Wednesday 20 April 2011

Make an impression!

Carol and I decided to dry emboss our Tando chipboard for our technique pieces this week. Do pop over to the Tando blog to see what Carol has made too!

I have two projects to share with you, a little jewellery piece one at one end of the size spectrum and a notebook at the other!

The domino pieces are a nice scale for jewellery, being 1" x 2". I put this one in the Cuttlebug Jamara folder, lining it up against the bit of the design I wanted before I closed the folder and ran it through the Big Shot. I ran it through a couple of times for good measure but you don't need to do anything special to get a good embossed impression.

I coated the piece with Rub n Buff and then with acrylic paint to accentuate the design. I wiped most of the paint off and then dabbed a little more RnB over the high spots.

The bail to thread the chain through is, believe it or not, a piece from a video cassette! I dismantled an old one a while ago to see if there were any "useful" bits and pieces in there. A little Krylon pen to key the surface and then a little RnB to match the pendant et voila! If you wanted it silver it would be good to go with no effort at all.

Materials:
Domino chipboard by Tando Creative

Jamara embossing folder

Rub n Buff by Amaco (Gold Leaf)

Acrylic paint (Raw Umber)

Divided tube from an old video cassette

Krylon pen (Pale Gold)


At 7" x 5" the notebook is less detailed but lots of fun to work with! As it's bigger than the embossing folder I turned the folder sideways to emboss the top part then turned the whole lot around and embossed the bottom part. Adding a band across the design hides the "join" in the embossed areas.

I then used a technique I saw a while ago on somebody's blog but I'm afraid I can't remember whose - let me know if it was you and I can pop a link in!

Wax pastels are soft enough that they lay colour down really easily on the raised part of the embossing. I used several shades of blue and green for this. You then add gesso over the whole surface and leave it to dry thoroughly. Gently sanding back the gesso exposes the colour and gives a shabby, weathered effect. I sprayed mine with some matt sealant to make sure the colour wouldn't rub off and the notebook would stand up to being handled.

I covered a piece of cardstock and a Dymo strip with aluminium tape, "tarnished" it with some black acrylic paint and stamped a fountain pen before adding a couple of screw head brads that have been in my stash forever!

I don't have anything like a Bind it All or Cinch, for the few projects I do that would need it it's not worth either the expense or the storage space. For something like this, I just punch holes with a Crop a Dile and use a coil from an old notebook (use the covers of the old book to line up where to punch holes in your new cover).

Materials:
Chipboard sheet from Tando Creative
Tim Holtz Texture Fade (Retro Circles)
Wax pastels
Gesso
Dymo
Aluminium tape
Black acrylic paint
Pen from On the Desk stamp set (CHF, retired)
Stazon by Tsukineko (Jet Black)
Screw head brads
Krylon Matt spray sealant


Thanks for stopping by!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

wonderful creations! That first embossing folder you used really does lend itself to making jewellery...used it myself on a few occasions.

Effie said...

I love 'the quest for useful bits'...........there's an old kitchen timer sat on my desk as I type!

Lulabelle said...

Lovely pendant!

hazel said...

Love your pendant and notebook. I must have a go with the wax pastels and gesso.
xxx Hazel.

Kathy said...

Ingenious use of the bits found in the old tape cassette!
Love the notebook - what a fab technique that is

Carol Plume said...

totally gorgeous pieces Joanne - I really love the necklaces that you make they are so arty!

Great notebook too and what a fab idea to use an old notebook spiral - FAB recycling projects there!!

xx

salamanda said...

These are both fab and I love the effect on the notebook.

Caroline said...

These are gorgeous Joanne - love the necklace especially, such a fab effect.

sam21ski said...

Both pieces have embossed really well haven't they. Love the colours you've used on the notebook, very striking and love the pattern on the jewellery piece - Sam xxx

Hazel said...

So resourceful using the piece from the video casette and also the binding for the notebook. I love both of these projects. Will have to try the gesso over pastels (never seem to have much success with using gesso though) x

Alison said...

Two gorgeous creations Joanne! Love your use of the cassette part on the pendant! x

Gez Butterworth said...

Clever creations Joanne. Great colours on the notebook.

I had a lovely catch up with your artwork. Thanks for sharing..xx