Craftside

How to put crystals on your fingernails and make a Prima Bead bling bow necklace

Today is all about the BLING-nail bling and neck bling. If you have never put crystal on your nails and want to (either for Halloween or just 'cause) check out this tutorial on how to apply crystals on your manicure from the book Glam Nail Studio: Tips to Create Salon Perfect Nails and then scroll down to see how to make a looped chain necklace with a whole lotta Prima Bead Bling elements.

Click on these pages from Glam Nail Studio: Tips to Create Salon Perfect Nails to enlarge and read how to apply clusters of crystals on your nails to make a sparkly manicure.

 

Want to get yourself in the running for a copy of Glam Nail Studio? Pop on over to Goodreads:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Beautiful Nails

by Amber-Elizabeth Stores

Giveaway ends November 05, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

Part two: The Halloween bow, skull and wind-up key necklace.

Now for all of you who like to make jewelry, I whipped up this fun sparkly necklace with some Prima chain, a super-sized clasp, a sparkly bow and from my stash a skull and wind-up key.

Draw one end of the loop of chain through the large link on the toggle clasp and then pull the other end through the loop of chain.

The far end of the loop will link to the toggle clasp when you wrap it around your neck.

Link the Prima Bead Bow charm onto the large link of the toggle clasp.

Link charms on varying lengths of chain and then onto the bottom loop of the bow charm.

Pretty easy, eh? And easy to swap out the charms dangling from the bow when you feel like switching things up...stay tuned as I will be adding some Christmas charms onto this base necklace after the fall holidays!

More about the new Race Point book

Glam Nail Studio: Tips to Create Salon Perfect Nails

by Amber-Elizabeth Stores

Celebrity manicurist Amber Elizabeth Stores brings the salon straight to your living room in this graphic, information-packed guidebook, working from the inside out, Stores starts with research-supported advice on which foods to eat and products to use for optimal nail health. Next up she gives a basic introduction to the kinds of equipment you’ll want to have on hand, explaining how and why each tool is used. She’ll then delve into the vast world of nail polishes, illuminating the differences between base coats, ridge fillers, strengtheners, sealers, and more. Included in her polish tips is a unique guide to selecting the perfect colors based on your skin tone, style, and the season. Polishes are followed by a chapter on nail shapes—what they “say” and how to attain them. A chapter on the “Not-So-Basics” takes the salon experience to the next level, with tips for electric manicures, hot oil manicures, paraffin waxes, and more. The “Queen of Shellac” goes on to share her top secret tips for acrylics, gels, and myriad effects (marbling, dotting, fading color, glitter dust, to name a few) in the second to last chapter. The book’s grand finale is a collection of stunning, fashionable photography showing how artful and fashionable nails can be—and inspiring an infinite array of ideas in the reader.

New York based Amber Elizabeth Stores is a fashion force to be reckoned with, nail file in hand! The “Queen of Shellac” is world-renowned for her impeccable manicures and pedicures, specializing in realistic extensions, intricate nail art, acrylic treatments, rhinestone and glitter application, airbrush effects, and more.

 

Stores has been on call for her artistic expression by the likes of Jason Wu, Alexander Wang, Betsy Johnson, Diesel, GANT, Vena Cava, Italian Vogue, BlackBook, Marie Claire, POP, and Surface. Her celebrity client list includes Florence Welch, Ashley Green, and Nicky Minaj.

  

How to make a sparkling diamond embroidery with Kreinik thread by Lisa Solomon

Today, I have another Craftside exclusive project. This one is by Lisa Solomon, author of Knot Thread Stitch: Exploring Creativity through Embroidery and Mixed Media, and features Kreink thread. Lisa has designed a wonderful diamond pattern that uses Kreink thread to accentuate the diamond sparkle!

How to embroider diamonds with Kreink thread.

Lisa shared that this project works great with any of the many colors and weights of Kreink thread.

First up transfer the diamond image to your fabric with a water soluble tracing pen.(If you need details on how to do this technique and more grab yourself a copy of Knot Thread Stitch.)

Then just backstitch with 3 different threads.

Feel free to download this diamond gem pattern and stitch yourself up some bling with Kreink thread.

 

More about the Quarry book:

Knot Thread Stitch: Exploring Creativity through Embroidery and Mixed Media 

by Lisa Solomon

Knot Thread Stitch presents a modern, experimental, and creative approach to thread and embroidery projects. You'll find fun and surprising project ideas, a unique artistic approach, and unconventional mixed-media materials such as stamps, paint, sequins, paper, and shrinky dinks. With easy-to-follow steps and project variations, this book also includes project contributions and embroidery patterns from a long and stellar list of renowned artists and bloggers, including Lisa Congdon, Camilla Engman, Heather Smith Jones, and Amy Karol, just to name a few.

Profoundly interested in the idea of hybridization (sparked from her hapa heritage), Lisa Solomon’s mixed media works revolve thematically around domesticity, craft, and masculine and feminine triggers. She is drawn to found objects altering them conceptually so that their meanings and original uses or intents are re-purposed. She often fuses “wrong” things together – recontextualizing their original purposes, and incorporating materials that question the line between art and craft. Visit her online at http://www.lisasolomon.com.

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Also if you are looking for a creative and fun retreat check out

artstream ARC - Art {retreat} Camp
August 14-18, 2013, Mayhew Island, Newfound Lake, Bristol, NH

Imagine going to summer camp as an adult, on a forested island in a pristine freshwater lake. Imagine creating in this special place alongside a small nurturing community of seasoned instructors and others like yourself.

ARC is a place to play, a quiet place to learn, a setting to be refreshed in and a time to reconnect to yourself. Whether you are a seasoned arts person or have never picked up a paintbrush, your creative self will blossom here!

Refresh your soul and creativity
artstream's belief that we are born creative drives our interest in hosting this island retreat designed to open up and nurture the creative side of you. The daily schedule has a diverse offering of creative workshops taught by top-notch teachers: Rachel Blumberg, Mati McDonough, Lisa Solomon, Mimi Kirchner, Jess Greene, Monica Pasqual, Rebecca Emberley and director Susan Schwake. They will be your guides for the stay. Evenings will bring a variety of programming and there are times during the day to relax, hike, swim or canoe around the island too.

 

 

 

How to make glitter Zentangles from the book The Art of Zentangle

Last week, I posted about adding silver leaf into mixed media art and today I have some more sparkle-goodness in the form of a tutorial on how to make glitter zentangles from the book The Art of Zentangle: 50 inspiring drawings, designs & ideas for the meditative artist.

I loved this idea so much I gave it a shot and made 2 glitter zentagled ATCs. Scroll down to see how I made them.

 

Here is how I made my glitter mushroom zentangled ATCs.

I started with two blank cardstock atcs.

Then using the page of mushroom drawing tutorials from The Art of Zentangle as my guide I drew a mushroom on each atc with a pencil.

Then I traced the mushroom shapes and zentangled with the glue.

I sprinkled the glitter over the wet glue and tapped off the excess.

When the glue was dry I drew some additional zentangles around the background with a regular pen on one atc. I loved this book and will be trying lots more of the zentangles and projects!

More about the Walter Foster book:

The Art of Zentangle:

50 inspiring drawings, designs & ideas for the meditative artist

by

Margaret Bremner

Norma J. Burnell

Penny Raile

Lara Williams

Zentangle® is a meditative process of creating art, wherein simple shapes and lines combine to make a complicated and interesting final piece of artwork. The focus of Zentangle is on the process of creation, rather than the end result. The beauty of Zentangle is that there is no right way or wrong way. If you can draw a line and a circle (perfectly or not), you can Zentangle. Zentangle is an art concept that is engaging, approachable, and fun enough for someone who has never picked up any art tools or created a piece of art, yet is still meditative, productive, and creative enough for an advanced artist to enjoy. While many popular Zentangle books share tips, inspiration, and final artwork, there are few that break down Zentangle into a step-by-step process. Structured to be part instruction, part inspiration, and part doodling, The Art of Zentangle will first demonstrate how to create Zentangle art by showing intricate patterns broken out into several steps. After artists have warmed up and are ready to give it a try on their own, they’ll be invited to practice creating their own Zentangle designs on the beautifully designed blank pages of this inspirational sketch journal. A short gallery of final artwork and several inspirational prompts are included in this comprehensive introduction to the new, inspirational world of Zentangle.

Margaret Bremner was never really interested in being anything but an artist. She loves colors, patterns, visual textures and designs. Margaret has been married to her husband for 33 years. The couple recently returned home to Quebec after spending two years in China teaching English.

www.enthusiasticartist.blogspot.com

 

By day Norma J. Burnell is a website designer. At night, She’s a “Tangler.” Norma enjoys drawing and painting in addition to tangling and has taught art to adults and children.

www.fairy-tangles.com

 

Penny Raile is a mixed media and digital artist, as well as a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT). She teaches Zentangle workshops regularly.  

www.TangleTangleTangle.com

 

Lara Wils is a Certified Zentangle Teacher and was a graduate of the first CZT training. In addition to Zentangle, she enjoys creating jewelry and other crafts.  She lives with her wonderful partner Ned and their terrifically terrorizing kitten, Hugo.

www.laralina-tangleware.blogspot.com

   

How to enhance your paintings with silver leaf from the book Daring Adventures in Paint

Do you like the idea adding some sparkly and shine to your mixed media art? Well check out this tutorial on how to enhance you art with silver leaf from the book Daring Adventures in Paint
Find Your Flow, Trust Your Path, and Discover Your Authentic Voice-Techniques for Painting, Sketching, and Mixed Media.

Click on these pages from Daring Adventures in Paint to enlarge and read the tutorial on how to add silver leaf to your painting and drawing mixed media art.

 

More about the inspiring Quarry book:

Daring Adventures in Paint
Find Your Flow, Trust Your Path, and Discover Your Authentic Voice-Techniques for Painting, Sketching, and Mixed Media

by

Mati Rose McDonough

Daring Adventures in Paint is a colorful, whimsical adventure of a book that explores inspirational paint and mixed-media techniques. Written by the well-loved artist/illustrator/blogger Mati Rose McDonough, this book's approach to making art is a bit like uncovering a hidden treasure, a treasure that resides within each aspiring artist. Through a myriad of both practical applications and creative exercises, Mati shows artists how to "find their magic"—the place of confidence from which they can access the vision of what they want to share with the world.

Mati Rose McDonough is an artist and illustrator who lives in San Francisco, CA, where she regularly encounters lucky elephants, talking birds and a mysterious girl who always wears feathers in her hair. These creatures of mystery and grace remind Mati daily that no one is too old for magic or too young for beauty, so she paints their stories in paint, fabric, found paper and canvas for fans of hope and adventure all over our dear world. When she’s not covered in paint you can find her biking to the ocean, drinking tea and searching for colorful baubles of inspiration to share with you. Mati studied painting at the California College of the Arts and has had many shows around the country. Mati has taught around the country at Art Nest in Utah, Artful Journey in California and Toscana Americana in Italy. She is represented by Lilla Rogers Studio in illustration and licensing and has had her art published on Patagonia shirts, featured in Pier 1, University Game boards, Madison Park Greeting products and Oopsy Daisy canvases. Mati has also been included in several magazines and books including features in Artful Blogging magazine and The Handmade Marketplace book. www.matirose.com. 

    

How to make a hole in a plastic toy from the book ReCraft

I have an awesome tip for you today from one of my favorite books, ReCraft: How to Turn Second-Hand Stuff into Beautiful Things for Your Home, Family, and Friends. If you like making jewelry with plastic toys try heating up a needle and carefully poking it into the toy to melt the plastic.

 

For the holidays I tried another project from ReCraft. I made glitter coated tea cups that are just darling votive holders. If you like making stuff out of other stuff (like me), then I bet you will L.O.V.E the Frances Lincoln Ltd book:

ReCraft: How to Turn Second-Hand Stuff into Beautiful Things for Your Home, Family, and Friends

by

Buttonbag , Nicola Kent

In today's thrifty times it is seems right to re-use fabrics and buttons and customize old clothes rather than buying brand new ones. The Buttonbag book is packed with instruction and ideas on how to re-use, re-cycle and re-create fantastic things, thereby transforming old into new.
There are about 40 step-by-step projects for a range of items including items for the home, clothes and accessories for all ages plus patterns, templates and basic techniques. Illustrated with photographs and hand-painted illustrations, the emphasis is on simple, easy-to-make items with a twist.

BUTTONBAG is a young innovative company breathing new life into old crafts by updating them in a fresh, contemporary way. Since founding the company in 2005, SARA DUCHARS and SARAH MARKS have graduated from a stall at London's Greenwich market to a network of more than 200 stockists across the country including John Lewis, Liberty's of London and Oxfam, and in 2010 they sold over 50,000 kits. Following a degree in English and Art NICOLA KENT sold handmade greetings cards before getting sidetracked into a successful career as a TV producer. She went on to produce a wide range of programmes for the BBC and Channel 4, and also wrote for top-rating children's animation The Cramp Twins. Since having children Nicola has focused on writing and illustrating. Recent work includes labels for Buttonbag's exclusive Christmas range for John Lewis as well as working on a number of her own stories for young children.