Creating pieces to give as gifts or hang on your walls can be so much fun! This past weekend I had the pleasure of playing with some of the new products that we have brought into the store. These are all tools/media that will allow us to expand our teaching possibilities and our creativity. Adding new techniques and ideas keeps my mind fresh and alive and so I hope that you enjoy some of the new additions we have made and that you get up the courage to just give them a try!
Resin is all the rage! The objects and effects that can be created are SO very cool. Today I will be sharing some beginner tips, as well as show you how it is that I created the butterfly for the piece shown below. Hang with me because this will be a "class" of epic proportions - LOL! There is so much fun stuff to share with you.
At Ranger U I fell in love with so many new tools! Today I am going to share how to create with the Mold n' Pour. The molds that you create can be used with resin, UTEE, beeswax, candles, soap and who knows what else - LOL!
Mold N' Pour
Prepare your work surface and all the necessary tools before you begin. This product comes in two parts and once you mix it you only have a few minutes to create your mold before it starts setting up.
As you can see I am working on my XL Misting Mat. You can also work on a non-stick craft sheet or any other non-stick surface. I prefer to remove portions of the mixture from the container and roll them into balls before proceeding. This allows me to eyeball their size - you want these balls to be the same size. I have my object ready - in this case I decided to use a Vintaj butterfly. I clipped the jump ring to create antennae before combining my Mold n' Pour putty.
Working quickly I combined my two different colored putties and knead them together. As you can see in the photo above there are still streaks of white showing - this putty is NOT ready to be used. Continue kneading and mixing the putty until it is a uniform color. Remember that it sets up quickly so don't overwork it. I find that working with smaller amounts is easier, so my suggestion would be for you to experiment first with a small item as your object.
As you can see in this photo it is now a uniform color. Roll it into a smooth ball.
Press your object straight down into the putty and let it sit. I like to press my object about 3/16 - 1/4" into the putty. Now walk away ladies - LOL! It is just too tempting to squish around in this wonderful "stuff." Return in approximately 10-15 minutes and press your fingernail into that pretty round edge. If you do not leave a print then you are ready to remove your object. It is better to be patient and wait too long than pull your image out early and damage your mold.
The detail is incredible!
This next mold was MUCH tricker. It wouldn't have been if I hadn't been stingy with my Mold 'n Pour :-( The good news is that my error forced me to experiment more. I wanted to see if I could salvage/fix my mold and I came pretty close to it being precise. This Hero Arts rubberstamp image is approximately 3 3/4" square. I should have probably used 3/4, or even the entire container of Mold 'n Pour, rather than the 1/2 container I used. Lesson learned - don't be stingy :-D
I kept the cling style stamp mounted on the plastic as I worked so that I would not damage the "cling" aspect of this stamp.
As I prepared to create this mold I determined that I would need a large flat surface to press my putty evenly into place over the surface of the stamp - the 5x7 acrylic mounting block was perfect for this.
On the right side of the image above you can see a damp, white washcloth. This is a trick I learned from Lisa this past weekend. I have gone through mountains of paper towels when creating. I don't like the fact that I am being wasteful, but because I like to work with clean hands as much as possible so that I don't "dirty" my projects I needed a solution. Using two washclothes - one wet/one dry - my need for other cleaning tools has been greatly diminished. I LOVE this solution - thank you Lisa!
I worked quickly, but sadly was horrified when I realized that I was short on material. It was in that instant that I had to decide if I should quickly look for a suitable replacement or just go for it. I decided to proceed in spite of this deterant and quickly using my fingers to spread the molding material over the stamp. I immediately pressed my acrylic firmly against the putty to flatten as best possible. As I worked I could see the "putty" setting up right before my eyes. I haven't figured out yet whether the cool broad expanse of the rubber made my material set more quickly than normal, but it set up FAST! So perhaps it would have been best to spread the material on my non-stick surface before putting it on the stamp. I just don't know yet, but will try this next time.
I could see that I had gaps around the edges as well as holes in the middle, but rather than give up I decided to press forwards and see what would happen. I mixed a little more putty and applied it over the holes in my mold. (I did not remove my stamp to "check" - I knew I had holes.) Again I used my large acrylic block to press down on my mold.
I allowed this to sit for 10 minutes. I then removed the acrylic block and flipped the entire piece over, mixed a little more putty and pressed additional Mold 'n Pour against the sides to create my base.
After allowing it to once again sit I removed the rubber stamp image and was left with a VERY cool mold! I immediately took my dry wash cloth and rubbed the surface of my rubber stamp to remove the excess putty that was slightly stuck to the surface. I don't know what would have happened if I had allowed it to dry completely, but being I like to clean as I go, this worked well for me. As you can see there are "hints" of the mold still in the crevices, but I do not believe that it will impact my stamp in any way.
Creating molds is ADDICTIVE! You can use buttons, metal embellishments, rubber stamps, and so much more. I have read that you can even use hard candies such as Lifesavers - how cool is that?!? Suze and Tim talked about carrying Mold n' Pour with them when they go antique shopping. They ask permission to mold some of their finds along the way! Oh how fun that would be!!!
So now that we have our molds - let's play with them :-D
ETA: These molds can be used over and over again. Suze shared that she has boxes labeled with different styles of molds. I can see doing something similar once I have a few made.
Working with Ice Resin
I thought I would begin by trying to explain to you what Ice Resin is. Ice Resin is a two part resin that when mixed forms a crystal clear, jeweler's quality grade product. This resin is different from the water-based, dimensional sealants such as Rangers Glossy Accents, SU Crystal Effects or Judikins Diamond Glaze that we typically use in paper crafts. These dimensional sealants are excellent products for many purposes, but they do not offer the durability and waterproof finish that resins do. Ice Resin is also very different from the meltable embossing powders such as UTEE, that are popular for molding and sealing. UTEE liquifies when heated and hardens when cooled. It is typically rigid and susceptible to cracking. As well the clear versions of UTEE are prone to yellow as you work with them.
Resin is a much harder and more durable product that retains its clarity. With resin you can create a "dome" on your projects that acts as a magnifying lens of sorts.
It can be used together with metal, polymer clay, metal clay, paper, glass and numerous other products. Today we are going to start simply - we are going to create the butterfly I used on my art piece.
Before beginning it is incredibly important to read all your directions first! I would also like to encourage you to visit the Ice Resin website. There are numerous articles written that will answer many of the specific questions you might have.
One of the recommendations I tried as I worked with the Ice Resin the second time was to warm Part A of the Ice Resin mixture in hot tap water before beginning. It worked like a charm - it was not nearly as granular looking as the resin I created in my first batch. It was so much easier to mix with Part A warmed.
Another recommendation that I followed closely was to work in small batches. You will be AMAZED at how many different pieces you will be able to create with 1 oz of mixture! Have numerous projects ready to go before mixing your resin!
Ice Resin comes with little plastic mixing containers that have precise measurements listed on the sides. The first time I mixed my Ice Resin I used two separate containers. The second time I realized that I didn't need to us two containers - I could just use the measurements on the sides to make certain I was mixing correct quantities.
Before mixing in one container you will want to clearly think through your measurements and perhaps even mark the outside of your container with a sharpie marker, showing the precise stopping point for each part. You will need to work very carefully when pouring directly into your container though - there are no second chances with this method - LOL!
The smallest batch Ice Resin recommends making is 1/2 oz. I think that this is a great way to start your experimentive/creative process! You will truly want to try so many different things. It is best to work in layers for many applications, allowing the resin to cure before proceeding - therefore mixing small amounts is what I believe is the best way to go. I had several pieces I am currently working on and decided that a total of 1 oz. would be best for my use this time even though today's project only used a few drops. Hopefully I will have more to share with you soon :-)
Wait until Part A is warm and pour 1/2 oz into the container. Followed with 1/2 oz of Part B. As you can see it fills this little container right to the top. If you do not feel comfortable working in such a tight space be certain to have another clean plastic container that you can throw away at the ready before you begin. I work carefully and so just work from this little container.
It is recommended that you work in a well-ventilated room and wear gloves that you can also throw away once your project is complete. If you don't work carefully you can make a lot of things sticky - LOL! They do say that if resin comes in contact with your skin that it can cause minor irritation. I did get a little on one of my fingers, but immediately wiped it on my wet washcloth with no side effects.
Once you have the two parts mixed together you are going to stir, and stir, and STIR! You can see a visible difference in the photo above compared with the shot two photos above. I stir for approximately 5-7 minutes. You want to have a nice clear liquid before you stop stirring. Allow the mix to rest for another five minutes and many of the bubbles will rise to the surface and pop.
1 oz. is a LOT of resin and so I had numerous projects at the ready. Again, today I am going to share only one of those projects. Once you have used all your resin you will be throwing your container away - it is recommended that you not use "dirty" tools.
Using my popsicle stick I transferred a few drops of resin to a plastic spoon. Prior to beginning I had filled my mold with water and then poured that water into my spoon to see exactly how much resin I would need. I then dried my spoon and mold before proceeding. As you can see it takes VERY little resin. To the clear resin mix I added a small amount of Tarnished Gold embossing powder. Once again remember that less is more - it is easier to add a little more powder than it is to add more resin.
Stir the powder into the resin with your popsicle stick. Be certain to use a clean popsicle stick with the mixing of each new element. You will find that adding the embossing powder thickens your resin slightly. As soon as I had finished mixing I poured my resin mix into my mold.
Typically you will have approximately 30 minutes to work with your fully mixed Ice Resin. It is recommended that you work in a room that is approximately 72-74 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other additives you can use that I have used to color or add interest to my Resin are Perfect Pearls, glitter, mica, and flower soft. Ones I haven't yet tried that are recommended are - oil pigments, chalk pastels, spices, dried floral ingredients, gold leaf, and I'm guessing that there are so many more.
I try not to overfill my molds. My preference is to leave a small space at the top of the mold. To aid in bringing bubbles to the surface you can use your Heat It tool and hold it above your project (approximately 9-12 inches above) and you will almost instantly see a little popping effect happen in your piece. Do not heat for extended periods of time or hold your heat tool to closely - you do not want to damage your work of art :-D Check back over the first hour or so to see if any additional bubbles have come to the surface and pop them with a pin.
Allow the resin to cure in the mold for at least 6 hours. I poured my molds at approximately 5:00 in the evening and then upon returning to work this morning I was able to easily remove the objects. At this point the resin is still not fully cured and somewhat maleable. If you wanted to use resin on a curved surface this would be the perfect time to mold it to the item you will later mount it on. Due to the fact that the resin is not fully cured you will want to be careful not to touch any of the highly glossed surfaces as you might fingerprint them.
As you can see the detail in the image is amazing!
It has been months since Winter CHA when I first saw the Vintaj Altered Blank Canvas pieces. It is with great excitement that I share my first vision for this product. To precisely locate where I wanted to punch my holes I used my Tim Holtz center ruler. Simply mark the points where you want a hole.
The Crop-a-dile is perfect for punching holes in this metal! So very easy.
To create my background I used the wonderful mold created above. I could have poured my melted Beeswax on my non-stick craft sheet and pressed my stamp (be certain to coat your stamp with Distress Embossing Ink beforehand to make the removal of the wax easier) directly into the Beeswax and allowed it to cool, but using a mold I have more control. I used my Kool Toolz spatula to help locate the placement of the wax in my mold.
Allow the wax to cool and remove it from the mold.
Ink a background stamp with Archival Ink and stamp directly on the brass altered blank canvas. Be certain to use an ink that stays on metal such as Palette or Archival. You will need to heat set the Archival Ink, which works magnificently with this application because I wanted my metal hot to attach my wax embellishment.
Allow the metal to cool ever so slightly (you don't just want a puddle of wax on your canvas - LOL!) and press the wax embellishment firmly against the metal. It will melt slightly and as it cools it will adhere to the metal.
I absolutely LOVE the look of the wax on the metal, but being I had a specific color scheme in mind I then brushed my image with Perfect Pearls.
The wax was still slightly warm (but not liquid) as I worked and so I quickly pressed my resin butterfly into the wax and allowed the entire project to then cool and set. You can see in the photo above the reason for my color selection of Perfect Pearls. Bringing together different colors of metals is so very fun. It is just a matter of balancing the colors.
Mixing the different elements that we carry in the store can make for a very interesting project. You will find a vast array of products to select from. The Vintage Groove line from Making Memories by Jill Schwartz is complete and ready to assemble. There is a significant difference between the Vintaj line and the Vintage Groove line. Vintaj is a natural brass product that is heavy and very well made. It is easy to embellish and makes high quality pieces. Vintage Groove has a lot of the preassembly done and is much lighter weight. It is a funky and easy to use product line, but at times I have needed to reassemble the pieces using a better quality glue. This has not deterred me though as I find it suitable for embellishing cards and adding funky twists to the projects I am creating. Each has its own unique advantage and I have found that combining the elements gives an extremely interesting final product.
I quickly covered a 6x6 canvas with Le Romantique paper and used twill as my outer frame, mounting my brass image on the face. What an elegant, feminine piece of artwork this is - perfect for a ladies dressing area.
It was so incredibly fun adventuring into new territory with this post. I hope that you enjoyed learning about these new tools and techniques and that you will be able to pick and chose from them to add new twists to your creative process! Be certain to take advantage of the special savings we are offering on many of these products this week if you are interested in trying these techniques!
stamps: Hero Arts Cling Floral Brocade, CHF Spanish Script Backgrounder
paper: Loves Labyrinth Le' Romantique
accessories: Vintaj Altered Blank Canvas - 3x4, Vintaj Butterfly Charm, Vintage Groove Ephemera Bead Drop Pendant, Vintage Groove Antique Brass Jump Rings, Mold n' Pour, White Beeswax, Melting Pot, ICE Resin, Tarnished Gold Embossing Powder, Perfect Pearls - Forever Red, Heirloom Gold, Perfect Bronze
