Sunday 1 December 2013

Welcome Back Alison Bomber Project #1 Golden Oldies ....

The start of a new month and a new week welcomes back Alison Bomber for her last month of Guest Designer projects.  I'm sure we are in for some fabulous treats this coming week.

"Hello everyone, Alison here with the first of my December projects.  And since it's now December, it's okay (in my book) to start getting Christmassy.  Only one of these projects is a full-on Christmas creation (we'll save that one for last), but the others are certainly Christmas-ish, as you'll see today".

First up, an experiment that's ended up pleasing me quite a lot.  I didn't really have much of a plan when I set off - other than using some Lynne Perella stamps and doing something with a jar... that was about it.


So, here's the pretty unassuming jar... instant coffee granules if you're interested and - although it wasn't part of the plan to start with - I also ended up using one of these adorable little coffee milk bottles. These are two more that I have ready for altering - I forgot to take "befores" with the actual things... but wait til you see the after!

I started by giving the coffee jar a coat of Liquid Leaf in White Fire. I just love the transformative qualities of this stuff... looks pretty cool already, I think.
{Note from Leandra: We have ceased selling liquid leaf due to the recent Royal Mail restrictions on posting hazardous products within the UK, and similar international restrictions. However, this amazingly, fantastic, metallic solvent-paint continues to be manufactured in the UK, and is available from most fine Art Supply stores}


If you simply brush it on, you get a completely opaque, smooth as a mirror surface, but that wasn't going to suit my plans.


So I used the brush bristles to give it a slightly mottled surface. It levels out again as it dries, but it did retain some texture.


That mottling is really important, as it creates some places on the jar where light can come through, as you can see from the inside.


I wanted to see if I could create a kind of black and gold mercury glass effect, so I added some Little Black Dress Fresco paint to the surface, direct from the bottle.


I used some kitchen paper to smoosh it around.


And the same kitchen paper to knock it back until it looked about right.


Before going any further, I needed to know how much light would show through... so I popped a tea light candle inside to check. Can you see where I'm going with this?!



Well, a minimal glow... but with quite nice speckles of brighter light. But clearly, if I wanted a lantern worthy of the name, some of this surface would have to go in the long run.

But first, some stamping. I got out the fabulous cityscape from Lynne Perella Collection 012, and inked it up with Black Archival Ink.  I really didn't want to add anything else to get in the way of the candlelight, so stamping onto tissue paper wasn't an option.


It was heart-in-mouth direct-to-jar stamping, so I decided to do partial inkings, rather than trying to wrap it all the way round in one go.


Not the best of images, but in this particular case, that didn't really matter - in fact, it was downright helpful... 


... because the next stage was to do some scratching! I used one of the Idea-ology Memo Pins, and started to re-define the details in the image. It became clear pretty quickly that it would be quite a "doodly" version!


And before I got too far, I thought I'd better check that it was actually going to work...


Now we're in business!  So I finished it off all the way round. There were places where I had to check the illustration from the packet, but in fact the dense black inking helps because it provides a better contrast for when the lantern is lit.



See what I mean!


Well, I thought I was pretty much done at this point, but it turned out my subconscious had decided that there was more to this.

I'd used the top of one of the little coffee milk bottles to try out the gold and black effect on, since I had plenty of them but only a couple of jars. Clearly Mr Mojo had decided it would be wasteful not to make use of it.


So, I covered the rest of the bottle with Liquid Leaf and did the black paint thing, whilst musing about what could be done with it. You're obviously not going to get a tea-light inside, but isn't that neck about the right size for a normal candle? A little narrow, it turns out, but definitely do-able...

Time to decorate a candle, then. And, while I was at it, I didn't want the lid of the jar to feel left out.  Turned upside-down, it's the right size to hold a thicker pillar candle. Time to decorate TWO candles, then!  Only one extra liquid ingredient needed for this - let's add Old Gold Fresco to the minimal supplies for this project.


I'm reluctant to own up to the other ingredient used at this point, for fear I'll be hunted down and held to ransom in order for people to get their hands on it. Yes... I still have some of the PaperArtsy Crackly Tissue Paper, and that's what I grabbed for the next stage.


I stamped the LP cityscape again, this time dabbing Old Gold onto the stamp with some Cut N Dry foam. I really didn't want too clear an image, so I put quite a lot of paint onto the stamp.  


It's perfectly possible to get fabulously clear stampings with Fresco paint, but what would be the point of my doodling in that case?!


I used a PITT pen for the doodling - again, using the image on the packet where things weren't clear enough on the stamping. What can I say - it's a loose interpretation!


I glued the tissue stampings onto my two candles with multi-medium, and added some curly black wire to each candle holder - Words and Pictures regulars will spot some more of my salvaged notebook wire bindings! I like how the scribbly wire echoes the scribbly doodling.

And the coffee jar lid has just been given a coat of Liquid Gold to tie it in with the rest. It's not the most dramatic of transformations, but I'm hoping people will be looking at the candle mainly. Now for some close ups .... are you ready??


I'll leave you with some pictures of them all in a nice festive setting (a lopped off fir branch lying on a railway sleeper where we park the car - very handy!).








And, of course, I need to show you how it works when candlelit. One of these is taken with the flash, and the others in the gathering dusk, which the camera decided was pitch black night!





So, a massively photo-heavy post, and very long too - but you're used to that from me by now, right?! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you'll be able to join me again tomorrow for another Christmas-ish affair. Until the ..... Alison x

We do hope you can join in with Alison's techniques this week. you can link to your own blog, Pinterest or Flickr Pages, or any webpage that shows us what you have made in response to her posts this week. Just come back to the Sunday nigh winners post, and use the linking tool to show us your entry.
 
On Sunday 8th December  by noon (GMT) you need to have your link entered below, and you will go into one of 2 draws to win new stuff.

Leandra Says: Wow your a regular little candle-factory-designer all by yourself Alison! Love the Liquid leaf through the glass, and the etching is inspired. Fabulous how you describe the process, and you have crackly! People could stalk you for that! ;)

Gillian Says: Oh la la .... the molten tones, textures and doodles are simply gorgeous. Love the added addition of the wire.The whole collection of Christmas inspired home decor ornaments look like they could be bought in a very high end store. Bravo Alison.

48 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow! Stunning upcycling. Will have to see what's in the recycle box now

Helen said...

Fabulous work Alison, I love the first one particularly, but they all look great.

Carol Q said...

absolutely brilliant Alison - what fun projects and so doable! the coffee jar looks such a lovely colour with the tea light on at night.

Craftyfield said...

Love that old metal look, should try this technique!

Alie Hoogenboezem-de Vries said...

Oh my Alison, what a stunning creations...you gifted lady, you did it again :-)
Fab trio!!!

Hazel Agnew said...

Love them. Particularly like the way that you have let the images speak for themselves and not detracted by blinging them up too much. Magical! X

Paper Profusion said...

You've done tremendous experimentation with these Alison and they look fabulous. You are so inventive. The first looks amazing when illuminated. Nicola x

joanne wardle said...

Just brilliant

joanne wardle said...

Just brilliant

Deborah Wainwright said...

Oh Alison great ideas I love the first one hunting for jars now so that I can have a go. Fab project xx

Kathi said...

Those are all fabulous!

Thanks so much for the clear instructions and photos for us visual learners!

I've been wanting to try to decorate a candle forever. Maybe now!

I also need to go hunt for some of that leafing stuff. Wonder if it's available here in the US.

Astrid Maclean said...

Wonderful trio Alison and so effective, they will make fab decorative pieces come Christmas time! Specially love the coffee jar, such a great effect in the dark!

Anonymous said...

Fantastic trio of projects Alison ! You're usual creativity shines through (no pun intended!). Sue C x

Netty said...

Terrific upcycling, you have created some fab projects Alison, Annette x

Julie Lee said...

Really great project... stunning, exciting, what can I say? I love that LP city-scape and you've used it so imaginatively! It's a good thing I don't know where you live, Alison because I would be stealing in in the dead of night to filch some of that Crackly tissue. I used my last sheet about a month ago :( Lovely, lovely post - I really liked that it was so 'picture heavy'! Julie Ann xx

Unknown said...

Very chic x

Maz said...

Love it! Even hubby commented on how good they look and he doesn't usually offer an opinion on these things without being asked for it first! x

Unknown said...

That's Fab! xx

Unknown said...

That's Fab! xx

Unknown said...

That's Fab! xx

Unknown said...

That's Fab! xx

kjjc said...

Fanblumintastic

Cestina said...

Lovely...good thing I pulled all those old spiral notebooks apart isn't it?
x

Elly said...

Alison is an inventive genius!! (:o)

massofhair said...

A very illuminating project, enjoying the doodling very much. Two fab luminaries & candle:-)

Jennie Atkinson said...

Three fabulous projects Alison - amazing! x

Mona Pendleton said...

Beautiful Alison! What a fabulous collection of projects! Thanks for the inspiration!

barbarayaya62 said...

Very very creative! you're absolutely special! this trio is stunning! BArbarayaya

liberal sprinkles said...

wow just brilliant, Alison. Love the idea and the execution!
grace

Kezzy said...

Wow Alison these are amazing and look fantastic, extremely out of the box, I love it. Kezzy :-) xxx

chrissie said...

Stunning and what a wonderful stamp to use in this way

Chrissie x

toni said...

Absolutely stunning!!! Such full on creativity love this project x

Etsuko said...

Gorgeous project Alison! Simple bottles and caps have turned into a brilliant ornament, It's amazing!! Thanks for share of us.
Etsuko xx

craftimamma said...

Wonderful projects Alison! I love decorated candles but it's such a shame to spoil them by lighting, lol! Your altered jar is amazing and such a fabulous effect with all the etching.

Hugs
Lesley x

Deborah said...

I'm in awe! Can I borrow your brain?

May said...

O my word What fabulous creations... Love the effect... you are so gifted I will never see a mere coffee jar the same again.. Hugs May x x x

Reflective Art Studio said...

WOW WOW WOW.... Stunning. xoxo Sarinda

Redanne said...

Fabulous transformations Alison! I particularly love your doodling. Hugs, Anne x

Lucy Edmondson said...

I love these, Alison; the mottled effect, the doodling, and the light shining through look amazing! Great experimentation!

Lucy x

laury55 said...

fantastic work, love the candles and the jar in the dark with the light inside

Cocofolies said...

Oooh... I LOVE this set of candles and bottles, great set of shiny decorations with lovely stamps and surrounds ! This is really gorgeous !!! Coco xx

Anonymous said...

WOW. Stunning projects, I love the coffee jar, it looks amazing.

Hettie said...

OMG Alison. As you know I LOVE your work but this is just divine. The village reminds me a little of Prague! Wonderful and Well Done!
Hugs
xx

Nan G said...

To be had thru a very high end store for sure...since these are drop dead gorgeous and expensive looking candleholders/tea light!! You've outdone yourself yet again, Butterfly. Hugs :)

cathylynn said...

Oh my goodness I knew I was in for a treat! You have created three totally marvelous candles. What a transformation of something rather ordinary into totally awesome. You are a creative genius!
Hugs, Cathy-Lynn

Jenny Marples said...

Upcycling doesn't seem a good enough term for the transformation you've given these Alison. Absolutely wonderful. Jenny x

Sandy said...

Oh my gracious sakes alive. I have fallen head over heals in love with your jars!! What a wonderful present they would make and how smashing for a mantel!
Sandy

Jools Robertson said...

Brilliant! Love the jars with the candles so effective
Such fab stamps and such a clever idea

Hugs

Jools x