What Is Creativebug?

I did not know that Joann's had acquired Creativebug in 2017 but, I did not learn about Creativebug until around 2021. Creativebug is a great place to learn to live the creative life. If you don't know what Creativebug is, here's what they say:

We pride ourselves on bringing the latest in art and craft education to our members, and we work with renowned artists to do just that. ...you'll enjoy unlimited access to thousands of online art and craft classes. Watch our classes anytime, anywhere. Since our classes never expire, you can start and stop projects at your own pace.

While Creativebug requires a subscription (the Unlimited Plan is $7.95/mo or $5.95/mo if billed annually, Unlimited Plus plan is $9.95/mo.), there is a trial subscription available that will last around 60 days.

Your local public library may offer a free subscription to Creativebug. That is how I was able to join. I didn't even have to go to the library to obtain a library card. I was able to sign up online. Through my library's email newsletter, I learned about the free membership that they offer to Creativebug.

Craftsy is similar but I like Creativebug better. You may have seen the succession of Craftsy membership invites around social media. They offered a 1-year trial membership for $2.95. I joined and it was ok, but I was disappointed that it is only a library of videos. There are no lives or interaction among members, though comments can be made. There were only crickets when I tried it. Creativebug hosts lives and is a much more active creative website.

I found this review by Aly Marie at Sewing Machine Fun to be very informative. She shares all of the cons and the mostly pros of joining. You can start your free trial now through this link that I copied from Aly's post, Creativebug 60 Days Free.

I like Creativebug's Daily Practice Series and Mixtape Series. Just today, I got an email introducing me to their new series called Learning Journeys. I'm excited about the Crochet 101 Journey. I know how to crochet but I need more structure and I have never learned how to properly read crochet patterns.

Of course, you don't have to take any series. You can watch any of the 1,000s of videos that you want. According to Aly, with the Unlimited Plus subscription, you can download 1 lesson a month to keep forever.

Have a Happy Creative Day! 

Learn creative skills, Learn to create, You can create, Living the creative life, I want to make things

Patchwork Bottles: A Dramatic Decor Craft

 

I had thrown so many bottles away that I put my foot down and declared I'm going to find a quick, decorative technique so that I can salvage these bottles!

 

I like working with glass because of its sparkling transparency. Even when covered up, as I've done with these bottles, it's still exciting to feel the heftiness of the glass in my hands.

Ways to decorate a bottle.

I decided on a freeform, patchwork design. Before I chose my papers, I decided on color schemes of:

• whites/creams/silvers for the 1st bottle,
• pinks/mauves/fuchsias for the 2nd,
• and golds/silvers/cremes/whites for the 3rd.

I tore up a supply of various papers, keeping them close to similar sizes by layering them before tearing. It was easy to apply glue to each piece and stick it to the bottle. The challenge was choosing each piece so that the same designs and colors were not bunched up together.

Since paper crafting is my first love, I have a huge stock of scrap papers that makes it easy to arrange color schemes. I loved using foils/metallics. Some of them, especially the fuchsias, are actually salvaged candy/gum wrappers! I scavenge papers from anywhere and anything. Metallic papers can be pulled from the envelope liners of greeting cards that we receive.


Deciding in what design to place the papers can be challenging and a reason for procrastination. I decided that for every 5 papers that I glued down I would place one of the darkest colors.

Another thing that helps with your pattern design is that you don’t have to glue in a certain direction. Each piece of paper can be glued up, down, left or right in line with what was placed last. This gives a lot of leeway in balancing the colors and sizes in the placement of the paper pieces.


I started at the bottom gluing papers and worked my way around and up to the top of each bottle. Once finished, I painted each bottle with a matte sealer. You can use a matte or gloss medium, one of the Modge Podge or Decorart brands of sealers or white PVC glue. It depends on how durable you want your bottles to be and where you plan to display them. Outside or in moist areas will require a sealer that can protect against that.


I decided to add another fav medium, craft wire, to the largest bottle. It’s really easy. Most important is not to cut a length of wire first. Just wrap and twist with a pliers, wrap and twist while unwinding the wire from the roll.

You then won’t end up with a too short piece or extra that you have to clip off and store. If you precut a piece and it runs short, you could easily join another piece and twist carefully to hide the join.

I chose a golden wire and twisted a design with wire pliers, making sure to add a twist each time the wire passed each side of the bottle. When I finished, I crimped each end of the wire back onto itself, hiding the ends and securing them.

I painted and embellished a wooden ball for the top of one bottle, attaching it securely with tacky glue.

I kept the black, plastic, twist-on cap on the silvery bottle, decoupaging it with silver paper. I then formed a sculptural design on top of that cap with another piece of the silver paper drenched in glue.

I really like my design of the cork stopper for the gold and silver bottle. I painted it white and added a spiral design with a metallic gold paint pen.

I securely glued it into the top of the bottle with tacky glue. I had decoupaged gold metallic, textured paper around and into the bottle opening. This helped to secure the cork inside.

 

I created a sculptural topper for the bottle cork out of reclaimed metal, wire and beads. The metal disk had a metal post on it (it was part of an old pierced earring), which I stuck into a glue-filled hole in the cork.

Paper patchwork.

I like my work to be finished on all surfaces, so I cut and glued coordinated craft felt to the bottom of each bottle. It helps keep them from sliding off of shelves and protects surfaces.

Bottle decoration ideas.

The most time-consuming part of this technique is, of course, designing the paper patchwork design. Once you get started it goes very quickly.


I like looking at these bottles. They dress up any table or shelf with a pretty flash of creativity. Get busy!

Make your creative flash today!

Happy Creative Wednesday & Easy Nature Crafts

Creativity is a part of everyday life for those who love making, designing, writing and photography. See my tissue paper leaves glued to natural twigs? That's easy creativity that you can do. 

Fold several layers of tissue paper and cut out oval/marquis/cat eye shapes. Fold them over twigs and glue. Liquid glue works best. Glue sticks may tear the tissue paper. Place your leafy stems in a vase and decorate your environment with this lovely, nature crafts floral design.  

So many possibilities with color schemes and twigs formations! Easy weekend crafts projects for you! Easy crafts for kids!

Happy Creative Wednesday!

*****

Windows 11 Free Youtube Course

If you have Windows 11, learn about new features that can help increase your productivity, such as multiple desktops, snap layouts and more. 

Take the free YTube video by Kaceli Tech Training. I am making my way through the course now and it's easy to follow.

Sali Kaceli has 20+ years of hands-on IT experience, a graduate degree in technology, certifications like MCSE, CNA and TCT and teaching experience at a U.S. university. His company develops simplified technology tutorials and courses to educate workers and enhance their technology toolkits.

Windows 11 Full Tutorial - A 2 Hour Course to Learn and Master Windows 11

 

 

Roberto Blake On Successful Brand Deals

When asked if he finds it more difficult, as a person-of-color graphic designer and Youtube creator, to obtain brand deals in comparison to others, he replied,

Not really but I’ve also built a system for brand deals...I also do better on brand deals than most Creators my size or larger regardless of their background, due to my ability to negotiate and package my deals.

While discrimination is often endured daily by many of us, his successful focus is on evaluating how to deliver more value to the clients/customers whom he does acquire.

While I'm not aspiring to produce and upload YT videos (the unpopular slideshows format works better for my schedule), I love Roberto's content. He's clear, engaging and relevant. This is not the first time that I've written about him. 

I like making a pit stop at his channel to see what he's currently sharing. I am also a graphic designer but I don't freelance. I prefer to design pre-made products and services. Roberto produces many videos with inspiring content that can apply to any creative pursuit.

Check out his YT channel and website for great info on boosting the success of your brands.  

About Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is dedicated to building the creator economy through helping creators and influencers build brands and businesses online. Learn how to monetize your creativity and skills, grow an audience, sell products, monetize YouTube videos, make money online, and build a personal brand. He has grown his Youtube channel to over 500,000 subscribers.

Find Roberto Online

Youtube Community

Youtube Channel 

Awesome Creator Academy 

Roberto's Youtube Starter Kit

Interested In Sponsoring Roberto Blake And Sharing Your Brand With His Viewers?

info@robertoblake.com

725 Ponce De Leon Ave
ATTN WeWork Roberto Blake 2nd Floor
Atlanta GA, 30306 

 

 

 

Free Color Psychology Course

 

Coolors, my fav color schemes generator, has teamed up with Uxcel, an interactive online learning platform, to offer a color theory/psychology class.

If you want to learn how to skillfully use colors in your products and/or brands, you can do it through this fun course. Uxcel offers a pro subscription but this course is free. 

I like the colorful graphics and the easy click and read interface. I am excited that Fabrizio Bianchi offered this course through his website, Coolors.

Color Psychology for Designers