Friday, December 9, 2011

Sparkly Lighted Ornaments

Pennywise Arts is sponsoring the month of December on Gingersnap Creations and many PWA artists will be featured there.  Yesterday  on Gingersnap Creations our very own Michele Aiello-Zendejas shared some stunning beaded ornaments with an easy step by step tutorial so you can make them too!

PWAStarryNightTrio1
Supplies:

Instructions for the 3-Sided (Triangle) Ornament:

PWAStarryNightTrio3Slide
1. Cut out the three images that you want to use from the Swing Shift Designs Christmas Slide Soup Collage Sheet, Designed by Michele Aiello-Zendejas exclusively for Pennywise Arts. I used the two of the Three Kings slides and the Star of Bethlehem for this ornament.
2. Adhere the slides to the back of the images. Note: You won't see the slides, they are used for support only. You could use chipboard or very heavy cardstock instead of slides for the 3-sided slide ornament, but not for the 4- or 5-sided slide ornament. The 4- and 5-slide ornaments are lighted, so the support has to be transparent.
3. Peel one side of the backing off of a sheet/piece of O'So Sticky Tape. Lay the three slides face down onto the exposed adhesive. Leave a very small space, 2mm or the thickness of your slides, between the slides so you can fold the sheet with the microscope slides stuck to it into a triangle shape later.
4. The three slides are now held together by the O'So Sticky tape that you added in step 3. Trim the excess tape off around the outer slides. DO NOT cut between the three slides or separate them.
5. Peel off the rest of the backing, then dip the front side of the attached slides into a 50/50 mixture of Pennywise Arts Ultra Fine Micro Beads and Pennywise Arts Mini Micro Beads.
6. Place a piece of single side heavy duty tape on the back along one side of the attached slides and then carefully fold the three slides into a triangle shape. Use a chopstick to reach inside of the triangle and press the tape onto the back of the slides to secure them.
7. Run a piece 1/4” width piece of O'So Sticky Tape around the top and bottom of the ornament. Remove the protective liner and then dip it into the PWA bubble beads and then into a 50/50 mixture of PWA's Ultra Fine Micro Beads and PWA's Mini Micro Beads.
8. Attach 1 piece of 3” long wire to the inside (approximated ¼ to 1/2” in) at the top and bottom of each slide with hot glue.
9. Gather the three wires on the bottom and slide the beads on from large to small. Then bend the excess wire into a curl or scroll. Gather the three wires at the top and slide the beads on from large to small. Twist the wires together and bend into a loop. Add a hook and hang it on your tree!

Instructions for the 4-Sided (Quadrilateral/Square) Lighted Ornament:
PWAStarryNightTrio4Slide

1. Cut out the four images that you want to use from the Swing Shift Designs Christmas Slide Soup Collage Sheet, Designed by Michele Aiello-Zendejas exclusively for Pennywise Arts. I used all three of the Three Kings slide images and the Star of Bethlehem slide image for this ornament.
2. Adhere the microscope slides to the back of the images with O'So Sticky Tape.
3. Adhere O'So Sticky Tape to the front of each image. Remove the protective liner and then dip it into a 50/50 mixture of PWA's Ultra Fine Micro Beads and PWA's Mini Micro Beads.
4. Cut a hole out of the center of a small square Shake It Shaker Card Window large enough for the Battery Operated Tea Light Candle to fit through. This will be the base.
5. Measure around the Battery Operated Tea Light Candle, then add ¼ to 1/2” for overlap. Cut a piece of Transparent Film to the length you just measured by 3” tall. Roll it into a tube and secure with clear tape. It should fit easily around the Battery Operated Tea Light Candle. Attach the clear tube to the bottom Shake It square with clear tape. Insert the Battery Operated Tea Light Candle from the hole in the bottom and secure it with clear removable tape. Do not glue it in. You want to be able to remove it so you can change it out when the battery goes dead.
6. Apply O'So Sticky Tape to the top part of the base piece. Remove the liner. Place a 1/4” strip of O'So Sticky Tape down the center of each slide. Remove the protective liner from the tape and attach the four image slides evenly spaced around the clear tube. The slides should now be connected to the tube and to the base, one on each side of the base.
7. Use another small square Shake It Shaker Card Window for the top of this project. Secure it to the top of the four image slides with thin strips of O'So Sticky Tape.
8. Cover the top Shake It Shaker Card Window with O'So Sticky Tape. Remove the liner to expose the tape.
9. Add some beads, small to large, onto a head pin. Bend and trim the excess wire from the head pin and then attach it to the top of the project. It should be centered on top of the Shake It Shaker Card Window.
10. Attach four acrylic flowers to the base, and four flowers around the beaded head pin on the top of the project.
11. Dip the exposed tape on the top and base into the PWA bubble beads and then into a 50/50 mixture of PWA's Ultra Fine Micro Beads and PWA's Mini Micro Beads.

Instructions for the 5-Sided (Pentagon) Lighted Ornament:

PWAStarryNightTrio5Slide 

1. Cut out the five images that you want to use from the Swing Shift Designs Christmas Slide Soup Collage Sheet, Designed by Michele Aiello-Zendejas exclusively for Pennywise Arts. I used all three of the Three Kings slide images and two of the Star of Bethlehem slide images for this ornament. Set one Star of Bethlehem slide images aside. Punch a few tiny stars out of each of The Kings slides and one of the Star of Bethlehem Slides, then punch out a few 1/16” circles in all five slides. Now punch a small star out of the center of of the Star of Bethlehem slide image that you set aside. Punch out a few 1/16” circles from this slide as well.
2. Adhere the microscope slides to the back of the images using O'So Sticky Tape. Note: The microscope slides are used for support. The 5 sided slide ornament is lighted, so the support has to be transparent.
3. Peel one side of the backing off of a sheet/piece of O'So Sticky Tape. Lay the five microscope slides face down onto the exposed adhesive. Leave a very small space, 2mm or the thickness of your microscope slides, between the microscope slides so you can fold the sheet with the microscope slides stuck to it into a pentagon shape later.
4. The five microscope slides are now held together by the O'So Sticky tape that you added in step 3. Trim the excess tape off around the outer microscope slides. DO NOT cut between the five microscope slides or separate them.
5. Peel off the rest of the backing, then dip the front side of the attached microscope slides into a 50/50 mixture of Pennywise Arts Ultra Fine Micro Beads and Pennywise Arts Mini Micro Beads.
6. Place a piece of single side heavy duty tape on the back along one side of the attached microscope slides and then carefully fold the five microscope slides into a pentagon shape. Use a chopstick to reach inside of the pentagon and press the tape onto the back of the adjoining microscope slide to secure it.
7. Punch or cut a 2” circle (or larger, depending on the thickness of your microscope slides) from the Clear Transparent Film. Use the 5 sided ornament as a template and place a dot where the 5 corners meet, all the way around the circle.
8. Cover both sides of the 2” circle with O'So Sticky Tape. Punch a 1/16” inch hole into the center of the circle. Thread a head pin through the hole you just punched. Place a small piece of tape on the head of the head pin to secure it to the circle. Remove the bottom layer of protective backing from the tape and adhere the circle to the top of the 5 sided ornament, fold the tape down onto the sides of the ornament.
9. Remove the protective liner from the tape. Thread the faceted beads, from large to small, onto the head pin. Bend the head pin into a hook shape. Place 5 acrylic flowers around the newly beaded head pin. Then dip it into the PWA bubble beads and then into a 50/50 mixture of PWA's Ultra Fine Micro Beads and PWA's Mini Micro Beads.
10. Run a piece 1/4” width piece of O'So Sticky Tape around the top and bottom of the ornament. Remove the protective liner and then dip it into the PWA bubble beads and then into a 50/50 mixture of PWA's Ultra Fine Micro Beads and PWA's Mini Micro Beads.
11. Place a Battery-Operated Tea Light Candle inside the bottom of the ornament. The battery should fit snugly. If your battery operated candle falls out, use a few small pieces of clear transparent film as a shim to keep it inside the ornament. Do not glue it in. You want to be able to remove it so you can change it out when the battery goes dead.

PWAStarryNightTrio5SlideLightsOn
Reminder: never leave anything producing heat unattended.
Thanks Michele for sharing your amazing talent and inspiring us with your creative ideas!

Hugs, Suzanne

Snowman Starlight Shaker Card

This simple shaker card and tutorial was featured on Gingersnap Creations blog !  We are having so much fun sponsoring the month of December and seeing all of the beadiful things that the GSC design team and members are sharing!  Be sure to check them out!

Snowman Light

Snowman Starlight Shaker Card and Tutorial by Suzanne Glazier

Supplies:

ATC shaker card template - http://www.pennywisearts.com/supersimpleshakercards.html

Acetate

Black Staz On Ink

Snowman Stamp

Snowflake Stamp

Foam Tape

Galaxy Markers

Versamark Ink

Coordinating Cardstock

Clear Micro Beads from Pennywise Arts

Opal flakes

Basic instructions on constructing a Super Simple Shaker Card can be found on the Pennywise Arts website in the class archives:  http://www.pennywisearts.com/supersimpleshakercards.html

For this "Snowman Light" shaker the image was stamped onto acetate with black Staz On Ink and colored from the back side with Galaxy markers.

The large snowflakes were stamped using Versa Mark ink for a watermark effect.

The shaker window is filled with clear micro beads and opal flakes.

Hugs!
Suzanne

 

Pennywise Arts, where your favorite color can be clear! www.PennywiseArts.Com

Sweet Family Photo Ornament

DotAornament

 

Vintage family photos make wonderful keepsake ornaments! 

For this one Dot Alcorn started with a round chipboard base.  The photo was then layered on and the mixture of black, white and silver micro beads were added to the edges with O'So Sticky Tape.

My friend Kathi Hall told me about another fun ornament base – canning lids!  They have darling red and white checked ones available that make wonderful Christmas ornament bases.  red-gingham-jam-jar-lid-63mm

Place a family photo on the plain side and make a “To” and “From” signature on the gingham side with a Sharpie marker.

A Crop-A-Dile tool easily punches holes through the lid for the ribbon to thread through.

cropadile

Oh! These ornaments could also be used as the gift tag on a present!

So many ideas, so little time!

 

Hugs, Suzanne

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Holiday Mice Tin

Another fun creation from Dot Alcorn is this cute gift tin.DotATinoutside 

The outside uses an adorable mouse image from our "Christmas 5" collage sheet. 

Dot covered the lid with O’So Sticky Tape then placed the image in the middle.  Gold micro beads filled in the edges to create the border. 

 

 

Inside the tin Dot glued paper, embellishments and pearls.  While the glue was still wet she sprinkled micro beads on for an icy effect.

DotATininside

I think decorated tins would make a great presentation for gift cards!

 

Hugs, Suzanne

 

 

 

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Pennywise QR Code!

Thanks to Michele Aiello-Zendejas for creating a QR code for smart phones that will take you right to our website! 

QRCodePennywise

Just scan the above photo with your barcode scanner app on your phone and voila! 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Winter White Christmas Card

Dot Alcorn also created this pretty card using an image from our "Christmas 5" collage sheet

DotAcard

I love being able to share art made by others!  Thank you so much for participating in the Gingersnap challenge Dot!

Hugs, Suzanne

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Victorian Christmas Card

Thanks to PWA “Beadie Buddy” Dot Alcorn for joining us in the Gingersnap holiday challenge!  Dot created this elegant card using our "Christmas 5" collage sheet. 

DotAcard2

For a sparkly look Dot added clear ultrafine micro beads over the top of the image with O'So Sticky Tape.

Nice work Dot!

Hugs, Suzanne