Fave Crafts Blog Hop- February 15th , already???

Finished on the 15th, Fave Crafts Blog hop happens on the 15th of every month. Like clock work.

Click to go to all the other Hoppers.

I was not prepared for it all to happen on the 15th of this month, I mean everything that is happening is happening on this day!! LOL.
Not quite, but it seems like it to me right now.
So I have really finished nothing this month.
SO........... I decided to show you a quick acrylic paint wash easy background for a collage.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a great time crafting.

Clean canvas- I used a stretch canvas
Lumiere gold-true gold #550
Ne-Opaque Brown-#592
flat soft 1/2" brush
Cotton printable paper
Silk printable paper
Flowable extender- just ask Howard for it, we have it.

This was for a friend for Christmas. It is my friend Jodi's hubby, he is something of a wild west fan and historian.
He tells great stories and studies profusely.
I had the chance to blow this every step of the way (finding the wrong information or pictures) and I am making this on the 23rd of December.
I look for trivia and anything I could find on Wyatt Earp and Nelson Story two of his favorites in old west history.
Now this was fun and I took a chance with the stuff I used it could have all big propaganda and lies, but I went with it and I loved reading about these guys the myth, legend, and the lies. I wasn't there, it is all propaganda to me. I know how stories get twisted in families. Everybody does it.

I printed the pictures I was going to use on the cotton paper. It is sheet of paper with fabric attached to it so you can run it through your Ink Jet Printer (I am having so much fun with this stuff).

I printed the dates and words on a sheet of the silk paper. I used the silk for this because when I used the flowable extender the silk tends to fade away and the words are just left. This works with encaustic collage too!
I do these first to give the ink a chance to dry before I use it. Otherwise it gets on my hands and comes off in my brush too!

Flowable extender is a gel medium and if you want a thicker one you can use the Jacquard Silk screen flowable extender. The one for the Lumiere and the Ne-opaque is thinner and is nice for thinning the Ne-opaque and Lumiere and for using as a stand alone product too. I like this as a thinner more than water, even though water does work also.

I took the canvas and thinned the Brown Ne-opaque with the flowable extender and slapped it haphazardly on to the canvas. That means quickly and with no deliberation, Just do it.

Roughly looks best and you can scrub it on in places and add it on like painting a coat of paint too.

I even painted the sides of the canvas too!
That way they can be hung right away while looking for the perfect frames.

Some one should really clean up my area. LOL!

While the brown was still wet and workable and added the Gold Lumiere. In patches according to taste. I did not want the whole thing goldy, but for it to have highlights of gold in different light.


I took these pictures about midnight. Sorry for the bad lighting. You kind of see the gold in there. It is really yummy though.

Can you see it yet?

How about now?

I messed around with the placement of the pictures before I started "gluing" them on with the flowable extender.

Here is another look at it.
You can see he was a very good looking man. I am getting a pretty good idea of what I want to go where now.

I had some scraps of the fabric paper left over so I thought I would use a fine point Tee-juice pen and see if I could draw on the paper fairly well and you can and I am probably going to pursue this one later on.
Just think Zentangle quilts, wall hangings, or fabric collage!!! I am thinking too I could draw my own stuff heat set it and then use it in the encaustic. yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
It was so easy because of the paper backing and the tee-juice pen is juicy and keeps on flowing, I loved that. It was just like drawing on a piece of paper. Sorry, side tracked. Pretty, shiny thing.

First thing you want to do when starting to use the paper is get the backing off of the fabric.

I use my scissors for this and stick the end under the fabric and pull it back from the paper. Sorry for the black nails ;-D
I lift it up around it and then get a big piece of it and pull away! If your scissors are really sharp be careful of cutting yourself and the fabric.

I paint the back and the front of the fabric with flowable extender and then paint the canvas where I want my fabric to go. I then lay the fabric picture on the canvas. I then brush more extender on and brush out any air bubbles underneath the fabric picture.

Add more pictures overlapping them, this same way.
I don't have the finished piece pictures I will have to get you one next time I am up at Jodi's. I did a good job on these and when I gave them to her husband I found out that I didn't do too bad in my choice of pictures.
I added the dates of his birth and death and Wyatt's name in a great font and also added some more scrolly painting and highlighting with the gold paint, I have to admit I really like them and may even do some more of these.
I can also see how some of the techniques I used here could carry over in to other aspects of my art play.
Thanks for visiting.
Have a great blog hop!




My friend Anne at El Milagro studios has just done a bang up series in Gel mediums and I think you would really enjoy them you can find them here.

1. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/gel-mediums-secret-desire-of-artists-or.html

2. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/are-you-gellin-uuuuuuuggghhhh.html

3. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/shiny-happy-gelling-with-my-apologies.html

4. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/more-art-making-on-distant-shores.html

5. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/one-last-splash-of-glitter.html

6. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/divas-and-their-stories.html

7. http://elmilagrostudio.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentine-unlike-convential-hearts.html



For January's Fave Crafts Blog Hop: video's with complete tutorial for Cernit polymer clay hearts 
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2011/01/fave-crafts-blog-hop-i-heart-you.html


For December's Fave Crafts Blog Hop: there are some great links here if you are interested and a complete tutorial.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/12/fave-crafts-blog-hop-today-december.html

To antique or not to antique... part 5, a little project- Inspirational tags

These are the Nature colors http://www.clayfactory.net/cernit/cernit.html  from Cernit and they happen to look very much like sand and stones. They have a porcelain look to them and are filled with all kinds of fibers and glitters. You can click on the picture for a larger view.

They also look very nice, you guessed it, antiqued!

You can find these colors at my husband's on line store Clay Factory http://www.clayfactory.net/ .

For quick and easy little tags for book marks, necklaces, and earrings. I am sure you can think of  lots other things for them too.

Inspirational Tags

Cernit Nature colors in your choice (link above)

Clay Words Sheet stamps 269-001, 30 words- ERAGraphics http://www.eragraphics.com/wordsclay.html

A Bic stic pen

Black or Brown Ne-opaque- Clay Factory http://www.clayfactory.net/jacquard/neo.html

A piece of old towel

Brush

Condition the color of clay you want to use.
Cut the stamps apart, or not. That is really up to you I guess.
Roll little coils that are a little longer than the stamp you are going to use.
If the words are skinny make the coil smaller in diameter.
If the words are thicker make the little coil thicker
These two in the first step should give you the general idea.

Flatten and lengthen the coil a little.

Lie one end of the coil at the bottom or end of the word and have the excess  extend over the beginning of the word.

Do not press the stamp all the way in. It looks better if you do not have the outline of the outside of the rubber there on the clay.

When you antique it after it is baked it will highlight that line there.

Do not peel off the stamp yet.

Use the point of the pen to make the whole in the top

of the little tag.

It works great if you press gently on the rubber to hold it and drill the pen to loosen it from the clay and make the hole.

Peel off the stamp and then bake this on a tray just the way it is.

Going through it again with the other stamp.

Smaller or thinner stamp, smaller coil, flatten and lengthen a little.

Press in the little stamp, these stamps are made for clay and are very deep, so do not press too far. It is OK if you do because you just smash it up and roll in to a coil again.

No worries.

Use the pen again and drill the little hole in the one end.

Peel the stamp out.

BAM!!!!

Now bake these at 275 degrees for 30 minutes, shut off the oven and let them cool in the oven.

When cool, paint with black or brown ne-opaque and let it dry a little on the clay. With a damp not wet old piece of towel and rub(sometimes vigorously) the excess paint off.

Easy or what???

 No hole you can use them as glue on words. If gluing on, I suggest Weldbond or Crafter's pick the Ultimate glue for the job!

To antique or not to antique... part 3, try another color

Pick a color...any color

Black Ne-opaque

Brown Ne-opaque

True Gold- Lumiere

Red Ne-opaque

White Ne-opaque

Click on the image for a closer view.

Wow, what a difference a color makes!

I used all of the same colors of clay. 

Do not forget the 13th giveaway, with 3 parts.

Part 1 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-1.html  ends the 19th of may, 2010

Part 2 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-2.html  ends the 20th of may, 2010

Part 3 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-3.html  ends the 21st of may, 2010

Taking shape-changing ideas and altered directions- part 18, getting a handle on things

Getting a handle on things... Also known as "to antique or not to antique".

Do not forget the 13th giveaway, with 3 parts.
Part 1 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-1.html ends the 19th of may, 2010
Part 2 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-2.html ends the 20th of may, 2010
Part 3 http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/13th-giveaway-part-3.html ends the 21st of may, 2010

To antique or not to antique... part 2

You can click on this picture for a larger view.

Well, it seems that more people prefer the antiquing than not and I agree most of the time.

 This is last post http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2010/05/to-antique-or-not-to-antique.html  

I am liking this one though, very much. I have the brightness that is so typical of wonderful Mexican art, but my little skulls pop right off the piece.

To antique or not to antique...

That is the question...sometimes it is so hard to decide.

I like the definition the antiquing brings to the piece. The colors darken a bit.

I like the bright colors though too.

Well, sometimes you feel like a nut... sometimes you don't.

Happy Monday.

You are loved.

One foot forward

This is one of my most favorite pieces that I have ever made. It stands on one foot and the basket comes free from the stand. The basket is nothing with out the stand. It will not stand up by itself. It has to lie on its side if the stand is not there. It is also a square basket.

It is an idea that came to me in the night and would not leave my mind until I made it. It is to me is the epitome of human existence. We can not survive with out help from others. Sometimes we are square but we are still beautiful and even though we are one, we belong and are stronger as two or more. Life is a balancing act and it is good as long as you keep one foot forward.

4 x 6's- Sacred Heart

Black Tee-Juice fabric marker for outline, Lumiere acrylic paints, and regular acrylics.

Raven vomiting Diamonds

Beau Dick, Kwagiulth

Hands of Creation 1990

"The raven is a symbol of creation for my people. The raven's wings are depicted as hands. The stream of abalone that flows from the raven's beak represents the seeds of creativity."
http://www.nativenorthwest.com/

How perfect is that?

I know it sounds silly, but it moved me. This is before I saw the card and read it. Sometimes you just gotta fly by the seat of your pants.

Purest Green at "where there are no chickadees" is having an unusual giveaway. It is called the postcard project. Right side of her blog, if you want to take a chance.

You can read about it here

http://underthetonguerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/05/great-big-postcard-project.html

and here

http://underthetonguerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/05/postcard-project-update-and-some.html

and here

http://underthetonguerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/06/pretty-things-i-have-received-in-post.html

I signed up. I was enticed by what she called "raven vomiting diamonds". I know, weird thing to be enticed by, but I love ravens and if they are regurgitating diamonds it can not be a bad thing.

And then I forgot about it.

A week later I got the card you see at the top. There was no description when I signed up, only her words, "Raven vomiting diamonds". I love the card, it is a Canadian card, sent from Scotland, to the USA. With a cute note to me from Purest Green. How cool is that? And my world is way bigger.

Well, I am a visual person, when others are talking I get visuals like a movie screen in my head that spits out images. Some times this is good and as you can imagine, some times it is very interesting. I really don't think about it much, it just is and always has been.

This time it was good.

You know that frame I told you how to paint. Well... this is what happened to one of them.

Read about it and the instructions here

http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/paint-mirror-quick-and-easy.html
And if I tell you to "stop, I am getting a visual", you will know it is probably interesting.

Tah-dah "Raven vomiting all kinds of things"

Summer Solstice- part 2

For the runes stones above you will need:
Pinata inks
Cernit porcelain white 2 ounce block
Clay Blade
Pasta machine
Ne-Opaque White
Rune Stamp 246-001k- http://www.eragraphic.com/
Glass Gems Clear- got mine at the local craft store, 3$ a bag
Decorative bag to hold them- local craft store
Here is the other link for how to color the clay
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lapis-lazuli.html

All of the supplies in bold print can be found in my husband's store Clay Factory
http://www.clayfactory.net/


After the clay is colored. Condition and roll out the colors in the pasta machine on the 5th thickest setting.


Cover the glass tablet and pinch the edges of the clay down.






Fold the other end of the clay over the glass stone. Trim away the excess so the seam on top matches. Pinch the clay together and smooth.

Smooth all of the seams and roll very gently in your palms to smooth.
Lay the rounded side of the stone down on the rune you want to stamp and roll it a little from side to side to imprint the rune.

You may have marks from the rune next to the one you impressed on the stone, you can smooth that away with your finger.
Lay on your baking cardboard and bake in a pre-heated 275F degree oven for 30 minutes, shut off oven and let cool.
Antique with the Ne-Opaque white.
You can find that at this post.
http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/lumiere-as-antiquing-medium.html

craft & a cocktail (with the craft whore) celebrates summer solstice with special guest ALICIA BRANDT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8R7FE_0cMs
Disclaimer: there is some language in this, so if you tend to be offended, don't watch.

Summer Solstice- Rune tiles and beads

Summer solstice the longest day of the year

from Science world http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/

Awed by the great power of the sun, civilizations in the northern areas have for centuries celebrated the first day of summer otherwise known as the Summer Solstice, Midsummer (see Shakespeare), St. John's Day, or the Wiccan Litha.

From http://www.chiff.com/

I love Runes. I like the way they feel and look and it brings me back to an ancient time.

I like pieces of polymer clay that look like they have been dug out of the ground or are replicas of a time gone way by. My pieces have been a reflection of that. I used to call my creations "Ancient Myth with a Modern twist".

These do have the modern twist.

I love letters and words also so this is just the ticket for me. If you have noticed I have been focusing on Pinata inks and this is a continuation of that too.

I also LOVE this lady's stamps. ERA Graphics
She has a rune stamp 246-001k

here is the link to her site, http://www.eragraphics.com/

Please tell Roberta I sent you. She is a talented artist and a nice woman trying to make her way in the world, just like me and I am sure, also a few of you!

It is also an Angel stamp company.

You can get stamps unmounted.

You will need:

Porcelain White Cernit

Pinata inks of your choice

5/8" round cutter

Lumiere or Ne-Opaque acrylic in the color/colors of your choice

Rune Stamp 246-001k from ERA Graphics

Products in Bold print are available from Clay Factory http://www.clayfactory.net/

1. Color your white clay with the ink.

You can follow this post http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lapis-lazuli.html

as a matter of fact I am going to use some of the Lapis Lazuli to make some of the runes.

When your clay is colored with ink to the shade that you like, remember they will darken after baking so 3- 5 drops is great for most colors, but I probably used 15 for the Lapis Lazuli,

2. Roll out your clay on the thickest setting in your pasta machine and double the sheet to get a thicker sheet or roll out by hand to about 1/4" thick.

3. Cut out round shapes.

4. Roll into little barrels.

5. Cut the stamp into rows of Runes this way.

6. Press the little barrels on to the rune. You are pressing to make the impression not flatten so use a gentle hand.

If you get a little heavy of hand, recondition the clay and do it again or press gently with you fingers on the sides to push back in to a square shape. You can "drill" the holes with needle or needle tool before they are baked or drill with a small bit after they are baked and cooled.

7. Line up on a piece of cardboard and bake in a 275F degree pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Shut off the oven and let cool.

After they are cool antique with the Lumiere or Ne-opaque

Here is how to antique your baked pieces. You can see the results of the different colors of Lumiere and Ne-Opaque above.

http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2008/10/lumiere-as-antiquing-medium.html

If you like heavier runes you can cover small light colored river stones or glass pebbles with the Pinata colored clay and stamp, bake, and finish by antiquing. Coming next post.

Paint a Mirror- quick and easy

Malma Mirror from Ikea in pine

Black Ne-Opaque

Old Brass and Pewter Lumiere

Hi Lite Lumiere in Red, Violet, and Blue

3/4" bristle brush

1" foam brush

Paint whole pine part of mirror with Black Ne-Opaque including sides and let dry. Use foam brush and thin coat.

Paint Little sections at a time with Old Brass and Pewter and blend section a little including the sides. I think it looks good rough like this. Let dry. Use bristle brush. You can stop here if you wish, it looks pretty good like this.

With foam brush apply a little of the Hi-Lite Violet at a time almost dry brushing and blend, blend, blend. Do little sections.

Apply Hi Lite Blue in this manor and blend some in to violet parts.

Apply Hi lite Red the same way and blend in to other hi lite colors.

The Hi Lite paints are like interference Pearl-ex Powders.

Leave patches of Pewter and Old Brass background showing through.

I can get these paints in 8 ounce, 32 ounce and 1 gallon. It would look so good on a wall. The paints also work on fabric, leather, paper, wood, photos, shrink plastic and even Styrofoam!

Looks almost like Raku pottery. Or similar to oil on water.

Very hard to get a good picture of the effect.

I will try again.