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Tuesday 20 March 2018

Paint Pouring Skin Jewellery


I came across some of my acrylic shapes the other day, and decided to have a play with one of the leftover skins from my paint pouring play a while ago.

To clarify "skins" are created when the a paint pouring canvas is tilted and the paint runs off the edge.  I do my pouring over a foil tray at the moment as I haven't attempted a large canvas.  The run-off paint ends up in the tray and when dry can be peeled off the foil.  (You could put something like waxed paper or similar to catch the drips too.)  Some people just use ordinary copy paper or similar.  The principle is not to waste the excess paint!

If the skins are large enough you can die cut them (particularly if they are on paper) and use them in cabochon settings and then add resin.

In this instance I used slap-it-on to adhere the skin (the red shades in the photo) to the back of an acrylic disc, and then painted the back with teal acrylic paint and a gel medium to seal it.  I just need to create a hole in it now to take some cord; or I could add it to a card or mixed media canvas ... even a paint poured canvas as an embellishment.
Another view ... there are some nice glitter effects in real life.

Monday 19 March 2018

Angel Chandelier


I confess this kit was a bit of a nightmare to make, mainly due to the fact that it was a tad fiddly, but secondly there weren't enough jump rings to make it.   The kit instructions said 18 jump rings, but it was obvious when you underlined every mention of jump rings in the instructions that you needed 24.  Ok there were a few extra, but I had to resort to making some rings from ends cut from head pins to make up the 24 as I had none in my stash of the right bronze colour .   (I wasn't amused!)

I was even less amused when I came to connecting the chain.  The options mentioned were to open a link of the chain ..... erm yes fine but they were too small to attach to the elements shown above the wooden ring.   I couldn't face making any more jump rings, so resorted to using some gold jump rings from my stash that were same colour as the chain.    So instead of 18 jump rings as detailed in the instructions I actually needed 30!
 
I shall complain of course - particularly as I have another kit to make up ...... that might not be for a while.  I will have to get in the right frame of mind to tackle it as it is a tad tricky, and took me a long time to put together, albeit the instructions were relatively simple and easy to follow; but I also need to hope that extra jump rings get sent or I can purchase some in the a bronze colour to match.

Sunday 18 March 2018

Bookmarks


I had a little play with some bookmarks yesterday.  It is ages since I did any "jewellery" making, and realise now perhaps it wasn't such a good idea as the eyes are getting a little old for fiddly jump rings.  Anyway I am getting ahead of the game and these will be little Christmas pressies.

Saturday 17 March 2018

Card for an old school pal

front of card

insert

Couldn't resist this for a school pal, whom I have known for over 60 years.   Men's cards are always difficult, and I hope he will appreciate the "tongue in cheek" sentiment I have added.  I couldn't resist!

Wednesday 14 March 2018

Steampunk Birthday Card


Steampunk for a female pal, created with Craft Artist.  Printed off and mounted on white card, and a little sparkle overlay pen applied to highlight some parts.

Tuesday 13 March 2018

MDF Plaque - SteamPunk/Grunge Effect


Front

A little experiment with an MDF hanger today.    The backing paper was one from Craft Artist, which I stuck to the MDF and then sandpapered the edges to get a neat finish.  I then the "attacked" the paper with distress inks and stamps.  I used an Artistic Flair stencil for the wording and inked through it with Brown Nuvo ink, and sprinkled on clear detail embossing powder, and applied a little White Colour Cloud Blending Ink to the edge.  I sealed everything with Spray and Shine.

The cogs and clock face were painted with , Decoart paints in Paynes Grey, Quinacridone Gold (red), yellow ochre, Prussian blue and Raw Umber and a touch of IndigoBlu Townhouse Teal to create a rusty affect.  Stamperia Glass paste was then applied with a finger to create a pitted look, and also highlights with Pebeo Gilding Wax in different shades of Gold.   These were then sealed with Spray and Shine, and when dry adhered to the plaque with Sweet Poppy translucent special dimension paste.

Back
The reverse was a bit of an experiment, that gave me a lot of trouble.   The background was created the same way as the front, using the same paper which I had coloured blue before printing.  Again it was distressed and stamped.

I tried to use a dimension paste through another Artistic Flair stencil, and tried to apply some gilding wax to it, which wasn't awfully effective, so I re-applied the paste and sprinkled on some black glitter.   This didn't look quite right when dry, and on the suggestion of my daughter, I sanded the wording back to make it more "grungy", which improved it and then applied a couple of layers of Stamperi glass paste over the whole design.  (It doesn't look brilliant in the photo, but is better in real life and has a sort of under-water look to it).

I also applied some white Cosmic Shimmer Colour Cloud to the edges of the plaque, as on the front.


Front of plaque showing stamping and distressing
As you can see from this work in progress photo, for some reason the embossing powder didn't wan to play on a couple of the words.  You will note they are fine in the final result - with a little help of a fine paint brush and some raw umber paint!

Finally ... a couple more views hanging on a wall, before I wrap and send it off to its recipient.



This is the first time I have done something like this, and confess it was a bit of a learning curve.  The aim was something a bit steampunk/grunge.    Think I might have achieved it ...... sort of... lol!   Just hope my pal likes it - at least she has one of the glass angels I made to hang up, even if this doesn't make it - although it may have a place on her craft room wall.

Saturday 10 March 2018

Glass Angels and a Sun Catcher


The soldering iron has been out again today creating angels and a suncatcher with my Glass Garden kits.  (I could have spread this photos over three days, but decided to put them all on together - so if I don't blog for a couple of days .......  you will know why!  lol!)


I do love the little angels; but who knew how hard it was to make a square and rectangles  (which were a perfect fit before I started) to still create a perfect square when joined together!  It all goes a bit pear-shaped when you add in the copper tape!

I can't remember if I posted the ones I made last month, as can't seem to find them on the blog - so here they are:   My first angel and a triangular suncatcher (now that was difficult to align with the joins on the points!)


Friday 9 March 2018

Cheese Scones (and a crafty tip).

Six made with madeleine mould and 2 freehand

A pal posted some photos of some cheese scones she had made on FB the other day ....  and you know what it is like .... you suddenly get the urge to make some!

I couldn't get over the height of her scones, as mine normally turn out like biscuits on the rare occasion I make them.    Well she gave me the tip for making them:

a) She used her Bero recipe
b) She used Dariole moulds

So I followed her tips.  My old Bero book didn't have the recipe, but I found it on line, and confess I put all the cheese in the scones and added extra for the tops.   I didn't have dariole moulds, but I had a six-space silicone madeleine mould (so my scones have slightly fluted edges).   Obviously I had enough mixture to make 8 rather than six, so I shaped the remaining mixture into "Dariole" shapes!

Ready to eat!

The were scrumptious!

There is a further story, as another pal saw my photos, and she ended up making some as well!    We seem to have started something!

Let me know if you end up making cheese scones - lol!

Thursday 8 March 2018

Make-Over - Cake Tin


The cake "tin" that sits on the work surface in the kitchen, and the "go to" box when the family are visiting to see what "goodies" are in there was looking very tatty and getting on my nerves, as I have been meaning to do something to it for ages.

We had a little family gathering over the weekend, and I got out some of the left-over paper napkins to use.   When clearing up, the idea came to me to use them as an experiment on the cake tin.  Would it work on plastic?   Well there was only one way to find out.

I carefully separated the three layers and just used the top coloured one (albeit I have also saved the second layer in case it could come in useful for another project, as it is basically white with a vague green and red tartan pattern on it.


I gave the box a lick of indigoblu paint mixed with slapiton - to try and camouflage the printing.  Then it was slipiton and the napkins to decoupage it.   I added a little paint to the topcoat of slapiton, so that has an added pearl finish to it.   The sides didn't have the paint added.

This may be work in progress, as if I find some suitable images I may decoupage something else to the top, or I may just find some suitable stamps and stamp onto some tissue or rice paper.  I amy be a project to do with the grandchildren!

Wednesday 7 March 2018

Makeover - First Aid Box



 What do you do with a tatty first aid box that is more than 30 odd years old?

Well of course you get out your Indigoblu paints and the slapiton and give it a facelift!

Tuesday 6 March 2018

Parchment Rose Card



Well most of you know I am not that good at parchment, but I do try.  (yes I know what you are saying .... she is very trying ... or is that just what my family say - lol!)

I thought I was doing so well until I came to put the card together.  Can you see my booboo - well if you can't I will tell you - the bottom right hand corner should be a little higher.  I could have then positioned the parchment more in the centre of the card and I wouldn't have had to search for peel-offs to camouflage the mistake!  duh!

I did try and make another piece, and made an even worse mess - so I am hoping my crafty pal won't notice too much.   Trouble is she make the most amazing cards, and I shall never be in her league!  However, it is the thought that counts.

The rose etc was done on white parchment and then one of the Clarity backing papers was put behind it.   The rose was coloured with promarkers.





Monday 5 March 2018

Birthday Card


Birthday card for a cousin who plays the trumpet and the piano.   Forgot to take a photo, but this is the image that is mounted on to a white card,  As usual Craft Artist rules! 

Thursday 1 March 2018

Sea Life Birthday Card


Card for a little lady who is going to be six this week.  Her birthday celebrations include a visit to the Sea Life centre and I am led to believe a bowling party.  (At least, this is what she said she wanted).  So the card has been designed to incorporate both.