Mixed media dress by Carla Schauer, Jen Goode, Theresa Cifali, and Suzann Sladcik Wilson

The theme of this year’s show is “Crafting Communities”, and once again there will be a designer display.  To go along with the show theme, designer section members will provide ornaments for two giving trees in the central lounge area.  Each ornament is created to showcase one of 9 charities, and will be auctioned following the show with proceeds going to the charities.

My super-talented booth buddy Jen Goode and I teamed up to create two ornaments for the giving trees.  We combined several of my patterns with her art to make two quilt-inspired pieces.

Giving Tree ornament for Crafting for a Cure

Giving Tree ornament for Kids in Need Foundation

 We hope you will stop by the giving trees and check out our ornaments, along with those of the other participating designers.  While you are there, stop by our License & Design booth (1839) right around the corner and say hello!

Until next time…
C.

As holiday party season rapidly gets underway, one of the tasks the party host(ess) needs to consider is how guests can keep track of their drink glasses.   One of the best ways to accomplish this is by using drink charm.  Plus, it looks fancier than the plastic cup/black marker method.

I started by using a coil of memory wire, cut into 4 rings with wire cutters.  With a couple jewelry tools,  some frosted beads, and my Buttons Galore & More buttons, I had my charms made  in no time at all.

Supplies and Instructions:

Buttons Galore & More  buttons (Christmas Button Bonanza, Rainforest Button Bonanza, Winter Holiday Micros, and Rainforest Mix Micros)

Frosted and clear star and bicone-shaped beads
Red seed beads
Silver jump rings
Silver wire
Round nose jewelry pliers
Wire cutters

1. Use round nose pliers to form loop on one end of each memory wire ring. (Photo 1)
2. Attach medium buttons in lime, dark green, red, and white to jump rings.  Thread beads, micro buttons and jump rings with attached buttons in desired order half way around ring.  (note:  micro buttons  were threaded directly on memory wire.  Photo 2)
3. Layer large and medium buttons in contrasting colors and attach together with silver wire.  Twist on reverse side to secure, then use wire ends to secure layered buttons to charm ring. Continue threading remaining loop with buttons and beads.
4. Use round nose pliers to create loop in remaining end. (Photo 3).  Join loops together to connect ends.  (Photo 4)

Each charm has a different combination of buttons and beads, and each has a unique focal button set.  I used fairly traditional Christmas colors in this set, but the charms can be made to coordinate with any party theme.

Make the wire loop a little smaller and they’ll go around the top of water bottles as well!

Until next time…
C

I got my first peek at the final product on Friday when a little box containing samples arrived on my doorstep.  YAY again!

The Design Adhesives include Feels Like Fall– a set of sketchy open leaves, Tag It–a collection of small-scale frames, and Lots of Thoughts– a set of phrases and coordinating images perfect for cards and small detail areas.   The Gifts Galore Rollagraph Wheel is a row of pretty packages for any occasion.  Leave the design as-is, or color the gifts with Clearsnap Smooch to add sparkle.

And here I am all dorky-looking after opening the box and seeing my work on products for the first time.  In my defense,

a.  I was really sick last week, and
b.  I am actually pretty dorky.

Look for my new designs in stores, and spread the word to your local stores if they’re not carrying them yet.  Let me know when you find them, I’d love to see some photos!

Until next time…
C.

Saturated Color

This hand-dyed wool roving is a great example of the beautiful color I saw throughout the show.  While the colors weren’t often the bold, bright colors I am usually drawn to, they were rich and saturated.  Everywhere I looked, there was beautiful color to be seen.  This particular roving was in the booth of Farmhouse 1807.  The sheep are hand-raised, the wool hand-dyed, and these beautiful scarves handmade.  How awesome is that!

Skeleton Keys

Skeleton keys seemed to pop up as decorations to several items, from decorative pieces to jewelry.   (Unfortunately, I didn’t write down the name of the booth that carried these cool little bottles).   Whether originals or replicas, they made great accents to the vintage-style art.

Silverware

Lots of silverware in the booths, but not much duplication in the types of offerings.  There were bracelets made of utensil fragments, and stamped garden markers.  Some pieces had been flattened, some cut, and some in their original forms.

This vendor, Junxstaposition, had a great variety of stamped spoon pendants. (Plus, that display made from an old lamp is fantastic!)  I found a piece stamped with the word “fearless” and scooped it up.  I’ve been trying to be more fearless lately, and thought this would be a great reminder.  I’m planning to make it into a keychain.

One of my favorite uses for these stamped utensils was this set of cheese markers.  I can just imagine a holiday party with these little stamped fork labels!

Severed Doll Parts

Yes, doll parts.  They were everywhere, in at least 5 booths we visited, maybe more.  Tiny doll limbs and heads as focal points in jewelry and art pieces, tags, and other designs.  No pictures, as this is one of those trends I find a teensy bit…er…unsettling.    They were popular though!

Painted Wood

Whether basic white or full of color, painted wood was everywhere.  Some of the wood came distressed by time and use, and others were restored and redistressed.  Either way, the look suggested that the pieces were comfortable, well-worn favorites.  I’ve added some painted wood furniture to my own home over the last year, and the fair gave me some great ideas for incorporating more into some of the smaller display areas.

Painted frames, side tables, and display pieces could be seen in many of the show booths.

If I could have thought of a spot inside or outside of my house that could have fit this little greenhouse made of reclaimed painted windows, it would have traveled home with me.  But with 3 children and a dog, my house is full.  Believe me, I tried to justify a space.  I REALLY tried.

And if I could somehow grow a money tree in my backyard, one of these doors would have come home with me too.  I’ve been looking for a wooden door to decorate my living room for what seems like forever.  But alas, the search continues on.

I’m looking forward to incorporating more of these trends (well, except for the dolls) into my own style soon.

Until next time…
C.

For my pink challenge, I used The Duck Brand Pink and Black Zebra-Striped Patterned Duct Tape Roll and the New Gold Duct Tape Roll (available soon) to upcycle a fruit jar into a fun gift container.   I’ve had the fruit jar for a while, it was too cute to toss into the recycle bin, and I finally found the project for it.  The gold lid was a great match for the new gold duct tape, and tape was perfect to go around the corners of the jar smoothly.

I started with a layer of gold tape.  Two long pieces were enough to cover the jar top to bottom (no peeking!) with a bit of overlap.  I used the Westcott Brand Titanium Bonded Non Stick Scissors for cutting the sticky tape.  I used the same scissors for cutting the striped duct tape to size.  I expected more of a problem with this cut, since I trimmed the width of the tape to 1″ and needed to make a longer cut, but I never had a single problem.

To embellish the lid, I cut a circle from chipboard using the Westcott Brand Craft Knife and Cutting Mat.  After applying the striped tape to the circle, I trimmed the excess with the Titanium Bonded Non Stick Scissors and glued the circle to the lid.  I added a black glittered monogram letter and a tiny pink flower to embellish the container for the birthday girl.  With the addition of some bright pink tissue paper, the container is ready for the party!

Wescott Brand is giving away a selection of their cutting tools on the Westcott Blog.  Leave a comment on the DCC Blog Hop post before November 1, 2011 to be entered.  Prize package will be similar to this photo, but may vary slightly.  The scissors and craft knife I used for this project can also be seen in this photo.

Thanks for stopping by our Pink Challenge!  Before you hop to the next project using the widget in the sidebar to the right, here are some things Westcott would like you to know:

• Westcott Brand® Scissors are the WORLD’S FAVORITE SCISSORS™ meaning Westcott sells more scissors than any other manufacturer in the world!
• Westcott Brand® Titanium Bonded Non Stick Scissors are the BEST Non Stick Scissors on the market that never get stuck and can easily cut through Sticky Back VELCRO®, Duck Tape and multiple layers of fabric and other materials!
• Titanium bonded blades are 3 times harder than stainless steel and never need sharpening!
• Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools have the best performance! The 3” scissors can even cut through 5 layers of fabric!
• Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools are ergonomic and come in several different color options.

Until next time…
C.

There are so many opportunities for creativity in this die!  Since it cuts all types of materials, including matboard, chipboard, and fabric easily, I had a hard time deciding which materials to use.  Along with the paper from the Tradewinds Collection that DCWV sent along for me to use, I opted for some printed duckcloth and solid cotton fabric I’ve had in my stash that coordinated nicely to create a fall feel to my flowers.

I started by cutting out lots and lots of the Fringed Flowers in all the different solids, patterns, and materials.  When I had a big pile to choose from, I started mixing and matching all the pieces, layering until I had 15 variations of the Fringed Flowers.   All the flowers together remind me of fall garden mums, which I love!

I used a variety of random brads for the flower centers, some of which I altered with stamping ink or Clearsnap Smooch to match the project colors.  The brads also served as the method of attaching the flowers to the twill ribbon I used to make a banner from the single elements.  I also hung inked chipboard letters from large copper jump rings in the photograph above.  The letters can be taken off easily if I decide I’d like to hang the banner on the mantel, or on a cabinet that needs to be opened often.

To keep hopping and see the rest of the projects created with this die, use the widget in the sidebar to the right.  —–>
(If the hop has ended and the navigation widget is no longer in the sidebar, The Blog Hop Page on Eileen Hull’s blog contains direct links to each one.)

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my Fringed Flower Banner!  Don’t forget to sign up for the Carla Schauer Designs Newsletter for upcoming news, tutorials, coupon codes and more!

Until next time…
C.

While my style can’t rightly be called “Country”, there was inspiration to see everywhere I looked. 

The displays were the first things I noticed.  Everything from the Country Living decorations, like the pumpkin cart above, to the individual booths of handcrafted wares were displayed perfectly to catch the eye.

I never would have thought to mix up a sleigh, an old mirror, and a bunch of white pumpkins together, but it works in a cool and unexpected way.  I was inspired to think about mixing more unexpected elements together in my own work and my own home to create some unique focal points.

And speaking of unexpected, this quirky, fantastic lemonade stand was right at the front entrance. Had it not been 55 degrees, the stand alone would have sold me a cup.  The details are amazing!  Embroidered art on the wall, patterned awning poles in galvanized buckets, silhouettes and topiaries… So much fun to look at!

There are more photos coming soon, with some trends I saw at the Fair, some great people making awesome things, and some tidbits of crafty stuff I bought to turn into my own projects.

Until then…
C.

I love to mix and match different bits and pieces from my “pile of potential”  (that box of random stuff left over from other projects) to embellish something new.  These photo blocks, originally published in Today’s Creative Home Arts magazine, were made entirely out of scraps.  One rub-on letter, a tiny bit of lace ribbon, a few random charms and flowers…  They all blended together into a project that still lives on the side table in my living room.

This bookmark is a mix of random beads mixed with a copper bezel and jewelry findings and a bit of two colors of leftover Sculpey III clay that I mixed together, rolled and stamped.  Mixed together, they made a fantastic gift my Mom loves.

Don’t underestimate that container of random stuff that never seems to find a permanent home.  It could hold the perfect embellishment for your next project.  For other ideas using using your mixed media bits and pieces, check out my Spring Egg Magnet Clips and  Kids Die-Cut Bookmark.

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to sign up for my new email newsletter using this link:  Carla Schauer Designs Newsletter or the tab at the top of the page.

Have fun hopping around using the button in the sidebar and seeing everyone’s favorite techniques!

Until next time…
C.

I’ve started the Carla Schauer Designs facebook page, where I’ll be posting all my design news and other nifty information.   “Like” the page for all the good stuff.

Also coming soon is my new newsletter!  I’m thrilled to be sending out my first newsletter in August, filled with news from both the licensing and the project design sides of my work, tutorials, and projects.  For now, updates will be sent quarterly.  Subscribe using the Carla Schauer Designs newsletter sign-up form or by using the sign up tab at the top of the page.  I have some exciting things coming up, and I’ll be sharing on my newsletter first!

Thanks for taking the time to sign up for the newsletter, “liking” my facebook page, and stopping by the blog.  I appreciate it!

Until next time (when I post my CHA updates)…
C.

I decided to embellish some basic 18″ doll clothes to create a custom look for my daughter’s doll.   With a few scraps of felt cut into circles and my Beads in a Bottle™ samples applied in a freehand design, her Kanani doll had a new outfit in no time!

I Love to Create™ is graciously giving away a huge Tulip prize pack to one lucky blog commenter.  Details can be found on the I Love to Create™ Blog, along with a fun video about the hop.To keep hopping and see more of the projects from our designers, use the navigation button on the right ————>.

Thanks for stopping by!
Until next time…

c.