Child of Summer Art Doll

By Michael Rainsbarger

Materials:

• Amate Designer’s Collection Jumbo Long Rectangle #SO60600123
• Amate Base Elements Rectangle pendant #SOPN053
• 20 gauge silver wire approximately 6”
• 26 sterling silver wire approximately 6”
• One tube size 11 Toho seed beads (lustered sour apple)
• 2”x4” piece of batting
• 2”x4” piece of “summer” fabric
• 2” silk sunflower petal (cut in half)
• Stickles glitter glue (fruit punch, lime green and yellow)
• Brown leaf ribbon approximately 14” 
• One small piece of Mat board cut to fit inside the large rectangle
• One small piece of 1/8” thick foam board cut to fit inside small rectangle 
• Metallic embroidery thread to match fabric (I used light green and brown)
• Photo copy of child’s face reduced to fit inside small rectangle
• One piece of white textured cardstock paper
• Clear monofilament approximately 6”

Embellishments:

• Bare feet charms from Art Girlz
• Small pink vellum butterfly
• Small paper sunflower
• Small heart shaped brad

Feel free to use other embellishments such as Buttons, rhinestones, beads etc.

Tools:

• Weldbond glue
• Matte gel medium
• Scissors
• X-Acto knife
• Wire cutters
• Round nose pliers
• Embroidery needle
• Small paint brush

Instructions:

1. Find your inspiration! Find a happy, carefree “summer” picture of a child’s face. Reduce it down if needed and photo copy it onto white textured cardstock paper.
2. Make sure that both the mat board and the foam board are cut to fit inside their appropriate rectangles. (Mat board in large and foam board in small.)
3. Cut your face out of the cardstock the same size as the foam board. Glue the face onto the foam board them with gel medium. Seal the face with a thin coat of gel medium. Let dry. Once dry, glue it inside the small rectangle with Weldbond. Let dry.
4. Using the embroidery thread, embellish the fabric with stitches, french knots, criss crosses etc. Add other embellishments such as heart shaped brad, buttons, beads etc. Set aside.
5. Glue the batting to the mat board with Weldbond. Let dry. Trim off excess batting. Wrap the embellished fabric around the batting and mat board then glue it down around the back with Weldbond. Let dry. Trim off excess fabric.  Once dry, glue it inside the large rectangle with Weldbond. Let dry.
6. Use the 20g wire to connect the two loops of the rectangles together. Wrap it through and around the loops just enough to secure them together. Cut off excess wire.
7. Using the seed beads, string approximately 5” onto the 26g sterling wire. Use the round nose pliers to make little coils at each end. Cut off excess wire. Wrap it once around the “neck” and position it to your liking. These are the arms of your art doll.
8. Tie each of the feet charms to two pieces of embroidery thread, each about 6” long. Tie both pieces of thread to the 20g wire on the back of the neck. You want the feet to dangle just below the large rectangle.
9. Glue each half of the sunflower “wings” onto the back to the large rectangle with Weldbond. Let dry.
10. Use the leaf ribbon to cover the wire around the neck by wrapping it around several times. Glue it in place with Weldbond. Let dry.
11. Embellish the doll with glitter glue. Make dots or swirls on the body and head. Use it to give sparkle to the leaf ribbon, wings, butterfly, and paper sunflower. Let dry. Attach these and other embellishments if desired.
12. Tie the monofilament in a knot around the neck to create an inconspicuous hanger.

Beachy Necklace

By Deborah Anton

Products:

Amate Studios Base Elements Rectangle Pendant

Ranger Glossy Accents

Ranger Melting Pot

Ranger UTEE in Clear

Ranger UTEE Flex

Swarovski flatback Crystal (pink)

Crafting Sand

Cool Toolz by Ranger

Non-stick Craft Sheet

Ready made chain necklace

Craft Glue

Sea life Charms

Sea Glass

Seashell

Wire (20-24 gauge)

Jump rings

Instructions:

1. Heat Melting Pot with UTEE to temperature.
2. Add UTEE Flex.
3. Pour some of the melted UTEE onto your non-stick craft sheet; while hot, stir in some craft sand.
4. Once UTEE cools, cut to fit mini pendant.
5. Add a little craft glue to the back of the cut UTEE piece to adhere to the pendant.
6. Using Glossy Accents, adhere your seashell to the pendant; let dry for a few minutes.
7. Add a thin layer of Glossy Accents to the outside of the seashell around the pendant; add more craft sand and tap off excess. Let dry some more.
8. Once dry, cover entire pendant with Glossy Accents and add crystal; allow to dry completely.
9. Wire wrap your sea glass in the design you want and add a jump ring to attach to the necklace.
10. Add other sea life charms you want to the necklace.
11. Finish necklace with the dry seashell pendant as your main focal piece.

Retro Flower Ring

By Lacy Carrall

Supplies:

Amate Studios Base Elements Oval Ring in Gold Brass
Vintage plastic layering flowers ( I found them on Etsy.com)
Head pin and bead cap
Diamond Glaze

Instructions:

1. Layer flowers and attach them together with the bead cap and the head pin.
2. Fill the ring tray with Diamond Glaze.
3. Set the flower pendant on the ring base.
4. Allow to dry. 

Sunshine Bracelet

Designed by Cheryl Ball

Supplies:

Amate Studios Designer’s Collection Interchangeable Bracelet with Large Oval

Amate Studios Base Elements Oval Earrings

Liquid Fusion™ Adhesive

Felt ball – 3/8” - orange

E-beads – orange, yellow

Seed Beads – yellow, orange – different finishes

Thick felt – yellow, orange *

Scissors

Needle and yellow thread

Needle nose pliers,

Silver jump ring - 1/8”. ¼”

Instructions:

1. Remove ear wire from one earring.
2. Cut yellow felt to fit large oval and orange to fit one oval earring.
3. Use scissors to cut orange felt ball in half.  Apply a thin amount of Fabric Fusion™ to back of ball then press in place in center of yellow oval. 
4. Insert needle from back through center of ball, add a yellow e-bead then insert back through ball again pulling tightly and knotting off.
5. Insert needle from back right next to felt ball.  Add on enough yellow seed bead to fit around ball then push needle to back.  Couch beads to felt by tacking thread between beads in several places along strand pulling tightly and knotting off.
6. Sew three orange e-beads at either end of center then add yellow between, couching in place.
7. Couch yellow seed beads to remainder of area as shown.
8. Sew three yellow e-beads to center of orange oval then couch on a strand of orange seed beads.
9. Use Fabric Fusion™ to glue felt into jewelry pieces and let dry.
10. Attach small jump ring to earring section then add at end of bracelet oval piece.  Open larger jump ring, add three colored e-beads then attached at same place. 
11. Position oval on bracelet then used pliers to close longer section at side of bracelet. 

Polymer Star

By Kelley Lohr

Supplies:

Amate Studios Designer Series Star Pendant

Red, White, and Blue Polymer Clays (I used Sculpey brand) the blue has a metallic flake/glitter appearance

Stylus tools with varying ball point sizes

Oven or Toaster Oven

Instructions:

1. Starting with the white clay, pull of bits of each color of clay and form into small balls, ranging in size from 1/16" up to 1/4" (I found it easier to make a lot of different sized balls from the start and layout on my workspace so that when I started placement into the Amate Studios Star Pendant, I would not have to keep starting and stopping to roll more little balls!)
2. Choose a starting point in the pendant and using the larger of the clay balls, begin placing the balls into the well of the pendant, side by side, and gently using a larger ball ended stylus to gently push the clay into the pendant and forming a well in the clay ball.
3. Randomly changing colors, keep adding the little balls around, side-by-side, and into the wells of the larger balls, until you are satisfied with placement and overall appearance.  (at this point, the clay is forgiving, so if you need to change the arrangement, use an X-acto knife to carefully pull away the unwanted clay and smooth out.
4. Set oven/toaster oven to temperature according to directions on package of clay.  Bake as directed right in the Amate Star Pendant.
5. Allow to cool before handling.  At this point, pendant is now hard and clay is no longer pliable.  You could also add beads and jewel stones by gluing directly onto clay. 
6. If you prefer a glossy pendant, use Diamond Glaze, Glossy Accents, or Sculpey Varnish to finish pendant.  (pendant in photo was left as bare clay, for a matte finish) 

Pepsi Star
"My favorite soda is Diet Pepsi, So I made this pendant to look like the Pepsi logo"

By Susan Johnson

Supplies:

Amate Studios Large Star Pendant
Glossy Accents by Ranger
No hole micro beads in Red, Clear and Blue
Empty container

Directions:

1. Add Glossy Accents to the upper half of the pendant leaving a swirled edge on the bottom.
2. Pour Red micro beads into pendant. Shake any extra beads off into empty container, then pour back into origional container.
3. Add another small swirled line of Glossy Accents just under the red micro beads.
4. Pour Clear micro beads in to pendant and follow remaining steps in step 2.
5. Fill remaining pendant with Glossy Accents.
6. Pour Blue micro beads into pendant and follow remaining steps in step 2.
7. You can leave pedant to dry as is or you can add a layer of Glossy Accents over the micro beads and then let dry.

Summer Flower Pendant

By Terry Ricioli

Materials: 

Amate Studios Base Elements Photo Square Photo Frame

Aluminum wire screen:  1” by 1” piece

Jewelry glue

Flower spray with small flowers and leaves

Ladybug button

2” by 2” piece of colored cardstock

Tools:  wire cutters, scissors

Instructions:

1. Push small screen piece into photo pendant from back of pendant to shape the screen.  Form screen in pendant and push center up to create a raised center in the opening.  Trim any edges that stick out beyond the pendant and remove the screen.
2. Apply glue to inside edges of pendant and replace screen, pushing into glue.  Let dry.
3. Cut flowers off stems leaving about 1/8” for insertion through screen.  Arrange flowers on top of pendant by pushing them through the holes in the screen.  When the flowers are arranged as you like them, glue them into the screen.  Trim flowers with scissors to get them to overlap more easily.  Glue leaves around and among flowers if desired.
4. With wire cutters, cut the shank off the button.  Glue the ladybug button on a flower. 
5. Trace the pendant on the cardstock, cut out and trim to fit inside the back of the pendant.  Glue the cardstock into the back of the pendant.
6. String on a length of matching ribbon or as you wish.