PEONY FLOWER CANDLE BASE TUTORIAL!!!

Hello, everyone!!!  I hope all's well and that you're all happy crafters!!!

You're all just sooooo amazing and I love you all for being yourselves, and  I'd like to thank you for being so wonderful and dropping by to visit (and follow) my new friend, Sheila's, new blog.  I hope you enjoyed your stay!!!  I believe Sheila will appreciate all the love!!!

I've gotten a couple of emails requesting a tutorial on the peony flower base candle holder I did for Brenda's birthday blog hop, so I put one together for you.  I think you'll be surprised at just how simple it is.  In case you don't remember it, it was this one:

To put this candle base together you need oven-bake or air dry clay (whichever you prefer) and Liquid Sculpey to use as an adhesive for the clay.

To begin, pinch off a piece of clay just large enough to close your fist around, and begin shaping it into a ball by rolling it between the palms of your hands:

Next begin flattening the clay out by pressing it between your fingers and turning it constantly as you go to start forming the base petal for the votive.  As you are turning, pressing, and forming the circular petal base try to get it as flat as possible while pressing it between your fingers; however, do not worry about it being irregular or having fingerprints, etc. -- we want this.  If it tears, just pinch the clay back together and continue on.  As an example, here I am pressing, turning, and shaping the clay:

Continue working the clay until you have a circle large enough to fold up and cover the sides of a votive candle:

Leave the voltive with the clay wrapped up the sides and form 4 to 5 more of these petals (depending on the fullness you want).  Now, taking a second petal, add a dab of Liquid Sculpey to the center:

Adhere by pressing the center of the second petal firmly to the bottom center of the first petal attached to the votive.  Using your fingers begin shaping the petals to look like a peony flower:

Add the remaining petals by gluing them on with the Liquid Sculpey and form/shape the petals with your fingers as you did with the first petals; lastly, remove the votive and you should have a base that looks similar to this:

Now how easy is this?!!!  All that's left to do is for you to decorate it.  You can spray it, paint it, use rub-ons -- it's all up to you!!!  For the sparkle on mine base, after I blended together several color glazes to apply on it, I sprayed it adhesive and sprinkled Diamond Dust over it. 

Okay, don't forget to leave your wonderful comments for my blog candy by going to the top of my side-bar on the righ side of this page and clicking on the link to that post.

Well, that's it for right now but I'll be back later to visit with you and admire more of the awesome projects you do!!!

Thanks for stopping by, and...

I'll be seeing you!

NOTEPAD TUTORIAL - PART II

Happy Sunday!!!  And I know it's really Sunday because I just came home from church -- lol!!!  I hope all my blogging-family enjoyed a wonderful and very happy weekend!

Today I'm picking up where I left off in yesterday's tutorial.  I will now show how to construct the notepad.   For this tutorial, I will be using only leftover bits of paper, so it's not going to look very pretty for this demonstration; however, you will use a paper of your choice for your actual notepad.  And, remember, your pages should be plain typing or copy paper!!!

Okay, now that all the pages are printed and/or cut out, you will need a front and back cover; cut 2 pieces of 2-7/8" x 5.50 heavy cardstock mats for your covers:

Taking all of the inside pages, sandwich them between the front and back covers:

Lightly tap all sides of your pad making certain all the pages are even on all sides.  It is IMPORTANT that all pages align and meet evenly across the top to ensure all pages are caught up in the glue binding, so pay particular attention to the top of your notepad.  Once your notepad is evenly in place, clip the pad to keep the pages together and to keep them from moving or shifting.  I've used a paper clip here because this pad is thin, however, your pad will more than likely be much thicker and you may need to use a binding clip or clamp:

Using a wet glue, such as Crafters Pick "The Ultimate", rubber cement or even Elmers Glue, etc., liberally apply glue across the top pages of the notepad:

Using the index finger and thumb, run your fingers across the top of the notepad  lightly squeezing/pressing as you go to make certain the glue penetrates into all of the top layers.  Next, place the pad on a non-stick surface and cover it with a non-stick surface (I used MeltArt Craft Sheets; or, you can use wax or freezer paper); place a heavy book on top to apply pressure and assure the pages stay in contact; allow glue to dry for 30 minutes.

Once the glue is dry, you will need to cover and conceal the glued top-side of your notepad.  Cut a piece of paper 2-7/8" across and long enough to cover the top of your notepad with at least 1/2" to cover both the top and back covers:

Apply glue to the cover tab making certain to get all the edges well lubricated:

Slightly fold the tab in half (BUT DO NOT  ALLOW ANY PORTION TO ADHERE TOGETHER -- this step is to get an even alignment on the front and back covers, and along the top of the notepad).  Take the center of the cover tab and lay it across the top of the notepad and press down; fold down the front and back sides of the tab and press down.  Finish by firmly pressing down both sides of the tab to the pad, and by running a bone-folder or knife-edge along the top of the pad to made certain it adheres and to look nice and neat:

Allow the glue to dry on the tab about 15-20 minutes and your notepad is ready with all the printed (or blank) pages inside:

Now decorate and embellish it!!!

Your notepad can be as large or small as you'd like -- depends on the size you cut.  You can have as many pages as you'd like; pages can be printed or blank pages, and you can even bind it on the side book-style!  Put them in matching boxes or envies to give as gifts!  You're the designer and it's all up to you!!!  Here's another peek at one I made:

Should you have any questions, please just let me know; I will get back to you, I promise!  In the meantime, I hope to see your notepad creations!  And by all means, please feel free to link them to my blog!!!

Well, I'm off to go play now!  I'll be back with a project soon!!!  So, hugs to you all and...

I'll be seeing you!

TRIPLE TWISTED EASEL CARD TUTORIAL

Hello, hello, everyone!!!  Happy Friday to all!

And a special hello to some new followers!  Thank you for joining my family of friends!  I'm so happy to have you and hope to get better acquainted with you all.  In the meantime, please make yourselves at home -- you are!!!

I was asked to do a tutorial on the triple twisted easel card that I'd posted earlier, and keeping my promise, here we go.  This tutorial contains 12 step-by-step photos, so you may as well relax.

To begin you'll only need a 12"x12" sheet of cardstock:  cut off 4" from the 12"x12" sheet of cardstock so that you'll have a 4"x12" and an 8"x12" sheet as shown below:

Cut the 4"x12" sheet into three (3) equal 4"x4" panels.  These panels will be you cards:

For the moment, put the cards aside, and move on to the 8"x12" sheet.  With the 8" top of the paper across the scoreboard, score at 4" (the middle of the sheet):

Turn the sheet so that the 12" top is across the scoreboard; score at 4" and 8":

Now, you'll cut along the 4" and 8" scorelines but only down to the center scoreline as shown below.  These 3 cut sections will be your card base panels:

At this time you must decide what direction you want your cards to go (to twist).  Depending on the folds, your cards can face right, left, or forward -- that'll be your choice!  For the card on my tutorial, I folded the base panels for my cards as indicated on the picture below; however, I will show you an example following my demonstration on how to fold for your cards to twist in a different direction.

Okay,  using the top inside corners of the right and left base panels, I folded the card base panels downward in a triangular shape (in half) with the top corners meeting the outside bottom edge corners of the base panel and along the center scoreline; for the center base panel, I folded that downward (in half) to the center scoreline:

Make certain to bone-fold your folds for nice crisp, clean folds.  Now add glue to the folded-in side of one of the card base panels, as shown below:

NOTE:  Make sure the glue is applied to the base panel only; avoid getting glue outside of or underneath the base panel otherwise your card will not twist or sit properly.

Now retrieve the cards.  Take one card and evenly align the edge of the card to the edge of the base panel, making sure the bottom of the card is aslo aligned with the center scoreline::

Glue the remaining two (2) card panels onto the base panels in the same manner, and it should look this when all 3 card panels glued are in place:

Starting at the top of each card, bring your card up and sit into place, as shown below:

It is now complete for you add by adding card fronts or just decorate it as is; however you desire!

Now, as I mentioned, I'll show you another fold example where your cards will twist to face in a different direction.  Play with the card base panel folds to get your cards to go in  the direction you want:

 So, that's it!  Have fun with it!  If you have any questions, leave me a comment and I'll get back to you!!!

I'll be back a bit later with another little project I'm completing to share with you; until...

I'll be seeing you!