Peppermint Creative BLOG | Creative Nonsense & Other Junk

Easy Glazing Technique for Vinyl Crafts

MissMint — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:51:49 +0000

Hey crafty gals, this is Tay Silver and I’m here to talk about glazing. Glazing is really popular right now in furniture and cabinet finishes but we’re going to show you a super simple way to take it a step further to glaze your craft projects using regular acrylic craft paints.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Wall Glaze (sold in the paint section of home improvement stores)
Acrylic craft paint
Paint brushes
Disposable bowl to mix glaze in

First, you’ll need to begin with your wood piece already cut, sanded and painted in a solid under-color. In our example we started with a plain white board that had already dried. For added detail, we sanded the edges slightly to reveal the wood underneath so it would pick up more glaze color around the edges.

1. Use a paint brush to scoop up a small amount of glaze into the bowl – about 1 tablespoon per 12 inches of wood board. A little glaze goes a very long way!

2. Add acrylic craft paint to the glaze in equal parts if the paint is a dark color. If glazing with white, add two parts paint to one part glaze. Add more paint to darken the glaze color if you wish. We used a dark gray acrylic craft paint then added one drop of black craft paint to create a charcoal glaze.

3. Using a sponge brush, paint the face and sides of your work piece with a quick, thick layer of the glaze and paint mixture. Don’t be precise, a fast and messy application yields the best results.

4. Let the glaze sit for about 1 minute while you go and wet down an old rag or paper towels. Ring out excess water, you only want the rag to be damp.

5. Wipe away the glaze in long, even strokes that run in the same direction if you wish for a ‘linen’ like finish, which we did for our example, or wipe away in a circular motion to leave more whimsical glaze swirls. Your board will dry the way it appears so if you want less glaze, simply wipe it away. If you want the glaze to be heavy and dark, spread the glaze with your damp cloth and leave it.

6. Wipe glaze from the sides last, where a thicker deposit will give your project interest and dimension. Let the board dry for several hours before applying vinyl.

If you don’t like how the glaze is looking, remove the glaze with a drenched rag, let the wood dry and try again. However, the point of glazing is to add rustic, weathered charm so the more you think you have “messed up”, the better your piece will look in the end. You really cannot mess it up. For my projects I have had the best glazing results when I painted the wood with satin wall paint (purchased in sample sizes) then glazed over it. The satin wall paint is water resistant, which means the paint is more durable and stays put when I’m wiping away glaze, allowing for you to texturize the glaze with brush dragging patterns if you so choose.

Once you have discovered how easy glazing is, you’ll be able to take your projects to a whole new level!

Happy crafting and be sure to post your creative works in our gallery!

DIY: How to Make Your Scratch & Win Tickets

MissMint — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:53:37 +0000

My team members are so dang crafty!

When Tiffany Keetch showed me this project I was like ‘ummmm….stealing that for my blog, thank you very much!’ Luckily Tiff graciously agreed to let me post this for you because I just know you guys are going to like this one. Check out her project.

Hi everyone! Tiff here. This year I found the cutest Valentine ideas in the February issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Of course though, I had to make them cuter by using Minty goodies. ;)

For my hubby I made up this Scratch & Win Valentine Ticket:

Okay.. bear with the photo – I didn’t want to scratch it off before I gave it to my hubby, so this shows what is printed under the silver/scratchable heart.

Wanna make one?? It’s really easy.

1. Make the background of your Valentine. I used the new He Loves Digital Scrapbooking Kit and CK Becky for the scripty font. (If you don’t digitally scrapbook, you could also just type the words in a word processor.) Type “prizes” in the heart shapes.

2. Print the card onto cardstock and trim. Print the heart outline for a template. Cut a piece of contact paper long enough to cover all the hearts, and trace your heart template onto the back (paper side) of the contact paper. Tape the contact paper to a flat surface, paper side down.

3. Make a scratch-off solution out of one part dishsoap to two parts silver acrylic paint. I knew I wouldn’t use very much, so I used a baby spoon to measure. Using a flat brush, paint a thin coat of the solution on the top of the contact paper. Make sure you have covered all the area inside the hearts you traced on the other side. Let it dry for one hour. Repeat with a second coat.

4. Cut out the hearts (following your traced line), peel off the backing, and place over the heart spaces on the card. Package the card with a penny!

How fun is that? Get creative, you can do this with so many different shapes for many different occasions. Hope you enjoy!

Find more cute projects from Tiffany Keetch at: http://tiffkeetch.blogspot.com

Sweet Sayings for Valentine’s Candy, Cards & Crafts

MissMint — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:46:54 +0000

I put together a short list of cute sayings for chocolate, candy (and non-editable) treats last year so I’ve decided to expand on it quite a bit. I hope it helps you out in putting together some awesome Valentines treats this year! Happy crafting ;)

FOOD, CANDY, SNACKS

You’re ‘beary’ special (gummy bears)
I can’t ‘lick’ my problems without you (lollipop)
No matter what – we ‘stick’ together (glue, gum, lollipop)
I’m a sucker for you (lollipop)
You blog me away (blowpop)
You’re my ‘treasure’ (chocolate coins)
You take the cake (cake, cupcakes)
You drive me ‘bananas’ (banana flavoured candy, banana bread)
I’m bananas for you (banana flavoured candy, banana bread)
I have a ‘ball’ with you (gumballs, sour balls)
You are ‘eggs-tra’ special (chocolate eggs)
You go the ‘extra’ mile with me! (extra gum)
You can count on me when things get sticky (gum, jellies, marshmallows)
I’m ‘stuck’ on you (gum, jellies, marshmallows)
I’m ‘nuts’ for you (chocolate with nuts)
You drive me ‘nuts’ (chocolate with nuts)
You are ‘soda’ special (soda/pop)
iThink you’re awesome (iPhone candy bar wrapper)
You melt my heart (smooth chocolate)
I love you no matter how you ‘slice it’ (something with slices)
I ‘mint’ to tell you, you’re the best (mint-flavoured candy)
You were ‘mint’ for each other (mint-flavoured candy)
You go the “extra” mile with me! (extra gum)
You ROCK! (pop rocks)
You’re a real lifesaver (lifesavers)
You’re the ‘berry’ best (anything berry flavored)
I’m ‘nuts’ about you (nuts, M&M peanuts)
You’re a real catch (goldfish crackers, fishing gear)
You are o’fish’ally awesome (goldfish crackers, fishing gear)
I like the way you roll (lifesavers, rolo, mentos)
You have my heart (candy hearts)
There are a million ‘Reeses’ why I love you (Reese’s peanut butter cups)
I ‘knead’ you (bread)
You’re kool (koolaid packet)
Orange you glad you are mine? (orange flavoured chocolate or candy)
We make a great ‘pear’ (fresh fruit, pear flavoured candy)
Bee mine (bee, honey)
I’ve got a soft spot for you (chewy chocolate chip cookie)
Dog-gone it! Please be mine (toy dog, doggy biscuit)

NON EDITABLE

I ch-ch-choo choose you (train)
I’m stuck on you (stickers, temporary tattoos)
I a-door you (printable door hanger)
I love/like you a latte (anything coffee related – gift card?)
You’re the cream in my coffee (anything coffee related – gift card?)
Together forever (duct tape, super glue or anything sticky)
I think you’re a-maze-ing (puzzles, maze book)
You make my heart bounce (ball)
I wheelie like you (toy car)
You blow me away (bubbles)
I’m MAD about you (mad libs book)
You’re the bomb (bath bomb)
Will ewe be mine? (sheep)
Ewe are special – be mine! (sheep)
Especially for ewe. (sheep)
I get a kick out of ewe. (sheep)
You’re just my type. (different fonts, typewriter toy)
You ‘auto’ be mine. (toy car)
You’re ‘tops’ with me. (toy top, t-shirt)
I’m hooked on you (fishing hook)
You’re just write for me (crayons, markers, pencils)
Let’s get this straight: you’re mine! (ruler)
You measure up! (tape measure, ruler)
You are the highlight of my life (highlighter, flashlight)
You have left an lasting impression on my heart (sharpies)
You rub me the right way (sand paper, hand/body lotion)
Life is more bearable with you in it (teddy bear)
We’re the perfect pair (socks, pair of anything)
You’re purrr-fect to me (cat)
It is rough when you are not around (nail file, manicure kit, sand paper)
You’re a winner (scratch lotto ticket)

CUTE VALENTINE’S POEM
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I made this card,
Just for you.

It’s not the neatest,
It won’t pass a test
But I made it with love,
And that makes it the best.

Kid Crafts: DIY Printable Movie Night Bingo Cards

MissMint — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:03:17 +0000

Movie Night Bingo Cards
Project & Tutorial by: Mary Jo Johnston

Have you seen Miss Mint’s latest FREE Digi Kit? If you haven’t, go HERE immediately (if not sooner!).

If you haven’t downloaded Movie Night, you must have been under a rock or buried under holiday decorations for the last couple of weeks. Hurry, it’s only FREE for a limited time!

And, I have an added bonus for you – a cute, new, FREE hybrid project that you can make (after you’ve unburied yourself from the holiday decorations!).

Go Grab:
- Movie Night Kit, of course! (*note: a few elements are from the Christmas Flicks Kit, but you could use Movie Night for the entire project)
– A Circle Punch
- Scissors or Trimmer

Wow! That’s it. Besides your creative skills, computer and printer, you only need 3 tools.

How to do it:
I started with a simple 5” x 5” grid design, in Photoshop. (I later shrunk the entire design to 5” x 7”). From there, I selected my favorite elements and placed them in the each square. Don’t forget the FREE star in the middle!

After the grid design was complete, I flattened the image and placed it on top of my favorite patterned paper, in a new canvas. I added the MOVIE title and embellishment across the top, as well as, the instructions at the bottom. I printed the cards two to a page.

Next, I created my Bingo Markers and Calling Tags.
These are very simple circles (use a size that matches the size circle punch you own).

Your Calling Tags will vary depending on the elements you chose for each row on your Bingo Card. Be sure to create a Calling Tag for every element, under every letter. You’ll do this for each Bingo Card, as each one should be different. I created a total of four Bingo Cards, in four different patterns.

Create and punch as many Bingo Markers as you like. You’ll use these to cover the spaces on your card as each letter and picture are called.

Doesn’t that make you want to pop some popcorn, throw in your favorite movie and play a little Bingo?!

Happy creating and Happy New Year!

Mary Jo =)

Newest Beauty MUST HAVE! Fotoshop by Adobé

MissMint — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:47:16 +0000

Hilarious and sad…”Maybe she’s born with it; maybe it’s Fotoshop by Adobé.” – a must see by filmmaker Jesse Rosten.

Fotoshop by Adobé from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

Create a Reusable Countdown Calendar with Vinyl

MissMint — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 18:24:33 +0000

Tay Silver here with a super simple vinyl craft that is not only easy for beginners to complete but it is useful, too! Create your own resuable ‘Days Until’ Chalkboard Countdown Block for any event or occasion.

Here are the supplies you’ll need:

• 1 inch thick by 4 inch tall (1×4) wood board cut to 11 inches long

• Black Chalkboard paint (craft supply store)

• Days Until Handlettering cut in White Vinyl (we used Oracal 631)

• Paintbrush

• White chalk for writing

How to do it:

Measure your board. Our 1×4 inch board was actually 3.5 inches tall so we sized our vinyl design 3 inches tall in the Silhouette software before cutting it in Oracal 631 matte white vinyl.
Paint the wood board with two coats of black chalkboard paint.
While the wood piece is drying, weed your vinyl and apply application tape.
Once the paint is dry, apply the vinyl, placing it slightly off-center towards the left side. This allows plenty of room to write 2 numbers in the blank area on the left while giving ample room on the right to write the name of an event such as “vacation” or “birthday”.
Write in your event name and countdown days with white chalk.

Hint: Dampen the end tip of your chalk stick before writing to lay down a thicker, more visible chalk line. Wet chalk will lighten and brighten as it dries and will not harm your chalkboard paint.

Happy Crafting! xo

Building Your Vinyl Business: Creating Organization Projects

MissMint — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:25:11 +0000

It’s the time of year when all minds turn towards improving and yet again vinyl shows its staying-power as an easy and inexpensive way to help organize. As children head back to school most households will find the time for a bit of updating. Here are some ideas of how you can organize yourself and then sell the same vinyl cuts to clients:

Calendars: Every family needs one and the dry-erase kind, made by mounting vinyl behind framed glass, have been a popular trend for several years. Glass cleaner will remove just about any marker and application directions are simple – you only need to instruct your client to order the correct size vinyl cut to fit their frame. Even trendier is mounting our Weekly Calendar to the fridge which allows both dry erase markers and magnets to be used. For busy families juggling homework, event tickets, birthday invites and permission slips we created the Clip-Up Calendar pictured above so important little items don’t get lost in the shuffle.

Labels: Cabinets, cupboards, offices, kitchens and pantries are in constant need of functional organization. More and more people are discovering that the pantry doesn’t have to be a catch-all mess of groceries and are replacing hodge-podge piled shelves with well-organized displays of dry goods that boast an apothecary feel. Pantry staples such as flour, sugar, oats, pasta and rice now find themselves in transparent canisters waiting to be decoratively embellished. Our Pantry Label Shapes feature curvy, chic labels that are trend-forward with a thoughtfully drawn design, making them longer than other available shapes and allowing generous room for whatever custom text your client desires.

Clutter Busters: Young children bring home mounds of artwork, older teens struggle to contain their masses of returned homework papers and somehow the pile of mail, magazines and messages keeps growing. A bit of time spent organizing on your part – and then providing clients with example pictures of how you used your vinyl to help do it – is all that is needed to break into this niche market. If you need to designate a space for your little artist’s work you can use our adorable hand lettered vectors and for containing the general mayhem you can browse our collection of double-duty mats, frames, plaques and label vector graphics.

Have a particularly creative organizing solution you’re proud of?
Post a picture of it in our gallery and view the vinyl projects others have completed!

*Business Building Tip: Include a free sample label that reads something useful like “snacks”, “treats” or “supplies” with every paid order you ship. Your clients will gladly use the freebie, which will be in plain view everyday, making them more likely to order more labels to organize the neighboring clutter. Even if they don’t, their friends are likely to notice and inquire about the vinyl, giving your business enormous opportunity for word-of-mouth sales.

A Year in Review: The Best Hybrid Scrapbook Projects of 2011

MissMint — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:01:03 +0000

This year was packed with fantastic hybrid projects. I LOVE seeing my digital designs being printed and used to create something tangible. It is so exciting to see them come to life! My talented team took some of my most favorite products and turned them into the most gorgeous cards, layouts, and gifts ever! A big HUGE thanks to Mary Jo who pretty much owns this post thanks to all her INCREDIBLE cards and projects. I bow in awe and envy! ;)

Click on any image to view credits/products used.
Check out the Hybrid Gallery for even more inspiration!

Amazing right? Makes me want to get up and make something!
Well…don’t just sit there – get CRAFTING!!

Also check out: The Best Digital Scrapbook Layouts of 2011

xo.

A Year in Review: The Best Scrapbook Pages of 2011

MissMint — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:03:15 +0000

Thank god for my team. Like an overpriced pair of lululemon yoga pants, they make me look GOO-OOOD. Without them, my creativity would have shriveled up and died alone in a corner eating a Twinkie a long, long time ago.Their enthusiasm, imagination and occasional last minute demands (“oooohh, we like these, can you make them in 20 more colors?”) has inspired me to create some of my most favorite products to date. And I hope they have inspired you too and given you some interesting, new and creative ideas for your pages and projects.

I started a minty tradition two years ago of showcasing the BEST pages and projects of the year from my super talented creative team – and it’s been another great year, creatively speaking. Of course by ‘best’ I really mean ‘my personal favorite’ as what truly qualifies as ‘the best’ is all a matter of opinion. However what won’t be disputed is the fact that I definitely have a talented group of girls on my hands! I hope you find some inspiration for the pages you plan to create this year!

So without further ado, may I present you with..

THE BEST LAYOUTS OF 2011 AS CREATED BY ME & THE MINT CHICKS!

That kind of sounds like the name of a bubble-gum tween pop group.

Now playing…’Me & the Mint Chicks’.

[INSERT THEME SONG HERE]

Who’s going to do the cheesy dance moves? Anyone?

Who’s going to be the cutie break-out star that leaves the group for a lucrative solo career at the height of our success leaving the rest of us clinging to the hope that we can score stints on Dancing with the Stars or Celebrity Rehab?

But I digress…

You can find even more fabulousness in our Design Team Gallery which is definitely worthy of space on your list of bookmarks.

Click on any page to view it full size in the gallery where you can see full credits (and leave some love, if you want).

There are SOOOOO many more amazing pages in the gallery so don’t forget to check them out.
Tune in tomorrow for the Best HYBRID PROJECTS of 2011.

Happy Crafting! xo

Boxing Day Sale at Peppermint Creative – Digital Scrapbooking

MissMint — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:39:08 +0000

It’s BOXING DAY! The biggest shopping day of the year here in Canada, eh? Enjoy 30% off all digital and printable products and 15% off all Commercial Vectors TODAY ONLY.

Sale ends at midnight EST on December 26th, 2011.

Hope you all had a wonderful, joyful Christmas!

HAPPY SHOPPING!