In Memory

After my Grandfather passed away, I wanted to make gifts for family members with the flowers from his funeral.  For my daughter and niece I wanted to do a necklace or charm that they could wear.

This was really easy to do.  First I pulled apart some of the dried flowers, and picked out the petals that I felt had the best color.  I placed a drop of Mod Podge Dimensional Magic into the center of the charm and then started to place the petals into a circular pattern.  I used a toothpick to kind of move the petals around and not get my fingers full of Mod Podge.

Once I had the petals arranged, I dropped some more Mod Podge Dimensional Magic on to the top of the petals.  This really made them shimmer and shine!  Once the Mod Podge dried I would see if there were spaces I felt like I needed to add another petal or more Mod Podge.

Now my daughter has a charm that she can add to a necklace or hang on her bulletin board that will always be a special memory of her Great-Grandfather.

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Rhinestone Rubix Cube

This is one of the projects I created for The Buckle Boutique's booth at CHA.  It was really easy to do!

I simply cut squares of rhinestone sticker sheets into a square, 5 gems by 5 gems in size.  Then I peeled off the backing to expose the adhesive on the back of the sticker sheets.  

Here is how they looked on display at CHA.  They were one of the most commented on items in the display.  I wish I had more cubes to cover!

For more information about the rhinestone sticker sheets used in this project, you can check out the following links . . .

The Buckle Boutique's Website // Blog // Facebook Page // Twitter // Pinterest

I am adding this to the Flaunt It Friday over at Chic on a Shoestring . . . come and join the party!

CHA - The Buckle Boutique and Marisa Pawelko

I am back from CHA 2015 and I cannot believe how tired I am!  We were so busy in The Buckle Boutique booth showing the new line of rhinestone sticker sheets!  Here are some photos.

The new neon colors!

And a banner I created to showcase some of them

We had daily Make and Takes with Marisa.  She showed everyone how to make a cuff bracelet with her dies from Sizzix and our rhinestone sticker sheets.

Marisa can make a rhinestone cuff bracelet, tell a customer about the new products and pose for a photo all at that same time.  That is multi-tasking!

Several people showed us their finished cuff bracelets

The one on the left is from the Galaxy print, and the one on the right is the tie dye pattern in the BoHo Quad sticker sheet.

The Sugar Skulls sheet has an all over pattern that you can use to create a cuff bracelet (see photo below), an image that you can use to cover a large surface, and a section with several smaller skulls . . . this crafter cut one of those smaller skulls out to put on the back of her cell phone.

We had so much fun creating and sharing ideas with the new line from Marisa and The Buckle Boutique!

A whole new level of BLING!

We are proud to announce the launch of Modern Surrealist Adhesive Rhinestone Sticker Sheets for The Buckle Boutique

 We’re Taking BLING to the NEXT LEVEL!!! Modern Surrealist and The Buckle Boutique have teamed up to bring you the latest innovation in BLING! Adhesive Rhinestone Sticker Sheets featuring exclusive surface designs by celebrity crafter Marisa Pawelko of Modern Surrealist! Marisa is known far and wide for her fun and flashy style! This line of innovative adhesive sheets feature faceted rhinestones embedded with a variety of original and trendy patterns such as galaxy, graffiti, neon, ethnic, marbleized and much, much more! Our four-in-one sheets are the first rhinestone sticker sheets to feature multiple pattern designs on one sheet thereby providing tons of creative options to mix, match and embellish! The fashion forward surface designs are embedded into pliable adhesive rhinestone sheets that can be easily cut with scissors, steel rule dies and even electronic cutters! They are perfect for teens and fashion conscious adults and are fantastic for embellishing craft projects, paper crafts, accessories, DIY room décor and much, much more!
 
Experience the new evolution of bling! Indeed the Buckle Boutique was the first to introduce rhinestone sticker sheets to the crafting market. In our continued quest to innovate, we are now proud to present the FIRST EVER rhinestone sticker sheets that  feature licensed patterns! The diverse assortment of patterns appeal to a wide variety of aesthetic styles and ages and offer unlimited creative applications! The sheets easily empower both novice and experienced crafters alike to embellish their world with exclusive on trend designs from Marisa Pawelko, one of the most influential designers in the craft and hobby industry. The four-in-one patterns are inspired by current and imminent fashion and pop culture trends and will improve the crafter’s overall experience by introducing them to a new world of bling that is like no other! With over 20 different surface designs available, crafters are sure to find their perfect bling to suit their unique individual sense of style for any occasion! This groundbreaking, versatile and easy to use product line is poised to generate shockwaves of excitement and inspiration in both crafters and non-crafters with familiar style themes that tie in to current trends in beauty, fashion, lifestyle and the DIY movement.

















More info HERE and HERE

If you will be at CHA, come and check out this new line in person at 

The Buckle Boutique's  booth #2325

The Buckle Boutique Design Team Call!

The Buckle Boutique is looking to expand their Design Team in 2015!  We are looking for crafting bloggers who love to share ideas of how to add sparkle to your scrapbooks, cards, home decor and more!  If you love rhinestones and bling we want to see what you can create!

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 Applications should include

 Name:
 Address:
 Blog/Website:
 Phone:
 Email:

 Tell us a little bit about yourself . . . how long you have been crafting, your favorite crafts, what makes your projects stand out from others and why you want to work with The Buckle Boutique.  Please list any past or current Design Teams you are a part of.  Include links to any and all social media sites you use. Provide links to three projects that show your crafting style and ability to create a project tutorial with video or step by step photographs

At least one of them must incorporate products from The Buckle Boutique.

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 Applications can be sent to Shawn Mosch at jmosch0410@aol.com All applications must be received by February 15th, 2015.  Design Team will be announced February 29th, 2015 on thebuckleboutique.wordpress.com and craftychicsblog.blogspot.com

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 The information below detailsout your requirements if accepted to The Buckle Boutique's Design Team and the Design Team benefits. The Buckle Boutique Design Team As a member of The Buckle Boutique’s Design Team, I agree to the following terms

• I will provide at least 2 original projects along with project tutorials on my blog per month featuring products from The Buckle Boutique. These project posts will include completed project photos.  When cutting the rhinestone sticker sheets into shapes I will one of the following
  • Include information on die cutting/shape cutting instructions
  • Include photo showing shape coming out of a large sheet
  • Include a link to the die cutting instructions video n The Buckle Boutique’s blog
• Project posts will include links to The Buckle Boutique’s website and social media.
• Projects may be created and posted on my blog to enter challenges for other blogs and websites.
• Projects will be creative and showcase a feature of The Buckle Boutique products.
• If I am participating in events for other Design Teams I am on, it is acceptable to use The Buckle Boutique products on those projects. This allows for cross-promotion and for a larger audience to see the product.
• I will post The Buckle Boutique button on my blog.
• I agree to NOT post completed project photos using products from The Buckle Boutique on social media until the projects are complete and have been posted on my blog with links to The Buckle Boutique. This will help to drive traffic to blog and promote the product.  “Teaser” photos are allowed to be posted that give a preview to your full projects on other blogs or social media networks, but links should then go to the full project posts.
• I agree to be an active participant on The Buckle Boutique’s Facebook page. This can include, but is not limited to
  • Liking and sharing project posts once they appear on The Buckle Boutique’s Facebook page on your personal Facebook page, your blog’s Facebook page and Facebook crafting groups you are a part of.
  • Liking and sharing photos posted on The Buckle Boutique’s Facebook page
  • Promoting Design Team events, such as blog hops, on social media outlets
• I agree that ALL free products I receive from The Buckle Boutique will be used for Design Team Project posts, and not for personal gain. If I will be selling items I create that include products from The Buckle Boutique, creating one display or sample item is acceptable, as long as it is used for a Design Team post, but all “inventory” that I will be selling would need to include product that I purchased.
  • If I will be selling items I create with The Buckle Boutique’s products, I am eligible for wholesale pricing when purchasing products.
• I agree that when I receive products from companies that The Buckle Boutique is partnering with due to my Design Team status, I will use at least 50% of these products for projects to further promote The Buckle Boutique products, and not for personal use.
  • I agree to include links to the partnering company in the post.

Design Team Member Benefits Free products from The Buckle Boutique Wholesale pricing on products from The Buckle Boutique needed for handcrafted items I am selling Networking/Partnering with other crafting companies Product from companies The Buckle Boutique networks/partners with Commission on sales generated off of new wholesale clients for The Buckle Boutique Additional compensation will be giving to any Design Team member who had a project featuring The Buckle Boutique products showcased in a crafting magazine.  Compensation will be relative to the size of the magazine and the amount of traffic it generates. There may also be opportunities to attend trade shows and other events as a representative of The Buckle Boutique.

Tips for Choosing the Right Artificial Tree

Tips for Choosing the Right Artificial Tree

There is no time like now to start shopping for your new artificial Christmas tree. But before you rush out and buy the first on you find on the floor of the department store, there are a few things you must consider. Not all fake Christmas trees are created equally. In fact, every type and brand of tree has its own unique properties. Thankfully, the following tips will help you choose the perfect tree for your home.

Size and Shape

The size – specifically height – is the first thing that you should consider while deciding which tree to purchase. Do you want a small tree that sits on the table or a larger on that can reach your cathedral ceiling? A good general rule of thumb is to purchase a tree that is 6-inch lowers than the ceiling. This will allow you to fill the room while still leaving enough room for your tree topper. The height listed for the tree is generally the height measured from the very top of the tree to the floor. This measurement usually includes the stand. 

You should consider the girth and width of the tree as well. Standard trees are usually on the fuller end of the spectrum but they are also available in slim and pencil shapes, which make the ideal fit for compact areas like alcoves or entryways. The profile and density of the tree should also be taken into consideration. For example, if you fill the boughs with ornaments and ribbon, you will want to get a tree that features deeper branch pockets. 

Tips and Treatments

You may not have considered this before, but the types of tips and branch treatments should also be thought about before making your decision. The truth is, there are various different types of branch tips and needles available on fake trees. Most are molded from real trees to look as realistic as possible. Royal Spruce, Douglas Firs and Western Hemlocks are just a few of the real trees used to recreate an authentic-looking Christmas tree.

Company

Something that most consumers often over look is the company who is making and/or selling the tree. This is an extremely important and you should do your research on the company before purchasing. For example, you can read reviews of Balsam Hill trees to get an idea of how long the last, how the look and how satisfied the costumer is.