Bling Bottle Bottoms Dipped in Amazing Casting Resin

 Amazing Inspiration for Bling Bottle Bottoms:   

Time to ring in the new year with some new jewelry inspiration. In a recent tutorial post, I demonstrated how to add a little extra bling to wine cork necklaces by dipping the pieces in Amazing Casting Resin.

See tutorial refresher at  http://amazingmoldputty.blogspot.com/2014/12/take-your-corks-for-swim-faux-wax.html

Today I would like to share a little inspiration for creating glass bottle necklaces with an encaustic waxed layered look.  Mine also hold a little bit of summer sand and a few choice, whimsical words.

Amazing Casting Resin is the perfect choice for adding a little something extra to the glass! By

adding a drop of Amazing Crafting Product Colorant when mixing, the resin can closely resemble paraffin or beeswax. However, unlike wax, the Amazing Casting Resin adheres to this bottle glass necklace very well.

This waxy effect is achieved by making a mold of the glass bottle bottom, using Amazing Mold Putty.  Once the mold is firm, submerse the bottle into a bit of colored resin that you have poured into the bottom of the cured mold.  Dip bottle into the resin several times, then suspend for several minutes to let the excess drip off.  Sit the bottle on a non-stick surface, and let the resin completely harden another several minutes.

Complete instructions for these yummy necklaces can be found in this Winter's issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine.

Ringing In The Year
Doing More Of What Makes You Happy!
A post by Lynne Suprock

This October, Sallianne shared the heartfelt inspiration behind what will be the 2015 ART iS YOU mantra.  Many of you know that one of our treasured art sisters, Allison Stilwell, passed earlier this year, but left us with memory and the hope to live what we love....do more of what makes us happy, and to grow and blossom in kindness.

 I do often wonder why we lose sight of what is wonderful in our lives and neglect the happy.  Are we too busy, too fixated, too sad or angry about something?  Do the worries overcome us? Have we lost something, or someone, or ourselves? As many of us know, life is just too, too short for all those not being happy moments. 

 While we live and breathe, we have been blessed with the potential for doing wonderful and great things.  No one accomplishes their best or can help others to rise above, if they are sad or unhappy themselves.  What should we do to get out of that funk?

So the answer just might be to find what makes us happy and do more of it, right?  We want more of the kind of happy that is like the flame that kindles our heart, or like the rain that washes us anew.

While much can be said about being happy, what makes one person happy is not always the same as what makes another happy.  As well, doing more of what makes you happy doesn't actually mean, having more of what makes you happy.   You have to find the happy, engage the happy, and then spread it all around to other people in the hopes of making them happy too.  Doing more of that kind of happy is a good thing.

OK so maybe happy also comes with a few indicators.  Let's review.

There are various levels of smiles that can most certainly occur. On a happy scale of 1 to 10,  the grin, comes in at a 1, and the uncontrolled belly buster laugh scores a 10.

There might also be the warm, wonderful feeling of serenity, or even the explosive nature of excitement, as if a child at an amusement park, that comes over a few happy people. 

Happy makes for more productive moments, more enjoyable moments, and more special moments, that remain with us and become some of our most wonderful and precious memories.

And I think we can all agree that happy makes us feel better generally.  If we need to heal or regroup, we do better if we can find and surround ourselves with what makes us happy.

A few of the things I do this time of year to make me happy include quite a few right brain endeavors.....photographing winterscapes, singing those holiday carols (off key, of course), cooking something new, petting and snuggling with my cats, visiting friends and family who I don't have time to see much the rest of the year, and organizing, organizing, organizing.  (oops that is definitely left brain happy!)

one special happy snuggle kitty

What I plan to do in 2015 is a bit more art related happy.  I am going to play with my paints for a change, and seriously begin sewing again.  I will make pilgimages to see art sister friends, support new art girl businesses, and visit my grand baby.  I am going to play the piano when I cannot sleep, and I am going to throw out ALL the shoes that don't fit, and Zentangle some of the pairs that do.  I am going to make art from the heart gifts and continue to give them away to those who could use a smile.

Most times, hands down, I definitely find my happy when I teach.  That's why Art Is You, in fact, is one of my happy places. Where better to pass along your happiness than at an art retreat, either as student or teacher, embracing the moment and sharing oh, so much, with kindred spirits?  

So what are some of the things you do that make really, truly make you happy? Can you do more of it, and how do you pass it along?

Share some of what you do to make you happy and try to do MORE of it in the coming year.    

FB Designer's Challenge

Jewelry Designer's Challenge 

I don't exactly respond to all my emails or scan FB every day.  Sometimes I spend a couple hours and do a catch up with it all thing.  I have even toyed and still talk about getting off the FB wagon due to all the time it eats up.  As well, there is a dark side of FB fever too.  And I just won't get into that here.....

So last week, I did miss the initiation of one cool shout out for sharing between creatives.  uh oh.  It just so happened I arrived a couple days late on the scene after being nominated by art sister Cat Kerr.  The rules were established by Donna Greenberg.  They go something like this......

"Post one of your jewelry pieces on your FB page, one per day, for 5 days in a row (does not need to be new: can be a design you made in the past)  and nominate another artist each day to continue this challenge."

What a NICE thing to see and do on FB I thought.  Seeing everyone's creations, made me so very happy and lucky to have so many creative women as my friends....virtual or not.

OK, Easy Peasy, I thought.  Well, since 2007, I made, and sold, published and taught how to make, lots and lots of pieces that I love.  How do I choose?  Then, there is the, "My heavens,WHO do I nominate?" part.  Oh my gosh, there are dozens of artists that immediately come to mind.....all very talented indeed.  These were hard choices.

So, here I am 4 days into my challenge (and a sneak peak at Day 5 enamels) and each piece shared so far, still brings a smile to my face.

I wanted to put my choices here on the blog to share, just in case, you are practicing FB in moderation this week too.  Enjoy and grab some cocoa and seek out the others... :-)

Panda Bear Pendant

by Lynne Suprock

Hey guys!  Lynne Suprock, design team member here for Amazing Crafting Products.  Today I am delighted to bring you a tutorial on making a fun little Panda Bear Pendant!

Our grandson is visiting in the house this month, and so the rooms are alive with toddler fun and games..... and trains and planes........ and lots of play animals.  

I found inspiration for my tutorial from those very things.  Enter Mister Panda Bear... 

Click Below And Enjoy The video!

CLICK HERE

What crafty treasures would you

mold with Amazing Mold Rubber?

I would love if you would leave a comment below to let us know how this technique works for you! Please share what you make with Amazing Casting Products on our website in the User Gallery.