2019 #12 Eyes: A Case for Mr Magoo with Ink and the Dog by Lucy Edmondson

2019 Topic 12: Eyes

Summer weather calls for a case for sunglasses!  Lucy to the rescue with this stamped fabric case. ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Lucy from Lucy's True Colours here with you today, and I'd like to share with you a calico glasses case I have made using Vintage Ink and the Dog stamps: oldies but goodies!

As soon as I heard the topic 'Eyes' I thought of the Ink and the Dog Mini 'The Eyes See Everything', although in my case they don't, as I'm the resident Mr Magoo in our house. I cause much amusement seeing things that I mistake for other things because I haven't got my glasses on. I really don't like having 'eye furniture'. By the time this comes out I will have a new pair of glasses which are a bit more trendy than my old ones, and some prescription sunglasses - and a homemade case for them! For those of you with perfect vision, I hope you will make a case for your holiday sunnies!

I wanted to make a simple, rectangular soft glasses case, so I cut a large enough piece of calico and started off stamping a selection of Ink and the Dog stamps in shades of yellow Fresco Finish Acrylic paint. 

 I used Eclectic Plate 4, Clocks Plate 5, and Letters Plate 5, with Yellow Submarine, Tangerine Twist, Zesty Zing, and Mustard Pickle Fresco Finish Acrylic Paints.

I then carried on, overlapping and filling in the gaps, using darker orange Frescos such as Tango and Autumn Fire, and turquoise  shades such as Beach Hut, South Pacific, Caribbean Sea, Mermaid, and Jade. 

  
Stamps used, again from Ink and the Dog, were the Flourish Mini 96, the Words Mini  44, and one I have a particular fondness for, Phrenology Man Mini 83, which always reminds me of Mr PaperArtsy (I'm sure this will be edited out if it's too cheeky, but he is so perfect for the theme, with his sunglasses on!). I also love the clock and 'the voices speak only to me' words from Eclectic Plate 4!

Now it's time for the stamp positioner, to get a really deep black for my  main stamp image, Mini 02, the Eyes See Everything and the eye in profile, using archival ink in Jet Black. I do love having the stamp positioner for things like this, don't you?

  Then it's time to add a bit of wadding and stitch it into a simple pocket and we're done!

I had such fun making this glasses case which I know will be really useful to pop in my handbag. I hope I have encouraged you to dig out your old Ink and the Dog stamps. It's incredible to think they started in 2004, and I have had many of mine for such a long time. They still feel so very current and versatile. The fabric piece could be used in so many different ways: make up bags, pencil cases, covered boxes. I'd love to see what you make!

Blog: Lucy's True Colours
Facebook: Lucy Edmondson
Twitter: @CraftyLuce

2018 #12 Transfers: Transfers on Clay {by Alison Hall}

2018 Topic 12: Transfers

Hmmm I've been wondering if this was possible, and Alison now shows us how, not 1 but 3 ways! What wonderful results! ~ Leandra

Hi everyone, it's Alison/Craftytrog with you today, and I'd like to share with you some transfers I did onto oven-bake clay. When I decided to create a project for this challenge, I thought I'd check out YouTube to see if I could find a different sort of transfer technique. I found a few videos using clay which looked pretty cool, so thought I would give a couple of the techniques a try. For my projects, I've used both paper napkins and laser prints with Premo Polymer Clay.

The first technique I used was the paper napkin one. This involved separating the 3 layers of the napkin, and using the top layer, image face down on the clay. You just roll out your clay, gently burnish the tissue image onto the clay using your fingers, cut your required shape, then bake it with the tissue still in place, as directed on the clay packaging.

 

Placing cling film over the clay and tissue whilst cutting, gives smooth and rounded edges. Once cooked and cooled, pop the piece into water, then use your finger to rub away the tissue to reveal the image transferred onto the clay. 

I also used a few laser printouts on the clay, a black & white photo of my daughter, part of one of my own art pieces, and also a free background download by artist Carolyn Dube. This technique involves placing the image face down on the clay, then using cotton wool to dab it with rubbing alcohol. I used Isopropanol. You need to apply the alcohol a few times, leaving it to dry out in between. Carefully lift the image to check whether the image has transferred, and also be careful not to slide the image whilst dabbing on the alcohol. 

The black and white image didn't transfer well, but the others turned out pretty good.

I found both techniques fairly easy to do, although I put the napkin image on the wrong way up in my first attempt, which resulted in no image on the clay! Lol! That was rather disheartening, but I persevered and was pleased with my second attempt. The piece with the birds in the centre below, was made with a napkin image, onto a partial laser print transfer. I really like this double effect. After baking, you can also use alcohol pens to accentuate the colours of your clay transfers if you wish. 

I decided to make a few cards with my clay transfer pieces. I stamped backgrounds using images from PaperArtsy Ink & The Dog stamp sets

  Backgrounds Plate 5

 Letters Plate 5

 and also Urban Snapshots: Nature Plate 1

The Premo Clay is very light once baked, so it works very well on cards.

Making transfers onto the clay were fun techniques to do, and I would encourage you to give them a try. You could also use your clay pieces to decorate boxes and canvases. On one video I looked at, the artist rolled out her clay a bit thinner, and made book marks, which I think is a lovely idea. I look forward to seeing your clay projects for the Transfer Challenge.

Alison x

Blog: Craftytrog's Arty Adventures
Facebook: Alison Hall
Instagram: @craftytrog

To join our challenge and win a new Zinski apron:

Simply make something arty relevant to the topic, and link your creation from any social URL (eg. Instagram, Pinterest, Blog Post etc) sharing your original make to this challenge page.

The current topic link Topic 12: Transfers will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, 22nd July 2018, and the winner will be announced 2 hours later at 19:00.

NB you have 3 weeks for this challenge due to New Products being announced

All links go in the draw to win a PaperArtsy creative apron. Please make sure we can contact you as a prize winner - it helps if you share your contact info from the platform you opt to use.

Good Luck! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!