2015 #4 Stars and Moonlight Peg Doll {By Julie Ann Lee}

 2015 Theme Four: Minature Art

Hi everyone! It's Julie Ann here from Magpieheaven. I'm thrilled to be at PaperArtsy again using Sara Nauman's magical stamp plate ESN13 with Shrink Plastic. The current theme, so brilliantly introduced by Leandra last night, is Miniature Art, and what could be better when you're working in miniature than to have a material that shrinks down to create perfectly co-ordinated embellishments?

Step One:

I began by lightly sanding a sheet of Shrink Plastic with horizontal and then vertical lines to give it some extra 'tooth'. I then painted with a slightly watered down coat of the new Blue Oyster Fresco Finish paint. This was the ideal colour for the project. Often the lighter shades of fresco paint dry darker than they look wet, so check the label for the true colour. Blue Oyster looks gorgeous. 

TIP: I've found that you have to get the consistency of the paint right with Shrink Plastic - too thick and it could flake off! Don't be shy to add a few squirts of water from a mini-mister to thin down your paint before you apply it to the shrink plastic. 

Step Two:

In the photo below, you can see how I used PaperArtsy dies to cut the shapes I wanted to embellish my peg doll. I cut out several to play around with - the moth, the songbird, the heart and a leaf from a flower die - any I don't use I can keep for future projects. At this stage you should also punch any holes you're going to need to attach your shrink. I didn't need them for this project so I was ready to stamp once my plastic was cut to shape.

Step Three:

I stamped the book text star from ESN13 onto some more of the Shrink Plastic and then cut carefully around the impression with precision scissors. Once the plastic has been coated with a layer of Fresco Paints you don't have to use StazOn ink on the shrink any more because you have coated the plastic with chalk paint. As you know, it's always best on chalk paint to use archival ink, but Brilliance black Pigment ink is also suitable. It seems with frescos they are not fussy about which ink you use - the stamping always comes out beautifully, even with oily inks designed for fine detail. I find the best way to stamp onto Shrink Plastic is to lay your piece paint side down onto the inked stamp and press in gentle circular movements. You will be able to see the stamping through the plastic when it is ready to lift off.

TIP: If you need to cut out a stamped image, waft your heat gun very gently over the shrink to dry the ink without actually shrinking the plastic. You will see the ink lose its shine as it dries. Let it cool and touch test before you start cutting...you don't want black fingerprints everywhere!

Step Four:

The fun begins! I like to use a heat-tool to shrink my shapes so that I can see them transformed before my eyes! It's a good idea to use a pair of tweezers or a wooden skewer laid across the item is good too, either will keep your little pieces from flying away, and the skewer tend to help prevent the item curling up on itself! Stay calm if your shapes seem to be curling in on themselves - they will always flatten out and you can turn them over gently and just apply a little pressure with an acrylic block to give them that final flattening!

TIP: Did you know the shrink 'follows' the heat gun, so if a bit curls in, put the heat gun on the opposite side, and it will curl back towards the heat!

Step Five: 

And here are the tiny details ready to be fixed to your finished project. I loved how Sara's script from ESN13 came out so prettily on the bird and how the sentiment from the same plate fitted onto the leaf shape to the right.

ESN13

 

Step Six: 

All that was left now was to fix the Shrink Plastic embellishments to the peg. I find that a blob of Heavy Gel Medium does this perfectly, as long as you wait overnight for it to dry. Otherwise any strong glue of your choice that dries clear should be fine.

I love having this option to miniaturize a favourite stamp and co-ordinate the colours of a project. Why not have a go and link up to PaperArtsy using Shrink Plastic on 'altered' wooden pegs, spoons, memo boards - what you will - reach for the stars!

Have fun and - remember - if you want to see instructions on how I decorated the whole peg, just pop over to my blog Magpieheaven. 

Julie Ann x

We love how you have created your Peg Doll Julie Ann, a perfect introduction and inspiration to our new theme. Shrink Plastic lends itself beautifully to your project, the shrunken star looks fab as does your whimsical face. Thank you :)

We would love you to join in with challenge #4: Minature Art. If you are inspired by any of our guests who blog with us over the fortnight, then please join in and link up your creativity HERE. 

All links go in the draw to win a voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Minature Art link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, March 8th, winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.