Faux Gold Leaf

Hi everyone!

Gold leaf is used in so many crafts from artwork to furniture. It gives any piece a golden glow and elicits the reaction, "Wow, that's expensive!" Gold leaf comes in thin sheets and is applied on objects with adhesive and a paintbrush.

In the spirit of transforming the "blah" to "TADA!" let's play with faux gold leaf.

In a previous post, I wrote about making my own illuminated bookmark using a Gothic-style font and gilding it with gold leaf. Except that I didn't use gold leaf. I used gold-foil chocolate wrapper.

The foil used to wrap chocolates. Yes, that's the one.

I cleaned it with a damp towel and allowed it to dry. I also weighed it down with a few heavy books to flatten it. It will have creases but that's okay.

I got so excited over this material! It came free with my chocolate and the sheen definitely adds life to my crafts. 

Here are a few more ways where I used this faux gold leaf:

I used faux gold leaf to embellish a plain greeting card...TADA! I added other elements, too, like stickers, sequins, punched-out paper, and glitter glue.

I really like the gold sheen it gives to the card.

Here is another card that I made. I decorated it with punched-out paper, washi tape, rubber stamps and an ink pad, plus a strip of the faux gold leaf.

I think the faux gold leaf bring some "you are extra-special" vibes to the card.

This envelope was once packaging for a delicious bar of chocolate. It was printed on heavy, textured paper and had gold details, I just had to keep it for crafting purposes.

I covered up the branding with paint and turned it into an envelope...TADA!

As additional embellishments, I added faux gold leaf, old book pages, and punched out paper in collage-style application. 

Here is the back-side of the envelope...TADA!

I can fill it with little cards and personalize it with a dear friend's name.

And there you have it -- handmade cards decorated with faux gold leaf. That's how I turned plain paper from blah to TADA!

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Ziptop Envelopes

Hi there everyone!

A few years ago, I made this envelope using scrapbook paper remnants:

Apart from the cute paper and adorable contents, what's unique about it was its zipper top.

I rescued the zipper slider from some food packaging, rinsed it, and snipped off the bottom portion of the bag.

I glued on the zipper slider on one side of the scrapbook paper to make a different kind of envelope...TADA! You'll find the full tutorial of this ziptop envelope here.

Well, I thought I'd make a few more. They are all made from scrapbook paper and embellished with stickers, ephemera, and rubber stamps: 

And all of them have these resealable closures! They make for a quick gift wrapping solution.

That is how I turned zipper tops from food packaging from blah to TADA!

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Easy Gift Ideas for Father's Day

Hello there! It's Father's Day weekend.

If you're lucky to still have a dad, make sure to give him some extra loving this week or this entire month.

Give him a call if you live far away. If it's easy to visit, spend a day with him and take him to a special place from your childhood -- a coffee shop, restaurant, store, movie theater or where you watched or played sports.  

Buy him a coffee and use these ideas for an extra-special touch:

Write a message on the coffee cup using a permanent marker...TADA!

Decorate a blank cardboard coffee sleeve with brush lettering.

Brew your dad some coffee and pour it into a reusable coffee tumbler (that can be a gift for him to keep and use regularly). The coffee sleeve will relay your message...TADA!

Maybe your dad prefers a beer. That works, too! The cardboard coffee sleeve works just as well for a bottle or can...TADA!

Whether it's your dad, father-in-law, brother who's a dad, cousin who's a dad, friend who's a dad, make sure to turn their day from blah to TADA!

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A Pressed Hydrangea

Just as daffodils and forsythia herald springtime, hydrangeas are nature's way of saying, "It's summer!"

Southern Lady Magazine

I love hydrangeas and their big, bulbous buds. Just one stem is enough to fill a regular-sized vase.

They're still pretty when they wither and I thought I might try pressing it.

Good thing it fits my flower press!

I sandwiched it in between layers of paper.

There's a layer of cardboard, too.

I positioned the top piece of my flower press.

And screwed on the wing bolts.

Every day, I tighten the bolts to flatten it evenly.

After a several days in the press, here is my hydrangea...TADA!

Lift it gently and position it on a floating glass frame (I centered it on a piece of cloth to accentuate the petals and this also adds thickness in between the glass for a snug closure).

Secure the top glass and lock in place.

Display it in a favorite spot so it will feel like summer all year round...TADA!

If you don't have a flower press, you can use heavy books instead. It's fun to try out especially if you want to save sentimental flowers that you've received. 

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In My Tool Box: Elastic String

Hi everyone!

I've accumulated quite a number of things in my craft arsenal and I thought I'd share them with you. Maybe you'll find some ideas to start a project, or possibly a solution to a crafty conundrum, or maybe you've seen something similar at the store and not quite sure how to use it.

For today, let me tell you about elastic string or stretchy cord. You'll find it in the jewelry section of the craft store and it comes in different widths and colors. My preference are the white or clear ones because these easily blend in or become invisible. 

Here, I'm making a bracelet using wooden beads. With the wrist (child or adult) as reference, measure the elastic string the size of the wrist and add two to three inches. Cut the string then add the beads. Close the loop with several knots and hide these knots by tucking it into one of the beads. 

An easy to assemble bracelet even a preschooler can make...TADA! 

This one uses a thinner elastic string and smaller beads that can be embellished with tassels, pompoms, and even charms...TADA! 

For a more mature look, I've strung amber beads on this one. It can be worn as a stack of bracelets or as a hair tie...TADA!

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Here is another idea:

I made a bowl cover...TADA!

It's made from scrap fabric. I measured the circumference of the bowl and multiplied that number by 2 to get the size I needed.

Then I cut the fabric.

I sewed the outer ends onto the fabric to form a pocket where I inserted the elastic string. I pulled the string (so that the edges gathered up) and tied a knot. I think I'll make a few more of these covers to match the bowls I own. That way I can re-use them and in the process, I am able to avoid plastic wrap.   

I also made a bigger fabric cover for my stand mixer. When not in use, I store the attachments (ex. whisk and paddle) inside the bowl and the cover protects the inside of the bowl from getting dusty...TADA! 

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Elastic string is also useful to make accessories.

This is a hair scrunchie cobbled together using floral fabric with a strip of elastic tucked inside. 

During the height of the pandemic, I made a few face masks using old t-shirts and elastic string.

Here's another face mask decorated with floral embroidery...TADA!

As you can see, elastic string is a good addition to a crafter's tool box. How about you, what are the ways you use elastic string?  

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