Weekend Project and Tutorial: Beach Hut Wall Hook

Good Morning Everyone!

As you know I live in Central Texas which is about 3 to 4 hours to the closest beach.  However, I love, love, love the beach!  So when Graphic 45 came out with the By The Sea Collection, I was totally inspired to create!

Last night, I was looking through some Google images of beach huts and came across this one from theguardian.com....I love architecture and totally love tiny houses be it treehouses, writers studios, or tiny cottages...So this caught my eye and gave me the inspiration...

 

To know me, is to know that I like things that I make to be functional.  So to just make a beach hut to just sit there...not so much...What if I made a few beach huts and added a bit of functionality to them...HOOKS!  Something to throw my keys on when I come in the door or to hang small things on to keep them up off  my work surfaces!

 

Here's what I came up with...

 

Now, I made a video of how to make the beach huts, but darned if I can get it to upload...So please check back either on this page or a new post for this video when IT decides to load...Sorry about that! 

 

 

Here's how I made the backing board for the huts....

 

1. I purchased the wood piece from Hobby Lobby.  It's 6 x 18-inches.

 

2.  I painted the wood piece with Tim Holtz Broken China Distress Paint first.  I let it dry.

 

 

3.  I then went around the edges and a few places on the front with some candle wax.

 

 

 

4.  I then painted over the Broken China with a mix of some white and ivory craft paint.  I allowed it to dry.

 

 

 

5.  The candle wax acts like a resist.  I took some fine sandpaper and went over the entire piece pulling up sections of the white/ivory craft paint.

 

 

 

6.  I wiped the piece clean with a dry cloth, getting all the little paint pieces off the piece and my work surface.

 

7.  I also purchased some hooks...It's long story about the hooks so let me just say, I went to the Dollar Store.  I found these little jobbies in the department with the kitchen towels. They had an adhesive padded back to them.  I wanted them to be flat, so I took the heat gun after them.  While they were still a bit hot, I pulled the padded adhesive off. 

 

 

 

8.  I found the center bottom of my wood piece and marked it at 9-inches.  I then applied Glossy Accents to the disks back and adhered it to the center point.

 

 

 

9.  I applied Ranger's Matte Medium Glue and Seal to the backside of one of the huts and adhered it centered over the hook.  By The Way, don't be stingy with this stuff...give it a big gloppy coat!

 

 

 

10.  I went over 5-inches from each side of the center and placed another mark.  I repeated the steps above to the disk and hut and adhered the remaining two huts and hooks to the left and right of the central hut.

 

 

 

11. Last, I added (2) saw edge picture hangers to the back of the wood piece so that the Beach Hut Hook Unit would hang on the wall..

 

VOILA!  That's it!

 

Hope you can find some inspiration from this.  It was a fun and functional piece to add to my house.  Hope you give it a go...

 

Have an awesome weekend!

 

Jim

The Gentleman Crafter



Breast Care Center Opening!

Good Evening Everyone!

Tonight, I wanted to share with you all the incredible journey I've been on lately! Why sometimes paper crafting had to take the back burner so that I could come home and just veg!   It's been quite an undertaking and it's finally here.... Our Breast Care Center Boutique.  Tonight, we had the big kick off event showing off the New Breast Care Center to the many donors who generously gave of their time and money (millions!!!) to make this a reality for one of our hospitals.

I was honored with the task of taking a gorgeous space and creating a boutique that would not only carry items of inspiration, but post surgical garments, scarves, and informative books to name a few for breast cancer patients, their families and friends.

We had a month to plan and conquer.   This may mean nothing to you, but I feel this small sense of pride for getting the store up and going in this crazy time frame.  From purchasing merchandise, getting it priced, stocked, merchandised...to hiring someone to run the store,  training them, setting up the credit card machine, cash register, purchasing sacks, totes, tissue paper, staples, stapler, calculator, tape dispensers, pens, pencils and fixtures...You name it... We were still opening boxes 10 minutes before the event tonight and some of our merchandise hasn't even arrived yet....But you know what?... the store is open and has merchandise on the shelves.

I have learned so much along the way.  I never thought that I would find myself behind a desk ordering post surgical bras and camisoles... Learning why there are breast drains, how they work, why the drains are there and why drain pockets in garments are so helpful.   How to locate lumps in your breast and to learn that not only women develop breast cancer but men as well.

I'm honestly proud to be apart of this amazing group at the hospital and to be so much more aware of breast cancer and what breast cancer survivors go through. 

Taking the day off tomorrow to breathe...

Have an awesome night!
Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Making Cards Tonight: A Tutorial...

Good Evening Everyone!

Hope you all are having an awesome week!  I sure have been trying!  Or shall I say... my week has been trying!  LOL!  So I find myself in the studio working out the kinks in my neck!  It works!  I hit the studio... the craft supplies...the smell of Scor-tape and stress seems to just go away!....I think!  With some Advil maybe...

Anyway, I needed to get some cards done!  I wanted something that would be fast, but I also wanted it to be different...uhh....because I'm different...different crazy...but not so crazy that I need to be admitted....close though!

So here's a quick tutorial and tiny video on the card I've been making...

Here's the YouTube video....



Here's a quick tutorial....

• From chipboard, (I Used Black Heavy Weight Chip.) cut (2) 5 x 7 pieces

• Cut one of the 5 x7 pieces into (3) pieces by  trimming the top and bottom off at 2-3/8-inches each.  The middle ends up being something like 2-1/16.  Yes, I said 2-1/16!  LOL!  But, just cut one end at 2-3/8, flip the piece and cut the other end at 2-3/8-inch....

• Cut a piece of black cardstock to 1-1/8-inch.  Score the hinge piece at 1/2-inch and again at 5/8-inch on scoreboard....NOTE:  If the 1/8th-inch thing gets to you, please see my Back to Basic Series located at the top of my blog.

• Cut the 1-1/8-inch hinge piece to: (2) 2-3/8 and (1) 2-1/16 (Just get close to this...You can always cut it to fit with a craft knife.  Don't stress!)

• Adhere the hinge pieces to the front and back cardpieces.   Start  at the top and work down. 

• Cut a 2 x 6-inch piece of paper from patterned paper.  Adhere 1-inch of the top of the strip to the top back of the card.
•  From cardstock, cut (3) 1/2 x 2-3/4-inch strips for the loops and set aside...

• Cover each section of the card.... front, back and interior with the patterned cardstock.

• Adhere the reserved loops from above to each of the (3) front sections of the card front.

• Feed the 2 x 6 strip through the loops and embellish the front of the card....

Done!

Hope you can find some inspiration from this...

Have an AWESOME DAY!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

And The Aprons Go To....

Good Morning Everyone!!

Let me just say how cool this giveaway has been!  Oh My Gosh your ideas were absolutely awesome!  I have read and reread each and everyone!  It's tough!  I even had a few friends involved in the picking process...That's how good your ideas were.  To pick two...That's Nuts!  Wish I had more aprons for all the cool ideas!

Thank you again for playing along on this giveaway.  I know your ideas will be inspiration for all of us crafters, so thanks again!

Oh well...The two ideas that I thought would be a cool challenge to do were...

1.      Caroline D. February 19, 2014 at 10:21 PM

LOL you might get ideas you hadn't bargained for!! You know mixed media is hot right now... that is what I'd like to see you create, but you have to to use some specific things plus then what ever you want. :) You have to use a large canvas or canvas board that is at least 12x15 or larger. things to use: at least 1 real metal 3D item, some printed napkins, burlap, one stencil, acrylic paints, and of course a bit of chipboard in there!! :) What a fun little way to have a giveaway! I know I would enjoy having a Ranger apron. I've also enjoyed reading all the suggestions here.

1.      BlooRaven February 19, 2014 at 9:11 PM

3 D project - An art journal travel case to carry small stencils, Dylusion sprays, pens etc. Love all your stuff, thanks for sharing your world of projects.

Caroline D. and Blue Raven if you would please email me at TheGentlemanCrafter@gmail.com and let me know what your address is, I will get the aprons out to you!  Congratulations and Many Thanks!

I loved the ideas of the castles and the thatched cottages for St. Patrick's day, but didn't think I had time to get them done by the big day.  Sure would like to try those out one day!




Once again, Thank You All For Your enthusiasm and excellent ideas!  You All Rock!  Of  to get started!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Ranger Ink Apron Giveaway!

Good Evening Everyone!

Howdy from the farm!  I'm in a giveaway mood tonight!!  Reason?  Well...one,  I've cleaned out a few things and I'm making room to store CHIPBOARD.  Reason two, it buys me time to start work on four tutorials...and.... the other reason, thought some of you might like a nice new apron from Ranger Ink! 

Of course there is a catch...

Here's what I was thinking...I'm always thinking!  Reason for insomnia...Yep!  Haven't quite mastered how to turn thoughts OFF and ON yet and it's been what...48 years now?!  LOL!  Enough of my insanity...back to here's what I was thinking....

I've got two Fabulous NEW Ranger Ink aprons up for grabs.  I will pick two (2) folks who leave a comment telling me what YOU would like for ME to create next.  Would it be a mixed media project, a mini, a 3-Dimensional project...a...a...How to sharpen a pencil YouTube tutorial....just let me know.  If your idea is picked and I think it's a cool challenge, an apron goes to you!  So, once again, I will pick TWO ideas from the comments and those TWO people who have left the comment will win an AWESOME NEW Ranger Ink Apron!  Got it?  Cool!  It's easy!  You Can Do It!

I will pick the winners this Saturday night, February 22, 2014.  So lets have some fun and let the ideas roll!  Yahoooo!

Thanks For Coming By!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Thanks From Mom!

Good Evening Everybody!

I was sent to my computer with strict orders from my mom tonight....You gotta do what your mom says right?  Well...most things anyway...Kinda?

She wanted me to THANK YOU all for the sweet and kind BIRTHDAY comments that you left her here on my blog as well as my Facebook page!  She was very touched by your kindness to her!  So Thank You!

I want to also THANK YOU!  It's so nice for each of you to take time out of your day to make my mom's birthday so special!  I so appreciate it!  You all ROCK!

Dinner at the Daily Grill...Domain.  Granna trying to see microscopic images on my niece, Molly Jane's phone!

My awesome family!  My sister Kim, Truett, Liya Kate, Finny, Cesar, me, Birthday Girl...Nell, and Molly Jane...We missed the rest of our crew...Tucker, Gibson, Emily and Devin, but we know they were there in spirit.:)

Have an awesome week and thanks again!

Jim
The Gentleman Crafter

Happy Birthday Mom!

Good Morning Everyone!

A post today celebrating my Mother's Birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAMA!

A few of the things I thank you for...

Your Unconditional Love
Giving Me God
Giving me Morals and Manners
Showing me how to care for others
How to iron my own shirt
How to make the one and only thing in the kitchen:  Your Amazing Pot Roast
How to love
How to take care of myself
For all the times you worried over me
For all the times you cried for me
For all the times you gave when you really couldn't
For all the meals you made to nourish my body
For all the times you stayed up and waited for me to come home
For all the advice

Thank you mom for being such a support and pillar in my life.  I pray daily that I make you proud!

I love you MOM!   Happy Birthday!

Your Son,
Jimmy