Winter-y Thank You Card @ Ranger Blog!

I wanted to let you know that my Winter-y Thank You card is posted on Ranger's Blog today!

It was created by using only 5 different supply items....

Cardstock

Snowflake Rubber Stamp

Deco Arts Stencil

Ranger's Inkssentials White Pen

Adirondack Eggplant Dye Ink

The stencil and pen work is what really makes this card.

It was quick, easy and looks great when finished.

It's a super way to use all those stencils you may have laying around from the 80's that are now just collecting dust!

More and more charms!

This flu is still kickin' my butt which is why I didn't post more this past weekend.   Many many people have asked if I'm going to share photos of the charms from the swap ~ Yes I am!  I am going to wait and share them after I have sent the charms back to everyone.  I was thinking I'd share them in one post but I think there may be way too many for one post so I'll spread them out over a couple days I think.

On that note, I did receive several packages on Friday and Saturday ~ sorry I didn't post about them sooner but I rec'd the following....

Sandy ~ OMG ~ It took me a bit to figure out what your main element was...when I did it was like ~ that is so freakin cool :)  I never thought to do that but I can't wait to share it with everyone!  Way cool idea!

Ginger ~ Both sets are beautiful...I especially like the fairy set!  Those are one of my favorite items to make charms from!

 Erika ~ Your charms made it safe and sound :)  As I told you when I first saw them...they are super :)  Very cool looking!!

Judith N ~ The charms made it just fine! No worries at all about not having the bubble wrap ~ the felt did the trick and they are beautiful :)

Emma ~ Beautiful charms...each and every one!  Couldn't pick a fav. if I had to :)

Diane K ~ Oh Diane they turned out great!  Love the colors and extra goodies you hung from them :)  Thanks so much for the cool little bottle and the vintage lotto cards!  LOVE them!

Getting close now folks! 

I can hardly wait to share them all with you :)

General Charm Info ?'s

Several people have asked questions over the last few days...I thought I'd post the answers here in case others have the same questions...   Oh and I know I am forgetting a couple questions so if I missed yours, jlmk :)

A few people who aren't in the charm swap asked where I purchased the pins I'm giving away to each swap participant.

I actually bought them off of e-bay ~  Kilt Pins ~ but it was a lot of 144 pins.  I know that's alot but I thought I would list a few on my Etsy store and I would be willing to share them here as well.   If you're interested I would be willing to sell these at 1.00 each plus shipping.  I'm not looking to make loads of money on them just charging what will cover the cost of the pin, pay-pal charges and actual postage.   If you're interested, you can e-mail me at ronijj @ g mail (dot) com (no spaces).

 Will I be having another Altered Charm Swap in the future?

Yes.  There seems to be lots of interest so I think I'll have another sometime in the summer/fall. 

Will I continue to post ideas for altered charms even after the swap is over?

Yes!  Lots of people have expressed interest and told me how much they love these ideas so your wish is my command :)  I have LOADS of ideas for charms and I think of more and more each day so I'll be posting altered charm ideas on a regular basis. 

Is my fetish necklace heavy? 

Not as heavy as you'd think.  Most of the pieces are very light so it looks much heavier than it actually is.

How many charms are on the necklace?

Honestly I have no idea.  I just started making and adding charms as I had time.  I stopped adding when it looked finished (in my mind).   I guess I should count them because I get asked that question when I wear it too.

What did I use to seal the photo charms and collaged dominoes?

I used Glossy Accents on all of the images. 

I know there were a couple other questions but I just can't remember them right now. Sorry if I missed your ?  .... please let me know if I did and what it was.  I'd be happy to answer it if I can!

My Fetish Necklace - LOADS of Altered Charms!

Still a bit under the weather today so I was trying to come up with something I could share with you to really get you excited about Altered Charms without having to think too hard.  My brain isn't functioning as well as it should be ~ some of my meds make me loopy.

SO, I thought I'd share my very own fetish necklace that I made several years ago.  I shared it here on the blog in 2008 so most of you might not have seen it yet.  It's got TONS of altered charms including everything from tiny glass bottles, altered puzzle pieces, collaged dominoes, watch parts and pieces (even before Steampunk was cool), tokens, beads, keys and more!

The base that I hung all of the charms off of is actually a piece of red wire.  I tightly wrapped it around the handle of one of my stipple brushes to create the spiral.  When I had about a 6" spiral I slid it off the brush and stretched it out so there was about 1/4" space between each curl.   The charms are attached to this spiral with jump rings.  I used a piece of ribbon threaded through it for the actual necklace.

Enjoy :)

I hope this little peek at my fetish necklace gets you excited to make your own altered charms :)

Have a wonderful weekend friends!!!

6 more Charm Packages rec'd

I had several packages arrive today...makes me wonder if someone along the way wasn't hording them!  Maybe they know there are gems in them thar envies ;)

Today I rec'd the following:

Elaine P - Darling charms!  Did you buy the sand or is it from a favorite beach of yours?  The little tag you attached your charm too is perfect :)  I notice you're from NJ ~ when I went out there for Ranger I was able to visit the ocean for the first time.  I brought home a water bottle full of sand from the beach we visited and I've been using it here and there for lots of my "beachy" projects.  Thanks so much for the extra goodies you included :) 

Gail N ~ As I told you before ~ LOVE your charms...such a clever design!  I am so going to have to make some of these. Thanks for the beautiful thank you card.

Paula A ~ OMG ~ who would have ever thought washers could look so cool!!  Awesome idea!

Kristy ~ Way cool charms...I love your design and all the nifty "extras" on them.  Very pretty!!  Your enive was cool too!

Michensey ~ Your charms arrived today :)  As I mentioned before they are great...no worries at all sweetie :)

Judith ~ Your charms have arrived from Poppy Cottage!  Now I have to say that I would love to see where you live.  With such an enchanting name I'm sure I would love it!    Your charms are totally amazing ~ I was even going to share a charm similar to your spool charm ;)  The tags you made are beautiful as well!!  Did you use a die-cut for the flowers?  If so who was the maker?  I really like the finished look!

I'm sorry I didn't have time to get a tutorial or project around for today... After the ice melted today ds and I ended up going to the dr's today ~ the entire family is sick... One person in dh's family got it and we've been spending so much time together that we're passing it around.  I think the dr will be able to go on a very nice vacation after all the visits he's had from the family over the past few days!  I'm hoping to spend tomorrow playing in the craft room so I'll have something to share with you then :)

Charm Swap Deadline Extended!!!

I am officially extending the Altered Charm Swap Deadline by one week due to very bad weather.

The new deadline will be MARCH 4th, 20011.

Why?  I don't know how the weather has been where you live but we have been having awful weather the last two weeks.  Our schools have been in session a total of 3 days in the past two weeks due to either ice or snow.  They are now calling for an additional 8+" of snow tonight through Saturday and possibly more Sunday night through Monday night depending on which news station you listen to.  

Our mail has been delayed several of those days so I'm sure if it's slowing down mail delivery here it is slowing it down in other areas as well.

I don't want to anyone to miss it because of the weather and postal delays hence the extension.  And I really don't want to cause anyone to drive on bad roads or in nasty weather for fear of missing the deadline.

I know this means we'll all have to wait a bit longer to see/receive our charms but I want to ensure everyone who wants to play can.

Thanks for your understanding!

More Altered Charms

Hi Everyone...

The memorial service for my FIL was today.  It was what he wanted but it doesn't make things any easier.  The pastor talked more about her conversations with him rather than preach so it was really nice since he wasn't outwardly religious. 

I made a few charms yesterday but didn't take any step by step photos...it was more therapy than instructional if you kwim.

Since I know many of us have a nice stash of goodies we bought but haven't used I thought it would be nice to dig through and find things not originally intended as charms to convert.  The first two charm bases are made from scrapbooking embellishments I've had for years.  Metal ribbon words/tag words...originally intended to be add to a photo or scrapbook layout....

I added a few misc. charms and goodies I had laying around from other projects and here is what I got....

In the next photo I have a charm made from a combination of a Tim Holtz Trinket Pin and a little frame embellished with a collage photo and Glossy Accents.

It also has a fun charm I created using a vintage garter belt clip.  Now how fun is that?

Hope you all had a nice day...

Another Altered Key Charm

I had forgotten to share the final altered key charm I made the other day so here it is...this one is more Steampunk than the others were...

I used part of a watch dial, a couple different pieces from the insides of a wrist watch, a minute hand from a regular set of clock hands, two copper filigree links I had from a necklace and the gold filigree piece is actually a bead cap I flattened!

Just another idea on goodies you can use to alter your keys!

Charm Swap - Time to Mail & More Arriving!

This message is for all of you Altered Charm Swappers out there...

If you haven't already done so it's time to get those charms in the mail :) 

A few people have let me know their charms are in the mail...I will let you know as soon as they arrive!  I don't mind waiting for charms past the deadline as long as I know they are coming.  So if you have or are mailing them soon, please let me know!

I have rec'd 3 more packages today...

Neil ~ Way cool charms ~ love the addition of the measuring tape!  I've never seen metal leaves that large before here in the US.  Looks like you've got some neat goodies to play with over there.  Thanks for the beautiful card too :)

Julie O ~ Lovely little birds!!  So dainty and cute!  Who makes that stamp?  Is that Red Lead Paper Works? 

Carolyn ~ All three sets are wonderful but I have to say that shell charm is my fav!  What a great idea.  We don't have any shells around here so I never thought to give that a try.  Are they shells you collected? 

Not long now friends!!!

Vintage Chain Tassel Charm

Today I wanted to share a charm that I just LOVE making...Vintage Chain Tassel Charms. 

Why do I love them you say?

Well, they are easy to make, take very few supplies but the results are amazing!!!

First you're going to need a nice selection of chain.  You could go out and buy a variety of chain from Jo-Ann's, Michaels, HL, etc. and it will work fine.  Personally I like to use vintage chain myself ~ you just can't beat the patina from old, well loved jewelry.   So, where do I get my chains?  Garage Sales, Second Hand Shops, Flea Markets, Antique Malls, etc.  I keep my eyes open for vintage necklaces, chain bracelets, chain belts, even the thicker chains intended for men's pocket watches, wallet chains, etc.   It's all fair game in my book and the best part is you can usually pick up a necklace or bracelet for $0.50 - 1.00 many times less!

Here is a selection of chain I have been collecting for a while ~ most bought at garage sales for .25 this past summer!

The first step in creating the tassel charm is taking apart the chain.  Now you're going to need one or two pairs of jewelry pliers to take the chains apart.  Usually the chain links are similar to jump rings ~ just twist and remove as much or as little chain as desired.  Sometimes the chain links are solid pieces. In this case I just snip a link in two to remove it from the necklace/bracelet/etc.  

I like variety so I use several different styles and colors of chain to make each tassel. You could use all one style of chain in a variety of colors, several different styles in one color, all the same chain, etc.  It's totally up to you and what chain(s) you have on hand.

You'll notice I also have a bit of pearl chain as well.  I love the way worn, vintage faux pearls look.  I think it really adds a nice texture to the finished charm.

Additional supplies needed are:

Cone Finding, Eye Pin and a few Jump Rings. 

Optional Supplies:

Beads, Bead Spacers and Charms (for the bottom of one or more of your chains)

Instructions:

1. You need to string several lengths of chain to the Eye Pin.  This can be done in any number of ways.  I like to hook two chains onto one jump ring then attach that jump ring to the eye pin.  I normally use between 5-7 pieces of chain in a variety of lengths for each tassel.

2. Continue adding chain until you have the desired number of chains.

3. Thread the eye pin through the cone and if desired add beads and/or bead spacers.

4. Use a pair of jewelry pliers to make the loop on the pin and cut off the excess wire. 

5. If desired add charm(s) to the bottom of one or more of the chains.  I like to add the charms after the tassel has been assembled because it will change the length of each chain.   It's easier to keep a nice balance to the finished tassel if you add them in the last step.

And here is the finished tassel!

Cool isn't it?

I just love making these charms...

they are lots of fun and the combinations are endless!!

I hope you give it a try sometime.

Get Inked - Feb's Vintage Cupid Winner....

The winner of a set of my Vintage Cupid stamps from February's Get Inked kit is....

#41 -

Kee!!!

Kee said...

This is so pretty! Hmmm, I think that my favorite gift I ever received was a card that my hubby stamped. He isn't a crafter, so it was hilarious. I still have it and would love it if he made me another.

February 12, 2011 10:29 PM

Congratulations Kee!!

I hope you got your card :)

Please send me your snail mail addy so I can get your stamps in the mail to you.

Happy February Winner!!

I left this drawing up a week longer than I had planned due to family issues but I now have the winner of the Happy February Give-A-Way  and the  Nikki Sivils goodies .....

The winner is (drawn by Random.org)....

Post #25 ~

Gail!!!

Gail said...

Welly since i just had one of my fur-babies pass away suddenly last week..mine is Feb. 20 "Love your pet day"

Was fun reading..tfs..loves ya

February 2, 2011 10:06 AM

Congratulations Gail!!!

(and I'm sorry about your fur babies.)

Please send me your snail mail addy so I can get your goodies in the mail.

Tool Tip ~ Dremel Drill Block

Several people asked me what the block I was using to drill holes when I was using my Dremel in the photo below.



It's actually what's left from a wood mounted stamp that I unmounted!  I use the top side to place flat items that don't have a tendency to move alot when you're drilling them...



and I left the foam on the side that the rubber die used to reside.  The foam helps hold slippery or hard to hold items in place while I'm drilling. 



It's great because it's thick enough to protect my desk when I am drilling but not too large to make it a pain to store.  I just slide it under one of the shelves on my desk and pull it out whenever needed.  Best part is it was free and I don't have to feel bad about tossing it when I have drilled too many holes in it and no longer functional.

So there you go ~ a great idea to help protect your work surface without taking up lots of space or $'s!

Beautiful ~ Stickles & Liquid Pearls Card

Today I wanted to share a ... Beautiful... card with you today ~

It's a combination of plain old stamping, embossing, a little bit of Stickles Glitter Glue and some of the new Liquid Pearls! 

I love stamping lighter "ghost" images in the background then either embossing or highlighting the main image with other mediums.  In this case the stickles & Liquid Pearls.  It makes the main image really pop off the page. 

I hope you are having a great weekend.

Tomorrow I'll draw the winners for both the

February give-a-way

and the

 Get Inked Vintage Cupid Stamp Set.

Be sure to go over and sign up if you haven't already!!

Just For Fun Friday ~ A Wee Bit 'O Green!

Do you realize that it's less than a month until St. Pattie's Day?!?!? 

Well it is and it's time to pull out the stops and get into the Irish Groove of it all.  I've done just that with a couple St. Pattie's Day themed cards. 

I wish I could read Gaelic (I *think* that's what this writing is) so I knew what this background stamp said.  It's so beautiful I'm just sure it's something wonderful - LOL!!

Be sure to check out the Just For Fun Blog to see what the rest of the team has been up to this week!

More Charms!!

I have rec'd a few more packages of charms over the last couple days....

Mindy ~ LOVE your charms...both designs are great ~ I love tiny little bottles and these are just beautiful!  Thanks for the "charming" goodies - tee hee hee!!  The necklace is great...did you make that?  Way cool.

Kim ~ Awesome charms...all 3 sets!  I especially love the tri-ominoes!!!  I made some charms from some of these game pieces a couple years ago but they are hard to find! 

Cher ~ Your fuses are GREAT!!  Love the different colored beads you used.  Thanks so much for the very vintage goodies... and that lil ducky is hilarious!  He made me laugh :) 

It's getting so exciting seeing all of the fun charms you all are coming up with!!  I so can't wait to share the results with everyone!!

Altered Key Charms

Hi Everyone...  I want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and comforting words.  It's amazing how much reading each message and e-mail helps.  I went back into my craft room today for the first time since Monday and I have to say that inking up my fingers and creating is such a healing act.  I was able to plunge into today's project and forget everything else.  I'm a big time cry baby but I haven't shed a single tear since walking into that room...

on to today's project...

Altered Key Charm

I have always loved keys.  I don't really know why...maybe it's because they come in so many different styles and shapes or maybe it's the mystery of never knowing for sure what lock those keys opened.   Either way they have always been something that has fascinated me.  Several years ago I was lucky enough to stumble onto a GREAT deal... a 35lb tin FULL of all sorts of keys!  What fun it was to sort through them and share with other crafty friends.

NOTE: the key with a crown on the top is a very old hotel key that was never used!  How cool is that :)

Today I wanted to share a cool charm incorporating a few of those keys with my Altered Key Charms.  I will also be using the Twisted Wire & Paper Butterfly Wing Charms I shared with you earlier in the week.

As far as the supplies go it's pretty wide open.  You can embellish your key charms with just about anything you can think of.  Some of my favorite things are watch parts ~ gears, faces, hands, etc.; vintage/junk jewelry parts; faux gemstones; collage images; hardware bits; etc.   It's just so much fun to see what all you can lump on there!

You'll also need a good strong glue.  I like to use super glue or jewelry glue.  Brands are totally up to you...I use what I can find. 

Once you've gathered your keys and decorative goodies you're all set.  It's time to play!

I begin by laying various bits and pieces on the key to see what I want to use for each charm.  After I find a look I like I remove each item in sequence then begin gluing each piece to the key.

Depending on the various parts and pieces you use your charms could take on any number of looks... Steampunk, vintage, victorian, shabby chic, grunge, industrial, etc.

It's all up to you and the goodies you use!

And here are the charms I made today...

The next two Key Charms incorporate the Twisted Wire & Paper wings I made...

I still have one more charm but it wasn't finished when I took the pics so I'll share that with you another time.

So there you go...

another quick and easy

but oh so fun charm to try!

Be feel free to share links to your creations if you try this or any of the other charms I've shared with you!

1500!!

This is my 1500th post since I began Ink Stains back in November of 2007.

Doesn't seem like it's been that long ago but as they say time sure flies when you're having fun. 

So to celebrate 1500 I thought it would be fun to hear from you...

Tell me what you've liked, disliked... 

what you want to see more of / less of...

ideas...

suggestions...

is there a technique you'd like to see?

a challenge you'd like to propose?

I'd just love to hear what you think...

After all, I am doing this for you!

Everyone who posts will be entered to win a

$25.00 Gift Certificate to Queen Kat Designs

(and no, you don't have to just buy my stamps - lol!)

You will have until March 6th, 2011 to enter to win!

Good Luck Friends

and

here's to another 1500!!

Sad News - Sorry No Project Today

I just wanted to let you know that I won't have the time nor the will to finish the Twisted Wire and Paper Butterfly charm today...  My FIL passed away last night so it's been a roller coaster of emotions today.  I know it's for the best because he had suffered for a while now but it doesn't help all the feelings.

I'll be back tomorrow with the charm...

Thanks for understanding.

Twisted Wire & Paper Charms

Today I have a really fun and totally unique charm for you to try...

Twisted Wire and Paper Charms!

These babies are so much fun because no charm will ever be exactly the same and it uses items that are in your stash already!  When I started thinking about these charms I originally had in mind a leaf shape but as you will see the ideas grew from there.  You're not limited by the shapes I share below...the sky is the limit.  If you can dream it and twist the wire into that shape it's fair game!

NOTE: I was trying to hurry so some of the pics didn't turn out very good which is why there aren't many with this tutorial.  I will try to remake & take more pics possibly later this week.

Supplies:

Wire (any gauge)
Glossy Accents or Similar Medium
Paper Ephemera ~ Dictionary Pages, Book Pages, Sheet Music, Map Pieces, even pattern papers if you like.
Embellishments (optional) - seed beads, mini gears, glitter, etc.

Instructions:

1. Twist wire into desired shape.  I started off with a leaf shape but then I made a curly leaf, a bird wing and a couple sets of butterfly wings.

KEEP IN MIND: If you are going to use this wire & paper shape as an embellishment you don't need to worry about adding a hanger.  If it's going to be a charm be sure to add a loop in the wire for hanging.

2. After you have twisted the wire into the desired shape you will need to make sure it is pretty flat.  You can flatten the piece several different ways: 

* Place the wire shape on your work surface and stack several books on it and leave it for a couple hours until it flattens out and stays there.  

* Run it through your die cut machine with enough blocks/plates to ensure it gets smooshed flat.

* Bend it and manipulate it until it's pretty flat (that's what I did)

3. Lay the twisted wire pieces onto your paper ephemera. 

4. Fill each shape with Glossy Accents.  I found that it worked best if I ran a small bead of GA around the inside edges of the wire and let it dry for a couple minutes.  I then went back and filled in the entire piece.

Don't worry if some of the Glossy Accents runs out under the edges.  You can cut off the excess later.

 

5. (optional) If you would like to add a bit more interest to your charm/embellishment you can do so quite easily.  After you have filled the wire shape with GA, let it dry for a minute or so then drop in desired extras.  Here I am using watch gears but you could also add seed or micro beads, glitter, tiny screws, faux gemstones, seed pearls, etc... 

6. Let the charms dry completely.   You may be tempted to mess with them before they are dry...DON'T!  You could easily mess it up and have to start all over again.  (don't ask how I know this!)  Leave it set until the Glossy Accents is completely clear.  Several hours to over night is best.

7. Trim the charms from the paper ephemera.  Cut as close to the outside of the wire edges as possible. You can easily trim through excess Glossy Accents as long as your shears are sharp.  I like to use my Fiskars Micro Tips because they stay very sharp and can get in all of the small areas around the twisted wire.

and here is how they turned out....

(backs)

Geared Wing...

And here are the butterfly wings. 

I have a plan for these that I'll be sharing with you in a day or so ;) 

I think you'll like where they end up!

Told you it was easy!

Now it's your turn!

Say Yes to Amber's Dress!

In addition to the Direct TV/Internet guys come today we had a very serious family issue arise today so I didn't get to work in my craft room at all. 

BUT, I did want to share our own version of Say Yes to the Dress!  I have to tell you I had lots of fun...it's just like the show but Amber had about a dozen ladies there to support and I think confuse her - LOL!!  Everyone had opinions but in the end nobodies opinion outweighed her inner joy when she finally made her decision.

Having 2 boys I have to tell you I've never set foot into a bridal shop before so this was a totally new and unique experience for me.  (When I got married I wore my Mom's dress...which fit me perfectly nearly 20 years after she wore it.)  Anyway, it was VERY busy when we arrived...lots and lots of girls trying on not only bridal gowns but formal wear, brides maid and prom dresses....not to mention all the little kids running around.  

I am so proud of her...she looked great in everything she tried on!  She's 5 months preg (due 6-25) and just kept going and going.  Anyway, without further delay here are the dresses she tried on (in order)....

Dress #1

Dress #2

Dress #3

Dress #4

Dress #5

Dress #6

Dress #7

Dress #8

So, which did you like the best?

Which one do you think I liked the best??

Which one do you think she picked as "THE" dress???

I think since this is such a special occasion it calls for a little give-a-way! 

Vote and enter (by posting a comment) for your favorite dress and you'll be entered to win a bag of goodies from my stash!  This goodie bag could be filled with a combination of ribbon, ephemera, embellishments, rubber stamps of course and whatever else I decide to toss in.

You'll have until March 3rd to post your vote to be entered to win!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I wanted to take a minute and wish you all a very

Happy Valentine's Day!!

We're getting a new internet service today.  I'm not sure when I'll be able to post the project for today but I'll be back at some point.

BTW, we did have success with the dress quest!  I'll have more on that later...I took LOTS of pics :)