Tag Archives: Glitter

Jul13

Step right up

Posted on July 13, 2019 by Betsy Skagen

Ladies and gents, step right up because this week we are taking a shine to circus.

I mean that literally, since my project today features different shiny surfaces that you can apply to circus trading coins.

Each circus trading coin features a different shiny surface: fine glitter, chunky glitter, distressed glitter, red metallic flakes or silver metallic flakes.

You can use these as trading coins, ornaments or as package tags.

If you want to learn how to make these coins, please visit my featured tutorial at Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.

Nov10

Melt hearts with upcycled snowmen

Posted on November 10, 2018 by Betsy Skagen

Melt hearts with upcycled snowmen

Christmas is the perfect time for upcycling objects. Vintage salt shakers, sandbakel tins and wooden spools are ideal for creating adorable snowmen (and women!). Add in glittery snowflakes and things get really chill.

Sorry I am so flaky that I simply cannot resist a few snowmen puns. You will just have to roll with it.

Read the rest of this entry →

Oct13

Sled into Solstice with your crafting

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Betsy Skagen

Sled into Solstice with your crafting

Chubby-cheeked sledders in a glistening snow-covered countryside is my nod to the December 21 Winter’s Solstice. You can learn how to craft this miniature vintage holiday scene by following the step-by-step tutorial or visiting this featured project at Gypsy Soul

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Jan27

Zelda the dancing pig is captivating audience everywhere

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Betsy Skagen

Zelda the dancing pig is captivating audience everywhere

Audiences go hog wild when Zelda the Dancing Pig enters the stage. Adorned with a sparkling heart pastie on her juicy hocks and a bow on her tantalizing pigtail, Zelda is sure to never be a boar.

Zelda travels with the carnival, where loud barkers sell out her shows hours in advance and carnies are sure to swine-dle a few naive gents.

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Dec9

A card for the Winter’s Solstice

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Betsy Skagen

A card for the Winter’s Solstice

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Winter has arrived in here in Minnesota. It is a blustery nine degrees outside and as dusk settles, the wind is rattling the windows of our turn-of-the-century home.

In other words, it is a perfect night for crafting and for playing with the deep blue, purple, white and silver colors of Winter’s Solstice. Read the rest of this entry →

Nov25

Putzing around

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Betsy Skagen

Putzing around

There are so many delightful ceramic Christmas villages that people display this time of year. While I have occasionally been tempted to begin such a collection, I have remained true to the Putz houses that stem from an earlier era.

These Japanese-made cardboard houses adorned with sparkly materials, tiny bottle brush shrubbery and cellophane windows were mostly made between 1930 and 1960.

At the heart of my Putz village are the worn and slightly tattered houses that I played with as a child. Since I was born after that timeframe–I am old enough, I don’t need to add on extra years–they were tattered and torn even then.

Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts featured how I made my own little home fashioned after these Putz houses. Here’s how I did it:

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Mar8

This is me

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Betsy Skagen

This is me

Canvas Corp has the spotlight on my Artist Trading Block today. “Wishes” is an altered art sculpture about my past and present. It is me. The little girl in the photo is me around four years old. I was wearing a big hat, facing a big world, and had big wishes and big opportunities in front of me. Read the rest of this entry →

Feb25

Let loose and get funky with a mixed media flying heart

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Betsy Skagen

Let loose and get funky with a mixed media flying heart

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Many years ago–before her orange jumpsuit days–I was somewhat of a Martha Stewart wannabe.

Here’s one example: I spent days sculpting an elaborate firetruck cake and building a firetruck prop for my son’s birthday. Not only was the fire truck big enough to hold six children, it was complete with flashing red lights and horn.

The kid was three.

I could have given him a cardboard box and he would have been happy. Some (like the entire Western Hemisphere) might say perfection was my middle name. Read the rest of this entry →

Nov12

Oh how I love to putz around (and how that relates to crack)

Posted on November 12, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

Oh how I love to putz around (and how that relates to crack)

Long before they were trendy, I treasured my putz houses. As a young girl I took these battered Christmas decorations that my family had abandoned and set up a tiny village. Granted, there were only four or five houses, but I loved them.

I never had the budget to add many authentic putz houses to my collection over the years, but my little village grew nonetheless. Frosted trees and 1940s era cars in a variety of scales joined the village. Mid-century children skating and sledding loomed like giant toddlers about to devour the putz homes.

Perhaps the putz house I most treasure is the one I made this year. I stuck true to the simple mid-century stye adorned with lots of glitter. Read the rest of this entry →

Apr19

Celestial Pinwheels for spring’s evening breezes

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Betsy Skagen

Celestial Pinwheels for spring’s evening breezes

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It is almost magical: a warm spring evening, a light breeze and a starry sky. These celestial mixed media pinwheels remind me of this special time.

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Here is where you can see my tutorial on how to make pinwheels.

These pinwheels kind of makes me want to skip out on all my work, make up some lemonade and go sit on my porch swing right now. Ah, but I have a lengthy blog post to write. Of course, I could just send you over to my tutorial…

…and then…

…I could just…

…play hooky…