Showing posts with label technique. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technique. Show all posts

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Don't Cry Over Broken Glass...

Well, as anyone who works with that deceptively delicate substance, glass, knows, sometimes it breaks...


Note the cracks near the bent metal...
That happened to me tonight when I was preparing a vintage vacuum tube for its new life as an earring. (sigh)

Butt shot...
Now I have to search for another close match to the poor tube that didn't break.
Black and White Drama Shot
Overly traumatic... um... I mean dramatic, I know, but I hate to break them when I'm trying to give them a stunning new life as earrings or necklaces...

Did you break anything today?
xo ~ Mad

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Playtime!! Adventures With Gilder's Paste Part I

OK fellow crafters, raise your hand if you are panicking that it is already NOVEMBER 10TH!!!!! Today, instead of hiding under the bed, I decided to break out my latest toy: Gilder's paste. This toy was a gift from a friend who tried it, but liked using a different medium better, so since it was just sitting in a corner drying up, she gave it to me to play with! **giggling with glee like a 3yr old**

Because it hadn't been used in so long, it had begun drying up. The back of the can says to use paint thinner to "rejuvenate, soften, blend" although Claudia said I could use water... Weellll, I bought some acetone (which can be used to thin paint) and decided to try both methods.

I have some raw brass that I washed with soap and water to remove any remaining oils and residues from the stamping process and sat down to play with the Gilder's paste. I can tell you now that it is not easy to revive. :-)

I have 5 different colors to play with in various stages of drying out. I will post again after I figure out the best way to rejuvenate it.


Cans of Gilder's paste




Wings in Antique Gold


Well, we have to let it dry for 12 hours, then buff it and seal it with acrylic sealer. Tune in later for an update on how it turns out! And don't forget to always have fun with your crafting!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

ACEOs: Art cards, Editions, and Originals

I signed up to trade some art cards.... Only one problem: I have never made ACEOs!!! Eeek! Now I have to decide what I want to create. The only constraint is that the card measure 2 1/2" by 3 1/2". Hmmm.... The cards can be made using metal, paper, wire, yarn, cloth, clay, pretty much anything goes!

Here are some of the cards I created using paper, paint, pen, charcoal pencils, and colored pencils:



Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Adventures in Patina




Yesterday I used a patina technique for the 1st time!! It wasn't as hard as I was afraid it would be. I modified a recipe for making patina at home from B'sue Boutiques. ** http://www.bsueboutiques.com/pi_cool_ways_to_age_brass.shtml ** I used what I had on hand, distilled white vinegar and Morton's salt.

I soaked the rings in the solution for an hour. Then, baked them for 13 1/2 minutes, took them out and let them cool. They looked really funny and salty. hehehe

After they were cool, I rinsed the dragons off in water and rubbed them dry. They came out a rosy hue with purple accents on the scales. Awesome! Now I just have to get some wax for them (hopefully tomorrow). Can't wait to see how they come out!