Sweeet Friend

Clear micro beads are so doggone difficult to photograph!  If I use a flash they reflect back and all you see is a bright spot and if I don’t flash then sometimes the beads don’t show at all.  Good thing YOU have a great imagination!  For instance, imagine that this cupcake is sparkly and textured with ultra fine clear micro beads.  Actually, it is!

PWA designer Jean Sunderman created this “sweet” card with lots of pretty paper layers.  To bead an image (like this cupcake) all you need to do is stamp the image onto the paper side of O’So Sticky Tape and cut out.  Then place the O’So sticker directly over the image and dip into clear micro beads.  It’s just that quick and just that easy.

When choosing what size clear beads to use it’s important to take into account how detailed the image being beaded is.  Something with very fine or light lines and features will probably look best with ultra fine beads.  If the image is big and bold you can get more sparkly and distortion with the regular size (.5mm) micro beads.  If you just aren’t sure then go with the mini micro beads, it’s a pretty safe middle of the road size.  :)

Hugs, Suzanne

Talking Turkey

My great aunt and uncle were once turkey farmers in Iowa, my dad’s home state.  I never visited their farm but they had a family tradition of sending crystal turkey candy dishes as wedding gifts, so yep I have one!  And whenever I think of turkey, I remember my family, the stories about their farm and of course my crystal turkey.  Oh!  And I also think about the turkey/Thanksgiving collage sheets we have for sale on the website too!  ;0)

Jean Sunderman created these three deeply rich collage tag examples for us to share with you!

Materials:

Chipboard tags, Copper and Ultra fine clear beads, Thanksgiving Collage Sheets 1 & 2, O'So Sticky Tape Sheets and 1/4 tape, Various Fall color paints, Various flowers and ribbons, Rubber Stamps and Copper Embossing powder, Patterned Papers

Directions:

Paint tags in various fall colors. (Jean used brown and pumpkin orange) Cut out various Thanksgiving designs from collage sheets.  Layer to card with patterned papers and flowers.

Orange Turkey Tag: Add patterned paper to tag. Distress with ink. Cut out turkey and cover with O'So Sticky Sheet. Trim and cover with ulta fine clear beads. Attach to tag. Add various flowers.

Orange Lace Tag: Boy with Turkey Collage Sheet was covered with O'So Sticky Sheet and covered with Ulta Fine Clear Beads.  Add Brown Sequined lace with flower made from coffee filter. (love the texture that adds!) Brown Tag: background was stamped with leaf design and embossed with copper embossing powder.  Cut out turkey collage sheet and edge with 1/4 O'So sticky tape. Add copper beads.

Jean, your work is stunning as ever!  I’m so glad that you sought us out “way back when”.  I’ve thoroughly enjoyed you and your artwork!  Ü

Hugs, Suzanne

Beaded Lace For Fall

Autumn colors are definitely my favorite color palette and Jean Sunderman’s beaded lace card is full of rich color, depth and texture.  I love her handmade flowers made from coffee filters!  Anytime I can dual purpose materials from my kitchen to my craft room I’m happy!  So creative!

Materials:

Orange and Copper micro beads

Brown, Orange, Purple and White Cardstock

Patterned Paper

O'So Sticky Tape and Extra Liners

Any Border Punch

Chipboard Bird sprayed with Glitter Mist

Flower (Jean’s are made with coffee filters and Glitter Mist)

Sequined Cord

 

Directions:

Cut Brown cardstock to 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. Cut Orange and purple cardstocks slightly smaller. Layer together with patterned paper to create the base of the card front as shown.

Cut a one inch strip of orange cardstock. Layer with O'So Sticky tape. Peel off top liner of tape. Use a punch with an extra O'So Sticky tape liner to create a design strip. Make sure shiny, waxy side is down and layer punched strip onto the O'So Sticky tape.  First use orange beads to cover background of design strip. Next, peel off the punched liner and add copper beads. Attach beaded strip to the card front along with flower , sequined cord and bird.

Yay! It’s PWA Blog Hop Day!

I love blog hops!  The energy that swirls around this annual event is incredible!  I have to admit that the response really took me by surprise last year – in a huge and wonderful way!

This weekend you’ll have the opportunity to hippety-hop through some amazing creativity.  The artists have all worked hard to bring you their best and some are even awarding it as blog candy.  COOL BEANS!

WIN!

I’ll be cruising through the blogs each day and selecting at least one winner per day from the comments to receive an extra special handmade gift from one of our designers.  If you want to win here’s a tip – leave a comment that is thoughtful and personal in some way.  ;0)

But wait there’s more!

In ADDITION to the prize drawings EVERY SINGLE order placed on the PWA website over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday) will receive a piece of FREE blog candy created by one of our design team members!  WOWEE!!  Just look through our archives to see what you might receive!  Ü

Let’s kick this thing off! 

PWA designer Jean Sunderman brings some western influenced artwork to the party in honor of the Pennywise Arts annual crafting retreat that is taking place the end of this month in Cle Elum, Washington.

Jean’s first card has a handsome fellow on the cover with three silver micro beaded stars for embellishment.  Inside the card says “Save a horse, ride a cowboy” oh my!  ;0)

I love Jean’s atc “I always get my man”.  It’s a sweet little shaker card that used one of the free PWA templates: 

  Also from our shaker card files, Jean’s finale is a sassy lassie who’s good with a rope!   

Thanks for stopping by Pardner!  Now it’s time to mosey on over to my friend Jennifer’s blog.  She’s bursting with creativity and so excited to share with ya’ll!  I heard tell she may be giving away some goodies too!  Ü

Oh, and Yey!  If you’re interested in joining up with a fun group of wild women at the PWA retreat there are still a few spots left and we’d love to have ya!

Butterfly Art Book

Perfect for a day when you just want to sit and make something, this butterfly book by Jean Sunderman is full of easy samples of collage art.  The finished book is an inspiration to collagists everywhere!

Materials Jean Used:

Gold Opaque, Orange Translucent, Green Opaque and Clear Micro beads from Pennywise Arts

Winged Things I and II Collage Sheets from Pennywise Arts

O’ So Sticky Tape and Sheets from Pennywise Arts

Butterfly Chipboard Book: Michaels  (For the SVG file of this butterfly just email me suzanne@pennywisearts.com !)

Paper: DCWV Once Upon A Time

Embellishments: Flowers, Scrabble Letters, Crowns, Pearls and Faux String of Pearls, Brads

Gold Leaf Paint Pen

Vintage Photo Distress Ink

Embossing powder

 

Once you’ve assembled your supplies, put on some good music and get going!  You’ll be surprised how quickly you can complete something if you have everything you need at your fingertips!

Here’s the rest of Jean’s book…

 

 

Here’s a great close up of one of Jean’s angels with beaded wings:

 

If you need more direction, here you go:

Cover front and back of each butterfly with patterned papers. Be sure and punch whole after each side for metal ring.

Edge all pieces with gold paint pen.

Cut out various Winged Things and edge with Distress Inks. Add O’So Sticky Tape to various wings and areas on each collage piece.

Dip brads in embossing powder while still warm, stick in beads to create centers for flowers. Add Scrabble letters to cover and decorate each page as desired.

On last page decorate with letters to spell “art” and add collage sheet quote.

 

Thanks so much Jean!

“Just A Note” From Jean

Let Jean inspire you with another one of her fresh and fun floral designs!

In this tutorial Jean beads just some of the flower petals to create the multi dimensional Gerbera Daisy shown above.  Below are her easy to follow step by step instructions.

 

Materials:

Clear and Lettuce Green micro beads

O’So Sticky Tape Sheet

Stamps: Li’l Davis Designs, The Angel Company

Scallop Circle Nestabilities

Tuxedo Black Ink

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up!

Patterned Papers: K & Company

Pink Sheer Ribbon

Metal Tag

Glue Pen

Copic Markers: B21 Baby Blue, B24 Sky, YG23 New Leaf, YG25 Celadon Green

Directions:

Finished Card size is 5 ½ x 5 ½. Cut patterned paper slightly smaller. Attach to card front.

Cut a scallop circle in white and a size bigger in blue. Stamp the white piece with a Gerbera Daisy. Color with Copics. Stamp the daisy again on a white scrap piece. Color only the flower and cover with O’So Sticky Tape sheet. Cut out flower from sticky sheet removing some of the petals. (This allows the other flower to show through)

Cover Completely with clear beads. Bend petals slightly and attach over full daisy.

Use a glue pen on bottom part of leaves and cover with lettuce colored beads. Let dry. Attach flower circle to blue circle and to front of card.

Add a pink ribbon and stamped metal tag.

Love Jean’s style?  Follow her on Blogspot!
www.artsyj.blogspot.com

Silent Beauty

It still feels like “April Showers” here in the Snoqualmie Valley and that means I am still waiting for my potted flowers to really make their magic.  Thankfully I had this card from PWA designer Jean Sunderman to brighten a rainy day!

Jean’s creative floral centers made from mico beads and masks really make magic happen on this card:

Silent Beauty by Jean Sunderman

Materials:

Micro beads: Copper Opaque, Silver, Dark Rose Opaque, Light Green Opaque, Gold

Cardstock: Orange, Green and White- Stampin’ Up!

Stamp: Li’l Davis Designs

Brilliance Inks: Lime and Yellow

Colorbox Chalk Ink: Pansy, Green and Tangerine

Bottle Caps

O’So Sticky Tape Sheets

1” Circle Punch

Plastic stencil of flower

 

Once you have it all together, here’s the how to:

Directions:

Create a card to fit a regular business size envelope. Card should measure 9 x 4 or so.

Cut patterned paper ¼ inch smaller. Mount to green cardstock and trim. Attach to front of card.

Jean has a clever way to create a perfect shadow image from just one unmounted stamp!  Here’s what she does: 

Attach the clear stamp to block the stamp face down on the block (flipped over from “normal”.   Now use the back of the stamp to create a “shadow” on white cardstock. Clean off and attach stamp the correct way with the stamp face up. Stamp in a darker or coordinating color to create the outlines of the design.

Stamp three flowers and cut out as shown.

Flatten 3 bottle caps. Remove any rubber on the inside. Punch out three 1 inch circles of the O’So Sticky Tape Sheet. Stick to the inside of each bottle cap. Peel off backing and lay flower stencil on the sticky sheet. Cover with beads. Remove stencil and cover the rest with another color.

Attach all bottle caps to flower centers. Add flowers to front of card with one flower raised with 3D foam tape. 

Here’s a close up of one flower that shows the neat contrast inside the bottle cap:

 

To finish the card stamp a quote on white cardstock. Mount to orange cardstock and trim. Add to card front. Stamp a small flower, add beads to center and attach with 3D foam tape.

Be sure to visit Jean’s blog where you can see even more of her artwork:  www.artsyj.blogspot.com

Java Jolt Fat Book Swap

There is no better way to get back into the swing of things than with a swap full of delicious art!  Before you read another word go grab a cup of coffee, flavored or not, just the way you like it best.  Then sit back with this post and sip it slow.  Take in the aroma of creativity that will swirl in the air as you drink in the artwork of these talented ladies from our Pennywise Arts Yahoo Group.

 

Our first cuppa comes from Cathy Varner. The brew in the top of her cup is a mix of brown, copper and silver opaque micro beads. 

I love the little details that Cathy incorporated in her page.  The wild morning hair and fuzzy slippers add great fun to this design.

 

 

 

Eunice Creswell is “Saving the world one cup of coffee at a time” with her earth friendly cup.

Eunice created the steam using white cardstock between two pieces of O’So Sticky Tape with clear micro beads over all to create the fun illusion of hot steam rising.  It might look fragile, but the curling steam has amazing durability due to the O’So Sticky.

 

 

 

Jean Sunderman’s “Early Bird” definitely gets the freshest cup of coffee in the morning.

Her micro beaded birdie is such a royal treat, second only to the crystal fun sugar cubes!

 

 

This stack of mugs reminds me of my cupboard!  Julie Imsland created her page of java by punching 9 coffee cups from decorative paper.  Each cup is covered with O’So Sticky Tape and micro beads.  Folks, at 10 players/pages that adds up to 90 beaded coffee cups!  Wow!     Don’t miss the detail of the little wooden shelf that they all sit on!

 

 

 

 

Karen Slusher expected to see lots of players shaking it up with shaker bead designs and was pleasantly surprised to learn that she was the only one. 

Her cup features a unique shaker window featuring mocha (brown opaque) micro beads.  “No one can understand the truth until he drinks of coffee’s frothy goodness.”  Ah, yesssssss!

 

 

Next is Kathi Hall’s claim that “her coffee is so good, she even drinks it herself”!  So many collage items add interest and discovery here.

Her big daisy features PWA’s newest bead baby, Iridescent Bubble Beads.  The back of  Kathi’s page is thickly embossed creating amazing texture!

 

 

This yummy design was swirled up by Kelli Green.  Her java sports micro beaded brew with a scrumptious crema twirl.

 

While they are hiding in the picture above I don’t want you to miss the darling dangling shrink plastic tags that Kelli attached to the handles of the cups.

 

 

 

 

In case of a cafe emergency Lynn Lake has included a Starbucks Via as part of the “fat” in her design.  Suede paper forms the liquid in the cup.

On the back Lynn wrote:  “Great friends and a good cup of coffee.  Enjoy both as frequently as possible.”  I do agree!

 

 

 

Michele Aiello-Zendejas experimented with coffee grounds and embossing powder to create the coffee in her cup.  The texture is awesome though sadly the embossing powder covered up the rich aroma of fresh ground coffee.  Take a whiff of your own coffee now to simulate the effect.

 

Sweet detail is exhibited in Michele’s Bubble Bead accents on the spoon and on the lip of the cup.

 

 

 

 

Yes, you can almost feel the coffee jitters setting in with this great page by Sally Bowman.  I love the effect that double stamping has here – it so clearly communicates the underlying intent. 

 

 

 

And last but not least is my design which really represents the efforts of many.  Due to my continued struggle with TOS I needed lots of extra help to pull this off.  Thanks to all who helped inspire, loaned stamps, glued and tied – you know who you are and love and appreciate each of you so much.

 

What started out as an eight page book of it’s own quickly shrunk as time ran out.  Eight down to three with a lot of goodness within.  Cups were cut with SCAL and my Cricut which was a huge part of the work.  The cover was stained with Tim’s Distress Ink and a watermark “spill” stamp.  Sealing them with embossing powder helped make them durable and shiny.

I love this element of heart shaped steam rising from the cup ‘o love.  Red micro beads are held with Glossy Accents.

Inside pages were distressed with different colors of Tim’s ink and crackle stamped.  (Credit Hampton Art Stamps)

A hidden pocket holds a narrow tag.  Look how just crimping the background layers adds incredible depth and texture!

 

I’m always so pleased with the collaborative effort that everyone puts into our quarterly fat book swap!  Our Beadie Buddy artists are the best!  If you are interested in joining any of our ongoing swaps, be sure to join us in our little Yahoo coffee house community for all the details!