Perpetual Calendar; Steampunk style!

You will need:

Smoothfoam: one 12" Scrapbook Mount
12" Scrapbook Tablet: Tim Holtz, "Destination" paper stash
12" cardstock:  one Slate, one Dark Brown
Decou-Page medium: Matt by Deco Art
Metallic Waxes:  Black and Copper by Deco Art; rag scraps for application
Craft Glue
Pigment Ink Pad, Black
Embellishments: 1-1/4" filigree butterflies, 1-1/2" filigree squares, 1" metal washers, brass paper fasteners,
                          1" h x 3" w doll eyeglasses, paper roses: 3/4", 1-1/4"
Tissue Paper:  matte gold, metallic gold
19 gauge wire, two pieces bent into 1/2" u -pins
2 tacks with a hook: used patented clear and round CraZy TACKz  (see link in credits below)
Artiste Cricut Cartridge by Close To My Heart (die-cut gears)  (see link in credits below)
PDF's:  (attached) Calendar Elements, Pattern for Wings, Gears

Tools: 
Cricut Die-cut machine
Paper Trimmers
Scissors
Paintbrush
Wire Cutters

1.  Wad the tissue into a ball.  Unfold and flatten out.  Apply Decoupage medium to the Smoothfoam,                 following manufacturer's instructions.  Tear tissue into large pieces; adhere to the entire surface.  Tear             large strips of the metallic gold tissue.  Adhere, leaving wrinkles in the tissue paper.  Allow to dry                   thoroughly, preferably overnight.

2.  Apply copper wax randomly to the textured surface, allowing the gold to show through in spots.  Repeat      with the black shimmer wax.  Apply the Shimmer Wax to the paper wings and to the filigree elements.

3.  Cut ephemera clocks from the Tim Holz papers.  The cardstock gears were die-cut.  A PDF file is                attached if these must be cut out by hand.  The larger gears are important for the over-all design.  The 1-      1/2" die-cut gears could probably be replaced by something purchased that will work the same.  There          are 22+ of the smaller gears that are adhered to the perpetual calendar pages.

4.  Chalk the edges of the ephemera and die-cuts with the Black pigment ink pad.

5.  Arrange and adhere ephemera to the textured Smoothfoam.

For the Calendar:

1.  Background:  Cut one 6-1/2" square and one 6" square from patterned cardstock.  Adhere the smaller          square to the larger square.  Center and adhere to the board.

2.  Months:  Cut twelve 1" x 2" rectangles.  Print out the attached PDF containing the months and dates.            Center and adhere "January" to the background paper.  Repeat with February and adhere to the                    backside of the January card.  Repeat for each month.

3.  Days:  Cut 22 2-1/2" x 3" rectangles.  Cut and adhere the days as for the Months, using the front and the      back of each card.

4.  To hang the cards:  Center and glue the bottom half of a 1-1/2" gear to the front of the January card.              Repeat; gluing one gear to the front of each card.

 To finish:
*  Cut the fasteners off of the brass paper fasteners and glue the round piece to the corners of the                     calendar as shown.  Repeat the process with two more brads only adhere one to the center of the 2 large     gears.
*  Center and glue the CraZy TACKz to the calendar.  Hang the perpetual calendar cards on the hooks.
*  Center the eyeglasses above the calendar cards.  Make 2 pilot holes for the wire u-pins.  Secure the             eyeglasses to the board.
*  Display on an easel or glue a saw-tooth hanger to the back.

You can add a couple more panels to the calendar for a larger piece of wall decor.  These last two photographs show an example of some Steampunk paper sculptured angels I made last year.  I make them in ornament size (6") as well as the taller ones as shown here.  Hope you have enjoyed the project!

Visit the Smoothfoam Blog (link) for lots more ideas using Smoothfoam products.

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn

PDF Patterns for gears and wings (link)


My Etsy Shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimarilynlyPaper

Candy Bins for a Wedding Celebration!

What is a wedding without sweets, right?  I have a great idea for using a deflecto craft storage bin to serve up treats for the wedding guests.

The "star" of this project will be the 5 bin unit by Deflecto. I used 3" black collegiate letters.  They have an adhesive on the back side that is meant to be temporary; as the real adhesive is heat activated.  In this case; I removed the release paper from each letter and applied one to each bin to spell "CANDY".  You should be able to remove them after the wedding and use the bins for craft storage.

You will need:

Deflecto:  Craft Tilt Bin by ; a 5 bin unit

Joy:  3" black embroidered letters to spell CANDY

Black spray paint for use on acrylic plastic (or color of your choice)

Trim:  single strand faux rhinestone self-adhesive

Scissors

painters tape

clear packing tape or newspaper

Instructions:

• Remove the bins from the unit.  Line them up on a flat surface.  Remove the release paper from one letter, center and apply to the bin.  Leave it loose until all of the letters are lined up evenly.  Repeat for each letter.

Close-up View below

 

• Tape off all areas you do not want to apply paint to.  You may choose to leave the bin unit white.  That is perfectly OK!
• Cover up any small holes with painters tape on the inside edges of the unit.
• I applied clear packing tape across the front to protect the inside of the unit.  Then, applied painters tape around the front edges.
• In a well ventilated area; follow the manufacturer's instructions and paint the entire unit with the exception of the inside.  Allow to dry thoroughly.  Remove the tape.  Reinsert the bins.

• Each bin will have a slot and paper to identify what is inside.  Embellish the edges with the faux rhinestone trim.

If you would like to know how I made the mini faux cakes on top of the candy bin; check out the blog post link here:  http://marilyngossettdesigns.blogspot.com/2016/04/mini-wedding-dessert-with-smoothfoam.html

Thank you for checking out the blog today.  Hope you got some inspiration for your next celebration.  I am going to do "BABY" with a four bin unit next!

Take time to enjoy the small blessings along the way and

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn

Look for deflecto Crafts  products on Amazon.
Check this link for more deflecto products:  http://www.deflecto.com/craft/

Mini Wedding Cake for "Looks" Only!

Hello Friends!  We are nearing wedding season.  I have been looking on Pinterest at wedding cakes.  We have a wedding coming up this Summer and I have turned my attentions to wedding decorations, cakes, flowers, clothing, etc.  

I needed some mini desserts for some of the decorating I am creating.  I decided to use Smoothfoam and my hot foam cutter to create some of my own.  I will show you how I did it if you follow along!

You will need:

Smoothfoam:  3" block (for cake)

light modeling paste (gel medium)

acrylic paint:  light teal

paintbrush

craft stick or plastic knife

disposable plastic container

wooden skewers

paper flowers:  pink roses:  1", 1/4", 3/4" leaves

1/2" leaf punch

cardstock scraps:  green

faux rhinestone trim with adhesive back

hot foam cutter

glue gun

scissors

water

paper towels

Instructions:

1.  Mark off 1" intervals on the 3" Smoothfoam block using a pencil and ruler.  Cut into three 1" thick x 3" pieces.  Leave the bottom layer 3" x 3".  Cut the middle piece into a 2-1/2" square; the top piece into a 2" square.

2. Mix two drops of paint into a quarter cup of modeling paste.  Stir the color into the paste using a craft stick.  Blend thoroughly.

3.  Use a wooden skewer as a handle by poking the pointed end into one block of foam.  Repeat with the other two pieces.  Have a container handy that you can stand the skewer in until the modeling paste dries.  Coat each piece with the modeling paste.  Stand skewer handle in a container and let the modeling paste dry thoroughly.

4.  Adhere the layers using small pieces of toothpick as connectors.  The glue gun is recommended for this step. 

3.  Use a wooden skewer as a handle by poking the pointed end into one block of foam.  Repeat with the other two pieces.  Have a container handy that you can stand the skewer in until the modeling paste dries.  Coat each piece with the modeling paste.  Stand skewer handle in a container and let the modeling paste dry thoroughly.

4.  Adhere the layers using small pieces of toothpick as connectors.  The glue gun is recommended for this step. 

5.  Decorate the "cake" with the paper flowers, adhesive trim and leaves.  *Designer note: For the final touches on the cake; you can add your own touches.  Pearlstring, ribbon, jewels, and glitter are just a few of the embellishments you might want to use on your mini cake. 

Check out some other variations using Smoothfoam as the base for the cake.  I will be adding these to another project I am working on.  Stay tuned!

Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

Make sure to take time to appreciate the small blessings along the way and,

Live Life with a Flourish!

Marilyn