Art Techniques

netting used for wet felting

2008-10-11T16:38:00.001-05:00

It is white netting against a piece of black card stock. Bought it on sale at Joann's.

Wet Felting demystified

2008-10-11T15:49:00.004-05:00

This is the roving arranged up and down and across on the bamboo mat.
This is how it looks when I have the roving, netting and mat all rolled up.
One side of my felt.
Other side of my felt. Figured I would want both sides to look good in case I decide to do something where you see both sides and not just one.

Well, I did some wet felting this afternoon instead of working on my paper. Cannot think when I am sick. My sinuses are seriously messed up. My daughter was sick last week and now it is my turn. I am sitting here with a cup of tea resting now as I type on my laptop in my comfy chair. Wet felting is a lot of fun and it is REALLY easy to do. What can you do with it? You can use it for surface design on quilts and other fabric based artwork. You can use it to make ATCs. You can use the soldering iron or heat gun and put some holes in it. I have not tried to torture this type of felt since it is still wet. I figure the thin spots will melt. If not, then I can just use my finger and poke holes in it. You can use it as texture on anything paper based. You can use it to make journal covers, purses, checkbook covers, or anything else you would use felt for. It is so much better than the felt you buy at the local craft store though. The colors are fantabulous! You can also add little felt flowers or pieces of yarn/fibers for some contrast. I also made a felt cane but not sure how that will turn out. It is still wet and it needs to be dry before I cut into it with a razor. Can't wait. Will post that pict once it is dry.

What you will need:

*roving in various colors - can be wool, alpaca, merino, or silk. Merino roving is cheaper. A lot of people hand dye it. I have silk and merino roving. I use the merino roving. They come in long strands of thick bunches. Do not use the roving at the craft store. The colors are not great and they do not fluff well for wet felting. I don't like to use that for needle felting either. Yes, I am a roving snob. My little Chinese flat nose is up in the air right now.

*netting - I use white netting that is sold right by the tulle. It looks like tulle but the grid is a bit larger. Will post a close-up pict of it. It is $1.29 a yard but on sale at Joann's this week. You only need enough for the size of your surface - a bit larger. Buy a bit more since the netting may tear when you separate the felt from the netting. You can substitute tulle but I have found that does not work as well.

*bamboo placemat or bubble wrap - I tried it with both but prefer the bamboo placemat. I could roll the felt better with that than the bubble wrap. If you use the placemat, wash it first since it might be a tad dirty and will come off on your felt (if using light colors). I used both sides of the bubble wrap - bubbles in and bubbles out - and it did not make a difference.

* Squirt bottle or container of soapy water - I used my dish soap with a cup. I did not have a clean squirt bottle. You do need to be near a hot water source or microwave though.

*Some clean towels.

*2 rubber bands

*optional: fibers, yarn, or small pieces of felt cut into shapes

Instructions:

1. Give yourself an inch or so border on your mat. If your roving goes over the edges, then it might not get felted. Choose a color that you like. Cut or tear off a small chunk. Take that and pull it apart until it looks like fluff. It does not have to be evenly fluffed. Lay it down on the mat or bubble wrap. The fluff should be all going in one direction - up and down or across. Lay down one layer on the mat giving yourself a little border so it does not go over the edge. You do not have to do it really evenly or worry about missing some spots. The other roving will cover it. I actually like holes in my felt.

2. Do the same thing with different colored roving but do it in a 90 degree direction. If you did it up and down the first time, do it across now. You want a gridlike design so the roving can catch onto each other and turn itself into felt. You can do it with the same colored roving. The importance here is the direction. So, one layer would be up and down, next layer would be across, 3rd layer would be up and down, 4th layer would be across. You get the idea.

3. Repeat with different layers until you happy with it. The felt will come out thinner since it is fluffy. The minimum amount of layers is 3. The most I did was 5. I would think you could do a few more layers but would take longer to felt. Push the roving in from the edges.

4. Lay a single layer of netting on top of your roving and mat. The netting should be slightly larger than the size of your mat.

5. You can do this next step on a large pan or area where you don't care gets wet. It has to be the size of the mat or larger. I did it in the bathtub. I put the mat, roving, and netting in my bathtub. I ran the water in my bathroom sink until it was hot. I squirted a bit of dishsoap into my cup and filled with hot water. I slowly poured it over my netting and roving. I put some more hot water in and did it again. I added a bit of dish soap when my hot water in the cup was clear. It is a bit more wasteful this way but it worked. You could also use a squirt bottle with hot water and a large squirt of dishsoap. I use Ajax. You don't need to cover the entire area but most of it. I had a cup of the hot soapy water on hand in case I missed a big spot.

6. Use your hands and press down on the netting and roving. Push roving in that goes over the edges. Use your hands and gently rub the netting back and forth to agitate the roving and start the felting process. Do that for a few minutes until the roving is well wet.

7. Starting from one end of the mat, roll up the net and roving. It does not have to be really tight but it should be a firm roll. It is okay that the water comes out. Use rubber bands and tie the ends.

8. Put the roll on a paper towel. I folded mine in half. I used the bathroom counter. Some people might find it easier to do it on the floor with their knees holding down one end of the towel. Using your palms, roll the roll back and forth about a 100 times. Make sure your palms go to both the middle and ends of the roll so the felting is even. If you just roll the middle section, then your ends will not be felted well. Do not apply too much pressure or your netting will stick to your felt too much and will tear when you try to separate them. Yes, I did that once. It is not the pressure of your hands but it is the agitation caused by the rolling that does the job. You will notice your towel getting wet with soapy water. That is normal.

9. When you are doing this step, pay attention to what direction the felt was on the mat. Unroll the mat and gently separate the felt from the netting. You will notice shrinkage. No, I will not make any risque jokes here even though I may be thinking it as I am typing. Turn the felt 90 degrees so that the width side is now on the length side. You can tell because the felt will probably be longer on the width side and the length side will be shorter. Basically, you are doing a half turn so that you will be felting it in the other direction to make sure all the roving fibers get felted.

10. Put the netting back on top, roll up the mat, and put the rubber bands on. Do the rolling thing again for 100 times.

11. Take off the rubber bands and unroll. Carefully take the netting off the felt. It is done if it is really flat without a lot of loose fibers or loose chunks. You should be able to crumple it up in your hands and it comes back like a piece of cloth. If it does not do that, then repeat the rolling process one or two more times in different directions until you get a nice piece of felt.

12. Rinse in hot water until the soap comes out. I wring it dry. I figure I can iron it later. You will notice that there has been noticeable shrinkage. Lay flat to dry. I hung mine up on the shower curtain rod.

Kinda tired now. Will tell you how to do the felt cane later on. Come back and tell me how yours turned out. Better yet, email me a pict. I would love to see how yours turned out.

Oh yeah, the blue one with green yarn squiggles. That one is sooo coool! All I did was cut out pieces of yarn and arranged them on the bamboo mat. I laid the roving on top of it. Love how that came out. Love it!

Fabric Paper Pocket Purses

2008-09-12T04:15:00.004-05:00

Top or front of pocket purse after it has been sewn
This one shows how I sewed on the cloth strip and how it looks tied.

Random zigzag sewing. Some of the batting is showing through the edge.
More random sewing.
How it looks after I cut out the quiltie sandwich with the template.
How the inside of my pocket purse will look.
Other view of how it looks after is it sewn. Love the fabric paper background!

I am sure that there is another name for it. That is just what I made up. I know that I have not posted techniques for quite awhile now. I just started a new school year and have been busy with that. I start my reading cohort next week and will be busy with that for the next 3 years. It is only once a week though or I would not have considered it with my two kids.

I have slowly been weaning myself from swaps. I have told myself that I cannot host or do any more swaps because of everything else in my life. I could not pass up a fabric paper swap though. These pocket purses for for CCSwaps - part of the Next Generation Stampers Yahoo group.

This is a pretty easy thing for a fabric newbie to make. If you are more experienced with sewing and quilting, then it should not take you long to do this. The fun is in how you embellish it - embroidery, flowers, stamps, whatever you want. I have chosen to leave it like it is because I like the background images.

If you have not tried making fabric paper yet, then you are in for some fun. Beryl Taylor's book has the complete instructions and so does various issues of Cloth Paper Scissors magazine. You do not have to use fabric paper, you can use any type of fabric instead. I am not going to go into detail on how to make fabric paper. I have done it a few times on my other blog.

You will need the following:

fabric paper section or fabric of choice

batting, also called poly-fil

fabric for the other side of your sandwich

sewing machine and thread - you can hand sew this as well.

ribbon or strips of fabric

pocket purse template

The pocket purse template was made with a file folder. I just measured a 4x8 rectangle and used a compass to draw an arc on one side for the purse flap. Email me if you need me to send the template to you.

1. Cut out a section of fabric paper larger than the purse template.

2. Lay the fabric paper section on top of the batting and your bottom layer of fabric. Make sure the bottom layer is facing the right way. When you cut the quiltie sandwich, but the batting and bottom layer a little larger than the fabric paper piece. Unless you are really good at pinning, the sandwich will shift a little and your batting will bunch up a bit. You don't want to have less material area than you wanted for the pocket purse.

3. Starting from the middle, randomly zigzag stitch going outwards. Don't stitch in narrow rows or your purse will be really flat with not puff at all. If that is what you want, then do that. No need to worry about the edges. You will sew the edges after you use the template. I like to use a contrasting color for the thread because I think the stitches add to the background. Alternate between zigzag and straight stitches if you want more contrast and texture. Trim loose threads.

4. Place the purse template on top of your quiltie sandwich. Cut it out according to the template. You may want to pin it if you don't want any shifting. I am not that exact, so I don't bother.

5. Sew the edge opposite your purse flap. Trim threads.

6. Fold the purse over so you get the pocket purse form. Decide how much of a flap you want. Starting at one end of the pocket, start sewing. Go over the edge where the pocket ends and the flap begins so you won't get tearing later on from opening or putting stuff inside your pocket purse. As you are sewing, you are keeping close to the edge. Just go along the border of the entire pocket purse. You are sewing in a big "u" shape. Just be sure that you don't sew across the pocket purse so you sew the opening shut. Trim loose threads.

7. Cut a piece of ribbon or strip of cloth long enough to be used to tie the pocket purse closed. My strip of fabric was a little less than 20" long. Also, cut out a small scrap of fabric in a rectangle shape slightly wider than the ribbon or cloth strip.

8. Position your ribbon/cloth strip over the top of the flap and put the scrap of cloth over it. Sew over it several times to secure the ribbon/cloth strip to the flap.

9. Embellish as desired and you are done!

Faux Metal ATCs

2008-04-04T05:33:00.002-05:00

I don't remember if I mentioned in previous blog posts or not that the idea for them came from Jenny Crossley's article in Somerset. I just found her blog and she has some great stuff on there. I loved the deMengish type art.

Here is the link:

http://amarkintime.blogspot.com/

Copper paint question from Sandra

2008-03-22T12:50:00.002-05:00

The super copper paint I used was Lumiere. All the background paints - silver, bronze, and super copper were Lumiere paints.

Faux Metal ATC - Step-by-Step

2008-03-21T03:20:00.004-05:00

I am doing some trades with people in my Mixed Media Art group. I originally got the idea for the faux metal background from the Mar/Apr issue of Somerset Studio. It is from the "Industria" article starting on page 79. I first tried it with silver Lumiere, then bronze, and now super copper. I like the silver and super copper the most. The copper look is great - like it's all rusty.

1. I took some chipboard ATCs and painted them with the super copper. Two coats - let dry in between coats.

2. Take some coarse sand paper and sand the edges and random spots of the ATC. You should go all the way down to the chipboard. Wipe off residue. You can also take the end of a paper clip or something similar and make some deep scratches. Not too many - just a few random ones.

3. Use a Distress pad in frayed burlap and rub it all over the ATC. You can use a sponge but I just use the pad itself. I do the edges first and then rub the pad in a circular motion in the middle. Make sure you get the exposed areas that you took off with the sand paper. I also used some green and walnut stain in different areas to add to the look. I also used a dab of interference green oxide fluid acrylic in random areas. It gave that greenish verdigree look. Let dry.

4. I did the holes next. I used my crop-a-dile. Punch the inner holes first so you can line up the outer holes later on. It is easier that way. You can adjust the crop-a-dile so that the hole is punched the same length from the edge every time. Put on eyelets. I did sand the eyelets and used a little interference green oxide on them so the eyelets did not look new.

5. Take some narrow strips of fabric and use some Distress inks on them so they don't look so new. I used some dyed muslin. You can also just use the ink on the fabric after you have put it through the eyelets. I did both. If you want the "X' like I have, then you need to start at the top and go from the back to the front. Cross the fabric so you have your first "X". When the ends are in back again, take the ends and put it through the other end to the front. Pull tight. That is what lets you make the next set of "X"s. Cross the ends over and put through the eyelet to the back of the ATC. Once the ends are at the back again, take the ends and put them through the front of the other end. So, you are not confused. There is a left and right eyelet hole in back. Where you pulled through the right end, take that right end and pull it through to the front of the left hole that is next to the right hole. Take the left end and pull that through to the front of the right hole next to it. Pull tight. Now you can cross the ends and make your next "X". Do that until you get to the bottom. Knot in back and cut off excess. Take some Distress ink and rub it on top of the fabric until you get the look you want. I used some green, blue, brown, and red randomly.

6. Pick out pieces of grungeboard that you want to use. I got my grungeboard from Frances at heartsintouch.com and Christina at skybluepink.com. Use a Distress pad in whatever color and rub into the grungeboard. Spritz a little water on it and blend the color into the grungeboard. Dab excess moisture off with paper towel. Rub another color on top to get the top texture a different color. I used blue for the background and red for the texture.

7. Position your elements on the ATC. I was going with mostly found objects except for the grungeboard. I used a hot glue gun (my Dremel one) to adhere the elements to the ATC. I used hot glue because I think it adds to the look. The only thing severely annoying about it was the little glue strings all over. I had to use a pair of tweezers to get all of them off.

8. Use some fluid acrylics to color some of the elements so they don't look so new. I used some transparent yellow oxide, transparent red oxide, and interference green oxide.

9. The grungeboard looked too bright. So, I used my finger and rubbed on some walnut stain (Distress Ink). I sanded the grungboard down a little to get it a little rougher looking and then rubbed some more walnut stain on.

10. I punched holes where I needed to put brads. I added a little rusty clip. Done.

You can click on the picts for a larger view. Comments welcome.

Easy game tile pendants

2008-03-12T05:07:00.003-05:00

You can get individual domino, mah jong, and other game tiles at skybluepink.com. This is an easy method of coloring the tiles and then stamping an image with StazOn. I tried embossing but it did not work well even with an acrylic base. Must be the nonporous surface.

To get the great color, you just need to sand the blank side of the game tiles a little. Wipe off dust. Put in pot with some tea bags or coffee grounds. I put in lots of coffee grounds. Put in enough water to cover the tiles and then some. Let boil and keep to low boil 45 minutes to an hour. Stir periodically. Check the color. Some will color better than others. Rinse, let cool, and dry them off with a towel. Stamp on them with permanent ink.

I have also tried it with herbal tea and have gotten the greatest burgundy/plum colors. You want the water concentrated with tea or coffee so the game tiles will stain.

Somerset Technique

2008-03-12T04:35:00.004-05:00

This is the on page 79 called Industria by Jenny Crossley. It is the Mar/April issue of Somerset. I have done a similiar technique with sandpaper and paint but never lumiere. Complete step-by-step instructions are in the magazine. It also works with other colors of lumiere and acrylic paints. I also used the Distress inks in walnut ink and the green one.

I really liked the ATC. I did not take off as much paint as they did in the magazine. I will try to take off more the next one I do.

Question about the dye used

2008-03-09T17:42:00.002-05:00

I use color wash. I did some techniques in the beginning of this blog with Adirondack color wash.

http://www.rangerink.com/products/prod_dyeink_adirondackcolorwash.htm

Here is the link so you can see what the colors are. There are a lot of scrapbook/stamp stores that carry it. If you don't find it, there are a lot of online vendors for it. I buy mine from heartsintouch.com or franticstamper.com.

Adirondack color wash is great for dyeing fabric, dyeing paper towels, and coloring paper. I do an emboss resist with Color Wash.

Setting dyed fabric

2008-03-09T08:23:00.001-05:00

This post was from Cathy Johnson in the Fabricinalteredart Yahoo group:

Last night (well, yesterday but I watched it last night) on Simply Quilts (which just came back on here) they were dyeing silk. The guy wet it with white vinegar before he poured the dye on it, then stuck it in the microwave at half power for 5 minutes (in a microwave saft dish of course....lol) . Then he rinsed it and let it dry. He did not lose much color when it rinsed it in cold water. I decided to try the same thing tonight. I used a piece of white tone on tone that has little music notes on it. I laid the fabric in the dish, poured some vinegar on it to wet it and squeezed out the excess, then sprayed a few colors on. I spread the fabric square out in the dish and put it in the microwave on 5 for about 2.5 min since I had a small piece of fabric. I kept checking it until it was dry. When I rinsed it out you could barely see the water change color. The color is really set!

If you don't want to invest in a lot of dye and chemicals, it is a quick easy way to color a little fabric at a time. You just might need to create that perfect color for a project!

Blogger - no picts

2008-03-09T08:20:00.001-05:00

Blogger is glitching right now and I can't upload picts. Will add them later when Blogger feels better.

Credit Card Technique

2008-03-09T08:18:00.001-05:00

Credit card techniqueby Elizabeth Kertz
This is definitely a background for beginners.

Materials:
Freezer paper or plastic cloth/garbage bag to protect your work surface Plastic cups or container of your choice to put paint in acrylic paint of your choice in dark, medium, and light values credit cards cut to various widths, or a 1" putty knife cardstock makeup sponge (OPTIONAL)

Instructions:
1. Cut credit cards lengthwise in various widths. Alternately, you can use a 1" plastic putty knife.
2. Place your darkest paint in one of the plastic containers. Do NOT dilute.
3. Spread DARKEST paint onto one of the credit card ends using a makeup sponge, or by directly dipping into the paint cup. the cardstock.
4. Spread the paint by quickly swiping the credit card (which has paint on one end) across the paper. Spread the paint in various directions on the paper.
5. Allow paint layer to dry.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 above using the MEDIUM value paint color.
7. Allow second layer to dry.
8. Repeat steps 2-5 above using the LIGHTEST value paint color.

Ruminations:I was pleasantly surprised by this technique. Although I used regular acrylic paint (cheap stuff in a bottle), I still got a very translucent effect similar to what you would get if you used glazes.This is the easiest background technique you will ever find.
Elizabeth

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/abc_alteredbookclub
http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/

Paper Paste Technique

2008-03-09T08:10:00.003-05:00

Paste Paper Technique adapted from Lisa Vollrath's instructions
by Elizabeth Kertz

This paste paper technique was originally published by Lisa Vollrath on her site: http://www.lisavollrath.com/pages/107 However, this may be an old link.

Supplies (shown in photo): From left clockwise: Cups for mixing, cheap acrylic paint, Sta Flo, various papers and surfaces, credit cards cut using decorative scissors, foam brush, knitting needle, bamboo skewer, rotary cutter for pie crusts, comb/pick, pastry cutter.
Not shown: Plastic or drop cloth to cover your surface.
ALTERNATELY you can use liquid wallpaper paste instead of the Sta Flo.

Instructions:
1. Pour a small amount of paint into a cup. Add about five times that amount of Sta Flo to the paint and stir until completely blended.
2. Repeat the process for the second color.
3. Using a foam or bristle brush, apply the first color.
4. According to Lisa's site, apply the second color while the firstcolor is still wet. I found I had better luck with the outcome when I waited for the first color to dry completely before adding the second color.
5. While the second color is still wet, use a tool of your choice to "scratch" patterns into the paper. Be sure to wipe the excess buildup off your tool, and clean up with soap and water as soon asyou are finished. Cleanup is difficult if you allow the paste to dry on the tool.

Ruminations:I'm not completely sold on paste paper. For some reason, I don'tseem to enjoy making these, although they do come out smooth in the end. I just don't have the talent it takes to make them look all that good, no matter what tool I use. Further, I'm not sure what I'll ever use these backgrounds for. However, if you are a scrapbooker,these might make great backgrounds for photos.I suggest using two very different color combinations, like red andy ellow, or green and purple. I used pink and lavendar in the examples and there wasn't enough contrast. I also had better luck when I allowed the first color to completely dry before adding the second color. That is what I did on the frames and heavy CS with the design made from the pick.Be prepared for warping, no matter how heavy the material. Note that the mat board of the photo frames is warped. However, you can minimize the warp by placing them under a heavy object overnight.I have to admit, this is much easier than the previous method of cooking flour, etc. Your paper even smells halfway decent, too, and you don't have to worry about spoilage because you can control yourbatch size.

I would also like to thank Lisa Vollrath for the excellent instructions. Although I didn't follow them exactly, I found them helpful when doing this project.

Elizabeth's Glitter and Glam Background

2008-03-09T07:56:00.006-05:00

Elizabeth's glitter and glam background
hfsolutions@juno.com

concept, photos, and instructions by Elizabeth Kertz

project demoed by Theresa Pillow

Materials: Clear shelf lining, book covering, or any clear contact type paper; Scissors; Heat tool; Embossing powders (colors of your choice); Heat resistant surface;

Instructions:
1. Cut the clear contact paper to a manageable size.
2. Remove the protective backing, exposing the sticky side of the paper.
3. Place the contact paper on your heat resistant surface STICKY SIDEUP. You may have to weight it down, depending on how much the paperwants to curl.
4. Tap a small amount of your first embossing powder (EP) color invarious areas of the paper.
5. Repeat step four using a second color.
6. Repeat step four using as many colors as you choose, until the entire surface is covered with a THIN layer of embossing powder.
7. Using your heat tool, emboss the entire surface. Run your hand over the cooled project to be sure all the embossing powder has been heated. This is a very deceptive process and you will probably find you missed a few places.

Ruminations:This particular brand of clear covering was thin. Theresa was able to hold the heat tool close to the surface. I also have some clear covering that is quite thick and will bubble and melt if the heat tool is too close. Be sure to test your covering before you begin on your actual piece.

The thicker the EP is applied, the less transparent it is. If you continue adding EP to the project, it is best to do so after you have begun the embossing process, rather than at the beginning.

IF for some reason, you get a blob of EP on your page, gently tap the underneath (smooth) side to redistribute it. If you like the look of more EP in one spot, be sure your heat tool is far above the surface when you begin, or you will just blow the EP away.I cannot stress enough how you should run your hands over the cooled project. You may think you have melted all the EP, but therewill probably be some you have missed. The surface will feel smooth if the EP is completely heated and grainy if it isn't. Experiment with different colors, and use clear EP if you want to use the sheet as a foreground, rather than a background. This is an easy, beginner background.

how to make a wire eye

2008-03-03T19:29:00.004-06:00

There are were questions about wire wrapping and charms in the Mixed Media Art group. I thought I would do a small tutorial on the blog. If you want to know what kind of pliers to use, then please go to Crazy Art Girl's blog (link in right column).

You will need a pair of wire cutters or flush cutting pliers, round nosed pliers, and flat nosed or chain nosed pliers. Practice with small pieces of wire before you decide to do it on a piece of jewelry or a charm. It takes a little practice, but once you get it, it is really easy after that.

1. Take a piece of 20 gauge wire and your round nosed pliers (top pict). I used copper because it was handy. If you use a lower gauge wire, which is thicker, it is harder to work with. I work a lot with rebar wire and it is harder to work with but is great for heavier pieces of jewelry and it gives a great distressed look.

2. Take your piece of wire and fold it over one of the jaws in picture 2 (second pict from top). Use your other hand and pinch the wire together right underneath the jaws. The jaw that is on the outside is what provides the crimp/shape for the eye. With your hand pinching the wire, bring the pliers towards you in a downward motion, that will make the half circle. Now do the same thing on the other side. You can turn the wire around so that it faces you and turn down. See pict 3 - 3rd pict down. What I do is just move the pliers around so that the pliers face the other way. Do the same downward motion with the round nosed pliers. Do that until you get the circle shape you want.

Note, the Nina Bagley method is just to move the pliers downward towards you and then downwards the other way without repositioning the pliers until you get the circle shape you want. I do it that way but repositioning your pliers is an easier way of doing it.

So to recap: Fold the wire in half over one of the jaws of the pliers, pinch bottom near bottom of pliers. Pull the round nosed pliers down towards you. Reposition pliers so that it faces the other way. Pull down away from you. Do that until you get the circular shape you want.

One other note: How far up you go on the round nosed pliers will determine how large your eye (hole) will be. If you do it at the tip of the jaws, then the hole will be pretty small. I usually make my holes as large as possible. I will explain how to make even bigger eyes at the end.

3. Looking at pict 4 now - second from bottom pict, this is where you do the wire wrapping. I used the round nosed pliers and hold the eye right above the neck (where you crimped it). Some people hold it right at the neck. Now you wrap one end of the wire around near the base of the eye. You can do it as many times as you want. I only do it a 3-5 times around. I use the chain nosed pliers to do the wrapping. You can use your fingers but I find that using the pliers gives me a tighter wrap. Snip off excess. Use round nose to bend in the end so you don't get a sharp end or get it caught on something later on. Last pict is finished eye.

If you are doing this on a piece of jewelry or charm and you want the eye with the wire wrap close to where the charm ends or whatever ends, start the eye about 1/4" away from the end. Make sure you have enough wire to do this. Just fold the wire over about 1/4" away from the end. Use your round nosed pliers like in the example above. Crimp the wire right underneath the pliers with your other hand and rotate the wire towards you, reposition pliers and rotate in the other direction. Hold the eye near the neck with the round nosed pliers and use the chain nosed pliers to wrap a few times. Snip and tuck end in. Done.

If you want a larger eye like in the last pict, then you will need something round to wrap around. I used a paint brush handle. I wrapped the wire around the handle. I used the chain nosed pliers to pinch the two ends wires together right underneath the brush handle. Take the brush handle out. You should automatically have the shape you want. If you do not, then put the handle back and crimp closer/tighter to the handle. When you are happy with the shape, then hold it near the neck with the round nosed pliers while your wrap the wire with the chain nosed pliers. When done, snipped, and tucked, then I suggest you flatten the eye. It will help keep the shape of the eye and will strenghten the wire. Larger eyes will not hold it's shape as well if it is not a hard, stiff wire. 20 gauge silver/copper wire is pretty soft. Even rebar will lose its shape if not pounded. I use a bench block and hammer. Position the eye so the wire wrapping is off the edge. Just pound the eye until it is flattened.

Email me if you have any questions.

Peeling paper technique

2008-03-01T16:13:00.003-06:00

Elizabeth Kertz

Wichita, KS

http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/

This project was taken from Claudine Hellmuth's Workshop Discovery book on pages 29-30. The photos and instructions are mine.

Materials: masking tape,foam brushcredit card strips various paints and glazes newspaper or page from phone bookcard stock gel medium container and water for thinning acrylics Plastic to cover your work surface

Instructions:

1. Apply gel medium to card stock (CS) using a foam brush (or brush of your choice). Quickly adhere your newspaper or phone book page to CS and remove all air bubbles using a credit card strip

2. Apply masking tape in various directions before the gel mediumdries. Press firmly into place using your credit card strip.Claudine used a bone folder for this, but I found the credit cardstrip worked fine. You can leave the tape as is (shown in the photo), or tear it in half lengthwise for added effect.

3. Beginning at one end, pull the tape away from the paper. Youshould lift in several directions for a better effect. This is the hardest part to explain, but once you begin lifting your tape, you'll see ways to manipulate it. After the first attempt (I found it hard to start the tape), I left a tab of tape off the paper so it was easier to lift and pull.

4. Add watered down paints and/or glazes. Don't overdo it and don't allow paint to puddle or pool. Wipe away excess paint. Concentrate your paint in the torn areas.

Ruminations: I used beige colored newspaper which I felt was a nice touch. The nice thing is that whatever is on the back side of your paper will show thru in the areas that are peeled away. This adds a really nice effect when you add your paint.I had a bit of trouble with my newspaper when I was removing some ofthe paint. It started to "ball" up. I think it was the quality of the newsprint, OR the fact that I didn't allow the project to dry completely (gel medium) before I applied the paint. I am still removing some of the little balls.This was a really fun and easy project. I was especially pleased with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did. I also want to thank Claudine for the excellent instructions.I have seen other instructions on the internet where you tear pieces of newspaper and glue them collage style to the CS. I preferred using a single page, because I liked the effect. However, you might want to try this as an alternative. Be sure you do not get any gel medium on the top of the newspaper, as this adversely affects the tape and the peeling process.

Make your own journal/book cover

2008-03-01T15:37:00.002-06:00

This technique is by Bea Neal - doginthehole@aol.com

Making your own journal/book cover
I like to buy spiral bound sketch books to take with me whenever I leave the house. I like the 9.5 x6 in size. I also find the spiral bound index cards 4"x6" handy to use as a journal. I also like to read out in public. What I don't like is having people know what I am reading. If I want to discuss the book I would join a book club. I don't want to give a book review to a stranger when I am flying or eating or just sitting and reading. So, I like a cover on my books or journals.It's easy to create a re useable journal or book cover.Here are some directions you can follow to create your own covers to fit whatever size book, journal or binder.

1. Pick out the book you wish to cover. It can be bound or have a spiral binding.

2. Take your flexible measuring tape and with the BOOK CLOSED, start at the front SIDE EDGE and wrap the measuring tape around the notebook to the BACK SIDE EDGE.

3. Now, here is where you want to know how to take a measurement. You are going to record this measurement and add 3/4" for seam allowances. So, that means you have to know where the 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2" markings are on that tape measure. And, here you thought you would never use that math you learned in high school.

4. Now you have written down that true measurement and added 3/4" to that measurement and you are wondering why? A 1/4" is your seam allowance and the rest is your "give so that you have enough room to slide your book into the cover.

5. Before we move on to the next measurement you did measure with the book closed, right?

6. Now turn the book so the binding is facing toward you. Measure from right to left or top edge of the book to the bottom edge and record it and then add 3/4" for seam allowances.

7. Turn the book again and now open it and measure in from the side edge to where you want the inside pocket depth to be. I like it to cover about 2/3 of the inside edge.Write down the measurement and then DOUBLE IT and ADD 1/2". Make a note that the pocket length is the same measurement as the top to bottom measurement plus seam allowance of your book.

8. You will need these measurement so that you can refer to them when you are cutting your pieces of main fabric, lining and the side pockets. The side pockets are what you slide the cover of your book into. Is it making sense now?

9. I like to make a pattern piece of the finished shape. That way I have an idea of where I will put my embellishments or decorative items. I draw out the shape, usually a rectangle, to the size of my measurements and then I draw the 1/4" seam allowance to the inside of the rectangle. I do this to just give myself a reminder. I then lay the book on the pattern and mark where the spine will fall. I don't want to put beads or anything awkward on the curve or spine of mycover.

10. What you use to create the cover of your journal/book is up to you. I've scanned and copied original artwork of mine onto fabric backed printer sheets. I've made a crazy quilt top with embroidery and beads. I've used pin weaving and fused, felted duck cloth with threads and scraps encased with netting.

11. To make the lining you use the same measurements you did for the cover. The lining isn't that visible when you have put this altogether. Using a fabric that will blend with your cover is probably a good idea.

12. Cut two pockets using your pocket measurements. These ARE going to be more visible so you might want to have some fun with these. You are going to fold each of the two pocket pieces in half and press. The raw edges are going to go to the outside when you start to layer all these pieces together. If you want to add a label this is probably a good time to do it before we put this whole sandwich together. If you really don't want the label to show that much you could sew it to the lining where the spine of the book will go.

13. Ready to put this puppy together?Ok, you want to layer your pieces in the following manner.COVER, right side up goes down on the table first.Next place the POCKETS on top of the cover, line the raw edges up with the edges of the cover.Check to make sure that the folded edges are towards each other.Put your LINING RIGHT SIDE DOWN on top of the pockets.

14. You are going to pin all around the edges but remember that you are going to have an opening about 2"-3" to turn everything inside out. I like to have my opening at the bottom of my cover, in what would be the back of the book.

15. If your sewing machine has a walking foot and you know how to use it, this would be a good time to use it. You are sewing over a number of layers and the walking foot makes this easier.If you don't have one, it's ok. I would use a sturdy needle to go through the layers.

16. The thread you use is not going to be seen so a standard weight cotton thread in the top and bobbin is fine. When you start stitching backstitch over the first couple of stitches before you continue sewing. After you have sewn all the way around to your opening stopping point, backstitch again to secure those threads.You can now very carefully trim off the points on each corner. Cut as close to the stitching but DO NOT CUT INTO THE STITCHING.

17. Here's the fun part. Now you get to turn the whole thing inside out. Pulling everything carefully through that opening you left. Once it is turned I like to use my bone folder to run against the inside seam and make sure that everything is as flat as possible. It's worth it to own a bone folder.

18. With your iron at a medium heat press the edges flat, including the seam allowance at the opening. You will slip stitch that opening closed. Remember to use a pressing cloth or towel if you want to press the cover and you have done any embellishment work. No sense in melting threads or beads or ruining your iron.

19. Now you can slip that book, journal or binder into your new cover and sit back and enjoy looking at it.

20. These make great gifts for people. If you have a friend that uses a sketch book, buy one and make a cover for it. Same thing for a journal. Now it doesn't matter if the publishers change the size of paperback books. You can create a cover for any size book you want. Have fun and keep on creating.

March Challenge - dyeing paper towels

2008-03-01T15:27:00.004-06:00

The secret to this technique is to use plain white VIVA paper towels. The end result is almost like fabric. I have sewn on this and it has held up well. This is a great technique for using foam stamps and acrylic paints on top later on. You can also do the stamp and shiva thing.

You will need white Viva paper towels, other paper towels for clean-up, color wash in several colors, margarine or larger size tubs for the color wash, pearl ex and/or Radiant Rain misters or powders, tarp or something for drying.

1. Take the color wash and put each color in its own container. Put in a little water. I usually use a ratio of 2 parts color wash to one part water. Add in a little pearl ex or Radiant rain.

2. Take the papaer towel and fold it several times. You may also just twist it from diagonal ends.

3. Dip different parts of the paper towel into the color wash, give it a moment to soak in the color.

4. Put the colored paper towel on top of another paper towel and use that to soak up the excess.

5. Untwist or unfold the paper towel and lay flat to dry.

March Challenge - dyeing muslin

2008-03-01T15:18:00.004-06:00

This has become my new favorite thing to do. I don't worry about it running because my stuff does not normally get wet. You can heat set it to resist running. Someone also told me that if you dip it in vinegar and then heat it in the microwave for a few minutes, that it would do the same thing. I have not tried that though.

You will need to have color wash and containers margarine tub size or larger for each color, Pearl Ex or Radiant Rain misters or polished pigment powders, natural muslin torn into the size you want, tarp for drying, and a sink. You might want to work near a sink for this technique.

1. Tear the muslin into the sizes you want. Wet the muslin thoroughly. The muslin takes the Color Wash better when wet.

2. Pour the color wash into your container. Add a little water. I use about 2 parts color wash to one part water.

3. Add your pearl ex, Radiant Rain, or Polished Pigments to the color wash in the container. Give it a stir.

4. Fold or twist your muslin in different ways. Then dip areas of your muslin into the color wash until most of it is colored. I go from light to dark. I also sometimes squeeze the muslin to get more color into the middle part. You might want to open up the middle and dip that in. I often have some small white spots. I like that. You will also want to stir up your color wash once in awhile because the pearl ex or radiant rain will sink to the bottom.

5. Take it to the sink and run under cold water. I don't do it until it runs clear. I just do it so the majority of the excess will run off. Wring the muslin.

6. Take the muslin back to the color wash and dip it in random areas into different colors. Wring out over the sink and run the water so your sink won't be stained. DO NOT RINSE THE MUSLIN AGAIN. The reason why I do this is so that parts of my muslin has faded color and some areas have brilliant color.

7. Uncrumple the muslin and lay flat to dry. You might want to turn it over after awhile to make sure the other side dries completely.

8. Once dried, you can spray some more Radiant Rain on for more shimmer. You can iron, if desired.

There are times where I will want to just have one or two colors on my muslin. It looks great if part of it is faded and part of it is not.

More Color Wash/Radiant Rain samples

2008-03-01T15:15:00.001-06:00

Top one is using blue Radiant Rain mister in some areas and gold in others.

Bottom pict was brown paper crumpled and uncrumpled several times during the process. I had been dyeing muslin with color wash. I had some left over so I put it on the paper and let dry. I then sprayed the gold color wash at close range so it would clump up a little. Loved the effect!

March Challenge - Emboss resist

2008-03-01T14:33:00.003-06:00

This is a technique using Color Wash. Of course, you can put some radiant rain misters on at the end for a great shimmer.

You will need white cardstock or heavy paper, color wash in different colors, stamps, embossing pad, embossing powder in clear or gold, heat gun, water spray bottle, heat resist pad or wax paper, paper towels, tarp or something underneath the paper. You will also need gloves or whatever else you use if you don't want your hands to be stained.

1. Take the white card stock and stamp images randomly on it using embossing pad or clear pigment stamp pad. Put on embossing powder and heat until powder is raised. Let cool. You might want to do all the embossing at once before going on to the color wash part.

2. When you are ready for the color wash part, you will need something non-stick like a heat resist pad (for UTEE) or a piece of wax paper. Put that on top of a tarp or protect your table from the color wash leaking.

3. Spray some water on the heat resist pad about the size of the paper. It does not need to be a lot. A few spritzes will do. Randomly spray on the color wash. I usually do it in lines or in different spots. You do not want too much overlap or it will muddy.

4. Lay the card stock embossing side down on the color wash. Press down on all the areas of the paper so the color wash can absorb into the card stock. You may want to leave some white spots. I like small white spots. You lift off the heat resist pad to see if you need to get a specific area. Turn it over and put on newspaper or tarp to dry. If it has pooled, then you might want to take a paper towel and dab it. If you don't, then that area can get kinda dark. It is up to you what look you want.

5. You can spray some water on the remaining color wash on the heat resist pad and do step #4 over again. I do not do it more than twice because the color will start to muddy. When you are done with the second sheet, then clean up with a paper towel. You might want to just lay the paper towel on top, if you want to save the paper towel. It looks great if you spritz that with Radiant Rain.

6. Repeat step #4 until you are done. You may choose to spray some Radiant Rain mister on top.

7. Let dry completely. Wipe your heat resist pad down with some water and paper towel. I just toss the wax paper, if that is what I am using.

March Challenge - using color wash/Radiant Rain mister

2008-03-01T14:16:00.004-06:00

Click on the pict for a larger view.

Here is the first technique. You are welcome to change it or to try something different using the color wash and/or Radiant Rain misters. Please send me an email and let me know what you thought of it. If you want, you can send me a scan and I will put it on this blog. I am sure that other people would love to see what you did.

BTW, the March Challenge is for the Mixed Media Art Yahoo group.

This first technique is using brown packaging paper, color wash, and gold Radiant Rain misters. Optional are stamp pads, Shiva sticks, stamps and permanent ink stamp pads.

1. You may choose to crumple and uncrumple before doing this technique. Depends on the texture you want.

Note: Make sure you put your brown paper on top of some newspaper or a plastic tarp. Color Wash stains my hands and it takes several days for it to completely come off even if I use special soap.

2. Spray the surface of your brown packaging paper. I like to use the thinner paper because it will be easier to work with as a background later on. The color wash will pool on the paper. I used a cheap paintbrush and spread the color wash on until the whole surface was covered. You may decide to just pour some color wash in a little bowl and use the paint brush to apply. You can use several colors in different spots, if desired. Color wash does not layer well unless each layer is dry first. You end up with a muddy color if you spray too many colors on top of each other.

3. If you crumpled, then crumple again and uncrumple.

4. Take the Radiant Rain mister and mist the entire surface or random areas. Let dry completely.

5. Once dried, you can use a Shiva and go over the peaks of the paper. You can also put a broad lined stamp underneat the paper and run the Shiva over it. You can run a stamp pad over the paper for contrast. What I do is use a text stamp with black stazon and stamp it all over the paper. Let dry.

Radiant Rain tips: You need to shake the mister well before and while you are using it. The color has a tendency to sink to the bottom. You may also experience a clog in the sprayer part after non-use for several days. When that happens, I just shake the Radiant Rain bottle and pour into another mister container. I mist, pour back the excess, and then clean out the 2nd mister. Make sure you spray water through the mister several times to get the Radiant Rain particles out.

You do not have to use gold for this technique. Any Radiant Rain mister color will work. If you do not have a local source for Adirondack Color Wash or Radiant Rain, then you might want to try Frances Naeve at heartsintouch.com (for color wash) or Fran at franticstamper.com for both Radiant Rain and Color Wash. They are the two vendors that I use.