Jo-Ann Fabrics Spring 2011 Press Kit

Delicious Denim Necklace Copyright Margot Potter for Jo-Ann Fabrics

A while ago the folks from Jo-Ann Fabrics contacted me about participating in their Spring 2011 Press Kit. Big thanks to the folks from ILovetoCreate for recommending me. I had a blast making a necklace from die cut and embellished used denim. I have a small pile of jeans in a bag in my studio which I periodically cut up for projects, it's a small but earnest contribution to being green. Used jeans are such a terrific canvas for paints and inks and they can withstand a lot of crafty abuse, plus the thrift stores are overflowing with them. Flowers and butterflies were EVERYWHERE at CHA this year, so I was right on trend when I created this.

I love when that happens!

March is National Craft Month, so look for this design and the other fabulous creations by some of the biggest names in crafting at your local JoAnn Fabric store!

We closed on our new home today and it is filled with eco-friendly materials, including recycled denim insulation! Who says old jeans can't learn new tricks?

Love
Madge

Rustique Necklace and Earrings Margot Potter for JTV's Jewel School

Rustique Necklace and Earrings Copyright 2011 Margot Potter for Jewel School

Here's this week's mixed media jewelry making project for JTV's Jewel School! I love this fringed wired ribbon, don't you? It works so nicely with these earthy gemstones.

Follow this link for step by step instructions on the JTV Blog!

Cheers,
Madge

Silver Poppies ArtClay Necklace and Earring Set for Jewel School

Silver Poppies Copyright 2010 Margot Potter for Jewel School

Hear ye, hear ye! It's time once again for a free jewelry making project AND a free jewelry making video for Jewel School! Hurry on over to the JTV blog to get the necklace project and check back on the video page for the debut of the video showing you how to make the ArtClay components! It should be up later today.

I've been a busy beader, can ya tell?!

Cheers,
Madge

Heidi Goes Glam and Madge's Pre-Debut Debut on Jewel School

Heidi Goes Glam Mixed Media Necklace Copyright 2010 Margot Potter for Jewelry Television

Here's a sneak peek of a new project I created this week for Jewelry Television. I called this Heidi Goes Glam. The hand painted mother of pearl beads are to die for cute, don't you just love them?! Check their blog for step by step instructions today AND tune in from 9am to 12pm EST for my pre-debut debut on Jewel School! If you can't watch on TV they live stream on their website.

xoxo,
Madge

ILoveToCreate Pink Splash 3-D Flower Bangle

ILovetoCreate Teen Crafts Pink Splash 3-D Flower Bangle
Copyright Margot Potter
“Mom crafted, kid approved.”

I designed a chain and bead necklace a couple of years ago featuring a similar hot pink die cut flower on it for a class proposal. At the time, this kind of look hadn’t hit mainstream fashion hard and I think it was just a skootch ahead of the curve. Flash forward to 2010 and dimensional floral accents are EVERYWHERE! I’ve re-imagined it attached to this pretty painted pink bangle design using fabric paints, fabric markers and Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue. I think this is one of those perfect ‘Back-to-School’ accessories for the teen fashionista. It’s flirty and fun and girly and right in step with what’s happening in the fashion mags.

PLUS the flower spins around like a pinwheel, so it’s a kinetic design too! When those crystals get spinning, it’s really quite mesmerizing!

This requires using an electric drill, so a little assistance from mom or dad may be required. You could opt to do smaller flowers and have them circle the wrist, but I’m a big and bold kinda gal and so is Miss Avalon, my resident teen. Take this idea where you like, express your individuality! That’s what crafting and fashion is all about.

Materials
Grungeboard sheet swirls pattern
Tulip Soft Fabric Paint in azalea
Tulip Metallic Dimensional Fabric Paint in white
Tulip Metallic Dimensional Fabric Paint in metallic silver
DIY Bangles small wooden bangle
Inkadinkado lourish stamp
Aleene’s Liquid Fusion glue
Tulip Glam-It-Up™ crystals
Crystal bead for center
Pink or silver-plated head pin
Sizzix Bigz Flower Die

Tools
Tulip Glam-It-up™ tool
Sizzix Big Shot machine
Electric drill with 1/16” bit
Paintbrush
Foam brush or foam applicator
Flush cutters
Round nose pliers



1. Paint several layers of azalea paint on inside and outside of bangle. Allow to dry between layers.

2. Stamp flat oval areas with flourish stamp and white paint. Apply paint with a foam applicator or brush to surface of stamp. Allow to dry.

3. Mark center of one flat oval segment on bangle and drill.

4. Die cut flower out of Grungeboard using the Big Shot and the Bigz flower die.

5. Paint both sides of each layer of flower with azalea paint. Allow to dry.


6. Use foam applicator and flourish stamp to apply metallic silver paint to surface of flower layers. Allow to dry.

7. Use a thin paintbrush or your foam applicator to edge the flowers with the metallic paint. Allow to dry.

8. Glue flower layers together with Liquid Fusion. Allow glue to dry.

9. Use Tulip Glam-it-Up crystals and wand to apply crystals to edges of flower petals.

10. Thread head pin with flat side facing inside of bracelet through drilled hole, hole in center of flower and a crystal bead. Use round nose pliers to turn a loop and secure. (If the head pin head is too small, use a small button to secure it to the back of the bracelet.)

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Playful Pom Pom Necklace

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Playful Pom Pom Necklace
Copyright Margot Potter
"Mom crafted, kid approved."

Pom poms have a habit of proliferating in my studio. I just keep buying big bags of them with vague thoughts of projects to come. This idea has been rolling around my brain for a while now and yesterday, with a lot of help from my wonderful husband, this necklace was born. Kooky? Yes, yes it is. Fabulous? Well, of course! It's also lightweight, soft and fluffy. It's not for stuffy, stodgy, conservative folks, this is for the teen with a sense of fun. Much like the designer, who, while not a teen, likes playful accessories with a heaping helping of whimsy.

This is so easy and fun to make and you can take it in so many directions. Pom poms come in all sorts of sizes and colors, so if neon isn't working for you, change up the color palette! A nice black and white story would be striking! These pom pom circles can decorate purses, t-shirts, jeans, headbands, flip flops...where you put them is entirely up to you. After trying this on, I added a final layer of pom poms to the back of the earrings. So you can decide how you prefer to wear it. I'll be sporting this at CHA (a big craft trade show I'm attending this week) and Avalon will take it over afterward. She thought it was adorable and her opinion, as a stylish and fashion forward teen, is the one that counts. This is so affordable, so easy and so fun to make, it's the perfect antidote to the mantra of summer, "Mom...I'm bored."

Materials
Black craft felt
Multiple sized neon pom poms
Aleene's Fabric Fusion glue
11 10mm silver plated jump rings
QuickLinks Oval Chain
2 silver plated swivel lobster clasps
2 silver plated ear wires
2 2" silver plated head pins
(all jewelry making supplies and tools provided by Beadalon)

Tools
White fabric tracing pencil
3 round objects (1.5", 1.75" and 2" diameter)
Fabric scissors
Crop-a-dile or other 1/16" hole punch
2 pairs chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Flush cutters



1. Trace circles on felt using white pencil and your round objects. You will need four small and two of each of the other sizes.



2. Lay out circles to finalize pattern.



3. Glue various sizes of pom poms to circles using Fabric Fusion glue. If you make a small puddle of glue and dip the pom poms in, it makes quick work of this step. Allow to dry.

4. Reinforce outer edges of outer circles with a second small layer of felt, this will keep the felt from tearing when you wear the necklace. Allow to dry.



5. Turn circles over to determine placement of jump rings. Mark with fabric pencil. Rings need to completely connect each circle.

6. Use punch to place holes for jump rings. Make sure you aren't right on the edge of your circles to prevent felt from tearing when you wear the necklace.


7. Connect the felt segments using your jump rings and 2 pairs of chain nose pliers.



8. Attach a lobster clasp to the jump rings on the outermost circles on your bib section. Connect chain to clasps.



9. To make matching earrings, thread a head pin into the center of a small pom pom, coil and loop on each end. Attach this to an ear wire and a pom pom circle with jump ring. Repeat for second earring. (For more information on the basic jewelry making techniques in this project , please visit my YouTube channel and look for my Crafty Quickies videos!)

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts Proenza Schouler Inspired T-Shirt Flower Necklace

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts
Proenza Schouler Inspired T-Shirt Flower Necklace
Margot Potter
"Mom crafted, kid approved."

If you recall last week I posted an altered t-shirt dress inspired by the Proenza Schouler graffiti jeans for J Brand. I decided it needed a little accessorizing, so I whipped up this fun fabric necklace to wear with it. I like that it matches...but not too much. You can use any layered flower die to get this effect and the Grungeboard gives it structure, but it's the fabulous Tulip dimensional fabric paints that bring this design to life! Every teen has a pile of old t-shirts they can't wear anymore, so this is a great way to make your own upcycled Haute Couture. Make another set of flowers to attach to some flip flops if you want to rock a total look!

Materials
Black t-shirt
Tulip 3-D fashion paints spearmint green matte, clover green pearl
Tulip Soft matte fabric paint azalea
Aleene's Fabric Fusion Glue
Tulip Fashion Graffiti Big Phat fabric marker in black
Grungeboard sheets
3 8mm faceted black beads
3 silver plated star tipped head pins
Textured silver plated chain
3 silver plated jump rings
Silver plated swivel lobster clasp

Tools
Sizzix Big Shot die cutting machine
Layered Flower die
Crop-a-dile or other heavy duty hole punch
Fabric scissors
T-shirt form



1. Slide form into t-shirt. Paint stripes of pink and green across t-shirt in a loose plaid pattern.

2. Press a large piece of cardboard across surface of t-shirt, compressing paint. Gently press across surface of cardboard to ensure all paint is compressed. Remove cardboard and allow shirt to dry.



3. Use your die as a template to cut t-shirt squares.



4. Roll t-shirt squares through die cutter to create flowers.



5. Roll grungeboard through die cutter to create flowers.

6. Use marker to make grungeboard flower surfaces black.



7. Use adhesive to attach fabric to grungeboard. Allow to dry.

8. Thread a headpin and the bead into the holes in the center of your three layered die cut flowers (if your die doesn't have center holes, use a sharp pointed tool to create them first.



9. Bend wire flush to back of flower, cut to 1/8" and use round nose pliers to create a small loop. Repeat for all three flowers.



10. Mark and punch holes in flower petals with Crop-a-dile. (Make sure they will fall properly when connected by moving flowers around for best placement before marking and cutting.)

11. Use jump rings to connect flowers and add one jump ring to the outer petal on each outer flower.



12. Measure chain to desired length and connect with a jump ring to one end of flowers.

13. Attach a second jump ring and the clasp to the opposite end of chain.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Sparkle and Shimmy Earrings

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Sparkle and Shimmy Earrings
Margot Potter for ILoveToCreate
“Mom crafted, kid approved.”

Avalon just got her ears pierced this year, so it will be a while before she can wear anything that swings and dangles.  Still she’s been observing my jewelry box with a glint in her eye. Teens love bold jewelry and these earrings fit the bill.

These feature the new Katiedids™ components my friend Katie Hacker created for Beadalon. They have empty chambers that can be filled with a variety of items. I don’t know why I thought wired tinsel when I saw these, but Aleene’s Platinum Bond Glass and Bead adhesive made quick work of this project. You can whip these puppies up in twenty minutes or less, which is the perfect project if you’re an impatient crafter like me! Try filling the chamber with fibers, crystal chain, regular chain, gemstone chips...just be sure you thread the head pin through so you can turn them into fun jewelry components.

Materials
Aleene’s Platinum Bond Glass and Bead Adhesive
4 Katiedids™ 1” open center circles
2 10mm black faux pearls
2 10mm acid green moonglow Lucite rounds
Wire sparkly tinsel
2 silver plated or sterling ear wires
4 thin gauge silver plated or sterling head pins

Tools
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers

1. Cut tinsel to fit half of chamber. Repeat four times.

2. Thread the wire through the holes in the edge of the components and the center bead and back through.
For the green beads, you need to leave equal amounts of wire exposed on both sides, for the black beads bring the head pin flush to the bottom of the component.

3. Place a thread of glue into one of the components. Gently place tinsel into glue, compressing into chamber on either side of center head pin, repeat with second piece of tinsel. Repeat for all four components. Allow glue to dry.

4. Use round nose pliers to create loops at the top and bottom of both green bead components. Bend wire flush to component at a 90 degree angle, grasp wire end with round nose pliers and form a loop. Cut off excess wire with wire cutters.

5. Use round nose pliers to create wrapped loops at the top of the two pearl components. See my YouTube Channel for a video on how to do this.

6. Attach pearl components to the bottom of each green component. Attach the ear wires. Adjust loops so earrings hang properly.

To Mom, with Love: Free Mother's Day Card, Recipe and Jewelry Project!

Mother's Day is right around the corner and if you're struggling with what to do to make mom feel special, I've got some ideas for you!  Here is a card I made using the fabulous Blue Hills Studio Magnetic Multi-Shaper punch, a recipe for a healthy and delicious chicken dinner and a jewelry design that's sure to set her heart a flutter.

Wings Mother's Day Card


Materials
Turquoise medium weight cardstock
K&Company Que Sera Sera Designer Paper
K&Company Layered Accents Butterflies
Wired tinsel
Printed elements: "Soar, dare, dream..." "Thank you for giving me wings." turquoise Freestyle Script font 36pt.
Scrapbook Adhesives EZ Dots repositionable glue runner
Wonder double sided tape

Tools
Paper cutter
Bone folder
Ruler
Blue Hills Studio Magnetic Multi-Shaper Punch 'Tweet, tweet'

1.  Select area of paper you want to feature.  Using the square template on the punch, create a small square.

2. Cut cardstock on paper cutter to 5.5"x7.75".

3.  Fold card in center and crease edge with bone folder.

4. Measure center of card and use edge punch to create decorative edge, repeat on both sides of center punch.

5. Create the text and print.

6. Use paper cutter to cut out text leaving a small border.

7.  Adhere square to center of card front using glue runner.

8.  Adhere 'Soar, dare, dream...' across square using glue runner and 'Thank you for giving me wings.' to center inside of card with glue runner.

9.  Adhere butterfly to top left edge of square.

10.  Cut tinsel to fit width of card.  Cut tape to fit the width of the tinsel.  Adhere tinsel above punched edge.

Almond Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Campari Tomato Salad

Ingredients
1 cup almonds
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2-3 cloves garlic
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1/2 cup Light olive oil

Pour olive oil into a bowl.

Use food processor to crush almonds and garlic.  Place in a second bowl.

Add parmesan cheese and whole wheat bread crumbs and blend with fork.

Dip chicken strips into olive oil and coat with crust mix.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until brown and crispy, turning midway to crisp both sides.

Serve on a bed of Spring Greens with a side of sliced Campari tomatoes sprinkled with feta cheese and basil and a light olive oil and balsamic vinagrette.  Add a side of asparagus with lemon and butter substitute spray.

Blackbird Fly Necklace
Copyright 2009 Margot Potter

Materials
Blue Moon Beads ceramic bird pendant
12mm jet Crystallized-Swarovski Elements pearls
2 vintage plastic striped beads from Beadin' Path
2 12mm chalkwhite Lucite filigree beads
20 gauge silver plated Artistic Wire
Black and white satin cording
36 silver plated 6mm jump rings
.018 49 strand Beadalon wire
2 Scrimp cable ends
1.5" thick black and white polka dot wired ribbon


Tools
Scrimp tool
Wire cutters
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Scissors

1.  (If you can't find this specific pendant at a local craft chain, substitute a different bird themed pendant and suspend it from the center of the beaded segment on a jump ring and tie ribbon to front of ring.) This pendant has two holes drilled in the front.  Thread a 5" segment of wire into the right hole, leaving a little more than 1" exposed on one end.  Thread the wire into the left front of pendant.  Thread wire across front of pendant and into the right hole.  Bend wires flush to back of pendant.  Use round nose pliers to create loops at the top of the wires, the wire ends with loops should each measure 1" in length, cut off excess wire.

2.  Attach a Scrimp end to a 6" strand of 49 strand wire.  Thread the beads on in the following order: pearl, 2 jump rings, pearl, 3 jump rings, striped bead, 3 jump rings, filigree bead, 3 jump rings, loop at top left of pendant, pearl, 3JR, pearl, 3JR, pearl, loop at top right of pendant, 3JR, striped bead, 3JR, pearl, 3JR, pearl, 3JR, filigree, 3JR, pearl.  Thread wire end into Scrimp and attach.

3.  Tie 3" ribbon bow at front of pendant around wired section.

4.  Attach a jump ring to the Scrimp on each side of the beaded segments.

5.  Tie a 25" black satin cord through Scrimp at the center of the cord, repeat on opposite side with white cord.  Tie a knot in both ends of each satin cord.  Cut off any excess cord with scissors.

Note: Several of the products featured in the craft projects in this post were donated to the designer by the manufacturers.

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Pretty in Peeps Pendant

ILoveToCreate Teen Crafts: Pretty in Peeps Pendant
Mixed Media Jewelry Project
Margot Potter
“Mom crafted, kid approved.”
Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved

I loves me some Marshmallow Peeps candies! How about you? Last year I bought a huge pile of them just to stack them up and stare at the fabulous colors. They’re so happy and fun filled. My daughter Avalon loves Peeps too. She loves them so much I can’t buy too many or she’ll turn into a Peep.

No, seriously.

I spent the better part of Easter season last year contemplating how to turn a Peeps candy into a bead. I thought about leaving one to sit for a few months and get nice and hard and then spraying it with a sealant...and heck that might work if you didn’t live in a 130 year old school house with a small mold problem. Methinks a moldy Peep bead would lack some appeal.

I finally settled on Sculpey Ultra Light polymer clay embellished with Crafty Chica paints and glitter and Tulip Glam It Up Studs. This could become a pin or a pendant or you could make a whole bunch of these on dowels and do a fun Peeps flower pot centerpiece like my edible bouquet from last year. I decided to make mine into a necklace and just added a bunch of springy Vintage and new Lucite and wood beads for a super cute necklace. If you really want to go to town, try making some Sculpey egg beads to coordinate...or add some polka dots and squiggles to large wooden beads...or do a collar of several Peeps that circle the neckline. I am not exaggerating in the least when I tell you that making these is so much fun, you’re going to look for reasons to make more!

Materials
Sculpey Ultra Light
Crafty Chica Little Chica Paints Red and White
3 Tulip Glam-It-Up Iron-On Studs Black
Crafty Chica Glitter Sunset Pink
Aleene’s Jewel-It Glue
Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Spray
Aleene’s Matte Finish Spray Sealant

Tools
Paint Brush
Polymer Clay Dedicated Toaster Oven
Sheet of Brown Kraft Paper

(To Make the Necklace:
Various Coordinated Beads in a Pattern That Makes a 16” or Longer Finished Length (I got the clear Lucite with green filament beads in NYC but here’s a source online and Beadin’ Path has a plethora of great vintage and new Lucite beads), 49 Strand .018 (or thicker) Beadalon Wire (always fill the holes of your beads with the wire), Beadalon EZ-Crimp Fancy Sterling Toggle Clasp, Mighty Crimp Tool and Wire Cutters)

1. Soften clay in your hands or by running it through a clay dedicated pasta machine until it is malleable. Use a real Peep as your guide to create a clay version. I bought some for research so I could get the size right...that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

2. Use a sharp pointed object to create a hole in the middle of your rabbit’s head. This hole is threaded side to side so you can string the pendant on a necklace. Skip this step if you’re not making a bead.

3. Place rabbit on a sheet of Kraft paper on the baking tray and into a pre-heated 275 degree Toaster Oven. Watch the clay to be sure it doesn’t burn...it shouldn’t take very long to set. Mine took about 7 minutes...after I burned the first one. Oops.

4. Allow rabbit to cool. Mix red and white Crafty Chica paints to get a nice shade of pink. Paint rabbit. Allow to dry.

5. Place rabbit on a sheet of kraft or scrap paper. Spray with Aleene’s Tacky Spray. Pour a generous helping of pink glitter all over rabbit front and sides. Tap off excess and pour back into jar. Allow to dry.

6. Spray rabbit with Aleene’s Matte Finish Spray Sealant. Allow to dry.

7. Adhere the three Glam It Up studs to the face of your rabbit with the Jewel-It Glue. You’ll need to have a good dollop of glue so it fits into the recess on the stud. Use the handle of your paintbrush or a toothpick to remove any excess glue. Allow to dry.

Design Note: Do not eat this Peep.  It won't taste very good.  Trust me.