Last week, I had a serious creative slump. Zero ideas and zero motivation. Whenever that happens, I know that I’ll eventually find inspiration somewhere.

Welp – inspiration struck while I was doing some shopping at Anthropologie. As much as I love their clothing, I am always drawn to their home decor and accessories. This time around, I spotted an adorable beaded glass candle and like a true DIY-er, I thought, “I wonder if I could make that.” Turns out, it’s totally DIY-able.

{1} Martha Stewart Gloss Spray Medium (included in the Glass Spray Paint Kit)

{2} Martha Stewart Paint Sprayer (included in the Glass Spray Paint Kit)

{3} A glass tumbler. I picked mine up in a set of six at Target.

{4} Transparent Gloss Glass Paint in your choice of color

{5} Transparent Gloss Paint in “Crystal Clear”

{1} Wipe the glass with alcohol swab to clean the surface.

{2} Ok…this step requires some explaining, but it’s very easy. To make it easier to apply the paint and to avoid smudges, I created a simple mechanism for holding the glass in place. Place three skewers/dowels/sticks into a styrofoam block, then place the glass over the sticks.  I also added two strips of painter’s tape to the inside of the glass to use as a guide for keeping my lines straight.

{3} Apply dots of paint using the Crystal Clear Glass Paint

{4} Once you’ve applied the pattern of dots, allow the glass to dry for at least 24 hours. The paint will dry clear. {1} Add 1 part transparent paint to the bottle included in the glass paint kit

{2} To the transparent paint, add 1 part gloss paint medium to the bottle included in the glass paint kit

{3} Shake the contents of the bottle until they are well mixed, then screw on the paint sprayer and spray paint your beaded glass project. Alternatively, you can simply spray your glass with traditional white spray paint for a different look.

Pretty packaging is my thing and I always try to give you the “front-to-finish” vision for the projects I post. That way you can at least see my thoughts on how these could be presented as gifts.

For my beaded glass projects, I’ve got two ideas for gifting…

First a card and tag that coordinate beautifully with the floral arrangement and white beaded glass vase. I love how the chalkboard look on the card coordinates with the black and white ribbon on the vase.

For the second presentation idea, I created a candle and added a simple, stamped circle to the top for a professional, finished look. The translucency of the glass works perfectly with the candle since the glow of the flame will come through the glass. I’m loving how this turned out!

Did you make it to the end? Which finish is your fave?!

PACKAGING SUPPLIES & RESOURCES

Flower Bouquet: Chalkboard Stamping Technique & Tips |  May Arts Chevron Twill Ribbon | Paper Presentation Natural Kraft Cardstock | Paper Presentation Natural Kraft Envelope | Paper Presentation Solar White Cardstock | Papertrey Ink Edger 2 Die | Papertrey Ink Half & Half Stamp Set  | Papertrey Ink Mini Blooms Stamp Set | Papertrey Ink Little Labels Homemade Candle: How to Make Candles Tutorial | Papertrey Ink Mini Blooms Stamp Set | Clear & Simple Stamps Au Natural Extras

The post Design Inspired: DIY Beaded Glass Gifts appeared first on damask love.

You never know what’s gonna be happening over here on the old bloggo, huh? Might be paper. Might be home decor. Might be sugar cookies shaped like little itty bitty ice cream scoops sitting atop little itty bitty sugar cones.

I don’t do much cooking on this blog because that’s not really what this show is about, but every once in a while, I cook up something that is a MUST for the blog…and such is the case with the cutielicious cones.

Today’s post is sort of a two-fer. I have another project using the same technique that is up on the TomKat Studio blog where I am a craft contributor. There you’ll find another great project along with several tips for creating scoop-shaped cookies like these.

The basic technique for making these is simple:

For these miniature cones, I used my smallest ice cream scoop, which is about 1″ in diameter. You can present your scoops in many ways, but for this project, I opted to perch them on top of sugar cones for a realistic look.

{1} Use a serrated knife and use a gentle sawing motion on the sugar cone

{2} Trim cone to approximately half it’s size.

{3} Apply melted chocolate to the rim of the miniature cone

{4} Place sugar cookie on top of melted chocolate and set it aside to allow chocolate to harden.

With your cookie cones assembled, you have a few options. You can stand back and admire your work. You can take a few photos with your phone and send them to all your friends and family to show off your latest creation. You can design some adorable packaging for these cuties.

If your name is Amber, you’ll do all three. When it came to packaging up these cuties patooties, TomKat White Pint Containers were an obvious choice.

PACKAGING SUPPLIES:

TomKat White Pint Containers | Amuse Studio Petite Pinstripe Cardstock | WPlus9 Fresh Picked Stamp Set | Wplus9 Fresh Baked | Papertrey Ink Love Songs Stamp Set

The post Sugar Cookie Ice Cream Cone Gifts appeared first on damask love.

Damask Love blog is an online resource of paper crafting and DIY inspiration and instruction. This summer all of this will be available in a live workshop hosted by Amber Kemp-Gerstel, the crafty girl behind the blog. Damask Love Live will give Amber the unique opportunity to interact with some of her readers and share some of her favorite products, projects, techniques and tips. Damask Love Live will offer a full-day of crafting, creativity and give each participant the chance to mix and mingle with a group of avid crafters. Participants in the workshop will enjoy a day of treats, prizes, gifts and of course plenty of handmade    projects designed in Amber’s clean, contemporary & colorful style. Damask Love Live is for beginnner, intermediate and advanced crafters, so no matter what your level, you’ll love every minute of this crafternoon!

Damask Love Live will take place at Scrapbook Territory, the Bay Area’s largest scrapbooking store.

Scrapbook Territory

1717a Fourth Street Berkeley, California 94710

www.scrapbookterritory.com

Scrapbook Territory houses 4,000 square feet of stamps, paper, ribbon, books and more. It is truly a crafter’s dream! The shop has a designated area for crafters to sit down and create, and this area will serve as ground zero for the Damask Love Live workshop. Throughout the day, crafters will have plenty of time to explore this awesome store and maybe even pick a few new items for their stash. Scrapbook Territory is also located in a wonderful part of Berkeley, California. The shop is situated on Fourth Street a bustling area filled with shops, restaurants, boutiques and cafes. After your day of crafting, you may want to stick around a bit longer to grab dinner or enjoy a little retail therapy.

Damask Love Live will be held on Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th. You should select only one day to attend, as content will be the same on both days.

Only 24 seats are available on each day of Damask Love Live.

Tickets for Damask Love Live will be sold exclusively via www.damasklove.com with all payments made securely through Paypal. Tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable. One ticket per participant.

Tickets will be available for purchase beginning Monday, May 20, 2013

The cost of each ticket is $130 for one 8-hour crafting workshop, which includes:

• All crafting materials required to complete all workshop projects
• Swag bag filled with goodies, crafty freebies and more (approximate value: $80.00)
• More than 8 “make & take” crafting projects led by Amber Kemp-Gerstel of Damask Love blog
• Snacks & bottled water throughout the day
• Catered boxed lunch
• Lots of crafty giveaways
• Shopping time in Scrapbook Territory
• Exclusive discount codes
• Plenty of time to mix & mingle with new crafty friends!

The post Damask Love Live: Details & Registration appeared first on damask love.

Hey, hey, hey! It’s no secret that I like bright colors. One of my best friends loves to tell me that I “dress like markers.” It’s kinda true. I’m a big fan of bold colors and I’m not afraid to combine them. I also think that leopard is a neutral, but we’ll save that discussion for another day.

For today’s issue of Style Watch, I’ve taken the bow die trio and dressed them up like markers to create some really cute and very simple two-toned paper bows. I’m a little bit obsessed with these guys and I want to stick them on everything.

As you can see, it’s super easy to assemble these doo-dads. Just two die cuts. Once you’ve done that, simply adhere the patterned paper on top of the solid bow and complete the bow as usual. Easy.

To keep the bright & bold party going, I added a few cute notecards to this ensemble by using the Mini Tri-Fold 1 die…and it just so happens that this die fits perfectly into the 4″ Glassine Envelope, making it easy to create a perfect little stationery set.

SUPPLIES

4″ Glassine Envelope | Favor Flags Dies | Favor Flags Filler Stamp Set | Mini Trifold 1 | Mini Bow Trio | Create-A-Plaid Large

The post Style Watch: Easy Two-Toned Bows appeared first on damask love.

I’m pretty transparent when it comes to the goals I have for this blog…or at least I try to be. I want to create a space that is inspiring for everyone and provides clear instruction for all sorts of crafty projects. Oh..and I also want to throw a little sass into the mix from time to time to keep things fun.

Over the last few months, I’ve been chipping away at my goals for Damask Love.  It’s hard work but I love every second of it. Today, I’m excited to reveal a little something that’s been in the works for quite a while. Like every other blogger out there, I get excited when a new comment comes in or when I receive an email. It’s fun to interact with other crafters and hear your thoughts.

Soooo…with that in mind, I’m majorly excited to tell you that this summer Damask Love will go live with two, one-day crafting workshops that will give me the chance to meet you in person…and give you the chance to spend a day having fun with other creative people.

Damask Love Live is an 8-hour crafting workshop that will bring all the instruction and crafty inspiration of Damask Love blog to a live format. Throughout the day, I’ll lead you through several handmade projects using several of my favorite crafting products. In addition to a pile of handmade goodies,  you’ll leave the workshop with plenty of swag and you’ll have the chance to win lots of prizes. And did I mention that lunch will be provided along with plenty of snacks to keep your crafty mojo going! This will not be your average crafternoon. It’s going to be fun…lots & lots of fun!

You will have the option of two workshop days: Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th. The content on each day will be the same, so pick whichever day works best for you! On both days, Damask Love Live will go from 10:00am until 6:00pm.

I am a native of Northern California, so I’m bringing my love of crafting back to my stomping grounds! Damask Love Live will take place in Berkeley, California at Scrapbook Territory, the largest scrapbooking shop in the Bay Area. Scrapbook Territory houses 4,000 square feet of paper crafting awesomeness and it is my favorite place to shop whenever I visit home.

The store has a dedicated area where crafters can sit and create. This area will be ground zero for Damask Love Live. The crafting area seats 24 participants, so each day of Damask Love Live will accomodate only twenty-four people. 

Throughout the workshop, participants will have plenty of time to shop around and explore Scrapbook Territory for any craft stash “must-haves.”

Not only will you love Scrapbook Territory, you’ll also love the area. Scrapbook Territory is located on 4th Street in Berkeley, California. 4th Street has tons of restaurants, retail, cafes and even a couple more shops that any crafter would love, like Paper Source. Once you’ve finished your day of Damask Love Live, you may just want to hang out a bit longer to explore the area or grab dinner!

This workshop is open to everyone, no matter your crafting skill level! Full details including pricing and ticket purchasing will be available here on Damask Love on Monday, May 20, 2013. If you are in Northern California, or nearby – take a look at your summer calendar! I would love to meet you and spend the day crafting together!

And just to give you a taste of what to expect…here’s a sneak peek at a few of the invited sponsors of this event! What’d I tell you ….it’s gonna be awesome!

The post Making Goals Reality: Damask Love Live is Coming appeared first on damask love.

When I was eight or nine, my mom and I took a road trip down to Disneyland. It was an eight hour trek and I really don’t have memories of the drive to Disney…but I do have a very vivid memory of the drive back home. I was bored. So I made up a song. A song that I sang. For the entire.eight.hours. No lie.

To this day, I have no idea how my mother made it through this trip without strapping me and my obnoxious vocals to the roof of the car…or giving me a hefty sedative to knock me out.

Or there was the time when she forced me to walk up to the checkout counter at the grocery store and ask for a newspaper. See, I was painfully shy and she knew I needed practice to get over it. (P.S. One of the great mysteries of my life is how I was a shy child and grew up to the loudmouth I am today!)

I know you have a few precious, hilarious and special mommy memories of your own and today I have a simple project for packaging them up and creating a mommy memory keepsake.

These little printable cards fit perfectly in the Clear & Simple stamps Party Favor 6, which I used HERE for a crayon themed project. This time around, I printed out these cards and stamped with with the Flowers stamp set. Just a little pop of color is all they need.

You can print these out and package them up in no time to add an extra little something special to your Mother’s Day gift.

To package the mommy memory cards, I used the doily die to create an ensemble that can be used for any special occasion, not just mother’s day.

For one last element of doily inspiration, I created a really easy doily banner which is a great design to use for any holiday or event. With all the holes in the doilies, it’s incredibly easy to string them onto a length of twine!

Do you have a special mommy memory? Do tell!

The post Style Watch: Mother’s Day Doilies appeared first on damask love.

I’ve never considered myself an artist by any means, but I’ll tell you what …these Gelatos from Faber-Castell have be thinking I’m Georgia O’Keefe up in here!

I made this card a few weeks ago and wasn’t sure when I would post it, but considering this weekend’s 20% off sale that’s going on at Ellen Hutson, I think now is the time!

If ever you wanted some Gelatos, now is the time…and if your budget allows I would recommend the gift set that includes all 32 colors. Otherwise, I’d go for a few gelatos in the same color family so you can create pretty ombres and gradients.

Creating this floral pattern is very simple:

{1} Select two shades in the same color family. In this case, I used red and pink. Draw semi circles in each color as shown.

{2} Use a water color brush or water pen (which in included with the gift set) to blend the two colors. By adding a lighter color, you’re able to create a somewhat realistic looking flower without too much difficulty.

{3} Two swipes of a green gelato create leaves and finish of your flower. EASY!

SUPPLIES:

Jennifer’s Watercolor Paper | Gelato Gift Pack | Hero Arts Blush Cards | Hero Arts Blush Envelopes

The post For the Love of Gelatos: Easy Watercolor Floral Tutorial appeared first on damask love.

If there is one thing I know it is this: If you wander around Home Depot for long enough, inspiration will strike. It’s guaranteed.

Confession: I much prefer an afternoon at Home Depot than an afternoon in a craft store. There is something about all the potential of those raw materials. I spent a good fifteen minutes perusing the stove vents to see what I can come up with. I got nothing on that one…but I did come up with this project which is exactly what I need for my overflowing collection of embellishments.

{1} Wiss  MetalMaster Snips: Okay – now I know you may not have these one hand, but they really are a great tool for paper crafters.  I first showed them to you in THIS post where I used them to cut apart my dies. They cut through most thin to medium weight metals with no problem.

{2} 12 x12 picture frame. You can find this at Michael’s or any other craft store.

{3} 12 x 12 Metal Sheet - you may wanna ask someone to point you in the direction of the metal sheets. In my Home Depot, they were tucked away on an aisle endcap.

{4} Decorative Aluminum Sheet. I opted for the Mosaic Pattern Aluminum Sheet. The sheets come in a 12 x 24 size, which is the smallest size available. This part of the project is completely optional, but I really like the decorative accent that it adds to the finished product. Since this aluminum sheet is not magnetic, it is a purely decorative top layer. The steel sheet in step #3 is what makes the board magnetic

{5} To organize your embellishments, you’ll need some containers and these Clear Top Tins from Specialty Bottle are perfect. They are available in several sizes, but these three are likely the ones that will be most useful for your embellie board project. For this particular board, I used the smallest of the sizes pictured here.

{6} Last, you’ll need magnets. You’ll need rather strong magnets since they will need to work through the top sheet of decorative aluminum. These Flexible Magnets are available at Michael’s and work perfectly.

{1} Use your metal snips to cut the decorative sheet. If you would rather not purchase the snips, many of the employees at Home Depot carry a pair and if you ask nicely, they may just let you use them on site to cut through your sheet. I would just suggest that you arrive at the Home Depot with the frame you’ll be using. This way you can be sure that it fits the metal sheet once you’ve cut it.

{2} Trim the decorative aluminum down to the same 12×12 size as the steel sheet.

{3} Place two magnets on the back of each clear top tin. No need for any adhesive. Just put them there and they’ll stay in place. I prefer two magnets rather than one to ensure a better grip and to be sure that the container doesn’t spin around.

{4} Fill up your containers, place the metal sheets in the frame and stick the tins into place!

The nice thing about this project is that one sheet of the decorative aluminum can make two frames. I also like that storage solutions like this force me to limit my hoarding. If I only have nine of eighteen tins to fill, then that’s what I can keep. I can live without the rest, and I’ll be much happier with the decrease in clutter. After all, I’m pretty sure the floor is not intended to be one big shelf, right?!

How do you organize your embellishments?

The post Corral The Chaos: Magnetic Embellishment Board appeared first on damask love.

Have you ever been curious about strategies for combing color? How to get out of the color rut? Have you ever been told that when it comes color & design, “You’ll just…“know” when it’s right.” Yeah…ummm…go ahead and file that under “Statements That Are Not Helpful.”

Now, I do think that there comes a point when you get comfortable with color and develop a “knack” for knowing when things are well combined. That doesn’t  mean that we all have to sit around waiting for the color fairy to anoint us with magical design powers.  After doing a fair bit of  reading on interior design and art, I think there are plenty of tips, strategies and theories that can be super useful for us paper crafters and DIY-ers.

I am far, far………far from an expert on design, but I have attended the University of Google and I have read ten too many issues of House Beautiful and BHG. I’ve learned lots, so I thought I’d share.

Over the next month (and maybe more) – I’ll be posting lessons on color for crafters. There will be projects, tutorials and lots and lots of resources for you to file away .

Today, we’re gonna talk about the all mighty color wheel and the differences in the terms, “hue,” “tint” and “shade.” It’s interesting stuff …or maybe I’m just a nerd. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

{1} Clear & Simple Stamps Say Yellow to Your Fans {2} Amuse Papaya {3} Amuse Orange {4} Amuse Poppy {5} Amuse Cherry {6} Amuse Berry {7} Amuse Grape {8} Clear & Simple Stamps Purple Crushed Velvet {9} Clear & Simple Stamps Your Style Blue Me Away {10} Amuse Mermaid {11} Clear & Simple Stamps Emerald Bling {12} Amuse Wasabi

There’s Hefner, there’s Grant…and then there are inkpads. We’re gonna talk about the latter of these “hues.” A few week’s ago, I used the terms “hue” “tint” and “shade” interchangeably. I thought they all were synonyms for “color.” Welp – it turns out that in the world of design & artsy people, these words have very different meanings.

“Hue” refers to the traditional color wheel as we know it…the rainbow. Twelve hues make up the color wheel, including the three primary colors: red, blue and yellow.

In the world of paper crafting & DIY – “hues” are very common. The bold, heavily saturated look of these colors is perfect for creating cheerful cards and party decor. For interior designers, an entire room of hues might create a jarring environment…luckily we crafters don’t have to worry about that! Cards and other paper crafts are small and can be packed with color. Use the entire spectrum if you’d like – or just select a few (more on how to select colors will be coming up in a later post!)

All this theory is great, but how does it work in practice? Here’s a quick & simple card that I created with hues.

Bright and bold is my favorite look, so this ikat card is right up my alley! Most of the cards and crafts I create feature bright hues.

SUPPLIES:

Papertrey Ink Irresistibly Ikat | Papertrey Ink Inside & Out: Thank You | Amuse Berry Ink | Amuse Orange Ink | Amuse Grass

{1} Amuse Lemon Whip {2} Amuse Buttercup {3} Clear & Simple Stamps Creamsicle Cardigan (2nd generation impression) {4} Amuse Apricot {5} Amuse Watermelon {6}Amuse Berry (2nd generation impression) {7} Amuse Heather {8} Amuse Colbalt (2nd generation impression) {9} Amuse Sky {10} Amuse Ocean (2nd generation impression) {11} Amuse Pistachio {12} Amuse Lime

Adding white to any of the hues in the color wheel creates a “tint.” In most cases, “tint” is synonymous with “pastel”, but this may depend on how much white is added to the hue. If only a teeny bit of white is added, the color may still appear quite vibrant.

Unless you use paint or other mixed media in your crafting, it’s unlikely that you’ll come across many opportunities to mix your own colors to create pastels. For paper crafters like you and me, pastel inks are easy to find and a great way to add soft tints to your project. Another way to create a pastel shade is to use a second generation impression of your ink. For example, a vibrant orange hue becomes a pastel color if you first stamp off the page and use the second generation impression in your project.

For me, pastels are great for soft feminine projects or for creating a springtime feel.

This simple card features a soft pastel ombre that I created using Faber-Castell Gelatos. They blend beautifully! This layout and pastel color scheme is a perfect feminine stationery. Sidenote: I am obsessed with these gelatos. I want to paint my walls with gelatos!

SUPPLIES:

Faber-Castell Gelatos Gift Set | Papertrey Ink Headline Alphabet | Paper Presentation Ginger Cardstock 

{1} Amuse Saffron {2} Clear & Simple Stamps Golden Tiara {3} Clear & Simple Stamps Orange you Fabulous {4} Clear & Simple Stamps Rouge Ruffles {5} Clear & Simple Stamps Maroon Maven {6} Amuse Currant {7} Clear & Simple Stamps Purplicious {8} Clear & Simple Stamps Purple Crushed Velvet {9} Amuse Navy {10} Amuse Eucalyptus {11} Clear & Simple Stamps Kraft Like a Rockstar Green {12} Amuse Fern

“Shades” are basically the opposite of “tints.” Shades are created by adding black to any of the twelve hues in the original color wheel.

“Shades” are probably my least frequently used colors. Even when stamping out the above color wheel, I noticed that several of these inks were unused!  At first, “shades” seemed a bit “dingy” to me, but after thinking about it more they are perfect for a wide range of projects. Choosing a few shades from this color wheel can create very masculine projects, which is something that I struggle with. Shades are also great for autumn themes.

Even delicate images like these feathers can become masculine when stamped using “shades” rather than “pastels.”  I’m sure you can image how the feeling of this entire card would change if created with soft “tints.” For me, the “shade” color wheel is super helpful for tackling masculine projects that are often so difficult.

SUPPLIES:

Studio Calico Oh Snap! | Studio Calico Frame & Feathers | Amuse Fern | Amuse Eucalyptus | Clear & Simple Stamps Orange You Fabulous

Interested in a few more samples that show today’s  ”lesson” in action?  Here we go:

• Perhaps my most favorite use of hues…ever!  
• Bold teal and yellow make this a fabulous sample of hues in action.
• I love the simple layout! 
• This paper crafted wreath is so well executed and the the pastel color palette is so pretty.
• Debby Hughes of Limedoodle blog does such a great job with shades on this card.
• Add pastels to your next gift with this simple idea.
• {DID YOU KNOW?} Damask Love now has a “Cardstock & Ink Photo Library” where I will be posting photo samples of some of my favorite color collections! I’ll update it over time so keep checking back. Today, I’ve updated the library with a photos of the A Muse Studio ink collection. Just click the graphic on the sidebar.

Did you make it through?!  When it comes to colors, do you have a “go-to” color wheel? Which of these color wheels best represents your own style and preference?

The post Crafter’s Course on Color: Hues, Tints & Shades appeared first on damask love.

Before we get into all the fun content I have in store for you, howsabout a little love for all the May sponsors! If you have a blog, shop or company and would like to get the attention of some awesomely crafty people, just contact me! We’ll make it happen!

*Ellen Hutson, Lifestyle Crafts & Paper-Source represent affiliate partnerships. Purchases made through links on Damask Love may result in my receiving a small commission. These are all brands that I am proud to represent, as I truly believe in the quality of their product

The post Welcome May Sponsors & Affiliates appeared first on damask love.