Lucky Day Winner!

Thanks to all who left a comment.  It was fun reading everyone's favorite....some of you really know your 7gypsies product!

The winner of the of vintage 7gypsies box is......

 Susan said...

My all-time fav is the harlequin black and cream paper - I hoard that stuff and am down to my last page or two. I notice there's some in the box so pick me!

Congratulations Susan, email me your address and I will get your box of goodies sent out right away.

Enjoy,

Deb
ps) Stay tuned...we'll be back later today with 7gypsies tray project. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

It might be your....

(Made with 7g Apothecary Dome)

I have been waiting patiently for my box of brand new 7gypsies product, which sadly has yet to arrive.  I was planning on doing a "give-a-way" post...sharing our gypsy stuff is one of our favorite things to do.

It occurred to me that there are a lot of gypsy goods that have been created in the past (some still my favorites) that are impossible or very difficult to find.  Since I have become the keeper of all "vintage gypsy" I thought I would put together a box with some of those items.  Most included in the box you won't be able to find online or at a retail store.   A lot of items you can't see in the photo below, so there will be surprises!  Some of my favorites are Life creme paper, "Atelier" enamal plate (great for your studio), disclaimer rubbings, "Work In Progress" book band and "papier" tissue.

click on photo for larger view

Do you have a favorite vintage 7gypsies product?  You know, those things that you are afraid to use as you "may not be able to find them again".  Post a comment by Monday, telling us your favorite for a chance to win.  We will announce the winner on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend!

deb

Liquid Pearls

Hope you all had a nice weekend.  I went to an estate sale on Saturday morning and picked up a few things.  Sometimes it amazes me what people keep for so long.  Things that should have gone to recycle or the dump years ago.  The man having the sale was funny...he told me would give ME $5.00 if I would take the broken lamp/table (you know, it's a standing lamp that has a small table around it's middle). It had no shade and the only half the table.  Something I did not need at my house, but we both got a nice laugh. 
I ended up with a couple really large frames, a big spool of heavy wire (just because you never know when you might need wire), a couple old books, and a wooden thing...kinda shaped like a bowling pin.  I asked the man what it was and he said it was for women to hit their husbands over the head.  See, I told you he was a funny old guy.  I already have an idea for it and it has nothing to do with hitting Jay over the head.  More on that another day.

So on to today's tutorial!
I have this box of Liquid Pearls that were sent to me by Ranger when I participated in this.  Liquid Pearls Dimensional Paint is a waterproof pearlescent paint designed for paper and fabric.   Each of the 30 colors have a pearly finish which gives an interesting depth.  As the name implies it's dimensional, meaning that when you squeeze a bead out onto a surface, the bead will keep it's shape during the drying process (it will also change from a "candy kiss" shape when squeezed out to a round bead).  Once dry, the dimensional beads can be left as is or painted over.

When I received the box for the Designer Challenge, I sorted the colors by "my range" and "brights", not normally the colors I gravitate to.  Sorting out the colors helped me narrow down my choices for the project I was working on at the time.

This are some of my the tags I did when testing this product for the Designer Challenge.  It's always good to see what a new product (or at least new to me) can do before you start.  It really helps me to formulate more ideas and uses.

Today I decided to get out the Liquid Pearls "brights" and challenge myself to use them.  I made some fun discoveries.  I still need more time to experiment but let me show you the in's and out's of what I learned today.

First, I got out a stack of really big (like a #10) heavy weight tags to work on.  I decided on Liquid Pearls in Daffodil a nice bright yellow.  You will need to work on a craft mat because in most cases the Liquid Pearls will go over the edge and that is not something you want on your craft table, kitchen table or clothes.

I want to preface this part by saying that when you use Liquid Pearls in a non-traditional use such as this...thinning it out so much...it dries very fast.  So be ready with a 1/2 sheet of a paper towel scrunched up, then squeeze the Liquid Pearls out onto the tag. 

Start rubbing it into the surface right away.  The first time I tried this I used a lot of Liquid Pearls and covered the entire tag in one shot.

It was a rich yellow color.  Super vibrant with a really interesting texture to the surface.  It almost has the look and feel of Venetian wall plaster.  Have you ever touched a wall with that kind of paint treatment?  super smooth, velvety feeling.  This is that same kinda feeling.

Try No. 2
This time I want to give more depth to the tag.  So I decided to use less Liquid Pearls to leave some raw space on the tag.
The thinner it gets the faster it dries so I found it easier to do the middle, then go back and and a bit more on the edges.

This was my final result.  Even the edges that look like they are still raw, have a slight yellow to them, it's just very thin.

I went around the edge with a light coat of Vintage Photo.  Remember, Distress Ink is a dye ink so it will only "stick" to the paper surface not the Liquid pearls.  If I were to do this same thing on the first tag I created it would not age the tag at all since I left no paper for the Distress ink to color. 

Next I went back over the tag with Milled Lavender.
Now that's the depth I was looking for.
Love how the center is very vibrant yellow and the fade to the edges.

I added my current favorite stamp from Stampendous - flower fields using Archival Ink - coffee.  If you are going to stamp on the tag you will need to use Archival or Staz On because of the slick surface.  I set the inked image with a heat gun.

Here you can see the Milled Lavender a bit better.  So many levels of color here.

Tag No 3.
This time is was heavy on the Liquid Pearls to give more texture (since the dimension will keep it's shape in the drying process) and did not pull the color all they way across they tag.  This will make a good inclusion for a journal and I can still write on the back side.
I went around it with Vintage Photo and stamped it with the 7gypsies clear stamp - Conservatory.

I know I need more time for experimentation using this product.  But for now I am happy with what I have learned and with Easter in a few weeks this Daffodil yellow is perfect.

What did I do with the 1st tag that I colored all yellow?
I punched butterflies.

Hello Stamp - Besotted Brand

Notebook bag - Whisker Graphics

Before I end this post I wanted to add a few random bits of information:
Wood Disc's - I have heard from a few people that they have gone to their local Michaels store and have found that the wood disc's used in last weeks tutorial discontinued.  I have found the same thing.  There are many places online to purchase the dics.
Here are a couple:
single bag -  Woodcrafter
bulk - Woodworks Ltd

Also if you have a minute this week be sure to read this lovely post by Cathe Holden.

And if you have a couple hours...take the time to find and watch Bill Cunningham New York.  A documentary about Bill and his life's work, photographing fashion on the streets of New York.  I loved this movie and Bills humor and honesty about life.  Even if you are not "into" fashion it is still an absolutely fascinating profile of this extraordinary man. 
It can be found at Netflicks and on iTunes for download ($3.99)
Here is the trailer.

PS) Be sure to also watch the deleted scenes (about 8 of them).  Totally worth the extra time (I watched it while I folded the laundry so the time was not a waste at all).

Well, that's all for today. I think I have given you enough to think about for a few days and even a couple homework assignments.
cheers!
paula

Can't wait....

I love discovering a good book series already out so I don't have to wait for long stretches of time between books.  Awhile back my sweet daughter-in-law got me hooked on The Hunger Games book series.  As she was explaining to me the concept for the book I didn't think it was something I would get into but started it anyway.  It is the kind of book that you can't put down and on the New York Times bestseller list for three consecutive years!

Can't wait...

They have made it into a movie which is coming out on March 23rd.

Here's a trailer.....

See more here....here's hoping that the movie is as good as the book.

Have a great weekend,

Deb

A Few Steps Further...

So many people have liked the distress stain technique from last week, thanks for all comments everyone!  Today I wanted to share what one of our readers, Anne Voss sent me.  Lets just say, Anne took it a few steps further than I did!  Love it.
She followed the same basic technique (white paint then distress stain) on the wood disk but changed it up using a Distress Crackle -Rock Candy instead of Glossy Accents.   I am trying this once I get more wood disks.  The local Michaels store has now shifted everything and the darn disk packages are gone (you and I both know they had been there for 30 years).  So today might just warrant a trip to JoAnne's to see if they have them. 
I asked Ann if she would give us a detailed description of how she did this (which you will find below) and she was happy to share.  Man, I saw the ornament hangers on the after Christmas sale...why didn't I think of this?

After the Distress Stain was dry, I cut the picture from an old advertising sticker (maybe Easter Seals?) using my die cut machine and a scalloped oval die from Spellbinders.  I glued the picture on with Glossy Accents.  Once dry, painted the disk with Distress Crackle - Rock Candy.  After that dried, I used Distress Ink in Vintage Photo over the top and edges, but wiped it off the surface so it was just in the cracks.  I also left it where a few of the pieces of crackle paint popped off (which I "encouraged" a little by using a die pick to loosen them).  I added a little more ink around the edges to make them a little darker, trying to not get too much over the actual picture.

I drilled holes in the wood using my Dremel, and then cut ivory color ribbon into a thin strip.  I also colored the ribbon with Distress Inks by pulling it over the pad a few times and squishing it and misting a little with water to get the right color.

Using one of Tim's Charm Clips in one of the drilled holes, I threaded the ribbon through and then attached it to the rusty heart (from my stash) by tying a bow on the back.  The butterfly, again from my stash, is attached with a metal brad through a hole in the body and the wood.  The copper-ish
wire and clip are from some old electronics, stripped off the rubber.  I used Alcohol Inks - Slate and Sandal and Metallic Mixative to color the clip and wire.  After drying, I wound the wire around a Q-tip then used black and grey Copic Markers to color here and there over the wire and clip to dull the color just a little.

The Bunny is die cut (QuikKutz) out of cardstock.  I painted it with a crackle medium and let it dry completely.   Antique gold/brass embossing powder was applied after covering the bunny with Perfect Medium.  I did not fully melt the embossing powder, since I wanted it textured.  I went over that with the Black Soot Distress Ink, again wiping off the surface, leaving the black in the "pits".   The hanger on the top is from Target (after Christmas sale), it is an ornament hook.

So many good techniques in Anne's description.  Love the bunny...and who would have ever thought to add stripped wire to a piece?  not me.
Thanks go to Anne for sharing her talent today at One Lucky Day.

cheers!
paula

Flapjacks all around, please

Today's post has absolutely nothing to do with crafting. 
Nor these lovely trees.

But when you drive from the Central Coast to Nevada (out by Arvin) you drive through a lot of orchards.  I have never seen them in this stage of blooming.  Absolutely beautiful white and pink buds.

So on with the story... we went to Vegas for a couple days with some friends.  We saw a show, slept in, did some shopping (okay, a lot of shopping) and ate some great food.  I know, we're probably the only people on earth that go to Vegas for shopping and good food but that's what we did. 

The Le Reve "water" stage

We did something that I have always wanted to do and it was not the Zip Line in old downtown or the roller coaster on top of the Stratosphere. 

We went to Hash House a Go Go.

 We have heard about this place years ago and have never gone.  Hash House is about 5 minutes off the strip on Sahara (there are other locations in Las Vegas and San Diego, Ca).  The wait was about 30-40 minutes at 11:00 in the morning but it was worth the wait.  Just all around super fun place. 

They have a huge menu...We thought O'hare of the Dog was hilarious. 
Only in Vegas would you see that.

We all laughed so hard at the pure size of some of the food that you really have to see to believe.  Everyone around us was laughing and having a great time.  I think that's a sign of a great restaurant.  FUN.

This was our friends Pork Tenderloin Sandwich (from the lunch menu).   We couldn't stop taking pictures of it (in fact if you watched other tables, everyone was taking pictures of their food).

 

This was the chicken and waffles.  

None of got this, but the guy at the next table did so I just asked if I could take a picture of it before he cut into it.  He said he had come from Chicago and couldn't go home without having it.

 Mine was a very nice size farm scramble with a biscuit.

 But the hit of the day was my friends Brown Sugar Banana Flapjack.

 We all got at least one bite to try it.  FAB-U-LOUS!  I would go there just for this.

She decided she wanted to try and recreate these at home for her family so she found this video on You Tube that shows the executive chef of Hash House a go go creating the exact flapjack (and some helpful tips).   Then we found a recipe for Buttermilk pancakes at allrecipes.com .   Of course if you have a favorite buttermilk pancake recipe, use it. 

Buttermilk Pancakes

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

click here for the rest of the recipe and to print it.

And this past weekend we stopped by her house to taste the results.  Not exactly the same batter flavor of course but really, really good.  Honestly no butter or syrup was needed (so sad I didn't take a picture).  And even though she made them a much more manageable size, she still used a barbecue spatula to flip it.

By the way, here is the full menu. 

(Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner are on separate pages)

cheers!
paula

Pay Back Time

This is the time of year those of us in Arizona get to brag and gloat a bit.  The last couple of weeks have been beautiful with temps in the 70’s and our tree decided it was time to bloom.  So, sorry if you are reading this and are still dealing with snow and cold.    Paula, why don’t you ever come visit this time of year!! 

Someone asked me if I would tell you about a fun little pillow/memo board that sits on the shelf in my studio.  

 It has lots of pins to attach notes, pictures, quotes, etc.  Some are vintage hat or corsage pins, others I covered with fabric and beads.  

 It is an easy project that most of you crafty people out there could make without purchasing anything at the store.

Pillow/memo board:

I started with 2 pieces of fabric approximately 11 x 13”, but you can make it whatever size you want.  The fabric I had was a quilted silky type fabric, but it could also be made from whatever you want.  I think one from burlap, linen or muslin would be interesting and a totally different look.  Sew it as you would a pillow with right sides together leaving a small opening to turn it right side out.  Stuff with batting and stitch opening closed.  

My pillow sits on the shelf, but if you want it to hang, stitch a ring on the back.

Squares:

Next cut 7 - 1 inch squares of fabric and 7 - 3/4 inch squares with pinking shears.  This is your chance to use up those tiny pieces of fabric you’ve been saving.  I chose the most textural and luxurious fabrics like velvets, silks and brocades and hand stitched them in a row with gold thread knotted in front.

Pins with beads:

Cut several more squares approximately 3/4” with pinking shears.  Stitch 3 sides of the square together, stuff with a tiny bit of batting, then stitch the last side closed with a corsage pin head inside the square.  Lastly stitch a few beads on the front (with this up close photo you can see my beading skills are limited but I liked the beaded look).

Muslin word pins:

I printed the words I wanted on a piece of muslin fabric that I ran through my printer.  You can do that by taping the edges of your fabric to paper so that it prints directly on to fabric.  Once it’s printed I cut the squares again with pinking shears about 1”....some of mine are square and some are rectangles, just go with the shape of the words you choose.  Stitch and stuff like before with the corsage pin head inside.  I tied them with red string and ran the end of the corsage pin through a couple of the small fabric squares before inserting into pillow.

Finish:

I tied 2 1/2” ribbon around the pillow in a big bow pulled to the side.  I attached an old pin from my grandma’s jewelry box .

That’s it....easy, easy....enjoy!

deb