Christmas In July Festive Zipper Pull

The heat is on here in Mississippi, but that won't stop me from thinking about Christmas.  After all, the holiday is only five months away.  I am starting to see Christmas items pop up every where now.  There is a new set of items making their way to Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores and A.C. Moore.  'Tis the Season by Cousin Corporation of America has put out some very lovely new Christmas and Halloween items due out next week or so.

Anyway - TUTORIAL TIME!  This will only take about 20 minutes and is very simple.  If you have a good solid skill set in jewelry making or crafting, you should have no trouble with this tutorial.
We will be making two zipper pulls.  One will be a Christmas tree out of buttons and the other a simple snowflake with dangles.

Supplies:

'Tis The Season Glass/Acrylic Accent (#31112055)
'Tis The Season Metal Charms (#31112049)
20 Gauge Craft Wire
2 Large Lobster Claw Clasps - one silver, one gold
Eye Pin
4 Gold Head Pins

Tools:
Flush/Side Cutters
Bail Making Pliers or a Small Marker Barrel
Round Nose Pliers
Flat Nose Pliers

Skills Needed:
Wrapped Loop
Forming Loops
Wire Wrapping

Festive Christmas Zipper Pulls Instructions:

Cut about 7 or 8 inches of craft wire.  Slide the wire through the holes of the buttons from #31112055 in order to form a tree.

Fold the wires at a 90 degree angle to the right.  Take the left wire and bend again at another 90 degree angle.

Wrap the right hand wire around the bend twice.  Trim the wrapping wire. Slide on a few of the crystal dangles from #31112055 in any order you like (save 5 for your next pull).

Slide on the star bead from #31112055. Begin to form a loop using your bail making pliers or marker barrel.  Before you wrap the loop slide on the lobster claw clasp.  Finish your wrapped loop and trim any extra wire.

*NOTE: I like using the swivel lobster claw clasps because they give a bit of action to the zipper pull.

Snowflake Zipper Pull Instructions:

Attach an eye pin to the opening of the snowflake charm from #31112049.  Using the left over five bead dangles from #31112055 and remove them from their head pins.  Make four new dangles with these beads by sliding them onto gold head pins and forming loops at the end. Take the left over bead and slide it onto the eye pin.  Slide on the new dangles.  Begin to form your loop, slide on the lobster claw clasp and then wrap your loop.  Trim off any access.

FREE Friday Afternoon DIY Project! Jingle Bell Earrings

Sometimes, we just need a quick project to wear for a casual holiday gathering.  These Jingle Bell Earrings are super easy, super fast, and every so cute!  We will once again be using Cousin Corporation's 'Tis The Season line available at Prima Bead and at your local A.C. Moore.

Crafting Time: 10 minutes
Skill Level: Beginner
Skills Needed: Jump Rings

Tools: 2 Pair of Chain Nose Pliers and/or Bent Nose Pliers.  You can also use a jump ring opener.

Materials
(10) 6mm Jump Rings
(2) Ear Wires
(14) Jingle Bells.
I used these for this project 34742124 Tis the Season Bell Jingle Charms - Red/Green/Gold (from Prima Bead).

Begin by opening all of the jump rings.  On one jump ring slide on a jingle bell and close the ring. 
On another ring slip on a jingle bell, the jump ring you just closed and another jingle bell. Close the ring.

Continue until you have used five bells.

Slide on a jingle bell, the previous jump ring, another jingle bell, and the ear wire.  Close the ring.
 
Repeat for second earring.  Quick tip:  Make sure you reverse the colors on the second earring so they will be opposite of each other.


Enjoy your earrings!

"Tis The Season

'Tis the Season is a cheerful collection of festive charms and beads, all with the spirit of the holidays in mind. These unique pieces feature the traditional colors of reds, greens and blues as well as winter inspired themes and expressions. Great for creating bracelets and necklaces to get in the spirit of the holidays, 'Tis the Season makes for fun gifting inspiration and crafting projects.

Check it out at your local A.C. Moore.

Keep your eyes open here for a glimpse of a project I am working on using the 'Tis The Season line.

Is It Too Soon to Think About Christmas? Nah!

We are half way to Christmas already.  The holiday season is about to smack us square in the face. There is some wonderful crafting new to share about Christmas. Cousin is about to roll out a new line to stores in just a few days called 'Tis The Season.  It is filled with lovely Christmas themed charms, glittery beads, tiny jingle bells, and tons of ideas.  There are rings specifically made for wine glass charms too with this line.  It's enough to get your creative juices flowing and be ahead of the game when Christmas parties comes around.

The Creative Circle Ambassadors were the first to receive the line so we could play around with it. Delving into this lot really got me in the Christmas spirit.  And yes, I got a bit carried away. Below you will find a video tutorial for some really simple and cute ornaments using this line as well as a few pictures of the items I made.

So....I started painting

For a Christmas present, my dear hubby gave me an artist set complete with brushes, paints, pastels, canvases, an easel, pencils, paper, and a carrying bag.  Well, I started painting.  I burned out two paintings tonight (1/30/12) and I did a four canvas painting on Saturday (1/28/12). I haven't had this much fun painting since college.  I had forgotten how relaxing and therapeutic it was to paint.  My love is abstract paintings and these are no exception.  I can't paint anything realistic to save my life....so I paint abstract.  If I were drawing with Chalk Pastels, no problem getting something to look realistic.  It's something about the paints that bring out my inner child.  I have paint smears all over my hands.  My nails look slightly blue because of the paint AND I DON'T CARE!   I can't stop.....I'm off to paint so more.

Major Sale

MAJOR SALE!   •  MAJOR SALE!

 

We are having a major sale beginning at midnight, November 26th through Midnight November 28th.  Save 35% off all Necklaces and Sets (excluding Sterling Silver).  This is the biggest sale we have run to date.  As always, we offer FREE domestic shipping and a FREE Priority Mail upgrade on all domestic orders $40 or more. After this sale is over, you can still save 20% off on every order of $15 or more.  Coupon code will be posted on November 29th.  Happy shopping!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Ginny Carlson from Leah's Heart. She won the Christian Artists Promoting Shops Team's Item Based Treasury Contest on Etsy.  Click here to view her winning treasury.  Make sure you visit her blog as well.  Ginny wins a full month of advertising on this blog.  Her shop, Leah's Heart, will also be featured December 5th through December 11th.

Congrats also go out to our two runners up, Roxanne of watercolorNmore and EweniqueDesigns.  Roxanne's treasury is here, and EweniqueDesigns' treasury is here.  Both of these artisans will be featured during the month of December.  Roxanne's shop will be featured December 12th through December 18th. EweniqueDesigns will be featured the following week.

Again congratulations to all our winners and many happy sales during this Christmas shopping season!

Shelly Owen
Raziela Designs

Christmas In July

Come celebrate Christmas In July!

Now through the end of July we are offering 25% off your entire purchase of $20 or more.  Just enter code JULY25 at check out to receive your discount.

As always, we offer FREE shipping via USPS First Class Mail with delivery confirmation on ALL domestic orders. Ask about a shipping upgrade to Priority Mail.

Click here to visit our shop.