Photo Transfer Technique

We have all seen different types of photo transfers done, but this technique really caught my eye. I thought it was very cool and easy. This project came from Craft Lab on HGTV guest Josie Cirincione joins host Jennifer Perkins to create a story box collage. You can click on the title above for a direct link to the entire project. But, I am just going to highlight the photo transfer portion. Josie took a regular piece of packing tape and placed it on top of a black and white copy of a photo. She used a bone folder to burnish the tape on the photo, meaning just really rub it on there and get out any bubbles, etc. Be sure to cut off the excess paper not covered by tape, she said it was easier to work with. Submerge the taped image in warm water until the paper is saturated and can easily be rubbed off with your finger. Take the image out of the water and slowly roll and rub the paper off until it is all gone. Be gentle. Once the paper is gone, just blot it dry to remove any remaining water. The beauty of transferring the image on tape is that the tape still stays sticky! You can add it to your new surface. Josie used a playing card to adhere it to. Trim the excess and voila you have a cool new transferred image. If you have a larger object to transfer she said you could use clear transfer paper. You will have to experiment with different copiers. You can't use an ink jet printer since you are submerging it in water, the image would run. A "fresh" copy would work best rather than one that has been sitting around for awhile. I can't wait to try this technique.

Happy crafting,
Madame Craftsalot

Faux Fun - Lampshade

Here is a project that was done on Creative Juice. I have done something similar. They used a typical grocery store brown paper bag for their project. Click on the title for a link to their instructions. I did mine a little differently. I used brown kraft builders paper found at Home Improvement stores. They applied theirs to a lampshade. I applied mine to a store bought plain white art canvas (used for painting). I cut a piece of paper about 2 inches larger than my canvas (in all directions). I used acrylic paint and painted the piece of paper in a light brownish color. Next I wrinkled the paper. Then I used an antiquing glaze over it. It really helped add some texture. Then I ripped the paper which left me with a rough, cool raw looking edge. I applied it to the canvas with wallpaper paste. It looks like real leather b/c of the brown tones that I used. It was a pretty easy project. I recommend trying it. I have seen it applied to chairs, furniture, etc. You can be creative. You can vary the steps depending on what kind of finished look that you want. If you don't want unpainted raw edges, then glaze it after you rip it or if you don't want too much texture, glaze it before you wrinkle it. I also took it one step further and added a brown stencil design just for the heck of it. I included an image of my finished project.

Happy Crafting,

Madame Craftsalot

Painting tips from B Original

I love to paint and one of my favorite shows today has some great tips. Michele Beschen of B Original had a segment on art and painting and once again a had a couple of tricks up her sleeve. One was to take a paint brush (like 1 1/2" or so wider) and wrap elastic bands around the bristles to bind them together and make a few different sections, she did 3. Load your brush and you have an easy way to paint stripes! Love it!

Every crafter is quickly learning that Home Improvement Stores and hardware stores can be a great place to find new tools to be creative. Another great tip from Michelle was to use perforated drywall tape to make a clutch of evenly-spaced dots. Fast and easy dots?!?! I'll try it! She also had some crazy kitchen tools she used to get some funky shapes, so go explore your utensils and get creative.

One final tip that I found useful was on preserving your paint brushes. She suggests to put a little petroleum jelly on the bristles after cleaning to help them retain their shape between uses. Michelle has her own website at http://www.couragetocreate.com/. It is under construction but worth a look! In the meantime, you can also find her on both HGTV and DIY Network as the host of B Original. It is must see TV!

Happy Crafting,
Madame Craftsalot

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog. I am addicted to HGTV and the DIY Network and every creative magazine in between. I have what I like to call "Crafting ADD", meaning I don't like to focus on just one craft; I like to do a whole variety of crafts. It keeps me from getting bored. My goal is to select my top favorite daily tips and projects shown on TV or in some craft magazines. I also want to help you find resources whether it is supplies, magazines, websites, etc. I figured I would share it with others since I am doing it for myself anyway. I welcome any feedback, favorite projects, websites, etc. so please pass them along and I will be sure to share it with you.
Happy crafting,
Madame Craftsalot

You can check out some of my latest creations at http://www.simpleimpressions.etsy.com