Getting Ready for An Art Journaling class Next week- making my own texture past

I have a lot of stuff and want to use it in some sort of other secondary use and have always wanted to try art jounaling

Had to make some texture paste 

So  I booked myself and my older grand daughter into a class next Sunday

Of course the list  to bring seems endless - although they would have materials there - but going it through it
Art Journal - any sketch book will do -check
White Gesso - might make my own  but I know there some in this house somewhere
Gel Matte Med - not sure wht it is but will need to purchase
Acrylic Paints - check
Black Permanent stamp pad - check staz on black  and I have a white one too
Paint Brushes - check
Pallet \Knives- check
Water Color pencils - cant find - searching I know their here
Scissors- check
Water color paints - check
Water color crayons - oddly enough - check
Heat gun - check
Black and white  uniball - need to find
cc for scraper - check got lots
baby wipes - check
paper towels - check
water mister- check
color sprays - need to check this out if i really need or can make but maybe buy
charcoal pencils - check

and finally -  texture paste   - I have some but made some yesterday
1 cup baby powder (talc)
1/2 cup of white acrylic paint
1/4 cut of white glue
mix and I put into  a small mason jar

all items I had in the house so cost probably 3.50   and the amount i made probably cost if I purchased at least 4 times that much 12-15.00

Paper - Nail Polish Flower Earrings

It actually feels good to start carding some things for this year - the actual process of making the paper flowers have bloomed (forgive the pun) into an actual item  and I love making them - its great to take a break from the other  glass, metal  beading process - it helps relax and makes me think about what I want to do next in glass.  I want to turn paper into glass  so  this week I will be starting to torch as the basement studio ventilation is almost back installed (or rather updated)

Paper flowers - coated with 3 coats of clear nail polish (nail polish is actually a type of epoxy coating that is much easier to work with than mixing and coating with two part epoxy - dries faster and just as hard )
The flowers are gued on using a two part epoxy (for best adhesion) to titanium  backs  and clasps - titianium and niobium are great for those that have reactions to metal  and I am loving the fact my ears are no longer sore at the end of the day as that is all it takes when I wear Silver, gold , nickel etc.

I make my own  cards - and piece them to place the Earrings onto

will put the plastic hangers on them so that they can be hung up - but they could also end up on the table top display as well - love to sit and watch tv and make at night lately - will probably make a few necklaces as well - after I make about 100 of these things 

Testing High Temp Fabric for fusing

I ventured to the studio and cleaned up some glass I spilled from a big box of scrap  cut some test glass  and started testing some high temp fabric I got (similar to lava cloth) - good to 1800F I typically go to 1465 on my bottles but did this test to 1550 you don't want to go full fuse as the glass would melt into the fabric and you would not be able to get apart - notes its similar to looking like fiberglass - threads etc  

 3600 is the thicker material

1800 is the thinner material

 I had two samples one thicker than the other slightly different pattern weave no other differences -

initial firing burns off any binder and it turns brown then back to white by the time you reach 1000F( vent kiln on initial fuse to 1000F)


starts off white 

starts to turn brown - gives off fumes - but it non toxic but good to have ventilation - I also took the plug out of the side of my kiln for venting up to 1000F

as you can see turns brown but by the time it gets over 1000F it returns to white 

when finished (as I only went to 1550 not full fuse as you dont want the glass to be embedded in the material) its back to white again - you can reuse till it falls apart - they say about 10-12 times but I will test it further - if you dont handle it and ensure its cool when removing pieces it should last for even longer 

 The patterns are great and I have enough to line fully my big kiln to place my bottles more efficiently 

Leaves a nice pattern on the back of glass makes it easier to glue bails on

Of course  you would have to full fuse normally your pieces first - then fire Polish on the cloth for the pattern- a nice finished look\

 so many things I can do with this stuff - you can even stack so you get the pattern on the face as well - similar to a canvas  to paint on or put frit/powder onto - going to have fun with this stuff -  you may see some up on etsy shortly for sale as I plan on buying a full roll and cutting it up for what I want and selling the rest

Stockpiling finished flowers and leaves and filling my blank flowers

filling my boxes with finished flowers -  I like stockpiling my blank flowers so I can sit down and color when I want to  - I love cutting my flowers out on my scan n cut

More Heartfelt Creations Flowers - Dogwood

Making more flowers

base was antique linen - then picked raspberry then a purple (cant remember which one)

sprayed with water and used the paper tools and mat 

Love adding nail polish now - it really pops the distress ink colors on the paper -just one coat makes it look great

Card Class form Saturday

had some fun on saturday -  got up early - shoveled the deck then  drive my car up to the studio to  pack up the 12" kiln I was selling  - was heavier than I remember !  but got it packed  for someone that will enjoy using it - since I got the really big one I dont need the 12"   I have a few smaller kiln I like to use instead -

Have some samples of high temp  cloth coming  that I need to test out when it comes in - probably next weekend  no matter what its like out going to grab one of the mslal kilns and bring into the house for the basement studio to test out the cloth (most call it lava cloth but I have a suppier sending me some samples - and I may bring in a full roll and sell )  will let everyone know once I get it in
and tested out

so  did the card class at 9:30 to 11

met up and sold my kiln


then went of to archery -

 left arm so sore - its from holding the bow steady
my granddaughter came along and stayed with me for the 2nd hour (barely was able to hold the bow to the end )  - want to get some leather an make my own arm guard -  I amde my own belt for my quiver but want to make a cool arm guard too

Had a nice lunch at SNUG - a cute Irish Pub close to where I had to drop my granddaughter to her Dads after - good food and great atmosphere

came home and did nothing else all weekend - sort of a loss but just getting over the flu so stayed in bed Sunday  and watched it snow for the rest of the day

copper cut outs with Nail Polish

Played a bit while I was sick yesterday - took the copper heart cut outs I did with the press and coated them in cheap nail polish - these are about 2"  in size - huge - will make pendants with them - so I could probably punch out some small ones with thinner copper and do the same - I have 36 g copper and just regular paper punches in shapes will work just as well



then I coated some flowers just in clear nail polish rather than mixing epoxy (messy and sticky)  was way easier and I'll make them into earrings

So Close to Torching !

So Close - vacuumed the area - the tables and floors - moved some tools down to  basement studio
started up the oxy cons and let them run and cleaned them off and vacuumed them clean.

Plugged in the  bead kiln (my favorite one - the Mike Crowley mailbox kiln ) let it run a full cycle

brought down the tv and android box so I have some noise and can watch tv

I just have to check out my hoses to the outside propane  and set the venting back up - which I hope to have at least  the propane check done tonight - I have new hose if I need it - but the vent system I  need to reset back up again

set up more of my niobium  stuff  and that is ready to go

but I sat fo r 20 minutes watching tv while the kiln was ramping up and the oxy cons were on contemplating what to do next  - I still need to really clean the area but if I get ready I can start and do bits and pieces over the next week - now I cant wait to get started