Sara Jane's Studio

Style Stone Summary

I've played with Style Stones a lot over the last few years.  They are a wonderful man-made stone, pre-drilled, which is great for jewelry and embellishments for your artwork.  I've mostly had fun making jewelry.

 If you are interested, here is a summary of what you can see:

• Red and black Asian-theme bracelet
• Green and gold bracelet
• Coral and brown bracelet
• Green and brown bracelet
• Blue pendant and maching earrings
• Heart-shaped earrings
• Triangle earrings
• Review of Stye Stones on Craft Critique

And another great surface, size and shape for jewelry making is dominoes!! Check out these ideas:

• Palm trees and flowers
• Queen of Hearts necklace
• Domino pin

Let me know if you want to learn how to make these fun accessories, or even if you'd like to order something custome made!  Contact me and we'll work something out.

Stylish Style Stones: Part II

And here is another pair of Style Stone earrings.  This time I used the engraved triangles.  They are 1-1/4" across the top (as I show them here) and 3/4" top to bottom.

Even though no two are alike in this set of four, I did not mind making a pair of earrings.  I think it adds a little interest to have each one be similar, but not exactly the same.

For the base coat on these I used Encore Ultimate Metallic ink in "Teal."  Two coats, with heat setting in-between.  And I used the Clearsnap inking brush to get into all of the engraved areas.

Then I lightly applied Chocolate Chip Craft ink on the surface- and wiped quite a bit off, in an "antiquing" sort of approach.

The sides and the back were also covered with Chocolat Chip craft ink.  After heat setting, I sprayed them with a gloss finish acrylic spray.

Fianlly, they were embellished with gold jewelry findings, some cool square shaped beads in the same color and finish (pure good luck on my part to have these!!) and a coin pearl.  My jewelry findings and beads came from Fire Mountain Gems. 

Want to make some of your own?  Want to buy some custom-made to order for the holidays?  Contact me and let's see what we can work out!

 

Style Stone Earrings: Part I

More Stye Stone fun!!  If you are not familiar with them, these are man-made stone shapes from Clearsnap, pre-drilled, which can be embellished with all manner of materials and techniques.

This time, I used engraved Style Stones in the shape of hearts.

  These are pre-drilled from top-to-bottom, and measure 3/4" high and about 1" at the widest point of the heart.  Surprisingly, they are light enough to wear as earrings, so that's what I did with them.

The first step was to color them directly with my ink pad:  I used Cameo Coral Craft ink,  two coats, and heat set each coat with my heat gun.  To get into all of the little nooks and crannies, I used on of Clearsnaps' style stone inking brushes- which is nothing more than a very small stipple brush.  (They can often be found in big box craft stores and art stores, for use in stencilling.)

Then I used my Chocolate Chip craft ink, and tapped it onto the Style Stone lightly, so that it only colored the top surface.  After heat setting, I sprayed with a gloss finish acrylic spray to seal them.  The finishing touch was a tiny red rhinestone heart in the center of the star.  (Some times it pays to buy things even if you have no immediate use for them!!  I've had the little heart since I can't remember when- and FINALLY had the perfect place for it!)

They were completed with gold jewelry findings and brown glass drops.  (FYI- My favorite online source for all kinds of beads and jewelry-making supplies is Fire Mountain Gems.  Huge selection, and good prices.)

 
If you are local (ie somewhere near Boston) and want to learn how to make this kind of fun and unique jewerly, contact me!  Or, if you want to order something custom-made, contact me!  I look forward to hearing from you!!

Blue Pendant

I've been having fun with Style Stones again, from Clearsnap.  If you want to read more about the Style Stones themselves, you can check out my product review on Craft Critique. 

One of the things I love about Style Stones is that they are a ready made surface which can take all manner of decoration and embellishments.  AND they are pre-drilled- which is a lot easier than having to drill it yourself.  This particular project makes up in only a few hours, and yet it looks like it came from a trendy boutique.

For this pendant, I started with the next-to-largest size oval cameo:  it measures  only 1" top-to-bottom and 3/4" side-to-side.  I used my Taken with Teal Craft ink padd, and tapped it directly on the top and the sides of the cameo.  Two coats were required to give a deep, even color, and I heat-set each coat with my heat gun.  NOTE:  These puppies really take up heat!!  So dont' handle them immediately after using the heat gun.  Instead, I always make sure I have a couple of stones in progress at the same time, and just switch off between them when one of them needs to cool.

Once the second coat was cool enough, I stamped the circular image from the Charming stamp set from Stampin' Up! using Whisper White Craft ink.  Then I embossed with white embossing powder.  WHen this was cool, I added a top coat of Crytal Effects to give it a nice gloss finish.  And before the Crystal Effects was fully set, I dropped in a tiny turquoies rhinestone from my stash.

"Charming" Stamp Set Images

The cameo was finished around the edges with my trusty Krylon Gold Leaf pen.  I used gold jewelry findings, and hung it on a piece of navy blue velvet ribbon. 

And since I can never go without matching jewelry, I made these sweet little earrings to go along with the pendant.

I like the fact that the white inage is not perfectly solid -  it has the feel of batik to it.

Like them?  Need one or more for holiday gifts?  Just drop me a line- a set will be $35 (plus shipping) and can be made to your specifications.

And check back for more jewelry ideas using Style Stones.

 

Another Style Stone Bracelet

As you may have noticed by now, I go on binges.  I'll get started with a particular technique, or working with a particular surface, and then do many variations on a theme.

In the last week I showed a few Style Stone bracelets (which you can see by clicking hereand here), and recipients of my newsletter received detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to make one design in particular.  In this post will be the last of the Style Stone Bracelets that I made- at least in that sitting!

 

This bracelet usese the square Style Stones from Clearsnap.  (If you go to their website, click on "Extras", then "Style Stones" and then the image of the decorated Style Stones, in order to see the variety of what they offer.)  I inked them first by tapping with Old Olive Craft Ink, and heat setting it with my heat gun.  I colored both front and back this way. 

Then I stamped a variety of images from Paula Best on each stone.  (I don't think these stamps are still available- but I'm not certain.  In any case, please be aware that Paula Best is NOT an angel company, so you cannot sell anything you make with her images.  You can, of course, give them as gifts!!)

I stamped the images with Chocolate Chip Craft ink, and heat set each one.  Then I added just a touch of gold with my Zig Gold Painty pen. (Stampin' Up!  used to carry these....) 

The edges of each stone were finished with my Krylon Gold Leafing Pen, and each stone was sealed with a light spray of gloss acrylic sealer. 

The stones were strung on Stretch Magic cord, alternating with 8mm X 4mm rondelles of Czech fire polished glass beads in amber, and 6 mm round, gold beads. 

That's it!  Another super easy, super quick gift idea!!

Keep creating! 

  

 

Rubber Stamped Jewelry

Recently I've been playing around with Style Stones from Clearsnap.  (To find them on their website, click on "Extras", then "Style Stones", then on the image of the decorated stones, on the left.  They have an unusual website...I'm not sure I like it....But that is besides the point...)

My next newsletter (running on November 17) has detailed instructions on how to make a bracelet using Style Stones.  But since I got on a roll and cranked out so many, I thought I'd share some of the other versions here.

For the bracelet shown above, I used Cameo Coral Craft ink to color the surface of the square stones, and then heat set it with my heat gun.  The backs and sides were colored with Chocolate Chip Craft ink in a similar fashion.  The images are from a set by Paula Best- I'm not 100% sure she still has these particular ones in her catalog.  (Note that Paula Best is NOT an Angel Company, so you cannot sell anything that you make using her images.)  After the Cameo Coral was heat set, I stamped the images with Chocolate Chip Craft ink and heat set those.  Each stone was sealed with a gloss acrylic spray fixative.  The stones were strung alternately with large pink seed beads, and Czech glass topaz colored beads, using an elastic cord.

      

Yes, it's that easy to make fun and unique jewelry!!  Tap on the background color, stamp on your image, heat set, fix with spray, and string!!  That's it.  You can crank out bunches for holiday gifts in no time!!

More Fun with Style Stones

Here is another example of what can be done with the Clearsnap Style Stones.  I love the surface for coloring and blending, and you can whip up a bracelet in no time at all with a few stones, some elastic cord, and some beads. 

I give very detailed instructions in my upcoming newletter (to be published on November 17, 2008), as part of the 12 Weeks of Christmas.  (If you sign up for the newsletter, you'll get the details for FREE!)  And the other day I posted another design.  Here I'm going to whet your appetite just a bit more for this fun stamping surface!

On these stones, I used a combination of different Craft inks to color the background, using a small stipple brush to blend the colors.  I started with Old Olive all over as the base.  Then, step-by-step, I built up the color with Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip, and Summer Sun.  After adding each color, and blending with the stipple brush, I heat set before adding the next color.

   

The stones, above left, are almost finished.  The ones on the right show the addition of Summer Sun, and before heat setting.  Below, are the finished stones, after all colors have been layered on.  The key is to heat set after each addtion.  That way you can layer colors and create a sense of depth, without all of the colors blending together and looking muddy.

 

Then I started adding images. I used a series of 1" square stamps from Paula Best, and stamped them and embossed them in Gold Encore ink and then gold embossing powder.

   

Click on any image above to enlarge it.

After embossing with gold, I covered each with Crytal Effects and let it set overnight, to give it the hard, glossy finish.

Each stone was finished with a little gold Krylon Leafing pen around the edges.  The backs were covered with Old Olive Craft ink and heat set.  Then they were strung on elastic cord ("Stretch Magic"), with gold beads in-between each stone.

And that is it!!  Watch for another version in the next few days.

The Hardware Store

Last week I had to make a trip to Strasbourg, France, for my day job.  (In case you were wondering what that is, I work for a small, private, pharmaceutical company, and manage the process of developing new drugs.)  We have laboratories at the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, and every few months I make a short trip over "the pond".

On my very first trip to Strasbourg, I discovered a wonderfull little store just off of Guttenberg Square, called "La Droguerie".  In english, this literally translates to "the hardware store".  And, it is, in a way, the hardward store for those of us who craft.  They carry two main types of supplies: knitting and jewelry.  The store walls are comprised of built-in wooden shelves- I'd guess 10 feet tall- floor to ceiling- filled with jars of beads!  They also have wonderful fibers, trims, ribbons, jewelry findings, etc etc.  The staff were helpful and friendly- it always helps when you know at least a little french.  And if you cannot make it to Strasbourg, they are located all over France, including a shop in Paris.  Click here for their limited website; scroll to the second page for the map of their locations.

ANYWAY, this last visit, I bought a small kit to make a necklace out of buttons.  It was so quick to put together (about 30 mintes!!!) that I had to share.  You could certainly, and easily, design your own.  I think the most time would be spent at your nearest fabric store deciding on which bottons to use.

The contents of the kit are shown at left.  It included 14 buttons of various sizes and designs, in complementary colors of blue, black and silver metal; a fine leather cord for stringing; cord tips to finish the ends; and a black metal toggle clasp.

I started by cutting the cord in half, to yield two pieces, each about 16 " long.  Then I simply started threading it through the holes in the buttons according to the diagram that was provided.  I started with the button that would be roughly in the center of the necklace, and worked my way out on the left side, and then right side.

Note that most of the buttons had 4 holes in them.  This seems to be the best kind for this style of necklace.  There was one button with only two holes, and I found that even with the fine cord, I could only get one length of cord through the holes.  The other cord has to trail behind the button.

On some buttons, I chose to cross the cords over each other, creating an "X" on the button front.  Just another little teeny- weenie element of design!

I kept going until all 14 buttons were threaded.  Then I adjusted everything until I had an equal amount of cord extending from each end.  This required a little gentle tugging and pulling and re-adjusting, but was not a big hassle.

The ends are finished with fine silver-colored cord ends.  Essentially, these are findings that have a loop at one end, with an attached rectangle.  The rectangle is crimped around the cord to hold it tight, and provide an attachment for the necklace closure itself.  These particular ones were tiny!!  Be sure to use flat nose pliers meant for jewelry- you don't want the ridges of your regular old needle-nose pliers making dents in your findings.  (Click any image to enlarge it.)

     

 

Then, I added jump rings to each cord end, and attached the black toggle clasp.  And, voila!  A quick and easy piece of wearable art.

 

Here are the details if you want to reproduce a version of this particular necklace:

• 0.5 mm leather cord; 2 pieces, each at least 15" long  (longer if you want a bigger necklace)
• 2 cord ends for the small cord
• toggle clasp of your choice, plain or fancy
• 14 buttons in various sizes:  1.5" for the focal point; 1-1/8"; 2 at 1"; 3 at 7/8" (in multiple styles); 6 at 5/8" (in multiple styles); and one at 1/2".

On this necklace buttons are strung in this order: 

5/8" blue filigree - 5/8" silver metal - 5/8" blue filigree - 5/8" black fancy - 7/8" blue filigree - 1" silver metal - 1.5" black focal point - 1-1/8" blue filigree - 7/8" black fancy - 1" silver metal - 7/8" blue filigree - 5/8" blue plain - 5/8" silver metal - 1/2" blue plain

Contact me if you would like me to put a kit together for you for $35.  They won't be the same buttons as I used, but I'll find some great ones for you!  Let me know what color or color families you'd like.  I'll be delighted to create a kit so you can make your own wearable art!!

I bought supplies to make more necklaces- so check back frequently to see my progress!

And in the meantime, keep creating!

 

12 Weeks of Christmas 2008

The second annual 12 Weeks of Christmas will be starting at Sara Jane's Studio on Monday, September, 29, 2008.  

Rightfully, you might ask "What is this??"  It is 12 weeks of ideas and inspiration especially written for the readers of my newsletter!  

Each week the Sara Jane's Studio newsletter will contain FREE detailed, step-by-step instructions for gifts and cards that you can make for this coming holiday season.  The first four weeks will be greeting cards (with secular and religious themes), the second four weeks will be gifts and home decor items, and the last four weeks will be quick-to-craft items including tags and wrap ideas.

You can see the 12 Weeks of Christmas offerings from 2007 by clicking here.  All 12 of the newsletters with the detailed instructions can be found at this link.  And many project kits are still available. 

If you'd like to be assured of getting all 12 of the 2008 12 Weeks of Christmas program, just sign up for my newsletter, using the link in the upper left side of my website.

Sign up now for your holiday inspiration!

More Dominoes- With One Stamp

It seems once I get started, it's hard to stop.... Here are a few more dominoes.  I taught the class recently, and had an opportunity to do a little work myself,  so I explored variations using the same stamp image.

Here are three versions using the same stamp image from Invoke Arts.   (Please note that if you double click on any of the images, they will open in a larger window so you can see more detail.)

In all three cases, I started by stamping the image on a piece of white tissue paper.  You might wonder:  Why use tissue paper instead of stamping directly on the domino?  The answer is that it depends on which medium you want to work in.  If you want to use solvent based or alcohol based inks or markers (StazOn or Copic), then you can work directly on the plastic surface of the domino.  BUT, if you want to work with water-based markers (such as those from Marvy or Stampin' Up!) or watercolor paints, then you need to work on tissue paper. 

I wanted to use Twinkling H2Os again, because I love the shimmer that results from the mica particles included in the paints.  So I stamped my image with StazOn, since it will not run or bleed when wet from the water color.  And I proceeded to paint the images using different combinations and placement of color.  When I was happy with the painting, I used a small brush, wet with plain water, to draw a line close to the edges of the stamped image.  Then I gently tore the image out of the paper.  The wet line helps to keep the tearing under control- the paper will tend to tear where it is wet before it tears where it is dry.  I put a thin layer of plain, white PVA glue on the domino surface (already lightly sanded!)  to attach the image to the domino.  If you work very quickly, you can make a few adjustments when you lay the tissue down to center the image on the domino.  But you must work VERY quickly!  Use a little more glue to make sure the torn edges are glued down.  (The tearing helps to make the edge of the paper "disappear" once it is glued down.)

This first one used a pink on the border, garnet for the heart and the words, and gold for the background.  Amazingly, I found a Brilliance ink color (by Tsukineko) in the "Twilight" trio ink pad that matched the border perfectly.  I used this to color the sides and the back of the domino.  This was accomplished by repeatedly tapping the edge of the domino against the ink pad, until it was covered to my liking.  I heat set the ink with my heat gun.  On this particular domino, I also covered the top with Crystal Effects, which yields a very shiny, glossy surface.

This domino uses a deep purple on the words, garnet for the background, and a soft gold for the heart and the border.  I colored the edges and the back with StazOn ink- I liked the drama of the contrast of the black with the gold.

On this last domino, I used garnet on the words and the outside of the heart, a pale blue background, and then gold on the interior of the heart and on the border.  The piece was finished with my favorite too, the Krylon Gold Leafing pen, on the sides and the back.

You may have noticed that none of these have been pre-drilled.  It was a conscious choice.  I could still make jewelry out of them- add a pin back, and it's a brooch.  Or, if I can figure out how to use "Hang Tabz" from Renaissance Art, I may attach one of those to the back so I can create a necklace.

But, I also may save these for embellishments on other pieces- a decorative box, an altered book, or some other piece of altered art.  Got any good ideas for me?  I'd love to know! 

Keep creating!