Stamped Pattern

Well, you may be wondering a few things but baby wipes are for more than a baby’s bottom (and hands and faces)  Actually, you can use baby wipes to create a pretty interesting stamping technique with very little fuss and muss about it.

What you need:

• Baby Wipes (of course)
• Reinkers: These are little containers filled with stamp ink so you can refill your stamp pads.  You will want to use several colors.
• Stamps
• Cardstock

Directions:

1. Take out two or three baby wipes.  You can do this with one but I like to have a few to prevent it from staining through.
2. Place the baby wipe onto a piece of paper or discarded cardstock to prevent staining your table with the ink.
3. Now that you have the baby wipe ready, take one of the reinkers, it is best if you start with the darkest color, and pour some of the ink onto the baby wipe.  You will want to make little drops of color so you have several dots of ink on the baby wipe.
4. Take the second color and repeat the process.  Don’t worry if you overlap the colors since this will only add to your finished craft.
5. If you are using a third color, fill in the white spaces of the baby wipe around the other two colors with your third reinker.  If you are using four or more, keep repeating the step until your last reinker and then fill in the white.
6. Now that your color palette is ready, take a stamp and use the baby wipe as a stamp pad.  Stamp the image onto a piece of cardstock

The image that will be stamped will pull up all the colors you placed on the baby wipe and you should be able to do more than one image with the temporary baby wipe ink pad.  Once you are finished stamping, throw away the baby wipe and used the stamped image for scrapbooking or for a card.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Yes, you heard me right, photos.  It is pretty amazing what you can create with beads these days and all it takes are a few supplies, a little know-how and in regards to photos, a good program.

Which brings me to the product of PhotoPearls. This is actually a pretty interesting program that can give you something completely different when it comes to using beads.  With this program, you convert any photograph into a beaded pattern to create with.  After that, all you will need to do is use a bead board and then apply an adhesive to the back to create a permanent beaded photograph.

Personally, I think this is a great product since it has an almost puzzle-like quality to it.  People can place the beads in the right order to create some pretty amazing crafts and you can have a lot of fun with beads.  What is even nicer is that you can print the pattern out on most printers and you can use the finished piece for a variety of crafts.

So if you are interested in beading and want to try something new, I would recommend using PhotoPearls.

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Since I love the beach, there is probably little doubt that I love playing in sand.  This craft is a great way to create some unique and beautiful candles and it is also a wonderful way to get that “playing in sand” fix that I occasionally need.

What you need:

• Paraffin Wax:  since these candles are not in a container, it is better to use paraffin for them.  You can find paraffin wax at most craft stores in the candle section.
• Cotton Wicks:  You can purchase these as pre-cut or in rolls.
• Candle Dye:  This is optional but if you purchase a dye, make sure that it is candle dye.  if you don’t want the expense of candle dye, you can also use crayola crayons as a dye.
• Sand
• Medium to Large sized bowl
• Pencil: For tying the wick to it to keep it from falling into the hot wax.
• Double Boiler:  You can use a double boiler or you can place a coffee can in the middle of a pot that has 2 to 3 inches of water in it.

Directions:

1. Before you melt the wax, it is important to prepare your mold for the candle wax.  To do this, you will want to place the sand in the large bowl.  Moisten the sand slightly but don’t saturate it.  Basically, you want a sand that has just enough moisture that it will be molded.
2. Next you will want to shape your sand to create the look you want.  This means digging a small hole to match the height of the candle that you want and from there, the sky is the limit.  Remember that the wider your candle, the more wax you will have left over after you burn it.
3. Bury about an inch of the wick into the sand and then tie the other end onto the pencil and set it across the top of the bowl.  If you are adventurous, you could make a long trench in the sand and place three or four wicks to create a bar candle.
4. Now that your mold is prepared, take the paraffin wax and heat it according to teh directions on the package.  Usually you will want the wax to reach 150 degrees but it differs with each product.
5. Once it is melted, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly, usually about 5 degrees.
6. Carefully pour the melted wax into your mold.
7. Allow the candle to harden before you remove it from the mold.
8. Brush off the excess sand and then let it sit for 2 or 3 days before lighting.

In the end you are left with unique candles that have brought a piece of the beach with them.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit: © Avdeev077 | Dreamstime.com

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Of course, we all know just how cute a Ziploc bag can be (not very) so this year, I have decided to take my Valentine’s gifts to a whole new level.  What is great about this activity is that it is pretty simple, nothing too labor intensive and the finished product is wonderful. The kids get to enjoy giving and I get to enjoy sending in my holiday gift bags, yet again.

This craft is very easy and you can do it on your own or with your kids.

What you will need:

• Paper:  You can use wrapping paper, printed paper or white printer paper.
• Packaged Candy:  The best candy to use for this is a chocolate bar or anything that is in a small box.  You can use wrapped candies but the end result just isn’t the same and you will probably have more fuss than you really want.
• Ribbon:  Pick a Valentine’s ribbon.  There are tons of Valentine’s ribbon in reds, whites, pinks, and covered in flowers that you can buy at craft supply stores.
• Hole Punch:  You will be using this for your tag.
• Cardstock:  Choose a color that matches your paper and ribbon or simply go with a white cardstock.
• Markers
• Tape
• Embellishments: These are little odds and ends to decorate your candies with.

Directions:

1. Measure your candy and jot it down on a piece of paper so you don’t forget.  You will want to measure the surface area but since we will not be closing off the ends, you will want to simply measure the length of the candy and then measure the width on the top of the candy and times it by 2.  You will also need to measure the side width and times that by 2.  So if you have a chocolate bar that is 4 inches long and 2 inches wide on the top and .5 inches wide on the side width, then you will want a piece of paper that is 3.75 inches long (so you have a bit of the candy showing) and 5 inches in width.  Give yourself an extra .5 inch for overlap when you fold the paper.
2. The next step you will want to make is to decorate the paper.  If you used a printed paper, then you really don’t need to do anything at this stage, instead you can move on to step 3.  If you didn’t, decorate the paper with stamped images, or stickers or your child can draw pictures on the paper.
3. Now that your paper is ready, wrap it around the candy and tape it carefully into place. If you don’t want to see tape, add a few pieces of double sided tape in between the overlap. Set the candy aside.
4. The next step is to create your tag.  This can be done in a variety of ways but basically, you will want to cut out the shape of a tag in your cardstock and decorate with a message like “Be My Candy Valentine,” or with a sticker or stamped image.
5. Punch a hole at the top of the tag and insert the ribbon through the hole.  Finish by creating a bow with the ribbon.
6. Attach the tag to the candy and give to a friend on Valentine’s Day.

Sirena Van Schaik

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That is usually the time when I scream and realize that I only have 30 more crafting days to create all my homemade goodies for the year.  Having that list prepared in January and tucked safely away in my ideas cupboard, makes that time of year so much easier and much less stressful.

So, if you are like me and want a few crafts to tuck away to bring out next Christmas or even throughout the year, then you may want to tuck this craft away.  I find that this is an excellent way to create wonderfully home-baked goods without having to do any of the baking.  It can be a great craft to do with kids but it can also be an excellent craft and gift to do on your own.

What you need:

• Jars:  You can use just about any type of jar you want.  I like to use the jars with the hinged lid but regular mason jars are perfectly fine.
• Decorations:  This can range from ribbon to silk flowers.  If you have a child helping make the jars, why not allow him to draw a picture and then tape it to the front of the jar.  The key is to decorate them the way that you want to.  The jars can be beautiful but a lot of the “wow” in this craft is how you fill the jar.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of flour
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of baking soda
• 1 to 2 cups of M & M’s (This really depends on how chocolaty that you want your cookies to be.  I prefer to go with the 1 cup but I know my kids prefer having 2 cups so we often compromise at 1 and a half cups.)

Directions:

1. Before you do anything else, make sure that you thoroughly wash the jars.  Do not fill them until they are completely dry though.
2. While you are waiting for the cookies to dry, why not start preparing the decorative elements.  If your child will be providing the art, simply sit her down with markers and paper and let her create.  If you are decorating, use a hot glue gun to attach the various element.  For things that need to go on the lid, I would recommend waiting until the jar is filled and closed.
3. Now that you have your jar ready and waiting, it is time to start layering the jar.  To do this, it is important to do this as follows to create a layered look:

• 1 cup of flour with the baking soda and salt on the bottom
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1/4 cup of white sugar
• Half of the M&M’s
• 1/4 cup of the brown sugar
• 1 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• Remaining M&M’s

When the jars are filled, you can close them and finish the last little details. The last thing that you will want to do is print off a label that finishes the recipe. So in this case, the label should say:

“Cookies in a Jar:

To finish off this wonderful recipe, you will need 1 egg, 3/4 cups of butter and 1 tsp of vanilla.  Combine all the ingredients together, including the ones found in this jar.  Once it is thoroughly mixed, drop small balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are golden.”

All the best,

Sirena Van Schaik

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Stamp Ink:

The first ink that I am going to look at is regular stamp ink.  Many, and I mean many, companies produce this ink and you can find it in almost every color that you can imagine.  My favorite inks tend to be Chocolate Chip and Night of Navy, both of which are Stampin’ Up Inks.  I find that you can do just about anything with the inks from sponging, stamping, and using to color with so this is the more versatile of inks since there are many different uses for it.

Craft Ink:

Also known as pigment ink, this is a thicker ink that has a lot of color.  I often use craft ink to add a bit more punch and the white craft ink on black creates amazing results.  One of the best traits about craft ink is that it takes longer to dry than regular stamp ink.  This may seem like a pain but in actuality, it can allow you to create some pretty amazing effects with it.  Since you have some time until it dries, you can add sparkles or you can add embossing powder to create beautiful craft inked and embossed images.

Since this ink does take a bit longer to dry, I try to avoid using it for everyday stamping needs and only pull it out when I want to create an effect or I want to stamp white onto a surface.

Versa Mark:

This isn’t actually an ink as we would commonly know it but I have overused my versa mark to the point where I needed to purchase a new one.  Versa Marks are clear ink that can be used for a variety of effects. It is a wonderful ink to use since it resists color and it can create beautiful watermarked images.  The main use of versa mark has to be with embossing.  Since it takes a bit longer to dry and it is clear,  many people will stamp an image in versa mark before coating it in embossing powder, which they melt.  The end result is a stunningly embossed image.

Staze-On:

The last type of ink that I will look at is staze-on. This is actually a permanent ink, instead of a waterbased ink.  This means that without a proper spray, your stamps will become stained by this ink.  If you are overly conscious of your stamps and hate having stained stamps, then I would recommend that you avoid staze-on.  If you don’t then you can do a lot of things with staze-on. This has actually become one of my favorite inks since the colors come out a bit more vibrantly than regular stamp ink.  It is also an excellent ink to use if you are stamping anything besides a card or scrapbook page.  I like to use staze-on when I am stamping plates or tiles but it can be used for a lot more.

Although I would love to say that you only need one or two stamp inks, there is always a purpose for all of the inks, and if you are like me, you will quickly reach the dozens when it comes to ink pads.

Happy Stamping,

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo credit: © Pakowacz | Dreamstime.com

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This craft, is an easy craft that can create a cherished handprint that you can take with you everywhere you go. There is some adult steps involved in this craft but this can be an excellent craft for any holiday but especially for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

What you will need:

• Shrinky Dinks:  This is a shrinkable plastic that you can find at most craft stores or by clicking here.
• Stamp Ink
• Scissors
• Fine Tip Marker
• hole punch
• key chain ring

Directions:

1. Take your child’s hand and ink the palm with the stamp ink.  Make sure that it is coated completely.  If you prefer to use something other than ink, paint does work, however, not as well as ink.
2. Firmly press your child’s palm to the shrinkable plastic and remove.
3. Allow the hand print to dry before the next step.
4. After it is dry, carefully cut around the hand print.  You can do any shape but most people cut out a hand shape.
5. Write the child’s name and age (or the date it was made) on the shrinkable plastic
6. Heat the shrinkable plastic in the oven. It is best if you follow the directions on the package for heating directions.
7. Once it has shrunk and is cooled, take the hole punch and punch a hole into the bottom of the palm.
8. Insert a key chain ring and give as a gift.

Although the hand print will shrink, the image will still be teh same so you will be left with a miniature version of your child’s hand print.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Of course, stamping didn’t hold me long before I burst onto the scrapbooking scene and I quickly began to produce stamped scrapbook pages much to the delight of everyone who saw them.

That delight, of course, led to me needing to experiment with new techniques and I quickly realized that I wanted to produce more than a stunning page, I also wanted to produce stunning effects with very little effort.

This activity is definitely one of those stunning effects that is easy to do and can look great on a card or on a scrapbook page.

What you need:

• Cardstock
• paper cutter
• clear embossing powder
• stamp
• stamp ink
• heat gun
• versa mark

Directions:

1. Prepare your cardstock by cutting it to the dimension you want and then stamping it with an image. In my case, I started with a butterfly from Stampin’ Up and colored it in with watercolor pencil crayons.
2. Once your image is finished, allow it to dry if you used markers.
3. Take the versa mark and stamp the clear ink over the entire surface of your image.  Make sure it coats the entire image and cardstock.
4. Pour embossing powder on the image and cardstock.  Make sure you use a lot and tap off the excess onto a piece of paper before you return it to the container.
5. Using your heat gun, melt the embossing powder until it is completely melted.  If you do not have a heat gun, you can melt it by heating the back of the cardstock, carefully, over an electric burner.  Do not use a gas stove to do this.
6. Before the embossing powder cools, take the embossing powder and coat the image and cardstock again.  Make sure you tap off the excess before you continue.
7. Melt the second layer of embossing powder completely.
8. Repeat again if necessary until you have a thick layer of embossing.  This varies depending on the type of embossing powder that you use.  Some brands only require two layers while others require 3 or 4.
9. Once you have placed the last layer on the image, place it in the freezer while it is still hot.
10. Allow it to cool completely. This should only take about 2 minutes at the most.
11. Remove from the freezer and carefully crack the cardstock where you want the cracked glass effect to be.  Play around with it until you are happy with it.  Make sure that you do this carefully since too much bending can cause the cardstock to split completely.
12. Now that you have your cracked glass, assemble your card or your scrapbook.

To bring the cracks out a bit, you can sponge ink on the embossed surface.  Make sure you take off the excess so you are only left with ink in the cracks.

Sirena Van Schaik

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What you need:

• Transparent Glass Plate
• Colored Tissue Paper
• White Tissue Paper
• Stamps
• Stamp Ink
• White Glue
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Before you begin stamping, it is very important that you cover your work area.  I have, on more than one occasion, stamped tissue paper only to have the stamp image bleed through the tissue paper and onto a table for a permanent image on my table.
2. Now that your area is ready, cut out a circle of white tissue paper that fits the bottom of your plate.  Set aside.
3. Cut the colored tissue paper into one inch squares, set aside.
4. Take a stamp and cover it with stamp ink.
5. Stamp the image onto the white tissue paper carefully.  It is better if you use a solid image instead of one you need to color but if you need to color it in, do so carefully with markers.
6. Allow the ink time to dry.
7. Once the ink is dry, cover the bottom of the plate with white glue.  Try to make it as even as possible.
8. Press the white tissue into the white glue and smooth it into place.
9. Take the white glue and place it on the bottom sides of the glass plate around the white tissue paper on the bottom.
10. Place the tissue paper down on the plate until the entire bottom is covered.
11. Put the plate upside down and allow the glue to dry completely.

At that point, you will have a finished plate that is beautiful and matches the holiday that you have made it for.

Sirena Van Schaik

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This candle craft is very easy to do and you don’t need a lot of supplies.  Of course, having the supplies doesn’t hurt but if you are just starting your candle making hobby, you won’t feel overwhelmed with all the supplies.

What you will need:

• Paraffin Wax:  You can purchase wax at most craft stores.  For this craft, you will want to use paraffin wax.
• Wax Dye:  This is optional and you only need to purchase it if you want to color your candles.  Another great way to add color is to use crayola crayons in the desired shade that you want.
• Wicks:  Again, you can purchase these at most stores and you can use anything from cotton to zinc core.  I would recommend the zinc since they are less likely to absorb the wax.
• Double Boiler:  This can be a double boiler that you purchase or you can simply fill a pot with 2 or 3 inches of water and place a coffee can in the center of the pot.
• Pencil:  For holding the wick
• Square Mold:  If you have a square candle mold, then all the better but if not, use the bottom half of a milk carton.
• Ice Cubes

Directions:

1. Clean your mold or milk carton and make sure that it is completely dry before you begin.  Also make sure that you have ice cubes prepared in your freezer.
2. Before you begin melting the wax, measure to see how much you will need.  The best way to do this is to break apart pieces and fill the mold with the wax pieces to just slightly above where you want the level to be.  Place the measured wax into the double boiler.
3. Melt the wax on a stove burner set at medium-low temperatures until it reaches the temperature that is indicated on the package.
4. Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly before you begin the next phase.
5. While you wax is cooling, you will want to pour the ice cubes into your mold.  Make sure that they are piled and not pressed down into the mold.  Remember that the messier the pile, the better.
6. Tie the wick to the pencil and place it in the center of your mold so that it hangs down to the bottom.  Make sure to arrange the ice cubes so that no ice is leaning against the wick.
7. Now that your mold is ready, slowly pour the wax into the mold. It should flow over and in between the ice cubes and the ice will begin to melt.  You should fill up the mold to slightly above your desired level since you will lose some height as the ice cubes melt.
8. Allow the wax to cool completely and then remove from the mold.  If you are using a regular mold, placing it in hot water will loosen the wax enough for it to slide right out.  If you are using a milk carton, simply rip off the carton.

And your ice candle is finished.  It is important to allow your candle at least 24 hours before you light it to ensure that you get the best burn and candle. If you can wait, try to let it set for 2 or 3 days.

Happy Candle Making,

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit: © Invisiblev… | Dreamstime.com

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