Halloween Clock and Gears Ornament

I got a lot of fun Globecraft Memories & Piccolo crafting materials in the mail, including a great kit to make a clear bubble style ornament, which I've always wanted to try!
I decided to go with the most forthcoming event, which is Halloween.
This piece has a lot going on and a lot to explain!
On the front bubble side I decided to have a glittered fence with a gate. The back bubble is filled with assorted glitter and large rhinestones. Sort of like a waterglobe. I decided that I wanted to have a clear acetate piece in the middle with a design on it, sandwiched between the two bubbles, so you could see all the way through it and to keep the glitter isolated to one side. So, the first thing I did was trace the bubble dome shape onto a piece of acetate and cut it out. I drew a design of an old spooky house on a hill in chalk on some black paper and put the acetate over it so I could paint the design onto the acetate.
I then used a tiny brush and some black acrylic paint to put the design onto the acetate.
While that was drying, I decided to get my gears and key charms all ready to to. In my Globecraft Memories and Piccolo sample pack, I got some super cool Piccolo paper charms. They've come up with a great product that gives you results like you would get with real kiln-based metal or porcelain enamel, but you don't need a kiln or fancy special tools and expensive supplies. For this project, I used the Steampunk Gears Charm Set and the Vintage Lock and Keys Charm Set. The instructions say to use embossing glue or ink, but I ended up using Art Institute Designer dries clear adhesive. Then, I liberally poured the special Piccolo Vintage Copper enameling powder on each piece and tapped off the excess. The instructions say to put one coat on the back of the charm, and two on the front, but I just put one large coat over each charm.
I let those dry and then marched them downstairs to "enamel" them. The instructions say to heat the enameling powder the same as you would embossing powder, to use a heat gun or put into a 400 degree oven for 60-80 seconds. I decided to try the hot plate approach (the only way I've ever used enameling powder). I made a little tin foil tray and put the charms in. Don't move them, don't flip them and don't try to pry them off of a cooled tin foil tray. I removed each charm from the still-hot aluminum foil tray using a straight pin, let them air cool and then put them down on my quartz countertops to cool them quickly. If you let them cool in the aluminum, they stick to it and it's fairly difficult to pry them off.
This technique produced some really REALLY cool results! The copper was bumpy, looked old and imperfect and there was plenty of that gorgeous green patina sprinkled throughout. I have often wondered how Disneyland made metal look old, rusty and full of patina, especially on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride... they must use a technique like this. I had a lot of fun doing this and can't wait to come up with more uses for it. (Now I'm wishing I would have used it on that front gate I glittered on this piece... darn it!)
I then covered these pieces with Piccolo's Glastique Gloss to make each piece thicker, seal in the gorgeous color and give it a good solid sheen.
So, to take an inventory of what else I was going to put on or in my ornament... here are my gears, keys, a brown dangling crystal that I found in my junk jar, some Graphic 45 Halloween Clocks, a chipboard Keyhole charm from the Olde Curiosity Shop Line and a Graphic 45 paper fence that I ended up x-acto cutting out and glittering with Art Institute #79 Black Ultrafine Opaque glitter, some flat back crystals (I glued two together so they were round and could be put in the back snow globe bubble of my ornament) and some glitter that will go in the back bubble, too. I chose Art Institute Elements Beehive, which is like glitter, sand and lovely bits of earth all rolled into one, and Art Institute Fine Vintage Glass Glitter - #612 Golden Glow.
After I cut out and glittered that little gate (Still wishing I would have made it copper!), I glued it in front of my acetate house onto a chipboard ring, put down one of the clear dome bubbles, then put another ring on top which I glittered way ahead of time using Art Institute #79 Black Ultrafine Opaque glitter. I then used some heavy duty clamps to hold it in place while the excessive amounts of glue I used, dried.
After the glittered front ring was dry (oops, looks like it's going to need some touch-up glitter!), I laid out my gears and paper clock to get ready to glue them down...
And then I glued them on using Art Institute Designer dries clear adhesive.
While that was drying, I poured in the Beehive Elements Glitter and the Vintage Gold Glass Glitter into the back bubble and added those crystals I had set aside...
And carefully glued it to the back of the front dome and capped it off with the back black glittered chipboard oval. Again, I used way too much glue, so I made sure not to move this while it was drying, or the loose glitter would just stick to the sides (and then it's no longer a free-sprinking snow globe, but more of just a solid mass of glitter).


And here it is finished after I added all the keys, the pocket watch clock and that crystal and excessive amounts of ribbon! For my first bubble ornament, it's not too shabby. It was a lot of fun to make... can't wait to make more!

Globecraft and Art Glitter Cross Promotion with Linda Neff

This month Art Glitter has teamed up with Globecraft Memories to see what kind of projects the design team members could create using both company's products. I had fun working on this Easel Card from Globecraft Memories. The card has the easel built right in so the recipient can easily display it. I chose to trace, cut and cover my Easel Card with Bazzill Basics paper. It's adhered by running the papers through my Xyron 5" Creative Station. After adhering the paper I inked all the edges with Walnut Stain Distress Ink. The Bingo Card is paper from Teresa Collins. I pulled out a doily and brushed it with Designer Dries Clear Adhesive (DDCA) and sprinkled with No. 132 Saddlebag Opaque Ultrafine Glitter and tapped off excess. A heart cut from corrugated cardboard is run through a Xyron 2.5" Create-a-Sticker, some of the adhesive is rubbed away and then sprinkled with No. 524 Tree Bark Microfine Transparent Glitter. Layers of die-cut flowers are inked with Walnut Stain Distress Ink then DDCA applied to the edges and dipped in No. 524 Microfine Transparent Glitter as
well.

I used Globecraft Memories Piccolo Card Decor Vintage Birdcage Charms and enameled one of the charms with Globecraft Memories Piccolo Vintage Copper Enamel Powder. I experimented with painting the charm with Pitch Black Adirondack Paint Dabber in between layers of the enamel. I like the finished results.

The card is assembled by adhering the doily to the Easel Card then I added the Bingo card on top of that. I wrapped a ribbon around the heart and tied in a bow. The flower and the birdcage are layered and adhered to the heart then it's all added to the Bingo card. To add even more "bling" there are some swirl pearls from Want2Scrap. The stamped phrase - "sing your song" is added for the sentiment.
Now tell me you wouldn't be thrilled to receive a card like this from a friend! Visit my blog for even more glittery ideas!

Supply List: Globecraft Memories Easel Card, Globecraft Memories Piccolo Card Decor Globecraft Memories, Piccolo Enamel Powder, Art Glitter Tree Bark Microfine Transparent, Art Glitter Saddlebag Ultrafine Opaque, Designer Dries Clear, Want2Scrap, Pearl Gems, Walnut Stain Distress Ink, Xyron 5" Creative Station

October Fun with Globecraft and Art Glitter

It's October, so I am in a Halloween mood!  This time, I am working on a collaboration between Art Glitter and Globecraft Memories.  It is an involved project, so let's hop in!

MATERIALS
Book (I used Regis and Kathie Lee Cookbook I found at a second hand store--who knew?)
Enough imitation leather to cover book, front and back
8" by 10" Muslin Fabric
Xyron Creatopia
Xyron Fabric Adhesive
Sizzix Tim Holtz Hardware Findings Die
One Sheet Heavy Kraft Cardstock
Die Cut Machine
Silhouette Machine
Silhouette Machine Clean Cut Fabric Interfacing
Globecraft Memories Ornament Globe
Globecraft Memories Large Flower Shaped Piccolo
Globecraft Memories Key Shaped Piccolo
Globecraft Memories Keyhole Shaped Piccolo
Globecraft Memories Enamel Powder Adhesive
Globecraft Memories Piccolo Powders in Vintage Silver
Globecraft Memories Piccolo Powders in Siam Silver
Globecraft Memories Cool-Set Enameling Gel in Metallic Copper
Art Glitter Dries Clear Fabric Adhesive with Fine Tip
Art Glitter Ultrafine Opaque 357 Wintergreen
Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent 104 Spring Mint
Art Glitter Ultrafine Transparent 94 Key Lime
Art Glitter Microfine Opaque 512 Bahaman Blue
Art Glitter  Fantasy Film Dandelion
Art Glitter Fantasy Fiber Briarwood
Want2Scrap Clear Gems
Brads
Heat Gun
Iron
Big Bite
Scissors
Craft Knife
Large Stencil Brush
2" 22 Gauge Wire
Tape Roller

DIRECTIONS:
1)  Cut Globecraft Ornament roughly in half to create cauldron.  I used just a little more than a half for this.  Also, be sure to cut the chipboard frame as well.
2)  Cover the plastic half with Cool-Set Enamel.  Use it directly from the bottle and swirl it a little as you apply to create the "hammered" look.  Set aside to dry.

3)  Cut fake leather fabric about 1" larger than the book both vertically and horizontally.  You will be cutting one piece for the whole thing, so be sure to open the book and measure it all the way around before you cut.
4)  Place the chipboard frame piece from direction one where you would like the cauldron.  Use the craft knife to cut around the inside of the frame.
5)  Iron the Clean Cut Fabric Interfacing on muslin.
6)  In Silhouette Studio Program, create the potions word and steam section and cut.  I used a premade steam portion and welded on the word with the font Argo.  This step can be skipped if you have another way to cut out the muslin--either by hand or another machine.
7)  Set the cut out muslin in position and iron on.
8)  Add some Want2Scrap gems for "bubbles" on the muslin steam and the cauldron edge.
9)  Use your Art Glitter Fabric Adhesive to add the Microfine Glitter to the word potion.  Set aside to dry.
10)  Use the Art Glitter Fabric Adhesive to create the "steam" colors.  I used the Wintergreen first to create the details, then Spring Mint for the highlights and finally Key Lime for the pop of color.  Wait a few moments for each color to dry and tap off in between colors.  Do not brush.  The colors here do not have to dry in between, because it looks better if they blend a little.
11)  Repeat step 10 on the edge of the cauldron. 

12)  Use your die cut machine and Sizzix die to cut four straps from the heavy cardstock.  Cut 2 more pieces of the scrap to wrap around the binding.
13)  Cut Globecraft Flower into quarters.  You will have one full and two half petals in each part.  They are the corner pieces.
14)  Using the Globecraft Embossing Fluid and your heat gun, emboss the straps. the eatra heavy cardstock and all the remaining Globecraft Memories Elements EXCEPT the key with Vintage Silver Embossing Powder.
15)  Emboss the key with Siam Silver Embossing Powder.  We switched the embossing powder because this one is more detailed, which suits the detailed key better.
16)  Make sure that all the glue is dry before you proceed.  Send the leather through the Xyron Creatopia with the fabric adhesive.
17)  Before removing from the background paper, carefully pry open the oval cut you made in step 4.  Insert the cauldron, placing the edging under the cut leather.
18)  Carefully remove leather from background and cover the book.  Use the extra fabric to wrap under the edges.
19)  Use the Art Glitter Fabric Adhesives to attach all of the embossed pieces except the key.
20)  Use Big Bite to create holes for brads. 
21)  Attach brads, leaving one just a little loose to attach the key.
22)  Cut, crinkle and glue the Fantasy Film to look like "fire" under the cauldron.
23)  Glue Fantasy Fiber into the cauldron to look like an "explosion".
24)  Use wire to attach the key from a brad.
I realize that this project is a little intense, but it can be modified in any way that you like.  It is your book, so enjoy its creation.  I loved making it so much, that I have created a second one, pictured here.

If you want to see how I did the second one, check out my blog at www.rememberinglifesmoments.blogspot.com.  See you later, glitter on!