Cosmos Paper

This is from page 46 of Paper Transformed and it's called "Cosmos Paper." It's very thick and shiny, hard to capture in pictures. Pretty, but it requires a lot of time with a heat gun.

Step 1: Coat illustration board or very thick cardstock with pigment. I used chalk pigment inks.

Step 2: Cover this with Perfect Medium or Versamark.

Step 3: Sprinkle on some clear UTEE and begin heating from a distance. As the powder melts, sprinkle on more UTEE. I did this about 3-4 times, until I had a very glassy, smooth surface.

Step 4: Let this cool, then cover again with Perfect Medium. Apply Perfect Pearls. I found that more was better with this technique.

Step 5: Sprinkle with more UTEE. There won't be anything to hold it to the surface, so start from a distance and move in as it starts to melt. Add more, and it will "drop through" the Perfect Pearls to form a sort of webby look.

Faux Patent Leather

This was super easy and fun, and it gives a nice look I can see using as textural bits in collage, or as a foundation for more masculine cards.

Started with some plain colored cardstock, and applied a light coat of glossy gel medium (the gloss is key here). Let that dry, and then embossed using Cuttlebug folders in my Wizard.

Presto change, faux patent!

Luminous paste

All I can say on this one is: check Carol's blog, LOL! I did try and did not like my efforts, but here's a photo of my daughter helping, and we did have some fun.

Pearly Mottled Paper

This is featured on page 3 of "Paper Transformed" and is a very easy & pretty technique.

Step 1: brayer rainbow dye inks on coated or matte paper. I used matte white.

Step 2: Spritz the paper with water, just two sprays. Make sure your sprayer is big enough to get some bigger droplets. Blot, but don't rub the water with a paper towel.

Step 3: Lightly brush some Perfect Pearls in Gold or Kiwi (a green gold) over the paper. I did try using Moon Glow powders because I have many more of them, but evidently the binder in Perfect Pearls is necessary for this technique.

Step 4: Brush off excess and voila!

Paper Transformed - Book Study Project

My friend Carol Sweeney is running a book study group on Next Generation Stampers, a mixed media group where we like to experiment with color and texture.

This time around, it's Julia Andrus' "Paper Transformed," published by Quarry Press in 2007. I got this book for Christmas 2008 and haven't really tried any of the projects, so I appreciate Carol giving us some motivation.

Over the past couple of weeks, some of the folks in our group have been playing with faux patent leather, cosmos paper, mottled pearls paper, and luminous paste paper. Here are some of my experiments.

Fluttering by

These were for a recent swap on the Dream, Create, Inspire group. Back of mine, front of mine, and displayed on a beautiful piece of driftwood.

what creativity feels like, now

under the surface, not fully awake, a hive of stirrings, communal and yet solitary

Rusted Ornament

It's been a while since I've posted. Work and family have been pretty all consuming lately but I am glad to be getting a little play time now.

A while back, I wrote about the rusted tin lid I found lurking in the garden. Inspiration came calling last night and I turned it into this ornament, which is a gift for my friend Annie in England.

Canvas for swap

For Carol A.

Inchie Frame finished

Here's the finished inchie frame from the Dream, Create, Inspire group. From the top left, inchies by: Linda, me, Lynn, Vickie, Mel, Trizzy, Carol, Rena, Tracey, Chris, me again and Rhonda.

I finished mine in a mix of brick red and nickel azo gold, dry brushed with a mix of green and gold paints, sanded, brushed with crackle glaze. The center panel is made from a toilet paper wrapper--really crinkly tissue, glued on cardstock and painted. The leaf is made from cool stamps by Sandy Obertin and "aged."

This was fun. I have just the place for this. Thanks everyone!

Rainy-day blue & silver

It's been raining here today. A friend had asked me to design something in blue & silver for a friend of hers. Sifting through cool blue & silver beads felt just right for the weather. Designed several pieces today.

Inchies, by golly!

OK, some friends on the Yahoo group "Dream, Create, Inspire" decided to have an inchies swap. The concept has been around for a while--art that is 1" square. Let's just say I felt very challenged by working this small. :) But here they are. I'll be getting 10 back in various fall colors (my choice) and they will go in this frame, which I'll decorate when I have more of the inchies in hand.