Mini Pallet Night Sky Painting

This week I wanted to show you "mini painting" ideas!

This project will also be taught as a class on April 14th from 5-7p at our HouseMart Ben Franklin Enchanted Lake location! The fee is $35 with all supplies included!


Supplies: 
at least 20 popsicle sticks
2 longer sticks
acrylic paint in white, black, assorted blues, purples, teals and pinks
1" wide rectangle nylon paintbrush
cup of water
hot glue / hot glue gun
black ribbon
silver Minc foil
Zig 2 way glue pen


First, hot glue your popsicle sticks to two longer sticks. I used 16, but feel free to experiment with different lengths and sizes! 

Next, paint your mini pallet with your assorted colors, starting from black and working down to purple, blue, and teal and pink.

Next, after your background is completely dry, sprinkle some watered down white paint using your paintbrush over the surface to create stars!

Then once your stars are dry, you can use your Zig glue pen, and Minc foil to make a few of the stars extra shiny!


 Then all you need to do is paint a silhouette of palm trees using black paint! 

Hot glue a bow and a ribbon to the top, and ta da!
A super cute night scene!

Have fun!

Bethany @Enchanted Lake


 

Mermaid Jar

Happy Monday, art movers, shakers and makers!

I am so excited for beach weather! Here is a mermaid mason jar project that will light up any beach themed home or party!


Supplies : 
mason jar
pink tissue paper
gloss mod podge
light blue acrylic craft paint
paintbrush
jute
blue ribbon
starfish
black paper
double sided tape
twinkle lights 
cup of water for 


First, glue tissue to mason jar and let dry. Cut out a mermaid silhouette with HouseMart Ben Franklin's complementary Accucut machine that is free to use!  Use double sided tape to secure to the inside of the jar.

Thin out some of the light blue acrylic paint with water and "watercolor" some of it over the top and bottom of the tissue covered mason jar.

Allow to dry and then tie jute, ribbon, and starfish to the outside!

Throw some tinkle lights in there behind your mermaid silhouette and you have yourself a fancy magic nightlight!

 Have fun crafting!

Bethany @Enchanted Lake


 

Pineapple Quote!

Pineapples!

Just can't get enough of this fun tropical fruit!

We've been getting in TONS of pineapple-themed goods at our stores including bags, ceramics and wooden serving platters.  This is the perfect time to stock up for summer entertaining, so it's time to come on down and get crafty!

Today, I have a great painting project that would be great for kids as well as adults for those artsy get-togethers.  It's time to bring the fun of the boozy painting classes home!  All you need are basic pineapple colors like yellows, oranges, greens, oranges and some tans, as well as a cool tropical blue and white for the contrasting background.  You will also need a tan Stabilo marker, a black fine tip acrylic Montana or DecoColor marker, as well as a White Gelly Roll. 

Here, I painted on a natural slice of wood for a rustic feel, but feel free to paint on a canvas or wooden pallet.  Whatever floats your boat!

 

 

I first laid down a coat of white and then, while it was still wet, blended in some Delta Americana AcrylicTropical Blue for a lighter toned turquoise blue.  Once that background layer was dry, I used Ceramcoat Acrylic in Butter Yellow to paint the top three quarters of an oblong shape for the pineapple.  This took two coats for good coverage. 

 

After this was dry, I went ahead and painted the leaves.  Using upstrokes, I started at the top of the pineapple and tapered the tops of the leaves by slowly turning my brush sideways. (As a note, I used a 1 inch synthetic flat brush.)  I mixed a different shades of green such as Ceramcoat Spring Green and Delta Americana Chartreuse just to add more depth and dimension.  Just don't add too much!  You will be writing over the pineapple afterwards, so don't put too much effort into making it too detailed! 

 

I then used the Stabilo pen to lightly sketch the "eyes" of the pineapple.  This is where I brought a bit more detail into the painting, but feel free to use a paint marker or regular acrylic paint.  You can add a little more detail in this area, depending on how long of a quote you use.  After this was dry, I wrote the quote "You are the pineapple of my eye." in black Montana marker straight over the pineapple.

 

 

Afterwards, I used the white Gelly Roll gel pen to add some 3D effects to the letters!  I love the sketchy look, so I went over my lines multiple times.

 

 

Once everything was dry, I sprayed the painting with a light and even coat of Acrylic Sealer.  This is to prevent the water-based pens like the Stabilo and the Gelly Roll from smudging in the future.

 

 

And there you have it! 

Again, you can always experiment and make it your own.  The steps I used only took me about an hour.  Having a blow dryer or heat gun on hand would help in speeding up the process.  (Waiting for paint to dry can be a real drag.)  If you want to have a more detailed pineapple, go for it!  Want to use a different quote?  Fantastic!  If you're having a painting party, everyone can put their own spin on their painting.  Seeing everyone's unique style is always the best part!  Plus, what better party favor to go home with than a piece of summery décor and some renewed artistic confidence?

 

Cheers!

Erika



Shaker Grad Pics!

Graduates!  It's time to send your grad photos to friends and family!

 Now, we are all familiar with the traditional black cal folder and the message 

written in white gold or silver pen.

IT'S TIME TO BREAK THE RULES.

Today, we have two awesome ways to deck out your senior portraits!

 

First way: Cardstock! There are so many colorful designs to choose from

in our stores!  All you have to do is choose a theme and pattern and, with just a few scrapbooking 

techniques, you can add some color to that plain black cal folder!  Add some ephemera embellishments and even some pop-up accents!

Here, I used a couple papers from Amy Tangerine's new On a Whim Collection.

Just as a heads up, Ben Franklin Crafts is selling Lauhala print Cal Folders!

This item is exclusively sold at our stores, so don't miss out!  They add a great "Island" touch,

which is great for sending photos out-of-state.  Paired with cute tropical-themed paper, it is ADORABLE.

Notice the glitter yet?  Yes, there are sequins and glitter on the photos!

I used the We-R-Memory Fuse Tool to make the graduates' photos into "shaker photos"!

                                                                                  
 It's a pretty simple process, really.  All you need is scrapbook sleeves, sequins, glitter and your graduate's photo!  Slip the photo into the sleeve and place it flush against the corner.  (That way, all you need to do is fuse two sides!)  Slide some sequins and glitter onto the photo and fuse the remaining two sides to seal them in.  Lastly, cut off the excess sleeve plastic! 

Back to the Lauhala print.  It can be a little tricky to work with for it can go in either the "tacky" direction or the "cute" direction depending on how you use it. 

                                                     
Just like working with textures in mixed media, mixing a fun and modern print consisting of simple shapes with the photo-realistic lauhala print can balance everything out.  And of course, Amy Tangerine will have that perfect, quirky and colorful, tropical paper!  Here, I used the other, more solid side of the tropical print paper to create a space for a short message.  The square could even be made into a pocket large enough for a graduation or grad party invitation!

 Here are the close-ups of the "shaker photos" .   I slid these photos into the decorated Cal-Folders and it really brought everything together.  It added that extra gold accent and "fun factor" to the portraits.   Wouldn't these be fun to get in the mail?  I was having a ball shaking them after they were fused! 😀

There are so many ways to customize your graduation photo to make it really represent who you are and what you're all about!  Have fun with it because this is your celebration, Graduate!

Congrats!

Erika @ PC

Spring Keiki Crafts Camp 2017

Hey Crafters!

I hope everyone had an awesome Spring Break!

At our stores, we had a very successful Keiki Craft Camp making

fun and adorable crafts with the kids.  Let me just say, there were A LOT of kids this Spring, which was AMAZING.  No surprise, because the projects included classics like Perler Beads and Shrink Art!

Sara at Market City with a full class!  We're ready for today's craft, Teach!

What was especially impressive was the number of kids who showed up during the second day of camp.  Why you ask?  SLIME, of course!  Yes, that craze that's been sweeping the nation and causing Elmer's Glue to just fly off the shelf!  In fact, slime even caused a nationwide shortage of Elmer's Glue.  Crazy, right?  We loved how all of the kids' slime turned out different, representing each child's preferences and color choices.  "More glitter,  More Borax"!  "Not too much foam beads!" The measurements had to be just right!  We had so many fun and interesting ways to customize the slime.  Not just by look, but by texture as well!   This glob had some colored foam beads that seriously made it look like ice cream.  I mean, come on!  Look at it!

One of the most rewarding things was watching them play with the slime and to see them have fun with it. 

 

    

Just the right amount of lotion produces a satisfyingly stretchy slime.

                                        

Much stretch.  So wow!

So goopy and messy, but that's half the fun!

Just in case anyone is interested in the slime recipes that we used, each store did have their own special concoction. So, feel free to check out each one for different recipes and have fun experimenting at home!  Also, don't forget that our stores have started expanding on the Slime supplies, so specialty items like Borax, foam beads and clear glue are starting to hit our shelves.

Stay tuned to see what else we have in store!

Look at the mixed media scrapbooking going on here!  These kids even include photos in their wood craft project.  What a great way to record and make memories over the break.  The keiki got to create their very own piece of mixed media art!  We gave them everything they could ever ask for; from glitter to cardstock.  And they went nuts.  Like, glitter on the floor and their faces nuts! 

SO MUCH FUN!

You will not believe how much glitter was left on the table. 

Although making a big mess is all part of the CREATIVE PROCESS!

Bright colors and Glitter are all the rage right now. 

  

A stinkin' adorable project that we had on the last day was a Pet Rock and Sanctuary.  Basically, our kids decorated a pet rock, painting it whatever animal they wanted, and they then created a little habitat/home for it using a clear pail, odds and ends, and a whole lot of imagination!  From shark tanks to butterfly homes, the crafts these kids made were so  creative.   There were many who liked to jazz up their homes with lots of bright colored doodles all over their pails and flower cut outs strewn all over the inside.  We also noticed there were some who liked to keep things simple, with a bit of Spanish moss here and a bit of green fluffy moss there.  Maybe a little washi tape around the rim of the can along with a couple cute bows tied onto the handle.

This craft camp is a lot of fun for kids, and it's a great way to make new friends and to learn how to make a bunch of different crafts!  This program is available at all stores during Spring, Summer and Fall.  Stay connected with us on our company website (benfranklinhawaii.com), Facebook (@BenFranklinCrafts) and Instagram (@bfcrafts)!

New Year Countdown Board

I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas!

Can't believe how fast this year has flown by.  Now it's time to start getting ready for the New Year!  For those of you who love to have New Year's Eve parties, I have a great project that makes a great conversation starter for all your friends and family!

All you need are a few items...

 

1. Black, Gold, Grey and White Cardstock

2. Double-stick tape

3. Paper Cutter

4. We-R-Memory Envelope Punchboard

5. Metallic Gold, White and Black stamp pad

6. Black 0.5 Micron Pen

7. White Gelly Roll Pen

8. Gold Montana Acrylic Paint Pen

9. Washi Tape
10. Black or White Mounting or Illustration Board

 

  

It looks like a long list, but trust me!  There isn't much work involved!

Your punch board, which I highly recommend purchasing if you do not already own one, will be doing most of the hard work.  You will just be using your creativity!

First, cut a 6x6 inch square out of your cardstock and use the instructions on your punch board to cut out a template for a 3x5 inch envelope.  I chose cardstocks in different colors, textures and patterns for variety. 

 

 Keep that in mind when choosing the cards going into the
envelopes as well!  A conversation starter about the past year such as "Favorite Song?" and "Favorite Holiday Memory?" will be on each card.  This means that each envelope is going to be put on the board in a "portrait format".  Because they are going to be pockets, tape only the two longer sides and one short side down.  Cut off the other short flap.  This is where the card will slip in.  (After putting the envelopes together, you can distress the sides with a stamp pad to give it a vintage look.)

 

Each pocket is going to represent each hour leading down to midnight starting at 6:00 pm.  You can decorate the front of the pockets with washi tape and baker's twine, then write an hour on each envelope.  If you want, you can punch out shapes and write the times on these pieces before sticking them onto your pockets.   Go nuts and mix techniques!

 

 

 I punched out a 4 x 6 inch envelope out of some festive gold and white chevron paper to mark the New Year!  In here, I put a card that read "New Years Resolutions?"
That would probably be the best way to start the New Year, other than some champagne and maybe a kiss from that special someone.  (Or maybe your dog.  Puppy kisses work too.)
Whatever you choose to do with your loved ones, we at the Pearl City Ben Franklin would like to wish you a Safe, Prosperous and Happy New Year!

Cheers!
Erika @ PC

Gifts in a Jar

Time is running out and it's time to start scrambling for last minute gifts!

Don't know what to get for a co-worker's child?  Maybe for your friend's little sister?

Can't think of little presents to give to all the guests at your Christmas celebration?

I have just the ideas you need for all of your last-minute gifts and favors!

 

 

The solution?  GIFTS IN A JAR!

These are simple to make and you can put anything in them!  Not to mention, the container is pretty cute and useful, so that won't go to waste like a flimsy gift box.

I have three examples of what you can do.  For the first jar, which was just a small 4 oz. jelly jar, I punched gift tags out of different colors of cardstock, pre-decorated a few of them and included doodle twine in a variety of colors as well.

 

 

I had younger children in mind for the next jar.  I chose a 16 oz. jar to old larger items because I wanted to include pipe cleaners of different colors and large, fluffy pom poms.  Add in some colorful yarn, feathers and googly eyes and you've got a kit to make your own little monsters!  You can even pre-make a critter for inspiration if you'd like.  All they need is adult supervision and a glue gun, or some really strong kid-safe glue like

 

The next one is for those fairy garden lovers out there!  I pretty much just included a bunch of random wooden pieces such as spools, tiny knobs and candlestick holders and a few natural textures like rocks, small pinecones and moss.  A small plant like this cute soft green succulent would also be a great accent and would add a lot of height to the fairy garden.  Also, some jute cord and a wooden or kraft paper tag would be a great touch for the outside of the jar.  Don't forget your little fairy!  Here, I included a small Christmas fairy.  How cute is she?

 



 

There you have it!  The possibilities are endless!  You could have a snowman kit with large white pom poms, clay carrot noses, black beads and brown pipe cleaners!  How about a New Year's celebration kit with supplies to make a paper hat that says 2017?  It could even include a small container of confetti and a noisemaker!  Whatever you make, don't forget to include holiday spirit!

 

Have fun!

Erika @ PC

Freshly-Squeezed Caddy

Good Day, Crafters!

This past week, we've had a huge load of unfinished wooden products come into our stores.  Seriously, I can't stop looking at them because there are so many ideas that just pop into my head!  So many different shapes and containers to choose from. 

Today, I chose a small pen holder for one of my first projects.  As you can see, this has three slots where you can store your pens, pencils and other tools.  Something small just to clear up the desk area.  I also chose an adorable lemon-printed paper by Dear Izzy to Mod Podge onto the sides. A bright and fun fuchsia color to make it pop. I created different shades by mixing in some white acrylic and created a distressed effect, keeping the base the darkest fuchsia. 

I also wrote a quote on the front panel with an acrylic paint pen.

So, if you guys get the chance, stop by at one of our stores to check out our awesome selection of unfinished wood products and decorate your very own caddy, treasure chest, serving tray, wish box, frame or sign today!

Erika @ PC

Sea Glass Mason Jar

Today we are going to make a Sea Glass Mason Jar.  It can be used for many different occasions.  Let's get started!

Supplies:
Popsicle Stick
1" Foam Brush
Elmer's Glue
Icing Coloring (Your Choice)
Paper Plate
Clear Spray Paint (sealer)

Optional Supplies:
Jute
Sea Glass
Shell (drilled)

First you need to gather your supplies.


Now take your paper plate and pour about 1" in diameter of Elmer's glue onto the plate.

Take your popsicle stick and dip it into your icing coloring.  Scrape one side of the popsicle stick on your icing coloring bottle.  Mix your dipped popsicle stick with the Elmer's glue until one color is formed.

Take the lid off of your mason jar and start painting your glue mixture onto your jar with the foam brush.  Paint the entire mason jar and let it dry upside down.

 Once dried spray your jar with a clear spray paint.  That way you will seal the jar and prevent the sea glass look from chipping.  At this point you can wrap the bottom of the lip with jute and add a sea glass or shell for a more decorative look.

And you are done! 

*Please keep away from direct sunlight to prevent the sea glass look from fading*

Have a Craftastic Day!
Julie @ Enchanted Lake

Simple Clothespin Card/Picture Holder

Supplies:
Craft pick
Wooden Dowel (1/16" or 1/8" in diameter)
Mini clothespin
Glue gun









Lets Get Started:

Gather your craft pick or dowel and a mini clothespin. 

Add a dot of hot glue onto your craft pick or dowel and connect it to the back of the clothespin.

This is how it should look like:

At this point you can embellish your clothespin.  You can paint it with acrylic paint, mod podge with glitter, add washi tape and much more.

This card/picture holder is great for any occasion.
Here's an example of a centerpiece:

Have fun crafting this project!

Have a Craftastic Day!
Julie @ Enchanted Lake