Congratulations and Happy Birthday!!

Congratulations Swing Shift Designs and Pennywise Arts for celebrating 5 years artful collaboration!

Time sure flies when you're having fun! Over the last five years Michele Aiello Zendejas has created over 150 different collage sheets for PWA. She has been a part of our Design Team and has offered generous donations and freebies for PWA events . Thank you Michele!!!

This week we celebrate good friends, good fun and creative collaborations! Happy Birthday Swing Shift Designs! We are so proud to offer your gorgeous collage sheets to our customers!

Every birthday party needs cake, presents, party favors and a guest book. Somewhere on the Pennywise Arts website we have hidden this cake graphic: Find the cake, click on it and then save the collage sheet to your computer. It's our gift to you!

Michele would love for you to stop by her blog and sign her guest book this week! If you leave a comment you will be entered to win free prizes!   Michele is also offering free daily party favors on her blog - so check back there every day this week!

Hugs,  Suzanne

Sweet Valentine Card

Michele Aiello-Zendejas’s art has a very unique style.  She uses lots of layered die cuts and embellishments to create cards that look complex and elegant. 

For this card Michele used the following items:

Swing Shift Designs To My Valentine 1 Collage Sheet, Pennywise Arts Clear Ultra Fine Micro Beads, Pennywise Arts Mega Roll O'So Sticky Tape, Spellbinders Dies, Quickutz Dies, K & Co Paper, Card Stock, Vintage Buttons, Double Stick Tape, Tacky Glue, Martha Stewart Paper Punch.

May your Valentine’s Day be filled with thoughts of those you love and a few unexpected surprises too!

Hugs, Suzanne

Victorian Valentine Gift Bag

PWA designer Michele Aiello-Zendejas has been super inspired and getting her craft on!  Here is a Victorian themed Valentine gift bag she created.

 

The products Michele used to create this gift bag are:

Swing Shift Designs To My Valentine 1 Collage Sheet, Pennywise Arts Clear Ultra Fine Micro Beads, Pennywise Arts Mega Roll O'So Sticky Tape, Spellbinders Dies, Quickutz Dies, K & Co Paper, Card Stock, Vintage Buttons, Flat Back Rhinestones, Paper Bag, Double Stick Tape, Tacky Glue, and a Martha Stewart Paper Punch.

It all adds up to a very lovely gift before you even put a gift inside!

Here is a slightly different view that shows the dry embossing on the top edge of the bag.

Have a “love”ly day!

Hugs, Suzanne

A Lovely Valentine Tag

This tag by Michele Aiello-Zendejas is loaded with layers, details and bling! 

The collage sheets that Michele creates for Pennywise Arts are top notch high resolution downloads and sharp color quality for the printed sheets.

It’s not too late to get Valentine downloads to make last minute cards from the heart!  And, be sure to scroll to our St. Patrick’s Day collection as well as our numerous Easter selections!  The collage sheet page of the website is not as organized as I would like it to be but we are working on it!  For now, consider it a treasure hunt! ;0)

Hugs, Suzanne

Happy New Year ATCs

Here are a couple of sweet New Year atc’s created by Julie Imsland.  She used a freebie collage sheet from our designer Michele Aiello-Zendejas.  See how to get it below!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Beadie Buddies,

I wanted to do something to thank you for purchasing and using my collage sheets and Suzanne's micro beads in your artwork.  So, I created a holiday thank you freebie collage sheet set just for you!  You can download it here:   www.atozdesigns.com/holidaythankyou.html

I hope you like it! :-)

Hugs,
Michele A-Z
WebsiteDesign, Blog Design, & Graphic Design:  www.AtoZDesigns.com

Collage Sheets, Digital Stamps, & Printables:  www.SwingShiftDesigns.com

Pre-Printed SSD Collage Sheets & Micro Beads:  www.PennywiseArts.com

Canning Lids In Disguise

My friend Kathi Hall showed me that neat ornaments and gift tags can be created using canning lids as a base.  I really like the weight it adds, it sure makes it hang nice.  I can’t show you the ornament that Kathy did at a shoebox party because I’ve already gifted it but here is my latest:

An image from one of our Christmas collage sheets by Michele Aiello Zendejas of Swing Shift Designs is cut out and the white edges inked with Galaxy Gold Brilliance to tone it down.

A fancy gold embossed napkin was Modge Podged onto a canning lid and trimmed  to fit.  A mixture of bronze, gold and butterscotch micro beads were glued around the inside edge of the lid with a few ivory seed beads sprinkled for good measure.  The image was added with foam pop dots and PWA Bubble beads were glued to the berries on the stocking. This was layered onto cranberry red cardstock.

I found an old plastic doily in my stash o’stuff, and distressed the edges with tan Staz On ink.  I really like the texture and “frill” it contributes.  I glued ribbon behind it for a hanger and added a piece of coordinating cardstock on the back with “To” and “From” stamped on it.  (Not shown)

Kathy found darling red gingham lids at Walmart.  They must be really popular this time of year because I couldn’t find them anywhere.

If you need a quick handmade tag our downloadable collage sheets can be sent to your inbox!  If you are in a hurry be sure to shoot me a quick email after you place your online order so I don’t miss it!  Suzanne@PennywiseArts.com I will be checking for digital orders regularly until the afternoon of Christmas Eve.  Orders placed after 3:00 pm Pacific Time on Saturday won’t be sent until Monday.

We have a lot of really fantastic images to choose from and not just for Christmas!  New Years is just around the corner with Valentines not too far behind.  ;0)

I’m wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!  

Hugs, Suzanne

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!

Supplies:

• Swing Shift Designs Christmas Slide Soup Collage Sheet, Designed by Michele Aiello-Zendejas exclusively for Pennywise Arts (Three Kings and the Star of Bethlehem slides)
• Pennywise Arts Iridescent Bubble Beads
• Pennywise Arts Ultra Fine Micro Beads
• Pennywise Arts Mini Micro Beads
• Pennywise Arts O'So Sticky Tape Mega Roll
• Pennywise Arts O'So Sticjy Tape 1/4” Roll
• Pennywise Arts Shake It Clear Shaker Card Windows, Small Square
• Pennywise Arts Sure Tac Craft Glue
• Acrylic Flowers
• Faceted Round Beads, in graduated sizes
• Mini Star Punch
• Small Star Punch
• 1/16" Round Punch
• 2” Round Punch
• Transparent Clear Film (aka 8 ½ x 11 Clear Transparency Sheet – you only need about a 2” square of it)
• Microscope Slides Plastic or Glass (I used plastic for these projects.)
• Head Pins
• Craft Wire
• Battery Operated Tea Light Candles
• Ruler
• Pen or Pencil
• Chopstick
• Heavy Duty Single Side Clear Tape
• Re moveable Single Side Clear Tape
• Glue Gun & Glue Sticks

Instructions for the 3-Sided (Triangle) Ornament:

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:

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:

 

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.

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

Hugs, Suzanne

Ornaments From Glass Slides

These glass slide ornaments are a huge hit every year – I know because we sell gobs of the collage sheets for it every holiday season!  Michele Aiello-Zendejas of Swingshift Designs created several of the sheets to be perfectly sized for glass slides and inchies.

These two were made by PWA Designer Yvonne Grimes.

Collage images were placed between two glass microscope slides and 1/4” O’So Sticky Tape was run around the edges to create the frame and hold the micro beads.  Even her hanger was made from O’So and beads!  You can see more variations on our website tutorial page.

We have a really nice selection of Christmas collage sheets on our website that can be purchased in print or digital form.  Any of them could be trimmed to fit a slide to make these ornaments!

Hugs, Suzanne

 

This week we are spotlighting projects from the Pennywise Arts website that would make great Christmas gifts.  We have a plethora of artwork in our gallery and gobs of tutorials in our past online classes section.

Another Installment of Domino Ornaments

Kathi Hall’s “Peace on Earth” ornament has a really thick and  glossy finish on the top, I love how it looks and feels! Snow Davison made this Santa domino for me many years ago.  In fact it was the first domino ornament I had ever seen and I was in love!  And last but not least is one made by Terry Townsend.  I think she decoupaged a fancy napkin onto the domino.  Then she covered it with clear micro beads.  Sometimes it’s really hard to get a good picture when clear beads are involved, they just want to shine and reflect.  It’s their nature and they can’t help it.  Ü  I’m sorry I couldn’t get a better photo for you of Terry’s ornament.  You just have to come over and see it in person.

Here are some more of the lovely dominos in my collection! Lisa Blakeney made the snowflake at left.  Clear micro beads garnish the sides for an icy wintery look. Michele Aiello-Zendejas decked her poinsettias out with gold micro beads and a fun tassel. Our Beadie Buddy Theresa Dalzell-Wells used one of the Swing Shift Designs collage sheets from the Pennywise site on her domino at left.   Clear Ultra Fine micro beads cover the top and a mixture of blue and silver adorns the sides.

 

I get so caught up in sharing and giving that I didn’t seem to save any of the ones that I made!   If you have one and come across it when you unpack your decorations this year, won’t you please send me a picture?  I’d really appreciate it!

Hugs, Suzanne

P.S.  Don’t forget that Pennywise has pre-drilled dominoes on the “beadables” page of our website to make it quicker and easier than ever to whip up some ornaments of your own!

Patriotic Tag Trio

If you’re feeling patriotic for President’s Day then Michele Aiello-Zendejas has just the inspiration for some beautiful all American art.  Perhaps you’ll want to make your own tag trio which features a free collage sheet sampler from Pennywise Arts and Swing Shift Designs!

Supplies:

•Free Swing Shift Designs Patriotic Collage Sheet

•Pennywise Arts Ultra Fine Micro Beads

•Pennywise Arts O’So Sticky Tape

•Double Sided Foam tape

•3 Manila Tags in graduated sizes (or cut them down yourself)

•Brown Ink Pad

•Assorted Coordinating Ribbons & Lace

•Assorted Buttons

•Assorted star stickers

•Assorted flowers

•Leaf Die Cuts or pre-made leaves

•”Decorative Container Filler” from Dollar Tree or Small Foam Balls or large no hole beads

•Lace Stamp Set (Anna Griffin)

•Assorted Patriotic Stamps

•One ¾” Loose Binder Ring

•Adhesive (I used a Glue Gun & Glue Sticks)

•Scroll Die Cut

•Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents

•Red & Blue Marker (optional)

Directions:

Cut the tags into graduated sizes if necessary. Stamp the tags with “Lace” stamps on the front and back. Distress the edges of the tags with brown ink.

Adhere free Patriotic Collage sheets to the tags with double-sided foam tape.

Optional: Distress the edges of the images with brown ink and color in a small focal point of the image with blue and/or red ink pens.

Stamp the tags randomly with patriotic images.

Adhere decorative die cuts and lace to the tags.

I purchased the Decorative Container Filler at the Dollar Tree.

Wrap Some flowers around some decorative Container Filler balls to add interest.

Add more flowers, more “decorative filler”, leaves, buttons, and star stickers as desired.

Run a line of Diamond Glaze or Glossy Accents around the edge of each tag and then dip tags into ultra fine Micro Beads. Set aside to dry.

Attach coordinating ribbon through the tops of the tags. Stack the tags with the largest on the bottom and the smallest on the top. Use a loose binder ring to attach them all together.

Valentine Sign Give Away

Just in time for Valentine’s Michele Aiello Zendejas created a beautiful sign collaged in handmade roses (from punches!) and micro beaded collage sheet images.  Her layering and design skills always amaze.  Her eye for details and unique embellishments take her designs over the top.  (Keep reading to learn Michele’s secret to making those gorgeous punched roses!)

And we’re GIVING it away!!  

Would you like to have this beauty hanging on your door in time for Valentine’s Day??  It could happen!!   All orders over $25 that are placed on our website now through Wednesday at noon will have a chance!   AND if you order collage sheets you will get an EXTRA chance for each sheet ordered – digital OR printed!

All orders/entries will be entered into our little “Hat” random winner picker program at 12:01 pm on Wednesday.   From there I will go directly to the post office with all of the orders.

If you are the winner, you will find this goodie enclosed in your package.  Best of all, the US Post Office should have it to you by Saturday!  Of course, the winner will be announced on our blog and will hopefully leave us a comment when it is received!

To make your own Valentine sign, Michele has supplied step by step instructions:

Supplies:

•Swing Shift Designs Collage Sheets: Valentine Hearts 2 and Valentines Hearts 3

•Pennywise Arts Ultra Fine Micro Beads

•Pennywise Arts O’So Sticky Tape

•Double Sided Foam tape

•Red, Pink, and Black Cardstock

•Red Ink Pad

•White Lace

•Bird Die Cut

•Branch Die Cut

•Tag Die Cuts (two sizes to layer)

•Flourish Die Cuts

•Graduated sizes of 6-Petal Flower Die Cuts

•Leaf Die Cuts or pre-made leaves

•Wired pearls

•Flourish Stamp

•“Love” Stamp

•Black Craft Wire

•Mandrel or dowel to coil wire.

•Adhesive (I used a Glue Gun & Glue Sticks)

•3 Eyelets

•Hole Punch

•Eyelet Setter

•Brayer

Directions:

Choose 4 images from the Valentine Hearts Collage Sheets 2 and 3. Cut them out close to the edge of the design. Cover with O’So Sticky Tape and ultra fine micro beads. Set aside.

Punch three 6-petal flowers for each rose that you are making.

1. Make a slit between two petals of one of the flowers.
2. Cut out one petal off one of the flowers
3. Cut out two petals from one of the flowers.

Adhere the petals on either side of the cuts on top of each other. Just add glue to the top area of the petal, not at the base. Your 3 three six-petal flowers will now be 1 five-petal, 1 four-petal, and 1 three petal. Use one of the petals that you cut off for the rose center. Roll it up loosely.

Trim the bottoms off of the four-petal flower, the three-petal flower, and the rolled up center petal. Stack and glue them from large to small until you’ve made a rose.

Different size punches or die cuts will create different sized flowers.

I use a jump ring mandrel to curl the edges of the roses for a more realistic look. I’ve also used a round toothpick, the handle part of a cotton swab, different sized round dowels, and skewers to shape petals, depending on their size.

Layer flourish die cuts onto the heart and then add the cut out hearts one by one. Adhere the first heart on the top left with one layer of double-sided foam tape. Use two layers of foam tape for the middle heart and three layers for the bottom heart.

Add roses and leaves to the heart as desired.

Attach the last heart to a coordinating layered tag. Add sentiment and embellishments to the tag. Add a coordinating bird and branch die cut to the large heart and then add wired pearls as desired.

Punch holes and set eyelets at the top of the tag and the heart. Coil wire (I used a large jump ring mandrel) and attach the tag to the wire, then attach the wire to the completed heart.

Asian Shadowbox

February is a month of fun holidays!  This week we have groundhog day (Wednesday), Chinese New Year (Thursday), Valentine’s Day (14th) and President’s Day (21st).

Our featured designer for February is Michele Aiello-Zendejas.  Michele was able to work three of those holidays into her elegantly created designs for the month. (Sorry no groundhog!)

Her first project is an “Asian Inspired Assemblage Shadow Box”.  Michele uses lots of great embellishments in her designs and will often create her own embellishments like some of the flowers and the fans shown.

After you get inspired here, be sure to collect your FREE Asian Female Image Download from our website.  This image is courtesy of Michele and her company, Swing Shift Designs.

Asian Inspired Assemblage Shadow Box

By Michele Aiello-Zendejas

Supplies:

•1 Shadow Box

•Clear Ultra Fine Micro Beads (Pennywise Arts)

•O’So Sticky Tape (Pennywise Arts)

•Free Asian Female Image Courtesy of Swing Shift Designs for Pennywise Arts

•Chinese newspaper or Chinese text

•2 Chinese Money Envelopes

•Coordinating solid color paper

•4 Corner Stickers

•4 Photo Corners

•Gold Cording

•6 Decorative Beads

•Flower Paper Punches and/or ready-made flowers

•Embroidery Floss and Seed Beads for flower stamens

•Leaf punch or ready-made leaves

•Thin wire

•3 Asian Coins

•Small foam balls (vase filler or beanbag/doll filler)

•Black or Brown Ink

•Adhesive (I used a glue gun & glue sticks)

•Double Sided Foam Tape

•Brayer

Directions:

Take apart the shadow box and begin covering the back with sheets of Chinese text and trim to fit.

After the back is completely covered with paper, distress the edges with an ink pad.

Layer and adhere the images with double-sided foam tape for dimension.

Use O’So Sticky Tape to attach a layer of Micro Beads to the focal image. Use a brayer to make sure that the micro beads are imbedded in the tape. Brayering the beads into the tape also give you a more defined image.

Next punch out several flowers.

Stack 5 of the flowers and set aside.  Loop about six strands of embroidery floss around your finger or the body of a large marking pen.   Tie off the bottom loops with thin wire, then twist the wire into a stem.  Cut the top thread loops and fluff (to make the yellow centers shown below).  Punch a small hole with a needle tool into each of the five flowers.  Then insert the stem through the stack of flowers.   For smaller flowers,  just thread a seed bead onto a wire, twist to secure the bead and then twist the  wire into a stem.  Punch a small hole in the center of each flower with a needle tool, then thread the wire through the flower.

 

 

Use glue to secure the flower to the stem or just roll the stem to secure.

Put the shadow box together and secure with glue. Begin layering your embellishments to your liking.

Here is a list of embellishments that I used:

•Accordion fold strips of gold paper to create fans.

•String six beads onto some cording and knot at the top.

•Small foam balls (Vase filler or doll/bean bag filling) colored with pink ink and a gold paint pen.

•Three plastic game pieces colored with a gold paint pen.

•4 gold photo corners adorn the focal image.

•4 gold decorative corner stickers adorn the corners of the shadow box.

•I used purchased small party favor type flowers as accents.

Newest Members of PWA Collage Sheet Family

I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to the newest collage sheets added to our site just this week!  Michele Aiello-Zendejas has created several collage sheets in honor of Chinese New Year and Black History Month! 

As our featured designer for February Michele has also provided two FREE downloadable collage sheets for our community!  Applause!!!

African American Beauties 1

African American Beauties 2

African American Men 1

Be on the lookout for some amazing artwork coming this month created with PWA collage sheets!!

P.S.  Please excuse the mess of a house we have with our collage images!  We’re working to organize them and put them into their own rooms for easier subject browsing.  In the meantime, you’ll have to wade through the mess.  Think of it as a treasure hunt!  With lots of goodies to be discovered!  It’s not too late to get your Valentine and St. Patrick’s Day images!

Hugs, Suzanne

www.pennywisearts.com