Sparkly Girlfriend Ornaments for the ORNAMENT ROUND ROBIN

As you know, Girlfriendology is all about 'appreciation, inspiration and celebration of girlfriends.' GirlfriendologyToo is for the creative side of girlfriends - like those who like to share fun creative ideas ... hmmm, like a SPARKLY ORNAMENT to give your girlfriends!

This easy project takes flashing (from a hardware store, plumbing dept.), tin snips, double-sided adhesive (like Double-sided Super Tape, by Therm O Web), awl, glitter, beads and wire. I also used some metal letter stamps to personalize them.

Draw and cut patterns from paper - mine were for a star, purse and heart. Using the tin snips (don't use scissors, it may ruin them!), cut the tin shapes and use the awl to make holes to hang them from. If you want to personalize, hammer metal alphabet stamps in the flashing. Cut the double sided tape to cover the tin (like for the purse and star) or in shapes (like the heart) for the first glitter color and apply to the tin. Remove the tape backing and apply wire words (like the star "Dream"), rhinestones or beads. Then cover in glitter. Apply any other pieces of the tape and add other colors of rhinestones. Cover the back with tape and glitter. Use the awl again to open up the holes (going through the glitter and tape) and insert wire (with beads, like for purse handle or curled) for hangers.

TODAY is an ornament round robin so you can get lots of ideas, like:

Framed Memory Art - Katie Hacker
Fun spoon snowmen - Candie Cooper
Joyful stamped dovie - Margot Potter
Pretty bead embroidery - Linda Augsburg
Scented clay cookie - Melanie Brooks Lukacs
Dual purpose art bead ornie - Art Bead Scene
Jingle spiral - Cindy Gimbrone
Charming art bead ornies - Heather Powers
Stamped poly clay & beads - Polymer Clay Craft Gossip
Glitter paint and glass - Alexa Westerfield
Starry stamped polymer clay - Elaine Luther
PMC & kid's art ornie - Melissa Lee
Painted glass orbs - Michelle McGee
Super bright starburst - Jennifer Heynen
Stephen Colbert angel - Hali Chambers
Vintage cone - Kriss Kramer
Peppermint decor - Lisa Liddy
Sweet snowy guys - Brandy Lung Gill
And there's a cool star ornament at Beading Daily

And some that will be posted after this writing...
Jenny Harada
Rebecca Peck
Jean Yates
Sara Naumann
Lynn Kvigne
Suzanne

Just some fun ideas from crafty girlfriends! Girlfriends add sparkle to our lives, so why not make an ornament to match?! Have fun Creative Girlfriends!

Girlfriend Gift for Summer Porches or Autumn Decks

Again, I love this time of year. It starts to cool down (or at least we know it is near!) and we spend time on the porch or deck in long conversations about anything from vital to trivial, and either is welcome!

Do you have a girlfriend who enjoys her time outside? Maybe a special female friend who loves to light a fragranced candle and enjoy her home? Either way, this project is perfect for a gift for them.

Start with a filled-glass candle. Wrap with metal mesh (slightly less than the height of the glass) and overlap and bend it to hold onto the glass shape. Cut more metal mesh into a long piece 2-3 inches wide. Start wrapping glass globs/drops into it twisting the mesh around each piece for a long strand of mesh wraped glass. Vary the colors of the glass to the candle wax and a complimentary color. (Something about it reminded me of candy pieces all tied together - maybe it is a food fixation I've had since my childhood?!) Then wrap these mesh covered glass pieces around the top and bottom of the mesh to cover those edges.

From others I've kept and used, the glass and metal make an excellent reflector to the candle flame. It is a beautiful addition to decks, porches, mantle and home decor.

You love your girlfriends, right? Well, a present like this is a creative reminder of your friendship throughout the seasons. Girlfriends are the perfect gift to our lives, why not make your girlfriend a perfect gift? Send photos or email your ideas to ideas@girlfriendology.com. Thanks Girlfriend! Have fun!!!

Get ready for cool weather and outdoor lanterns!

I love this time of the year - don't you?! It is still light outside at night but the cooler temps make it great sleeping weather. I've filled the flower boxes with mums and am ready to put on a jacket and sit out on the deck for an evening of candle-lite conversation.

Being a crafter, I also love making home decor crafts for the seasons. (And crafts I can make for my girlfriends that they'll use each Autumn.) This piece is a classic and I love watching the reflections of a dancing flame from the candle inside.

If you've never tried working with copper, you should! It is beautiful and incredibly rewarding. I drew designs on three panels of copper foil. On each I cut out a Fall icon - a leaf, pinecone and this harvest sun flower. I then gently embossed the images from the back to make them dimensional. The last step (before assembling) is the most scary but rewarding! With my trusty heat gun, I warmed the copper up until it changed colors. (Practice on a spare piece of copper, this can go really fast once it warms up!) This heat treatment it a beautiful amber glow, making it a awesome Fall decor craft.

Barbara Mattheissen wrote a book on New Metal Foil Crafts: Simple and Inspiring Crafts to Make at Home and this project was put on the cover. Check it out for more instruction and ideas.

How does Fall inspire your crafting? What craft projects do you make or bring out each Autumn? Please share. Won't you?