I used to wear jewelry - rose paper headband.

That is the title of this post from the GCD Studios blog, and that is so funny - I used to wear jewelry too, but not anymore.  I've pretty much relegated myself to silver hoops, size depending on the occasion.  For work, a little smaller, for going out, larger.  When I saw this headband, I did decide I need one.  Although it would look cute with my silver hoops, I may have a hard time taming this hair with such a small strap.  But it's worth a try!  That's paper that's part of the rose, by the way.  Check out the tutorial here.

Fall canvas.

I know a lot of you are like me and find beauty in the simple.  I really believe that the most ornate things aren't always the best.  I found this fall canvas at My Blessed Life and wanted to share its simple beauty - the book pages and paper scraps completely do it for me, as does the message stating the season.  I would like one of these for each season.  Visit here for the complete tutorial.

Have you heard of The DIY Dish?

Meet Kim and Kris, crafty twins-ies who like to create and make videos about their projects.  Kim started YouCanMakeThis.com in 2006, and Kris managed SWAKembroidery.com starting in 2008.  Basically they have craftiness running through their identical veins!  They craft a little bit of everything, and because they are wonderful they love Mod Podge.  Check out their two-minute craft season opener where they make a jewelry holder using Mod Podge - I love their witch hat episode also.  I hope you enjoy.

Tin can jack o' lantern.

Hi there all you Mod Podge fans! I'm so thrilled to be visiting Amy's awesome blog today! If you're wondering who this person is that's talking to you right now, I'll tell you!

My name is Courtney and I'm the author of Scraps and Scribbles. I'm married to my wonderful husband of nearly 5 years and am a stay-at-home mommy to one busy little boy. My days are spent playing cars, cleaning up Kix from all over the carpet and squeezing in a craft or two (if I'm lucky!) You can find out more about me if you'd like over at my blog.

Brenda Pinnick and her fabulous fabric giveaway.

I'm so very lucky to have artist, designer and illustrator Brenda Pinnick located here in Georgia. When Brenda invited me to come to her studio and play for the day, of course I said yes. Yesterday I made the trek to Brenda's house (45 minutes from mine, but nothing in Atlanta is close) - a delightfully pretty home surrounded by a lot of trees. Brenda has an amazing studio in her basement, filled with all kinds of fabric and tools and paint and Sizzix dies . . . and you know how I love Sizzix.

To give you some background on Brenda, she's been an artist her whole life, and attended school at the Creative Circus here in Atlanta. Brenda has worked for all kinds of creative companies as a designer - her most recent pursuits include scrapbooking goodies on QVC, dies for Sizzix and the most gorgeous fabric in the world for Henry Glass. I can't forget to mention that she also started Color U, a dynamic workshop about color. Speaking of Color U, Brenda started me on a painting exercise . . .

which I worked on while Brenda make a necklace out of a gourd! I couldn't believe she cut a gourd and was going to use it for jewelry. But really, should I be surprised?

Brenda is super-amazing, and she loves Mod Podge.

Here she is, sealing her necklace with the ever-lovin' Podge.

She attached her gourd piece to a chain and wove ribbon and beads through.

Look at the finished piece - can you believe this only took a few hours? I'm so slow; I was still painting flowers while she was making fun jewelry. She used the Melody Ross Chip Art Tool Kit that I brought over. I was floored.

I had such a great day with Brenda! It was so awesome to see an artist and designer work in her own studio. I feel very lucky that I had access to her goodies for the day. By the way, what a delicious lunch Brenda! I wanna piece of the quiche right now. Thank you so much for having me.

Oh, I almost forgot. Brenda wants you to have a piece of her studio, too. She has a new fabric line from Henry Glass called Couleur Vie. It's GORGEOUS. Brenda was kind enough to give me some swatches, and we decided to give you some swatches too. I have two sets that I'm giving away, one pink colorway and one blue colorway:

and how could I give you fabric without Fabric Mod Podge?

1. Comment on THIS blog entry. What would you do with Brenda's fabric?
2. Only one entry per person - I'm selecting two winners this week. One for the pink colorway and one for the blue, both including Fabric Mod Podge.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, September 29th at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

Last week's winner of the Melody Ross Chip Art Tool Kit was Julie Campbell. Thanks for entering everybody.

DIY Halloween button wreath.

You know Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I had to do my part to contribute to the crafty projects out there. I wanted a door hanging and I wanted to use buttons - this canvas is what I came up with. I'm tickled pink (I mean purple, orange and black). I'm thinking that I should do one for Christmas as well, but we're so not even there yet, right? Here's how I made this lovely hanging.

An artsy crafty trash can . . . oh, and info on eclips.

This week I gave away a Melody Ross Chip Art Set by GCD Studios - then she did an awesome Mod Podge project, so the time came quickly for me to mention her again It's hard not to post about Melody all the time. She's such a lovely and amazing person. Truly.

Melody can find beauty in the mediocre, and I love it when people can do that. And then when those same people can do something about it. That would be the case in this trash can, which Melody made from leftover papers, fabric and a bucket. It's quite simple really, and if you are a first time Mod Podger, then this is the project for you. Can you really mess up a trash can? Isn't a trashy trash can sort of the point? Visit here for the complete tutorial. Melody will crack you up with the way she talks about her trash can like a real person. I love it.

Oh, and ONE MORE thing. Many people sent me e-mails about the Sizzix eclips. You said things like, I want it, but I'm waiting for a sale. Do you know where I can get one on discount?

Funny you should ask! I poked around and found this eclips bundle deal at Oh My Crafts. I had to share, because it's not fair to hog these things to myself. Anyhoo, I've got an eclips coming to me, and I can't wait to get this puppy up and running. If you get one, send me an e-mail. So we can chat all about our new machines, right?

Mini book out of soap wrap.

My friend Avital from Creativity Prompt is magical, because magical people are able to create fun things out of recycled items. If you can do this, then you are magical too. Avital used several formulas of the Podge and minimal supplies to crete the fun little books you see above, and she even recorded a VIDEO showing you how to do it. Avital is completely on the ball in addition to being an awesome crafter. Go here to see everything - isn't she thorough? You are going to love this project, I promise.

Stitch By Stitch - Learning to Sew book review.

I'm extra-specially excited to be doing a book review of Stitch By Stitch: Learning to Sew, One Project at a Time by Deborah Moebes. Why? Deborah is HERE in Atlanta, as is the amazing store Whipstitch that she owns! That's a huge deal, because sometimes I feel like it's hard to plug into the crafty community in this town - but Deborah is one of those little glue dots that pulls it all together. I've had the pleasure of meeting her, and she's truly amazing. Deborah has a lot of energy, and I wish I had as much. When I saw how much she packed into this book AND it all makes sense! For crazy crafters like we are, that is an accomplishment. Oh, and I'm totally qualified to do this book review, not just because I've met Deborah. I started my crafty journey at sewing camp when I was 10, and although I've taken a hiatus due to Mod Podging (and occasional knitting), I love sewing. If you've never sewn before, but want to learn, you can get this book and it will help. Read on - here are my five favorite things about Stitch by Stitch.

1. It's not just a book, it's a learning guide. The goal of this book is not to present you with projects (although those are included too), but for you to work through this book and use the techniques to learn how to sew and sew well. It feels like I'm going to learn something without being too teach-y. The flow is perfect, and you'll feel the same once you get your hands on it.

2. Great explanation sections at the front of the book. They explain everything in detail and have great photos - supplies, fabric, your machine . . . it's all included. Even I benefitted from the refresher. I totally forgot about the black stick with the slide-y read thing (seam guide). I want to sew again and try one of these. I never did the first time around. Also includes a thread explanation, which is so important - frequently the thread you choose can make or break a project.

3. Wonderful photos. Did I say wonderful? Deborah, you get big bonus points for your fabulous step outs. I don't think I've ever seen photos this clear. Each section is thorough and the photography couldn't be more detailed.
4. Projects interjected with lessons and alternate methods. This sort of goes along with #1, but I had to mention that they are lessons and skill building within each project. For instance, the pipe throw pillow project teaches you how to install a zipper - but there's also information on shortening a zipper and using a too short zipper. Every project is like this, so you learn A LOT.

5. It comes with a bonus CD that includes PDF patterns, stitch guides, applique designs and a whole lot more. Love bonus CDs, and also having the patterns that I can print.

If you are either a brand new sewer or a beginner, this book is a must-have. It also would be perfect for the returning sewer who has possibly forgotten everything (such as me). There's only so much room in this melon for crafts, I tell you. Either way, get Stitch By Stitch. You are going to love it.

Oh, before you go . . . Deborah did a special project with Mod Podge and fabric that she wanted you to see. She's made Martha a card with the fabric below, a card that will go with a complimentary copy of Stitch By Stitch to Martha's big HQ in New York. So this is important! See the completed card here with a tutorial.


Thanks to Deborah for letting me a host a stop on her blog tour, and onto the next one - woooo wooo!

Sew appealing handmade tin.

I love dress forms. I know I'm not the only one - they are big right now. Check out these Maya Road Sew Cute chipboard pieces I bought recently. Wonderful, right? Christine from Christine & Co. likes dress forms too, so she used an image from The Graphics Fairy to revamp this tin. With some boarder and texture stencil additions, whiz bang, a very cute box for your sewing kit! This makes me happy, and I hope it does you as well. Visit the entire entry here.

PS - Are you going to be around tonight at 10pm EST? Come chat with me! Visit Scrapbook Royalty and create a login, then join the chat room which will be live in the right (dark purple column) by 9:45. Hope to see you there!

Marisa's upcycled jar top holiday belt.

I'm going to be honest - Marisa Pawelko from Modern Surrealist is funky, but I mean that in the nicest way possible. I should say "funky cool." Here she is. Isn't she cute?

Melody Ross Chip Art Tool Set giveaway.

I'm going to tell you, there is hardly anything better than the Melody Ross Chip Art tool set by GCD Studios; possibly only Melody Ross herself. I actually had a chance to try the set before I went to Brave Girls Camp this past July, but it was a different experience actually being at BGC and using the goods with all the other ladies. We LOVED the mallet - it's very satisfying to hit something when you know nothing will get hurt. But really, we could get enough of the entire set.

The mallet is actually used with the included letters and shapes to emboss stuff, which is the whole point of this kit. You can use it to emboss chipboard and even leather, with fab results like this:

Combine paint and Mod Podge with your chip art, and you will be so thrilled with the results. I've seen chip art added to journals, canvas, candle holders, even jewelry. To learn more, watch this video. I'm offering a chip art tool set (very similar to the one in the first picture) to one winner today, along with the Mod Podge starter set. Read the rules below:

1. Comment on THIS blog entry. What would you do with the chip art tool set?
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, September 22nd at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

Thank you all so much for entering the Sizzix eclips giveaway. And thank you to Sizzix for hosting it. Congratulations to Jodi, our winner. I used Random.org to select her (I use Random for all my giveaways).

Decorative baby helmet.

When a baby has plagiocephaly, it means that there is a flattening of or unusual head shape. It seems sad, but the good news is that a helmet can reverse the effects. And the good news about a helmet is that it can be decoupaged. As Tami from Straight Toque With Tami realized, if you're going to have to wear a helmet, why not Mod Podge it? Tami visited her niece's daughter (baby helmet wearer Cora) and couldn't leave the pink helmet naked - she had to add some floral decor. Thanks Tami, for showing us that you can truly Mod Podge anything. Visit Tami's blog here for before helmet pics including the precious baby Cora. I love her, and I love her helmet!

White guitar, fabric pieces.

I'm going to be honest, I wouldn't typically see a guitar and think about using it as a decoration on a baby girl's room wall. Yet I totally agree with the following sentiment on Design*Sponge, where I found this project: "getting stuff for free is so great because it releases inhibitions: it didn’t cost me anything, why not paint it/cut it/rebuild it/cover it with fabric and see how it looks?" I couldn't agree more. Emily found this guitar in the trash, spray painted it and Mod Podged vintage fabric too it. And it couldn't be cooler. Visit the entire entry to see the before right here.

Doily design as a resist stool.

You may think me tricky - this is a painted stool I did using a paper doily as a resist. "Ok Mod Podge lady," you ask, "where is the Mod Podge?" I knew you were going to ask me that. It's right here:

I used my spankin' new Mod Podge BRAND acrylic sealer on it! Cool huh? I actually use this all the time to seal my Mod Podge projects, and I used it to seal this stool too. So it totally counts.

I wanted to make something with doilies, but I didn't want to glue doilies on anything. So I had this great idea to use a doily as a paint resist, and I like this stool because the top was exactly the size I needed. Let me walk you through the steps.

DIY matching game.

I'm such a huge fan of children's art - it makes me smile! I've posted Camille Dawn from Mother Lode before right here, and I'm so happy to be featuring her again. This DIY memory game with artwork by her child Delaney is just awesome. I can't decide if I like the bat or pig the best. See the full tutorial right here.

Faux vintage hangers.

Katie from Matsutake is one of my favorite bloggers in the whole world. Not just because she is very talented, which goes without saying, but because she has a fantastic imagination. While she was creating these hangers, she imagined who would have used them, the places they would have come from - I do that with my craft projects sometimes too, but I'm afraid it's much less exotic. And somehow always takes a Star Wars-type slant? Anyway, Katie uses her Mod Podge transfer technique to recreate her vintage hangers, and you can read more about it here.

PS - Sammy from Scraps N' Strings has done a very cute Mod Podge Dimensional Magic project, and she's giving some away. So you should enter here.

Project of the Week #109 - Modern circle wreath.

Can I tell you that Jen from Tatertots and Jello is one of the nicest people in the whole world? She really is. Having said that, nothing pleases me more than featuring her modern circle wreath in a very wonderful color that I sometimes forget about: orange. Jess from How About Orange would have my head for saying that . . . but I'm a blue gal. The nice thing is that orange and blue look great together, so we can all be friends.

Jen does wonderful tutorials, and you'll really enjoy this one. The wreath is beautiful in its modern-ness, and if you are into a different color palette then go for it. Find the complete tutorial here, and don't forget to use Outdoor Mod Podge to seal it against the elements.

The biggest giveaway ever - a Sizzix eclips machine.

I'm practically giddy today. Why? I'm giving away a Sizzix eclips machine to one reader. One very, very lucky reader. How did this happen? If you read this blog on a regular basis, you know my Sizzix Big Shot is like a family member to me - so at Summer CHA I made a beeline for the Sizzix booth. I got to see a demo of the eclips, new for 2010, and I was standing there with my mouth open. This IS the most awesome die cutter in existence. You are probably wondering what the features are and why the eclips is so amazing. Here's a picture analogy:

Remember Rosie, the maid from The Jetsons? She did everything! The eclips may not make you dinner, but it does everything that a perfect die cutter should do, PLUS so much more. I've done a lot of research and reading about the eclips, and I'd like to share with you my five favorite things about it.

1. The laser point image preview. Does your die cutter have this capability? I didn't think so. Sizzix very wisely added this preview feature so that you are ensured the perfect cut size every time and no more wasted paper. If you are a terrible eyeballer like me, then you love this feature like I do.
2. The cartridge art. Sizzix has always had the best artwork for their dies, so it's no surprise that the eclips artwork is also awesome. My favorites are Halloween & Scaredy Cat Alphabet and then Tween & Look at Me Alphabet. LOVE the squirrel in particular. For all designs, Sizzix offers creative features including shadows, outline, solid, decorative borders, picture-in-picture and mirror.
3. Speaking of the artwork, the artists were very kind to include all of the elements of their designs so that you can cut them separately. For instance, if you have a flower and leaf shape, you can choose to cut the entire flower and leaf OR just cut out some flowers. How flexible is that?
4. The pen holder accessory. You can draw shapes and even use glue pens and then add glitter. This is perfect for adding black glitter to my Halloween projects!
5. Ease of use. I'm sure you would guess that I'm good with electronics since I'm on the computer every day blogging, but that's not the case. I frequently have problems with phones, and I don't mean cell phones. Even I can use the eclips. I told you I saw the live demo at CHA, and I even got to inspect it closely. I knew I could figure it out even if Kevin the demo guy weren't there.

Time to give this puppy away! You'll be a getting a Sizzix eclips starter kit, a $500 value. Ah Sizzix . . . you are so wonderful. Here are the rules of this contest.
1. Add yourself as a follower of this site if you aren't already and then let me know you did.
2. Visit the Sizzix eclips site and tell me why you would like it in your comment where you tell me you are a follower.
3. Contest ends September 18th at midnight, EST.
4. US residents only at this time, please.

Disclaimer: Sizzix didn't compensate me in any way for this blog post - they are simply a great company that has offered an eclips to one of my readers, and for that I thank them. For more about the eclips, visit the Sizzix videos here.

Travel inspired subway art.

There has been so much subway art around the crafty blogosphere, that I had to do my part in showcasing it. If you are tired of this trend I apologize, but maybe giving it a chance and trying it would purge it from you. Consider this travel inspired art done by Bernadette at B3 Home Designs. I share this piece for two reasons - first of all, the background on it is awesome, and it would be a fabulous background on just about any canvas project. Secondly, I think it's very romantic that Bernadette uses city names that both she and her husband have visited together. Deep down inside I'm a hopeless romantic.

Visit here for the full tutorial, and you should give Burnadette props for cutting out those letters herself without the help of a fancy-dandy machine. She's totally hard core. Oh, and a great writer.

Refurbished key portrait.

My friend LollyChops is going to love this project - it uses shades of her most favorite color, TEAL! I found this sad little piece of key art, broken and golden, at Hobby Lobby. I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be broken, and what likely happened is someone said "Do these keys come off?" and then tried it. Not that I've done that myself. I'm not really a gold person, so I decided to brighten up this key art with some paint and Mod Podge. Here's how it's done.

May the force be with you eye chart.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge nerd - ie., Star Wars fan. I'm not quite sure when it began, but it was definitely before high school. Let's say that I got some statuettes when I was in 8th grade for Christmas gifts. I can't believe i just told you that, but I think you should know these things. In college, I bought the Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game and used to have tournaments every Wednesday with my friends. And now? As an adult the love has manifested itself into an Ewok t-shirt. I guess it could be worse.

When I saw that Barbara from hodge:podge made this eyechart Star Wars art for her son, the inner nerd knew that it needed to be shared with the world. It's so simple, yet so wonderful. Find her tutorial here, and then consider other phrases from the triology to make into your own eye chart. I fancy "You'll find I'm full of surprises" (Luke Skywalker in case you didn't know).

Denim flower barrettes.

Do you ever wish your hair would act like it did when it was little? Soft and silky and always cute - instead of the wig-like mop that some days doesn't want to do anything? I'm speaking about myself of course. My messy hair seems to work for me, but it does bother me that it rejects barrettes. And I love fun barrettes, like these denim ones above from Melissa at Until Wednesday Calls. If you can believe it, they are made with Mod Podge. They go with an outfit Melissa made, and that is stinkin' cute. Check out the full tutorial here.

Oh, and just in case you needed another contest in your life.

Question: are you making a pumpkin for Halloween? You should enter Plaid's TRICK YOUR PUMPKIN contest! Plaid is co-sponsoring with Craft Critique for a fantastic, out of this world pumpkin contest with great prizes. There are some celebrity judges (and me!), and you'll be featured on the Plaid website if you win. Check it out here.

Secret storage books.

I was a big fan of Nancy Drew books when I was younger. I read all of the ones my mom had when she was a child - the same ones she sold at a garage sale when I was in high school. You could say I'm still not over it. I did realize in my adult years that sometimes you just want stuff to go away, and this feeling is probably magnified when you have five children like my mom did. But I still don't think I would have given away the Nancy Drews, were I in the same position. Okay, it might be time to let this one go.

Now onto the secret storage books.

These books I found on Design*Sponge remind me of the stuff in Nancy Drew books, and I like a little mystery in my life. Books - no. Secret storage for cool stuff - yes. If you are feeling even more industrious after you Mod Podge these, you can build a bookshelf that swings open to a secret room (oh, you have to build that too) when you move one. I'll leave that up to you. Visit here for the full tutorial.

Plaid week on Pink Persimmon.

If you like Mod Podge, then that means you like Plaid product. And that means you should visit Pink Persimmon this week. Not only do they make cool clear stamps, but they are featuring Plaid product every day starting today - and you could win some goods. Maybe some Mod Podge even. Go here to start following, and don't forget to visit every day for chances to win.

Project of the Week #108 - Patchwork dresser.

I'm so obsessed with patchwork lately, I can barely stand it. Patchwork in contrasting colors. . . patchwork in brights . . . patchwork in polka dots and stripes. That is just completely how I roll. Maureen from Twig and Toadstool rolls that way too, because she decoupaged this cute lil' pink dresser in patchwork splendor. I'm jealous because I want a dresser with a door like the one on the right. A perfect place for sweaters! Sigh. Please visit the full entry here to learn more about this project.

One more thing - I know of some cool giveaways going on and I want to share them with you. Visit Paint Me Plaid to see what's up. You could win a stencil cutter or some FolkArt paint.

Altered Art Circus book review and giveaway.

Do you remember the book review I did a few weeks ago? That was just the first of many. I mentioned how valuable my book collection is (especially my craft books), and my intention is to expand yours. This week is a technique book all about altered art. You are going to love it:

Altered Art Circus is a whimsical crafty guide by Lisa Kettell, who I had the pleasure of meeting this past January at CHA. Isn't it wonderful to know that the person who wrote the book is just as fantastic as the book itself? I said the book is whimsical, and that is Lisa's personality as well. She's fun, bright and glittery . . . just like what is inside the text. Lisa is an experienced mixed media artist and writer; in educational terms, I would say she has a PhD in creativity and vintage cuteness. Altered Art Circus is a book of exploration, and if you are in need of a creative kick-in-the-pants, then this book is for you. The book is also perfect for the altered artist who just wants to try something a little different. I think lists are fun, and it worked last time, so here are my top five favorite things about this book:

-The technique section at the beginning of this book. My style tends to be bold color with not so many accents, but I'm trying to learn some tips and tricks for small touches as improvements. Lisa also lists helpful hints and techniques for each project.

-The interesting materials she uses. Lisa not only loves Mod Podge (a big plus) but she also loves Model Magic, crackle medium and even broken stuff. I'm really wanting to try Model Magic now.

-The Fairytale Pageant Crown and the Secret Lantern project. You know, it was really hard to choose my favorites though. The whole book is absolutely stunning; each project is so beautiful and interesting in its own way.

-The Magical Gallery in Chapter Six with other altered artist images and websites. I love that Lisa not only features her own projects but the work of others, so you can truly consider this an altered art resource.

-The vintage images that you get FOR FREE (personal use) at the back of the book. So many great images that are used in several of the projects, for you to enlarge to your heart's desire.

I can, without question, recommend Lisa's book to you. I'm feeling completely inspired after reading the book for this review, and it's probably my 100th time pouring over the pages and projects. I want to be more fairie-like, I truly do. Altered art is just . . . so cool.

For the giveaway this week, I'm giving away Altered Art Circus AND a few sheets of paper and ephemera that Lisa sent me from her scrapbook line to get you started. This is in addition to the starter pack. Read the rules below, and don't forget to visit Lisa's blog and Etsy shop to get ideas and shop for some fun fairie stuff!

Rule reminder:
1. Comment on THIS blog entry. Say anything you would like!
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, September 8th at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.
5. US residents only on this one.

PS - I don't get paid for book reviews; my only compensation is a copy of the title to give to you. If I write that something is good and that I like it, you can trust me. I really mean it.
PPS - last week winner was Kaleyber.