Mechanical Aeshnidae

As I've been saying for a while, I've been playing with UTEE (Suze Weinberg's Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel). While I've made a handful of buttons and embellishments, this is my first piece of art incorporating a creation made with UTEE:

I made a mold of a Czech glass dragonfly button, with Suze Weinberg's Mold n Pour. I used Suze Weinberg's To Dye For solvent ink dyes in blue and green to get the beautiful teal color in my otherwise clear utee. I also mixed a little embossing powder called 'Psychedelic' to get a rich sparkly blue effect in the button. I used Krylon gold leafing pen to color the dragonfly, and rim the button. I used Loctite Super Glue Gel to adhere it to a 1-1/2" fender washer treated with Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks in Rust, Espresso and Butterscotch. Surrounding the button, are copper ox findings, star lock washers in various sizes also treated with Alcohol Inks, aluminum Metal Mesh also treated with Alcohol Inks and Krylon gold leafing pen, and large brass ox findings on a 4x4" black ceramic tile.

Here is a close up of the 'button':

inky inky 4x4, hanging on the kitchen door...

I've been making gifts for people. I know the people these are going to are of religious persuasion, so I figured I'd make something to help them celebrate their beliefs.

These are 4x4" ceramic tiles I bought from Home Depot, in 'Almond' color. I colored them with Tim Holtz Adirondack Alcohol Inks, then stamped and heat embossed them in silver. I trimmed them with plumbers' foil tape I also purchased from home depot. I'm making wire frames for them, that will be twisted into scroll work and embellished with Czech fire polished beads in complimentary colors. I made 4 of this design, (the other 2 are in speckled pinks and striped purples.) I'm making about 10 of these tiles, 6 of which will have various stamps and embossing colors.

I have also been playing with my Utee, so I'm going to post my Utee experiments next! Stay tuned!

Where the dominos grow

I've been playing with dominoes the past 2 days. I've made a bunch that I really like, but the set I'm posting tonight are painted with Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink, then hand painted with acrylic. I really like the way they've turned out! But in doing these, I ran into something curious: if you paint acrylic over the alcohol ink, let the paint dry a bit then rub the acrylic off with a paper towel and water, the acrylic will pull up a bit of the alcohol ink, in exactly the pattern that had been painted. Look closely at this last picture, an enlarged view of 'Irises':
Notice the lighter swirls? I originally painted a swirl pattern, but wasn't satisfied with it. So, I took the acrylic off with water, and found what was left to be really pretty.

Flowerpress and Inks

This was a really fun project, though
it took some time, special equipment and preparation.
All told, I'd say it takes 2 seasons to make,
if you wait for the flowers to grow.
:)


This is a really neat piece of art I made using a 4" x 6" double sided frame, flowers pressed in a Microfleur Flower Press, Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks, a transparency, an ink jet printer and any graphic program like Adobe Photoshop. I'd also consider using your favorite stamps with Stazon ink, if you'd prefer not to mess with computer graphics or printing. I made a scan of my favorite french text design, then printed it onto an 8.5" x 11" transparency. Once the ink dried, I cut a piece to fit inside the glass of the frame I'm using. Careful not to get fingerprints on it! Using long handled tweezers, I first arrange the flowers I will use on the transparency, to have the composition and placement figured out before I glue anything. Then I very carefully apply Scotch Quick-Dry Tacky Adhesive to the dried flowers, one by one, and place them back in their place on the transparency.

I grew some of the flowers in my patio garden, or came across them on one of my many summer night walks. There's nothing like the thrill of Lilac Larceny or Grand Theft Pansy to get the adrenaline flowing! (Just kidding! Always ask permission before picking someone else's flowers!) The flowers were pressed during last spring and summer, and I keep a file drawer full of dried flowers to use in my art whenever I please. (pressed flowers make me smile on cold Winter days!)

Next, I removed and cleaned the glass panels of the frame thoroughly, and avoided getting fingerprints on them during the next phase, by handling them around the edges (but careful not to cut yourself!!) On one of the glass panels, I used Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks in Lettuce, Stream, Wild Plum and Stonewashed. I kept the brighter colors to the outside, while using Stonewashed in the middle. You only need to paint one side of the glass with ink. Once you are pleased with your inking and it has dried, place your flowered transparency on top of the inked side, (So that the ink will be on the inside of the frame) and place the second panel of glass on top of the transparency. Slide the glass CAREFULLY into the frame. I do not suggest using any flower or fiber thicker than pressed lavender for this project, otherwise the glass won't fit back into the frame, or it might break if forced too much due to thickness.

In the two projects I've made so far, I used Flox, Lilacs, Lobelia, Dogwood, Bleeding Hearts, Lavender, several smaller unidentified flowers, and assorted greenery. If you love flowers, and like to embellish projects with natural fibers, I highly suggest looking into a Microfleur Flower Press. It is quick, easy and fun to use!

Nautilus framed and Peas!

I covered a 10" x 10" artist canvas with Moda Marble Grey fabric, using furniture tacks and a small craft hammer to secure the fabric to the wood frame. (the Making Memories tool set hammer is just right!) I then cut a piece of transparency about a 1/4 inch larger than the 6"x6" AI Nautilus. The transparency is to protect the art, without the weight of glass. I lined up the AI art and transparency, and poked a hole in each corner. Then I attached the art to the canvas using light grey brads that matched my fabric. I wanted to steer clear of using glue to attach it, since I did not want any discoloration to show through any of the layers. I then selected various fibers from a set by Hand-Dyed Hobbies called 'Quince'. I used Elmers' glue on my fibers, using sewing pins to secure where necessary until it dried, and using just enough fiber to wrap around the art, the front, and sides of the canvas. Sea shell slices were also used to embellish. I attached a hanging wire to the back, then covered the tacks and fabric on the backside with black felt and Elmers' glue. This piece is just amazing!!

This is a set of glass pearls in Sage,
wrapped with wire to resemble pea pods.

A close up of the earrings, which are both the same length.
Because of the way they were hanging, and the fact they have
a slight bend in their design, it looks uneven here.
(I double checked!) They are approximately 2" long, from
the top of the ear wire to the bottom of the pod.

This is the pretty pendant to match those earrings,
with glass pearls that are larger than those used in the earrings.
It is 2" long, and hangs on an easily adjustable 21" silver figaro chain
with a lobster clasp.

Experiments and Gratitude

Hello!
Lately, I've been playing with UTEE, and testing various papers with the alcohol ink painting and tinting as explained in my previous posts. To my joy, I was successful at recreating my very own Czech Dragonfly buttons, using Suze Weinberg's Mold-N-Pour, and Utee products! I will definitely be getting pictures of those up soon.

On other projects, I had absolutely no luck using printed transparencies in my Nauti process, (please refer to recent previous entries) but I of course have not given up on them as a potential crafting medium! Perhaps, I could cut out various shapes of transparency, use some stazon and my favorite stamp, then pour clear or lightly colored utee on it. I wonder what temperature these transparencies can withstand? If they are laser printer safe, then they should be fairly heat resistant. Worth a try anyway, and I could get more shapes than just the squares or rectangles of microscope slides and memory glass... (cogs are turning)...

Oh, if only I weren't too tired to go play with that idea!

I have a tin purse nearing completion, that I used Tim Holtz/Adirondack Alcohol Inks on, and all I can say so far is, "WOW". I'm trying not to hold my breath on this one, because I want to take my time to get it just right. But I'm excited at the pattern and intensity of the ink alone, as even without the beautiful copper heat embossing it is simply gorgeous.

Before I go, I'd like to give a HUGE Thank You to Suze Weinberg, for mentioning my blog in her current newsletter! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it, but you've definitely made my year, Suze! I called my mom, and everyone else I knew to tell them who noticed my blog!! I'm thankful for art, for crafting, and I appreciate the quality products Ranger produces to help us express ourselves. Furthermore, I appreciate your artistry and inspiration Suze. You have no idea how much art, and your influence has effected and helped me on a very personal level.

I'd also like to express gratitude for Jan, of Red Rubber Paper and Ink. Her kindness, enthusiasm and inspiration has been, and continues to be a wonderful gift. (Thank you!)

And finally, thank you to all the wonderful artists who frequent RangerInkLink. What a truly gifted and talented lot you are!

A very warm and Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

A daisy for me

This is a photo of a gerbera daisy I painted
with Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks
in Lettuce, Butterscotch, Cranberry
and Eggplant.

It looks good as is, but I'm not done
experimenting!

As soon as I get my printer up and running,
I will post a new variation of this project,
using a transparency instead of vellum.

ABC's of being Nauti, or, a tutorial on Alcohol Ink painting and tinting.

Materials Needed:
A computer
Printer with a black ink cartridge
A photo or graphic retouching program like Adobe Photoshop
A jpg or scan of a picture you want to use in this project.
1 piece high gloss photo paper
1 piece lightweight (flimsy) white vellum
Q-Tips
Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks, various colors of your liking.
A craft mat is useful (especially for larger photos or clutzy painters!)
A painter's palette with paint wells, or a small plastic measuring cup
for mixing alcohol inks (useful, but not necessary).


1) I decide on a picture I like. In a program such as Adobe Photoshop or any picture/photo processing program, I completely desaturate the photo, turning it into a black and white picture. I also lighten the contrast and increase the brightness slightly, as the lighter the printed picture, the more color you'll see after it's colored with alcohol inks. But if you go too light, you'll lose definition. (Please see the black and white picture of the nautilus in my photo album, to get an idea of the lightness.) Then I resize the photo to the desired size and resolution. (I use a resolution of 72 pixels per inch (web quality), and a pre-measured size suitable for the frame I'll be using).

For my projects I've been using Kodak Inkjet Photo Paper. But when using any brand, the higher the gloss, the better. On the printer settings, use the 'glossy paper' or 'transparency' setting located in your printer properties. Print one copy of the picture on the high gloss photo paper.

Next, I change the brightness setting in my printer properties to 'light'. This uses not only uses less ink and decreases smearing, but makes the next copy just a tad lighter, which is good for effect. Print your black and white picture on a piece of light translucent vellum.

(For the nautilus, I used a piece of white iridescent speckled 'Neutral Vellum' by Paperbilities. The flimsier and 'clearer', the better, as it will allow more color to come through. Colored vellum does not seem to work very well for this project, so I try to stick to the white vellum.)

Let both copies dry. Once they are dry, I apply Adirondack/Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks with a Q-tip to the photo paper copy only! I like using Q-tips for this because there is relatively little ink waste, they are effective, low-mess, no lint, cheap, and disposable once my project is finished. To make my own colors, hues and saturations, I use a 15ml (.5 Fluid Oz) measuring cup, add a little blending solution and drops of AI to suit my whim.

(the measuring cups I use are extremely handy with various crafts, and can be obtained from suppliers of DIY skin care products. Follow the link for an example:
http://www.fromnaturewithlove.com/equipment/thumbnails.asp?category=EQDisp
You will also see other nifty things to have in your craft room, like pipettes, funnels or larger mixing/measuring cups.)

I 'paint' all areas I wish to show up colorful, and I do not worry about being precise or staying exactly in the lines. The vellum you will put on top later, diffuses light and because of this, is somewhat forgiving. Also, the more you go over any area with AI, the colors will layer and darken; so you want to remain mindful of the colors you layer together, that they will change hue and darken considerably.

Once you have 'painted' your photo, and the AI has dried, take your black and white vellum copy, and lay it on top of the photo copy. The copies should exactly match each other in picture and placement, once you line up the edges. To trim, I tack the edges of the 2 layers together with a small bit of tape, and carefully cut with a paper cutter (or scissors) to the final size of my project. (To place in a frame, use on a card, etc.)

I hope this helps! But if I was unclear on anything, or if anyone reading this should have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Also, should you want to see pictures of the project I just described, refer to my previous post. Thank you!

Nautiness

This is a picture of a nautilus slice printed on
glossy photo paper, then painted with
Adirondack Alcohol Inks in
Stream, Butterscotch, and Wild Plum.

This photo shows the 2 layers being placed
together; the painted base with a vellum
transparency printed with the same picture,
in a very light black and white.

This photo is the finished picture,
and it looks very ethereal in person!!
Please see the following post for detailed instructions
on how to make this project.

Domino domino on the wall

Domino domino on the wall;
please hold tight or you will fall!
If you should fall, the art might break;
And that would make my sprockets ache!

I am not exactly 'done' with this first phase of my Etsy project, as I am currently fiddling with glosses, finishes, and coatings. I plan on turning these creations into pins or magnets upon request. I used Ranger/Tim Holtz Alcohol Ink, Stampin' Up! Stamp sets 'Artifacts', 'It's About Time', and Autumn, Limited Edition stamps 'Background Script' and 'Clock Face', Rubber Soul stamp 'Winter tree, (positive)', embossing powders in gold and silver, Krylon Kamar Varnish and Judikins Diamond Glaze.

I am processing many others, and will post pictures as soon as I get them done.

Here's wishing you a lovely evening!