A Vintage Pink Christmas

I love the magic of Christmas and all its whimsy, every year I get into a different color scheme, for a few years I did reds, prims, berries, then all tinsel and shiny brite, this year I'm loving pink, pink and more pink. At the office w/decided on blue's, whites and silvers for a snowy, snowman, winter wonderland.

For this post I'd like to share with you a series of ornaments I re-created from vintage ones I have or were inspired be, keeping them in a pink, tinsel theme and making them easy enough to re-create for yourselves.

This first set of ornaments are called: The Fairy Slippers
These ornaments are made from sturdy cardstock, chip board, Dresden: images and scraps, vintage glitter, tinsel and crepe paper, Easy to make!This next set of ornaments are called the Enchanted Dresden Party Cones! Made using a Dresden cone shape, glass pine cone ornament, mercury glass beads, tinsel, Dresden: images and scraps, tinsel, vintage glitter and ribbon.This next set of ornaments are called the Victorian Boot Tussie Mussies, Made with a discarded porcelain china doll leg/boot, crepe, tinsel, mercury glass, Dresden Trims and glitter!In my next ornament post I will share with you 3 more vintage inspired and pink Christmas ornaments that are fun and easy to make, using recycled items you may have around the studio or craft box!

Happy Holidays,
xoxo
Lisa

Instant Glam Bracelet Project

The amazing Carmi Cimicata asked me to be apart of this fabulous blog hop, which I was given two products from Instant Glam: Crystal Rocks and Bezels to create a project., I chose to use the two pieces from Instant Glam to incorporate in my popular crystal bracelets, the result, a fun and flirty bracelet with the colors of the sea to add some sun to my cold December.



Materials:
-Beading elastic
-Crystal beads (color of your choice)
-Instant Glam Bezel
-Instant Glam Rocks
-Tools: wire plier and jewelry wire

Directions:
1.Measure your wrist for bracelet size, cut 3 strands of 16 inch beading elastic, thread each strand w/the crystal beads, enough to cover your wrist (thread the elastic through the bracelet strands twice for durability, secure w/tight knot.

2. Glue the instant glam crystal rocks of  your color choice to the instant glam bezel, let dry.

3. Attach the rocked out bezel to the three strands of beads using wire, voila and fun and fabulous bracelet.

Tips:
-Use pre-made bracelets as a base if you aren't too jewelry friendly or want to save time.


Instant Glam is an exclusive line of components by Fernando which brings a wave of fresh air and innovation to the do it yourself category.

Hope you enjoyed my project and get excited about these fabulous components as much as I am

xoxo
Lisa

Its Baseball Season Every Season

Its doesn't have to be Spring, Summer or Early Fall to be baseball season, its baseball season every season for a true fan or sports connoisseur and with one of my custom baseball cuffs you can keep the season alive and warm even in the chilliest of winter.

The photos through out this post are of the latest baseball cuff creations made for my recent customers. The orange dyed leather baseball cuffs are created for a San Fran Giants Fan, the red pearl lined and used baseball is for a Red Socks Queen , The next two used baseball cuffs are the original style w/a Q for Queen and the last two are the upgraded glam extra bling baseball cuffs aka glam cuff.

This year I unveiled the newest form of the cuffs, using metal inserts which I find make for a better wrist contour and adjustable for every wrist size. A few things to keep in mind when ordering.
1. New/unused baseballs are very starchy white and when unraveled have a sterile look.
2. Game or practice used baseballs give your cuffs more character and hold leather dyes the best when coloring the cuff, the look better w/stitching and rhinestones, plus have a better ridge line for stitching.
3. Grunge and dirty baseballs are the most vintage in look and look very general store-esque which gives it more charm.
Also remember besides baseball cuffs, I offer football, basketball, tennis, nascar, hockey, soccer, softball and other sports coming soon! visit my artfire store for cyber week savings on the cuffs, save $10 off each cuff, limited time only!
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/MoonfairesWorld
http://www.artoperanj.com/category_38/Baseball-Football-Basketball-Tennis-Cuffs.htm

xoxo
Lisa

Back after a busy August!

Hello Friends,
 Henry, the Spider Fairy, Lisa Kettell Designs c.2007

Just a quick note to say, hello and I'm back from taking the month of August off from blogging, and designing, to focus on some shows, work and deadlines, orders and shop revamping. But now September has arrived, school time is here and harvest time is on its way, Indian Summer, the time of year I love, it paves the way to Halloween, My Birthday (hehehe), Thanksgiving, Christmas/Holidays and New Years, a whole lot of fun on the horizon.

This month expect new designs, products, works from the design team, sports, football season, cuffs and tutorials, glimpses into new adventures and eclectic fun, including some tri-state night life, cafes and fashion.

Stay tuned for the newest posts starting tomorrow afternoon!

Have a wonderful day,
Lisa
and the whole Lisa Kettell Designs/Piddlestixs Crew!
xoxo

Design Team Project by Kim Smith

Bear and the Paper Crown

by Kim Smith

Kim's Bear is wearing his new crown inspired by a project book from my book: Altered Art Circus, Lisa Kettell, Quarry Books. The main image and the instructions to make this crown can be found in the book, along with other fun projects.

I love love love Design Team Member Kim Smith's version of the crown and her fabulous model aka "Bear", he is just the cutest model ever, I just want to kiss his nose.

Stay tuned this weekend for more design team projects and fun!

xoxo
Lisa

DIY Faux Vintage Tinsel

Materials
-Non-detergent brillo pad ( cheap dollar store ones work)
-Clear tacky glue or clear glue
-Antique silver color glitter

Directions
1. Pull apart pieces of the brillo pad, begin rolling into a snake like shape.

2. To add more length to the rolled snake like shape, pull more brillo apart and attach to an end of the snake like shape, roll into. The brillo will attach easily to more brillo without the need for glue.

3. Repeat step two until you use up the whole brillo pad.

4. Add extra glitz using clear glue and antique silver glitter.

To age your faux vintage tinsel rub tinsel with a brown ink pad, I use mixed media ink pads from clearsnap to age my tinsel.

Tips/Tricks
-Try soaking your brillo pad in an ink bath, let dry. Use a heat gun to speed up the drying process.
-Wrap your tinsel around a vintage spool to store it.

Design Team Project by Kim Smith

Baby Bailey Treasure Box....with Tutorial!

This pretty little altered box was made using a simple wooden box and a Lisa Kettell Designs  'Baby Bailey' style molded doll. I love these little molded dolls!

Supplies:

Baby Bailey Molded Doll 3 inch
Small wooden hinged box with lid
Fabric flowers and leaves
Tacky Glue
Decoupage glaze
Acrylic Paint
Decorative napkins
Gold Rub n Buff
Distress Ink
Glitter


Directions:

1. Glue Baby Bailey to the top of your box using Tacky Glue and let dry. The box I used had a little inset in the top which was perfect for placing my little doll.
2. Paint the inside of your box with acrylic paints, let dry.
3. Collage a pretty paper napkin (separated from it's white base layer) onto the outside of the box (avoid covering the hardware) using matte medium and then paint to add more color if you wish.
4. Glue small fabric flowers around your Baby Bailey, add leaves and other small floral accents until you like how it looks.
5. Glue a word or other embellishment on to Baby Bailey's tummy if would like.
6. Apply a thin coat of decoupage glaze to Baby Bailey and the flowers, being sure to coat them evenly. Add more thin coats as needed until you are happy with how it looks.
7. When the last coat on the top is completely dry, add a thin coat to the rest of the box if you wish.
8. When all is dry, use distress ink to age and add dimension.
9. Use gold Rub n Buff on the edges of the box and on the hardware.
10. Add glitter if you wish and then let it all dry.

Please be sure to visit Lisa Kettell's Moonfaire'sWorld for lots of other fun art stuff for your mixed media projects! xo

___________________________________________________________________________________
I love love love Kim's newest project, this is amazing, I love what she did with the Bailey Style, I'm drooling over here, can't wait to try this! xoxo

Design Team Project by Kim Smith

Sun & Fun....Seaside Assemblage

I made this fun little altered tin using images from Lisa Kettell Designs Seaside Collage CD. Here's a little tutorial on how to make one for yourself...

Supplies:
Seaside Collage CD- choose a background image and a figure that you like
3x4 inch rectangular tin without lid
Asstd shells
Tiny umbrella
Glitter, rhinestones, colored confetti
Small piece of gold German Scrap
Acrylic paints
Small items to make 'feet' for tin

1. Paint tin and let dry. I used blue and purple on the outside, creamy white on the inside.
2. Cut out your images. Glue your background to the inside of the tin and add words or any other embellishments you would like to use.
3. Add a small stand to the back of your figure and adhere to back of tin so she appears to be freestanding.
4. Add umbrella behind your figure and glue.
5. Glue confetti, moss, shells and glitter to the inside base of your tin.
6. Make your tin header from cardstock and decorate. I used rhinestones and a small piece of german scrap for mine. Glue to tin and edge with glitter.
7. Glue feet if desired to tin. I used clear pebbles with flat sides for mine.
8. Antique edges of tin, feet and other embellishments to age and add dimension.
9. Let it dry completely.

___________________________________________________________________________________
How amazing is this piece from design team member Kim? I just love it, after I spent a day at the Jersey Shore last Wednesday, then saw this piece, I became inspired to re-create my day at the beach following this fabulous seaside project!

Stay tuned for more amazing projects from our FABULOUS design team at Lisa Kettell Designs!
xoxo
Lisa

Rosalina and Poe

Design Team Project By Marfi Bradford

The following is a DT project for Lisa Kettell Designs created by DT Member, Marfi Bradford ! It is a piece straight out of a fairytale, she created this from inspiration in the book: Altered Art Circus, Lisa Kettell, Quarry Books. My book is available at major book stores, craft stores, independents and Amazon! Or purchase through me, autographed! Let's go an explore the amazing Marfi's Fabulous creation called: Rosalina and Poe!

Rosalina and Poe

Every time I look through Lisa Kettell's book Altered Art Circus, I'm so inspired!
For my latest design team project I decided on making my own version of "Miabelle and Gertie", one of the creations from this incredible book.

Supplies
Birdcage
small crown
pink wool roving
small Styrofoam bird
small wooden disk about 2 inches in diameter
model magic in white
acrylic paint in peach, pink, dark pink, rust, dark brown, black
black spray paint
rhinestones
pink tulle
scrapbook paper
paper flowers
assorted charms
assorted ribbon
pipe cleaner
doll hands
black glitter
hot glue

Directions
Spray paint birdcage, set aside to dry.
form doll head and torso out of model magic, poke pipe cleaner through to form arms, let dry overnight.
once dry, paint peach and add features using acrylic paint.wrap ribbon around torso to make bodice of dress.wrap more ribbon around pipe cleaners for sleeves.attach doll hands with hot glue.
hot glue wool to head and carefully mold into desired shape.
add rhinestones and crown.
hot glue bird to disc, paint black, cover with glitter, let dry.attach small birdcage charm to head of bird then glue bird to inside of cage.
attach assorted charms to cage.
glue doll to top of cage.
add paper flowers to doll and cage.place strips of accordioned scrapbook paper on sides of cage.
secure ribbon to base of cage.
tie pieces of tulle to back of cage.
make a bow with ribbon glue onto waist of doll.

Tips:doll parts can be found in the baking section of craft stores
you can add butterfly wings to back of doll.
children's jewelry can be used in place of crown
Buy Lisa's book 'Altered Art Circus' in her art fire shop