Body & Soul Configuration Box

Yesterday was our last day of Wisconsin Stamp Camp. We went to Jan's at Red Rubber Paper & Ink for a workshop with configurations similar to Tim Holt's Heart & Soul class.

I painted the main box with two colors of blue distress stains and dried them with a heat tool.

 Then streaked on white acrylic paint and brushed pewter Distress Stain and let them dry.

 For my project, I choose 4 smaller boxes. Two of them are covered in decorative tape (similar to masking tape). The other two are covered with torn pieces from decorative napkins, using matte medium.

 We are using paper mache torsos in our boxes. I decided to cover one half with pieces from a decorative napkins applied with matte medium. Covered the other half with cut pieces from the metal foil tape sheets. Used the Industrial Faux Riveted Metal technique Tim demonstrates in his Sept tag project (click here for his step by step tutorial).

 Lined the inside of the large box with Tim's Tissue wrap with matte medium. I added some "Paris" decorative tape to the front. Added some contrasting decorative tapes to the edges of the small boxes. Added lots of Tim's findings, etc. Love the wheels on the bottom. I started a charm necklace for my torso. My box needs more work done, but this is as far as I got. I will post a picture of the finished project when it is finished after I return home in November. I'm having lots of fun with this thinking about what else I'll add.

Here are all of our boxes in progress. Same supplies, different looks. Excited to see how everyone's boxes turn out.

Rolled Papers in Shadow Box

Maggi showed us how to make these! Choose a background for your frame, specialty paper or fabric or......

Choose specialty papers and roll them around a bamboo skewer if you want them thin or something thicker, I used the handle of a wooden spoon. Use a bit of glue to keep the end of the paper attached to the roll. Tie each paper roll with fibers or twine or wire. Add charms and/or beads as desired. Place in a frame. Decorate frame as desired. I added different charms, etc to remind me of each person at our retreat. Here's how my shadow box turned out.

Jan wasn't able to join us this day of the retreat, so we each rolled some papers for her box and Maggie and Margaret tied on the fibers and added charms. We each signed the back and took her the finished box the next day, she loved it. You can see how each project can be very different.

Paint Transfer Technique

Margaret showed me how to do the Paint Transfer Technique. This is not an exact image transfer, but getting an approximation of an image for a different look.

Choose an image (bold is best). Place thick clear plastic over your image. Outline the image on the plastic with a sharpie marker. Flip the plastic over and paint within the drawn lines with various colors of acrylic paint.

Apply a layer of matte medium over the surface you want to transfer the image on to. Place the painted side of the plastic down onto the prepared surface. Use fingers to push down on the paint (be careful if you transfer right away while the paint is still wet, it will run a bit).

 Let it set for about an hour

 Remove plastic. I could place the plastic back down on the paper and burnish to remove more of the paint onto the paper, but I liked how this looked and left it the way it was.

 Once the paint is dry, use a sharpie marker to outline the image and add details:

 Decided to try this technique on muslin. I let the paint dry this time before placing it on the muslin that I had first applied matte medium to. Used a bone folder to burnish the painted transfer.

The paint will transfer from the plastic to the other surface differently each time you do this technique.

 Once the paint is completely dry, outline and add details with a sharpie marker:

I like how both of these turned out!

Transfer with bead gel

Another transfer technique we tried was using bead gel over an image. The flower is from a piece of specialty paper, the fairy is a jet ink printer image. Spread bead gel evenly over image and let sit over night.

 Dip finger in water to wet, and gently rub paper off back of bead gel.

 Continue to rub with wet finger until all the paper is removed from the back, be careful not to tear the bead gel.

The flower image transfered well:

I'm leaving the fairy image on the paper backing, because the ink started to run.

ATC booklet

Chrissy found a small envelope book pattern and resized it so the envelopes would hold ATCs. I used scrapbook paper over the mat board on mine. Added some gold mulberry paper and a lion's head charm to the outer flap.

 Inside: velcro holds the flap closed. Small envelopes were sealed, and one end cut off for the pages. I inked the edges of the envelopes with sage Distress ink, used red liner tape to tape the envelopes together and to the inside covers.

Inked the edges of the mat board and the scrapbook paper with walnut stain Distress ink.
Fun project!

Stamp embossed UTEE in Memory Frame

An another fun UTEE video with a technique for us to try.

Place a Memory frame on a rubber stamp (not a polymer stamp) and pour melted black UTEE (or other black embossing enamel) into the frame. Let cool......

 Lift framed UTEE off the stamp and you will see the embossed image

 Using a dry paint brush, add colors of Perfect Pearls

 Coated surface with glitter glue:

 After the glitter glue dried. I think I rubbed off the Perfect Pearls when I rubbed on the glitter glue.

 Did the same technique using a bolder stamp image. After adding the Perfect Pearls and the glitter glue and letting it dry, I rubbed some copper Metallic Rub-Ons over the outer raised areas. Also glued a crystal to the center.

 I love how this one turned out!

Embossing UTEE in a Memory Frame

We watched another UTEE video. 

We melted pearl UTEE (instead of white) in with the clear UTEE, mixing in the melting pot. Then pouring into a Memory Frame over a craft sheet and letting it cool.

Next, stamp an image onto the cool UTEE with clear embossing ink, and cover with bright colors of embossing enamels, then heat set with a heat tool.

The stamping doesn't go clear to the edges of the UTEE, I think I poured a bit too much in and didn't get a flat surface.

I decided to also try this technique with black UTEE, and when it cooled in the memory frame, using embossing powders over a stamped image and then heat setting. I think I should have used embossing powders without the glitter in it for this fine detail stamped image.

So, I decided to turn it into something else. I reheated the embossing powders and top of the UTEE with a heat tool, getting the powders more evenly distributed over the surface.

While it was hot stamping an image into the surface (the stamp has clear embossing ink on it). Remove stamp after the surface has cooled. (only use rubber stamps in this heat, not polymer stamps)

How it looks after the embossing enamel & powders have cooled.

Used an exacto knife to cut off some of the UTEE that went over the edges of the frame. Added some green Perfect Pearls to part of the surface:

Then applied copper Metallic Rub-ons to the raised areas:

I like how this turned out!

Cloisonne with UTEE

We watched this video today and gave the technique a try.

Dipped a formica tile in black UTEE (embossing enamel), let it cool. then use a dry brush to tap on Perfect Pearls

 Heat with a heat tool, I'm not sure why mine bubbled.

 Stamp a design with gold pigment ink.

 Reheat to get the gold ink into the UTEE.

 Here's how my first one turned out:

 My second effort:

Need more play time with this technique.

Quilted Tote Bags

I've been busy sewing. I'm at an art retreat in Wisconsin. I wanted to make something for the other participants that they were unlikely to make for themselves, and would hopefully find useful.

The one on the left was following the instructions for a laptop tote bag. I think the size is appropriate for a sketchbook along with additional art supplies.  I thought the way the flaps were quilted were a little "tidy" for my liking. So instead of sewing on the strips as a quilt as you go method, I used a solid piece of fabric, quilted designs with the machine, and tore strips of fabrics to sew down. I like how this looks.

 I'm into purple at the moment so I made several with purple.

 and a couple of red ones, to give everyone a choice.

Hopefully, by now, everyone has chosen a bag to their liking.

Embossing Enamel in Bezels

We watched this video this afternoon, and gave this technique a try with a hot griddle. 

I didn't have much success using regular embossing powders (ep). For these two, I used Distress embossing powders, and gold ep before adding the clear embossing enamel. I removed them from the heat and let them set a bit before I added the charms.

 For these I used colored embossing enamel, topped with clear embossing enamel, removed from the heat and letting set a bit before adding the charms.

 Close up:

 Close up:

 I added crystals to the charms on these two:

Need to make a few changes to the basic technique, and liked how they turned out.