Terrorific Tuesday: Vintage Black Cat Pendant

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vintage black cat pendant

Woo. This one was an all nighter. Well, not really, but I spent about 3 hours on it. You wouldn’t think it to take so long. It’s just an image on a charm, but I’m so sloppy a painter and I made a few small mistakes along the way. I may be more impatient than the Impatient Crafter herself! Ha ha. I’m not going to go into all the details…just use the K.I.S.S. method (keep.it.simple.stupid.) and always let things dry before you move onto the next step. This is where I am a flawed crafter.

FYI: I modified a vintage cat image for this charm in Photoshop. I changed the coloring and some of the shapes. I just love black cats, if you didn’t already know that…I mean, how can I not like them…I have the wonderful black Pixie as a pet:

Moody Pixie

OK, on with the show…

Supplies:
– Photo software + inkjet printer
– Cardstock
– decopauge medium
– Americana Acrylics in Lamp (Ebony) Black
– Craft Twinkles Paint (I used fuchsia for a hot pink shimmer)
– scissors
– Crazy glue
– toothpicks
– palette/paper plate
– pendant bail
– 1.5″ wooden disk (I purchased mine at Michaels)
– Vintage black cat image
– foam brush and 3/8″ flat brush

Here’s what you do:
1) Download vintage cat and starburst image here. Open up in your photo software and print. It should be shy of 1 1/2″ in diameter. Size in your photo software if needed.

2) Basecoat wooden disk with black paint. Let dry.
basecoat

3) Apply Craft Twinkles over top of black paint. Let dry.
add glitter

4) Use super glue and place pendant bail into place. Use toothpick to hold into place for several minutes until dry.
add pendant bail

5) Cut out printed image with scissors. Apply decopauge medium to back of cut out image. Spread in a thin even layer and apply on top of wooden disk.
cover with medium on back

6) Use decopauge to coat front as well (back and forth a couple of times). Don’t overcoat. If you do, it will make the paper bubble or make the ink bleed. Let dry.
seal
7) String basic chain pendant through pendant bail and display proudly!

And on a final note, I saw this little cat decoration (or one very similar to it) in a gift shop in Stanford today. I really love the expression and I want to see if it freaks Pixie out! I know that seems mean, but I think it is so cute! By the way, I have never seen my cat do her back like this…

i want this

Until tomorrow Swellions!

Alexa

An awesome site (and book) you have to check out

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I’ve got some really cool projects up my sleeve, one of which involving the use of these:
our glass pendants

They are really cool Our Glass Frame Pendants from HHH Enterprises. These little pendants (or rather, I should say big pendants) were one of the few things that truly caught my eye at the CHA show last February. I had a great conversation with the owner, Homer, and we’ve remained e-mail buddies ever since. Homer is a first-class guy and really seeks out unique products…just check out the site for all kinds of cool stuff…everything from a wide variety of colorful turquoise (it makes me drool a little bit) to fancy belt buckle blanks to bright findings! It’s all there on this site.

One of the reasons that Homer’s stuff stood out to me is that it is large and in charge, unlike anything out in the marketplace, and it is so easy to customize. For example, the Our Glass Frame Pendants (one of their signature products) come both single paned and hinged, allowing all kinds of possibilities. I’ve been thinking up some myself for the Halloween that I will be presenting on my blog in the next few weeks. I can think of a lot of quick Photoshop effects do to my photos and then slide into these frames! Homer was kind enough to send me the new Our Glass Jewels Book and it opened me up to even more things to do with these pendants.

Our Glass Jewels Book

The designers, Ronda hillis and Rebecca Hull have come up with some super trendy and clever designs that are so inspiring. I love the idea that they mix their custom transparencies and rubons with Swarovski crystals for a very elegant, original look. I often struggle with coming up with involved altered images (I also don’t have the patience to figure out the process), but there are ideas in this book for getting that look easily using their products (and their products are all so reasonably priced, esp. since so many of us are watching our pennies!). Another of my favorite projects in this book utilizes magnets, so that you can easily switch out these awesome crystal buttons. They remind me of costume jewelry, don’t they you? So.much.fun.

Definitely, definitely head over to the HHH Enterprises site and check out all they have to offer! Oh, and there are always great shipping deals to be had, so you don’t have to worry about expensive shipping costs…it’s a super great perk.

Until next time Swellions. Happy crafting!

Alexa