Easter Egg, Candle Decoration Project

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Jeremy Bright

Happy Easter folks! If you’ve followed my blog in the past, I make a lot of mention about the use of color. And without talking too much about the religeous aspects of Easter, one of the other things I love about the holiday is that, visually, it’s that time of year when color takes a turn and because much more vivid, cheery and bright. I love how this Easter Egg Candle Decoration Project pulls together Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes and Jewel Keys die shapes by Spellbinders in a really bright and fun way…just in time for Easter.

For this Easter Egg Candle Decoration Project, I used a flower die from Julianna’s Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set to cut into the white of my egg (oval) shape to allow the pink to show from beneath. Then, I used two ornate ends of one of her Jewel Keys to create a filigree element to lay on top of the white egg. Insert it into a Media Mixage bezel that I painted white using Americana’s Acrylic Craft Paint (and sealed with Americana’s Matte Sealer), we have a really fun, fresh and bright Easter Egg Candle Decoration Project.

Here’s a full list of the supplies used on this Easter Egg Candle Decoration Project:

Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set from Julianna Hudgins Collections by Spellbinders
Jewel Keys Die Set from Julianna Hudgins Collection by Spellbinders
Ovals One Large Bezel from Spellbinders Media Mixage
Ovals One Die Set from Spellbinders Media Mixage
White Cardstock
Pink Cardstock
Orange Cardstock
Rhinestones (1 Medium, 4 Smalls)
Jump Ring
Designer Chain Pliers
Glass Bead
Ribbon
Thumbtacks
Beacon Adhesives Quick Grip Glue
Ice Resin
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
DecoArt Decoupage Matte Medium
Americana Snow White Acrylic Craft Paint
Americana Matte Acrylic Sealer / Finisher
Candle

For me, I’ll be spending Easter at home with Jason and our Brazillian friend Lorenzo. Since moving to Phoenix, and both of us being away from our families, Lorenzo and his family have taken me and Jason in for several holidays. So, we’re very excited to have Lorenzo in to celebrate Easter with us! I can’t wait to have the smells of ham, rolls and potatoes and the sounds of laughter filling the home! Hope you all have an amazing Easter!!!

Make Heads Turn….every day.
Jeremy

Posted in Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media | Tagged Aleene's Tacky Glue, Jewel Flowers and Flourishes, Jewel Keys, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Spellbinders, Spellbinders Paper Arts | Leave a comment

Create a Masculine Valentine’s Day Card

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Jeremy Bright

With Valentine’s Day just days away, Judy Hayes’ recent “Love You Card” project gives a great example of how artsy folks can approach this romantic little holiday without completely freaking-out our husbands, boyfriends or boy-toys with a flood of pink hearts, red roses or other traditional symbols of Valentine’s Day. I loved Judy’s project and wanted to build on her idea to further demonstrate that using feminine elements that you already have, like Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes die set from Spellbinders, can be combined with manly color palettes and different techniques to create a masculine Valentine’s Day card for that special guy in your life.

With a new guy in my life this year that I’m excited to make a card for, I wanted to dive into this project and create a masculine Valentine’s Day card for him and share it with you today. Flowers and hearts are strong symbols of Valentine’s Day, so I wanted to make sure to still speak to at least one of those things, but put a manly twist on it.

As you’ll notice with this flower, I built it with layers and layers of Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers cut from a variety of earthy brown surfaces to create something that was chunky, sturdy and bold – but not pink and feminine. I used all three of her flower shapes to create this flower-stack, layering surfaces ranging from tissue papers, traditional card stock, canvas, wood veneer and even glitter paper. The careful choice of color and surfaces, combined with the hearty stack itself is what really gives this the guy’s stamp of approval, while still being really representative of the holiday. I topped the flower off with a Spellbinders Media Mixage Circle Bezel filled with some Tigers Eye beads and Ice Resin to hold them all together.

The sentiment is another place that can make-or-break a guy’s Valentine’s Day card. Get too mushy, and you may send him running for the hills! But at the same time, a guy still wants to know he’s loved (even though he may never admit it). So, my vote is to go simple with “LOVE” simply spelled out – in this case, using vintage Typewriter Letter Stickers that compliment the overall color scheme and feel of the card.

For the inside, I left the card blank without any mushy messaging, but a place to write my own personalized note to celebrate the day.

Here’s a list of supplies used to create a masculine Valentine’s Day Card:

Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set
Spellbinders Card Creator 5×7 Matting Basics A Die Set
Spellbinders Cut, Fold and Tuck Pinwheel Delight Die Set
Spellbinders M-Bossabilities Whimsical Flora Embossing Folder
Spellbinders Media Mixage Circle Bezel
Black Cardstock for the card base and cut accent
Pearly White Cardstock for the embossed background layer
Scripted Natural Cotton Paper for outside layer
Craft Cardstock for sentiment strip and inside layer
A Variety of Surfaces for the flower stack (tissue paper, canvas, cardstock, wood veneer, glitter paper, etc)
Brass Brad to hold the flower stack together and secure to the card.
Tigers Eye Beads for the flower center
Ice Resin to secure the beads in the bezel
Typewriter Stickers for the sentiment
E-6000 to adhere the bezel to the flower
Double-sided tape to adhere the paper layers together
Amaretto and Midnight Confessions Chalking Inks to distress the layers

I hope my new Valentine enjoys his card – I’m really looking forward to our first Valentine’s Day together. And, hopefully I’ve given you some inspiration to create a masculine Valentine’s Day card of your own! Thanks for stopping by!

Make heads turn….every day!
Jeremy

Posted in Handmade Cards, Jeremy's Projects, Mixed Media, Techniques | Tagged E-6000, Handmade Paper Flowers, Handmade Valentine's Day Card, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Masculine Valentine's Day Cards, Mixed Media, Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Cards for men | Leave a comment

Hula Girl – A Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Jeremy Bright

It’s just been a little over 6 months since I arrived in Phoenix, Arizona, and I took a short, creative break to re-establish my footing. But I’m back -and who knew this fish out of water would be doing so well in the desert?!?! I have a great job with Spellbinders Paper Arts as a Graphic Designer, I’ve met some incredible friends, been stepping up my boxing training, have a handsome new beau in my life and things are really looking up! So, I put together a Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project to combine some of my favorite ocean elements (symbolizing “where I’ve been”) with elements that symbolize my move to “The Valley of the Sun” (symbolizing “where I’m going”) to share with you today! It’s also a special treat to use a vintage picture of my mom as a Hula Girl mixed with Julianna Hudgins‘ Sun Die Cut Shape from her Jewel Framed Sentiments set to make this Mixed Media canvas have a really unique, vintage and fun style.

The inspiration for the overall vibe of this Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project comes from one of the first restaurants I visited when arriving in Phonix, Hulas Modern Tiki. Within walking distance of my home, Hulas is a modern, urban twist on the classic tiki bars and restaurants of the ’50s & ’60s. It’s locally owned and operated, and is a community place where everyone is welcome, from hipsters, oldsters, youngsters and everyone in between, and beyond. They have a Spicy Seaweed Salad that I’m hooked on, incredibly-prepared seafood offerings, drinks that are to-die-for…and an atmosphere that gives me that little taste of being back home at the beach (even though I’m in the desert) each time I visit. It truly is one of my favorite spots in Phoenix.

To pull this piece together, I wanted some strong ocean / tiki imagery, so I started looking through my photo archive.

I knew I had the picture of my mom in her hula dance costume that I’ve been dying to use for years in a project. I absolutely love the image and the timing couldn’t be more appropriate. I remember for years, my mom telling me that she always wanted to be a professional dancer. Not only was this picture’s subject matter perfect for this piece, but it also symbolized that moment in your life when you’re doing exactly what you want to be doing….like how I feel with my career, boxing, friends and my new beau.

Then, I found a picture of a beach in Mexico that I took…and with a little work in Photoshop to remove the throngs of modern-looking tourists, I was able to create a vintage-looking image that had the vibe needed for me to create a stunning background with this Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project.

If you’d like to use either of these images, I’ve placed them here for you to download for FREE! Just give me a shout-out if you ever use them so I can compliment your work!

Now that I had my ocean references, I wanted to pull in the desert, Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun. If you’ve ever seen a Sparkletts Water Truck, the back sign is completely blinged-out with round, aqua bling. I just love the idea of that technique and wanted to play off of it.

So, using Julianna Hudgins’ Sun Die Cut Shape from her Jewel Framed Sentiments set, I created rows of suns to symbolize the intense heat in Phoenix in a fun and playful way. I love how Julianna’s suns are really the foundation of this Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project. They represent heat and the “Valley of the Sun”, but they also represent all those “fun-in-the-sun-days” I used to have at the beach through their Sparklet-Truck-like application. And by using Deco Art’s Texture Fierro Medium on the metal foils to age them, it brings a sandy, gritty texture that is definitely representative of both Phoenix and the beach. These suns really make this piece come together for me.

I really love how flexible and versatile Julianna’s dies sets are. They have pieces that can be used together or separate in so many different ways. Just look at all the other pieces in this set that I didn’t use….just a number of possibilities down the line.

Below, you’ll find a list of items used in this Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project.

Feel free to download the images I used for free or look through your photo archive and create a Hulas-inspired piece of your own!

Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Framed Sentiments Die Set from Spellbinders
Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting & Embossing Machine
Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils Assortment
Beach Photo (Download FREE Here)
Hula Girl Photo (Download FREE Here)
8×10 Value Pack Canvas
Deco Art Americana Paints (I used Bahama Blue, Indian Turquoise and Toffee)
Deco Art Texture Fierro
Deco Art’s Decoupage Medium
Powder Puff Amaretto Chalking Ink by Quick Quotes
Bronze Necklace Chain bent to make corner brackets
Short, Bronze Screws
Hemp Twine
Antique Brass Jump Rings
Slim Flat Nose Pliers
Blue Glass Seed Beads
Emery Board for distressing
Strips of Leather
Antique Brass findings
Thin Burlap, Mica or other natural fabrics / papers
Glue
Scissors

I hope you enjoyed this piece! I love to create using the things that inspire me every day like with this Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project. It’s even better when I can incorporate those special things that symbolize the times in your life when you’re doing exactly what you want to be doing! Love that.

Till next time….Make Heads Turn…every day.

Jeremy

Posted in Canvas Project, Free Downloads, Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media | Tagged Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Mixed Media, Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks, Spellbinders, Spellbinders Craft Foils, Spellbinders Grand Calibur, Spellbinders Paper Arts, Tiki-Inspired Mixed Media Canvas Project, Westcott | Leave a comment

Giving Thanks – How to Create a Fall Leaf Thanksgiving Card

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

Now that Halloween is behind us, it’s that time of year when schedules start getting hectic and those holiday stresses start surfacing. So, this year, I thought I’d try to get ahead of the game a bit and create a few cards to be prepared for visits with family and friends over the Thanksgiving Holiday. Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set is a really versatile die set that has fun applications throughout the year. Check out this cool Fall Leaf Thanksgiving Card project using the leaves in her die collection.

I started this Fall Leaf Thanksgiving Card project by cutting all of my pieces using autumn colored papers – most of which were scraps. I cut my card base and an overlay flap (that will hold the leaves) using my Westcott Brand Rotary Laptop Paper Trimmer. Then, I cut the other leaves and pieces for the card using Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set, Leafy Squares Dies and Fancy Framed Tags Two.

Next, I chalked all the edges of the fall leaves using Powder Puff Amaretto Chalking Ink by Quick Quotes to clean-up the white edges of the papers. Then, I glued all the leaves onto the overlay flap using Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue, randomizing the pattern.

After gluing the remaining pieces of the card together, I used a rub-on to create the sentiment on the Fancy Framed Tag I cut.

Using 24 Gauge Gold and Copper Artistic Wire by Beadalon, I wire-wrapped the card to add some shine and a different element.

Finally, I attached the sentiment tag using All Natural Hemp Twine, threaded through the Fancy Framed Tag and tied on the back of the card.

Here is a list of supplies used on this Fall Leaf Thanksgiving Card Project:

Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Set by Spellbinders S5-143
Westcott Brand Rotary Laptop Paper Trimmer
Leafy Squares Dies by Spellbinders S4-332s
Fancy Framed Tags Two by Spellbinders S5-128
Powder Puff Amaretto Chalking Ink by Quick Quotes
Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue
Rub On Sentiments
All Natural Hemp Twine
24 Gauge Gold and Copper Artistic Wire by Beadalon
Scrap Paper – Assortment of Autumn Colors

Thanks for stopping by and checking out this Fall Leaf Thanksgiving Card Project. I’m really looking forward to spending my first Thanksgiving in Phoenix this year, thankful of so many things.

Until next time….Make Heads Turn…every day!
Jeremy

Posted in Handmade Cards, Handmade Tags, How-To's, Jeremy's Projects, Mixed Media | Tagged Aleene's Tacky Glue, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Mixed Media, Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks, Spellbinders, Spellbinders Grand Calibur, Westcott | 2 Comments

How to Create a Set of Throwback Wood Veneer Refrigerator Magnets

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

Recently, I’ve been really intrigued with all the different things the Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine will cut – from soda cans to wool felt, the possibilities are amazing. So, when I took at look at Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Framed Sentiments Die Shapes, I thought they were perfect for creating a set of refrigerator magnets to act as flexible frames for photos!

I started by simply cutting and embossing the frame shapes and a daisy from Julianna’s Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Shapes using Magnetic Sheets and Wood Veneer Sheets. I embossed the wood shapes and then used stained the wood using Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks.

Then, I glued the wood veneer sheets to the corresponding magnets using Aleene’s Tacky Glue. Allow the magnets to dry and BAM – you’ll have some unique magnets for your fridge!

Here’s a List of Supplies Used to Create a Set of Throwback Wood Veneer Refrigerator Magnets:

Jewel Framed Sentiments die cut shapes by Julianna Hudgins
Julianna’s Jewel Flowers and Flourishes Die Shapes
Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine
Wood Veneer Sheets
Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks
Aleene’s Tacky Glue

I hope you enjoyed this project and get inspired to use different surfaces in your Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine! What will you create?

Make Heads Turn….Everyday!
Jeremy

Posted in How-To's, Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media, Photo Frames, Techniques | 1 Comment

Upcycled Urban Necklace Created With Soda Cans and Found Objects

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

After being on Julianna Hudgins’ Design Team for several months, one of the most talented women in the Jewelry Industry, I knew I wanted to tackle a few jewelry projects for her blog. I’m so intimidated by all the other talented designers on her Design Team and some of the jewelry projects they’ve created, but, I love having the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone to see what will come of it! I’m so excited to share my first jewelry project with you today – an Upcycled Urban Necklace – created with a found object, a soda can and die cut shapes from Julianna Hudgins’ Collection by Spellbinders.

I wanted the project to be authentic, from a guy’s perspective, something I’d want to wear and like my other projects, have a fun, inspiration element – I like projects with a story. And recently, my new boss, the Director of Marketing at Spellbinders, slid a piece of “trash” across my desk that instantly gave this project it’s life and inspiration!

She attended an art class one weekend that focused on various surface finishing techniques, and this was a “scrap” piece from the class that she used to refine styles and to test product. I just loved the way this looked and thought it would be an awesome foundation piece for some “man-jewelry” that would have a really cool story to tell people whenever I wear it.

To start, since my foundation element was a found object, I wanted to build on that with some upcycled elements to keep with the urban feel. That’s when it hit me that one of the really cool things the Spellbinders Grand Calibur and Spellbinders Dies do is cut through soda cans! The current Sun Drop Citrus Soda Can has an awesome pattern and also had the green tones I was looking for to compliment my boss’ foundation element. I cut out a rectangle from an empty, washed, soda can that was larger than the Jewel Stones die I wanted to use using my Westcott Titanium Non-Stick Scissors.

Once I cut out my Jewel Stone shape and a “Respect” charm from Julianna’s new Framed Sentiments set, I ran the stone through Spellbinders Industrial M-Bossabilities™ Folder to give a cool, manly and urban feel to the shape. Below, you’ll see how this looks with the printed side of the soda can – which is SUPER COOL!!!! I love that the dies cut through cans like this. However, for my project, once I had it cut, I couldn’t help but love how it looked with just the plain silver from the inside of the can. Sometimes, things don’t work out exactly as you planned and THAT’S OKAY! I just wanted to share this with you because I think it looks cool both ways! I lightly sanded off the paint from the can to give some distress to the finish and enhance the pattern.

Next, I used a Black Sharpie Permanent Marker to color all over my silver piece. Then, using a Cotton Swab and some Rubbing Alcohol, I pushed the ink around and removed some ink to create a cool, grunge effect – a low-cost alternative to alcohol inks.

Then, I punched a hole in the top of the metal piece using a 1/8″ Hole Punch. To create a faux, plasma-torched edge to the metal, I used a small paintbrush to apply a messy edge of Aleene’s Tacky Glue to the edge of the shape, then coated it with Zing Metallic Silver Embossing Powder. Once the Tacky Glue Dried, I heat-set the Embossing Powder with my Heat Gun. I LOVE this effect! It looks like the metal has melted as it was cut with a plasma torch.

Next, for the “Respect” charm, I wanted to beef it up using Want 2 Scrap’s Chipboard Coordinates for Julianna’s Jewel Frame Die Set. I glued the soda can cut out on the corresponding chipboard piece using Aleene’s Tacky Glue and allowed it to dry completely.

Using the same technique as with the oval shape, I distressed and antiqued the “Respect” charm using a Sharpie Permanent Marker, a Cotton Swab and Rubbing Alcohol.

Finally, I assembled the entire necklace using Brown Leather Lacing, Antique Silver Crimps, Findings and Clasps from Industrial Chic and Slim, Flat Nose Pliers from Beadalon.

Here’s a List of Supplies Used to Create this Upcycled Urban Necklace with Soda Cans and Found Objects:

Julianna Hudgins Jewel Framed Sentiments Set by Spellbinders
Julianna Hudgins Jewel Stones Die Set by Spellbinders
Spellbinders Industrial M-Bossabilities™ Folder
Want 2 Scrap’s Chipboard Coordinates
Found Object that Inspires You
Sun Drop Citrus Soda Can
Westcott Titanium Non-Stick Scissors
Black Sharpie Permanent Marker
Cotton Swab
Rubbing Alcohol
1/8″ Hole Punch
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Zing Metallic Silver Embossing Powder
Heat Gun
Brown Leather Lacing
Findings and Clasps from Industrial Chic
Slim, Flat Nose Pliers from Beadalon

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking out my first attempt at Jewelry Making. It’s Saturday night, and I may have to wear this out on the town tonight. Thanks so much Julianna for inspiring me to get out of my comfort zone and try something new. And thanks Kirstie Rylon for giving me an inspiration piece that you created that kick-started this project!

Make Heads Turn…Every Day!
Jeremy

Posted in Holiday Ornaments & Tags, How-To's, Jeremy's Projects, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Techniques | Tagged Aleene's Tacky Glue, Beadalon, Jewelry, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Mixed Media, Soda Can Crafting, Spellbinders, Upcycling, Westcott, ZIng Embossing Powder | 2 Comments

Keys to Inspiration – A Mixed Media Paper, Wood and Canvas Project

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

Whether it’s a journey cross-country to start new jobs, forging new relationships or just day-to-day stressors in your life, sometimes it’s nice to have a little inspiring reminder to keep some core values top-of-mind to help guide you through those situations and keep you focused. This is what I love about Julianna Hudgins and her Positively Me Die Collection from Spellbinders. You’ll always find her messages of empowerment hinting in her work – whether it’s her gorgeous jewelry designs or even Wall Decor / Mixed Media Projects like this one I made for our new home in Phoenix. To create this, I used one of my favorite sets of her dies – the Jewel Keys. It’s so versatile – with a set of keys and five inspirational words that I’ll focus on with this project. And as a bonus, I also created a FREE, coordinating set of papers that you can download and print on your own printer at home!

To begin, you’ll need to print your FREE Custom Coordinating Printable Scrapbook Papers I designed for this project, or to coordinate with any project you’d like to do with Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Keys Die Shapes. When you download the zip file, you’ll find three FREE Printable PDF files for you to print on your favorite 8.5 x 11 Scrapbook, Office or Cardstock Paper of your choice for each of her five inspirational words. There’s a file to use if you’re printing on cool colored paper (blues, purples, greens), a file to use if you’re printing on warm colored papers (reds, oranges, yellows) and a file to use if you’re looking for a cool, grunge look (tans or browns). You can always mix and match them to and see what you come up with. You can pick colors similar to what I’ve used, but I designed the papers to give you the flexibility to choose your own colors, customize this project and make it your own! There are so many options and you’re in a no-rules zone! So, go crazy and have fun with these!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THIS SET OF FREE PAPERS THAT COORDINATE WITH JULIANNA HUDGINS JEWEL KEY DIE CUT SHAPES BY SPELLBINDERS.

For my project, I used each of the files at least once to show you the different looks you can achieve. I also used two different shades of each color and printed the custom papers on each. The darker shade is what i used for the strips on the canvas and I used the lighter shade to cut my letters so they’d really pop off of the canvas.

Once the papers were printed, I loaded the five darker shades in my Westcott Brand Rotary Paper Trimmer and cut them into different width strips to fill my 8 x 10 Value Canvas.

Then, I used the remaining five lighter shades of printed paper to cut and letterpress the corresponding inspirations words from the Julianna Hudgins Jewel Keys Die Set by Spellbinders. I inked each one of the letters with a corresponding Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Ink. Their applicators are really perfect for inking all the fine little details you’ll find in a Spellbinders die – and they come in a ba-jillion colors! Just ink the cutting surface and the ink will press into the paper as you run it through the Grand Calibur (or other compatible die cutting machine). *TIP* Be sure to remove any ink from the other side as it may smudge into the “stencil” area of the die while cutting and embossing.

Once you’ve inked the die, run it through your die-cutting machine to cut and emboss each word.

Next, lay out your inspirational letters on the canvas to ensure you have enough cut.

Once you have all the strips and inspirational words cut, you’re ready to start assembling the Mixed Media Canvas. I started by giving my canvas a based coat of Americana Burnt Umber Acrylic Craft Paint by Deco Art. Next, I coated each inspirational words with two coats of DuraClear Satin Varnish by Deco Art to give them a nice finish and sheen.

Next, I disassembled a Bamboo Placemat I picked up a Dollar Store recently to use some of the pieces to act as separators for each section of the Mixed Media Canvas. I stained each piece using a brown Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Ink and the sealed them with more of the DuraClear Satin Varnish by Deco Art.

Next, once all the paint and varnish was dry, I began decoupaging all the paper strips directly to the canvas by applying ample amounts of Deco Art’s Decoupage Medium to both the front and back of each strip of paper. *TIP* Be conscious of your brush strokes when decoupaging because they may be slightly visible.

When the Decoupage Medium was dry, I used an Emery Board to smooth and rough-up the edges of the canvas to give it a nice, well worn look. Then, I used a brown Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Ink to add a layer of grunge to my mixed-media project, and then sanded the edges lightly again. This gives a layered distressed look that I really love.

Next, I adhered all of my inspirational words to the canvas by cutting small pieces of Foam Mounting Tape using Westcott Titanium Non-Stick Scissors (PERFECT for cutting sticky items like foam mounting tape!). I placed the pieces on the backs of the letters and adhered them to the canvas to give some dimension.

Finally, using a line of Aileene’s Original Tacky Glue, I affixed my wooden strips to the front of the canvas. And viola! You have a really, cool, completely customized, inspirational canvas for your home!

Here’s a List of Products I used for this Project:

Julianna Hudgins Jewel Keys Die Set by Spellbinders
FREE Custom Jewel Key Coordinating Paper Designed by Vertigo Graphic (Click to Download)
10 Sheets of Paper of your Choice
Westcott Brand Rotary Paper Trimmer
8 x 10 Value Canvas
Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Ink
Spellbinders Grand Calibur Die Cutting Machine
Americana Burnt Umber Acrylic Craft Paint by Deco Art
DuraClear Satin Varnish by Deco Art
Bamboo Placemat
Deco Art’s Decoupage Medium
Emery Board
Foam Mounting Tape
Westcott Titanium Non-Stick Scissors

I hope you enjoyed this project today! Leave a comment below and let me know what you think! And be sure to visit our Facebook Page and post a picture of any project you make using these FREE Custom Jewel Key Coordinating Paper Designed by Vertigo Graphic. We’d love to see what you come up with!

Make Heads Turn…Every Day!
Jeremy

Posted in Canvas Project, Free Downloads, How-To's, Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media, Techniques | Tagged Deco Art, Decoupage, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Mixed Media, Quick Quotes, Quick Quotes Powder Puff Chalking Inks, Spellbinders, Westcott | 6 Comments

Goddess Thumb Tack Metal Wall Decor Project – A Julianna Hudgins Design Team Project

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

Today, I’m sharing a project with you that embraces two of my favorite people and their creative prowess in the creative industry, Julianna Hudgins and Mark Montano. Julianna’s Jewel Goddess dies are part of her own collection with Spellbinders and Mark Montano’s techniques are part of his awesome Big Ass Book of Crafts 2. I wanted to pair the two together in a new way to allow me to appreciate both of these artists, while bringing a fusion of the two styles into a single project that I’m excited to hang on my walls in my new, Phoenix home! SCORE! Let’s dive in!

I picked up Mark Montano’s Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 when he came to Atlanta to visit last year (you can check out a picture from that visit on the bottom of our About Page). And when I was unpacking last week, I stumbled on his book and took a nice little break to flip through it. His Moroccan Thumbtack Tabletop project jumped out at me as something I wanted to try and it worked perfectly with the Jewel Goddess Spellbinders Die Set by Julianna Hudgins.

First, I used a 12 x 12 blank canvas and painted it with Deco Art Texture Fierro – Iron Black.

Then, using three 12 x 12 Cork Tile Sheets glued-together and trimmed to fit the inside of my canvas, I glued the sheets directly to the back of the canvas to create a place to push my thumbtacks.

Next, I used my Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine to cut eight Jewel Goddess Shapes from pieces of Aluminum Flashing from the home improvement store.

Then, I laid each Goddess shape on top of the canvas to create my pattern and then started pushing in my Staples Nickel Plated Thumb Tacks to secure them to the canvas.

Finally, I added a simple sawtooth hanger to the back of the canvas for hanging.

Supplies Used in this Goddess Thumb Tack Metal Wall Decor Project

Jewel Goddess Spellbinders Die Set by Julianna Hudgins
Mark Montano’s Big Ass Book of Crafts 2
12 x 12 Blank Canvas
3/4″ Paint Brush
Deco Art Texture Fierro – Iron Black
Spellbinders Grand Calibur Machine
Aluminum Flashing
Staples Nickel Plated Thumb Tacks
12 x 12 Cork Tile Sheets
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Sawtooth Hanger

I really love how this project turned out. I’ve actually created a set of three to hang in my workout area. Mark Montano’s Big Ass Book of Crafts 2 is loaded with one fantastic project idea after another…and paired with Julianna Hudgins’ Die Collection from Spellbinders along with a little creativity, you can come up with fantastic projects of your own!

Thanks Mark and Julianna for providing such amazing inspiration every day!!!! They’re truly two of the of the nicest, kindest people I know in the craft industry. If you’re also a fan of Mark and Julianna, follow them both online by clicking the links below!

Julianna Hudgins
Mark Montano

Make Heads Turn…every day!
Jeremy

Posted in Canvas Project, How-To's, Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media, Techniques | Tagged Canvas, Canvas Projects, Deco Art, DecoArt, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Mixed Media, Spellbinders, Spellbinders Grand Calibur, Spellbinders Paper Arts | 2 Comments

Handmade Holiday Cards with Detachable Ornament – A Julianna Hudgins Design Team Project

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

Before you know it, the holidays will be here! Where has the year gone?! One of the things I always think about doing late in the game is to make my own holiday cards. With the scorching summer heat, it’s one of those things that always seems to slip my mind. But this year, when I saw Want 2 Scrap was carrying Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Fantasies Die Sets in chipboard, I thought they’d be perfect to use as a base for Holiday Ornaments to give as gifts along with a card. Two-for-One – a thoughtful, handmade card, with a detachable, useful element that’ll hang on their tree for years to come! And because they’re chipboard, they won’t pull down the branches – I always need some light ornaments to fill in the gaps where I have limp branches. These are perfect for that too!

To create the cards, first, I cut four pieces of chocolate brown cardstock using my Westcott Paper Trimmer and then scored them in the middle to fold.

Next, I used two differed sized Spellbinders Card Creator Dies to cut the outside of the card face and a window to display the ornament piece. Notice I’m using painter’s tape to position the dies for their ride through the Grand Calibur Cutting Machine. I also used their Junior Replacement Plates – they’re half the size…which means half the cranking and I think they work really well with the Card Creator sets.

Next, I used two more Card Creator Dies to create an inner mat for the window out of Spellbinders Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils. I also cut my peacock feathers from Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Fantasies Die Set from Spellbinders from the same foil. I then glued the Peacock Feathers to the Want 2 Scrap chipboard using Aleene’s Tacky Glue.

Next, I used three different color Sharpie Markers to color the metallic elements (inner mats, peacock feathers and metal tassels) and then used Rubbing Alcohol and a Cotton Swab to create a distressed finish.

Then, I assembled the ornaments. First I wrapped a piece of wire around the top (really tight to hold the feather) and created a loop at the top for the ribbon and decor. Then, I attached Tim Holtz’ Chain Tassels to the tops to add some cool visual interest. Then and I added a mini pearl and a bead from a broken tassel for some bling. I finished it off with a Thin, Brown Ribbon to serve as the hanger..

Next, I assembled the cards. I used Quick Quotes Amaretto and Green With Envy Chalking Inks to give the edges of each card some age. Then I simply taped the mats to the backs of the front frames using Scotch Tape and then glued them to the cards using more Aleene’s Tacky Glue.

To combine the ornament and the card, I punched a small hole in the top of the card, fed the hanger through the front of the card and taped the hanger to the inside. Finally, I added a ribbon and one of Julianna’s “PEACE” sentiments from her Jewel Keys Die Set. That’s it!

Supplies Used to Make Handmade Holiday Cards with Detachable Ornaments

Julianna Hudgins’ Jewel Fantasies Die Set by Spellbinders
Spellbinders Card Creator Matting Basics Die Set
Spellbinders Grand Calibur Cutting Machine
Spellbinders Junior Replacement Plates
Cardstock Paper
Want 2 Scrap’s Jewel Fantasies Die Set in Chipboard
Westcott Paper Trimmer
Paper Scorer
Aleene’s Tacky Glue
Tim Holtz’ Chain Tassels
Bling – Mini pearls, beads, etc
Thin, Brown Ribbon
Quick Quotes Amaretto and Green With Envy Chalking Inks
Scotch Tape
Small Hole Punch

Even though we’re in the heat of summer, don’t forget about the holidays that are right around the corner! What kinds of handmade touches do you like to give during the holidays? I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time, Make Heads Turn…every day!
Jeremy

Posted in Handmade Cards, Holiday Ornaments & Tags, Jeremy's Projects, Lifestyle, Mixed Media, Photo Frames | Tagged Aleene's Tacky Glue, Handmade Cards, Julianna Hudgins, Julianna Hudgins Collection, Julianna Hudgins Design Team, Quick Quotes Powder Puff, Spellbinders Craft Foils, Spellbinders Paper Arts | 1 Comment

A Day in the Park: Piedmont Park – A Julianna Hudgins Design Team Project

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Jeremy Bright

When the clock was ticking and there were only a few days before I moved from good ol’ Atlanta, Georgia to Phoenix, Arizona, I took some of my final morning runs in historic Piedmont Park. And after all the miles I’ve run, push-ups I’ve done, hills that I’ve sprinted and calories that I’ve left behind there, it only felt appropriate to give Piedmont Park the paper-crafting-tribute it deserves. So I wanted to bring you all along for a journey about what scrapbooking is all about to me…capturing fond memories and those special moments in life forever! Julianna Hudgins’ Spellbinders die set, Jewel Treasures is a really versatile set…and the flower and the kite are a perfect jumping-off point for this project!

With an abundance of flowering plants, sun rays that peek through the trees, rolling green hills, and wide-open fields that open up the sky for kites and miniature airplanes to be set against the clouds you’ll often see gliding across the urban, Midtown Atlanta Skyline…I knew all the points I wanted to touch to capture these memories.

I started by cutting all of the background pieces of paper I’d be using for my 8 x 8 scrapbook layout. First, I cut a piece of distressed tan paper for the main piece that everything would be adhered to. I used Spellbinders’ new Tweets and Twigs M-Bossabilities Folder to emboss the page. Then I cut my sun rays, clouds (pre-printed paper) and two rolling hills to be mounted on top of the background.

Next, I inked the edges of all the pieces in the project using Quick Quotes Mocha Mama Powder Puff Chalking Inks and adhered everything to the background page using a Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Adhesive and their Glue Arts 3D Raisen’s to give the project some depth.

*Note* If you compare this image to the final….you’ll see two different variations of this project. While I love the darker, more antiqued look you see below, it didn’t quite capture the memory of the bright, gorgeous park I wanted to remember. So I had to double-back on this project to brighten it up. AND THAT’S OKAY! It’s not always perfect the first time around…but it doesn’t mean it’s wrong either. I’m saving this style back for a rainy day and wanted to share both looks with you!

Next, I cut out three (3) each of the Kite and Flower shapes from Julianna Hudgins Jewel Treasures Die Set by Spellbinders. I used the copper and silver Spellbinders Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils and also kept some of the embossed fallout pieces to use as well. I used two of the rectangles from Spellbinders Card Creator Matting Basics A and B to cut my photo and mat. The matting basics set are perfect for matting (and embossing) your photos to give a really clean & finished look!

Next, I antiqued the kite and flower pieces by coloring them with a Black Sharpie Marker and then removing some of the ink using regular Rubbing Alcohol and a Q-Tip. Then, I glued the pieces together except for the tail of the kite, the leaves and the flower petals using Aleene’s Tacky Glue. I separated the non-glued pieces to make them pop off the page! I love this look!

I printed my photo tag on my computer and used the small, long rectangle Spellbinders Card Creator Matting Basics A to cut the label. Then, I put small silver brads into three of my photo’s corners and glued-on some of Tim Holtz’s Idea-Ology Mini Gears. I used the brads to help me lift some of my gears off of the photo to run my twine under once it’s all glued together.

That’s it! I love how playful, fun and bright this project is. It reminds me of the bright and cheery things I loved at the park, as well as the urban setting, the different textures and the botanicals found there. It’s an unexpected day at the park that’s all about turning heads!

Here is a list of supplies I used for this project:

Julianna Hudgins Jewel Treasures Die Set by Spellbinders
Spellbinders Tweets and Twigs M-Bossabilities Folder
Tim Holtz Idea-Ology Mini Gears
Red & White Bakers Twine
Paper for Clouds, Background, Sun Rays and Hills
Spellbinders Precious Metals Premium Craft Foils
Spellbinders Card Creator Matting Basics A and B
Scissors and Paper Trimmer (Westcott Brand is my favorite!)
Glue Arts 3D Raisen’s
Glue Arts Glue Glider Pro Adhesive
Quick Quotes Mocha Mama Powder Puff Chalking Inks
Black Sharpie Marker
Rubbing Alcohol
Aleene’s Tacky Glue

Thanks so much for checking out this scrapbook layout project! Now that I’m in Phoenix, I’m living right across the street from Steele Indian School Park….with more memories to be made! Stay tuned and…