A few pics from #CHAShow.

It was a busy day 1 at CHA.

Behind the scenes at #CHAShow

New nail polish.

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 !

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!!

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

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.

Step by Steps after the Jump....

DIY: Valentine Candy or Gift Box with Altered Cherubs

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

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!

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

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)

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

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))

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

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

 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

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

 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!

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.