FUN TIME TODAY

Today was a really fun day at Stamp Shack. I took two classes with Margarite and had a ball. She is such a great teacher and always comes up with such great techniques. The first class was called Fused Fibers. We started by coloring tissue paper using Memory Mist Sprays. Put that on the side and started with the substrate. We used watercolor paper, applied a thin layer of Light Molding Paste and then added pieces of ripped colored tissue paper that we did, lace, sequin waste and netting. We added more of the Molding Paste between the layers of fibers. Then we got to heat set it. You would think that we would be using a regular iron to do this, but Margarite brought in a Euro-Pro press. Once the piece was heat set, we added a thicker layer of the Molding Paste and heat set it again. Then we could stamp on it, color it with water color crayons, just about anything. My piece needs a lot more color, but the techinque was just great.

Then we got to do another class. This one is a book that when opened it will turn into a wall hanging. I wish I had my camera with me, so that I could have taken a picture of her book. We used a piece of crinoline for the base, spread on a 50/50 mixture of water and Gel Matte Medium. Added fibers, sequins and anything else we wanted, spread on another coat of the 50/50 mixture, then covered with white tissue paper. Heat set it with a heat gun, then sprayed it with the Memory Mists. Once dry heat set it again using the press. We then did the other side. The silk fabric came next, we sprayed it with the Memory Mist sprayed some water on it and then heat set it using the press. Then we stamped the silk using Staze-On ink.You can of course use an iron to do all of the heat setting, but it will take longer and if you have or can get an iron with out the steam holes it works better. Now I will have to cut the book fabric into four pieces, along with the silk fabric. Then I can collage the silk along with other papers, lace etc. and then bind it all together.

This was so much fun and it is amazing how you can use things you just wouldn't think of to use.

Stitching on Metal

Thought I would start cleaning up the art supplies that seem to love to be all over the house and found some pieces that I had packed away. Haven't done much sewing lately because I really would have to clean up just to get to the machine. But when I found this piece I thought I really should try and unearth a sewing machine. I loved to sew on metal shim. This piece has dyed tissue paper that has been stamped on, melted tyvek, metal shim that has been embossed and colored with alchohol ink stitched on to the base and machine embroidered Celtic pieces. Maybe tomorrow I really should plug in a sewing machine.

Book Class

A few of my friends have asked me to teach a class on making this book. Now it wouldn't really be that hard, but these gals are all fiber artists and some of them have never played with paper. One good thing, they need a sewing machine to put the book together so they may be happy after all. I made this book from an article in Somerset Studio magazine. It was a lot of fun to do. I used a lot of bleeding tissue paper and if you have ever done this, you know you end up with lots of wonderful paper.

Fairy Shoes

Guess, I haven't been blogging in awhile, just having fun doing a Tag Book with the Yahoo Group, The Artist Circle, making some marbled paper and just playing. But I did do my Fairy Shoes that I promised myself I would do. Really enjoyed doing them and am really going to do some more. These are the first set, the next are going to be more Nature oriented. Hope this fairy is happy!