Polymer Clay Chocolate Thumbtacks

Bring a little chocolate love into your office and home space with chocolate thumb tacks! This is a super easy way to make polymer clay chocolates to transform your tacks into tiny, delicious looking chocolates!

Watch my Faux Chocolate Thumb Tacks YouTube video tutorial!

Materials:
Aleene's Super Gel Adhesive
Polymer clay - chocolate color - I mix my own with dark brown, gold and a little bit of orange
Small round, square and heart shaped molds - read how to make some here
Water spritzer
Thumb tacks - the flat kind Polymer clay sealer - satin Paint brush

1. Condition the polymer clay. Roll a small ball

2. Spritz a mold with a little water and press the ball of clay into it. Smooth the back as flat as possible.

3. While the clay is still in the mold, press the the flat side of the tack into the clay to make an impression.

4. Carefully push the clay out of the mold and make sure the tack will still fit before baking the clay according to the directions on the package.

5. Glue a tack into the back of each chocolate. Allow to dry.

6. Coat each chocolate with 2 coats of satin sealer. Allow to dry well between coats.

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Clay and Crowns

This week will be my last regular project post for Cool2Craft.  I have been so blessed to work for and with the Cool girls!  This creative journey has been more amazing than words could begin to describe!  I love all the friends I’ve met here and hope to pop up now and again to say hi!

My creative  roots are in clay and its sultry satin muddiness is calling me back.   I miss the challenge of forming a lump of clay into a something fun and whimsical that takes days or even months to complete!  Carving into leather hard clay is my favorite thing to do!  It feels like sculpting chocolate, and carving layers of rich texture into it.  That’s what it’s all about for me.

I’m also going to be continuing my work with crowns!  I’m learning to solder so I’m ready to go to the next level with bigger, better and busier crowns!

So look for me here and there, clay up to my elbows, splattered on my face and in my hair. wearing a fabulous crown and a big teethy grin!

Love and blessings
Candace

Blood Glucose Record Book

I have type 2 diabetes.  In the past six months I’ve worked hard to get healthy.  I walk early in the morning, I watch what I eat, etc.  I actually look forward to jumping out of bed and on the scale, then checking my sugar level.  I wanted to make myself a book to record my weight and sugar levels. 

I LOVE Aleene’s Burnt Brown Bag technique (there are several video demos on Youtube done by the Creativity Sisters – check them out!), so here’s what I did:

	I gathered up a bunch of things I’d need: A paper grocery bag Aleene’s Tacky Glue ( I used Quick Dry) Two pieces of 5”x5” cardboard and a ¼”x5” piece for the spine A sponge brush Scissors Metallic inks, Rub and Buff metallic colors Stamps A heat tool A candle  and lighter A bone folder
	1.Cut three layers of paper bag larger than the cardboard book cover will be with layers of glue between them.
	2. Paint a layer of glue on the top layer of bag, place the cardboard in position and cut the corners for folding.  Fold the edges over and burnish with the bone folder.  Cut one piece of paper bag to fit on the inside of the cover and glue it in place.
	3. Take care to burnish the spaces on the sides of the spine.  Let dry.
	4. Spread one half of the inside with glue and, while the glue is wet, pass it over the candle flame.
	5. It will sizzle and bubble and pop and turn black.  That’s what you want it to do.
	6. When it’s cool, use a paper towel or wet wipe to remove the soot.
	7. The surface already has a lovely sheen, but I like colors in layers, so I start by rubbing a copper colored ink pad over the whole thing.
	8. The copper Rub and Buff is a slightly lighter color, so I skim it over the surface with my fingers.
	9. I chose my favorite stamps and added some silver and gold accents.  I’m sure you have favorite stamps that would look awesome on this surface!
	10.   If you use inks that require heat setting, do that now and when it’s cool give it a coat of matte sealer
	11. Whatever your pages will be, you’ll want to measure your cover and take a ½” off each edge for the paper measurement.  Make two holes about an inch and a half from the ends.
	12. Center the paper in the cove and mark where the holes will be on the spine.
	13. I attached my pages by threading a wire through the holes and wrapping it twice.  Then I tied a piece of yarn to the wire and added a charm on the end for a book mark.

Bejeweled Candy Dish

Pictures don't do this fun and sparkly glass candy dish justice!  It's a ridiculously inexpensive candy dish project that will add glitz to your coffee table!  Featured on Cool2Craft TV.

Watch my Bejeweled Dollar Store Candy Dish YouTube video tutorial!
 

Materials:
Dollar store glass dish
Aleene's Jewelry and Metal Glue
Iridescent gems
Tweezers or pliers

1. Clean the dish thoroughly.

2. Pick up one gem at a time with the tweezers, apply glue to the back and place on the dish.

3. Use your finger to seat the gem firmly.

4. Add as many gems as you like.  Warning: It's hard to stop!

If you place gems down in the bowl, be sure to fill with individually wrapped candy only. 

Hand wash.

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Dad's Framed Tie Display

I saved my dad's ties and tie tack collection when he passed. It took a while to think of how to display them, but I hatched a plan to make a fun framed homage to Dad!

Watch my Dad's Framed Tie Display YouTube video tutorial!
 

Materials:
Aleene's Fabric Fusion Peel and Stick Tape
12" x 12" x 2" dimensional frame
1/4" dowel
Drill
1/4" drill bit
Clear packing tape
Scissors
Ties
Tie tacks, pin and bars

1. Lay out your ties in layers that look good to you and are 12" wide.  Lay packing tape over them to keep them from moving.  Cut excess fabric about 2" beyond the tape.

2. Remove the frame insert and lay over your ties.  Make all the adjustments so the ties fit into the insert.  Use the packing tape to hold the position of the bottom end below where the the frame stops.

3. Measure 3/8" down from the top edge of the insert and mark the center.  Use a small block of wood inside the insert as you drill a hole on the mark.  Repeat at opposite ends on two of the outside edges.   The idea is to slide the dowels in place at the top and bottom to wrap the ends of the layered ties around.

4. Measure and cut the dowels to fit in the holes and cut them so they don't extend outside of the insert.

5. Stand the insert upside down and lay the top of the layered ties, back side facing up, inside with the excess toward you.  Slide the dowel in over the ties.

6. Lay 2 strips of Fabric Fusion tape on the ties (on either side of the dowel.  Remove the tape backing and fold the excess over the dowel and press securely in place.

7. Repeat for the bottom, making sure to pull the ties tight when securing.

8. Add the tie tacks , pins and bars to the front.  Slide the insert into the frame and place the back of the frame on to secure it.

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