Nathalie’s Elephant

By Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

 

Nathalie’s Elephant is named for mixed media artist Nathalie Kalbach. She designed the stencils that inspired my project. It is also in honor of Carla Sonheim whose wonderful class, Woodburning for Mixed-Media Artists, I audited a few weeks ago. It was Carla who reminded me how much fun mark-making with a woodburning tool can be. (I admit that my Creative Versa-Tool had been gathering dust for the last few months so having a reason to keep it front and center again has been a joy!)

 

I had a great time working with a wood burning tool and a pair of stencils. I highly recommend the combination! For a surprise finishing touch I made Shimmer Sheetz side pieces and corner accents.

 

Safety reminder: If you’re new to pyrography (the other name for woodburning), be sure to read all of the instructions for the Walnut Hollow Creative Versa-Tool® and use it precisely as directed. I like to stand while I work so I put my glass mat on a granite counter in my kitchen with the stovetop’s downdraft fan pulling any wisps of smoke away from my face. (Do not leave the tool plugged in when unattended or not in use; it’s not a toy so make sure it’s not within reach of children or pets.)

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1. Using a soft pencil and very little hand pressure trace an elephant silhouette from the Elephant Parade Stencil onto an 8” x 10” Walnut Hollow Basswood Canvas (set as a horizontal rectangle). Trace the spiral portion of the Batik Stencil three times – once at the left edge, once above the elephant’s back, and once to the right of its front foot. Using the photo at the start of the blog post as a reference, continue tracing various shapes from the Batik Stencil to fill the Canvas.

 

2. Using the Tapered Point in the Walnut Hollow Creative Versa-Tool® (set on Orange, the second hottest heat setting) outline all of the shapes traced in step 1 except for the small pattern elements below the elephant’s feet.

 

3. Add details and shading using the Flow Point, Shading Point, and Circle Stamping point as follows:

*Dots – light and dark, large and small = Flow Point

*Small stenciled pattern shapes below elephant’s feet = Flow Point and Circle Stamping Point

*Darkening throughout the surface = Shading Point

*Patterns, darker shading, and wrinkles on elephant = Shading Point

*Other patterns = Circle Stamping Point

 

4. Erase any pencil marks that remain visible. For added durability, use one or two coats of matte acrylic to seal the wood burned surface. (Dry between coats.)

 

5. Back two 5” x 12” pieces of Fire Opal Gemstones Shimmer Sheetz with double sided adhesive sheets. From one 5” x 12” piece cut two 8” x 1.75” strips, and then cut one 2” x 5” strip. From the other 5” x 12” piece cut two 10” x 1.75” strips. Set aside all scraps for future projects.

 

6. Using an ink applicator tool to apply colors for a mottled effect, alter all Shimmer Sheetz pieces from step 5 with Espresso and Pool Alcohol Inks. Darken ONLY the 2” x 5” strip with a bit of Pitch Black Alcohol Ink.

 

7. Working one strip at a time: Insert the 8” x 1.75” strips into the Lots of Dots Embossing Folder (sideways) so that only the middle section will be embossed and run through the machine using the appropriate plates. (Feel the inside of the folder to make sure you have the Shimmer Sheetz positioned so that you will have RAISED dots on these two pieces.) Both ends of these strips will have NO embossing.

 

8. Again, working one strip at a time: Emboss the center section of the 10” x 1.75” strips twice – with raised dots for half of the embossing and de-bossed dots for the other half. Both ends of these strips will have NO embossing.

 

9. Lightly sand all four embossed strips to create an aged look and tone down the shine. Wipe with damp paper towel after sanding. Follow with Timber Brown StazOn ink to further enhance the feel of patina.

 

10. Working one side piece Shimmer Sheetz strip at a time, remove the paper release sheet to expose the adhesive and position the strips on all four sides of the project.

 

11. Create two faux metal luggage straps for each corner of the project: Use the small label/tab shape die from the Tags & More 2 – Deco die set to die cut eight pieces from the 2” x 5” piece of Shimmer Sheetz. VERY IMPORTANT: Each of these shapes has two TINY die cut circles. Be sure not to misplace them!!!

 

Reminder – You will need a metal adaptor plate to die cut the Shimmer Sheetz. Cutting side of the die faces the metal plate; Shimmer Sheetz is between the plate and the die with the ink-altered side (front) facing the cutting side of the die. Use your machine’s usual plates for the rest of the cutting sandwich.

 

12. Working one piece at a time, remove the release sheet to expose the adhesive and add the faux metal luggage straps to the corners, folding in half as shown so they wrap from one side of the project to the adjacent side. Tip: Mix up the placement of the tiny circles for extra contrast. This makes them look more like nail heads than if they were kept with their original label/tab shapes.

 

SUPPLIES

 

Walnut Hollow –

Basswood Canvas, 8″ x 10″

Creative Versa-Tool®

 

Elizabeth Craft Designs –

SS0218 Fire Opal Gemstones Shimmer Sheetz

114 Lots of Dots embossing folder

952 Tags & More 2 – Deco die set

802 Metal Adaptor Plate

5” x 12” Transparent Double Sided Adhesive Sheets (two pieces)

 

StencilGirl Products –

L320 Batik Stencil by Nathalie Kalbach

L321 Elephant Parade Stencil by Nathalie Kalbach

 

Other –

Ruler with grid, craft knife and cutting mat OR paper trimmer; Tim Holtz Alcohol inks in Espresso, Pool, and Pitch Black (Ranger); StazOn ink in Timber Brown (Imagine Crafts featuring Tsukineko); Pencil; Sanding block; Optional: Tempered (heat resistant) glass mat

 

 

 

Tray Chic – Handmade Holidays 2014

By Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

Welcome to the final day of the 4th Annual Handmade Holidays Blog Hop! We hope you enjoyed the projects from the last 2 days! A few years ago we were looking online for handmade gift ideas and thought it would be great if there was a resource dedicated JUST to handmade gift ideas. Enter the Handmade Holidays hop! We’ve gathered over 100 of our creative blogger friends in the craft industry as well as some of our fellow product manufacturers to bring you a plethora of inspiring gift ideas you can make now to give to your friends, family, and colleagues. Pin and bookmark these ideas for this holiday season and to use throughout the year! Each day of the hop features approximately 30 gift projects and you can “hop” from one blog to another to check them all out.

I’ll share a little secret: I didn’t just make one tray to give as a gift; I made two so I can keep one next to my comfy chair in the living room. From the compliments (and hints) I’ve received so far that there will be several more in the works soon.

Another secret: It’s a super easy project. Not counting drying time for paint, it took under an hour!

There are so many possibilities for strips-only Shimmer Sheetz patchwork. Change the color combination to suit the décor of the recipient. Use embossing folders with flowers or allover patterns instead of leaves. Choose another of Walnut Hollow’s trays or boxes or my favorite – the Boutique Tissue Box. As long as they are flat, rectangular surfaces to decorate it will be a success!

If the tray will be used on a dresser with messy makeup or for serving wet-bottom beverages, cut a piece of Plexiglas to cover the Shimmer Sheetz. Drill small holes at the corners of the Plexiglas and use small brass screws to hold it in place. This added protective layer isn’t needed if the tray will only hold a journal, glasses, pen and such.

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Base coat rectangular serving tray with royal purple acrylic paint. When dry, add a second coat. For durability, add two coats of matte acrylic medium. (If you are a purist, sand and wipe with a cloth between coats of paint and after the second coat. If you don’t mind a bit of grain remaining visible skip the sanding.)

2. Using an ink applicator tool to apply colors, create a different mottled effect on each of three 5” x 12” sheets of Turquoise Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz. Colors used:

*Sheet 1 – Pool, Purple Twilight

*Sheet 2 – Pool, Purple Twilight, Espresso

*Sheet 3 – Pool, Purple Twilight, Metallic Gold

3. Back each piece of Shimmer Sheetz with 5” x 12” piece of transparent double-sided adhesive sheet.

4. Interior of tray:

Cut 1.5” x 11” and 2” x 11” strips from Sheet 2.

Cut 1” x 11” and 1.5” x 11” strips from Sheet 3. Set these strips aside.

Cut 1” x 11” strip from Sheet 1 and emboss with Spring Leaves folder, half with pattern raised, half with pattern de-bossed.

Cut 2” x 11” strip from Sheet 1 and emboss with Ginkgo Leaves folder, 4” with pattern raised, remainder with pattern de-bossed, moving the folder so all leaves are facing the same direction.

Lightly sand the two embossed strips to reveal some of the silver core in the Shimmer Sheetz.

Working one strip at a time, remove the backing to expose the adhesive and place strips into the tray in this order:

*1.5” strip – Sheet 2

*2” embossed strip – Ginkgo

*1” strip – Sheet 3

*2” strip – Sheet 2

*1” embossed strip – Spring Leaves

1.5” strip – Sheet 3

5. Exterior of tray:

Cut strips from leftovers and adhere to long sides of tray. Options: Use a single 2” x 11” strip for each side, or to echo the style of the piecing from the interior of the tray, emboss at least one 1” x 2” piece and use it to punctuate shorter strips (as shown: 2” x 4”, 2” x 1” embossed, 2” x 7”). Refer to photos.

SUPPLIES

Walnut Hollow –

10” x 12” Rectangular Tray #24648

Elizabeth Craft Designs –

Shimmer Sheetz in Turquoise Gemstone (three 5” x 12” sheets)

Transparent Double Sided Adhesive Sheets (three 5” x 12” sheets)

Spring Leaves and Gingko embossing folders

Other –

Craft knife, gridded ruler, cutting mat; Ink applicator tool; Alcohol inks in Pool (Turquoise), Purple Twilight, Espresso, Gold Metallic; Flat 1” paintbrush; Acrylic paint in Royal Purple; Optional: Acrylic sealer, sandpaper, tack cloth

Are you ready for lots more creative handmade gift ideas and projects??

Follow along on our blog hop! Simply click on each of the links below to be taken to that post with additional information and photos on how to create a handmade gift project. Have fun and pin away!

Clearsnap

Westcott

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L

Ellison Educational Equipment

ICE Resin

Neat and Tangled

Therm O Web

Walnut Hollow <– You Are Here

Elizabeth Craft Designs <– Go Here Next!

Rowland Technologies

Graphic 45

Hydrangea Hippo

Pink and Main

The Buckle Boutique

Tami Mayberry Art & Design – Tami Mayberry 

Jamie Dougherty – Jamie Dougherty Designs

Elizabeth Craft Designs – Raquel Mason

Meagan – The Charming Farmer

Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L – Angela Ploegman

Carolyn Dube – A Colorful Journey

Pink and Main – Mistyana Wright 

The Buckle Boutique – Niki Wilson

It’s Sew Lorine – Lorine Mason   ‎

Therm O Web – Andy Knowlton 

L. Grace Lauer – Uniquely Grace

Clearsnap – Meihsia Liu

Oh Snap Lizzie – Lizzie Sanchez

Graphic 45 – Katie Zoey Ho

Charity Wings

ICE Resin – Tatiana Allen

Polly Carlson – Pieces by Polly

Ellison Educational Equipment – Jan Hobbins

RoseRedd Paper Studio – Rochelle Washington

 

Enter to win a Rafflecopter giveaway. Prizes from all of our sponsors will be raffled off!

 

Follow our Handmade Holidays Gift Ideas Pinterest board for even more inspiration!

Follow Jennifer Priest of RainMaker Media Works + Hydrangea Hippo’s board Handmade Holidays on Pinterest.

A huge thank you to our sponsors for this hop – please visit their blogs & websites below and follow them. And be sure to come back tomorrow for another 30+ amazing Handmade Gift Ideas!

Clearsnap || Ellison Educational Equipment || Walnut Hollow || Graphic45 || Westcott || ICE Resin || Therm O Web || Rowland Industries || Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L || Pink and Main || Elizabeth Craft Designs || The Buckle Boutique || Neat and Tangled

Additional Sponsorship provided to bloggers by:

Sakura || Fairfield Processing

Dragonfly Fairies Hinged Sign and Card Box

By: Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

We are SO excited to team up with Tombow for another blog hop! Tombow adhesives are great for all types of projects and they stick especially well to our wood surfaces! Tombow carries a wide variety of products from double sided adhesive tabs/runners and liquid glue to artist pens and pencils. We can’t get enough of their products! Today is the last day of our blog hop- be sure to take a look at the list of all of the projects at the end of this post!

Be sure to visit all the blogs today and leave comments for your chance to win some great prizes!  One lucky winner will win this amazing prize package with products from TombowUSA and Walnut Hollow! Winners will be chosen from comments throughout the week, so make sure you check back daily to increase your chances of winning!  Also, please make sure you have popped on over to Facebook and “liked” each of the company pages ( Tombow / Walnut Hollow ), because really, what’s not to like?!

Prize Package includes:

1 – Tombow Power Tab 52135

1 – Tombow Foam Tab 52129

1 – XTREME Adhesive 62127

1 – Card Box 1704OP

1 – Shield Plaque 38824

1 – Rectangular Serving Tray 24648

 

I thought it would be fun to create a pair of projects instead of just one! Walnut Hollow was kind enough to send me a Hinged Sign as well as a Card Box. The Card Box is sized to hold Artist Trading Cards or two decks of playing cards. The Hinged Sign can go anywhere – this one will be a gift for a friend’s mom.

I have included instructions and a supply list so these projects can be duplicated precisely as shown, but first I want to share some “design strategies” so that they can be customized to suit any décor and occasion.

DESIGN STRATEGIES:

*Choose a sheet of black outline peel-offs with images that are contained in a circle, oval or label shape. (In addition to the Dragonfly Ladies, shown, Elizabeth Craft Designs also has roses, daisies, fashion dolls, and more.)

*For the Hinged Sign project, find a quote or poem that illustrates the theme of the peel-offs. (Quotes are easy to search online.)

*Pick a palette. (I colored the peel-offs first and then chose the rest of the colors – paint, alcohol inks and Shimmer Sheetz.)

*Choose some cutting dies or punches with shapes that coordinate with the peel-offs and quote.

*Add just a few formally-placed embellishments (like on the box) or go over-the-top (like the Hinged Sign).

*Match the adhesive to the surfaces you want to adhere. (Tombow Xtreme High Performance Adhesive, MONO Multi Liquid Glue, and Power Tabs did the job!)

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place black outline peel-offs onto heavy white cardstock and color with pens in colors of choice.

2. Base coat the Hinged Sign and/or Card Box (front and back/inside and out). Using one or more additional colors, streak and distress the surface for a more rustic look.

3. For flowers and berry branches, alter Fire Opal Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz with alcohol inks in colors listed or colors you prefer. Die cut flowers and berry branches. (*You will need a metal adapter plate to die cut Shimmer Sheetz – Watch the Elizabeth Craft Designs YouTube video tutorial to view this technique.)

4. Print the quote or poem onto the same heavy white cardstock used in Step 1. Trim a rectangle measuring approximately 3” x 4.5” so the quote will fit on the Hinged Sign.

5. Hand cut or die cut one Amethyst Gemstone Shimmer Sheetz circle for each already-colored peel-off (1/2” larger than peel-off). Cut a piece of the same Shimmer Sheetz into a rectangle to border the quote. Emboss these four pieces with Spring Leaves embossing folder. Alter with Espresso alcohol ink or in whatever color(s) you prefer. Lightly sand the embossed pieces to reveal some of the silver core of the Shimmer Sheetz.

6. Using Tombow Xtreme, attach the cardstock with the quote to the Shimmer Sheetz rectangle. Using Power Tabs, attach the colored peel-offs to the Shimmer Sheetz circles. Using Tombow Extreme, attach all of these to the painted Hinged Sign and/or the Card Box.

7. Using Tombow Power Tabs, attach the heart peel-offs, Shimmer Sheetz flowers and berry branches as shown or as you prefer. Bend petals upward for dimension, adhere only the center of each flower.

TIP: Use non-stick scissors to cut Power Tabs into pieces BEFORE removing them from the backing wherever you need a small piece rather than an entire square (for example: to adhere the center of the flowers and the end of each berry branch)

8. Using MONO Multi Liquid Glue, adhere a pearl or gem to the center of each flower. Arrange additional pearls and gems around the circle on the Card Box and in a variety of places on the Hinged Sign.

 

SUPPLIES:

Walnut Hollow – Card Box 17040P, Rustic Pallet Collection Hinged Sign 4025

Tombow – Xtreme High Performance Adhesive, Power Tabs Power Adhesive Tabs, MONO Multi Liquid Glue, Dual Brush Pens

Elizabeth Craft Designs – 2565 Dragonfly Ladies in Circle Peel-offs in Black, Shimmer Sheetz in SS0216 Amethyst and SS0218 Fire Opal Gemstones; 924 Crystal Flower Set 1, 728 Bunch of Flowers 1, and 758 Berry Branch dies; 118 Spring Leaves embossing folder; 803 Metal Adapter Plate (*Required for cutting Shimmer Sheetz)

DecoArt – Americana Acrylics in Royal Purple, Traditional Raw Umber, and Snow (Titanium) White

WorldWin Papers – ColorMates Smooth & Silky 90# Cardstock in White

Ranger Industries – Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks in Stream, Espresso, Gold, Purple Twilight, Rust, Aqua and Raspberry and Metallic Mixatives in Gold (or colors of choice); Tim Holtz Ink Applicator Tool

Other – Paintbrush, nonstick scissors, craft knife, die cutting/embossing machine

Thank you for viewing my Dragonfly Fairies Hinged Sign and Card Box! Now explore the other project in this hop! Lists are below:

 

Sunday’s Posts:

Tombow Blog: http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Sara Shirman – http://wp.me/p3cspn-wc <– you are here

Marie Browning: http://mariebrowning.wordpress.com/

Judi Kauffman – http://wp.me/p3cspn-vh

 

In case you missed them, here are Saturday’s Posts:

Tombow Blog: http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Sara Shirman – http://wp.me/p3cspn-wc <– you are here

Jennie Garcia: http://earthyscrap.blogspot.com/

 

In case you missed them, here are Friday’s Posts:

Chris Wallace – http://wp.me/p3cspn-vG

Tombow Blog: http://blog.tombowusa.com/

Debbie Fisher: http://debbiedee.blogspot.com/

Melissa Cash: http://inkclinations.blogspot.com/

Around the World Mini Crate

By Judi Kauffman

 

I met Mary C. Nasser through a Walnut Hollow–StencilGirl Products blog hop and we’ve bonded over a shared love of dogs, stencils, teaching, and wood products. We decided to do a 2-person blog hop. There was only one catch to the plan: I don’t have a blog. But Walnut Hollow generously agreed to be my home base, and they sent both of us the surfaces to use for our projects.

 

I chose a Rustic Pallet Mini Crate and Mary’s Around the World Longitude Stencil. I thought it would be fun to play with the stencil in two ways: First, as a large-scale pattern on the sides of the crate where the lines on the globe are prominent, second, on smaller size circles (or “planets”). Only a small portion of the stencil is evident on each circle.

 

While I was at it, I made enough extra circles to use for earrings. And rather than wasting the scraps leftover after cutting out the circles, I used those pieces to create a mosaic-style card front. Nothing wasted and two bonus projects I hope you’ll enjoy!

**When you are finished viewing Judi’s beautiful crate be sure to take a look at Mary’s Blog Hop Project here.**

 

INSTRUCTIONS

 

1. Basecoat the crate with acrylic paint in French Blue Gray. Allow to dry. Add a second coat to the bottom and inside of the crate and inside of the handles. No second coat is needed on the ends and side slats.

 

2. Alter two 5” x 12” pieces of Light Blue Iris Shimmer Sheetz with alcohol inks in Baja Blue followed by Rich Gold Metallic. Use a felt applicator to create a mottled effect, allowing some of the Light Blue to remain visible.

 

3. Back the pieces with double-sided adhesive sheet. Cut one piece in half (5” x 6”). Cut one of the halves into five 1” x 6” strips. Cut one more 1” x 6” strip and a 5” x 6” rectangle from the other half. Cut a 5” x 6” rectangle from one end of the other altered 5” x 12” piece and set aside all scraps.

 

4. Trace the end of the crate onto lightweight paper to make a cutting template. Cut the curved opening into the two end pieces.

 

5. Remove the backing from the double-sided adhesive and adhere the strips to the slats; adhere the rectangles with handle openings to the ends of the crate.

 

6. Position the stencil at an angle on one end of the crate and use a felt applicator to daub StazOn ink in Royal Purple through the openings. Position the stencil at a different angle on one side of the crate and repeat. Position the stencil onto the altered Shimmer Sheetz scraps (set aside in step 3) and apply ink, same as for the crate. Allow the ink to dry. (Drying time depends on climate and how heavy-handed you were with the ink)

 

7. Repeat step 6 for the other end and other side of the crate.

 

8. Position the stencil at a different angle on one end of the crate and daub alcohol ink in Rich Gold through the openings. Position the stencil at yet another angle on one side of the crate and repeat. Position the stencil onto the altered Shimmer Sheetz scraps and apply ink, same as for the crate. Allow the ink to dry. (Again, drying time depends on climate and the amount of ink that was applied)

 

9. Repeat step 8 for the other end and other side of the crate.

 

10. Put adhesive-backed resin bottle cap stickers onto some (or all) of the stenciled Shimmer Sheetz scraps. I used three per side, but you may want to use more or fewer. Cut around the circles. (Keep the scraps from around the circles for the bonus card project.)

 

11. Remove the backing from the double-sided adhesive and adhere the circles to the slats and end pieces of the crate. There will be exposed adhesive on the back wherever the circles cross from one slat to another or extend past the top edge of the crate. Remove the stickiness by rubbing a tiny bit of glitter or talcum powder onto the exposed adhesive.

 

BONUS PROJECTS

 

*Earrings – Add clip or post backs to some of the circles for super lightweight, sparkly earrings! (Use Beacon Glass, Metal & More Glue or any adhesive that is formulated for non-porous surfaces)

 

*Card – Place a 3.5” x 4” piece of double-sided adhesive sheet onto an A2 (4.25” x 5.5”) white cardstock card base with fold at the left side. Remove the backing to expose the adhesive. Cut the remaining stenciled Shimmer Sheetz scraps into little pieces and randomly place them on the adhesive. (TIP: Hold onto the white cardstock, don’t touch the adhesive with your fingers!)

When the mosaic looks good to your eye, fill the remaining adhesive with Silk Microfine Glitter in whatever color you want (light color for more contrast, dark color for a tone-on-tone effect). Polish the glitter with your fingertip to bring out the sparkle.

 

OPTIONS

 

Switch the color palette to suit your taste and décor!

This project works well for any flat surface so there are many other possibilities, for example: Walnut Hollow boutique tissue boxes, clocks, or wall panels

For larger projects, adjust the amount of Shimmer Sheetz and the number of “planets”.

 

SUPPLIES

 

StencilGirl Products – L260 Around the World Longitude Stencil by Mary C. Nasser

 

Walnut Hollow – 23873 Rustic Pallet Mini Crate

 

Elizabeth Craft Designs – Shimmer Sheetz in Light Blue Iridescent, Double-sided adhesive sheets in 5” x 12”

 

DecoArt – Americana Acrylics in French Gray Blue

 

Imagine Crafts featuring Tsukineko – StazOn Ink in Royal Purple

 

Jacquard Products – Pinata Color Alcohol Inks in Baja Blue and Rich Gold Metallic

 

Other – Adhesive-backed resin bottle cap stickers in several sizes, ink applicator, paint brush, craft knife, gridded ruler, cutting mat, non-stick scissors

 

For Bonus Earrings – Glass, Metal & More Glue (Beacon Adhesives); Clip or post earring backs

 

For Bonus Card – Silk Microfine Glitter in color(s) of choice (Elizabeth Craft Designs); ColorMates Smooth & Silky 90# cardstock in White (Worldwin Papers)

**When you are finished viewing Judi’s beautiful crate be sure to take a look at Mary’s Blog Hop Project here.**

Faux Quilting = Real Collage

If you are coming from Vishu Reberholt‘s post then you are in the right place! Thank you for following along with the Walnut Hollow®+ Ann Butler Designs™ Blog Hop!

Be sure to leave comments on the Walnut Hollow Blog to enter to win this prize!  We’ll chose a winner Wednesday, May 28th for our Blog Hop prize randomly drawn from your comments. The winner will be announced via the Walnut Hollow Facebook Page.

Boutique Tissue Boxes

by Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

 

Thank you for inviting me to be part of the Walnut Hollow/Ann Butler Designs Blog Hop. I decided to work on my all-time favorite Walnut Hollow surface, the Boutique Tissue Box!

Because I couldn’t decide between two possible color combinations I made a pair of boxes – Both start with the same base coat, but one is finished with a mix of bright Sunshine and jazzy Berry Iridescents (glaze) and the other with bright Sunshine. I chose from these colors for my basecoat.

The minute I saw Ann Butler’s Faux Quilting stamps I knew that I wanted to approach them in an unexpected way. I left out the triangles, and instead of distinct squares I used the stamps to create random texture rather than individual pattern elements.

The Clearsnap ColorBox Crafter’s inkpad palette Ann created is bright and rich, six colors that work well together. In addition, they’re multi-surface inks, just right for paper collage and stamping on wood.

I wish you could see the boxes in person – the Earth Safe Finishes Iridescents, used to base coat and to glaze the boxes, sparkle with a subtle shine that is difficult to photograph! The palette is the same as the Crafter’s inkpads so you can’t miss no matter what combination you use.

A tip for beginners: Practice on the inside of the Tissue Box until you feel confident. It’s a good way to test color combinations and get the feel for how much ink or paint you need to use.

 

SUPPLIES:

Walnut Hollow –

11360P Boutique Tissue box

Unity Stamps –

Faux Quilting by Ann Butler in 1” Diamonds & Plaid ANN-1030A and 2” Diamonds & Plaid ANN-1031A

Clearsnap –

ColorBox Crafter’s Inkpads by Ann Butler in Tangelo, Aquamarine, Limelight, Lilac, Berry and Sunshine

Earth Safe Finishes –

Iridescents by Ann Butler in Aquamarine, Berry, and Sunshine

Other –

1” flat paint brush; heat tool; 12” x 12” white mulberry paper; 1” and 2” acrylic blocks for temporarily mounting the stamps (stamp sets are mounted on cling foam)

Optional for Tassel –

Webster’s Pages Our Travels Collection by Adrienne Looman Globe Charm CH137; Tombow Power Tabs (one); assorted coordinating fibers

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Base coat the Tissue Box with Aquamarine Iridescents. Air dry.

Using Berry, Lilac and Limelight inks and 1” Faux Quilting Stamps (squares only), randomly stamp a 12” x 12” piece of lightweight white mulberry paper for each tissue box, overlapping the stamped squares to create random texture. Don’t worry about getting perfect impressions. Mix it up: Stamp with heavy hand pressure, light hand pressure, a lot of ink, as well as second and third impressions (very little ink). Allow ink to dry or heat set with heat tool to speed the drying process.

For Version 1 (Aquamarine base coat, Sunshine Iridescents for the top coat):

Tear the stamped paper into pieces of varying sizes and create a random collage on the top and sides of the Tissue Box. Use Sunshine Iridescents to adhere as well as to coat and glaze the collage. Air dry.

For Version 2 (Aquamarine base coat, Sunshine and Berry Iridescents for the top coat*):

Tear the stamped paper into pieces of varying sizes and create a random collage on the top and sides of the Tissue Box. Use Berry Iridescents to adhere as well as to coat and glaze only HALF of the collage. Use Sunshine Iridescents to adhere and to coat and glaze the rest of the collage. Air dry. (*Berry is stronger than Sunshine, pattern doesn’t show through it as much as through Sunshine, that’s why Berry is only used to glaze half of the collage.)

For both Tissue Boxes: Using Aquamarine, Tangelo, and Sunshine inks and 2” Faux Quilting Stamps (the two diamond squares only, not the plaid square nor the triangles), randomly stamp the top and sides of the Tissue Box. Allow the stamped squares to overlap. Mix it up: Stamp with heavy hand pressure, light hand pressure, a lot of ink, as well as second and third impressions (very little ink). Heat set inks with heat too

Optional tassel: Knot assorted fibers to create a 4” long tassel. Tie a Globe or other charm onto the tassel. Secure the tassel and charm with a Tombow Power Tab, hiding the Tab behind the knot.

 

Ann Butler

Beth Watson

Connie Hall

Irit Shalom

Kristi Parker

Larissa Pitman

Lisa Rojas

Paula DeReamer

Roberta Birnbaum

Steph Ackerman

Vishu Reberholt

Judi Kauffman < YOU ARE HERE

Sara Shirman < GO HERE NEXT!

Chris Wallace

Emma

Jennifer Priest

Melissa Cash

Egg Sign

We invited our friend and terrific designer, Judi Kauffman to be our Guest Designer for today’s Blog. Enjoy!

Rustic Pallet – Egg Sign

By Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

I’ve been collecting egg cups for a long time. I put them to use in the studio, filling each one with beads or brads, and on occasion I take them to the kitchen and use them as intended – to hold soft boiled eggs. As soon as I saw Walnut Hollow’s Rustic Pallet Tabletop Signs, I knew just what to do: Combine the sign with some egg stencils and create a double-duty project.

Tabletop Signs come in two sizes, #40189 Narrow (measuring 11″ wide) and #40187 (measuring 18.75″ wide). I chose the Narrow for my project so that I can transport a small number of egg cups from their usual spot on a shelf to my work table where space is always at a premium. If I were making a Tabletop Sign that would get used for Easter brunches and such, I would have picked the longer one.

This is the Tabletop Sign, Narrow –

Here is the longer version – Tabletop Sign –

SUPPLIES

Walnut Hollow: Rustic Pallet Tabletop Sign Narrow #40189 http://www.walnuthollow.com/store/wood-surfaces/rustic-pallets/tabletop-sign-narrow/

StencilGirl Products: stencils by Tracie Lyn Huskamp #S021 Eggs Speckled, #5043 Eggs Large & Small http://www.stencilgirlproducts.com/

DecoArt: Americana Acrylics in Traditional Burnt Umber, Snow (Titanium) White, Ebony (Lamp) Black; Matte Medium http://www.decoart.com/cgi-bin/Products.cgi?Americana_Acrylics

Tsukineko: StazOn inks in Timber Brown, Jet Black; StazOn All-Purpose Cleaner http://www.tsukineko.com/

Elizabeth Craft Designs: White Iris Shimmer Sheetz; Transparent double-sided Sheet http://www.ecraftdesigns.com/collections/shimmer-sheetz

Other: Sponge dauber, paintbrush, scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whitewash the Tabletop Sign with 50-50 mix of Snow (Titanium) White and Matte Medium. Allow to dry.

2. Using an almost dry brush and very little paint, distress the edges of the Tabletop Sign with Traditional Burnt Umber and Ebony (Lamp) Black.

 3. Cover your work surface with several layers of newspaper or newsprint to protect it. (Be aware that StazOn inks are permanent and can stain your hands, so wear gloves if you just got a manicure!) Place Shimmer Sheetz on the paper and stencil the eggs, following steps #4 and 5. Allow ink to dry thoroughly after each of these steps (the time needed depends on climate and how much ink you daubed onto the Shimmer Sheetz).

4. Egg stencils are 2-step – the basic egg shape, and the speckles – and each stencil has speckle patterns for each egg. Using the first part of the stencil and a dauber to apply Timber Brown ink, stencil the basic egg shape for 5 large and 3 small eggs. Vary the eggs so that some are darker than others. To create the illusion of volume, use more ink at the edges and toward the bottom. Allow ink to dry.

5. Using the second part of the stencil and a dauber to apply Jet Black ink, add speckles to the eggs. Vary the eggs so that some of the speckles are darker than others.

6. Back the eggs with double-sided adhesive sheet. Carefully cut out each egg. Arrange the eggs on the Tabletop Sign as shown, or as you prefer.

7. Options: Instead of brown, black and white eggs, choose other colors (yellow, gold, robin’s egg blue). Instead of a whitewashed Tabletop Sign, pick colors that better suit your taste and décor.

Message Board by Judi Kauffman

My friend, Judi Kauffman, shares her talent with us to show a great idea for our new Message Board. I love her addition of cork so thumbtacks can be used to hold your notes and messages. Of course, my favorite part is that she added my name to the Board – guess I’ll get to keep this one!

Supplies:

• Walnut Hollow 10″ x 14″ Message Board 39785
• 9″ x 11″ piece of cork tile
• 5″ x 11″ Shimmer Sheetz in Basic Black (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Americana Acrylic Paint in Ebony Black (DecoArt)
• M-Bossabilities 2-sided embossing folder EL-008/Pattern A, Grand Calibur machine (Spellbinders Paper Arts)
• Black border line stickers #1016, Gold upper case alphabet stickers #1251(Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Tim Holtz Adirondacks Alcohol Ink Pool and Metallic Mixatives Gold (Ranger Industries)
• Double-sided adhesive sheets, enough to cover back of cork and Shimmer Sheetz (Elizabeth Craft Designs)
• Other – Paint brush, ink applicator with felt pad, Quilters solid head extra large thumbtacks

How-to:

1. Paint Walnut Hollow 10″ x 14″ message board with Ebony Black acrylic. Allow to dry. Add a second coat to edges and back if needed.

2. Emboss 7″ at one end of Basic Black Shimmer Sheetz, turn and emboss 2.75″ of the other end.

3. Alter Shimmer Sheetz with Pool and Gold, allowing some of the Basic Black surface to remain visible.

4. Cut a piece of cork tile to 9″ x 11″, back with double-sided adhesive sheet. Attach cork to square at right side of message board. Cut a piece of double-sided adhesive sheet to 5″ x 11″ for back of embossed/altered Shimmer Sheetz. Attach to left side of message board.

5. Spell out a name across the flat area of the Shimmer Sheetz. Add a piece of Black Glitter Border Line peel-off at top and bottom of the area where the name appears.

Options:

Select a different color palette (Shimmer Sheetz comes in 21 colors and three different surface coatings), acrylic paints are available in hundreds of hues.

Choose a different embossing folder.

Spell out the name of a sports team, an inspirational word, or use numerals to record a special date.

Alter thumbtacks with the colors used to alter Shimmer Sheetz.

Graffiti Clocks

When I asked my friend, Judi Kauffman, to choose some new Walnut Hollow products and create some designs for us, I never thought she would get this funky. However, Judi is such a creative talent, I wasn’t at all surprised!  Well, maybe I was a little surprised when I opened the box full of wonderful projects and saw graffiti!!!, but I loved the two clocks Judi made using our new Square Modern Clock.  Of course, being from California, I grew up with graffiti as it could be seen on the freeways and thoughout several parts of my hometown. Living now in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, I don’t think we have any graffiti in our little town.

So, here’s what Judi started with – times two…

And, ta da, this is her incredible graffiti artwork… and the clocks actually tell time!

Graffiti Clocks by Judi Kauffman for Walnut Hollow

  

Supplies:

Walnut Hollow Square Modern Clock 39788

Walnut Hollow clock hands 27288 (red/pink clock) or 23091 (red/pink/purple/blue clock)

Walnut Hollow clockworks TQ 700P

Krink Paint Markers, assorted colors with broad and fine tips

How-to:

1. Working in a well-ventilated space per the manufacturer’s instructions, use Krink Paint Markers to create a background on the clock with two to four colors.

2. Add graffiti (words, arrows, random lines and patterns) using two or more contrasting colors.

3. Alter clock hands with colors that match the clock.

4. Assemble clock.

About Krink Paint Markers, Judi says. “They are fabulous, totally opaque colors and were fun to use…”

TIP: Substitute any brand of paint pen that gives opaque color, or use acrylic paint and a brush if you prefer!

For Krink Paint Markers: www.krink.com

Here are some great close ups of the graffiti:

   

Iridescent Leaves Trivet

I asked my friend, Judi Kauffman, to choose some new products from Walnut Hollow and use them to create some of her wonderful artwork. One of the products turned into this Trivet! And not just any trivet, but one that was covered with Envirotex Lite so it could be used for warm dishes. Judi says, “This Trivet is for use at the table with cold dishes or warm casseroles, NOT for hot pans straight from the stove.”

     

Supplies:

• Walnut Hollow 11″ x 11″ Basswood Country Round®, Thick 39750
• Four 2″ wood blocks
• 16 Power Tabs super hold adhesive squares (Tombow)
• 2 sheets leaf, acorn, and pod peel-offs in Black #1029 (Elizabeth Craft Designs) http://elizabethcraftdesigns.wordpress.com/
• Tim Holtz Metallic Mixative in Gold, ink applicator with felt pad (Ranger Industries)
• LuminArte Silks iridescent acrylic glazes in Solar Gold, Ginger Peach, Olive Vine, Guatemalan Green http://creativeimaginations.typepad.com/luminarte_paints/
• Americana Acrylics Ebony Black (DecoArt)
• Paintbrush
• Clear spray-on sealer (Krylon)
• White glue (Elmer’s) or Mod Podge (Plaid)
• Envirotex Lite 2-part pour-on epoxy (ETI/Environmental Techology, Inc.) http://resincrafts.blogspot.com/
• Heat tool
• Paint stick

Optional:

• Abstract background pattern stamp Magic Stamp block (Clearsnap)
• Americana Acrylic paints in Bahama Blue and Antique Rose, matte medium (DecoArt)

How-to:

1. Alter black outline peel-offs with gold Metallic Mixatives to create a mottled effect (some gold remains visible).
2. Optional: For a subtle background pattern that will almost disappear in the finished project, use matte medium to dilute acrylic paints and stamp the surface of the Country Round. Wash the Magic Stamp block so paint won’t dry on it. Allow acrylic paint to dry overnight on wood piece.
3. Arrange the leaf, pod and acorn outline peel-offs as shown or as you prefer.
4. Without worrying too much about staying inside of the lines, paint the leaves, pods and acorns with Ginger Peach, Olive Vine and Solar Gold. Paint around the shapes with Guatemalan Green, plus additional strokes of the first three colors. Allow paint to dry overnight.
5. Paint wood blocks for the trivet’s feet, using Ebony Black paint. When dry, add a bit of Guatemalan Green. Allow to dry overnight.
6. Attach feet to bottom of trivet using four Power Tabs per block to hold the feet in place.
7. Seal the surface of the trivet following these instructions, provided courtesy of ETI –

• Use a stiff brush to remove loose bark and dirt from the sides of the trivet.
• Apply 4 light coats of spray-on sealer to seal the top and sides, drying between coats.
• Apply 2 layers of white glue or 3 layers of Mod Podge on the top and sides. Be sure that no pieces of bark seep into the glue sealing layers!  (*For a bubble-free and perfect coating, the project MUST be thoroughly sealed before epoxy coating is applied so it can’t seep into the wood!)
• Elevate the project on paper cups, above a plastic-protected table surface.
• Read and precisely follow the mixing instructions packed inside the box of Envirotex Lite. You will be mixing each epoxy batch twice so be sure to have enough measuring and mixing cups. Mix FOUR TOTAL OUNCES of epoxy to pour over the wood. Pour, allowing it to flow over the bark sides. With GLOVED hands, smear some coating on the bark sides and on the feet of the trivet.
• After the coating has been on the trivet for about 15 minutes, use an embossing heat tool to remove bubbles in the coating. Let sit another 15 minutes and repeat once more.
•  After the epoxy has cured for about an hour, use a paint stick to scrape off drips from the underside of the trivet.
• Let cure in a dust-free warm room for about three days. RESIST THE URGE TO TOUCH THE EPOXY during this time – You don’t want to risk getting fingerprints on the perfect, clear, surface.
• Other tips: Project area should be warm, dust-free and keep the kids and pets away! Do not guess at the amounts, MEASURE to be sure you have accurate and equal parts for the coating. Do not use with hot pans straight from the oven or the coating will melt – trivet can be used with warm casseroles or cold foods.