Chan4Crafts

How to Make a Box

2012-03-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

Make your own box!! All you need is a cereal box or similar type cardboard and scrapbook paper!

Whitney Houston Painting

2012-02-26T14:39:00.001-08:00

I dedicate this drawing to the memory of the Late Great Whitney Houston 1963-2012. May she rest in peace.

Altered Box

2012-02-19T15:44:00.000-08:00

I made this box out of cereal box cardboard. With the scraps, I made a matching tag. I am going to upload a demonstration video on how to make this on a later video.

Valentines Day Crafts Love Story

2012-02-14T17:43:00.001-08:00

Make a Love Story Valentines book. All you need is cardstock paper, scrapbook paper, decorative buttons, lace, and glue. You can also make this for birthdays and other holidays.

How to Make Your Own Buttons for Scrapbooking

2012-02-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

Save money $$$ by making your own buttons for scrapbooking. All you need is your choice of scrapbook paper, thin cardboard, glue, ink to color the edges, and high gloss decoupage glue to add shine.

Valentine's Day Crafts Scrapbook Heart

2012-02-08T16:33:00.000-08:00

Here's another easy valentines day craft. I call this one "Scrapbook Heart." This is made of all recycled items so it's an inexpensive way for making valentines day crafts. The canvas board was from another project that I had been working on last week. Since the paint underneath was textured, I decided to decoupage over it rather than using gesso. The first thing I did was take some crinkled up paper bag and cover over the canvas. Then I painted the paper with a light coat of gold paint. Later on I added a little silver sparkly glue for a little bling.

Next, I layered my pieces on to the canvas board. I used all scraps. The music tag I had made for another project but I never used it. I also added a page from an old book. For the music tag and the book page, I spread some gold sparkly glue over them for added sparkle.

My scrapbook heart in the middle was made out of all scraps of different pink papers. First I decoupaged then to a paper bag. Then after they dried, I cut out the heart. I embellished the piece with dark brown wooden and mother of pearl buttons. To given the buttons a more scrappy feel, I tied some kite string through the holes. For an extra punch of colors, I glued some peach pink and cranberry colored paper roses to the piece. To finish it off, I added a bow that I had made from beige floral lace.

This would be perfect valentines day gift. This could be altered and you can use any color of scraps that you have. You could also substitute acrylic beads for the buttons that I had used. You could even add pictures to personalize this for someone special. Try this, add a picture of couple to the middle of the heart. This would also make a great anniversary gift.

Valentines Day Crafts Chocolate Covered Hearts

2012-02-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's day being less than two weeks away. I decided to upload a video about making valentines day crafts. I made a chocolate covered heart with a candy center. I created this out of torn pieces of brown scrapbook paper. I decoupaged these scraps on a piece of brown paper bag. After I let this dry, then I cut out my hearts. Then, I added plain scrapbook paper to the back.

I stamped a design to the back and colored it in with colored pencils. Then I decorated the front of the heart with ribbon and paper roses. For the candy center, I used a matching flatback acrylic bead.

This was an easy craft to make for valentines day. It would be perfect as a valentines day gift for her or a valentines day gift for him. If you make this heart for a man, I would leave off the flowers and ribbon. Maybe you could use stars and buttons instead. Also you could alter this valentines day gift and use different color paper. The chocolate heart can also be made into a personalized valentines day gift by adding the person's name. This would also be a great project for a valentine's day crafts for kids. This can also be used as a valentines day card as well.

Chan's Must Haves for 2011

2012-01-29T16:53:00.000-08:00

I received a message that I had been tagged to share my must haves for 2011. I thought about it and I decided to make a video about the top items I used last year.

Turbo Tacky Glue

Decoupage Glue

Colored Pencils

Manila Package Tags

Paper Flowers

Sparkly/Glitter Glue

Etta James

2012-01-28T21:12:00.000-08:00

Etta James (1938 - 2012)

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles in 1938. She was a child of mixed ancestry her mother was black and her father was white. Etta James started singing in the church as a child. By the time she was a teenager she had already been singing on the radio and in singing groups. In the mid 1950s she had changed her name to Etta James and signed with Modern Records. One of her first hits was a song entitled "Dance with Me Henry" also known as "The Wallflower."

In 1960, she signed with the legendary blues label, Chess Records. Here she had her first mainstream success with "At Last." This song was originally written in 1941 by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. It had been featured in a musical called "Orchestra Wives". However, it is Etta James' version that is played even to this day. It is one of the most popular wedding songs of all time.

In 1963, Etta James released one of her most popular albums "Etta James Rocks the House." It is a live recording of a concert at The New Era Club in Nashville, TN. I actually have this recording. An older relative had given this to me years ago. I am very grateful for this because it opened my eyes to a whole new world of music. This is a wonderful recording. In fact, this CD is one of my favorites in my collection. This CD shows why Etta James is one of the greatest singers of all time. She will be missed but her music will live on forever.

Miss Teddy Bear Tag

2012-01-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

This is another Tear Bear that I made. I call this one Miss Teddy Bear because she has a skirt on with a red flower over her ear.

How to Make a Tear Bear

2012-01-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

Recently, I was inspired by a video on youtube produced by scrapbookingwithakic on how to make tear bears. Tear bears are very popular right now. In fact, tear bears are one of the most popular paper piecings for making a scrapbook and making scrapbook pages. I've noticed a lot of people are selling tear bears online and using them when they make a scrapbook. The tear bear is one of the easiest paper piecing patterns to use. In the video by scrapbookingwithakic, she used mulberry paper for her paper piecing design of her tear bear. I didn't have any mulberry paper and I didn't have any of the supplies she had used in the video. Instead, I used white cardstock and paint in order to try and make something similar. I've also seen stamps for teddy bears in my local craft stores. I'm sure they can also be used for tear bear paper piecings as well.

Cleopatra / Elizabeth Taylor Mixed Media Painting

2012-01-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Here's my latest piece. Someone had recommended that I do a picture of Cleopatra. I found a picture online that I used for a model. It's not exactly like the picture but I did use it for inspiration. This is a mixed media and decoupage piece.

Items Used

Acrylic Paint

Gold Sparkly glue

Gold Decorative paper

Multi colored flatback Acrylic beads

Large pearl beads

Scrapbook paper

Decoupage Glue

Fun Facts About Cleopatra (69 BC – 30 BC)

Parents

Ptolemy XII Auletes, Father

Cleopatra V Tryphaena, Mother (likely)

Husband - Mark Anthony

Children (4)

Ptolemy Caesar

Cleopatra Selene

Alexander Helios

Ptolemy Philadephus

Altered Art Wooden Box and Picture Frame from Michaels

2012-01-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! Happy New Year 2012!!

This is my latest project that I've been working on. I had some wooden boxes and frames that I had purchased from Michaels this summer. I decided to take them out and alter them. I used scrapbook paper, pearls, acrylic flatback beads, paint, paper roses, and crocheted flowers. You can alter boxes and picture frames and give them away as gifts or use them for your family pictures. For the boxes, you can also make little mini scrapbooks to fit inside. Unfinished wooden items are very inexpensive and great to use for your crafts.

Mary and Baby Jesus

2011-12-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Indian Bridal Painting

2011-12-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is another mixed media decoupage piece I did. This is a picture of an Indian Bride. I've always loved how the Indians did their weddings. Very colorful with a lot of jewelry and makeup.

Mixed Media Painting

2011-12-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

I just finished another mixed media painting using the color complimentary scheme of yellow and purple. Yellow and purple are opposite each other on the color wheel. For this piece I used several different media including acrylic paint, scrapbook paper, clear acrylic beads, graphic pencils, colored pencils, and sparkly glue.

Video Make a Wedding Cake Replica from Cardboard Ribbon Spool

2011-11-27T20:10:00.000-08:00

Wedding Cake Replica From Cardboard Spools

2011-11-27T13:45:00.000-08:00

I had some old cardboard spools laying around the house. I decided to turn them into a little wedding cake replica. All you need is cardboard spools, paint, sparkly glue, paper flowers, little decorative pearls, q tips or straws, decoupage glue, paper glue, and hot glue. This would be great for weddings. This can even be changed and used for birthdays or holidays. It was very easy to make and very inexpensive also.

Video Mixed Media Art Painting Disco Mama

2011-11-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is a Mixed Media piece that I did last week. It was made up of scraps from other projects that I had not finished. The Face I drew for another project and the eyes I cut off another picture I had drawn. The flowers were scraps and so was the canvas and the background. I never throw my scraps away because there is always something I can use it for.

Mixed Media Art Disco Mama Painting

2011-11-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

Video How To Make an Art Journal

2011-11-24T13:41:00.000-08:00

Art Journal

2011-11-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

Recently someone asked me to do a tutorial on how to make a junk journal. I decided to make an art journal. I used the same technique, except I didn't crinkle the pages of the art like I did for my junk journal. It's very easy and very inexpensive. All you need is a composition book, scrapbook paper, paper glue, decoupage glue, ribbon, crayons, and your choice of embellishments. I found my composition books at the dollar tree.

Mixed Media Art Decoupage Scrapbook Paper Drawing and Painting

2011-11-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Create a mixed media piece of artwork! All you need is a canvas, scrapbook paper, decoupage glue, acryclic paint, beads, and sparkly glue!!

What is decoupaging? Its the place where artwork and scrapbooking come together! Also, this is when you glue paper to either canvas, wood, cardboard, or other objects then you add another layer of glue over the the cutout to seal it to the piece. In the past, artists have used lacquer for decoupaging. Because of the high expense of lacquer, decoupaged pieces were once reserved for the rich and affluent. These days, there are many glues on the market that can be used for this art form. Usually your local arts and crafts stores like Michaels and JoAnns will have it along with many large retailers like Walmart.

Decoupaging is said to have originated either Japan, India, or China. In the 1600s, it was being used in European countries like England and Italy. The earlier decoupaging artwork usually had a Biblical theme.
In my arts and crafts projects, I have found that decoupaging has expanded my art. Once I only used paints and colored pencils. Now I can use almost anything that I want as along as I can glue it down. I believe decoupaging this is one of the main things that has led to the rise of the Mixed Media art form. This really expands your horizons and helps you find even more channels to explore for your art canvas.

In the arts and crafts field, many scrappers have being using decoupaging in their scrapbooks and on their tags. I have also seen craft artists using scrapbook paper to decorate table tops, dressers, boxes, picture frames, and other items. Decoupaging can breathe new life into and old item.

Decoupaging is also a great way to recycle old newspapers and scraps of paper that you have around the house. You can cut them into little hearts or flowers and decoupage them on something. Some other items that you can use for decoupaging are fabric, lace, magazines, fliers, ads, catalogs, old greeting cards, clip-art, gift wrapping paper, and scrapbooking paper.

Mixed Media Art Decoupage Scrapbook Paper Drawing and Painting Video

2011-11-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

Altered Picture Frame

2011-10-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

Make a picture display frame out of cardboard. All you need is 3 sided piece of cardboard, scrapbook paper of your choice, paper roses, ribbon, paper glue, hot glue, and buttons of your choice. This would be a great way to use up scraps that you have leftover in your supply.

I painted the edges of the scrapbook a creamy beige because I didn't want the cardboard to show through on the edges. I thought the beige matched the scrap paper I used for this project. I also covered the back the piece with a light pink scrap paper. After that I decorated the piece with ribbon, butterflies, buttons, and paper roses.

This project would make a great gift for baby showers, birthdays, mother's day, and other holidays. There is room for 3 pictures. You can even use one of the sections for journaling as well. I made this for free because I already had all the items in my studio.