The Tiara/Crown Tutorial!

Hello All,

As I promised, here is a tutorial for making paper or fabric crowns.

Materials:

-Large Poster Board Sheet, Any color (or) Sturdy Cardstock

-Generic Paper/Cardstock

-A multitude of designer Papers or Fabric ( Designer, Scrapbook, Wallpaper, or Contact Paper, basically prints which you like)

-A variety of Vintage Images

-Fabric Trims: Scraps, Tinsel, Holiday Tinsel Garland, Sequims, Ribbons, Etc.

-Glue

-Paints, Inks, Glitters, Glitter Pens/Glues

-Gesso and Gel Medium

-Scissors: tiny and regular sizes, decorative (optional)

-Oddities: Jewelry Bits/Findings, Rhinestones, Metal Pieces, letters: Foam, Wood, ChipBoard, ect.

1.Measure your head, to determine the size of your crown.

2.Make a Pattern for your crown. Go from classic point top, to large and wavy, the choice is yours. See my crowns for examples or research crown/tiara shapes on the computer or book store.

3. After you have traced your pattern onto the poster board, cut it out.

4. Now apply some generic paper in anycolor to the poster board crown on both sides with glue, making sure to get all the bubbles out. A brayer or rolling pin works well, let dry!

5. Now apply a layer of gesso to both sides, let dry.

6. Next find paper that you like and apply to the poster board on both sides with glue, again rolling out the air bubbles. Try using a mix of papers for a more unique look. Example: The inside of the crown could be beige paper and the outside main part could be striped paper.

7. When glue is dry, apply a layer of gel medium to both sides of the crown. This gives the piece flexibility, to bend with out distorted cracks or weird paper bubbles and lines.

8. When Gel Medium dries, you are ready to paint, embellish, decorate your crown.

9. For crown security and to keep on your head, I glue ribbon to the middle of each crown end, so I can tie it closed with a bow. Example: think of how you tie and apron closed.

10. Last Step, get a cup of tea, find your favorite chair and put on your crown that you made, which is fit for a Queen!

The Ultimate Fairydipity Cakes Recipe!

This basic recipe makes 12 large fairydipity cupcake cakes!
12-hole bun tin (these are 6 1/2 cm at the rim and 2cm deep).

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup self-raising flour
3 tablespoon milk

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Grease the cupcake tin with butter or line with the cupcake baking cups.

1. In a mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until pale in color and fluffy.(Use an electric beater, mixer, whisk or a wooden spoon. )
2. Then add the lightly beaten eggs, a little at a time. Next beat in the vanilla.
3. Now sift in half of the flour and fold into the mixture. Add the milk.
then add the rest of the flour and fold until well mixed
4. Finally spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden on top.
Let the tin cool for ten minutes on a rack before removing the fairydipity cakes from the tin.

Options: Pour half the batter into cupcake tins, add red raspberry jams, pudding or fruit, lemon glaze or frosting, toffee pieces, coconut or almond paste, then pour remaining cupcake batter on top.

Frost with your favorite frosting.
Ideas: Cherry Vanilla Whipped Frosting:
Mix 1 pint heavy cream, 1 small box instant French Vanilla Jello pudding mix, 1/2 cup pitted cherries( or maraschino or 1 tablespoon cherry oil/extract) and 4 drops red food coloring to a large bowl, then beat until whipped. (should be fluffy yet firm in texture).

When making Image Transfers:
1. Try using lazer copies, go to staples or a copy center and make a color copy of the images you want to use. Then place color side down onto the packaging tape, and smooth the image into it really good.Then soak in water for a minute or two, needs to be really wet. Then start rubbing it off, should work then, let me know if it doesn't.

2. Another great way to transfer images is to take a wood stain pen usually in a neutral color, or a wood blender pen. place lazer color copy down on piece you are transfering to, and saturate with the marker on the back side, until image is transfered, then seal with matte sealer or gel medium.

3. Liquid Sculpty, pour/rub liquid sculpty over lazer color copy, bake, then soak in water and rub off. Try using translucent sculpty for a backdrop!