Tutorial Stenciled slate coasters-- and how to cut a personalized stencil--Friday two-fer

It’s easier than you may think to cut your own stencil designs.  So when you would like a stencil that is as unique as you are—cut your own!

You will need:

Piece of glass from an old frame to work on

Stencil blank (Available at craft stores)

Design you like from computer software, internet  sites, etc.

Masking tape

Wood burning tool or X-Acto craft knife

1.     Print out your design and place under a piece of frame glass.  You will be working on the glass. 

2.     Place a stencil blank on top of the glass and tape down.  For intricate designs a wood burning or all-purpose burner tool is best, but for most designs you may use a craft knife.

3.     Carefully cut your stencil following the lines of the design that shows through the glass and stencil blank.

Stenciled Slate coaster

Stenciled coasters are easy and make a great hostess gift.  You can use pre-cut stencils or cut your own for a personalized one of a kind design. 

You will need:

·      Slate coaster set (available in craft stores and online)

·      Round stencil brush

·      Acrylic paint or stencil creme ( it is best to use paint with a thicker consistency) I used Martha Stuart all purpose craft paint.

·      Paper plate

·      Stencil of choice

·      Modpodge exterior glue and finish

·      Small paint brush

1.     Work on a piece of scrap cardboard or newspaper.  Apply a  small amount of acrylic paint on a paper plate.  Load your stencil brush vertically, tip only into the paint and dab in another part of the paper plate to remove excess paint. You need very little paint on your stencil brush.  Stenciling it is a dry brush technique.

2.     Place a stencil of choice on top of your coaster and with the stencil taped down or held with your hand, apply paint with a dabbing motion, edges first and then fill in the center.  

3.     Immediately remove the stencil and place the coaster in an area to dry.  If the stencil didn’t come out the way you’d like simply wash it off and try again.  Stenciling on slate is a great first stencil project since it is very forgiving and you can wash it off and start over if you’ve made a mistake.

4.     Before stenciling the other coasters check to make sure no paint got on the underside of the stencil.  If it did clean it off before stenciling.  Let all the coasters dry completely.

5.     When the coasters are dry apply a coat of Mod Podge exterior finish on top of each coaster.  Let dry at least 48 hours.  I used exterior mod Podge because there will be wet items on them.  You can, however, use regular Mod Podge or finish.

6.     Tie the coasters together with a piece of raffia.

Craft tip today: How to easily remove soap from a plastic mold

Decorative soap is attractive and with all the supplies available in craft stores today it’s easier than ever to create your own soaps.  You can buy the soap base in blocks and melt it in your microwave oven, add some scents and colors and pour into inexpensive plastic soap molds for original decorative soaps to match our décor. 

The only problem is sometimes it’s hard to remove the soaps from the plastic molds.  You twist and push and pull and sometimes crack the molds.  I know they are easily replaceable at about $2 each but why replace them when there is an easy way to pop the soaps out of the molds.

Simply put the filled soap molds in your freezer for about 30 minutes.  Take them out and the soaps pop right out, easy as pie!

Try this craft tip today!

Craft tip today—How to emboss with rubber stamps

It is my belief that embossing is the most fun you can have in crafting.  I think there is nothing more satisfying than watching embossing powder as it melts onto a surface.  Most of all it’s pretty easy.  And paper is not the only surface you can emboss on.  I have embossed on wood with great results.

You will need:

1.   The first thing you need is to purchase a heat embossing tool.  A heat embossing tool may resemble a hair dryer, but it is definitely not a hair dryer.  This tool blows the extremely high heat needed to melt the embossing powder.

2.   An embossing stamp pad.  You can use a clear stamp pad, which doesn’t show up, on your stamped surface or I suggest a tinted one that will allow you to see where you have stamped. 

3.   Embossing powders.  Embossing powders are available in many colors, textures and glitter. 

4.   Rubber stamps.

Load the rubber stamp from the embossing stamp pad just as you would a regular stamp.  Stamp on the surface pressing firmly.   While it is still wet sprinkle your embossing powder onto the stamped surface.  Tap to remove the excess powder.  You may either bend the paper (if possible) and replace the embossing powder back into the jar-- or if this is not possible tap onto another piece of paper that you can bend for this step.

Once you have your image is stamped, turn on the heat tool and blow the hot air over the image.  Get the heat tool as close as you can to your image and move it across and around to melt the entire image.  You will be able to see the embossing powder adhering to the surface as you work.  Your result will be a slightly raised surface.

Easy!  And loads of fun!

Extra tip:  If you want to further personalize something with embossed handwriting—simply write your sentiment with an erasable pen.  Sprinkle the powder on the writing, tap and emboss!!  Need something special for one of the graduations coming up or any special occasion? Try this easy and unique project...Embossed 3-D graduation table greeting

Craft tip today--removing price ticket residue quickly and easily

Ever buy something on impulse (yes impulse is my middle name) just because you love it. Then when you get the item home and try peeling off the price ticket do you find that it just leaves a sticky residue? I don't know why they use stickers like that but there is nothing worse than that sticky, gummy gooey mess left behind.  You try washing (if it's something that is washable) and nail polish remover and find that the stickiness simply spreads! 

Since you love it--banish that thought of returning it.  You can get that sticky mess off very easily.

Go to your pantry and get a jar of peanut butter.  Yes I said peanut butter. Rub a glob of peanut butter over the sticky residue and wipe off with a paper towel.  You may have to repeat this once more but the sticky mess will disappear like magic!

So the next time you are faced with one of those fiendish stubborn price tickets get out the Jiff, and the problem is solved--in a Jiff.  

Craft tip today #2-- Let’s get tacky

Just a couple of the many tacky glues available

Lets be honest, tacky can be a negative adjective, but not when you are referring to glues. As you walk down the glue aisle in your local craft store you may get a bit overwhelmed by the choices that are available.  So many glues, but which one is right for you and your project?

Tacky glue:

A staple of any crafter’s supply closet is Tacky glue.  Tacky is different that white or school glue since it has a thicker consistency and due to this fact it is perfect for working with felt since it will not bleed through the felt. Tacky glue is also best for Styrofoam since it will not eat it away as many other glues are apt to do. Heat or cold doesn’t affect the adhesion like it sometimes can with hot glue.  There are many brands of tacky glue but if it says tacky glue on the label it all works pretty much the same.

Q: But Crystal, there are lots of different kinds of tacky glue which one should I buy? 

A:  It’s pretty simple really.  Regular tacky glue is the basic tacky glue.  It is probably all the glue you will ever need. But what about all the different kinds you may ask? Think of it like this—you can walk down the drink aisle at your grocery store and see any number of water beverages, some with added vitamins, some with electrolytes, and some with caffeine.  They are all water, but you fit it to your specific needs. While you can use regular tacky for a myriad of gluing uses, you may wish to upgrade to a specialty tacky glue, like turbo, fast drying, thick, thin and more. 

Tacky glue know-how is a great craft tip today.

Craft tip today

This blog’s focus is offering my free original craft tutorials and will remain as such. I am, however, adding a new recurring post entitled “Craft tip today.”  Every so often I will share a craft tip or suggestion gained through trial and error from my many years of craft designing. 

The process of designing crafts sometimes becomes a road with many forks.  A project that seemed viable at the moment of conception, often takes a detour in an opposite direction.  Especially when your mind sometimes thinks way outside the proverbial box.  I hope you enjoy the craft tip today.

Corrugated cardboard:

When you are looking for a great source of recycled material, think corrugated cardboard.  You can use corrugated cardboard for so many projects. They can back a frame or be the base for most anything.  They even work great as a work surface for small painting projects.

When looking for good flat pieces of cardboard head to your nearest warehouse store, like Costco, Bj’s or Sam’s club.  Since they don’t bag groceries they always have bins that contain boxes and heavy cardboard pieces from the packaging, free for the taking.  If you don’t have a warehouse store nearby, why not ask your grocer to save you the flat pieces of separate cardboard. 

Corrugated cardboard is a great craft tip today!