Showing posts with label Metal embossing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metal embossing. Show all posts

Monday, October 16, 2017

Navy and Silver Candles with Metal Flowers



There's something about candles as a housewarming present  Maybe it's because I live in the PNW and we're approaching power outage season? I think of it more as new homeowners always having light in their home. 

For these, I tried something new which was making the flowers that are the focal out of metal. This was easily done using pewter that's used in metal embossing. 

Let's get started. 

Supplies: 
  • Plain altar candles ( Dollar Tree)
  • Decorative  / Scrapbook paper
  • Mod Podge
  • Glitter Washi Tape
  • Acrylic Paint
  • Embossable Metal ( I used Art Emboss by AMACO...you can find at craft / art stores, Amazon etc. ) 
  • Die Cutter ( I used my Cuttlebug)
  • Dies ( I used the Tattered Florals die by Tim Holtz)

I started with a base layer of white paper that I'd trimmed with the glitter washi tape. Measure and apply to your candle using Mod Podge. My go to formula is the Matte. 

I realized I didn't have any paper that worked with the color scheme I was using which is the new homeowner's palette of navy, white and grey.  So I did what creative people do. I made some. Well I painted some. 


I have a roll of paper painter's masking tape like this that I use for projects like this because it's very think but holds the paint well. I covered a couple of pieces in navy acrylic paint and then stenciled the leaves with metallic silver. Originally, I thought I was going to silver leaf the leaves (no pun intended) and then decided to paint. 


Once the papers were stenciled and dry, I tore the edges and then used the Mod Podge to apply to the candles. 

While waiting for the papers to dry, I cut the flowers. I used a crinkled white paper along with the pewter. Layered these and let the glue dry ( I live for Loctite gel control super glue) and then glued them to the candles. I curled the edges of the flowers using the handle of a paintbrush. 



I'm terrible at photographing metal and glitter but this is a closeup. I didn't emboss the metal flowers but I did freehand cut and emboss the leaves: 



To finish, I wrapped the tops with some metallic crochet thread beads and charms. 

I used a scrap of the stenciled paper for the card and used a quote from Maya Angelou as the focal: 



I re-purposed a paper bag by adding some scrapbook papers and more leaves I cut with my die.



Sunday, November 23, 2014

Metal Embossing: Fired Copper Plaque

Embossed Metal Plaque

Sharing a a gift / décor idea using one of my favorite techniques that looks a lot harder than it is:heat fired  embossed copper.

For this project you will need:
  • Embossable copper (you can find at art supply stores, Michaels, JoAnn etc.)
  • Die or image to trace
  • Heat source ( pencil torch, micro torch, something w/ a flame)
  • Wood plaques
  • Paper scraps
  • Mod Podge
  • Washi Tape
  • Stamps, colored pencils, ink
  • Embellishments
Painters Masking Paper

First step is to prepare the plaques. I have a roll of this masking paper in my stash that I use in a number of projects. It’s thin, accepts Mod Podge and/or paints easily and most of all is cheap. Look for it in the paint aisle of your HW store. Measure to fit your plaque, cut to size and then crinkle to give it texture before applying.

Paper Covered Plaque

You now have a canvas you can play with. I used some paper scraps, inks and washi tape to make my background.

Diecut Copper Sheets

I used a Memory Box die to cut the oak leaves. Run through a die cutter ( I used a Cuttlebug). TIP: If you don’t have a die cutter, print out an image that you want, lay it on top of the metal sheet ( put a magazine or rubber mat under the metal) trace on top of the image with a stylus and then cut with scissors.

Embossed Copper

Once you have your shape you can use a stylus to draw lines, details etc into it. I just did this freehand.

Heated Copper Leaves

Using your pencil torch ( you can find these at the hardware store) apply flame to your copper pieces. USE LONG TWEEZERS NOT YOUR FINGERS TO HOLD METAL! Here’s a video that shows the basic process.

If you have a gas stove you can also hold the metal over a lit burner.  The thinner the sheets, the faster the process so watch closely until you get the effect you want. If you don't want to play with fire, you can skip this part and/or use a different metal.

Since I like to age things, I dry brushed my finished metal pieces with black craft paint and then wiped off just to dull them a little. Once done, glue to your prepared plaque with a strong adhesive ( I used Liquid Fusion) and embellish.  I used scrap velvet ribbon tied in a simple bow and some pinecones I found on a walk.

Oak Leaf Acorn Plaque and Tag

Now that you’ve made a lovely gift, the presentation should match don’t you think? I used a stamp with acorns and oak leaves on the envelope for the card and the gift tag and stippled inks on the envelope.  I also used some of the masking paper and scap paper from the plaque for the tag.

Here are some other metal embossing projects you might like:

Embossed Metal Snowflake Tile

Embossed Metal Christmas Ornaments

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

Embossed Metal Snowflake Tile

Embossed Metal Snowflake Tile

I mentioned in an earlier post that College Boy is going to a Professor’s home for Thanksgiving. I wanted to send something for him to take as a little token of our appreciation for hosting him.

The card I made was all about Thanksgiving so I decided that I’d make something Wintery since we’re nearing the end of Fall.  I started with a plain MDF plaque I’d picked up along the way and the plan was to Mod Podge a Winter Branch die cut and embellish from there. Except, once I podged it on, I hated it!

Project Fail

I don’t know about you, but if I am not feeling something I just have to start over. I peeled off the paper intending to recover with a different paper but once I pulled it off and a rough edged layer was left behind, I got another idea.

JudiKins Mica Gloss

I grabbed some metallic Mica Gloss inks (JudiKins) and started sponging them onto the remaining paper layer.
Mica Glossed Tile
This was much more “me”. I grabbed a handmade paper scrap from my stash, tore the edges,  and Mod Podged that on. Now I was really feeling this project. After the inks dried, I sealed with a layer of Mod Podge and sprinkled with fine iridescent glitter.

Went to my embossing folders and pulled out a snowflake design ( Sizzix) and ran a piece of Art Emboss metal through my Cuttlebug.

Sizzix Snowflake Folder

Embossed Metal Snowflake

Trimmed that to a size that would fit with my tile, added decorative brads to each corner, and glued to my tile as shown. Punched some snowflakes from the metal scraps, and dotted the centers with adhesive pearls, and finished with a free hand sort of pom pom of ribbon yarn.

Embossed Metal Snowflake Close Up

Punched Metal Snowflake

Embossed Metal Snowflake Tile

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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Embossed Metal Ornaments

My Friend Michele over at The Scrap Shoppe is still hosting her fun and inspiring Homemade Holidays, and I was excited to do another guest post. This time I did:  Embossed Metal Ornaments similar to those I have on one of my Christmas trees.

First you'll need some metal soft enough to emboss. Walnut Hollow and Ten Second Studios sell it as does AMACO which is what I'm using here:
I got mine at Michaels but you can find it at many art supply stores. It comes in copper, brass, aluminum, and pewter as well as colors. It also comes in different weights. I like the medium.

Then decide what you want your ornament to be and find an image you can trace (or you can draw freehand). I chose a dove ( downloaded from the internet) and printed out on regular copy paper. Cut off a piece of your metal and lay your image on top:
Sorry for the pic quality...didn't realize the reflection of the light
The AMACO metal comes with a wood stylus or you can use a ball point pen , pencil, or dry embossing tool. I have a rubber mat I use but you can use magazines or a stack of newspaper to give yourself some cushion so when you trace, you get some indentation. You don't have to press super hard, but firmly.

Once you 've traced your image, you can flip it over and go around the inside or outside edge to give it more definition. Then you can start designing. I did freehand designs or you can trace a design just like you did your image:
I just made a scallop pattern around the edge and some squiggly lines in the tail.
When you're happy with your design, then cut out around the image. You can use regular craft scissors. You don't need special ones.
I added some spirals to the middle
While there are all kinds of specialty tools you can buy:

You don't have to. Sewing tools like pattern wheels work great:

I just used a perforation wheel to make random lines on this one which you'll see below. Once you've cut out your images, add a small eyelet in the center and then whatever you want to use to hang it. I added these to another of my trees :
This is the one I used the pattern wheel on just making random lines and then added "dots" using a dry embossing stylus

Hope that made sense. It can get very addicting and the metal goes a long way. I've used it on cards, as accents on altered art, etc. Here's another piece I did a couple of years ago that I aged with a little black paint:

And don't forget to go check out some of the great projects over at :


 
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 UndertheTableandDreaming

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Girl Who Played With Fire

No, not that one, although I did read the books. I don't have a dragon tattoo either. But I do play with fire. The kind from a pencil torch. You're either interested now or you think I've completely lost it. Or both.  Easier to show you maybe?

Butane Pencil and Micro Torches
 Sure I could make creme brulee but I'd rather fire up copper. Why? Because it's cool and changes colors! See:
Embossed and fire heated copper acorn plaque
This may be old news to many of you but one thing I'm learning in blog land is that something's always new to someone.
Several years ago I was at a stamp show and a woman named Elaine Woodhouse was there and she had a micro torch! My inner pyromaniac came out and I stood there transfixed as she not only did incredible metal embossing...on aluminum and brass which is cool enough on its own, but the copper is what got me. When you heat it it is just magical. You don't have to have a torch...you can use a candle or if you have a gas stove etc. but a torch helps. When I went to the same show a couple of years later, she'd graduated to the larger pencil torch so of course I had to as well! If you want to see some how-tos on metal embossing click on her name. She's amazing. You may also have seen Ten Seconds Studio metal embossing projects. I saw them at another show ( notice a pattern here?) and went gaga for their tools. So I've done aluminum, brass, and copper and right now I'll show you a copper project.

Start with your image which can be a stamp (use Staz-On ink) or a clipart image, or a stencil, or if you have actual talent....freehand. I used clipart for this:

This is a sheet of copper I had in my stash. JoAnn's sells some by Walnut Hollow that's about the same weight. Or AMACO makes embossing metal too. Lay your image over your metal which you should place on a stack of newspapers or a special rubber mat that's sold w/ embossing metal supplies. You want your impression to "sink".
Trace your image, and then flip your piece over and go along your outlines to make it pop. You can puff out from the underside. I'm sure there's a You Tube video that makes more sense. I used this pattern wheel thingy to make random designs for no particular reason other than it gives it depth.

I only have two hands so I didn't take pictures while I was torching the copper but do that next. You don't want to hold it too long in one spot and the pencil torch goes REALLY FAST. You also don't want to have just put on a lot of perfume or hairspray. Or have a nervous husband screaming "please don't burn the house down" which is why I do this when he's not home. You will get different results every time you do this which for me is part of the fun!
Once again, one image doesn't want to flip the way I want it to
Sometimes I leave the metal alone at this point. Sometimes not. This time not. I wanted a less shiny finish so I went over it with black acrylic paint and wiped it off. You can use these as embellishments for other projecs or whatever you want. I made a plaque by covering a wood piece w/ scrapbook paper and Mod Podge, attaching some decorative copper thingies and rhinestones, finished the edges w/ copper tape and adhered my metal piece to the plaque using super strong double sided carpet tape. This time of year is when I get my torch out because the copper turns all the colors of  Fall.

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