STAMPED TRAY

Those little black metal trays aren't just for mosaics anymore.  Many moons ago I picked up a stack of black metal trays approximately 6 x 9 at a garage sale for $1.00.  Apparently they were intended for a group mosaic project but never got there.  There were ten of them, they were cheap and they had craft potential, so I bought them.  A few years aging in my basement and they were ready for use.

I stamped the fan (Rub a Dub Dub) in gold permanent ink and sponged the same gold ink around the rim.  The image was colored with gel pens and Colorbox smooch ink.  When everything was dry, I sprayed a gloss sealer over the tray.  It looks nice standing on an easel as a decoration or sit it on your dresser for your perfume bottles.  You can find trays, trivets and coasters in the mosaic section of your craft stores.  If it has a flat surface you can stamp it.

FAUX RAKU WITH CRAFT FOAM

I wanted to do a craft foam challenge on one of the on-line stamping groups I'm in and I came up with this faux raku pendant.

Heated tan craft foam on both sides with heat tool. Inked stamp (Sunday International) with dark brown Colorbox fluid chalk ink and pressed into softened foam. Blotted out some of the brown ink while still wet. Allow ink to dry. Squeeze drops of aqua and citrus Ranger alcohol inks randomly on piece. Blot some of the ink so it's not too dark. When dry, squeeze on a little Judikins diamond glaze and spread with finger. You just want to coat the piece to give it a shine. Allow to dry. Trip piece to fit it a 1 1/2 in. Ranger memory frame. String a necklace.

Craft foam, it's not just for kids anymore.

BACK TO SCHOOL TAG

Dragged my Slice machine out the other day and made a Back to School Tag.  The base tags were cut with the Fa La La card.  The bottom tag is 4 in. and the top tag is 3 1/2 in.  The top tag was stamped with the woodgrain rollergraph wheel.  The schoolhouse, bus, abc, and leaves were all cut with the Back to School card.  The schoolhouse was embellished by coloring the roof with a gray marker and then using a black pen to make roof tiles.  Yellow vellum was glued behind the windows and panes were drawn in.  Brown card stock was glued behind the door and a doorknob was drawn on.  The bell was colored with a gold marker.  The schoolbus was embellished by drawing the blacklines across the bus and coloring the wheels.  A silver marker made the hubcaps.  White vellum was glued behind the windows and a piece of black card stock was glued behind the door.  Leaves were cut and then veins were drawn in with brown.  ABC was cut in all three colors, then cut and put together.

Summer Blossom Necklace

What says summer better than a bouquet of brightly colored flowers?  While I was in Arizona, I stopped in a bead store and bought a bag of lucite flowers.  I used some of the flowers and mold n pour to make some floral molds.  I melted a pot of clear Utee and then used red, blue and magenta To Dye For to mix up different shades of purple.  I molded a gazillion flowers and picked out the ones I liked best and that fit on the metal stampings I used for the necklace base.  The center piece is made from a square, gold colored stamping.  I bent under one corner and hammered it flat.  The side pieces are round, gold colored stampings with a loop on each side.  First I sprayed the stampinsg on both  sides with a clear gloss sealer.  This keeps the metal from turning color.  Next I joined the round side pieces to the center piece with jump rings.  Using loctite glue, I glued the flowers to the metal bases.  I put a self-stick jewel in the center of each flower.  I squirted some Diamond Glaze in the center of each flower and with my finger spread it outward on the petals.  This seals in the jewel and gives the flower a nice shine.  When the Diamond Glaze was dry, I glued some leaf beads around the flowers.

I finished the neclace by attaching .014 beading wire with crimp beads, beading each side and ending with a toggle clasp.

FAUX DALMATIAN JASPER

Dalmatian Jasper is a cream colored stone with black markings that is easily replicated using UTEE.  I start with half a pot of clear UTEE.  I always start with clear.  To that I add enough white and mix so the whole pot looks white.  Let that heat until the stark white color turns to a nice cream.  Sprinkle on some black UTEE but don't mix, just let it melt.  Pour into your molds and you get whatever design markings you get.  I finished by gluing a black jewel in the center, dropping on some Diamond Glaze and spreading with my finger and gluing a jewelry bail to the back.

WOOD BOX

I bought an unfinished heart shaped wood box at a craft store for $1.00.  I painted the box red.  When dry, I stamped the Asian writing with black permanent ink on the left side of the box.  On the upper right, I stamped a  butterfly in gold pigment ink and heat set.  I then sponged the sides and edges of the top of the box with the gold pigment ink and heat set.  I sprayed the box with a matte sealer.  Next I scoured my yard until I found a small twig that I liked and glued that to the left side of the box.  I glued small pink paper flowers to the twig so that it looked like a cherry blossom branch.  I finished the box by gluing a carved stone piece under the dragonfly.  These boxes make pretty and inexpensive gifts.  You can also use it as a gift box for handmade jewelry.

EMBOSSED METAL

Those plastic embossing folders are not just for paper. I had a package of metal patina squares from Fire Mountain Gems that are perfect for the embossing folders. I put the square in the folder and ran it through my Big Shot machine. I then sanded the embossed butterfly which took the color off and let the gold colored metal show through. I finished the piece by squirting on some Diamond Glaze and spreading it over the front with my finger. I attached the finished embossed square to a metal filigree round with a jump ring and strung the pendant with coordinating beads.

DRAGONFLY PENDANT

I made this necklace as a thank you gift for a friend. I melted clear and gold UTEE in the melting pot and then added flex. When the flex was melted I stirred the pot and sprinkled on some black UTEE. Poured the UTEE into the dragonfly mold that my friend had made and given me. Popped the hardened piece out of the mold and applied green Rub n Buff to the dragonfly. Sealed the piece with Diamond Glaze. Glued it to an round antique gold metal piece with E6000 glue. Made a dangle with a green fire polished bead and head pin and attached to the bottom of the piece and a jumpring to the top. Picked out the beads I wanted to use and strung the necklace. Cut a piece of chain 2 inches shorter than my finished necklace and attached it directly to the 2 pieces of the toggle clasp. Made three sets of dangles and attached them to the chain. Made earrings to match.