Easy Chica Style Necklace Pendant Tutorial

Hey Chica's in Craft. It is time for another easy breezy Tutorial. I actually made this project for a swap partner, and I liked it so much, I decided to make one for myself. You can keep this as simple as 123, or you can go as elaborate as you want. I am going to keep this tutorial on the simple side, and if you do make your own pendant, feel free to link it here.

Materials:
Crafty Chica Mojito Paper
Crafty Chica Loteria Cards
Inkssentials Memory Glass and Pendant frames
Decorative paper

Tools:
Scissors
Glue stick
punch cutters (optional) I have a square punch that I used to cut my paper to size


Pick an image to go in the front and in the back of your pendant. I cut out a calavera from Kathy's loteria card, and I cut out an image of Frida for the backside. I also chose a glittered paper for the background of my calavera.

Here are my selections.

These glitter sheets are awesome. They already come with a sticky back, just peel and stick. (I purchased mine at a scrap book store)

Assemble your front piece. I added a butterfly behind my calavera. Sandwich your decorative paper behind your top piece of glass. I used a little stick glue to tack my calavera to my background paper. Then you are going to add your back piece of paper behind your front image and sandwich that in between your back piece glass.

Front Piece

Back Piece

Next, you will open your Memory frame and insert your pendant "sandwich" inside. Be careful not to force your glass in too quickly. Your glass may crack or break.

Viola, instant one of a kind "Chica Style" pendant. Really, you can do this all under 10 minutes!

Next thing to do is add it to a necklace, or if you are really hardcore, make your own necklace!
Look here, two necklace in 1! Talk about stretching your dollar!

Don't have access to Memory glass or frames? Here is your "99 cent" solution. (actually it is cheaper, but I like the phrase) You can also use the very cheap wooden cut outs they sell at your local craft store. They come in all shapes and sizes. All you have to do is drill a hole and I would seal with a varnish. You can collage, paint, add 3d embellishments. The sky is the limit!


Go ahead, Get Your Craft On!

Frida Sugar Baby Is Ready To Go Home!

Yep, Little Frida Sugar baby was handed over last night to Melody of the Sugar Cube Society and is now listed and searching for a firme home.

I made this doll as a donation to help raise funds for diabetes. 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Diabetes foundation.

Also available, is a sweet lil bay created by Amy of Pepto Girls and Pimp Stitch! So cute!

Gracias everyone!

Look who's here:

Frida



and

Sweet Dreams Ginger



You can find these Sugarbabies along with others at:

Click here

Pictures, Pimpages, Crafts, Appearances and Tutorials!

Thanks for coming back and checking on me from time to time. I have been sitting on this blog way too long. I have some Crafty and Artsy homies I want to pimp out and share with you. These chicas have mad skills and it is such a shame to keep them all to myself, ya know? So lets get this party started!

First Chica up for blast, is my friend Cyndi of Santa Clarita Craft Lab. She has been crafting it up for a while and she just recently opened her very own Craft Lab down in Santa Clarita California. Any of you Sur Califa Chicas should go check her out. She has lots of wonderful classes to choose from and I really hope to make it down there sometime soon.

Anyhoo, her and I did a private swap on Swapbot. You know, to get her feet wet, sucker her into the Swapping vortex that I am so hopelessly part of. Hehe, I think it worked too, check out what she sent me. Can you say SCORE? Everything is handmade by Cyndi.




Here is her Shrine to Che Guevera. How hardcore is that? She even made little Che's out of all the matches in the box. Fantatico!

This here little gem of a shrine is made by my girl Alisa. The challenge was to make a shrine out of bottle caps. I like how she stacked two together to make a freestanding shrine. She also hooked it up with a healthy dose of glitter and her trademark, sequins!
These next two pics are from my homie "Altered Rose" The challenge was to make two items out of recycled materials. She really took this swap to heart and blew my mind. The pic below is a Shrine made from a jar using a vintage photo of a boy. I really like how nostalgic and old school it is. So cute, makes me want to create a swap using this medium!
I thought she did a great job on this necklace. She used a recycled necklace she bought at a garage sale, a toy bunny, and a TWIG, for Gawd's sake! Reminds me of an old toy from way back in the day. I can so see this piece in a shadow box Shrine.
This is another bottle cap shrine made for me by my partner in Swapbot. I love the simplicity and creativity of it. So delicate looking.

Ok, how awesome is this matchbox shrine? I received this from my partner, Mickeymoosies of Swapbot. I thought she did a banging job. The colors, the details, everything, so beautiful!

But wait, there are more homegirls I want you to check out! Do stop and visit my girl, Lisa of Willis Kids

She offers up a tutorial on paper cutting. Her work is incredible. Truly an art form in itself, don't ya think? She is always posting pics of her latest cut outs and she paints and illustrates too. So much talent!

Ok, this is a recent find. I found her a few months ago. Her name cracked me up, but after snooping around her pics, I was taken aback of her talent and creativity. WOW. Meet my girl of Borderbaby Creations!

Look at her profile pics, WOWZA!

Alas, I never get tired of pimping out my girl Kathy, I just wanted to put it out there, that La Reyna, Crafty Chica, is taking her show on the road to promote her much awaited craft line at a Michaels near you.

She will be in my barrio on August.

Friday, August 22, 6 – 8 p.m.
3691 Truxel Rd., Sacramento CA 95834-3604
(916) 928-9777

Come out with us and show her your love!

A Day of Frida, Shopping, Arte and Crafts Galore

Ok, pobrecita, Frida, I had no idea she wore butt huggers!

So last month, ( I can't believe it has almost been a month already) Krissi and I jetted on over to the MOMA in San Francisco to A, celebrate Krissi's 32nd birthday, ::cough, cough::(she is six months older than me. Trust me, she loves to point this out) and B, Go see our girl FRIDA!
I know, I know, I talk about her all the time, but hey, what can I say, she's tight like that.

Anyhoo, if you get a chance, that show is running through the end of September and it is so worth the visit. I am even more in love with her paintings and her humor! OMG, this woman knew how to get her clown on, mmmkay? She was sick and twisted just like me! Ayeeeeeeeee!

I tried to take some pictures, but trust me, they had regulators ALL over the place, and I wasn't about to get bounced out of there before getting my fair share of Frida. I did however gank a whole bunch of postcards and programs! :-).

Hey, I look at trash with a whole new perspective. I feel it is my small contribution to being green, because the Santos know I have done my share of waste and then some. I am working on being better though. I am forever sifting through my trash and telling my friends and neighbors to give me their empty pasta and cereal boxes. (Great for book covers and postcards)

Ok, back to our awesome dia.

After our tour de Frida, we went to the gift shop where we got suckered into buying all kinds of Frida gear. I walked out with postcards, Frida paper dolls, stickers, a children's Frida Coloring book and some cards. Krissi bought a gang of gear too.

From there, we were STARVING, so we headed out to the Mission. This is Krissi's old stomping ground and she took me on a serious stroll down memory lane. I got to see "her" Mission, lemme tell you, it was bright, colorful and beautiful. Reminded me of my days back in San Jo.

We got our grub on at this taqueria, and then we checked in an awesome bakery. Remember those horns, Girl? AWESOME.

We also peeped inside Dog Eared Books, one of my favorite stops, followed by visiting this this cool little shrine, voodoo store. (I forgot the name) I bought some resin incense. I love the smell of frankincense.

After a few more blocks, we headed back to Krissi's ride and drove to Berkeley, for a quicky stop at Paprus They have a great selection of hand dyed and specialty papers. I am telling you, we were on a roll. From there, Krissi took me on a cruise down Telegrah for some herbal brownies. I AM KIDDING!. haha. I told Krissi out of all the times I had been to Berkeley, I never took the time to check out the famed Telegraph Avenue. She told me that was a complete shame and took me out for a drive by. Thank you Krissi!

From there we started our descent back home, but of course, we spied a Michael's craft store on the way, and we just couldn't pass by without stopping, right? lol

I tell ya, we got our shop on and then some. We left at 9 am and didn't get home till about 10:30 pm. It was such a great day and I really wanted to share it all with you.

After all that Fridaliciousness, I became inspired and had a lot of swaps to complete. Guess what who I sent out to all my partners?.....................

Picture time.........

this was a card I made for Krissi's birthday. It was made of recycled materials, and alcohol inks. (My latest and current favorite medium)




This was a small matchbox shrine I made for my partner. It was an actual Frida themed project. I h

This is an oldie but goodie, I made this doll last year for a fundraiser. She is an altered doll, that I hand panted and dressed up. She even came with a back brace and her body cast was made out of polymer clay. I altered the box she came in to look like one of her rooms.
I made this ornament for a recycled project. I have to still give it to my partner and since she lives in town, I plan on delivering it to her. I used alcohol inks and recycled cd's, bottlecaps and beads and charms.
This was made for a altered CD swap. I learned these techniques from the wonderful Cyndi. She tought us this class on board the Crafty Chica Cruise earlier this year. By the way, the Cruise in happening next march. If you are looking for a quick retreat of Crafts, Chica's and good food, be sure to join us. I will be teaching a class on next year's cruise.

The next two pics are ATC's I made for another swap. (Yes, I am a swap addict)





This last picture is a Frida matchbox shrine paper doll I made for Cyndi of Santa Clarita Craft Lab. Good Gawd, wait till you see what she sent me. (stay tuned)
and that concludes your daily dose of Frida. hee. My next blog will be a few features, tutorials, and upcoming events. be sure to check back.

Orale Pues,

Yoli

Fridalicous!

Frida was reppin it hard in my casa last week. I started out with making a Frida clutch for my mother's birthday. I used a Frida fabric on the outside and a Caliente Chili Pepper fabric on the inside.
I put in a lil Santo at the side for good luck and to watch over mi Mama.

Well, you know the old saying, the more you give, the more you receive! Yep, I am a firm believer, and within the next two days, I received two awesome gifts! My Girl, Marcella came through and brought me these killer socks! lol, just when I thought I saw it all, BAM! I get a wonderful curve ball. Don't these rawk? I am thinking of making these into a coin purse or sock monkey. These are too cute to keep under my pant leg!




The following day, I opened my mail to find a wonderful fabric wall hanging from a swap I joined on Swap Bot. I was speechless. Number 1, the swap just opened and I haven't even begun to think about what I am going to send my partner, and number two, she sent me Frida! I have been carrying around this little gem for days and have been shoving it under everyone's nose! I just know they are jealous! hehe, and they should be! This lovely piece was made by the talented, Ms. June.


Isn't that sweet? Thank you so much June, I promise to take excellent care of her! Yes, she will finally be put to rest on my wall!

And that concludes our journey to the land of Frida. :D

Paper Dolls, Fabric Casa's and Big Blunders!

I, along with Krissi, recently joined the Mixed Media Artists of Northern Califonria. (That is a big name!) This wonderful group meets monthly, and these ladies RAWK. They welcomed us with open arms, sat us down and made us get busy with demonstrations, shared their tips and before we knew it, we were sucked in! These ladies come from Stockton, Vallejo, Folsom, Sacramento and other parts of the bay. These ladies are also committed. We couldn't believe all the talent sitting there at the table. For me, it was a little intimidating, but at the same time extremely motivating! Each month, they do different challenges and demos.

So during the stormy weather, these wonderful ladies joined together this past sunday, and I just had to snap some pics of what we all made. This month's challenge was a paper doll. I never made a paper doll, so I made two. My first one looked like a whore, but my second one, came out much better.

Whore:


2nd attempt were a few artist tags I made, using my girl Frida, and I decided to make them into a doll.


here she is all "Spread" out.


One of the ladies brought this one in from a swap. I thought it was genious, and I plan on making some with my own spin!

Can you just imagine the possibilities?

Here is a group photo of all the dollies that were turned in.


They were so much fun! I highly recommend giving them a try.

After we passed around are dollies, it was time to get busy and do a project. We were to make little houses out of ATC cards and fabric. Janene (sp) made it so easy. Her pattern was super simple and we made them in no time.

Here is a pic of all the supplies I took. (I tend to go overboard, because I only needed to bring like 3 items)


This is what we came up with.

Mine is with the gold trim, Krissi's is the one with the Loteria card.


How cute are those? We only constructed them at the meeting, but were told to take them home and embellish them. The inside's are blank, so we have lots of work to do. When I finish mine, I will post it up.

Ok, comedy time. Be nice, but remember I told you Sharon took me to a pottery place for my birthday? Well we finally picked up our pieces. LMAO. Ok, first let me disclose.............. I have mad respect for ceramic artists, mmmkay? Ceramic paint all looks the same to me, and I didn't know that you seriously need to really, really coat and triple coat your paints. I did this blindly, and hoped for the best. My kid told me I oughtta be ashamed of myself. hmmmph, I would like to see him try it.




Mug 2



Kathy, you know that blog you just did about blunders? Well here are two big ones for you! Top that! haha.