Pink Roses for a Pink Lady

For my post today, I decided to finally make a glass pendant I have been wanting to make for a long time.

Here's what it looks like all finished:

I used the graphic below from the Graphics Fairy you can find here

I apologize in advance, some of my pictures are a bit blurry.  I forgot my camera in San Diego last night and only have a rinky dink camera for now.

Here's what you'll need:
a copy of a graphic, old pair of eyeglasses

 Glue gun, ribbon, scissors

Mod Podge and a brush or you can use your fingers

 a wooden bead, pink acrylic paint, Aleen's Stop Fraying:

First, cut out the picture and pop the glass out of the eyeglasses

Apply mod podge to the inside (concave side) of the glass with a brush or finger. 

 Once fully covered with Mod Podge, place picture face down so that it will show through on the other side (convex side).  Press graphic down gently to get rid of any bubbles. 

 

Once dry (about half an hour), use small scissors to trim the paper around the glass

 

Paint the back of your pendant with acrylic paint, I chose a pink color

When paint is dry, use hot glue gun to glue the ribbon around the pendant.  Fold your ribbon in half and start gluing at the half way point onto the bottom of the pendant working your way up.  This will ensure your ends will be equal.  I used 15 inches of ribbon for mine. 

Next, paint your wooden bead with the acrylic paint to match your pendant, I painted mine pink.  Let dry a few minutes.

Pull ribbon through bead

And wah-lah! a new pendant, just tie the ribbon on the back and you're good to go.

Here's what it looks like from the back:

For my Pink Saturday challenge, I'd like to mention a lady who is spectacular.  She crafts and blogs and has a passion for making very special things for other people, Denise Marie of Bloomin. Go visit her and see for yourself how wonderful she is. 

Also, don't forget to visit and enjoy other posts at Melissa's Looking For A Creative High and Beverly's How Sweet The Sound and Cindy Atkins Whimsical Musings 

I'm linking to the following parties; thank you Melissa, Beverly and Cindy  for such sweet and fun linky parties.

Using Scrapbook Paper As Your Header Background

I love scrapbook paper, it's not quite an addiction because it's actually a hobby of mine to scrapbook and make greeting cards but I do have a tendency to buy in bulk. I ran into this very pretty paper that Big Lots carries in my City. It was so pretty that I decided to make it my background for my blog title.

I was tired of using the free banners that are out there, only to be cut later by the owner and then I was left with nothing.  I also didn't want to pay anyone to do this for me as I figured, I should be capable of doing it myself.  So I decided to create my own look using my own resources so that I wouldn't have that problem.

Today I'm going to show you how I did it so you can try too.  I should note that this is how I did it and the software I used made it very easy.  I'm sure there's other software out there that can be used but I can only comment on the software I used.  I am not a programming expert, I barely know how to turn on my computer so if you run into trouble, I may not be able to help you.....you're on your own....sorry! but if you are willing to try, then read along. 

TIP: I actually have a second blog that is a tester and I test EVERYTHING there before doing it on this one.


The first thing you want to do is download your template onto your hard drive and save it.  You can do this by going to your settings, click on basic, and click on export blog, then click on the orange button to download blog.  Write down the file name, it will probably name it something like, blog 08 03 2010 or it will give you a file number.  It will probably save it in your downloads folder.  Make sure you know where it is before, proceeding, in case you change your mind and you want to upload it later.  

Okay, now we're ready to play.  Scan your paper in your scanner and save it in a folder on your desktop, we'll name it:    Blog Title Background.

Open your Blog Title Background file on any photo editing software you have and crop it.  It may take you a few times cropping the paper until you get it to the size you want it to show on your blog.  Mine was actually  cropped quite a bit.  As you can see on this picture, which in real life is 5" by 8 1/2 piece of paper, and below is a cropped final picture.

 

got cropped to this:
I left the width untouched but I cropped the top part 

 Next, save this as a picture using your photo editing software, I used Adobe Photoshop.  Just click File, then click on Save For Web. This will decrease the pixels so that it doesn't take long to load on the page.  

Next, log onto your blog and click on Dashboard, Design, click on your header gadget Edit.

Where it says Image, click on upload image.  Find your saved image and upload.

Under Placement, click on Behind Title and Description and click on Shrink to Fit.

Click save and check your blog to make sure it looks the size you want it.  It it's too big, or too small, go back and do it all over again.  I did have to change and play around with the width of my blog so that the banner would expand from one side of the blog (left) to the other (right).  If you need to change the size of your blog so the banner would expand, go to Design, Template Designer, Layout, adjust width entire blog.  Move the button to the right or left to make the adjustment.  Then upload the picture onto your Header Edit gadget once again until it looks just how you want it.

That's it!

If you are brave enough to do it on your own, good luck.  Remember, you can always upload your blog template back if you are not happy.  To do this, click on Settings, Basic, Import Blog.

I will do a post on how to create a button using the same scrapbook paper so that it matches.  But that part is very difficult, so I will need to take my time posting all the steps.  I will also share some links on how to do the "Follow Button" html code roll.  The code inside the square that everyone can copy and paste and post on their blog.

Hoo Are You Tuesdays

I'ts Hoo Are You Tuesdays once again.  My favorite part of Tuesday linky party.  Join Leslie at Night Owl Crafting where she'll ask you a series of questions that you answer on your blog so that other bloggers can get to know you better.  

1. What is your natural hair color?

Dark brown 

2. Which do you prefer, sunrises or sunsets?

Both are beautiful but since I'm not a morning person, sunsets would be my first choice

3. What is the first thing you notice about people?

When people approach me, the first thing I notice is their eyes and their smile.  However, in a general setting, where there's random people, the first thing I notice is their height.  In a room full of women, the first thing I notice is their hair style and in a room full of men, the first thing I notice is their clothing.  

4. Do you prefer talking or texting on your cell phone?

Texting, I love to text, it's fast and efficient.  All my friends and relatives know this about me.  I prefer face to face conversations but second to that is texting.  I SERIOUSLY do not like talking on the phone, unless it's an emergency, I'd rather be texed or face to face.

5. What size of shoes do you wear? 

 This is a funny question! but hey, maybe you want to know,

I wear a size 6 and I LOVE shoes; strappy, slingbacks, pumps, stilettos, wedge, platform....you name it.