Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Four

day 4 ~ creative ways to make fun shapes

Welcome back again crafty~types. How are you getting on with your FP adventures? I’d love to hear your stories and see a link to your work...so don’t be shy...show us what you’ve made! :0)
Today we’re going to explore a few different ways to create interesting shapes out of our FP, using tools you probably already have to hand. So what are we waiting for...lets get started!

Technique nine ~ using cookie cutters

This has to be the most obvious and straightforward way to create clean, precise shapes that can be replicated again and again. The method is simple, heat your FP on a non~stick sheet either using the water or the heat~gun methods, and then sink the cookie cutter into place and push down firmly with your fingers or an acrylic block for more even pressure. Leave this to cool or plunge it into cold water, then simply remove the cutter and you will be left with both positive and negative shapes...both of which you can use on a project! Dipping the cutter in water or a little oil can aid release, but is not essential.




One of the benefits of this method of shape cutting is that you can choose a part of the pattern you like and cut exactly the spot you want as you can see into the shape. I love this method for making unique buttons to embellish cushions and papercraft projects and it simply involves using the embossing stylus dipped in oil and making 2 or 4 holes in the centre of your shape while its cooling.

Technique ten ~ using Sizzix dies

I sometimes wonder how we ever crafted without die~cutting machines...they have to be the ultimate versatile tool and one that i turn to again and again and again. Imagine how delighted i was when it finally occurred to me to die~cut FP! Lol
You will need the thick Sizzix dies to do this. I like to thin my FP, as we’ve done previously with an acrylic block or a craft iron. You can make the plastic much thinner by placing a non~stick craft sheet above and below the FP and gently ironing with a craft iron {no steam} on a low heat. However, if you are strong enough {this is where His Nibs comes in handy again} you can actually die~cut the solid strips as they are!

The technique is exactly like paper die~cutting, make your sandwich and roll away!
If you have a Sizzix alphabet this is a brilliant way to make your own version of *thickers* and save yourself a fortune...and also the annoyance of running out of the letters you need.

Technique eleven ~ punching holes and setting eyelets

This is fairly obvious really, but worth a mention. Cold FP can easily be punched with a regular office hole punch, with eyelet tools, and with a Cropadile or Big Bite. Use the holes to hang things, to thread ribbon or other pretty things through...or set an eyelet as i’ve done in the photo.

Butterfly Tag Project

And now to put all these techniques together.

This tag was created by cookie cutting two large and two small heart shapes. When cool, these were popped out of the cutter and arranged on a section of non~stick craft sheet in a butterfly shape. I then heated them gently and pressed in an strip of extra FP to create the butterfly’s body. I gently heated this and pushed into it 3 pearls and 2 curls of wire for the antennae. To create the shape, either hold the non~stick sheet in the desired position and plunge it into cold water, or do as i did and draw the two wings up by pegging together the two sides of the non~stick sheet to hold them as it cools.
Die~cut a largish piece of FP with a Sizzix tag die, trim off the end using scissors and embellish with a little fancy pearl trim. Set an eyelet into the tag hole and tie in some pretty fibres. Then either glue the butterfly into place, or as i’ve done here gently heat the tag and press it into place.

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s techniques and will have a go at making the project...i’d love to hear how you get on :0)