VG Creations

With every craft there are pros and cons with the project.  I really enjoy playing around with new methods of spicing up tumblers.  Glitter and paint is fun but it doesn't give you a consistent finished project.  I can start with it in straight lines and by the time the epoxy has hardened it has mixed and mingled into something completely different.  Check out my Instagram  page for beginning and ending shots. Pros: You can pick whatever you like in color and get an interesting tumbler.  There is no way that I could make this tumbler with glitter, paint, and vinyl.   Even with layering I wouldn't be able to get these colors and patterns.  If there is an obscure design or fandom you like and can find fabric for it you can make yourself a tumbler that won't necessarily cost you $45.  You can still add vinyl to the project if you want something a little more than just the fabric.  Cons: You have to use a straight tumbler that has no cu...

A Bag of Yarn “Mom will you make me….”  Over the years, my daughters, nieces and occasionally my nephews ask me to make them something.  Often this is accompanied by a picture or a pattern.  There were times I spent money on patterns only to buy yarn and follow the pattern to discover it was not well written. This has happened to me so many times.  I hate wasting money on patterns only to discover they aren’t well written or tested.   I started crocheting when I was twelve.  I was an infrequent crocheter until my late teens.  More than once I’ve made enough afghans for my nieces and nephews for Christmas.  I love to take yarn – fiber of some sort – and turn it from a long strand to something I know someone will use.              During one visit with my daughter, she showed me a pattern for a trivet.  She asked and wanted.  I was okay – I’ll try.  I was so frustrated. ...

People might hesitate to start making their own tumblers because they're afraid of all the upfront costs/supplies needed.  You can get away with going with less and still get an amazing tumbler.  Here's a list of all the items you absolutely have to have.  At the bottom will be a list of all the things you can get but don't necessarily need. Tumbler of some kind.  You can go with a cheap one from Wal-mart like this  one  or  this .  Or you can order a bunch from different sources on-line and get a bulk pricing. Epoxy.  There are tons of kinds available.  My preferred one is  Clear Casting and Coating Epoxy Resin  as it doesn't have a strong odor to it.  I tried a different company that came highly recommended but it gave me a headache so I'm sticking with this one.  Glitter. You can literally get glitter anywhere even the dollar store.  Glitter is glitter and any will work Glue of some kind.  Read my last po...

There are several ways to get the glitter on your cup.  Depending on who you talk to they will swear by one method or another.  I've tried all of these methods and have had success with them all.  However, some have more work involved then others which ultimately makes me prefer two over all of them. Mod Podge: This is the first one I tried when I started learning about tumblers.   With this method you take a paintbrush and lightly coat the cup with mod podge.  Once it is evenly coated you glitter your cup.  Then you wait.  The cup has to be completely dry before you do a second coat and it takes several hours for it to dry.  The glitter didn't completely adhere to the cup so a lot of glitter fell off as it dried.   Here is my first attempt at epoxy tumblers.  The one on the left is the very first one and the glitter smeared a little bit too much for me.  I learned later if I had used something like this  Minwax Spray...

I have had to learn not to plan for any outcome with my tumblers. I have now made 6 different Green Bay Packer cups and they've all had differences.  Some of it was planned differences and some were not.  Each of these cups I used the same acrylic paint to epoxy ratio.  Even the same glitter.  What I can't control is how to epoxy will move the glitter and paint around.  The only control I have is the color of the paint, glitter, and what vinyl will go on it. One of the things I like to do is take a video of what the tumbler looks like when it is first started and then when it's done.  It amazes me every time the cups are done the difference between the starting colors and the conclusion.     If you are opting to sell the cups either have the actually cups up or let the people know they're picking the colors and not necessarily the pattern.  There are no guarantees.  You can always send the buyer a picture of the cup and make sure th...

✨ You are cordially invited... to a FREE online Sewing Summit! ✨ The Sewing Summit is a totally FREE online event where you’ll get 25 free classes and tutorials from pattern designers, sewing bloggers, pattern testers, and one from me! You can join in from anywhere in the world, and tune in for any or all of the classes you are interested in 💗 https://www.thesewingsummit.com/?affiliates=32   My video is posted today.  Check it out!

✨ You are cordially invited... to a FREE online Sewing Summit! ✨ The Sewing Summit is a totally FREE online event where you’ll get 25 free classes and tutorials from pattern designers, sewing bloggers, pattern testers, and one from me! You can join in from anywhere in the world, and tune in for any or all of the classes you are interested in 💗 https://www.thesewingsummit.com/?affiliates=32   This is going on right now.  Check it out!

✨ You are cordially invited... to a FREE online Sewing Summit! ✨ The Sewing Summit is a totally FREE online event where you’ll get 25 free classes and tutorials from pattern designers, sewing bloggers, pattern testers, and one from me! You can join in from anywhere in the world, and tune in for any or all of the classes you are interested in 💗 https://www.thesewingsummit.com/?affiliates=32  

I like trying new things and when I found some videos on using molds with epoxy I said I needed to try it asap.  The first batch was an small failure. These look really good but they never dried and hardened.  I thought I could do what I do with tumblers and use acrylic paint.  Apparently I either had the ratio wrong or it just isn't going to work.  Gorgeous but not usable.  The ones with straight glitter worked out well so there I was fine but if I wanted to have the color it was back to the drawing board. So I spent time on YouTube to see what the hell I was doing wrong to get color in the boxes.   Apparently there is a powder you can use to get colored boxes.  Amazon to the rescue.  I found this  Mica Powder .  Once it arrived I got right to work on molds.  Amazon was also evil and made suggestions on molds so I ended up with additional molds to play with.   Here's a dragon I made with the Mica Powder Here are the ...

✨ You are cordially invited... to a FREE online Sewing Summit! ✨ The Sewing Summit is a totally FREE online event where you’ll get 25 free classes and tutorials from pattern designers, sewing bloggers, pattern testers, and one from me! You can join in from anywhere in the world, and tune in for any or all of the classes you are interested in 💗 https://www.thesewingsummit.com/?affiliates=32  This is available now.  Check it out! 

✨ You are cordially invited... to a FREE online Sewing Summit! ✨ The Sewing Summit is a totally FREE online event where you’ll get 25 free classes and tutorials from pattern designers, sewing bloggers, pattern testers, and one from me! You can join in from anywhere in the world, and tune in for any or all of the classes you are interested in 💗 https://www.thesewingsummit.com/?affiliates=32   Today is the day to sign in and see all the awesome videos.  Go check it out!