Tips For Working With Creative Paperclay

I love working with Creative Paperclay product for many reasons, but mostly because I love making one of a kind projects for my friends and family, and for myself too!  Yet there are times when something doesn't turn out quite as I wanted it to look!!!  

• When you need something to be completely flat - try to put it in the oven instead of letting air dry!
• Make pieces ahead of time, so you can simply grab things and create!  
• Take your time in planning things out - and as your are making, use plenty of water to smooth things out as you go!  
• Recycle products as you can to give a firm base for what you are creating!  I love to use recycled things you normally would throw away for other things!  

Not everything is going to turn out perfect - spend time and enjoy simply creating!  The project above didn't turn out "perfect" - but it did turn out the exact way I wanted it to turn out!  

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme and 

Creative Paperclay Design Team 2016

Let's create a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Banner

Hi!,
I love that fall has finally come to North Texas. Chilly mornings, an extra large cup of coffee, and crafting on my patio. Pure Heaven!!

My inspiration for today's project comes from a Dia de los Muertos (Day of the dead) festival in my town of Denton Texas.

When the first of October comes to north Texas you start to see tons of sugar skull decorations. Getting ready for the celebration this year, I decided to create a sugar skull banner incorporating Creative Paperclay® for my potion shelf.

 Supply list
Creative Paperclay Delight
Sugar skull  cookie cutter
Heavy cardboard banner
9" of 36" wide fabric
Black felt
Colored hemp cord
Decoupage for fabric glue
Flowers with skulls
Corn starch
Acrylic paint (white, black, neon blue, neon pink, light purple)
Tacky glue
Scissors
Fabric pencil
Ruler

Lets get started 

The skulls

1.  Roll out your delight clay 1/4 inch. (Delight is much lighter than original paperclay and perfect for this type of banner)
2. Dust the edge of your cookie cutter with corn starch
3. Press cutter into clay. Lift out and lay flat piece on the table
4. ( If you have a cookie cutter with details like mine, turn over the cutter and press the face imprint into clay)
5. Make two more faces
6. Set aside and let dry

    7. Paint the front and back of the skulls white and let dry
    8. Finish the features using your acrylic paints and set aside

The banner flags 

1. Use one of the banner flags as a template 
2. Lay fabric(wrong side up) on a table
3. Using a ruler and a fabric pencil trace 1/4" edge extra around your template
4. Glue the fabric on the cardboard.  
5. Snip of the corners
6. Put glue on the fabric edges and fold them over
7. Using the template cut a piece of black felt and glue it on the back

     8. Take 3 strands of colored hemp and braid them together

   9. Thread the cord through the banner pieces. (leaving room for the skulls)
  10.Glue the skulls on the cords using tacky glue
  11.Glue the flowers to the banner using tacky glue


Thanks for stopping by. I hope that you can be inspired to create a banner of your own.

Happy Creating,
Shari

  

Getting Ready For Halloween - Creative Paperclay Style

Last year at Halloween time, my husband and I created this scene together!!!  I really liked the time we spent together creating it!!!  This year - we are adding to it - using what was left over from the stuff Creative Paperclay and Gina's Designs sent me last year, and a bit of ummmm "extra's" shall we say!!!  I will be using a combination of the chip board pieces I got last year, and the Creative Paperclay and Delight products I just got - in order to create more things to go with last years scene!!!
  
**Tip's**

• Look at things you would normally throw away, and use them as bases for other things!  Things like a fruit cup turned in to a cauldron - paper towel holder into a tree - chip board into a haunted house...you get the idea!!!
• Make a plan ahead of time - don't wait until the last minute to get things done!  If you plan more of the details, you know what all you will need to do to get the project done without problems!
• Get the whole family involved - don't do this whole thing yourself!  Simply have fun creating and spending time as a family no matter what you end up creating!  

No matter what project you start to work on - enjoy your time creating what you do, and spending time with your family!  I can't wait to see what we end up creating - out of everyday things we would normally throw away!!!  I also can't wait to spend the time creating more things for our scene - together!!!  

Until next time,

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme and

Creative Paperclay Design Team

         

  

  

Lynda's Altered Box

I get a lot of boxes - and hate to throw them away!  I have a desk that holds most of my creative stuff - along with a few other small pieces which holds other small pieces that is!  Since I have all these boxes - I decided to alter one, using molded flowers using the Delight product!!!  

Supplies used:
Priority mail box 
Stampin' Up papers and cardstock
Stampin' Up white bakers twine
Sizzix vine and flower die cut
Flower mold
Delight product
Border punch
Bakers twine
Luminart Paint - Sunflower and Rose Gold
 
**Tip - make sure to find molds you will use a lot, and make up a bunch of them ahead of time!  This way - when you need them, they are made and ready to go!!!  

Directions:
Step one:  Start with the box and cut the flaps from the top of the box.  

Step two:  Start with the papers for the inside with the bottom first - then the 2 small sides, finishing with the 2 longer sides.  

Step three:  Add the outside papers - starting with the small sides first - then the longer sides.  

Step four:  Cut a "V" on each corner - to allow for the paper to be folded down to the inside.  Make sure you use adhesive to glue it to the inside to hold it down.

Step five:  Take a white sheet of cardstock - measure to just a bit smaller than the side of the box - border punch around the top and bottom edge.

Step six:  Take the vine die cuts and the flowers (I used two for each flower and layered) - and add them to the front on top of the white sheet from step five.  

Step seven:  Paint the already molded (and dried) flowers in the Sunflower and Rose Gold to go on top of the flowers - 2 of each color.  Then take 2 small flowers, paint in Sunflower and 1 larger one and paint in Rose Gold - add to bottom corner.  

Step eight:  Finish with the bakers twine going around the whole box and making a bow at the front!         

 








Step nine:  Add your scrapbook/creative items to the inside of the box and get ready to make more!!!   

Great to simply add things you are working on - at the time you need them, putting away when you simply do not have the time TO do something...  Plus you can simply grab a new box and alter it as you change designs or you find a new paper design you want to use!  Make more than one using one printed and solid pack that coordinates!   I know this will help me get very organized, keeping out only what I need at the time!  Easy project - can be used for so many things and so many rooms!  

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme and

Creative Paperclay Design Team 2016       

Lynda's Beginner Tips -

I have been a part of this team for a number of years now - I am on my 3rd year, working towards my 4th!  I have used both Creative Paperclay and Delight products in various ways over the past few years, but mostly - with my paper craft supplies!  With the current team we have - the skill level is all across the board for sure, sure to find something you can create!!!      
My latest project - is simply my favorite one so far (picture above - link here), something I have hanging on the wall of my fridge to keep notes, phone numbers and shopping lists on!  It even has a space in the corner to keep the recipe I might be working on, so it stays out of the way and I can read it!!!  I am making other magnets to go with this - that way I can change them as I want to!!!  

Out of it all - I have learned a lot of things in creating with these products:

• Creative Paperclay is more heavier than Delight - and can be baked, where the Delight shouldn't be, it takes way less time to dry! 
• If you have any molds, mold some of the product up front - to save time when you really need them the most!
• When you are creating larger projects - learn to let water be your best of friend with the Creative Paperclay product!  It will help to smooth little imperfections, and blend pieces together if you need it to!
• If you paper craft - you can use a lot of products you already have, with one simple package of Creative Paperclay!  I use stencils, rubber stamps and basic supplies to create one of a kind things!
• Do things in shifts - don't expect to create this masterpiece in a short time, when you need time to create it in the first place!
• Make a list of what you want to work on - and keep it all in one place.  Things like sketches - a supply list to purchase - a photo for inspiration - a Pinterest pin, everything listed in one place!

I can't wait to show you the fun things I have planned for the next few months - Halloween and Christmas related!!!  

Until next time,

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme and 

Creative Paperclay Design Team

      
 

Lynda's Recycled Cardboard Insert

I am all for recycled projects, this month's project, made from a packaging insert I got from a scrapbooking find!!!  I wanted something I could hang on my fridge in my kitchen, to hold "to do lists" and recipe's on!!!  I am making my space around me look nice, so these little things - will all tie together in the bigger picture soon!!!  We are starting in the kitchen and moving on from there!!!    

  

Supplies used:
Creative Paperclay product flattened
Filler product
Piece of chipboard
Magnet stripes
Paint (Sage green)
Binder clip
Flowers (paper, die cut and molded flowers)
Ink pad (Stampin' Up - Pistachio Pudding)
Bakers twine (Stampin' Up - white)
Hot glue


Directions:
Step one:  Flatten out the brick of Creative Paperclay product - see video below if you need any help there!
   

  

Step two:  Cover the front part of the chipboard shape, wrapping a small bit around to the back side.  Add a smaller piece to the back - using your fingers to blend the two pieces together.  Using your finger and water, make the Creative Paperclay smooth, especially watching the edges.  

Step three: Allow the piece to dry - making sure to turn the piece over and over again to allow for both sides to dry flat and dry consistently.  You could also try to put this in the oven for quicker dry time if you need to.  Make sure to allow a few days for this step if you don't dry it in the oven.

Step four:  Once thoroughly dried, make sure to inspect for any imperfections.  Once this had started to dry - I found a crack in it that needed to be fixed, I used some filler product we received as a design team to fix it!  Since I can't read the language on the bottle, I have no idea what it is, just that it has an awesome yellow lid and it is really great to fill in holes and cracks!   


Step five:  After everything dries - sand it on the front, back and sides, to make sure it is ready to go.  Once it is - you want to get it ready to paint the piece.  

Step six:  Put 2 coats of paint (at least) to the front and back of the piece, allowing to dry completely between coats.  

Step seven:  Start to add white bakers twine around the bottom of the piece, and the various flowers you have selected at the top and 1 on the bottom.  With the middle flowers, I added a bit of the Pistachio Pudding ink pad to the front of the flowers to add a bit of color to it!  

 








Step eight:  Add the 2 binder clips - one larger one at the top to add notepaper to, and the small bottom one to keep a recipe when you are cooking!  

Step nine:  Finish by adding the magnet strip's to the back of the piece!  From this picture, I added a small piece to each corner - and one more larger piece to help hold it up on the fridge!  

I can't wait to get the rest of the kitchen done - though this is the first of a few things I am creating!  I will have to purchase more paint, so I can coordinate the whole look!  This one space, will help the next space, and the next one, and the next one!  

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynda Jeffs

Creative Paperclay Design Team 2016 

and Memories in Tyme    

                

Fairy Garden dragonfly

I have really been enjoying making things to add to my fairy gardens, yes, that's plural, I actually have another one called Meadow's garden and she is my little artist fairy. I felt bad that she didn't have a friend like Petal does in her garden, so I decided a dragonfly would be perfect.

Meadow is sporting the U.S. flag in her garden in honor of the 4th of July!

I began by 

1. rolling out my Creative Paperclay® 

2. next I printed out a dragonfly and cut it out, then traced around the image 

 3. Next I used my scissors to cut it out.

I took some Paperclay and built up his body around the wire legs and let him air dry for 48 hours.

One of the most important steps is coating my fairy garden pieces with Paverpol which really hardens the pieces and even though they are on the balcony, under the roof, they are still outside, and get misted with water about every day. They are holding up beautifully too! After the Paverpol dried I then sprayed him with some spray inks and again let dry.

I did give the spray inks a coating of spray varnish, then attached him to a pod thingy ( haven't a clue what that is ) and stuck him in my garden. His legs are wrapped around the stick, no glue needed.

“”The dragonfly spiritually embodies the stripping away of negativity that holds us back, helping us to achieve our dreams and goals. Dragonflies are the keepers of dreams, the energy within that sees all of our true potential and ability. Dragonflies inspire spirituality and creativity, they help us on the path of discovery and enlightenment. They remind us that anything is possible.” – Beauty and the Green

Before You Throw It Away - Recycle and Repurpose

Before you start to throw things away - boxes, inserts from things you have purchased, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls...look at them a bit differently when it comes to creating with Creative Paperclay!  My husband and I created a fun Halloween set last year - this year, we are adding more things to go with the things we did last year!  I am making a tree out of two toilet paper rolls and Creative Paperclay product!!!  We are flattening out the product and making houses out of our cat treats containers and Project Life boxes!!!  I can't wait to get them done and shared with you when they are completed!  

• Look at the things you normally would throw away - and find other uses for
  
  them with decorations for holiday's or for your home!
• Make sure you look at things you need to create a few months from now - NOW!  This way you are not rushed as to things you need to get done!  
• Sketch things out on paper before hand.  How do you want your project to look at the end of it all?
• If you have molds - and either the Delight or the Creative Paperclay product - make sure to mold a few of your favorite designs ahead of time!  This way - it saves on dry time when you are working on a project!  
• Get organized!  If you do a lot of crafts - find a system to organize yourself that works for YOU!  If you are in a small space, look for ways that you can hide things - baskets, bins...and find something such as a wardrobe where you are able to add shelves in it for your things!  

I love working with the Delight and Creative Paperclay products - both for different reasons!  I love how light and airy the Delight product is - and how you can really create that block of Creative Paperclay into something amazing!  I equally love how you look at the others on this team - and you can learn so much from them -( have you seen the Fairy Garden, talk about DARLING)!!!  I can't wait to see what our team has created next!!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Lynda Jeffs

Creative Paperclay Design Team 

and Memories in Tyme

 

  

Lynda's BeginnerTips

I love to create one of a kind "things" - no matter what I do!  I love for each of my projects to simply be that "one", where no two are alike!  When I use Creative Paperclay, those projects are even that much more special, because of that reason!  I have been doing a bit of projects using a flattened piece of Creative Paperclay, and I have a few tips I wanted to share with you - that will help you with a few things!!!  

• When you are flattening out your product - use even pressure with your hands when you are rolling it out.  
• Cut out a bit larger of a piece of the shape you want, and then re-flatten that out using the same even pressure.  It will help to make it one level and easier to create on.
• Make sure you clean up the area you are cleaning up before you start to flatten it out.  I mean right before!  A washcloth and water is just fine!!!
• Look at your calendar for the next few months as to things you want to get done!  If it takes you a bit of time to create more in depth projects, start to plan now!!!!

I have a few things planned out the next few months - using recycled products, so make sure you check for my ideas this summer for fun recycled project ideas!  You don't have to spend a lot on the projects you make - start small, like me!  I am also planning out the rest of my Halloween scene my husband and I did last year, we will see how this turns out for sure!  Thanks for stopping by!  

Lynda Jeffs

Memories in Tyme and

                                            Creative Paperclay Design Team  

 

Fairy Garden accessories

I love my Fairy Garden and creating accessories for it is the most fun. I decided that my Fairy needed a friend so I created a darling little snail all dressed up in sparkles and flowers to sit with her in the garden and keep her company.

I began my rolling out a coil of Creative Paperclay with my hands. I found I got a smoother roll by using the palm and heel of my hand versus my fingers. Both of my projects use this method.

Then I simply wound the rope shape into a spiral. ( I should have smooshed it together a bit more, you can see in the above picture a gap between the clay because it didn't make full contact and separated a little when it dried. )  While the clay was still damp I made indents for the eyes and holes for the antenna. I removed everything and let it dry. 

I also made her some flowers using a flower mold for the sides of her shell and a larger one for her hat and brushed on some water to adhere them to her body and left them attached to dry.

Next, I wanted to make a base for the gazing ball which is really a broken lamp finial. I've had it in the fairy garden but the darn thing kept rolling around and never stayed put, so I thought a base would be the ticket.

First, I made a ball of clay and pressed the globe into it to create the concave surface for it to properly rest upon and then used another rope to wind around the base and added a flower. Removed the crystal to let everything dry.

Once they were dry I coated both pieces with Paverpol to harden them up and even though they would sit outside on my covered balcony they would still need some protection from the elements.

Then the fun part of painting them, which really brings them to life.

 Creative Paperclay takes very well to acrylic paints.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I would love to see you fairy creations on my Facebook page

Fairy Garden Art