Jay ♥ Czacza: The Actual Setup

Vintage imagery + Typography + Heat transfer = His print

And as plans went, the winds leaned towards the tempestuous, especially when it applied to the reception preparations.  The fluctuations on the number of guests, tables, table configurations, etc. increased in the days leading to the big event, but Czacza was the picture of ease and grace.  Even as she dropped by the night before to see the centerpiece porcelain items and drop off the printouts of the wedding rules, she was composed (as she matter-of-factly told her groom that she couldn't deal with his shoe selection issues at the moment) despite relaying all of the last-minute concerns.

The Hers print.  :-)

I still don't have all of the photos of all of the handmade details (the "Just Married" heat transfer buntings, the fresh flower bouquets of the entourage), but let me share some items we were able document.

The boutonnieres looked like this!

The boutonnieres were made from canvas, hemp rope, dried misty blue flowers and pearl.  I had fun experimenting with the ombre effect.

Bouquet and a detail of the backdrop.

Instead of sticking to just blue, the entourage bouquets incorporated pink, so we added those hues to the centerpieces as well, with hydrangeas, berries and astrumeria.  The hydrangeas were more whitish than bluish, and since these aren't that easy to get (we had to reserve these about a month in advance), we had to make do.  The original plan for pink roses for the entourage had to be changed to pink and cream carnations and mums with berries (gosh, I have to get photos of those).

Detail and top view of the varied centerpieces.

We had varied centerpieces, incorporating the bottles with the decals, porcelain tea cups and bowls with floating candles, using vases and varied sizes of mason jars to hold the flowers, votives, and decorative ceramic balls.

Using embroidery hoops with heat transferred designs in the backdrop.

For the backdrop, we had a frame constructed, and incorporated printed designs hanging from embroidery hoops of various sizes, as well as doilies, lace, ribbon and string.

Embroidery hoops and doilies!

The beads from the original setup for the centerpieces were strung from the backdrop instead.

The floating candle waits to jump into the teacup.

We did the table numbers in embroidery hoops too.

Doilies and ribbon for the seats.

Enderun was a pretty venue.

All in all, we were pretty happy with how it turned out, and were glad to have been part of Jay and Czacza's special day.  And for a first handmade styling gig, we sure learned a lot.  This was a team effort, with Mom and Dad pitching in (making me go to bed at 5 AM), Lex being a sport in the sourcing of items, and Gemma and Nikki helping during the setup itself.

Here's to handmade details! ♥

PS: The awesome wedding coordinators were Jets and Rhona Battung of Canaan Celebrations.

Project: Heat transfer signage!

We're having our first workshop by the end of the month!  :-D

The Craft MNL workshop is well...almost open!  We still have to get our schedules down pat to have someone there most of the time, but in the meantime, we're cooking up all sorts of workshops for everyone to enjoy!  Watch out for screen printing, art collage and bookbinding, with possibly friendship bracelet making in the works!  I've been so excited these past few days, I've been getting up extra early in the morning in anticipation.  :-)

Of course, as part of the excitement, I prepared a rather quaint, rustic signage for the workshop.  Of course it has to be handmade!

So I prepared he designs.  I used a public domain graphic, and modified it, making sure it was an appropriate size for the embroidery hoop I bought.  I then had the designs printed with a laser printer.  When it was printed out, I traced the circle of the embroidery hoop with a pencil, and cut out the round trace.  I then taped the design onto katcha cloth while my Creative Versa-tool was heating up.

When I felt the Creative Versa-tool tip was hot enough (I tested the heat by applying it first on blank paper), I rubbed it on the back of the printout (with the printed side facing the cloth) while applying even pressure, with a circular motion.  At this point, it would be good to note that the design I had printed was a mirror image, so that it would come out right-side facing when the image is transferred.

I learned that the quality of the transfer depends on the pressure you apply, so make sure the surface under the cloth is nice and even (and heat resistant).

In my zeal to make sure the print came out dark enough, I took my time rubbing the moon image in the "Closed" sign, resulting in the paper moving a bit, and the moon getting a bit burned (yes, make sure your cloth will not burn!).  Making the most of it, we figured the damage lent a more vintage-y effect.  Haha!  :-)

So now for the attaching to the embroidery hoop part.  

I first laid the cloth printed with "Closed" over the inner hoop, and wrapped the cloth around it, evening out the surface while positioning it inside the outer hoop.  I then taped down the excess cloth and sewed the cloth down.  When the stitching was done (no photos for this, sorry), I removed the tape.

I then removed the inner hoop (now covered and secured with the "Closed" print), and laid the cloth printed with "Open" over the other side, also stretching it taut over the inner hoop, and securing it by placing it tightly within the outer hoop.

I then trimmed the excess cloth from the "Open" side that stuck out on the other side.

Yay, reversible!

If you look closely, you can still see some of the excess cloth sticking out.  I don't mind keeping it there, because it still goes with the whole rustic effect.

And now since the signage is done, the workshops are to follow!  :-)  Just came from the 10A Alabama Craft Fair earlier today.  Exciting things coming!

The Creative Versa-Tool: BEST Garage Sale Find, Evarrr.

At first glance, it looked like a soldering iron.  What I didn't know then was what I held in my hands was the most awesome garage sale find.  Ever.  And what made it even more lovely was that all proceeds from the sale went to supporting a very worthy cause.

What made me look twice were the numerous interchangeable tips that made it look quite attractive compared to the soldering iron I already had.  When I saw the fine point, I was sold--with the idea of putting simple wood burning details on the faces of our gallivanting cake topper couple.  So when George said she was giving it for less than a thousand pesos (she had only used it a couple of times), and that all proceeds went to a charity she had been supporting for quite sometime now, we were sold!

See those tips?  Beautiful!

I haven't even begun to get my feet wet in woodworking, so I wasn't aware of Walnut Hollow, and the numerous woodworking tools and accessories they had.  Now that I have though, I'm kinda dying inside for a set of this:

You can never have too many craft alphabet tools.

So anyway, apart from the obvious wood burning powers of this wonderful tool, I read through its label more closely, and saw that the flat tip can be used for heat transferring patterns.  Having no knowledge of how to do this, and a project with a tight deadline, I decided to give it a shot.

Working with the Good Food Community on their first anniversary giveaways, we were able to conceptualize little paper seed packets that would have wallet-sized cards with grains--or seeds, if you will--of "wisdom" or tidbits of thought or goodwill, that when read and taken to heart, can possibly germinate into actions that are larger than what we think.

Okay, this particular batch of "seeds" were love-themed, and supplied by the awesome folks at GFC.  <3

We were inspired by vintage seed packets, and originally toyed with the idea of having a stamp created for the seed packet envelopes.  With time running short though, we turned to the tools we had to get the job done.

First, we printed out the design in mirror-image, then we reproduced the design using a photocopier.  We cut out the seed packet designs to be transferred, and voila--with the heat press tip on the Creative Versa-tool, the design magically transferred!

You have to press down at the back of the pattern to make sure it transfers properly.  I think the outcome also depends on the type of paper you use to transfer the pattern on.  

The finished product!

A nice, vintage-y print was created.  You have to be careful using the tool--handling it, and on what surface you'll be working on.  For this project, I was using the wooden surface of my silkscreen table.  I placed sheets of paper over the table surface before putting the envelopes on, to keep the wood from burning.

I was so thrilled, I did a bit of research on the tool, and saw someone use the heat transfer tip on cloth!  That would make an interesting experiment.  Can't wait to try it.

Yay for the Creative Versa-Tool heat transfer tip!

Thank you George for this awesome find.  :-)  Rest assured, it'll be used A LOT.

Photos are from the Walnut Hollow website and HSN.

Oooh, correction.  George says she's NEVER used the tool we dug up at her garage sale.  Wow.