Designer Connections - Blog Hop - GIVE AWAY

This month's Blog Hop includes designs

created by artists using Beads in a Bottle!

This is a paint product that comes

in a tube, and when applied to a wearable 

or fabric surface, it dries resembling 

small beads!

Click here to read all about it!

I created this fun patriotic tote bag.
Continue through the Blog Hop to see what
other talented artists created.

Especially for this Blog Hop,
we have an exciting give away for you!
YOU can enter to win THESE fabulous products!

Details to win are on the ilovetocreate page.

Check out the fun video, as well.

Below are some work-in-progress photos
for the project I designed using
Beads in a Bottle:

I started by blocking out a nice space

for my design using fabric paint.

Next, I transferred my original design to the
painted surface.

Using Tulip Soft(R) Fabric Paint,

I painted the main design.

Next, I chose some embellishments:

since I wanted my firecrackers to look sparkly,

I used a shimmery silver rick rack trim

around the outside of the design.

To create a "wick" for the fire crackers,

I trimmed shimmery silver cording

to 3/4" lengths and attached them with

Aleene's(R) Fabric Fusion(R).

To create a fiery wick ... I trimmed embroidery

floss into 2" lengths, knotted them together

in the center, and frayed the ends with my fingers.

Glue the knot to the base of the wick

with the Fabric Fusion(R).

The fun part?  Using the Beads in a Bottle!

I squeezed tiny beads of Sapphire onto

the blue painted surfaces, Ruby to the red,

and Pearl to the white painted surfaces.

Allow paint to dry thoroughly and stuff

this tote with all your favorite

July Fourth supplies!  

{ Peace Out }

Designer Crafts - Patriotic

~ Uncle Sam Decoration ~

Happy July 4th!!
I made this Uncle Sam decoration from
a wood shim and some other small wood pieces.


See below for a few in-progress photos,
or just "hop" on through the Blog Hop
by clicking Forward or Back on the 
Designer Crafts blinkie to the right;


check out all the fabulous
patriotic projects by other artists!

I used a wood shim for the body of the ornament;
I trimmed the rounded ends off a craft stick
for Uncle Sam's hat brim;
I used two wooden star cutouts,
a 1" angel wing cutout for the mustache,
and a 1/4" button plug for his nose.


DecoArt(R) Americana(R) paints in:
Country Red, Uniform Blue, Warm White
and Flesh Tone.
DecoArt(TM) Glistening Snow-Tex(TM)
for the beard.

Paint the shim, both stars, and the wings Warm White.
Paint hat brim and a wide band Uniform Blue.
Paint Country Red stripes on the hat.
The face and nose are Flesh Tone.

Apply Snow-Tex(TM) with a palette knife.
Use craft glue to attach wings (mustache),
and nose to Uncle Sam's face.
Eyes are dip dots of Black.

Use a hand drill to make small holes
in the hat, thread wire through
and twist ends to secure.


Or, skip the drilling and glue a heavy-duty
magnet to the back for a groovy
decoration for your fridge or filing cabinet.


Or move the design up,
leaving less hat and more beard,
and poke Uncle Sam into
a potted plant for Patriotic Pizzazz!!


Peace Out