ACEO card blanks:
A couple of Bottles of Hope:
Some new brooches:
Monday, January 12, 2009
Some New Stuff
I've been playing with ACEO card designs and experimenting some more with the verdigris "grout" I used on the first Bottle of Hope. Actually, I've been putting it on just about everything clay related lately, to see what kind of effect I get. I have discovered I love it with copper. I blended a large batch of light colored copper clay and a large batch of dark, antiqued copper and have been letting my imagination run wild. These are a couple of the pieces I did this past weekend.
ACEO card blanks:
A couple of Bottles of Hope:
Some new brooches:
ACEO card blanks:
A couple of Bottles of Hope:
Some new brooches:
Friday, January 9, 2009
My First Completed Bottle of Hope!
I have wanted to make a Bottle of Hope since I heard about them upon joining PCAGOE last April, but struggled and agonized over several failed attempts. FINALLY, finally, finally, I made one that I like, one that the clay didn't slide down into a puddle during baking! I think it was the gold metallic clay I used this time.
I chose a ginko leaf stamp because the ginko leaf is a symbol of longevity and endurance. It's a tribute to the courage of the cancer patients these bottles go to, which I have witnessed first hand this year. Several family members were diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and I have seen their struggles and their triumphs in fighting the disease. Sharon, Eric, Julie, and Uncle Charles, the next ones will be for you!
This features the verdigris faux finish I've been experimenting with, and I really love the interest it adds to a stamped piece. Acrylic paint, which I've used here as well, also helps add definition to a stamped piece.
I chose a ginko leaf stamp because the ginko leaf is a symbol of longevity and endurance. It's a tribute to the courage of the cancer patients these bottles go to, which I have witnessed first hand this year. Several family members were diagnosed with cancer in 2008 and I have seen their struggles and their triumphs in fighting the disease. Sharon, Eric, Julie, and Uncle Charles, the next ones will be for you!
This features the verdigris faux finish I've been experimenting with, and I really love the interest it adds to a stamped piece. Acrylic paint, which I've used here as well, also helps add definition to a stamped piece.
Friday Finds January 9, 2009
I don't know about you, but I still can't wrap my mind around it being 2009. Friday Favorites have been absent for a couple of weeks due to the holiday crush, but I brought them back today. I have been experimenting with a faux verdigris finish using polymer clay, and went cruising through Etsy yesterday looking for some inspiration. I may have to part with some of the Christmas cash I've been hiding from myself.
I love these little Drifting Sands Earrings made by my friend Jacki from CityDetails. They would dress up a party outfit or look just as beautiful with casual jeans and a little suede jacket. Gorgeous!
Isn't this lovely red polymer clay heart by ARTkissed great? I love the pebbly, polkda dot texture of the base. Gives me ideas!
And I have got to have this little Verdigris Messenger Bag by classicbead. It is gorgeous!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Congratulations To The Black and White Challenge Winners
Milicabubanja won 1st place for her canework necklace.
OrganicOdysses won 2nd place for her textured switchplate.
Kerijoy won 3rd place for her delightful wall dancer
Monday, January 5, 2009
My First Foray Into ACEOs
The theme for our PCAGOE February challenge is ACEOs, or Art Cards, Editions and Originals. I thought I would get a jumpstart on making one, since I've never done it before and didn't even know what they were until recently.
After pulling an all-nighter on New Year's Eve (don't ask), I created my first one, this Faux Victorian Ceiling Tile with an image transfer of a variagated Camelia, one of my favorite flowers.
The image transfer is from a decoupage tissue I've had for several years, but didn't know how to use. I cut out the image and burnished it on the raw clay, soaked it in water to soften the paper (it isn't the kind that dissolves) and carefully peeled it off. It was time consuming and nervewracking. I love the effect, though. The cream colored background is embossed with the Studio by Sculpey Chantilly Lace Texture Sheet. I wanted the piece to look like a Victorian Painted Ceiling Tile.
This one is an image transfer, too. I love the L O V E stamp on the left side and the "rick rack" border.
This is the same image, reversed. I used a blend of Premo Cadmium Red and Kato Red and embedded it with Diamond Dust embossing powder, then embossed it with a paisley stamp. I love the fluted edges and thought I would dress it up with a little bling bling, some Swarovski crystals.
I had to do a gold one, of course. I use this Studio by Sculpey Script texture sheet a lot, and my favorite surface to use it on is a metallic clay with a mokume gane technique. It takes a lot of sanding and buffing to bring out a real shine, but my sore arms are worth it. I LOVE this one! The clay is Premo Gold, the image transfer was done using Magic Transfer paper, which I baked right on the raw clay.
Finally, two Valentine Memory ACEOs. I have been doing a lot of image transfers of family photos onto brooches, and just had to put my maternal grandparents and my mother on a couple of ACEOs. The base of the first one is a Skinner blend of Premo Cadmium Red and Kato Red, which I embossed with a baroque stamp and painted with eggshell acrylic paint mixed with diamond dust embossing powder (which makes the best "grout"!). I clipped the edges with a ripple blade and cured it, sanded away most of the paint, and buffed it. The images and text are image transfers.
The white base is Kato white embossed with the same baroque stamp and painted with red acrylic paint. It was cured, then sanded and buffed, too.
I think I'm hooked! I've got in mind some copper ACEOs with a verdigris finish and some in a faux tooled leather look with turquoise. And, I'm not done with the Valentine's Day theme yet, either!
After pulling an all-nighter on New Year's Eve (don't ask), I created my first one, this Faux Victorian Ceiling Tile with an image transfer of a variagated Camelia, one of my favorite flowers.
The image transfer is from a decoupage tissue I've had for several years, but didn't know how to use. I cut out the image and burnished it on the raw clay, soaked it in water to soften the paper (it isn't the kind that dissolves) and carefully peeled it off. It was time consuming and nervewracking. I love the effect, though. The cream colored background is embossed with the Studio by Sculpey Chantilly Lace Texture Sheet. I wanted the piece to look like a Victorian Painted Ceiling Tile.
This one is an image transfer, too. I love the L O V E stamp on the left side and the "rick rack" border.
This is the same image, reversed. I used a blend of Premo Cadmium Red and Kato Red and embedded it with Diamond Dust embossing powder, then embossed it with a paisley stamp. I love the fluted edges and thought I would dress it up with a little bling bling, some Swarovski crystals.
I had to do a gold one, of course. I use this Studio by Sculpey Script texture sheet a lot, and my favorite surface to use it on is a metallic clay with a mokume gane technique. It takes a lot of sanding and buffing to bring out a real shine, but my sore arms are worth it. I LOVE this one! The clay is Premo Gold, the image transfer was done using Magic Transfer paper, which I baked right on the raw clay.
Finally, two Valentine Memory ACEOs. I have been doing a lot of image transfers of family photos onto brooches, and just had to put my maternal grandparents and my mother on a couple of ACEOs. The base of the first one is a Skinner blend of Premo Cadmium Red and Kato Red, which I embossed with a baroque stamp and painted with eggshell acrylic paint mixed with diamond dust embossing powder (which makes the best "grout"!). I clipped the edges with a ripple blade and cured it, sanded away most of the paint, and buffed it. The images and text are image transfers.
The white base is Kato white embossed with the same baroque stamp and painted with red acrylic paint. It was cured, then sanded and buffed, too.
I think I'm hooked! I've got in mind some copper ACEOs with a verdigris finish and some in a faux tooled leather look with turquoise. And, I'm not done with the Valentine's Day theme yet, either!
My Christmas Snow Brooch Featured on LoveStitchingRed's Blog
What a nice surprise to wake up to this morning. LoveStitchingRed, a textile artist from Cornwall, including my Christmas Snow brooch on her gorgeous website. I love her style, which she says is country, with lots of creamy white and natural colours with touches of red; and she loves small collections of things neatly arranged, beautiful art, ceramics and hand crafted goodies. I am honored to be included in her beautiful mosaic!
My Etched Leaves Necklace Featured in a Treasury!
Thank you to my fellow PCAGOE member, Yonat Dascalu for including my Etched Leaves Necklace in her beautiful Romantic Gifts Treasury! Yonat creates Hamsa magnets and does gorgeous canework in polymer clay. Here are a few of her designs, please visit her shop to see more of her beautiful creations!
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