December 24, 2011
Plaid’s 12 Days of Christmas: 1 Days to go
Time is up! It’s the day before Christmas, and I sure hope you all have finished all your holiday shopping. If you have not, I would not want to trade places with you. I have a feeling those stores are going to be crazy, and very congested. Hopefully you can just relax and spend sometime at home with your family and friends. If you have some spare time, and would like to do something creative then your in luck. Try creating this Martini Glass and Ornaments Centerpiece. Toast the holidays with a bright and blinged out centerpiece that will be the talk of the table. This would be a great addition to have at your Christmas dinner tomorrow. This craft was designed by, Julie Lewis. Click here to see how this was created.
December 23, 2011
Plaid’s 12 Days of Christmas: 2 Days to go
Usually during this time of year I often end up baking a lot. I love to bake this time of year, and usually like to try our a new cake recipe. I usually have one dilemma when I back, and that is what to display it on. Well luckily one of our designers here at Plaid, Julie Lewis, created this amazing Snowflake Cake Plate. This plate is so festive and fun. Deck your dessert table with a truly unique hand crafted cake plate. If you too would like to make this cake plate click here to find the step by step instructions.
December 23, 2011
A Personalized Christmas Ornament
By: Sherrie Ragsdale
Supplies:
FA Metallics: 676 Metallic Inca Gold, 657 Metallic Regal Red
FA Extreme Glitters: 2792 Red, 2786 Gold, 2796 Hologram
FA Acrylic Paints: 2578 New Leaf Green, 2553 Lime Green
Other Supplies: Large Red Glass ornament, Printer, 1/4″ Gold Ribbon, 5/8″ dauber, 1/4″ dauber, Liner brush
Instructions:
1. Purchase a red glass ornament.
2. Add red extreme glitter to the glass ornament using the 5/8″ dauber.
3. Outline a lime green circle with the liner brush.
4. Using the 1/4″ dauber, add lime green dots on top of the line.
5. Add two more rows of dots.
6. Print a letter from the computer and transfer it onto the center of the ball. Paint with the inca gold and then add extreme glitter once it dries.
7. Add hologram extreme glitter to the wreath.
8. Add Metallic regal red berries using the end of the liner brush.
9. Add red extreme glitter to the berries.
10. Add a gold bow to the wreath.
December 22, 2011
Teaching Thursdays: Santa Hat Topiaries
By Sherrie Ragsdale:
Looking for an inexpensive Christmas table centerpiece? Well here is a great project to create. These Santa Hat Topiaries are a great holiday decor to add anywhere in your home. This project was created by our designer, Sherrie Ragsdale. Majority of the supplies used for this craft can be found at your local dollar store. See below all the supplies needed, and the step by step instructions to follow. So cute and so amazing!
Plaid Supplies:
4001 Folkart Enamel Wicker White
4133 Folkart Enamel Lipstick Red
901 Folkart Acrylic Wicker White
437 Folkart Acrylic Lipstick Red
4405 Folkart Fabric Engine red
28821 Plaid circle 8×10 circle stencil
30464 Plaid Peel and Stick Painting Blank Stencil
30666 Plaid Peel and Stick Painting Stencil
Plaid Dauber Set
Other Supplies:
Three glass vases, Three santa hats, Three 1/2 inch x 12 inches dowel, Two 3-7/8in x 8-7/8in, One 4-7/8in x 12-7/8in, Quilt Batting, Polyfil, Candy Canes, Scrap pieces of Styrofoam, Pencil, Ruler, Hot glue, Sewing Machine, Scissors, 1/4″ masking tape, Craft Knife
Instructions:
1. Using the circle stencil, cut out a circle from the adhesive stencil sheet with a craft knife for each vase.
2. Place in the center of the glass vases.
3. Using the 5/8″ dauber, paint the circle with the enamel lipstick red.
4. Remove the circle stencil.
5. Stencil “HO” on each of the vases in the center of the red circle.
6. Fill in the letters where the line is broken with a liner brush.
7. Base-coat the dowels with wicker white.
8. Wrap the 1/4″ masking tape around the dowels as shown in photo.
9. Using the dauber, paint the dowels with acrylic lipstick red.
10. Remove the tape.
11. Cut the trim off hat.
12. Measure the topiaries and the sew the sides of the hat to fit snug around the cones. You can also hot glue it.
13. Trim the excess fabric.
14. Cut the trim and open up flat.
15. Measure the cones and cut a piece of quilt batting to wrap around cone. Hot glue in place.
16. Using the circle stencil make large circles using Folkart fabric red lipstick on the center hat and smaller dots on the smaller hat. Hot glue white trim and cut.
17. Cut the a piece of styrofoam from scraps and glue to the bottom with hot glue.
18. Stick dowels into the bottoms of cones.
December 21, 2011
Glass Apothecary Candy Jars
By Julie Lewis
Glass apothecary jars are all the rage right now especially for the holidays. They are a beautiful and functional accent to your seasonal décor, yet can be a bit pricey. Here’s a very inexpensive and easy way to create your own apothecary jars using recycled and upcycled elements…then painted for a unique and whimsical look. Plaid Designer, Julie Lewis shows you how using dollar store candlestick holders and grocery store condiment jars.
What you’ll need:
FolkArt® Enamels™ Paint – 4001 Wicker White, 4039 Calypso Sky, 4121 Forest Moss, 4140 Aqua
FolkArt® Acrylic Paint – 524 Calypso Sky
FolkArt® Extreme Glitter™ – 2790 Turquoise
¼”, ¾” tape
¾”, 1 ¼”, 1 ¾” foam spouncers
Craft glue
E 6000
¼”, ½” flat brush
#1 Liner brush
Assorted wood knobs/balls/wagon wheels
Glass candlesticks – Dollar Tree
Glass grocery jars w/lids – labels removed and jars thoroughly washed
Instructions:
Assemble your supplies and let’s begin.
Apply Aqua enamels paint with spouncer to your glass candlesticks. Only apply up to the decorative rid at the top of the candlestick. Set aside to dry.
Glue your assorted wood pieces together to create three distinct finials.
Paint your finials and your three lids to the glass jars with acrylic paint Calypso Sky. Let the lids dry thoroughly between coats.
Apply several coats of Turquoise Extreme Glitter Paint to lids and finials.
They look pretty glittery and rich when dry…set aside while you paint your jars.
Wrap two rows of ¾” tape at the bottom of each jar. Remove bottom row and wrap above top row.
Remove tape below your top most row and this is the area you will apply paint to.
Apply several coats of Calypso Sky enamels paint with spouncer. Remove tape before paint dries to prevent pull up.
Create snowmen around one jar with assorted spouncer sizes in Wicker White.
Tape off triangle shapes on another jar using ¼” tape. Apply Wicker White and remove tape.
Create large dots around third jar with largest spouncer in Forest Moss.
Paint details with liner brush and create all dots using opposite end of paintbrush dipped in paint.
Here’s how they look finished! At this point, your jars and candlesticks can be baked referring to enamels bottle instructions or it can be air dry cured for a longer time.
Apply E 6000 is candlesticks and attach to bottom of jars.
Glue finials to jar lids with craft glue to finish.
Just fill with peppermints or holiday candy…even ornaments! Festive and fun for your holiday enjoyment.
December 21, 2011
Plaid’s 12 Days of Christmas: 4 Days to go
The clock is winding down, with only 4 days to go til the big day there is still plenty of time to get in the holiday spirit. A great way to get in the spirit is decorating your Christmas tress. Many of you have done this already probably, however I have heard that many decorate their trees in the days leading up to Christmas. In case you are looking to add some more ornaments to your tree, try creating these Vintage Ornaments. Julie Lewis designed these vintage ornaments. Aren’t these ornaments so unique and cute? All you need is some FolkArt paint, and Mod Podge. Click here to learn how to create these crafty ornaments.
December 20, 2011
Tuesday Tutorial: Joy Bottle holders
By: Sherrie Ragsdale
Supplies:
FA Enamels: 4035 Metallic Silver Sterling, 4002 Warm White, 4039 Calypso Sky, 2799 Glitter Silver
2790 FA Extreme Glitter Turquoise
30470 Plaid FA Peel and Stick Painting Stencils
Other Supplies:
Three re-purposed bottles, Three clear glass disc ornaments, 1/4″ dauber, 5/8″ dauber, Masking tape, Liner brush, 1/8″ silver ribbon
Instructions:
Here is the before photo.
1.Tape off the bottle with masking tape to make random stripes.
2. Using the 5/8″ dauber, paint the stripes with metallic silver sterling.
3. Add a calypso sky stripe.
4. Add a warm white stripe.
5. Remove tape.
6. Add silver extreme glitter to the silver stripes.
7. Add the snowflake adhesive stencil and stencil in warm white using the 1/4″ dauber.
8. Stencil small snowflakes in calypso sky.
9. Add dots using calypso sky with the end of a paint brush.
10. Fill the ornament with the extreme glitter turquoise. Shake until the inside of ornament if covered. Add more if needed.
11. This is the ornament completely filled. Set up side down and allow to excess to drain out.
12. Paint “JOY” on ornaments in warm white upside down.
13. Tie a 1/8″ silver ribbon to the top of bottles.
14. Place the ornament holder back into the ornament and place in bottles.
December 20, 2011
Plaid’s 12 Days of Christmas: 5 Days to go
I am sure that you all are well aware that not every gift you give needs to be bought from the mall. Many people are hand-making their gifts to give to their loved ones. Over the years I have received some beautifully crafted gifts that completely blew me away, from how nice they were. There are several different gifts you can make, but in case you are looking for a simple yet chic gift to give, try these Ribbon Ornaments. Ornaments make a great gift, because they can be used for many years to come. Handmade ornaments can also hold sentimental value, which make them priceless. Create these Ribbon Ornaments by using Gallery Glass. Click here to see how these were made.
December 19, 2011
Make it Monday: White Ornaments
By Sherrie Ragsdale:
Ornaments make such a great surface to craft on during the holidays. You can get as creative as you would like, and create vibrant color schemes on them. Take these white ornaments that were designed by a Plaid designer, Sherrie Ragsdale. These three ornaments all have colors in common, but are still different in design. Use these ornaments to decorate your tree with, or use them as a table decor.
Plaid Supplies:
662 Folkart Metallic Sterling Silver
901 Folkart Acrylic Wicker White
2787 Folkart Extreme Glitter Silver
2790 Folkart Extreme Glitter Turquoise
50147 Plaid Dauber Set
Other Supplies:
White Glass ornaments, 1/4″ Masking Tape, Turquoise Ribbon, and Silver Ribbon
Instructions:
1. Make Dots with 5/8 dauber with the metallic silver sterling. After they dry go back over with the silver extreme glitter.
2. Tape off the stripes with the 1/4″ masking tape.
3. Add turquoise extreme glitter to every other stripe using the dauber. Remove tape.
4. Add silver dots with the end of a paint brush. Allow to dry and then go over with the silver extreme glitter.
5. Paint a silver stripe around the center. Once dry add silver extreme glitter.
6. Using dauber paint over silver glitter with wicker white.
7. Go over white with turquoise glitter and then remove tape.
8. Tie turquoise ribbon for hanging and a silver bow for the front of ornament.