Wired Awareness Ribbon

October is just around the corner and most of us know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so here's a project that you can make to show your support!  We took 16 gauge wire, shaped it into the awareness ribbon shape, hammered it to make it sturdy, and then used 26 gauge wire to embellish it with 4mm Swarovski bicones.  Of course you can adjust the color to fit your cause and you can also use thinner gauge wire to make earrings or a smaller pendant.  We'll be doing this as a demo today at 2:00 at our Mapunapuna Bead Shop so stop by if you have a chance!

See you later!
Lynn H @ Mapunapuna BFC Bead Shop

Crankin’ Out Crafts Episode 149 - Burlap Canvas Art

Dress up your home or office wall with a unique piece of artwork made by you! JFlo demonstrates how to create a Burlap Canvas masterpiece in today’s episode of Crankin’ Out Crafts.

Mix ‘n match different textures, patterns and colors!

View the video on Burlap Canvas Art here: Crankin' Out Crafts: Episode 149 - Burlap Canvas Art

Supplies:

Burlap Canvas Square

Black Canvas (Mini 4”x4” or size of your choice)

Chalkboard Paper

Scrapbook Paper (coordinating pattern)

String, Jute, or Baker’s Twine

Chalk

Bistro Chalk Marker

Mini Clothespins

Brown Ink Pad (for distressing)

Glue Gun & gluesticks

Double-stick Tape

Ribbon (optional)

Scissors

Have some fun by adding a favorite phrase, name, or initial. You can even add a special photo and other embellishments, too!

*Be sure to scroll down and read today's earlier post by Kahului BFC on how to decorate candles for Halloween!

Halloween Candles with Black Sparkle Lace

Aloha Crafters ~

Today's Idea & Inspiration is inspired by our new 6 inch Sparkle Lace. Here it was used to enhance candles for a Halloween theme table setting.

Supplies:

• 6" Black Sparkle Lace (30132555)
• 3"x6" White Pillar Candle (30060780)
• 6"x6" White Pillar Candle (30060768)
• 10" White Taper Candle (30060744)
• Candlestick (30129586)
• 3/8" Halloween Ribbon (30133900)
• 7/8" Black Satin Edge Ribbon (30116795)
• 7/8" Orange Satin Edge Ribbon (30116772)
• 7/8" Orange Satin Ribbon (30116688)
• 1/8" Orange Satin Ribbon (30090693)
• Box Dish Round (30107253)
• 3/16" Dbl Stick Tape (30013283)
• Fabric Scissors of choice

Instructions for Pillar Candles: 

1. Cut Black Sparkle Lace to wrap around candles. Adhere to the candle with doublestick tape.
2. Cut 2' of Black Satin Edge Ribbon, Orange Satin Edge Ribbon, and 2 types of Halloween Ribbon
3. Adhere 1 type Halloween Ribbon to middle of each of the Black & Orange Satin Edge Ribbons.
4. Tie bow around Black Sparkle Lace on each candle.
5. Cut Black Sparkle Lace to fit around Box Dish Round, adhere using doublestick tape.
6. Cut 2 ~ 1/8" Orange Satin Ribbon to fit around Box Dish Round. Adhere to top & bottom edge of Black Sparkle Lace on Box Dish Round.

Instructions for Black Sparkle Lace Pumpkin Candle:

1. Cut 4 ~ 16" lengths of the Black Sparkle Lace. Cut each length in half = 8 ~ 3"x16" lengths.
2. Adhere doublestick tape to each end of each 3"x16" Black Sparkle Lace lengths (same side of lace).
3. Adhere 1 edge of 1st length of Black Sparkle Lace to collar of candle stick.
4. Set candle stick on middle of Black Sparkle Lace length.
5. Bring Black Sparkle Lace up to opposite edge of candlestick, adhere. 
6. Continue adhering each piece of Black Sparkle Lace to candlestick per steps 3-5, working around candlestick to form "pumpkin".
7. Freehand cut 2 leaves from Black Sparkle Lace.
8. Doublestick tape 1/8" Orange Satin Ribbon to edges of leaves.
9. Gather 7/8" Orange Satin Ribbon on to doublestick tape for the collar of the candlestick. Adhere.
10. Tie 3 ~ 1/8" Orange Satin Ribbon to taper candlle.

Happy Crafting!

Thursday Crafting & Saturday Adventures

Thursday Crafting with Gloria (that's me!) features this cute Heart Ring! A few twists of wire with round nose pliers and you've created a ring for your pinkie or a special girl!

Two tools that any paper crafter can use will be featured on this week-end's Saturday Crafting Adventures are the Big Shot and the Cinch. Since everyone needs color pens for their projects, we will feature the Le Plume Pens as well! From 10am-12pm, cut a die with the Big Shot, color with some Le Plume Pens and create a cute make-n-take card. In the afternoon, from 2-4pm, we'll be using the Cinch to make a mini-booklet to hold notes or memories! Hope to see you there!

There's always something creative going on at Pearl City's Ben Franklin Crafts!

gloria @ Pearl City

*Don't forget to read today's earlier post on another Burlap project on Crankin' Out Crafts!

Crankin’ Out Crafts Episode 148 - Burlap Flower

For our next burlap episode, Puna is back again with another variation on the burlap flower.

Create another pretty flower made out of burlap!

Catch the episode here: Crankin' Out Crafts: Episode 148 - Burlap Flower

Supplies:

1.5” burlap ribbon

Upholstery thread

Needle

Button

Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Burlap is extremely weather resistant and can be dried over and over again if rained on. This makes our burlap flowers wonderful décor for inside and outside the home.

'Head' straight for Halloween with our Costume Accessories Ideas!!!!

 Halloween is one of my favorite times of year, so for me it is never too early to start talking costumes!  Now that September is here...I can smell the candy apples ..and hear the giggles of the trick-or-treaters.  Head pieces are in trend more than ever, and it is such a great and easy way to wear a costume..without really wearing a costume!  So...grab your glue guns and your costume ideas, it's time to get busy..and hey, if you don't want to make your own, well we have that covered too!

These headbands are fun and glamorous...and ready to be worn right out of our store.  A perfect costume idea for a teacher, a trick-or-treater chaperon, passing out candy....to a party or even the office.

Whether you are an alien, a lady bug, bumble bee , butterfly or any kind of creature...these easy to make, sparkly, antenna headbands, are a fun way to accessorize your costume.  We have a variety of headbands, pipe cleaner, glitter and foams balls.  The balls I used came from one of the fabulous seasonal sprays we carry.  We also have Snazaroo face paint to help you create this and many other looks in minutes!

As soon as I saw the paper mache hats we have from Sierra Pacific Crafts...I couldn't wait to get to it.  I am so excited by the amount of felt and paper mache hats we are carrying this Halloween. Not to mention the variety of feathers, boas, glitter and more.  Check out yesterdays Halloween Derby blog for some more great derby hat ideas from Puna at Enchanted Lakes.

I used Crafter's acrylic "purple passion" paint and a foam brush for the base color and let it dry.  Next, laid the black lace we have over the purple and sprayed it with Design Master's Black spray paint.  I added a strip of lace around the base, a peacock feather spray, black feathers, and purple balls from a season spray. Go Dapper Magician, WIlly Wonka or even Mad Hatter with this look.

First, I used Design Master White spray paint to make the hat white.  Next, I took the black lace we have, and laid it over the white hat, sprayed black Design Master paint over that....and now I have a cool rustic laced look.  I used tulle, flat backed gem stones and black pearl stickers, and a spray painted and glittered skeleton to decorate my hat.  This has a bit of a steam punk feel to me...or even a gentlemanly pirate or vampire.  Don't be afraid to use your imagination..cause that's what it is all about.

ONLY 8 WEEKS TIL HALLOWEEEEEEN!!!!

Halloween Derby

I know it may seem a little early to be mentioning Halloween, but now that September has rolled around, you only have two months to prepare. At Ben Franklin we've got some great Halloween costume and decor ideas ready and waiting for you.

Take these great paper mache derbys, for example. With just a little paint and some add-ons, these make awesome accessories for your costume.

I used Montana Gold spray paint to get this perfect and even paint coverage on the derby. After hot-gluing some glittered skulls, lace, and pipe cleaners, my hat was complete.

Here's another Halloween Derby but with a different theme.

This peacock ornament seemed like the ideal, attention-getting piece for this Derby. By adding on some more lace and a bit of tulle we've got an outstanding and eye-catching hat.

Of course we've got a lot more costume and decor ideas just waiting for you here at Ben Franklin. Don't forget to drop by the store to pick our brains and check out these samples.

Puna @ Enchanted Lake

P.S. As always, if you scroll down to the previous post, you'll be able to check out the newest Crankin' Out Crafts episode. You really should.