Disobeying the Rules!

Andy Skinner might have words with me about this post - I've been using (and abusing!) his fabulous DecoArt Media products in ways that they should not be again! Today, I present to you what not to do with Crackle Paste! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the effect (sorry Andy!).

So the premise behind this project is that you're not really supposed to heat set Crackle Paste, so Mr Skinner says. So the small rebellious child in me wants to know WHY!? Here's why - it bubbles and blisters and pops and makes a stunningly grungy mess! Oh yes!

I originally pulled out the Crackle Paste for the latest Country View Crafts challenge - and I have used it, if not in the conventional way, so I am still entering!

Here's how I created my ATC:

1) Apply Crackle Paste through a stencil onto an ATC. You want a THIN layer - thick paste gives you big bubbles - to get the 'volcanic' texture you want lots of small to medium bubbles.

TIP: I used a chipboard ATC from Tando Creative - this background gets HOT and the chipboard base is much sturdier and able to take the abuse than paper or card. My stencil is from TCW.

2) Heat that sucker up - working while it's still wet. Hold the heat gun close to get lots of heat in there but move it around a bit so you don't scorch any areas. Continue heating until it stops making popping and cracking noises! (You have no idea how fun this is!!!!)

3) Paint with Cobalt Teal Hue, Blue Green Light and Green Gold paints, mixing a little. Work the paint into the texture. I also added some Metallic Lustre over the texture.

4) When dry, start to add interest to the background to highlight the texture. Use an Andy Skinner stamp with black permanent ink to stamp over the background. Add touches of orange paint in some of the cracks with a small brush. Dry brush the texture with black and then white gesso. Edge the ATC with black gesso,

5) I further added to the background with more touches of orange and some extra stamping in both black and white. I painted a piece of card in yellow mixed with a touch of orange and stamped the star (Dina Wakley) onto it. I then roughly sponged on some 'neat' orange paint to add texture. I finished the ATC with the stamped word. You'll need to adhere the star with hot glue or gel glue as the background is very lumpy and bumpy.

PS - I also tried this technique with gesso and it does work - but you don't get as dramatic an effect and you don't get the bubbles 'exploding' to make craters as the texture is more elastic/less brittle than working with the Crackle Paste.

I hope you've enjoyed my - ahem - experiments today! Thanks for stopping by.

Katy x

Products used:

DecoArt Media - Gesso White, Gesso Black, Crackle Paste

DecoArt Meda Fluid Acrylics - Cobalt Teal Hue, Green Gold, Cadmium Orange Hue, Hansa Yellow Light, Blue Green Light

DecoArt Metallic Lustre - Brilliant Turquoise
Stampendous Andy Skinner Stamp Set - Toxic
Dina Wakley Stamps (I don't know the name as I chucked the packet! But it's the star and word)
Black and white inkpads

Journal Page with DecoArt Misters

I'm afraid I've been at the video camera again! Today I am sharing a short video showing how I made this background using the DecoArt Media Permanent Misters. Hope you enjoy it!

Katy x

Antiqued Frame with DecoArt

I thought I'd share something a bit different today, in the form of a home decor/upcycling project. I created this altered frame for the DecoArt Blogger Outreach programme with some of a fantastic goodies they kindly sent me to try.

Creating faux metallic and aged effects is a favourite of mine and I thought the ornate style of this car boot find was asking to be transformed into an antique gilt frame, tarnished and worn by time.

I used the following DecoArt products:
- Media Black Gesso
- Dazzing Metallics Emperor's Gold
- Metallic Lustre Gold Rush
- Media Antiquing Cream Carbon Black

1 Like an idiot I forgot to take a pic of the frame before I started (*face palm*). Suffice to say it was a pretty ugly cheap resin frame I got at a car boot sale. To prime the frame, give it a coat of DecoArt Media black gesso. Use a hogs hair brush (not a smooth brush) if you can as it helps get the paint into the nooks and crannies.

2 Add a coat of Dazzling Metallics Emperor's Gold - I found one coat to be sufficient.

3 Once the metallic paint is dry, add a coat of Carbon Black Antiquing Cream (at which juncture my husband said, 'what was the point of that? You've just painted it black again', to which I replied 'wait for the magic')!

4 Even when fully dry the Antiquing Cream remains reactive. After it is fully dry (and you can speed it with a heat tool if required), wipe it back with a baby wipe or damp cloth. You can see the cream stays in the recesses giving a cool aged effect.

5 Having added shadows in the recesses, I now want to highlight the raised areas so I applied some Gold Rush Metallic Lustre with my finger. This product is like a gilding wax.

6 Finally, if any of your highlights are too bright or (like me) you got a bit too gung-ho with the lustre in places, dry brush some black gesso over to further antique the finish. As the Antiquing Cream isn't permanent. at this stage you will want to varnish your piece. The cream is water-reactive, so I'd recommend a spray varnish so you don't have to use a brush which could move the cream around as you work.

I haven't decided what to do with my frame yet, but as I recently started doing my family history I think it might end up being the home to some vintage photographs.

Hope you liked my tutorial today. Thanks for popping by.

Katy x

Happy Accident!

Don't you love happy accidents??? The heart that's the base for this piece was just that! That fab verdigris effect was a total fluke!

I used DecoArt Media Crackle Glaze over this piece that I had treated with Treasure Gold - the Onyxite colour reacted and went green like copper verdigris! I added to the effect around the edges with DecoArt Antiquing Cream.

I had this lurking for a while before I decided to finish it up. I added a heart that I made using my 'shabby crackle' technique (there's a video tutorial for that here) but this time using DecoArt Crackle Paint (rather than paste) for a much finer crackle.

The butterfly is sprayed with a DecoArt Permanent Shimmer Mister in Turquoise and the heart is edged in DecoArt Metallic Lustre in Brilliant Turquoise (this is a seriously lush colour!). I finished with a little key embellishment and am going to add some wire to hang it with.

I love it when something going wrong ends up being right, don't you???

Katy xsmile emoticon

Project Skinzapfel!

Andy Skinner and Tracy Weinzapfel are hosting a joint challenge on their Facebook groups (Andy Skinner and Friends and Tracy Weinzapfel Studios Mixed Media), daring their followers to create a piece of art that combines both of their styles in some way.

This is my entry and below is a brief step out of how I created it. I was influenced by one of Tracy's favourite colour palettes - blues and greens with a red heart and I added bubble wrap printing and a inspirational words also in homage to Tracy. I've used Andy's techniques on my piece - including stamping into modelling paste and mega crackle.

Most of the products are of course from DecoArt and here's what I used:

• DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics: Pyrrole Red, Cadmium Orange Hue, Cobalt Teal Hue, Cobalt Turquoise Hue, Primary Cyan, Green Gold, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Metallic Gold, Payne's Grey, Blue Green Light
• DecoArt Media: Modelling Paste, Crackle Paint, Ultra Matte Varnish
• DecoArt Weathered Wood
• DecoArt Metallic Lustre: Silver Spark
• Stampendous Andy Skinner stamps: Toxic
• Stampendous Natalie Kalbach stamps: Marks
• Rubber Dance stamps by Katy Leitch: Affirmations

1 For the base of my journal page I used a piece of canvas on a roll. I cut it larger than needed and lightly marked the eventual size with pencil before painting the background with orange and red paints.

2 Once dry I added Weathered Wood - and then when that was dry a layer of Crackle Paint. This is Andy's Mega Crackle technique and there's a video here.

3 When the magic cracks appear add some washes of watered down paint in blue and green tones, mixing lightly. Then coat with a layer of varnish to prevent any damage to the crackle (the Mega Crackle is a bit more delicate than using the Crackle Paint normally).

4 Place a stencil over the background and fill with modelling paste using a palette knife. While the modelling paste is still wet, press a stamp spritzed with water into it repeatedly to create texture.

5 When the paste is dry, paint over it with Pyrrole Red paint. Add a wash of Payne's Grey and then highlight the texture with Metallic Lustre, applying it lightly with your finger. Outline the heart with Stabilo All pencil in black and blend with water to create a shadow effect.

6 Alter some metal cogs to make them look like copper with verdigris effect. To do this mix Gold Metallic with Quin Burnt Orange to make copper paint and apply to the cogs. Add some Blue Green Light in places with a sponge, then add a wash of Payne's Grey and a bit more copper. Repeat until happy.

To finish: Stamp with bubble wrap and Cobalt Turquoise Hue paint. Add some stamping in black and white to add detail. Finish the page with some wording and a little Metallic Lustre to the edges.

I am really pleased with my piece - hope you like it!

Katy x