Just A Thought Or Two...: October's Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop

This month's blog hop is being officially sponsored by Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools. As part of "breast cancer awareness" month, we received an assortment of pink Westcott cutting tools. VELCRO® Brand Fasteners and The Duck Brand® also supported this challenge by providing materials.

I love a challenge and love working with interesting materials, so what follows are ideas I came up with using all these wonderful products. This was the first time that I have used Westcott® products and have to say they proved to be great to use for cutting. Working with the very sticky duct tape was made extremely easy using the Westcott® Non-Stick scissors that were provided. No sticky residue was left on the blades, unlike other brands that I have used in the past.

To see all the other ideas from many other designer participants, click forward or backward on the blue "Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop" button at the right of this post and hop through many, many creations.

Pink Tiger Stripe Bag

I realize I could have used only the Duck Tape to make this bag, but being someone who likes to recreate usable items from something I have available, here's my take!

This canvas bag was covered with the pink tiger stripe, Duck Brand® Patterned Duct Tape Roll. Each strip of tape was butted along the edge. The tape also continues to the inside about half way down. The handles were also covered with the tape. A length of VELCRO® Brand Sticky Back™Fastener was cut with Westcott Brand® Titanium Bonded Non Stick Scissors, then applied along one side of the bag. Small squares were cut to stick just below the handles on both sides of the bag. Lengths of 3/8" black with white ribbon was glued over the tape seam on the handles with Beacon Dazzle Tac Glue. Additional ribbon was glued near the top edge and bottom edge of the bag. A pink metallic 3/8" ribbon was glued around the inside of the bag for a finished look. Flower shapes were cut from black and pink felt by National Nonwoven. The flower pieces were stitched together with a button center. A corresponding small square of black VELCRO® was attached to the back of each flower and placed onto the bag for embellishments.

Kids On The Go

For this project I again used something reusable for part of this idea. Cut a piece of thick, clear vinyl to the size of a placemat (17" x 12"). Place a strip of the "Hello Kitty" Limited Edition Duck Brand® Duct Tape along each edge of the vinyl piece. I began with one of the longer edges, placing the tape about one inch onto the vinyl. Turn the placemat over and place another strip of the tape along the edge. Line up the tape carefully to match the edges to the strip on the opposite side. Repeat this on the other long edge and again for the two shorter sides. Cut two pieces of clear vinyl: one measures 4" x 8", second measures 4" x 10". Line the two vinyl pieces up, with sides and bottom matching. NOTE: the two extra inches on the back piece will form a flap for the closure. Cut a 4" piece of VELCRO® pink plant ties. Place the VELCRO® strip 2" down from the top front edge. NOTE: a small rolled piece of duct tape was placed under the VELCRO strip to hold it in place. Tape one side edge together with the duct tape, start at top with a straight cut. Trim any access tape at the bottom away. Repeat for the second side. Repeat with a shorter strip of tape for the bottom. Cover the inside of the flap with a piece of duct tape, trim. Cut another piece of VELCRO® pink plant tie about 6" long. Form another rolled piece of tape to hold it in place along the inner edge of the flap. NOTE: the extra inch of plant tie on each side will be held down by the top piece of duct tape. Cover the outside of the flap with another piece of duct tape. Cut a 3" piece of the white VELCRO® Sticky Back Hoop & Loop Fastener and place onto the back top edge of the silverware holder. Place and stick the holder at the top of the placemat near the center of the mat. NOTE: trim tape and cut the sticky back VELCRO® using the the Westcott Brand® Titanium Bonded Non Stick Scissors. For the scalloped edge on the mat I used a Sizzix border die and cut a pattern from heavy paper to match the sides of the mat. Using a fine point marker, I traced the scallop edge onto the tape then cut the pattern using the non-stick scissors by Westcott®. For a placemat closure, cut a length of the pink plant tie long enough to wrap around the mat twice. To hold the tie in place to the mat, I punched two smalls holes into the tape and laced ribbon through the holes and a decorative button and tied a bow. Finished the end by sewing another smaller button near the end.

To carry along drinks, eats or treats while on the go with little kids, I reused a insulated lunch bag. The closures on the bag were removed and the blue surface of the bag was covered with the Hello Kitty duct tape. To give the bag a finished look, white mini rick-rack was glued around the edges. Two small red bows were added to the front corners. A large red button was sewn on and a loop of black cord elastic form a new closure for the bag.

Art & Craft Stuff

What can you make with "Pink" duct tape, to support breast cancer awareness, a large piece of quilting vinyl, and the shipping box the tapes were mailed in? I thought why not recycle the sturdy box that the tape was shipped in and make something useful for my grandkids to use when they visit.

After measuring the size of strips I would need to cover the box, I cut them one at a time with the Westcott® Non-stick scissors and covered the box. NOTE: I opened the box to make it easier to cover with the tape. I folded the flaps from the cover inside and taped them down. I began the strips at the top of the box (not adding tape to the front flap). Each additional strip overlapped the previous one just slightly. Once covered with the tape, cut a slot in the front top flap using Westcott® Hobby Knife and punch two holes into the inside front of the lower box. Cut a length of ribbon for a handle. Feed the ends of the ribbon through the holes and knot inside. For closing the box, push the ribbon through the slot. Add a strip of VELCRO® Sticky Back Fastener in white along the front flaps of the box for a closure. NOTE: Pieces of VELCRO® can be added to the inside top of the cover in desired to hold some supplies. Add any type of embellishment to finish off the box. For this project I used packaged foam letters and other designs.

For the table mat, cut a piece of clear vinyl, 30" x 18". NOTE: Any size is fine. Strips of the pink duct tape are placed on the two shorter sides first. Cut the strips about two inches longer then needed (access can be trimmed away). Lay the tape onto the edge covering the vinyl about one inch. Turn the mat over and carefully bring the tape over the edge and press in place. Repeat the process of covering the two longer edges with the duct tape. Cut a length of VELCRO® pink plant ties to wrap around the rolled mat for storage.

Precious Gold

To make this frame for a photo of my precious little granddaughter, I used four 5" x 7" photo mats that I saved from other frames. Use a glue stick to hold the mats together before covering with the new gold Duck Brand® Duct Tape. Cut a back for the frame from foamcore board, 1/2" larger on both sides then the mats ( 7 1/2" x 5 1/2"). Cover the mats with the duct tape, starting with the 7" sides. Cut the strips of tape about 2" longer (9"). Cut at the corners and bring tape around the center opening and outside edge to cover the edges. Press the extra tape onto the back of the mat. Repeat with the shorter sides. Cover the foamcore board back with the duct tape. Start the tape at the center of the back piece that will be the inside of the frame. (The photo will cover the area where the tape will meet.)

To hold the pieces together, cut three lengths of VELCRO® Sticky Back Fastener. One will be 5", one 6 1/2". Use the Westcott® Non-Stick Scissors to cut the VELCRO® strips in half. Apply the 5" piece to one side of the frame only (the other 5" side will become the opening to insert the photo). Apply the two longer pieces to the mat. Once applied to the back side of the mat piece, remove the backing plastic and position the frame onto the foamcore piece. Form a stand from a scrap of matboard, cover it with the duct tape, cut a piece of VELCRO® to hold the stand onto the frame.

To make the flowers and the leaves, I added taped two pieces of the gold tape together. I made several strips. I made patterns of flowers and leaves using my Sizzix dies. Trace the patterns onto the duct tape and cut the shapes out using the Westcott® Non-Stick Scissors. Use Ranger® Alcohol Inks to color the flowers and leaves. Sew on a button for the flower centers. Cut small strips of VELCRO to place on the back of the flower/leaf clusters, then place on the frame.

I must say this challenge was fun. I want to thank Marisa Pawelko for organizing this challenge and giving me the opportunity to work with great products.

Actual prize assortment may vary slightly

There is a product giveaway from Westcott®Brands, view the above photo. To be eligible to win you must comment on the Designer Craft Connection Blog Hop at http://westcottbrand.blogspot.com/ before November 1st. Westcott will choose and then annouce the giveaway winner on November 1, 2011. Prize must be shipped to a U.S. address. Also take time to check out Westcott's Facebook page for an additional chance to win.

Westcott has teamed up with Charity Wings.org for an online auction. Designer items made for this hop will be auctioned and the funds raised will go for breast cancer awareness. Please go to the online auction link: "Charity Wings" here:
http://charitywingsnews.blogspot.com/2011/10/westcott-brand-and-friends-auction-for.html
The auction will be ongoing through the month of October. Go to the link above and read about the auction and see the items available to make bid.

Link to:

Westcott® Brands on Facebook - http://facebook.com/WestcottBrand
Velcro ® Brand on Facebook - http://facebook.com/velcrobrand
Duck Brand® Tape on Facebook - http://facebook.com/ducktape