Mod Podge starter pack giveaway.

Want more Mod Podge?  Okay.  You don't have to jump through a flaming hoop.  Just leave a comment.


Here are some other things to know for today's giveaway:
1. Comment on THIS blog entry. Say anything you like!
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, August 3rd at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

Full contest disclosure here.

Winner of last week's starter pack is Supermommy.
Winner of the Home Made Simple book giveaway is Gina.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Things About Amy Anderson.

So Craft has been doing this series called 5,4,3,2,1 with several people - and they are encouraging the online world to do their own.  They are the same five questions as you'll see below.  How could I resist?  So let's begin.  Here I am, as you know me:

One Project You Are Particularly Proud Of
1.  My refurbished key portrait.  It may not be anyone else's colors or style, but I love it.  When it comes to crafting, you have to make yourself happy.

Two Mistakes You've Made in the Past
1.  Trying to do too much at once for too many people.  It's caused crappy projects and missed deadlines.  It's better to say no than to disappoint (yourself and others).
2.   I've missed several opportunities to promote myself and my work because I was just too tired or too lazy.  Sometimes that day job just kicks me in the butt.

Three Things That Make Your Work Unique
1.  Bold colors. I'm not afraid to try them.
2.  I'm childish.  I don't mean that in a bad way - I mean, I embrace memories and styles from my childhood and I think I make that connection with other people doing the same thing.  I've never grown up.
3. Sense of humor.  I have a pretty healthy sense of humor in my life, and I like to bring it into what I do.  So sometimes I put goofy stuff on projects - like glitter moustaches (above).

Four Tools You Love to Use
1.  My computer. I have a MacBook Pro and I'm on it all the time.  I'm a blogger WAY more than I am a crafter.
2.  X-Acto.  These craft knives are great for everything.  Have you ever tried picking a lock with one?  Haha!
3.  Craft paint.  It covers up most anything that is ugly.
4.  Knitting needles.  Most people don't know that I've been knitting since I was 15 (longer than I haven't been).  I used to design my own patterns before I got knee-deep in Mod Podge.  I still LOVE knitting.

Five Inspirations
1.  Pinterest.  I'm totally on the bandwagon my friends.  Typically I'm a late adapter, but Pinterest sucked me in early.  You are going to be addicted so please - join me.
2.  Fashion.  I look a lot at color palettes in clothing and accessories to get inspired.
3.  Craft materials.  I always try new things or brands to get the ideas flowing. I go to the craft store and look at items that I've never tried before and ask myself, what could I do with that?  It often leads to other ideas.
4. Target. I love going to the home section and checking out the new textiles and housewares.  They work with some great designers, and I always think about the DIY version of what I'm seeing.
5.  Blogs.  This is a gimme.  I'm on the internet all the time looking at projects to feature.  The blog world is very talented, and this includes my readers.  I'm constantly amazed at what I find.

Thanks for letting me share my 5,4,3,2,1 with you.  If you do one on your blog, please share the link with me in the comments.  I would love to know more about you!

Mod Podged glitter trays with kids.

Mod Podge is great to use for kids' crafting, so I wanted to share these trays spotted on The Creative Salad.  These fun glitter trays are perfect if you've got a few weeks before back-to-school and no ideas for projects.  I think these are cute enough to display on a desk and hold supplies - I love things that are stored but easily accessible.  Even if you aren't sure what to do with them, it's a budget friendly project and your kids are going to have a blast.  Read more about them here (plus see a cute pic of a kid concentrating on painting).

Mod Podge summer blocks.

I find it difficult to bear the heat of summer, so I need cute things around me to make me smile through the pain.  Sisters Kelli and Kristi from Lolly Jane Boutique posted these blocks not so very long ago, making me realize that there is something great about summer - the crafts.  I love the papers . . . the vinyl letters . . . and the little embellishments.  Not only is this project fun, but so is their whole blog.  Take a peek at the project (and then continue browsing) here.

Home Made Simple gifts - share yours. And a giveaway.

Hi Podgers!

I recently discovered the Home Made Simple site via BlogFrog. . . and was poking around to find what kind of Mod Podge and decoupage projects they have on there.

I found an entire guide on Learning How to Decoupage along with some project ideas, which I found very cool . . . so then I did some more exploring. It turns out that Home Made Simple is an inspirational site full of handmade ideas. I'm in gift mode right now (got a lot of summer birthdays in my life), so I wanted to share a few projects with you that I like AND have a contest courtesy of Home Made Simple. Yay!

Side table makeover.

Do you ever feel like when you get something free that you have the license to try something new?  I do - it's a special feeling to know that I can wreck something and that I didn't spend any money to do it.  I spotted this side table on TaraDara and read that she got it for free - the great part is that she didn't ruin it.  It looks amazing!  Tara Mod Podged for the first time and it turned out very nicely.  This is NOT what happened when I Mod Podged for the first time.  So any tips I can offer to you beginners, I'm glad to do so (leave me a comment).  In the meantime, visit Tara's side table here.

Mod Podge a recipe holder.

Man Podger David returns this week with a great gift idea for the person in your life who loves cooking.  That would not be me.  Ha!  I'm not a baker or a chef, but you know what - I want to be one day.  I do love traditional recipes though.  My mom makes Swedish pancakes from my great-grandfather's recipe, and I hope one day she shows me how to make them.  When she does, I'll use this recipe holder.  Here's how to do it.

Painting the perfect stripe.

Let's face it - painting the perfect stripe isn't easy.  Even with painter's tape.  You are probably wondering what Mod Podge has to do with painting stripes, which is what I thought when I first found the post on Landee See, Landee Do.  But Landee has two great ways to paint stripes, and Mod Podge is used in the #1 method.  It's brilliant and Landee is amazing for thinking of it.  Visit here for the full details.

Mod Podge starter pack giveaway.

Want more Mod Podge?  Okay.  You don't have to jump through a flaming hoop.  Just leave a comment.


Here are some other things to know for today's giveaway:
1. Comment on THIS blog entry. Say anything you like!
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, July 27th at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

Full contest disclosure here.

Last week's starter pack giveaway winner was Casey from Gypsy Thread.

Flickr group roundup.

The Mod Podge Flickr group has been hoppin' lately with awesome projects.  I regularly go through and pick out stuff that I like, that I think would interest all of you or that I've never seen before (or is done in a different way).   For instance, I'm a huge fan of this groovy owl by hahawtf.  Love the fabric . . the buttons . . . it's cute.  Take a peek at seven more Mod Podge projects that I think you have to see.

Decoupaging with lace.

I recently featured Shey B's doily tutorial, which made me think a bit more about decoupaging with lace.  I did a search and spotted this gorgeous bowl decoupaged with a cotton lace piece on Urban Comfort.  The piece is so sheer that only the pattern shows up and the rest disappears into the background.  I've never seen this effect.  Suzonne of UC does so much more with lace and decoupage; visit here to see all of the photos and get inspired.

Mod Podge dog tags.

I've shown you how to make luggage tags before, but this project by Melissa at 100 Billion Stars is a little smaller.  These dog tags can be used to identify kids' items, medium sized bags (where a bulky luggage tag isn't necessary) or even purses.  I was even thinking that one might be fun on a children's coat as a zipper pull.  There are endless uses - visit Melissa here to get the tutorial.  What could you do with a Mod Podged dog tag?

My five favorite things right now.

Back with another edition!  I want to share what is important to me and what I love on a daily basis.  My five favorite things can be anything really, and so can yours - let me know what you are loving right now in the comments.

1.  Hello Kitty Vans.  I bought these and I love them.  I LOVE Hello Kitty and I always will.  Just ask my mom.  Yes, I will be 70 years old wearing Hello Kitty earrings and shoes. Some might be embarrassed to be wearing cartoon shoes as an adult.  Not I.

2.  Society6 Wallpaper App.  I can change my iPhone wallpapers to really cool ones - here's what the site says about the app: "Society6 artists hailing from Brooklyn to Barcelona bring you an endless supply of Grade-A quality Artist Wallpapers and Backgrounds to meet your recommended daily dosage of retina candy - all for FREE."

 3.  Starting blogs.  I looked back at the first post on this blog today and smiled.  It's been a great ride.  I am planning on starting another blog very soon (crafts), so keep your eyes out.

4.  The Tour de France.  I love cycling, and this three week race is thrilling to watch.  For those who know what I'm talking about, I love Thor and Cadel this year.  For those who don't know what I'm talking about, you should watch.  The guys have great legs and toned butts.  Enough said.

5.  Air conditioning.  If it weren't for A/C I'd be a little burnt piece of toast laying on the floor of Mod Podge Command Central.  I heard it reached 100 degrees here in Georgia this week.  The reason I don't know for sure is because I stayed inside in a dark corner.  I don't like it over 70 degrees, so you can't imagine.

SO . . . your turn.  Tell me what you love!

A fabric table mosaic.

If I saw this, I would have no idea what it was either.  I will tell you.  It's a mosaic table top by Jo at Cart Before the Horse, made with fabric bits and Mod Podge.  I really love mosaics and always have, because it's chaos that somehow works together - and that is my life (and probably some of yours as well).  Visit Jo's fancy table here.

DIY baseball bookends.

 

Need a great project for the sports-oriented man (or woman) in your life?  This week Man Podger Walter delivers the perfect idea - DIY baseball bookends.  I've never told you, but my grandfather was a Brooklyn Dodger.  Yep!  His name was Herbert Olson and he was a catcher.  I'm not sure for how long - but I know it was in the late 50's/early 60's.  He passed away not so very long ago, so I kind of think of these as a tribute to him.  Man Podger Walter had no idea that he made something with so much meaning to me.  Here's how to make these bookends for yourself.

Oh, and before you read on, become a fan of Walter's on Facebook.

Do you remember can phones?

I remember when I discovered that can phones work - I had a look on my face similar to the one above.  This can phone project is by Calli at Make it Do and was featured at Skip to My Lou's Craft Camp.  What a cute find - I love the gingham paper.  If you are going to have a tin can phone it should totally be a stylish and cute one.  Either way, your kids are going to love this project.  See more cute pictures and find the entire tutorial here.

PS - I was featured with a small pennant name plaque at The Southern Institute last week.  Come see me.

Design Star's second episode is tonight.

Last week I told you about the debut of Design Star on HGTV. I hope you watched, because I did.  And it was awesome. We got to meet all of the designers . . . and they all did a camera challenge (30-seconds to show your stuff.  They could use a prop if they wanted to, and there was one of these on the shelf:

 

Which you know I would have totally grabbed, and then proceeded to clutch tightly while fumbling my words during the 30-second speech (which would have had nothing to do with the gnome in my hands).  Yep - I'm never going to be a Design Star.

Anyway, this show is awesome.  The design challenge was cool, with three days to do a blank room.  The hard part of the challenge was the work was done in pairs - I wanted Kevin Grace to be my partner because he immediately suggested teal for the room he was working on.  His partner poo-pooed the idea . . . Kevin, if you are out there, we could have rocked it together.

Come join me tonight at 9pm/8 central on HGTV for more Design Star action.  I'm loving this show!

Back to school crafts chat.

Hi friends!  I'm so excited to be chatting tomorrow in the International Delights CoffeeTalk community about Back-to-School crafting.  It's hard to think of fun ideas (at least for me), and even harder to come up with teacher's gifts.  Come join us.  Here are the details:

Time: July 18th, 9pm EST/6pm PST
Topic: Back-to-school crafts
Where: Visit the chat here (will open at 9pm)

Hope to see you soon!

Mod Podge starter pack giveaway.

Want more Mod Podge?  Okay.  You don't have to jump through a flaming hoop.  Just leave a comment.


Here are some other things to know for today's giveaway:
1. Comment on THIS blog entry. Say anything you like!
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, July 20th at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

Full contest disclosure here.

I have a been a negligent boob in letting you know about contest winners.  It won't happen again.  Here they are:
Winner of last week's Brush With Genius giveaway was Maggi.
Winner of the Girls' World giveaway was ShirleyC.
Winner of the EZ Craft contest was Silvia M.
Winner of the second Man Podger starter pack giveaway was Moon Mama.

A simple white doily tutorial.

I tend to be a bright color person, and sometimes I even annoy myself with it.  Not everything has to be bright blue and orange.  Or have polka dots.  Well . . . maybe everything should have polka dots.  But that's another discussion.

Shey B did a very simple doily-to-plate tutorial on her blog that emphasizes how beautiful tone-on-tone can be.  No brights involved!  You don't have to be a Mod Podge expert to complete these project, and it's perfect for a gift or home decor.  Visit Shey B and her tutorial here.

Dyed and painted floorcloth.

What is this a picture of, you ask?  A Mod Podged floorcloth!  They are basically like rugs - you can see another one I posted here.  I like this one I spotted on the Rit Dye Blog as part of Edie's Room Makeover series.  Among many things about this floorcloth, I love the blue dye and the polka dots.  It's not for the faint of heart, so if you make one as a gift make sure that the recipient wants a wild piece for their room.  Me?  I would love it in my kitchen or bedroom, since that's how I roll.  Find the tutorial and see the entire project here.

DIY resin candleholders.

If you are looking for a pretty home accent or gift, I've found one for you.  Myra of My Blessed Life made these candleholders (or coasters if you so choose) using salvaged flower pot saucers, old hymnal pages and Mod Podge.  The icing on the cake is that she added resin over the top to make them completely waterproof.  Aren't they pretty?  I think so.  Visit Myra and tell her you think so too right here.

Mod Podge puppet theater revamp.

I never played with puppets when I was younger, but I believe now that it's because I never had a puppet theater like this one.  Autumn from Cinnamon Sticks found this beauty for free while garage sale-ing - she brought it home and challenged herself to revamp it with things she had around the house.  I LOVE what she came up with - the colors are great, and the patchwork look on the front is so fun.  For more pictures and the before, visit Autumn here.

Spray painted clay pot stands.

What are these, you ask?

They are plant stands for these!!

Yes, I made them with supplies I had on hand and some new Krylon spray paint called Dual Paint and Primer.  And of course . . . Mod Podge.

Vintage modern map lamp.

Man Podger David has totally hit the nail on the head with his map lamp for this week.  It's one of those great pieces that feels vintage-y (must be the maps, which always make me think vintage for some reason).  Yet it also could go very well in a modern home.  David made it awesomely simple, and I know you will appreciate it.  Yes, you too can build a lamp!  Read on, and don't forget to visit other Man Podger projects as well.

Spoon rack becomes sunglasses holder.

I love sunglasses - but even I don't have as many pairs as Madigan from Madigan Made.  Part of the problem is that I am a big nerd, and since nerds have bad eyesight (well, mostly), we need prescription sunglasses.  So I only have one pair.  But if my collection were as large as Madigan's, I would also have a sunglasses holder.  I love how she turned this old spoon rack into the cutest sunglasses holder in existence.  She also makes it look really easy - get the tutorial here.

Design Star is starting tonight!

My friends, you need another TV show to watch.  Okay, maybe you don't, but this one is worth it.  Finally, a show for people like US!  Design Star is a challenge series on HGTV - twelve artists, designers, contractors and stylists compete for their own show.  If you haven't seen it, it's awesome.  This is season six, and if you want, you can catch up on episodes on the HGTV website.

Set the alarm on your smartphone: Design Star premieres tonight at 9pm/8c on HGTV.  Yay!

Full post disclosure here.

Brush With Genius giveaway.

Hey everybodeee!  I'm having a giveaway today for a new toy - a toy by University Games, specifically under the Colorforms brand.  I don't know about you, but when I was younger, I totally rocked Colorforms.  I had this set:

Did you too?  Yes?  What a great childhood memory.  But back to the toy at hand.

The new toy is called the Brush with Genius, and it allows a child to paint a picture, touch that picture, and have the picture make a sound. For example, you may draw a mouse and make the mouse squeak, or draw a door and make it creak.  The toy comes with watercolor paints, but you don't have to use the paints to make it work.  Fun, huh?

You should also know that TIME named it one of the Top 15 Toys at the show for Young Geniuses.  I don't know about you, but I like toys that inspire creativity.  I'm pleased to be giving away one Brush with Genius to a Mod Podge Rocks reader.  Read the rules below - it's really easy to enter.

1. Comment on THIS blog entry.  Who would you give the Brush with Genius?
2. Only one entry per person.
3. Contest will close this Wednesday, July 13th at midnight (EST).
4. PLEASE leave your e-mail address if it's not attached in Blogger - I need some way to reach you.

One last thing: There is a fine arts contest for kids that Colorforms just started that runs through September. Coloroforms has always inspired creativity among kids and that was the inspiration for the contest - to celebrate Colorform's 60th anniversary. Winners will receive a trip to art camps, as well as Coloforms prizes and potential for a $500 bond.  Visit here for more information.

Make a faux suede box.

Why buy a new box when there are so many lonely box orphans sitting in a landfill?  Charlene from eWillow actually rescued a shoebox and made it into this faux sueded gift box.  With some cardstock and scrapbookin' goodies, you too can have one.  I love the eyelet in the front and on the lid so that you can tie a ribbon, and I also love that Charlene made coordinating cards for the gift box.  Visit the tutorial here.

Holiday crafts that make you cringe?

Sometimes in the International Delight CoffeeTalk Community we talk a little trash - not really, but we like to talk about funny stuff, not just what we are making for dinner.  I recently opened the conversation called "holiday crafts that make you cringe."  Come join and give your two cents.

I also have a special BlogFrog community just for Mod Podge: the Mod Podge Rocks Community embedded on my site.  You can ask me questions about Mod Podge and we can have interactive discussions.  Yay!

One charming sandcastle.

I'm not a heat person (hot weather), yet I love sandcastles.  I think it's because I made them as a child on the cold beaches of Washington State.  There's something so fun about building a sandcastle, and it can be all day affair that I can completely get absorbed in.  Speaking of sand and castles, the lovely ladies of One Charming Party sent me this delightful sandcastle activity to share with you.  I think it would be lovely as a centerpiece for a summer birthday; it's actually part of a larger Mermaid Party plan that you can view (and then purchase supplies for) here.

So here are the instructions for the sandcastle.  You are going to love what the structure is made out of.  It's all recycled!

Supplies: a variety of cardboard boxes in various sizes, berry baskets and/or cardboard egg cartons, masking tape, Mod Podge, 2 inch paint brush, dry sand, skewers, acrylic paint, flags (available in the printables section), hot glue gun, sea glass, seashells

Directions:
1. Tape boxes together with masking tape to form a sandcastle shape. Use berry baskets or egg cartons to add some variety.
2. If you have dark writing on your boxes, paint the boxes a sandy color with acrylic paint.
3. Paint the boxes with Mod Podge, in small sections at a time. Press handfuls of dry sand onto the wet glue.
4. Repeat until the whole castle is covered with sand.
5. Cut out the flags from the printables section and tape or glue to a painted skewer and poke into the sandcastle.
6. Once the glue and sand is dry and hardened, hot glue sea glass and seashells onto the castle.
7. Sprinkle the entire castle generously with extra sand

*Note: make sure the sand is completely dry and only use masking tape—wet sand won’t stick to the glue and glue won’t stick very well to clear packing tape.

Don't forget to visit One Charming Party and say hello.

Enter to win an EZ View craft desk.

I LOVE my Original Scrapbox, Polly McStoresALot.  You can see her here.  I've been working on stocking her shelves (and am going to show you soon).  Until then, the Original Scrapbox team is giving away a craft desk and I wanted to give you the chance to win.  Here's all the information straight from the source.

------------------------------------------------------------

Come join us for a crafting celebration!

We're celebrating with The Original Scrapbox with one of their most popular items, The EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 US). This desk has a clear plexiglass top so that you can easily see all of your supplies organized in four different drawers with various compartments.


On July 15, 2011 we'll give away one of these beautiful desks!

http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/catalog/ezview

Check out the versatility of this desk, with "Design Your Own" Capabilities.

There will be 11 preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for one EZ View Craft Desk.
 

Enter to win the preliminary giveaway of one Ribbon Box (value $19.95) and one entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for an EZ View Craft Desk in your choice of color.

If you are selected as a preliminary winner of the Ribbon Box, you will then be entered into the grand prize drawing held on Rachelle Writes on July 15, 2011. On that date, a random drawing will select a winner from all of the finalists to receive one EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 US) in their choice of black or white.

*The contest is open to addresses in the contiguous United States only.

Giveaway open from Thursday July 7th- Monday July 11^th at 11:59pm.

Giveaway Rules:
*You can only enter under one name
* It is possible to win more than one preliminary prize, which means it’s possible to be entered into the grand prize drawing more than once.
*All winner’s addresses must be U.S. (48 contiguous state) addresses
*You must complete the required entry to be eligible to win


Here's how to enter: Please leave details in your comment of how you entered with required links (make sure your email addy is available).  Visit all 11 blogs for extra entries into this fabulous giveaway!

*Required entry: You must visit The Original Scrapbox website and leave a comment here on my blog telling me how you would organize your crafts with one of our products.

Extra Entries:

• Become a Facebook Fan of The Original Scrapbox
• Follow ScrapboxUSA on Twitter and Tweet the contest with linkback in your comment.
  
• Facebook the contest with linkback in your comment

You can enter the preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the grand prize drawing at the following blogs:

A Girl and a Glue Gun
Somewhat Simple
I Heart Naptime
Whipperberry
Sugar Bee Crafts
Lil' Luna
Rachelle Writes
Craftaholics Anonymous
Mod Podge Rocks
Oopsey Daisy
The Original Scrapbox Blog

Make your own candy wrapper dress.

Are you completely impressed?  You should be - because this dress is amazing.  My friend Jennifer of Moon Mama made it for her 14-year-old daughter and guest posted at Offbeat Mama.  The 14-year-old, Hannah (pictured above), actually helped in the construction process.  After much sewing, Podging and then finally duck taping, they ended up with this awesome creation.  And you know what?  If I were 18, I would totally wear this to my prom.  Did I mention there's a crinoline?  It's so cool!  Visit more pictures and leave Jennifer a comment here - she totally deserves one, don't you think?

Easy breezy summer pendant.

Looking for gift for a tween or teenager?  Candie Cooper has hit the mark on the Plaid Kids' Craft Blog with this summer pendant.  It's made with Mod Podge and some scrap fabric.  If you want to know the truth, I would wear this . . . as you know, I'm one of those bright color people.  But wouldn't this look nice with a white shirt, even if you are a little more conservative?  Candie rocks.  Visit her complete tutorial here.

PS - Did you see my master class on Tip Junkie? Laurie has started this great new series that I think you'll really enjoy. Check it out here.