Pinch....Our New Craft Line for Mod Podge Releases This Weekend at #CHAShow !

2012-01-26T07:50:00.000-08:00

Get Ready to Mod Podge!

We have been waiting months for this weekend! After this Sunday, we will finally be able to talk about our new product line for Mod Podge!!! We just got the next round of samples in the mail yesterday and WE LOVE IT! Our line has been picked up by Michaels Craft Stores! (more stores to come) The line will trickle into Michaels this MAY on an endcap and by JUNE we will be in the glue aisle for a long time.... :)

One bit of news that I am so excited about.....{{JUMPING UP AND DOWN}}......The Hot Glue Gun Helper finger caps and mat will also be available in Michaels this May/June. They will be sold separately so now you can just get...the finger caps or the mat.

If you are attending CHA - please stop by the Plaid Booth (1918) and see us! We will be doing Make and Takes with the new product line. For more information about CHA please visit this link...

1 Year Anniversary of Hot Glue Gun Helpers and We Are Celebrating With a Giveaway!!

2012-01-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

Our Baby Turns 1!

We are celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Hot Glue Gun Helpers. To say thanks for all the support we are giving away 3 sets of tools, 3 pink glue guns from Adtech and 3 finger caps!

We feel so blessed by all the support and encouragement from crafters and indie-retailers!!

THANK YOU!!!

How TO ENTER?
 Join our new facebook page


If you are already friend on our new page then leave a comment on this blog post.  Tell us a Hot Glue Story or just say hello!

Be sure to leave your contact info so we can contact you!

________________________________________

Have a peek at the journey!

This was stage one of the felt, cardboard and bamboo skewer prototypes. So funny to look back!

Hot Glue Gun Helpers make their debut at CHA and they were a hit! Crafters were delighted and excited!

Round two of the prototypes! Getting Closer!!

Our photo shoot for the package!

The first box is opened!! Yea!

If you want to snag some now, please visit our official shop at etsy.

The business stuff....

All items are provided by me (Cathie Filian) and are in accordance with the Blogher Rules.

To enter: Join our new facebook page or leave a comment to this post telling us a hot glue story.

Your comment MUST link to your particular blog or web site or include your e-mail address. Otherwise, I won't be able to get in touch with you if you win! Any entries that do not include some way of getting in touch will be disqualified.

Deadline: Comments must be received by midnight Jan 30, 2012. Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.

You must have a mailing address in the United States of America. (sorry international folks!)

Weddings : Rustic Bridal Brunch : Wood Burned Chargers and Altered Glass Plates

2012-01-24T07:39:00.000-08:00

Rustic Bridal Brunch: Wood Chargers and Leaf Plates

Up next in the series of posts about the Rustic Bridal Brunch from Creative Juice is the wood burned charger and altered plate. The chargers really make a statement and they make a wonderful gift for the bride. They are awesome on a Thanksgiving table. The plates have a temporary altered element (skeleton leaves) that can be washed off and the plates. The plates can then be reused for any occasion.

To get started, Use tracing paper and a printed graphic of the initials you want to place on the charger. This charger was from Walnut Hollow. I just love the rustic bark edge. Visit their page here.

Next, use the wood burning tool and the tip of your choice to burn the letters into the wood charger. You can add additional elements and designs. Make sure you follow the instructions on the tool package. This is not kid friendly...the tip of the tool gets very hot!

Next, add a stain or a clear finish to seal the design.

To create the skeleton leaf design on the plates we used Mod Podge to glue the leaves to the underside of the plates.

Pour a little Mod Podge onto a craft mat. Dip the leaf into the Mod Podge. (Skeleton leaves are available at most craft stores.)

Position onto the backside of a glass plate. Use a damp cotton swab to clean the edges if needed. Allow to dry. This plate is designed to be temporary as this will not withstand washing. You can hand wash the top of the plate. To remove the leaf... soak the plate in soapy water and wash clean. Mod Podge is non-toxic.

DIY: Valentine Candy or Gift Box with Altered Cherubs

2012-01-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

Valentine Gift Box with Altered Cherubs

Here are some new cuties in the shop. They are perfect for altering with paints, inks and glitter. Please visit the materials list at the end of the post for all the items used.

Begin by painting the cherubs with gold paint. For this design I used 3 coats of FolkArt Gold paint.

Next, I applied Mod Podge with a detail brush to the areas I wanted to glitter.

Sprinkle with glitter.

Paint a paper box with the same gold paint.

To finish off the box, I Mod Podged a piece of paper to the top of the box. (BTW - the paper is a sneak peek at our new line of papers - Summer 2012) Next, I hot glued the cherub to the top of the box and I added gems to the top. Lastly, I hot glued a strip of metallic ribbon around the edge of the lid of the box.

Materials Used:

Cherubs for Altering by Cathie Filian Supply

Paintbrush

Gold FolkArt Paint

Mod Podge

Glitter

Paper Box

Cathie and Steve for Mod Podge Paper (Michaels - Summer/12)

Scissors

Foam Paintbrush

Hot Glue

Hot Glue Gun Helpers

Rhinestones

Red Metallic Ribbon by Cathie Filian Supply

Weddings: DIY Rustic Bridal Brunch - The Table and Flowers

2012-01-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

The Final Table Setting

This wedding shower/brunch idea is from one of my favorite episodes of Creative Juice. We had so much fun making all the bits and baubles that go into a table setting. I'll be posting the recipes and crafts over the next few days.

Posts to come:

Chocolate Birds and Nests

Wood Burned Chargers

Skeleton Leaf Plates

Bloody Mary Drinks

Eggstarada

Garlic Toasted Bread

Homemade Pesto

Fruit Kobobs

The Centerpieces

For the centerpieces we wanted something that a garden and rustic feel. The vases were from Mosketels in downtown Los Angeles. I have seen similar styles at floral supply and decorator shops. For the flowers we chose large bloomed flowers (hydrangeas), stalk flowers (delphiniums) and delicate accent flowers (Queen Anne's lace).

To view the complete list of materials used to create the centerpieces....please visit this post.

The Tablecloth

The final touch on the brunch table was the tablecloth itself. We laced ribbon trough a piece of fax suede fabric. Super easy and the results were stunning.

How to make the Tablecloth:

Supplies:
60” wide faux suede, cut 2 times the length of your dining table
Iron-on hem tape
1” wide blue painters tape
Ruler
Pen
Craft knife
Self-healing mat
1” wide ribbon, 3 times the length of your dining table

Steps:
1. Hem the edges of the faux suede by folding in each side 1” and ironing on hem tape.

2. Place fabric length on your table and apply painters tape down each side length, approximately 6” from the edge of the table.

3. Using the ruler and pen, mark 1” increments down the length of each taped line.

4. Protecting the table surface with a self-healing mat, slit the tape at each mark with the craft knife. Work down the length of the table on both sides.

5. Remove tape. Lace ribbon through the slits. Gather and cinch the cloth where it drapes off the table by pulling on the ribbon and tying in a bow.

Football Party Today.....Go Niners!

2012-01-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yep - it is true.....some crafty girls like sports (especially playoffs)! Today we are having a small viewing party for the big 49er game. Hubby is from San Fransisco and he is a diehard fan so today is going to be nutz! He has stuck with the team through thick and thin. Hubby even played football in Kezar Stadium...the photographic proof hangs on a wall in our house.

I gotta get my red and gold on and get the chili served up.

Here is the Menu:

Southwest Chicken Chili and Cornbread

(with toppings: chopped onion, shredded cheese, lime, sour cream and Frito chips)

Salmon Pasta Salad

Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Skewers

Roasted Garlic and Crackers

Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts

Chex Mix

Have a wonderful Sunday and GO NINERS!

xo cathie

Make it: Modern Starburst Mirror

2012-01-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

Mod Starburst Mirror
from Creative Juice - Star Bright Episode

Tools and Materials:
(1) 3/16" metal rod (36" long)
(2) 1/8" metal rods (36" long)
Yardstick
Permanent marker
Bolt cutters
Wax metallic finishes
Small circular mirrors: 1/2", 3/4" and 1" diameter
6" round mirror
E-6000 glue
Scrap felt or fabric
5" wooden disc
Paint brush
FolkArt black craft paint
Sawtooth picture hanger
Hammer

1. Use bolt cutters to cut the 3/16-inch rod into four pieces, each 9 inches long. Cut one of the 1/8-inch rods into seven 5-inch pieces, and the other into four 7-inch pieces. Apply a wax metallic finish to each of the cut rods; it may be necessary to apply two coats for a smooth finish. We used bronze for the large rods, gold for the medium rods and silver on the smallest rods.

2. Once the metallic finish is dry, glue a small, circular mirror at the end of each rod with E6000 glue. Match the size of the mirrors to the size of rods (largest with largest, for example). Let the glue dry for at least three hours.

3. While the glue dries, paint the 5-inch wooden disc black. Let the paint dry and attach a sawtooth picture hanger to one side of the disk.

4. Place the 6-inch mirror face down on a piece of felt or scrap fabric to prevent scratches. Cutout a circle of paper that is slightly smaller than your wood disk. Draw 16 even pie shapes. Center the paper circle on the mirror. Make a mark at the end of each line on the template; these are the guides for gluing the rods to the back of the mirror.

5. Once the glue is dry, make a mark on the back of each rod, 3/4 inch from the end opposite the mirror. Apply globs of glue over each of the marks on the back of the 6-inch mirror and glue the rods in place with the mirrors facing down. Each rod should be glued on a mark on the back of the mirror, with the marks on the rod at the edge of the mirror. Alternate rods around the mirror: If the mirror were a clock, we placed the longest rods at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00. The medium-size rods were centered between the large ones, and the smallest rods filled in the gaps.

6. Squeeze out more glue liberally over the center of all the rods. Place the wooden disc on top, centering it on the mirror and lining up the picture hanger with one of the large rods.

7. Let the glue dry for 24 hours or more. Don't move the mirror until the glue has dried completely.

DIY: Desktop Candy Jar for The Manly Man (valentine craft)

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Desktop Candy Jar for the Manly Man

I giggled so hard when I saw this mustache themed scrapbook paper at Michaels.  I really love "the rich uncle" design.  We designed this quick and easy craft for Plaid as a part of our Valentine's Gifts for Him series.  You can see all the designs here.  I know my dad would love this!  He always has a "stash" of Jelly Belly candy on his desk.

For the candy/peanut jar we first painted the jar with Folkart Enamles Glass paint and then we Mod Podged the paper to the outside of the jar.  To make the tattered painted edge we used painters tape torn in half.

Materials:

Rubbing alcohol
Glass canister
Painter's tape

Spouncer paintbrush

FolkArt ® Enamels™ - Berry Wine, 2 oz.

Moustache themed scrapbook paper

Scissors

Mod Podge ® Matte, 8 oz.

Foam paintbrush

Instructions

1. Wipe the canister with rubbing alcohol to clean it. Peel a strip of blue painters tape. Tear the tape in half lengthwise. Tape off the top layer of the canister with the torn edge facing down. This will create a tattered edge.

2. Dip the spouncer brush into the berry wine paint, tap off the excess and tap all over the canister. Allow to dry. Follow the instructions on the bottle for setting the paint.

3. Trim the paper to fit the top of the canister and around the canister. Coat the back of the papers with Mod Podge, position onto the canister, smooth any air bubbles with your finger, wait 15 minutes and top coat with a layer of Mod Podge. Allow to Dry.

Thanks for stopping by!

Join us at our new facebook page!

XO Cathie

DIY: Fashion Collage with Mod Podge

2012-01-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

Stretched canvas is perfect for collage!

Gather This:
8x10 canvas
FolkArt ® Metallics - Rose, 2 oz.
Wood Plaque
FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Peach Fuzz, 2 oz.
FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Belle Blush, 2 oz.
Scrapbook papers
Paper trims and quotes
Foam paintbrush
Mod Podge ® Gloss, 8 oz.
Hot glue
Plaid ® Hot Glue Gun Helpers
Ribbon for around canvas
Silk flowers and pearls

How To Make It:

1. Begin by painting the canvas with one coat of Metallic Rose paint. Allow to dry. Paint the plaque with a combination of Belle Blush and Peach Fuzz. Allow to dry.

2. Trim the scrapbook papers to fit the top of the plaque and the canvas. Coat the back and front of the papers with Mod Podge, position on the canvas and plaque, smooth any air bubbles with your fingers. Using the paintbrush, smooth your brush strokes. Repeat for Allow to dry. Continue adding paper trims and quotes using Mod Podge.

3. Hot glue the plaque to the canvas, add flowers and pearls near the plaque. Hot glue ribbon around the outer edge of the canvas.

DIY: Mod Podge Cufflinks ((Perfect for Valentine's Day))

2012-01-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

DIY: Mod Podge Cufflinks

Someone once told me that men did not like handmade gifts......I called BS on them. Boys, Guys and Men all love handmade gifts.

Here is a quick craft idea that can be whipped up in under 1-hour. Look for cufflink blanks at bead shops, Michaels and Jo-Anns.

Follow this link for the project instructions>>> Cuff Links

Altered Valentine Candy Box with Mod Podge and Chipboard Letters

2012-01-18T16:21:00.000-08:00

Someone named Eddie is in for a sweet treat this Valentine's day... :) He is a total chocoholic.

The candy box started as a child's design. First I traced around the lid of the box onto some cute Valentine paper. This paper was in the dollar spot at Target.

Next, I coated the box with a layer of Mod Podge.

Next, I positioned the paper onto the box. Smoothed the paper with my fingers to remove any air bubbles. Waited 15 min. Top-coated with a layer of Mod Podge. Smoothed my brushstrokes. Waited for it to dry.

I hot glued "EDDIE" across the center.

Make This: Bottle Cap Pendants

2012-01-18T12:00:00.000-08:00

Altered Bottle Caps

Here is an oldie but goodie!

This is from season 1 of Creative Juice!

Bottle Cap Charm Instructions:
bottle caps
small images
1" circle punch
Mod Podge
Dimensional Magic
sewing pin
small nail
hammer
wooden board

Steps:
1. If you want to use a jump ring: punch one hole through the rim of each bottle cap with a hammer and nail. Use an old wood board as a work surface. If you want to glue the charm: you will not need to punch a hole.

2. Use the 1" circle punch to cut the image into a circle. Glue the image to the to the inside of the bottle cap and allow to dry. If you punched a hole: Make sure the image is facing up, toward the punched hole. Glue into the cap with a drop of Mod Podge.

3. Seal the image with a thick coating of Dimensional Magic and allow it to dry following the manufacturer's instructions. If you get an air bubble, poke the bubble with a sewing pin. Allow to dry unmoved for at least 24 hours.

4. To make a single pendant, use jewelry pliers to attach a jump ring through the punched hole and slide onto a necklace.

5. You can also glue them to findings, frames, magnets, etc using a strong glue like E6000.

Video Tutorial: How to Make Polymer Clay Beads with the Tri-Bead Roller and Pigment Powders

2012-01-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

Watch us Make Polymer Clay Beads with the Tri-Bead Roller and Pigment Powders. It is a snap!

Materials:
1/2 2 oz. block Premo: Pearl
Powdered Pigments
Sculpey gloss polymer clay finish
Needle
Wax paper
Round nose pliers
Wire clippers
Crimp pliers (optional)
Small spoon of stir stick
Brush for Sculpey gloss
Sculpey Super Slicer
Toaster oven
Aluminum Foil
Oven thermometer
Oven mitts
Tri bead Roller
Acrylic Clay Roller
Jewelry wire
Crimp bead
Crimping pliers
Jewelry spacers

Behind the scenes of Creative Juice

1. Prepare clay: Take 1/2 of a block of the pearl clay and knead it in your hands and with the acrylic roller until soft. Add pigments to dough.

2. Roll the clay into small balls and shapes using the tri bead roller.

3. With the spiral laid flat between to fingers, slide a needle through the center of the bead.

4. Fold aluminum foil into an accordion style shape to keep the beads separated.

5. Bake all 15 beads on aluminum foil accordion for 20 minutes at 275 degrees (F), and allow them to cool.

6. Paint one side of each bead with Sculpey gloss and allow it to dry. Flip bead over and coat the second side and edges of each bead with Sculpey gloss. Allow gloss to dry.

7. Make the bracelet: String one end of the jewelry wire through a crimp bead, one side of lobster clasp and back through crimp bead. Crimp with crimping pliers. String beads and spacers to make the bracelet. After stringing the last bead, thread wire through a crimp bead, the other side of the clasp and back through the crimp bead. Crimp with crimping pliers. Snip ends of wire.

Make it: Grown Up Paper Beads and Rose Quartz Necklace

2012-01-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

On the set of Creative Juice...making beads and stringing them up.

Make it: Paper Beads

Re-Craft tiny scraps of paper into pretty beads.

Materials:
Mod Podge - gloss
Colorful wrapping or scrapbook paper (glossy works best)
Scissors
Bamboo skewers

1. Cut paper into triangles approximately 1" or less across the bottom and approximately 2" long.

2. Apply Mod Podge to the back of the paper.

3. Starting at the wide end of the paper, roll it tightly around a bamboo skewer.

4. Apply glue to the last 1/2" of the paper (the pointed end) and roll into place. Once it dry, apply Mod Podge over the surface of the beads to create a glossy finish.

Make it: Paper Bead and Rose Quartz Necklace

Materials:
2 paper beads
clasp
chain (long enough to make necklace the desired length)
decorative beads (here, two beads were used, one large and one small rosy quartz)
2 jump rings
2 crimp beads
wire cutters
round-nose jewelry pliers
1 head pin

1. Cut a length of chain to use as the base of the necklace.

2. Slide rosy quartz beads onto a head pin. With the wire cutters, snip off the head pin excess, leaving enough to make a loop. Use round-nose pliers to form a loop at the end of the head pin.

3. Locate the middle point of the chain and attach the bead charm you just made to this point. Use pliers to open the loop of the head pin and attach it to the link in the middle of the chain.

4. Slide paper beads onto the chain, putting one on each side of the charm.

5. With round-nose pliers open up the jump rings and attach one to each end of the chain. Attach one half of the clasp to one of the jump rings and the other half of the clasp to the other jump ring. Close the jump rings with the pliers.

How to Make Beaded Beads and a Necklace Too!

2012-01-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

Delicate seed beads are threaded around a larger wooden bead to create beaded beads. They are very easy to make but take a little time. This is a great project to make while watching a favorite old movie.

Beaded Bead Necklace

Gather This:
Large wooden bead
Monofilament line
Seed beads
Scissors
Eye Pin
2 med decorative beads
Flat nosed pliers
Round nosed pliers

Steps:

1. Tie a long piece of monofilament to the large wood bead by threading it through the center of the bead and around the outer edge. Secure the line with a double knot.

2. Beading the bead: Add a seed beads to the line until you have enough to cover the sides of the wood bead. Wrap the line through the center of the bead and add a second row of seed beads. Keep adding beads and wrapping the line through the center of the bead until you reach the end. Secure the end with knots.

3. Making the necklace: The Center: Thread a decorative bead, the beaded bead and the second decorative bead onto the eye pin. Cut the top off the eye pin and make a loop at both ends with round nosed pliers.

4. Making the necklace: The Chain: Cut a piece of chain that will give you the size necklace that you want. (Keep in mind that the beads will add to the final length of the necklace) Cut this piece of the chain in half and attach each half to each end of the center bead. Attach a clasp at the end.

Make This: CHA CHA CHA RING

2012-01-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

Craft up a Cha Cha Cha ring!

You can complete one in about and hour and they are so fun to wear. This project is a great way to use up old beads and baubles. Look for the ring blanks at craft and bead shops.

Gather This:

Looped Ring Blank

Head Pins (one per dangle)

Beads

Wire Cutters

Round-nosed Pliers

Make:

1. To create a charm, thread a head pin through one of the beads (if the beads are small, try putting two or three on each pin). Trim the head pin with wire-cutters, leaving just enough wire sticking out from the top of the pin to make a small loop with the round-nose pliers.

2. To make the ring, make a loop, leaving it slightly open, and link it to one of the loops on the ring blank. Close the loop with pliers.

3. Repeat steps until you are satisfied with the fullness of the ring, keeping in mind you can put more than one charm on each loop of the ring blank.

Happy Crafting,

Cathie

DIY Fashion: Weaving Velvet Ribbon on a Belt

2012-01-12T08:18:00.000-08:00

Velvet Embellished Belts

Altering belts is quick and simple. For this design we punched holes in an old belt and wove velvet ribbon through the holes. This project can be made in under 30 min.

Supplies:
Leather Belt
Sharpie
Circle leather punch (we set ours to the largest hole)
1/2” Velvet ribbon (the length of the belt plus 2”)
Fabri-Tac
Masking tape

Steps:
1. With a sharpie, mark points along the belt about an inch apart.

2. Using a leather punch, punch holes on the marks down the center of the belt. (or along the top and bottom edges)

3. Weaving the Ribbon: Pinch the end of the piece of velvet and wrap it with a piece of tape, like a shoelace. (this will help you when weaving) Begin on the backside of the belt and pull the velvet ribbon through the first hole, leaving a ½” tail. Continue weaving the velvet ribbon through the holes. If there is extra ribbon when you get to the end, just cut it off. Use Fabri-Tac glue to glue the ends of the ribbon to the backside of the belt.

We have a new facebook fan page.....Please join us there! Cathie and Steve Facebook

Off to Dallas....to Judge the Michaels Craft Stores Craft Masters Challenge! So FUN!

2012-01-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Steve and I are all packed and we are heading to the Big D to judge the Michaels Craft Masters Challenge! I can't wait to see all the crafts and fun peeps.

xo - back soon! Cathie

Video: Mod Podge Frame with Zipper Flowers Made with Hot Glue

2012-01-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Have you seen those frames at the craft stores that are under $2 and sometimes only a buck!?! They are awesome for altering. For this project we used tissue paper from a pattern and zippers to create this look.

Tutorial: Tie Dyed Pillowcases with Magic Stamp Foam Stamps

2012-01-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

Tie Dyed and Stamped Pillowcases

Add a little boho flair to pillowcases with fabric dye, paint and an impressionable foam stamp. Just looking at them makes me feel like getting cozy with a cup of coco and a good movie.

Supplies:
Pillowcase
Rubber bands
Rit Fabric dye
Magic Stamp block
Embossing gun
Object to press into the stamp to make an impression, we used a disco ball
Folkart Acrylic paint
Folkart Textile medium
Foam paintbrush
Iron

Steps:
1. Pre-wash the pillowcase to remove any sizing. Wet the pillowcase to ensure that the dye will distribute evenly.

2. Wrap the pillowcase with rubber bands. Bunching and gathering into a ball gives a mottled or marbled look. Gathering the pillowcase at the center, forming it into a cone and putting rubber bands at even intervals will give a bulls-eye shaped pattern. Pinching in the middle, twisting into a cinnamon bun shape and rubber banding will give a striped pattern. Mix the dye according to the Rit package instructions in a basin or bucket designated for craft projects. Submerge in the dye bath for the amount of time recommended on the dye instructions.

3. Heat the foam stamp block with the embossing gun.

4. Press the stamp block onto an object to form an impression. We used a disco ball.

5. Mix the acrylic paint with the textile medium, using the ratio recommended on the textile medium bottle. Use a foam brush to apply a thin layer of paint to the stamp block. Press with light, even pressure onto the edge of the pillowcase. Allow to dry for 24 hours. Iron the stamp to heat set it.

101 Tees: DIY your own team shirt..... OKC Thunder Pride

2012-01-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

Crafty Girl goes Sporty!

I grew up in a sports family.....games and playoffs were always a part of our family rituals. College football and The Yankees were generally top dog when it came to our cheering habits. When I was little it was Boomer Sooner, when I was in school it was The Buckeyes and when I lived in NYC it was the Yankees.

Now that I am a "grown up" married gal (to a husband who is a sports nut) it seems like we are cheering on a different team in a different sport everyday. Our latest team love is the OKC Thunder. You would think that the Lakers would rein supreme in our house since we live in LA, but they don't.

It is all about the Thunder....

back of tee - #35 for Kevin Durant

Let's Get Designing

Print a team logo and player number onto printable fabric transfer paper.

Remember to flip the images before printing.

Following the transfer instructions, iron the image to light colored fabric. I like to use knit fabric.

Once it is cool, lift the paper to reveal the design.

Turn the t-shirt inside out and position the numbers in the top center back of the t-shirt.

Sew around the image with embroidery floss using a running stitch.

Completed stitches.

Flip the tee inside out and cut around the image removing the "blue" t-shirt material. This will reveal the design.

Attach the second image to t-shirt material.

Position the logo in your desired position. For this tee, I position it over the upper chest area. Using embroidery floss and a split stitch sew around the logo. Trim around logo as close to the stitches as possible.

Detail View.

Add decorative free form stitches to the collar edge.

Glue gems to the tee.

Valentine Onesie for Baby in Under 15 min.

2012-01-09T16:48:00.000-08:00

You can easily whip up a Valentine tee for baby in less than 15 min. Really you can! Both designs are from my book, 101 Snappy Fashions. You can check out the book at Barnes and Noble.

For the pink design, I used a rhinestone heart iron-on. So simple. The other design was a vintage Valentine greeting that I scanned, printed on ink-jet transfer paper and ironed to the front of the snap suit.

Tutorial: Ribbon and Pearl Rose Pin.... Perfect for Valentines.

2012-01-06T17:08:00.000-08:00

Ribbon Roses

With a few ribbon twists and drops of hot glue you can whip up a rose pin that has a romantic look.

Gather This: Ribbon, Hot Glue, Pearls, Needle, Thread and a Pin-back.

Begin with 2 yards of 1.5 to 3" wide ribbon. The distressed crepe ribbon used is from my supply shop but you can use almost any wide ribbon or torn strips of fabric. Visit my shop here.

Begin on one end of the ribbon, fold the corner on an angle and hot glue to secure. What is that pink thing on my finger? Hot Glue Gun Helpers.... No more burns!

Begin twisting and folding the ribbon. Hot glue as you twist. Continue to fold, twist and glue.

Continue until the entire length of the ribbon has been twisted and hot glued to the back side.

Flip over and hot glue the tail-end to the back of the rose.

Ready for Embellishing.

Pink embellishing pearls from the supply shop. Visit the shop here.

Stitch a selection of pearls in the center and a pin back to the back.

Kids Craft: Saucy Monster

2012-01-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

Kids Craft: Saucy Monster

I have a great new project for kids - they are kind of like Japanese characters meets Cousin It. I am calling them saucy monsters. Boys and girls really love this project. They also double as banks, secret spots etc. - because you can lift the hair out and place coins (etc) into the bottle.

Plus if you have any "eyelash" yarn it is great way to use it up. I really love the glow in the dark Mod Podge and kids really love it!

They are made with a plastic salad dressing bottle or a Gatorade style bottle.

Here are the instructions:

1 plastic bottle (large opening at the top)
1 yard cheese cloth
Mod Podge - Glow in the dark
Crazy yarn
Googley eyes
Craft glue
Foam paint brush

1. Clean the bottle and peal the label off as best you can.
(you could spray paint them black if you want to)

2. Unfold the cheese cloth and begin attaching it to the bottle with the Mod Podge. Wrap like a mummy and keep adding the Mod Podge. Use your fingers to press down. Set aside to dry.

3. Make the hair by wrapping crazy yarn around a 10" piece of cardboard (or you could use a yellow note pad) until you have a full amount if hair. Cut a small piece of yarn and place it towards the top, bring it through all the loops and tie a secure knot. At the other end, use scissors to cut the hair loose.

4. Glue googley eyes to the front.

5. Add the hair by placing the knot side into the opening on the bottle. You might need to trim the hair of your monster.

Milk Mummy

another variation using milk cartons

Spring Centerpiece with Easter Eggs and Crackle Paint

2012-01-05T10:35:00.000-08:00

 Easter Egg Centerpiece

gather this:
5 - Styrofoam Egg (different sizes) (I got mine at Michaels)
Pastel Tissue Papers – (less than 1 sheet per egg)
Scissors
Mod Podge Gloss
Foam Paintbrush
FolkArt Extreme Glitter – Hologram 2782
Clay Pot
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – 480 Titanium White
FolkArt Crackle Medium
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – 518 Peony
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – 2490 Sawgrass
5 Cut Pieces of Dowel Rods
Large Styrofoam Ball
FolkArt Acrylic Paint – 480 317 Morning Sun
Hot Glue Gun Helpers
Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun
Moss
Silk Flowers
Gems or Beaded Sprays

Steps:
1. Cut the tissue paper into small squares. Apply a thick coat of Mod Podge onto the egg. Place the tissue paper squares onto the egg. Continue until the entire egg is covered. Add a topcoat of Mod Podge to the egg. Smooth the papers with your hands. Set aside and allow to dry. Add a second layer of paper if desired. Continue until all the eggs are covered.

2. Coat the dried eggs with a layer of Extreme Glitter.

3. Paint the exterior and top interior of the clay pot with white paint. Allow to dry. Add a coat of Crackle Medium. Allow to dry 4 hours in order for the crackle to properly work. Once dry, apply a coat of peony paint to the rim and inside edge of the pot. Work quickly and in one direction for proper crackling. Paint the base of the pot with sawgrass paint. Allow to dry.

4. Hot glue a large Styrofoam ball in the base of the pot. Secure the 5 dowel rods into the Styrofoam with hot glue. Paint the dowels with morning sun. Pierce the base of each egg onto a dowel rod. Use the largest egg in the center. Hot glue to secure.

5. Hot glue moss to the top of the Styrofoam ball and to the base of the eggs. Glue flowers and gems to the front of the clay pot and to the base of the eggs.

Make it: Chalkboard Globe

2012-01-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

Make it: Chalkboard Globe

This project we designed for Plaid !

Materials:
FolkArt ® Chalkboard Paint - Slate Gray, 8 oz.
1 Globe
Foam Paintbrush
Damp Rag
Soft Chalk
Letter Stickers

Steps:
1. Clean the globe with a damp rag and allow to dry. Add 3 coats of chalkboard paint. Allow 2 hours in between coats for dry time.

2. After 24 hours, rub the entire chalkboard surface with a piece of chalk to season the surface. Now you are ready to write on your chalkboard globe. Add personalization to the base with letter stickers.

Video: New Year's Eve Ideas on NBC's IVillage

2011-12-29T07:47:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve is just around the corner.......Have a peek at some quick ideas!

This is a youtube video from a New Year's Eve Party segment I did on NBC's IVillage Live. If you are looking for quick nibbler recipes then check out the recipe archive.

Don't be lost....be found.

2011-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

Are you missing someone who chooses to be lost?
Has someone you cherish...chosen to be gone?
Are you tired of searching and not willing to give up yet?

{{I hear you....we hear you}}

This time of the year can be incredibly hard. Eddie and I have a missing loved one and it hurts.

It sucks.

We will continue our quest.

New ribbons are beginning to arrive at the Supply Shop.

2011-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am smitten with the new ribbons that are arriving at the Supply Shop. {{You can see this one here.}} I just got this first one up and have about 20 more designs to go. Coming soon are new dyed twines and jutes for spring and more tattered flower ribbons.

Love the delicate tattered edge.

Wired edge.

Craft This: New Year's Eve Party Ideas

2011-12-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome friends to your home with a front door wreath that spells out the occasion.

Add a festive centerpiece to your table with an altered plate and candle.

Alter a wine gift box into a New Year's Eve champagne gift box with scrapbook paper, Mod Podge and chip board letters.

Every party girl needs a hat! Check out these simple ideas that can be made with scrap papers, glitter and feathers.

Make It: New Years Eve Tee for Baby

2011-12-26T09:42:00.000-08:00

Even babies want to ring in the New Year! This is quick and easy snapsuit makeover can be made in under 1 hour! It does not get any easier than this craft! This design is from my book, 101 Snappy Fashions.

Materials:

Baby Snapsuit

Rit Dye - Purple Bottle or Powder

Letter Iron-ons
Iron

Get Crafty:

Following the instruction on the day package, dye the snapsuit purple.
Wash and Dry the snapsuit.

Using an iron, add the letters in a random line across the snapsuit spelling "wake me at midnight".

That is it!

Pretty Easy.

Mom is coming for the holidays.

2011-12-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

Things are about to get NUTTY in the Filian House!

We are just an hour away from picking up my Mom and Step-dad at LAX. They are spending a week with us for Christmas! WOO HOO! This will be Bill's first time to see our new house other than in pictures.

I expect lots of eating, drinking, cooking, laughing, crafting, sightseeing and goofing off.

Merry Christmas.....XO cathie

P.S. Mom is bringing with her a stack of my late Grandmother's recipes with her hand written notes. Mom and I are going to be making her Cinnamon rolls (this was actually my great-great grandmother's recipe), biscuits and a cake that was marked "for special occasions". I'll be blogging the all of them so you can make them too.

Webisode: Luminary Making

2011-12-22T06:39:00.000-08:00

Whip up a quick Luminary for a last minute holiday gift or decorating idea. To tint the Mod Podge, we are using broken eyeshadow. Complete instructions are here>>> Luminaries.

Classic Snack: Chex Party Mix

2011-12-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

 Classic Snack: Chex Party Mix

Over the years I have made different variations on the classic Chex Mix Snack and as good as the alternatives are...I still keep coming back to the semi-original recipe from the back of the cereal box. This recipe is adapted from the recipe posted on the Chex Cereal website. See the posting here.

Mine differs in that I also add honey roasted peanuts and Cheerios.

Gather This:
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup of Cheerios
1 cup of honey roasted peanuts
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside.

Heat oven to 250°F. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings and Worcestershire sauce.

Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Enjoy! Happy Snacking~ xo cathie

DIY - Country Chic Christmas

2011-12-19T10:46:00.000-08:00

I love pink! So we decided to whip up a pink and white crackle finish Christmas! Enjoy and Have a Super Happy Holiday Season....Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.

XO Cathie

For the vase, we attached burlap to the front of a glass block with Mod Podge and then we layered the front with scrapbooking embellishments and snowflakes. The twigs were wrapped with torn strips of muslin fabric and adorned with crackle finish birds.

View the complete Bird and Branch Vase instructions Here.

The wood birds were just .40 cents each at Michaels. I have seen similar at Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann Fabrics.

To create the crackle effect.....I use Folk Art Crackle Medium. Make sure the first coat of paint is VERY dry before applying a coat of Crackle Medium.

The crackle finish taking shape. I love this look. To alter further.....rub the edges with inks or water color markers.

The instructions for the cone tree can be found here.

Oh LA LA...Vintage style ornaments! Instructions Here.

Work in progress....To create the two-tone crackle, I only painted every other section with pink paint.

I spy another crackle bird....

See the instructions for the luminary here.

Make it: Recycled Card Ornament

2011-12-18T16:50:00.000-08:00

Re-craft the stacks of holiday cards from years past.... and make.....ORNAMENTS! They are simple to make and after you make just one ornament you will have the hang of it!

Materials:
several used greeting or note cards
2-1/2" punch, or a glass with a 2-1/2" base for tracing
pencil
small scrap of cardboard
ruler
glue stick
binder clips
hole punch
decorative ribbon
optional -- bone folder

1. Use the 2-1/2" punch (or trace a 2-1/2" glass base) to punch 20 circles from assorted cards. 2. Using a ruler and pencil, draw a triangle measuring 2-1/8" on all sides on a scrap of cardboard; cut out the triangle to use as a template.

3. Trace the triangle onto the back of each greeting card circle and score each circle along the triangle lines using a bone folder or ruler. The circle should fold so the printed sides of each circle are on the interior of a small triangle-bowl shape.

4. Using five of the scored circles, glue stick the flap of one circle to the flap of another, continuing with all five circles to form a star shape. Clamp together with binder clips and let dry for 15 minutes.

5. Working with 10 more greeting card circles for the middle layer, glue the flaps to the bottom layer flaps, clamp and let dry.

6. Use the last five greeting card circles to form a top layer. Glue, clamp and dry.
7. Punch one extended flap with the hole punch, thread a length of decorative ribbon and hang.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas

2011-12-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

Here is an interview I did for Real Simple magazine.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: WRAPPING SUPPLIES

Gift Tags: Recycled last years holiday cards into gift tags by using a decorative punch or cutting a traditional tag shape.

Glittered Pinecones: Add a touch of nature to a package by tying on small pinecones and twigs. We like to add a little pop with Mod Podge and brown glitter to the tips of pinecones.

A Leg Up on Wrapping: Create a denim wine bag with the leg of an old jean. Just cut the leg to the appropriate height for your bottle. Sew or staple across the bottom. Use a ribbon to tie the bag closed.

Tins: Use Mod Podge to decoupage out-of-season (or style) tins and boxes into modern gift boxes by attaching decorative paper to the outside.

Gift Bags: Create simple gift bags with a punch of color with plain paper “lunch” bags. Cut a scalloped edge across the top of a plain paper bag, punch holes across the top and thread closed with a pretty ribbon, tie the ends into a bow.

Photocopied Paper: For small gift-wrap jobs you can make your own color copied paper collages. For extra savings use color paper on a black and white printer.

Kids Art: Decorate large rolls of butcher paper with kid’s holiday drawings. Let the kids know whom the package is for and have them draw something special for them. I bet this paper doesn’t get torn and tossed.

Yarn Tied: Pass on ribbon and say yes to yarn. Look for big bold yarns to tie up your packages. Way cheaper than ribbon!

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: ORNAMENTSDollar Store Decor: Dollar store ornaments can become very stylish with a spray of high gloss paint. We like to use 3 different colors of spray paint on different sized and shaped ornaments. Krylon has tons of bold new colors available, everything from candy colors to natural colors. (Both color pallets blend well with traditional silver and gold)

Papered: Origami paper ornaments and garland can be made for pennies. For “book lovers” you could use pages from old books (just make sure they are not valuable). For a “kids” tree you could use the funny pages to make a humorous statement.

Darn Yarn: Pompoms are easily made with just a few winds of yarn. Use sparkly metallic yarns in taupe, gold, white and silver to create a homespun elegant look. Add Yarn bows to inexpensive clear ornament balls to counter balance the pompoms.

Rocker At Heart: Glue broken bits of CD’s to silver Styrofoam balls and add a ribbon hanger to create a disco ball ornament. Adorn a small tree with disco balls and guitar picks.

Scents of Cinnamon: Tie bundles of cinnamon sticks and small twigs together with ribbon and hang from a tree.

Baked Dough Saves Dough: Kids love playing with dough and creating homemade ornaments with salt dough (made for a few dollars at home) is a fun way for families to get creative together.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: HOLIDAY DECORATIONSBranches & Birds: Use metallic spray paint to spruce up large and small broken tree branches, place in a glass vase and hot glue white birds to the branches.

Papered Garland: Working with old holiday cards or scrapbooking paper, punch decorative shapes with oversized punches (or trace around a glass and use scissors), attach the tops to a long piece of ribbon using hot glue. Add stickers to spell out holiday words like, Noel, Joy and Merry Christmas.

Can You Picture: Remove the glass and backing from oversized frames, paint with high gloss spray paint in rich plum and silver colors, dangle ornaments and family photos from the center with pretty ribbon. Perch the frames on a mantle or hang on the wall.

Pomanders: Create a centerpiece with stacks of oranges, grapefruits and lemons. Add cloves and lemon leaves for color and scent.

Candle Glow: Add drama to plain candles by inserting decorative brads into the sides. You can get rhinestone, snowflake even pearl brads.

Wrapped Wreath: Create a fabric wreath by cutting strips of 4 or 5 different fabrics into 1” wide pieces. (We like to use a monochromatic color pallet and different textures of fabrics – like, wools, cottons, corduroy, etc.) Wrap the strips around a wire wreath form until the wreath is covered. Add a few old ornaments to the center and you are ready to hang.

Tree Trimming Garland: If you are decorating a fresh tree, collect the trimmings and wire them together to create a mantel or door garland.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: HOLIDAY CARDSShop Sales at the End Of The Season: We always purchase cards on clearance for 75 – 90% off the retail price at the end of the season.

Make Your Own: Begin with blank cards and add simple scrapbooking embellishments, photos, even a kids hand print.

Vintage Flair: Make black and white copies of a favorite family photo, use colored photo makers to add highlights to the picture.

Go High Tech: Send your cards using an online greeting card program or create your own jpegs greeting and email to friends and family.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: HOSTESS PARTY GIFTSMini Makeover: Rewrap inexpensive soaps or votive candles with pretty papers, create a designer look by adding fun bows and embellishments.

Recipe Swap: Do you have a friend that always loves your cooking or baking? Make him or her a set of recipe cards.

How Does your Garden Grow?: Do you have a great indoor herb garden? Create an herb gift of either fresh cut herbs or home dried herbs. Your friends will beg for more!

Mini Breads: Bake a large batch on mini breads to have on hand during the season (they freeze well) wrap with butcher paper, add a yarn or ribbon tie and give as needed.

Party Pics: present your hostess with a small empty photo album and let her know that you have brought along your camera to be the official photographer as a gift to her. Make sure you have the pictures printed within one week of the party.

Dollar Saving Holiday Ideas: HOLIDAY SHIPPING

Ship Early & Light: Don’t get caught with last minute (high dollar) shipping prices.

Junk Mail Revamped: Use shredded junk mail instead of store bought peanuts.

Popped Up Packing: Old fashioned popped popcorn can be used as packing peanuts – just don’t add salt or butter. Forget trimming the tree with popcorn – time is money – trust me I tried it before.

Don’t Toss The Boxes: Recycle boxes from retail stores for shipping boxes. Just make sure they are thick enough cardboard.

Dollar Store Makeover: Glitter Deer

2011-12-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the cute glitter deer at the dollar store? Mine had gold and silver ones - only a buck each. I hot glued some velvet leaves {{from my supply shop}}, some gold velvet ribbon and a bunch of buttons from my button stash around the neck. I made a few deer to match the new stockings I made this year. Have a look here to see the new stockings.

These are the velvet leaves. Visit the shop here.

Happy Holidays and Dollar Store Hunting!
XO - Cathie

Craft This: Custom Painted Coffee Mugs

2011-12-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Time to cozy up with a custom painted mug. Perfect for serving tea, coco or coffee. The painting is super easy with reusable sticky stencils and FolkArt Enamel Paint. These we made these for the Michaels Cyber Monday event. Have a peek at the video below.

Please visit this link at Michaels for complete instructions.

Homemade Hard Candies

2011-12-14T06:21:00.000-08:00

Classic Hard Candy

The ingredients are simple, the steps are so easy and the flavors are divine. You can create a traditional lemon, English toffee or peppermint candy or try something a little more modern like root beer, pina colada or cappuccino candy.

Candy making shops and online suppliers have many different molds and flavorings. You can create lollipops or mini heart shapes, you can add exotic colors and delicious flavors the sky is the limit when it comes to making hard candy.

This classic recipe, with delicate lasting flavor and just enough sugar, always tames my sweet tooth. If you make a batch for yourself or as a gift, I guarantee it won’t be long before you are boiling up a second batch. One note about making candy, it best done on low humidity days. A rainy day can ruin a batch of candy.

Classic Hard Candy
2 cups white sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon raspberry food grade flavoring
6 drops red food coloring
powdered sugar
candy thermometer
cookie sheet with a lip, greased with vegetable oil

In a large saucepan, mix together sugar, corn syrup and water. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add your candy thermometer to the pan (avoid touching the bottom of the pan) Bring mixture to a boil without stirring. When syrup temperature reaches 260o F, add 6 drops of food coloring. Do not stir.

When the temperature reaches 300o F, promptly remove from the heat. After boiling action ceases, add flavoring and stir. Pour onto the cookie sheet. When cool, break into pieces and dust with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Store in airtight containers.

Yummy Yummy!
xo Cathie

Taste Test: Fresh & Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread

2011-12-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Taste Test: Fresh & Easy Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Easy & Delicious

$1.49

6 servings

Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Place the rack in the center of the oven. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place the dough in the center and spread with you fingers.

Pierce with a fork (10-12 times) and dimple with your fingers.

Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and dried herbs. Allow to dough to sit for 15 minutes.

I used rosemary, oregano and thyme.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before slicing.

Golden brown. Taste was excellent. We dipped in a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I would make again in a heart beat. Was delicious with sliced tomatoes.

Our New Product Line

2011-12-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

POP THE CORKS...

We are wrapping up the samples for our new craft line today!

It has been overwhelmingly fun and exciting to be making/crafting/creating with our new products. Very surreal. I wish I could share pics...not till after CHA in JAN.

Look for the line in a major craft retailer(s) June 2012.

Happy Crafting!

XO Cathie

How to Make a Tomato Cage Christmas Tree

2011-12-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is an oldie but goodie! We first made the trees on the 2008 Creative Juice Holiday special. The response was so amazing that I am bringing back the video! Visit the original post here.

Happy Holidays!

Cathie

Country Inspired Altered Candle Holder

2011-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Transform a plain glass cylinder into an Altered Candle Holder with just a few scrapbooking supplies and burlap fabric. We used Mod Podge to attaching the fabric to the glass. The little bird embellishment was just a .50 cent wood cut-out that we altered with paint and crackle medium.

View the Complete Instructions Here

Happy Crafting!
XO
Cathie

Craft Zine Features Hot Glue Gun Heleprs for their Holiday Gift Guide

2011-12-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks Craftzine!

Blush Blush.... We are so honored to be included in Craftzine's Holiday Gift Guide! Hot Glue Gun Helpers really are a crafters best friend. Get your Hot Glue Gun Helpers from our official shop!

Please visit the link to see all the awesome kits that were featured: Link Here.

Vintage Style Cone Trees with Burlap and Crackle Paint

2011-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Sugar sweet with a touch of rustic. Super easy to make! I heart pink so that was the color of choice for this project....but I think this would be awesome in green or gold as well. I used FolkArt paints and Crackle Medium.

Instructions are HERE!

Here are some ideas:
Really Sexy Tree...try black for the base-coat with a gold top-coat.
Traditional Tree...try dark brown for the base-coat with an evergreen top-coat.
Seaside Tree...try baby blue for the base-coat with an ivory top-coat.
Modern Tree...try white for the base-coat with a lime green top-coat.

The color combinations are endless! BTW so are the embellishments....you can use feather trim, ribbons, pompom trim, etc.

Happy Holidays!

Cathie

DIY Fashion: Pendants, Cuff Links, Rings, Hair Clips and Bracelets

2011-12-10T08:40:00.001-08:00

DIY your own Holiday Accessories with Mod Podge and Dimensional Magic! All the metal pieces are from Bead Landing for Michaels. These projects were designed for Michaels and were featured in one of our Cyber Monday craft videos. {{see the video below}} We had a blast in Dallas and everyone was so fun to work with! We did lots of different projects in two different videos. The first video features Jewelry and Gift Boxes.

You Can See The Video Here

For Instructions....Please visit Michaels!

Links:

Necklace Project

Other Accessories

DIY Lace Collar Necklaces

2011-12-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

So sweet and chic. This lace collar necklace is very simple to make and you will only need a few supplies. The collar is from my supply shop. (appliques and lace section) You can also find lace collars at fabric and sewing shops... or you can recycle one from a garment.

These collars look great with white tees, strapless dresses or under a suit jacket!

For this lace necklace...I used chain, jump-rings and a clasp.

I attached one jump-ring and one end of the chain to one side of the lace collar. I attached one end of the clasp to the end of the chain.

I attached the other end of the clasp to the other side of the collar.

This is the view across the back. Simple and chic.

Enjoy! XO
Cathie

Appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Chestnuts

2011-12-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

This is a Filian family favorite. They are so simple and delicious to make. This recipe has roots in the Polynesian community and it is traditionally called rumaki. To make this the traditional way, you soak the chestnuts in a mixture of ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar. To make this the quick and easy way, (equally as delicious) you just wrap the chestnuts with a small piece of bacon and let the flavor of the bacon add the punch.

You better make double or triple...they go fast! You can make them a day or two in advance, store covered in the refrigerator and heat in the microwave just before serving.

Preheat the broiler. Cut each piece of bacon into 3 smaller strips. You will use one small strip per water chestnut.

Drain and rinse 2 cans of water chestnuts. I LOVE the crunch!

Wrap a piece of bacon around a chestnut. Secure with a toothpick. Place on a broiler pan. NOTE: Soak your toothpicks in water for 30 min to help prevent them from burning.

Place in a heated oven on broil. For my oven this is the very top rack. Cook for 3 min. Pull from oven. Turn the pieces over. Cook another 3 min. Check to see if they are done....bacon should be crispy. If they need to cook longer, place the pan further away from the heat source and check every minute.

Remove from the heat and cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can make them a day or two in advance, store covered in the refrigerator and heat in the microwave just before serving.

Enjoy! XO
Cathie

SEW EASY: Faux Christmas Stockings Made From a Vintage Bedspread and Place-mats.

2011-12-09T08:52:00.001-08:00

DIY Faux Stockings

Can you believe this was once a bedspread and a place-mat?

Faux Stockings? Yes faux! I decided to make these sox as decorations. No need to line them - just a super quick and easy decorating idea. We each have our own personal stockings that Santa fills and those sox are tucked under the big tree and opened on Christmas morning. These stockings are just for looks!

This is our third Christmas in our new house and this year I decided to up-size and down-size at the same time. Sounds funny! I gotta get my holiday decorating under control - so I am planning on boxing the ornaments and accouterments by room or tree. I am setting a look for each space and I am gonna try to stick to it for a few years. I am positive that this will make holiday decorating easier and faster next year....(haha) I currently have 5 trees decorated and a gazillion little mini trees.

I decided that for the front living-room, I wanted an off-beat color palette. So I went with gold, deep teal, olive green and silver. I had lots of items in this color family and needed to make some new. I am making faux stockings (quick and easy) for decorations, a small tree skirt, cone trees and a few toss pillows. For the fabric I am using a vintage gold bedspread that was given to me by my MIL and teal place-mats from Target (a few years old). I have matching runners for the place-mats so I can use them as decorations too.

First I made a stocking pattern. For this I traced a stocking that I made for my hubby 11 years ago. I have no idea if I used a pattern or just free-handed it.

Working with the fabric in a double layer and right sides together I pinned the pattern in place.

Next, I cut out the stocking pattern. I am making 3 faux sox for across my mantel...so I cut 3 sets.

Pin the pieces together along the edge.

Stitch the seams. I only allowed for a small seam allowance.

Clip the seams every 1/2 inch. This allows for soft curves.

Turn the stocking right side out.

I had to trim down the place-mat to a small size. I decided to loose a section in the middle and seam up. To do this I trimmed away a few inches. BTW - I like to use matte scotch tape for quick markings. Super simple. Works great on cotton etc. Not good on silks.

Trim away the center. I'll saving the scraps to incorporate into the pillows.

Pin the edges.

Sew the seam.

Open the place-mat with the seaming running vertical in the center and position the top of the sock in the far left corner. Make sure the toe of the sock is pointing to the right. Pin and sew into place.

Flip the place-mat in half. Pull the fabric so it has an inch over hang. See the edge in the picture.

Fold the place-mat in half.

Hand sew the side seam closed.

Love this gold ribbon. Leftovers from Creative Juice.

Grab some buttons.

Hand sew a loop hanger to the corner. A silk flower with a rhinestone button to the left corner. BTW the silk flower is from my shop..... Silk Flower Section at Cathie Filian Supply Shop.

Hand sew buttons to the top of the stocking.

Hang across the mantel. You can see from the picture that I still need to sew the buttons to the center stocking. Time to get stitching!

Happy Holidays...XO!
Cathie

DIY Vintage Style Ornaments

2011-12-09T08:22:00.001-08:00

Vintage Style Ornaments

So cute and simple to make!

These were designed for Plaid and we used Folkart Crackle Medium to achieve the crackle look! The mini pom pom trim was some scrap trim. I think I originally got it at Jo-Anns.

Instructions are here.

NOW CASTING - New Craft TV show for A Major Cable Network

2011-12-08T15:52:00.001-08:00

Click to enlarge!

Steve and I have been consulting on a new Craft Competition Series for A Major Cable Network.

Casting begins now for the competitors.

You could win 10,000.00!

Tell them Cathie and Steve sent you!

Email to: craftcasting@gmail.com

Plaid Craft TV: Photo Pendants

2011-12-07T08:23:00.001-08:00

Photo Pendants!

These are so easy and fun to make.

Perfect for gift giving!

Supplies:
Folkart – Artists Pigment Black 479
Folkart Acrylic Paint Metallic Gunmetal Gray 667
Mod Podge Gloss
Dimensional Magic
Chain
1.5” Wooden Nickel Disk
Paintbrush – detail
Laser Copied Photo (shrunken to fit the wooden nickel)
Marvy Circle Punch 1.5”
Foam Paintbrush
Rhinestones – Various Sizes and Colors
Pliers
Heavyduty Glue – E6000
Scrap Piece of Paper or Felt
2 Yards Vintage Seam Binding or Soft Ribbon

Steps:
1. Begin by painting the wooden nickel disk with black paint. Once dry, paint the rim of the disk with metallic gray paint. Dry-brush for an antique look.

2. Punch the copied photo with the circle punch. Coat the back of the punched photo with Mod Podge. Position the paper on the wood disk. Press with your fingers to remove any air bubbles. Top-coat with a layer of Mod Podge. Allow to dry.

3. Glue the rhinestones around the top edge of the disk with Mod Podge. Allow the glue to dry.

4. Apply a thin coat of Dimensional Magic to the top of the disk. Apply over the image from edge to edge. Allow to dry in a non-drafty place. Don’t move until dry.

5. Using pliers, remove one large link from the chain. Using heavy-duty glue, glue 1/2 of the link to the top center back of the wood disk. Glue a scrap of paper or felt over the ring to hid it.

6. Cut a 4” piece from the seam binding. With strip, tie the pendant to the center of the chain. Cut the remaining piece of seam binding in half. Thread each one through the ends of the chain and tie in a knot. To wear, tie around the neck.

Pooch Style: Santa Baby!

2011-12-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

Have a peek at this four-legged cutie all dressed up in his Santa suit!

This costume is from by Dog Costume Book, Bow Wow WOW!

So tell me???

Do you dress your

dog for Christmas?

D.I.Y. Christmas Party Invitations

2011-12-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

PaRty TiME!

Having a party this holiday? You still have time to whip up so custom party invations. All you need is few sheets of scrapbook paper and some embellishments.

What you will need:

Solid Green Scrapbook Paper

Holiday Patterned Paper

Decorative Scissors or Rotary Cutter

Glue Stick

Holiday Paper Tags

Mesh Ribbon

Paper Punch

Gem Glue

Rhinestones

Begin by cutting a 5"X 5" square of green paper. Next cut two smaller squares from the holiday printed paper. Use the picture as a size guide.

Next, glue a holiday themed journal tag and a small strip of green paper to the card. Hand write the details of the party on the tag

Cut a strip of mesh ribbon (or other ribbon) to fit down the side of the card overlapping the green strip.

Apply a thick coat of glue stick to the back of the ribbon and position on the card over the green strip.

Use a glue stick to attach 3 paper punched flowers to the card in a random pattern. Add a drop of gem glue to the centers of the flowers.

Place a clear gem in the center of each flower.

Done! Now send them out to friends and family!

Happy Holidays,

Cathie

Whip Up A Holiday Tee for Baby!

2011-12-05T06:46:00.000-08:00

These projects are from my book, 101 Snappy Fashions!

Holiday tee aren't just for grown ups! Whip up a plain baby snapsuit (Gerber Onesies) into a holiday themed one with applique, tie-dye and embroidery.

Santa Baby Materials:
Red Baby Snapsuit (or a dyed one)
Santa Themed Fabric
Fusible Webbing / Iron
Sew machine and hand needle and thread
Pom-pom

Steps:
1. Using an iron, attach fusible webbing to the back of Santa themed fabric. Cut around the Santa motif. Position the motif in the top center of the snapsuit and attach with an iron.

2. Sew around the Santa motif with a straight, zig-zag or satin stitch. If you don't have a machine, hand sew to secure the edges with thread or embroidery floss.

3. Hand sew a pom-pom to the top of Santa's hat.

Spin Baby (Hanukkah) Materials:
White Baby Snapsuit
RIT Turquoise Fabric Dye
Rubber-band
Felt Square - baby blue
Embroidery Floss and Needle

Steps:
1. Using a rubber-band and turquoise fabric dye, tie-dye a circle in the front center of a snapsuit.

2. Cut a dreidel shape from felt. Position the shape in the dyed circle. Using a satin stitch, embroider the the Hebrew letter Nun, the Gimel, Hei, or Shin over the felt shape.

________________________________________

Hot Glue Gun Helpers are now in stock!

Christmas Craft: Easy Tree Craft for Kids

2011-12-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

Tissue Paper &Yarn Christmas Trees

Designed for Plaid!

This project is perfect for kids of all ages and a great way to use up scraps of yarn and tissue paper. I used a combination of Mod Podge Gloss and Mod Podge Hologram Glitter to get the ultra shiny and glittery look.

For teachers or anyone wanting to make this in bulk, check out places like create for less for larger quantities of cones. If you have a local floral supply shop - try them too. I have also seen a few goodies at the dollar store that could be altered to do this technique. Use the instructions as a spring board for your imagination.

Materials Used:
Mod Podge Gloss
Mod Podge Glitter - Hologram Gold
3 Styrofoam cones – different sizes
Scissors
Tissue paper – pink; pale green and turquoise
Yarn – raspberry, olive, dark turquoise
Wax paper

Steps:
1. Cut the tissue paper into small random shaped squares. Apply the squares to the Styrofoam tree with Mod Podge. Topcoat with a layer of Mod Podge. Add additional layers of tissue. Allow for dry time between layers.

2. Cut the yarn into 3 to 5 feet long pieces. (Use more yarn for a fuller wrap and less yarn for an open look.) Pool some Mod Podge Glitter onto a piece of wax paper. Saturate the yarn in the Mod Podge Glitter. Wrap the wet yarn around the cones. Allow to dry.

Christmas Craft: Holiday Village House

2011-12-01T06:41:00.001-08:00

Craft up a holiday village house with just a little paint, paper, Mod Podge and glitter. This house is actually a box (the roof lifts off) and would be perfect for tucking a little gift inside. You can find the little boxes at most craft and fabric shops.

This was designed for Plaid and you can find the instructions here: Holiday Village House.

Video: Mod Podge Jewelry for Michaels

2011-11-29T17:36:00.001-08:00

We had such a blast at Michaels this Cyber Monday! The whole team and of course Michael and Jo were amazingly fun to work with. I'll have links to the projects with pics soon....plus a second video.

I am off for a family trip in Oklahoma... having a blast!

Happy Holidays! Crafty Hugs, Cathie

Join us....We'll be LIVE on Cyber Monday at Michaels.com!

2011-11-27T05:27:00.001-08:00

We are so thrilled to announce that we will be live at Michaels.com! Log on and join in the fun!

Watch Live at www.michaels.com/cybermonday

11.28.11

Pendant Jewelry and Gift Boxes

1 pm Eastern

Noon Central

11:00 am Mountain

10:00 am Pacific

Painted Wine Glasses and Table Settings

3:00 pm Eastern

2:00 pm Central

1:00pm Mountain

Noon Pacific

Missing on Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T22:08:00.001-08:00

hard.

prepping and chopping.
hoping you will call.
feeling silly about hope.

prepping a meal.
table set.
family laughing.
stories shared.
vino poured.
cream whipped.

still no call.

We miss you.

Show Up, Keep Trying and Dare to Dream

2011-11-23T11:54:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving.

A personal thanks to people who show up. Show up today, show up tomorrow ....show up every day.

A personal thanks to people who try. Keep trying. The world needs people who try.

A personal thanks to people who dare to dream. Dream the biggest dream and if some one laughs at you....do what a Honey Badger would do and bring a napkin.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xo cathie

We will be live at Michaels.com this Cyber Monday!

2011-11-21T12:51:00.001-08:00

We are so thrilled to announce that we will be live at Michaels.com! Log on and join in the fun!

Watch Live at www.michaels.com/cybermonday

11.28.11

Pendant Jewelry and Gift Boxes

1 pm Eastern

Noon Central

11:00 am Mountain

10:00 am Pacific

Painted Wine Glasses and Table Settings

3:00 pm Eastern

2:00 pm Central

1:00pm Mountain

Noon Pacific

Shake it: Berry Infused Vodka

2011-11-21T09:07:00.000-08:00

It is time to start infusing berries for holiday martinis!

Have you ever wanted to try infusing your own liquor; but you were afraid you might mess it up and spend too much money on an experiment? Well fear not. We have been infusing for years with great success. You will only need a few household items, a base liquor and your infusing ingredients.

Fruits/flavors for Infusing:
cantaloupe, peach, strawberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, pineapple, mango, vanilla bean, lemon, lime or grapefruit, fresh ginger, lemon-grass, herbs, lavender, nuts, garlic, chili peppers or coffee.

Tips:
Don't use canned fruits.
Don't crush the fruits - this can cloud the vodka.
Use other bases: gins, bourbons and rums.

Etsy: New Holiday Items at the Cathie Filian Shop

2011-11-19T06:54:00.001-08:00

I am totally in love with these sweet trees! They come in a set of six!

{{DIY}} Assemble and Alter your own Vintage Style Church Ornament. This goes together with just a little glue and can be altered with paint, paper, inks, ribbons, glitter, etc....

Tweet Tweet! Love my feathered friends. I always have stock on birds of all shapes, colors and sizes.

Sparkle Baby! Mrs. Claus would love this sparkle ribbon!

We won't get snow in LA this year......but my projects can get sparkling snowflakes!

{{DIY}} Assemble and Alter your own Vintage Style Farm House Ornament. This goes together with just a little glue and can be altered with paint, paper, inks, ribbons, glitter, etc....

Velvet soft with rich color. These holly leaves come in a set of 12. Use them on cards, layouts, ornaments....endless ideas!

{{DIY}} Assemble and Alter your own Vintage Style Cottage House Ornament. This goes together with just a little glue and can be altered with paint, paper, inks, ribbons, glitter, etc....

Just a little shimmer and sparkle. This puffy snowflake ribbon is offered in 3 yard cuts.

Thanksgiving 101: Turkey

2011-11-16T07:14:00.001-08:00

(Picture from the Reynolds website)

Wanna know my Thanksgiving secret????

Reyonlds oven bags....no fail, yummy turkey every time!

Get the scoop here!

Etsy Finds: Thanksgiving

2011-11-13T08:16:00.001-08:00

Oh man does Etsy have some cute items for Thanksgiving and Fall. Here is a peek at some of my favorites!

Beautiful fall leaf garland by Janee Lookerse.

Cupcake Wrappers by A Paper Playground.

Chocolate Dipped gourmet marshmallows by Madyson's Marshmallows

Scissor Cut Fabric Leaves for Your Thanksgiving Table.

2011-11-13T08:06:00.001-08:00

Fabric Leaves

These leaves are so easy to make and create an elegant look. {{great for using up scraps of fabric}} Sprinkle them on the table, create garland with them or eyelet them together to make place-card holders.

Instructions Here!

Where Women Create and CHA recap!

2011-11-09T08:45:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was thrilled to be invited to teach two classes for Where Women Create in the CHA Craft Pavilion at The Southern Women's Show in Orlando. It was a blast and a half - loaded with laughs, inspiration and crafty fun!

Meet Katie from Sew Woodsy and Jo Packham from Where Women Create. Two awesome ladies!

Setting up for class!

Happy crafters!

Here is the scrabble tile ring from my recycled jewelry class.

Made with Mod Podge!

Materials for my class.....pic from Sew Woodsy's blog recap of the show.

I "heart" FolkArt metallic paints!

More students!

Marbleized ornament making!

Backstage at the fashion show for Suede from Suedesays and Drew....The Crochet Dude.

Drew's fashion show wrapping up!

Love this gadget from Purple Cows! It bends wire into funky shapes. So fun!

Simplicity has a new needle felting machine.

Meet Celeste from Touched by a Butterfly! She was sooo nice and a Creative Juice fan!

Meet Charlene.....she traveled all the way to Orlando from Oregon. Here she is with her recycled Jewelry from my class!

I spy a new magazine! Super cute and loaded with ideas. Sticth . Craft . Create...in stock at fabric shops and booksellers.

Beautiful sunset......

Beautiful Friends.....Wendy Russell, Me, Kathy Cano-Murillo and Tiffany Windsor.

Contest to Celebrate our new Facebook Page!

2011-11-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

Our new facebook page is HERE!

Facebook has a cap on how many friends you can have.....and I have reached my limit. So now.......Steve and I have a new JOINT facebook page!

2011-11-06T07:09:00.001-08:00

The Countdown to Thanksgiving is on...and for those of us who are hosting that means clean, shop, prep, cook and prepare! I am busy getting the house ready and the pantry stocked. After Thanksgiving, Steve and I are flying to Dallas to appear live at Michaels.com for Cyber Monday! It is gonna be a quick November. Thankful for family, friends and health.

See my Thanksgiving 101 Tips and Tricks!

Happy November....xoxoxo~

Cathie

p.s..... What are YOUR Plans??? Leave a comment to share the holiday spirit.

Make it: Baby Sling - easy pattern

2011-11-04T06:20:00.000-07:00

Make it: Baby Sling

Baby slings can be a big-ticket item in stores; you can save a ton of money and add a personal touch by designing them yourself. They only require 2.5 yards of fabric and this pattern is so simple to stitch up.

Baby Sling Materials:
2-1/2 yds. tightly woven cotton fabric, 44" to 48" wide
sewing machine
thread
heavy-duty needle
2 - 4" rings made specifically for baby slings

Fabric pattern tips: Both sides of the fabric will show when you use a sling; you may want to choose a fabric that does not have a "wrong" side.

1. Turn under and press one of the short edges of the fabric; turn under an additional inch and press to create a clean edge. Stitch in place. Repeat for the selvage (long) edges. Leave one of the short edges raw.

2. Line up the raw, short edge of the fabric against a ruler or self-healing mat with measured grid marks. Fold in a deep (3" or so) pleat. The pleat should be oriented with the fold line parallel to the long edges of the fabric. Pin the pleat 1" from the raw edge and 9" from the raw edge.

3. Continue pleating the fabric with smaller 1" pleats. Pin each pleat 1" and 9" from the raw edge.

4. Stitch across the 1" and 9" pins through all thicknesses of fabric to secure the pleats.

5. Zigzag the remaining raw end through all thicknesses of the folded fabric.

6. Pull the pleated end of the fabric through both of the rings, folding through the rings to line up the 1" stitch line lines with the 9" stitch line. Pin in place.

7. Stitch through all thicknesses using a smaller stitch length to add strength to the seam. This seam will take a lot of stress; it is important to have a strong seam that it is backstitched on both ends. Sew an additional seam along the zigzag line for extra security.

8. To wear the sling, one end should extend from the back over the shoulder to the front torso. The other end wraps around the waist to the front torso. Thread the loose end through both of the rings and then back through one ring. Pull the loose end to tighten or loosen.

RESOURCES :
Baby Sling Rings: slingrings.com

CNN Living and Real Simple: Update your decor with paint projects

2011-11-03T07:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a piece I contributed to for Real Simple and CNN Living.

Update your decor with easy paint projects.

Full Story at CNN

101 Tees: Jazz up a Scarf with T-Shirt Roses

2011-11-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

Cozy Up with a Fall Scarf!

With a few simple tattered roses made from old tees you can jazz up a plain scarf in just a few minutes. I used hot glue to make the roses and to attach them, of course you could also use a hand stitch. To see other tattered rose projects visit this link.

Happy

Thanksgiving!

Cathie

Begin with a 3 fall colored tees.

Begin to cut the the tees into strips.

You will 1 strip per rose. They can be anywhere from 1" to 4" wide. The narrower the strip, the small the rose. The length can vary in size too. 19" long is plenty. You can piece strips together to make a long one. The longer the strip the wider the rose.

Add a drop of hot to the corner of the strip.

Fold the strip over.

Fold the end into a triangle shape.

Fold the and turn the strip in the center to form the center of the rose. Hot glue to secure.

Bring the strip to the back and glue to secure.

Keep folding, rolling and gluing.

Secure the end of the strip to the backside with a drop of glue.

Make 3 different colored roses in 3 different sizes.

Hot glue the roses to the end of a scarf.

Gather some buttons or cover your own with fabric.

Hot glue the buttons in the center of the flowers.

Wear It With Pride!

The ups and downs of HSN and the sweet feeling of Selling Out.

2011-10-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years, I have been doing appearances at HSN. It has been a wild ride, loaded with sleepless nights, long flights and heavy makeup. (I'm in LA and they are in Tampa) Some days, I wanted to cry from being so tired, having crappy sales or from being partnered with a host that didn't let me explain the product. One day....I did CRY....but they were happy tears and they came on the heels of the words....SOLD OUT!

Rain or Shine......24 hours a day!

The world of 24 hour home shopping TV is a world of its own. It takes some time and experience to get the "hang" of it and I am so happy that I have found a place in this fun and nutty world.

I started presenting items for my beloved Mod Podge and Folkart Chalkboard Paint. I graduated to licensed items for Hanna Montana and High School Musical. For that gig, I sat my tush down and watched a marathon of the HM and all of the HSM movies. I needed to know the "ins and outs" of Troy and Hanna for a good show. I needed to know why the Troy rubberstamps featured basketball jerserys. Can you imagine if I got a call from someone and I didn't know??? That would be major egg on my face.... live 2:00 am egg. I have also presented Silk Screen kits, glass paints and texture paints and each time the tales are nuts.

Hot Glue gun Helpers first shot at HSN!

Seven months ago, I finally got a chance to present our own invention, Hot Glue Gun Helpers. I was thrilled, freaking out and most importantly, I was a proud mama....... and then I got the news that I would be on for 5 min at 4:00 am {East coast}......ouch. Who would be watching???? Well surprise surprise - crafters were watching and we sold out! Steve and I, are so grateful....It has been hard to invent a brand new product, navigate corporate America and keep your chin up at the same time.

When I walked out the HSN door the P.A. who assists with the mics and earbuds says to me "hey kid, you did good - call your rep tomorrow. I think you will be happy" I almost started to cry. I couldn't believe my ears.

I raced back to my hotel, turned on my laptop, navigated to my page at HSN and there it was in red. SOLD OUT. Take that XYZ retailers who told me crafters don't use hot glue.

My next stop with HSN and Hot Glue Gun Helpers would be a return trip that was crushed before it got off the ground. You can read the nightmare story here. In the end it was a blessing in disguise as our next presenting day had better time slots and I got to see some crafty friends.

Me and my pal Sandi Genovese. See her new products here.

The halls of HSN on 24 craft days are sprinkled with designers and industry veterans. We all support each other, check out the new products and share lots of giggles. Kind of like a quick summer camp that involves make-up and demos.

Soar art made with Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun Helpers.

The demos are pretty easy since you only get a few moments to explain your product. It is the displays that take awhile to create. For the Hot Glue Gun Helpers, I made all the displays back home in Los Angeles and packed them in a suitcase for the trip. For my displays, I like to show lots of different ways you can use hot glue and Hot Glue Gun Helpers.

Love this scrapbook!

This frame was so much fun to make.

This was the demo card. I'll be doing a step by step soon.

Of course I love making wreaths with hot glue.

The day begins in the middle of the night with me rolling my hair in my hotel. Most folks don't travel to HSN with rollers in their hair....but I have no shame and a whole lotta hair. I just like to give the make-up folks a head start.

Next is table set up...here are Carol and Gena working behind the scenes to breakdown a previous product. We are constantly opening boxes, setting up tables and then tearing them down again.

About 1.5 hours before you go live you get into make-up....hopefully with a cup of coffee in your hand. Next stop is getting a microphone and an ear bud. If you look close we all have ear buds where producers are talking in our ears the whole time.....that gets old. LOL.

Ready to go live.....just waiting in the wings!

Whew....it is an adrenaline pumping fast few minutes. Generally it is over before you even knew it began.

And here it was again.....the sweetest words an inventor has ever seen......SOLD OUT. Thanks so much to everyone who called in, log on or just said good thoughts for us. It has been such a journey and we could not have made it this far without the support of Plaid and all of you. I got the good news last week that we will be back in March and they doubled their order......no pressure.

Thanks for joining me on this journey~
Cathie

Free Patterns: Easy Halloween Dog Tee's and Costumes

2011-10-27T09:41:00.000-07:00

Lark Crafts is giving away free dog costume patterns from my book, Bow Wow WOW! Pop on over and download a PDF today!

Lots of low sew ideas!

Our New Reel!

2011-10-27T07:53:00.001-07:00

Have a peek at our new reel!

We also have a new joint facebook page....please join us there for daily scoop!

Make a DIY Halloween place setting with scrapbook papers and Mod Podge.

2011-10-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been to my house for a holiday meal, knows that I "heart" chargers - as nuts as it sounds....I really do just like the way they frame a plate. So when I was working on Halloween ideas and came across black chargers at the dollar store...I was a bit smitten and inspired!

You only need a few things...... {{Gather This}}

Glass Plate
Pencil
Scrapbook Paper
Mod Podge
Foam Paintbrush
Torn Book Pages
Folkart Metallic Paint in Silver
Paper Towel

Begin by tracing a circle from scrapbook paper. This should be sized to fit the base of the plate.

Apply a coat of Mod Podge to the printed side of the paper.

Apply a second coat of Mod Podge to the back of the paper.

Place the paper in the center (backside) of the plate. Press any air bubbles with your fingers, smooth your brushstrokes. Use a damp paper towel to clean any Mod Podge that is brushed over the edge of the paper. Allow to dry. Hand wash the top only with a damp rag. Don't submerge in water.

Working on the charger, Mod Podge torn book pages around the center of the charger. Allow to dry.

Scrunch a damp paper towel into a ball. Dip the paper towel into silver paint. Tap paint around the edges. Allow to dry.

Finished Charger.

Layer the plate over the charger.

Make This: Frida Inspired Paper-mache Skull for Day of The Dead.

2011-10-25T10:15:00.000-07:00

Paper-mache Skull for Day of The Dead.

I love Mod Podging with old book pages....they create such interesting textures and prints. I usually pick up used paperbacks at my local thrift shop for under 50 cents. My favorite are the old romance novels....they are so fun to read while you craft! LOL.

This was designed for Plaid and was featured in our 2011 Halloween designs. You can see our page at Plaid here.

{Gather This}For this project you will only need a few supplies.....

Paper-mache skull (this was from Michaels)
Old book pages (cut into small squares)
Mod Podge Gloss
Foam Paintbrush
Hot Glue Gun Helpers
Hot Glue
Lace
Paper Flowers
Feather Trim
Sturdy Paper Box
Folkart Acrylic Paint - 661 Metallic Sequin Black
Folkart Acrylic Paint – 2578 Leaf Green

Coat the backand front of the book pages with Mod Podge, position onto the skull, smooth any airbubbles with your finger and top coat with a layer of Mod Podge. Continueadding more papers until the entire skull is covered. Allow to Dry.

Cut a strip of lace to be the veil.Gather the lace with your fingers and attach using hot glue. Be sure to wear Hot Glue Gun Helpers so you don't burn your finger.

Hot glue feathers, flowers and other embellishments. {{see the broken earring glued to the side?}} You can embellish the skull with almost anything that fits the theme.

Texture the top of the box by thickly applying random pounces of Mod Podge. Allow to dry.

Dip the foam paintbrush into leaf green paint, tapoff the excess and tap onto the top of the box in a distressed fashion.

Paint the baseof the box with a foam paintbrush and black paint.

Hot glue the skull to the top of the box. Add more flowers and feathers around the base of the skull.

Halloween Witch Crafts: Kids Milk Jug Pinata

2011-10-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Kids will go batty for this milk jug pinata! Made with Mod Podge and tissue paper! This Mod Podge project was designed for Plaid. Pop by my page at Plaid to see this project and tons more ideas!!!

Materials Needed:
FolkArt One Stroke Brushes - Script Liner, #1
FolkArt Artists Pigments - Pure Black
FolkArt Artists Pigments - Titanium White
FolkArt Metallics - Gunmetal Gray
Mod Podge Gloss
Filbert brush
Plastic milk/water jug (1 gallon)
Craft knife
Candy
Masking tape
Scissors
Tissue paper - Lime Green
Foam paintbrush
Tacky Glue
Black felt square
One 2" Styrofoam ball
Two Googly eyes
Egg carton
Yarn
Skewer
Tape

Steps:

1. Make sure the milk container is clean and dry before starting. Cut a U-shaped flap in the back of the milk jug with a craft knife (parents help with the knife).

2. Fill the jug with candy and tape the flap closed with a small piece of masking tape. This is just to hold the flap down as you add tissue paper, so you only need to use a little bit of tape.

3. Cut your tissue paper into small (roughly 2") squares and paste them to the jug with Mod Podge. Put as many or as few layers of tissue paper for your desired look, but be sure to cover the opening with two to three layers this will hold the flap down just enough so that the pinata will be able to burst open when hit. Allow the Mod Podge to dry thoroughly.

4. For hair cut jagged bangs into the felt and glue to the pinata (use the photo for placement reference).

5. Using the craft knife, slice the Styrofoam ball in half. Press your finger into the dome portion of the ball for the Googly eyes. Glue the eyes into the wells on the balls. Glue the eyes to the pinata.

6. Just above the eyes paint a scar across the forehead and a squiggle on the chin with Pure Black paint and a detail brush. Paint a squared mouth with the Pure Black paint using the larger brush. Paint teeth using the Titanium White paint.

7. Cut 2 egg sections from the egg carton. Paint them with the Gunmetal Grey paint. Glue to the sides of the head with tacky glue.

8. Using the tip of the craft knife. Poke a small hole in the top back of the pinata. Poke a second hole in the back of the pinata about 1" down from the top. Tape a long piece of yarn to a skewer and thread through the two holes. Tie a knot in the yarn to secure and hang.

Heirloom in Claremont, CA - Grand Opening this Weekend.

2011-10-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Creative Juice, then you are a fan of my good pal......Rob Lewbel and you don't even know it. Rob (aka Robbie) and I go way back.......he was pals with my hubby before I met my hubby.

Over the years Rob and I have collaborated on many projects together - short films, photography art and Creative Juice. Rob was a huge creative force behind Creative Juice. He directed almost half of the 104 episodes and even directed the episode that I got my first Emmy Nomination for.

Rob dives head first into creative projects so when he told me that he along with his gf Becky were going to open a shop I just knew it would be awesome......and it is. The shop has a arty, foodie, vintage, diy and local vibe. They feature handmade, artists and cool stuff.

The grand opening is this Sat - so if you are in the area pop by!

FACEBOOK FAN PAGE

YELP

Facebook Friends Page

WEBsite

I spy Mod Podge

Art by me and Rob.

Back home with my candle purchase.....really good scent and soy.

I'll be in Orlando at the Southern Women's Show this Weekend!

2011-10-13T16:57:00.001-07:00

Orlando Friends,

I'll be at The Southern Women's Show this weekend! It is going to be a blast and lots of creative people will be there too!

Each day, I will be giving away TWO jumbo prizes of Mod Podge, Martha Stewart Paints and of course Hot Glue Gun Helpers! Both days I'll be doing "make and takes"and Q&A. If you are in the area, pop by to say hi and get crafty.

I'll be doing "make and takes" at the Where Women Create stage.

Saturday - 6:00 pm - Ornament Making with Folkart Metallic Paints

Sunday - 3:00pm - Recycled Game Piece Jewelry with Mod Podge

The scoop:

Orlando Convention Center

9400 Universal Boulevard

North Concourse - Hall B

Orlando, FL 32819

$10 at the door

Sat 10am - 7pm

Sun 10am - 5pm

NBC Parks and Recreations gets crafty tonight...Hot Glue Gun Helpers made the CUT!

2011-10-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

Steve and I had so much fun crafting the set decorations for tonight's episode of Parks and Recreations (which is one of my favorite TV shows). They needed camp crafts as per the script and that is what we delivered. We worked with the production design team to make their vision come to life. Have a sneak look at the set here.....and tune in tonight. We were also thrilled that the decorator used our Hot Glue Gun Helpers as a part of the set design.

PS. Word on the set is that Amy Poehler loved the crafts!!!

Click to view the picture full frame.

We made dish bottle dolls, posters, banners, pine cone butterflies, paper chains, tag banners, bean plates, cozy cups, foam hats, coffee filter flowers, painted frames and nature mobiles.

Hot Glue Gun Helpers made the cut! The set is sprinkled with our tools! YEA!

Look for our HOT PINK Craft Mats!!

DIY: Altered Witch Hat Centerpiece

2011-10-11T14:28:00.000-07:00

Altered Witch Hat Centerpiece

This was designed for Plaid! See our page here.

Paper Mache Witches Hat

Foam Paintbrush

FolkArt Metallics Sequin Black

Torn BookPages

Mod Podge Gloss

Hot Glue Gun Helpers

Tulle

Feather Trim

Paper Flowers

Halloween Embellishments

MaKe...

The basic steps for making the hat are: Paint the hat with metallic sequin black paint. Use two coats if needed. Allow to Dry. Tear the book pages into strips. Size them to fit around the pointed end of the hat. Coat the back of each one with Mod Podge, position onto the hat, smooth any air bubbles with your finger and top coat with a layer of Mod Podge. Allow to Dry.

Lets Embellish!

Using hot glue and Hot Glue Gun Helpers, attach tulle and feather trim around the brim of the hat. Attach Halloween embellishments to the front and brim of the hat. Finish off the design by gluing paper flowers around the embellishments.

Closer look >>>>>Do you see the old earring dangling? I love using old broken bits of jewelry as embellishments. Also - The skull cabochon is from my shop. If you like her, then you might like this project as well>>> Halloween Votive Holder.

I love how the ornaments add a little pop of color and sheen.

HGTV: Creative Juice: Two epsiodes Back to Back on Tuesday Mornings.

2011-10-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

Get Your Creative Juice Fix.....
Reruns of Creative Juice - Tuesday Mornings - HGTV

October 11th, 2011

Morning - Check your local times

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For Instructions Please visit our Facebook Page.

Episode 704 - Antiqued

For Instructions Please visit our Facebook Page.

Altered Mirrors
Sewing Ruffles to a Top
Tea Dyeing
Vintage Workshop Saw Clock

Episode 709 - Natures Gifts

For Instructions Please visit our Facebook Page.

Handmade Gift Bags with Paper Clay and Stamps
Gold Leafing Fruits and Chocolates
DIY Lotion Bars
Silk Flower Gift Bows

DIY Halloween Bubbles

2011-10-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

Halloween Bubbles

Does the idea of kids and Halloween candy leave chills up your spine, holes in your teeth and nightmares of kids running around in circles for hours on end in your head? Fear not! I have a solution that will keep the little ones busy and the dentist happy. B U B B L E S!!

These bubbles are traditionally for weddings and celebrations but with a little DIY makeover they can easily be transformed into frightfully fun bubbles.

{{Gather This}}

bubbles

scrapbook paper

hot glue

hot glue gun helpers

google eyes

mesh fabric or trim (this one was from Jo-Anns)

paper flowers

coffin box or other box (this one was from Michaels)

folkart paint black metallic

foam paintbrush

paper graphic

more paper flowers

gems

embellishments

Trim the paper to fit around the bubble container (leave a little extra for overlapping). Add a drop of hot glue to one side of the bubble container.

Place the paper into the hot glue. Wrap around and secure the end with a drop of hot glue. Repeat for each bottle.

I LOVE google eyes!

Hot google eyes to the tops of the bubbles.

Cut strips of mesh fabric to fit a few times around the bottle. Using a hot glue gun helper finger cap, hot glue the mesh around the bottle.

Hot glue a paper flower to the front center of the bottle.

Make as many as desired.

Dry brush paint the coffin box with metallic black paint. The dry brushing effect will create haunted streaks. To dry brush, dip the brush into paint, tap off almost all the paint and with a very light hand, paint the coffin box.

Decorate the box by hot gluing paper cutouts, flowers and gems to the side of the box. Load teh box with bubbles and pass out to the kids....or keep them for your self!

P.S. Grown-ups love them too!

101 Snappy Fashions: Whip Up A Baby Costume!

2011-10-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Whip up a
pumpkin costume
for your little one!

This project picture is from my book, 101 Snappy Fashions!

Get ready to say boo and show off your Halloween spirit! This design is so easy to make and it is endless how many different pumpkin faces you could make.

This pumpkin design looks so sweet and cute but, if you wanted to make a more gothic design, consider using cutout felt skulls, bats or a witch silhouette.

Materials:
Orange Baby Snapsuit (or a dyed one)
Black Felt
Embroidery Floss – Yellow
Green Trim

Steps:

1.Cutout facial features from felt for the pumpkin face. Triangles for the eyes and nose and a big smile for the mouth.

2.Using embroidery floss, attach the felt to the snapsuit with a running stitch.

3.Hand stitch green trim around the neckline.

DIY Ghostly Candy Bowl

2011-10-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

DIY Ghostly Candy Bowl

Materials:

Large clear plastic bowl

Cheesecloth – 2 yards

Foam paintbrush

Mod Podge ® Gloss, 16 oz.

Plaid ® Hot Glue Gun Helpers

Hot glue

Lace

Feathers

Ornament balls

Paper flowers

Place the bowl upside down on a tall sturdy object so it is about 5” from your work surface. Coat the outside of the bowl with a thick layer of Mod Podge.

Here is a side view...

Cut the cheesecloth into 5 pieces; place the pieces in the Mod Podge on the bowl. (let the pieces hand over the edge in a ghostly manor) Add more Mod Podge to the cheesecloth until it is completely glued to the bowl. Allow to dry.

Add more Mod Podge to the cheesecloth if needed.

Using hot glue and Hot Glue Gun Helpers attach lace, feathers, balls, flowers, etc. to the edge of the bowl. Fill with candy.

HGTV: Two for Tuesday - Creative Juice Mornings.

2011-10-03T17:49:00.000-07:00

Get Your Creative Juice Fix.....
Reruns of Creative Juice - Tuesday Mornings - HGTV

October 4th, 2011

Morning - Check your local times

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stitched laptop cases

Episode 705:

Crafty Space

Visit our Facebook Page for all the instructions!

sushi magnets

Episode 807:
Asian Inspiration

Visit our Facebook Page for all the instructions!

Saks Fifth Ave + My Pom Pom Trim = Carnival Candy Bar

2011-09-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

How cute and fun is this Carnival Candy display! I was so thrilled when the designer picked up my blue and red pom pom trim for the display at the Saks Contemporary Clothing event. Better yet.... I was happy that event designers are shopping etsy for trims and supplies including graphic design.

This event at Saks was about fun, food and fashion! You can see the whole candy spread over at Fab Gab.