...I've just published my first project for Bubbly Funk...its a canvas celebrating the fact that *life is good*...do pop over and see it...it and all the instructions are here :)
January 31, 2011
January 26, 2011
Rather exciting news!
I'm totally pumped to have some really very exciting news to share...i have been asked to join the super talented Design Team over at Bubbly Scrumptious, the blog for the fabulous Bubbly Funk shop. If you haven't checked it out yet...its both an online store and now a bricks and mortar shop too in Worcester town centre...pop in and i just might see you there!
I am going to be your Monday inspiration girl, posting on the Bubbly Scrumptious blog each week and chatting in the forum too :0)
check out my first post here :0)
i do hope you'll join me each Monday and the other lovely girls for the rest of the week too :0)
I am going to be your Monday inspiration girl, posting on the Bubbly Scrumptious blog each week and chatting in the forum too :0)
check out my first post here :0)
i do hope you'll join me each Monday and the other lovely girls for the rest of the week too :0)
January 25, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Seven
day 7 ~ the finale!
Wow! I can hardly believe i’ve been waffling on about Friendly Plastic for a whole week now...and there is still so much more i wanted to show you and talk to you about...maybe i’ll have to do another week long intensive blog tutorial later in the year...Do let me know if you’ve enjoyed this and would like more :0)
Other things i planned to cover include making your pieces permanent and protecting them, making jewellery, using gilding flakes, and using FP in mixed media projects. However, all is not lost, there are lots of truly inspiring FP artists out there who can teach all these things and more if you check out their blogs and websites. I thoroughly recommend checking out:
Liz Welch ~ as seen on Create and Craft :0)
Linda Peterson ~ the best FP tutorial on You Tube!
Jana Ewy ~ probably the most talented FP artist EVER!!
and there are lots more out there...just pop Friendly Plastic or AMACO into your search engine and they'll all pop up for you :0)
Wow! I can hardly believe i’ve been waffling on about Friendly Plastic for a whole week now...and there is still so much more i wanted to show you and talk to you about...maybe i’ll have to do another week long intensive blog tutorial later in the year...Do let me know if you’ve enjoyed this and would like more :0)
Other things i planned to cover include making your pieces permanent and protecting them, making jewellery, using gilding flakes, and using FP in mixed media projects. However, all is not lost, there are lots of truly inspiring FP artists out there who can teach all these things and more if you check out their blogs and websites. I thoroughly recommend checking out:
Liz Welch ~ as seen on Create and Craft :0)
Linda Peterson ~ the best FP tutorial on You Tube!
Jana Ewy ~ probably the most talented FP artist EVER!!
and there are lots more out there...just pop Friendly Plastic or AMACO into your search engine and they'll all pop up for you :0)
Anyway, back to today and our final project. i really wanted to show you a complete project that shows you how much you’ve learned so far. What i’ve designed is also meant to show once and for all that FP does not have to be girly, super shiny or garish in nature, so i’ve made this project entirely monochrome and a bit more sophisticated than most of the things i’ve shared so far and has a definite 60’s vibe, maaan.
To create this monochrome frame you will need 1 ½ sticks of FP in black and 1 ½ in white. As i’m using up all sorts of left overs, i used plastic in lots of different colours for my frame but chose pieces that were either black or white on the reverse and used that side for my squares. No point buying more when you don’t need to, huh?
Simply create 12 one inch squares using the techniques we’ve explored so far. I’ve used stamping, both with black in into white FP and black on black {which i think looks really classy}, marbling, extruding through sequin waste, embedding buttons, stripes and shape cutting with cookie cutters. I’ve also added a few pearls and sequins to the mix, and a dash of crystal glitter...just because i could! 
Now join your squares together using the hot water melding technique and adhere it to a ready~made frame, or construct your own as i did out of mount board. I used that super sticky tape that comes on the red rolls to stick mine and it holds really well. Add your photo, sit back and consider how far we’ve come from the simple frame we discussed on day one!
To create this monochrome frame you will need 1 ½ sticks of FP in black and 1 ½ in white. As i’m using up all sorts of left overs, i used plastic in lots of different colours for my frame but chose pieces that were either black or white on the reverse and used that side for my squares. No point buying more when you don’t need to, huh?
Simply create 12 one inch squares using the techniques we’ve explored so far. I’ve used stamping, both with black in into white FP and black on black {which i think looks really classy}, marbling, extruding through sequin waste, embedding buttons, stripes and shape cutting with cookie cutters. I’ve also added a few pearls and sequins to the mix, and a dash of crystal glitter...just because i could!
Now join your squares together using the hot water melding technique and adhere it to a ready~made frame, or construct your own as i did out of mount board. I used that super sticky tape that comes on the red rolls to stick mine and it holds really well. Add your photo, sit back and consider how far we’ve come from the simple frame we discussed on day one!
I really hope you’ve enjoyed and absorbed all this information and will give FP a go...what have you got to lose?
January 24, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Six
day 6 ~ 3-dimensional techniques
Welcome back after the weekend...i do hope you had a good one? Now, lets get started...
When you buy Friendly Plastic in flat strips it is easy to think it has to stay that way, but this is sooo not true. Using either the pellets or the sticks it is really fun to bend it round things...shape it over things...and enter the *third dimension!* Obviously there are many ways to mold the warm FP into 3~D shapes and today i will share a few of my favourites with you.
Technique fifteen~ freeform shaping
Freeform shaping simply means using your fingers, and other simple tools to make a unique 3~D shape. This can be as simple as rolling a bead or a coil, or as complex as creating a freestanding figurine. This is by no means my area of expertise, so you won’t be surprised to see that my examples are very simple.
The pebble~like heart shape that i’ve made was created by melting down some scraps of FP and shaping with my fingers and an embossing tool. Do be careful and keep dipping your fingers in cold water as you do this, partly so you don’t burn yourself, and partly so you don’t stick to the plastic!
The simple beads i’ve made were created from FP pellets, melted down and coloured with mica powders. They are really pearlescent in real life. To create the hole in the middle of a bead, simply drop the shaped bead into cold water for a few seconds and when it is hard enough on the outside, simply wiggle a pin through it. This takes a bit of trial and error to get the timing right, but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be beading everything in sight!
To show that you can also use the stick form of FP in a freeform way too, I’ve created the flower shape from a lovely pearly stick i had. I cut a rough circle with scissors from the cold plastic, heated it and shaped the petals with an embossing tool dipped in oil and then embedded a press stud in the middle. I reheated this slightly with my heat gun and then lightly curled up the petals.
Technique sixteen~ using a mold
Technique sixteen~ using a mold
If, like me, you are not a whizz at freeform modelling i am happy to report there are other methods of modelling. You can use all sorts of art and craft molds as long as they can tolerate the heat of the warmed plastic. I don’t personally have many of these molds, but the ones i used were designed for FIMO and worked perfectly.
Again, i’ve tried to show that you can use all forms of the FP with these molds. The pink elephant in my photos was created from pink strips cut into inch long sections placed one on top of another and melted down on a non~stick sheet using my Melt Pot as a hotplate. I lined the mold with lots of two tone mica powder in pearly gold and pink {Moon Glow Starlit Pink Gold} which gives a lovely sheen and aids release.
The other animals were made from pellets mixed with mica powders and melted into a translucent blob like we did in the last lesson. These are much easier to handle and manipulate, and when they were cooled I painted some elements with Ranger acrylic paint to give definition.
Technique seventeen~ using FP to make a mold for other sculpting media!
While we are on the subject of using molds, i thought i’d mention that you can also create molds from FP to use with cold modelling materials like air~drying clay and FIMO or Sculpey. Simply melt yourself a suitable sized blob and carefully push into it a button or a small ornament, being careful not to push so far that the FP comes up the sides of your object and keeps it for good! A little oil on the object makes this much easier. The super bonus of making molds this way is that when you are bored of them...you can simply melt the mold down and created something entirely different...as many times as you like :0)
The photo shows the warm FP with a metal charm pushed into it, which is how you create the mold. The pale blue shape is the mold made from the flower charm you can see.
All these molding techniques are a brilliant way to use up the scraps of FP you will undoubtedly have collected by now. Never throw those scraps out...simply re~melt them, re~mould them or re~colour them and start again!
Technique eighteen ~ the flat pack technique!
As i was thinking about 3~D pieces i wracked my brain for ways to make them for people who don’t like freeform modelling or don’t want to buy molds...and the *flat pack* technique was born. You know how it is when you go to the Swedish store we all love...everything is dismantled into flat sections that you simply assemble to create something rather wonderful...well that is how my mind works, and its what i’ve done to create the box illustrated!
Simply create 6 squares of FP, 5 exactly the same size and 1 a couple of mm larger. To create the box, you need to make joins between the touching surfaces and i’ve done this invisibly by dipping the edges i wish to join in hot water for a couple of seconds {60 on my Melt Pot}, then pressing them together. Easy, huh? To create the lip which stops the lid slipping off {the lid is upside down in the photo} i made 4 thin strips and attached them as i’ve just described, then i put the lid good side down and heated slightly and pressed the lip into the hot plastic. Its so cute!
Ok, i hope you’re having fun with all these techniques...as usual do leave me a comment if you have any questions and queries and i’ll do my best to help out...and don’t forget to join me tomorrow for our final day! Bye for now...
January 21, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Five
day 5 ~ colouring techniques and the art of making things double sided
Hello again gang! Can you believe its day 5 already???
Today we are going to focus on colouring FP, both changing its colour and recolouring parts of the plastic where the foil either is not present {on the back} or where it is exposed by our designs and we wish to rectify this. This is particularly important in pieces such as jewellery that you may wish to be double sided, so I will show you a couple of ways of achieving this.
Technique twelve ~ back to back shapes
The most obvious way to make a double sided piece is by making making double the pieces! If you make two pieces the same symmetrical shape, you can simply attach them back to back and both sides will be the *good* side. The pieces can be attached either by simply gently heating the back of one piece until it goes shiny {foiled sided down on the a non~stick sheet} and then gently pressing the back of the other piece into position. The heat in the first piece will cause the two pieces to fuse together. Alternatively, you can join the two pieces with a strong glue, like an epoxy glue.
One of the great things about this method is that you can easily sandwich a small item between the two pieces, especially useful if you are making jewellery, as a piece of wire sits neatly between the pieces which you can bend to make loops for beading or threading.
You can also make quite chunky pieces this way, as the finished piece will be a double layer. However, if you squash or iron the pieces before you join them its still possible to make really thin pieces too. Versatile, huh?
This technique was used to create my red and gold necklace {heat melded} and the blue and gold keyfob {glued}.
Technique thirteen ~ using foils on *raw* FP
If you’ve been playing along with me, you’ll have noticed by now that the back of a piece of FP is different to the front. The back may be black, white, or coloured, but it is not foiled prettily like the front of the FP strip. I think of this as the *raw* side and to me this means two things: it doesn’t look so nice, and when its warm it sticks to your fingers if you’re not careful!
In order to get around this it is possible to foil the *raw* side {and any pieces that become *raw* as you play with the FP}. No technique could be easier than this. Simply heat your FP foil side down on a non~stick sheet until the *raw* side starts to shine. This is very quick! Then simply take a sheet of transfer foil and press it gently foil side up, onto your warm FP and gently smooth your fingertip over the top. The stickiness of the warmed plastic will lift the foil from its clear plastic carrier and when its cool it will simply lift away leaving a blank space on the foil sheet as you can see in the picture. {The foil i've used is by Colourcraft.}
This technique can also be applied to the edges of cut pieces too as a finishing touch by simply dipping the edges quickly into warm water and then rubbing the foil gently into place with your finger. Its a great way to finish off a jewellery item and make it look really professional :0)
The FP pellets, which we’ll come to in a moment, have no foiling on them at all and are effectively *raw*. Foiling the molded pellets is also a simple way to create super metallic, shiny pieces.
Another great use of this technique is to refoil scrap FP...but we’ll talk about scraps more on day 7...
As well as in stick form, you can buy FP in plain white pellet form, and this is a great way to create subtle colours of FP for your projects.
To create a single coloured piece of FP {though not a flat tone as the finished piece will be mottled with colour} heat your pellets in a cookie cutter {to stop them blowing/rolling away} until they melt. At this point they will glisten like jewels and its worth doing it just to see this stage as its sooo beautiful!! To create a multi~tonal piece of FP add pellets of several colours into the cookie cutter and heat. Leave to cool or plunge into cold water and then work with it like any other piece of FP.
There are obviously hundreds of other media that could be used to colour and recolour FP. Topically you can use alcohol inks to alter the colour of foils just as you would on glossy cardstock, but you are not limited to inks...think oil paint, nail varnish and gilding flakes too! Experiment, have a go...and if it works well...be sure and let me know so i can have a go too :0)
Ok, so now to today’s little project. I’ve created a brooch piece using some of today’s techniques and you could too...here’s how:
Construct a piece of stripey FP as we did on day two, and without squashing it, sink two cookie cutters into it, a circle and a smaller heart. Leave it to cool. Separate the pieces and keep the circle with the heart shaped hole in it handy.
Warm a piece of FP slightly bigger than the circle cutter and with wet fingers carefully ease it outwards from the middle, breaking up the foiled pattern. While this is still warm, lay a sheet of transfer foil over it and gently buff with your finger tips. When it cools completely lift the transfer film away.
Now very gently warm the foiled piece and push the circle piece into it. Add a blue pearl while its still warm and then leave it to cool. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy...a perfect piece to use as an embellishment, a brooch or a pendant!
Thats it for today...and i’ve decided to give myself the weekend off...so days six and seven will be next week! Have a super fun weekend...maybe treat yourself to a little FP and have a go...and then come back and tell me how you got on!
Hello again gang! Can you believe its day 5 already???
Today we are going to focus on colouring FP, both changing its colour and recolouring parts of the plastic where the foil either is not present {on the back} or where it is exposed by our designs and we wish to rectify this. This is particularly important in pieces such as jewellery that you may wish to be double sided, so I will show you a couple of ways of achieving this.
Technique twelve ~ back to back shapes
The most obvious way to make a double sided piece is by making making double the pieces! If you make two pieces the same symmetrical shape, you can simply attach them back to back and both sides will be the *good* side. The pieces can be attached either by simply gently heating the back of one piece until it goes shiny {foiled sided down on the a non~stick sheet} and then gently pressing the back of the other piece into position. The heat in the first piece will cause the two pieces to fuse together. Alternatively, you can join the two pieces with a strong glue, like an epoxy glue.
One of the great things about this method is that you can easily sandwich a small item between the two pieces, especially useful if you are making jewellery, as a piece of wire sits neatly between the pieces which you can bend to make loops for beading or threading.
You can also make quite chunky pieces this way, as the finished piece will be a double layer. However, if you squash or iron the pieces before you join them its still possible to make really thin pieces too. Versatile, huh?
This technique was used to create my red and gold necklace {heat melded} and the blue and gold keyfob {glued}.
Technique thirteen ~ using foils on *raw* FP
If you’ve been playing along with me, you’ll have noticed by now that the back of a piece of FP is different to the front. The back may be black, white, or coloured, but it is not foiled prettily like the front of the FP strip. I think of this as the *raw* side and to me this means two things: it doesn’t look so nice, and when its warm it sticks to your fingers if you’re not careful!
In order to get around this it is possible to foil the *raw* side {and any pieces that become *raw* as you play with the FP}. No technique could be easier than this. Simply heat your FP foil side down on a non~stick sheet until the *raw* side starts to shine. This is very quick! Then simply take a sheet of transfer foil and press it gently foil side up, onto your warm FP and gently smooth your fingertip over the top. The stickiness of the warmed plastic will lift the foil from its clear plastic carrier and when its cool it will simply lift away leaving a blank space on the foil sheet as you can see in the picture. {The foil i've used is by Colourcraft.}
This technique can also be applied to the edges of cut pieces too as a finishing touch by simply dipping the edges quickly into warm water and then rubbing the foil gently into place with your finger. Its a great way to finish off a jewellery item and make it look really professional :0)
The FP pellets, which we’ll come to in a moment, have no foiling on them at all and are effectively *raw*. Foiling the molded pellets is also a simple way to create super metallic, shiny pieces.
Another great use of this technique is to refoil scrap FP...but we’ll talk about scraps more on day 7...
Technique fourteen~ recolouring FP using other art media
I have only just discovered these pellets...so I’m still playing around to find out what works best here. So far i’ve discovered that you can colour them beautifully and delicately with a few drops of Ranger Alcohol Inks...which is perfect as i have a whole collection of them! :0)
To do this, pour a handful of pellets into a small heat resistant container {i’ve used the little tins that tea~light candles come in} and add a few drops of alcohol ink. Mix gently and add more drops of colour if you want a deeper hue. The ability to do this means that you can create your own *shades* that will perfectly tone and make matching colours a dream. *Hurrah!*
To create a single coloured piece of FP {though not a flat tone as the finished piece will be mottled with colour} heat your pellets in a cookie cutter {to stop them blowing/rolling away} until they melt. At this point they will glisten like jewels and its worth doing it just to see this stage as its sooo beautiful!! To create a multi~tonal piece of FP add pellets of several colours into the cookie cutter and heat. Leave to cool or plunge into cold water and then work with it like any other piece of FP.
There are obviously hundreds of other media that could be used to colour and recolour FP. Topically you can use alcohol inks to alter the colour of foils just as you would on glossy cardstock, but you are not limited to inks...think oil paint, nail varnish and gilding flakes too! Experiment, have a go...and if it works well...be sure and let me know so i can have a go too :0)
Ok, so now to today’s little project. I’ve created a brooch piece using some of today’s techniques and you could too...here’s how:
Construct a piece of stripey FP as we did on day two, and without squashing it, sink two cookie cutters into it, a circle and a smaller heart. Leave it to cool. Separate the pieces and keep the circle with the heart shaped hole in it handy.
Warm a piece of FP slightly bigger than the circle cutter and with wet fingers carefully ease it outwards from the middle, breaking up the foiled pattern. While this is still warm, lay a sheet of transfer foil over it and gently buff with your finger tips. When it cools completely lift the transfer film away.
Now very gently warm the foiled piece and push the circle piece into it. Add a blue pearl while its still warm and then leave it to cool. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy...a perfect piece to use as an embellishment, a brooch or a pendant!
Thats it for today...and i’ve decided to give myself the weekend off...so days six and seven will be next week! Have a super fun weekend...maybe treat yourself to a little FP and have a go...and then come back and tell me how you got on!
ps
just popping back to say...i forgot to mention why i cropped that last photo so oddly, but it was to show you what the pellets look like when they cool. The colours are much more subtle and waxy looking...really pretty!
January 20, 2011
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!
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)
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
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)
January 19, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Three
day 3 ~ more ways to play with the pattern and surface texture
Welcome to our third day of Friendly Plastic fun. Today we will look at more techniques for making patterns and playing with the texture of FP. We will also put this into practice making a cover for a mini~book.
Technique five ~ creating pattern with rubber stamps
Those of you who are paying attention will remember that we used rubber stamps yesterday with warm FP to make indentations in the surface texture, but this is not all we can use rubber stamps for. We can also stamp onto the cold FP to add pattern and interest, even text, which is perfect for little messages, gift tags, and scrapbooking too.
In the photo the piece on the left has been stamped with Stazon and the piece on the right has been embossed with black embossing powder. The stamp {just in case you were wondering} is one by the fabulously talented Tim of Holtz.
To stamp onto cold FP it is best to work on a piece that has been flattened smooth and you will need to use a permanent inkpad like Stazon. Simply stamp as you would on a piece of cardstock and leave for a few moments to dry. Just like when stamping onto any shiny surface...be careful not to slide your stamp around and ruin your image.
You might be suprised to know that you can also heat emboss onto cold FP which gives a lovely finish, different to that on cardstock, almost sinking into the surface of the piece . Embossing onto FP takes a few more seconds with your heat gun than you are used to, but is really versatile as you can vary how much the pattern sinks by varying how long you heat the piece for. Cool, huh?
Technique six ~ creating pattern and texture with embossing folders
I love to use my crafty tools in as many ways as possible...value for money and all that...and embossing folders cross over from paper~crafting to FP~crafting perfectly. Cold, slightly squished FP sheets can be popped through the Big Shot {or other die~cutter} and with a little extra ooomph they emboss just like cardstock. {The weedy weeklings out there will need assistance like i do, getting my DH to turn the handle for me!}
If you don’t happen to have a big, strong man to hand, all is not lost however as you can gently warm your FP and place it into the embossing folder whilst warm enough to bend and flex but not so hot that you can’t pick it up. You will need to lightly spritz the inside of your folder with water to act as a release agent, and be careful of your fingers as the edges of hot FP can be a bit like molten sugar and super sticky. When the temperature is right a little cold water on your hands should allow you to manoeuvre it into place. All you need to do then is simply squash the folder by pressing gently on it...and leave it to cool. This technique is a little bit trickier, but with minimal practice you’ll soon get the hang of it. :0)
Technique eight ~ creating further interest by embedding items
Our final technique for today is another simple one. By pressing small items into warm FP you can trap them in the plastic making for an interesting surface texture. To trap items it is necessary to push them in far enough that the FP comes up around them slightly in order that it can hold them when its cold. Alternatively, as i’ve done with the small mirror here, you can push the item into the warm FP to make an indentation and then when its cold, glue it in to place.
I have no idea how many tiny things you could try this with, i’ve used glitter, tiny beads, chips of sea glass, buttons...this really is a case of look around you and see what you have that might be worth a try! With the purple and silver piece in the centre of the picture here, i have dropped tiny chips of glass called *Byzantia* into the FP and then flattened it with an acrylic block to make the surface smooth. I love this effect!
Welcome to our third day of Friendly Plastic fun. Today we will look at more techniques for making patterns and playing with the texture of FP. We will also put this into practice making a cover for a mini~book.
Technique five ~ creating pattern with rubber stamps
Those of you who are paying attention will remember that we used rubber stamps yesterday with warm FP to make indentations in the surface texture, but this is not all we can use rubber stamps for. We can also stamp onto the cold FP to add pattern and interest, even text, which is perfect for little messages, gift tags, and scrapbooking too.
In the photo the piece on the left has been stamped with Stazon and the piece on the right has been embossed with black embossing powder. The stamp {just in case you were wondering} is one by the fabulously talented Tim of Holtz.
To stamp onto cold FP it is best to work on a piece that has been flattened smooth and you will need to use a permanent inkpad like Stazon. Simply stamp as you would on a piece of cardstock and leave for a few moments to dry. Just like when stamping onto any shiny surface...be careful not to slide your stamp around and ruin your image.
You might be suprised to know that you can also heat emboss onto cold FP which gives a lovely finish, different to that on cardstock, almost sinking into the surface of the piece . Embossing onto FP takes a few more seconds with your heat gun than you are used to, but is really versatile as you can vary how much the pattern sinks by varying how long you heat the piece for. Cool, huh?
Technique six ~ creating pattern and texture with embossing folders
I love to use my crafty tools in as many ways as possible...value for money and all that...and embossing folders cross over from paper~crafting to FP~crafting perfectly. Cold, slightly squished FP sheets can be popped through the Big Shot {or other die~cutter} and with a little extra ooomph they emboss just like cardstock. {The weedy weeklings out there will need assistance like i do, getting my DH to turn the handle for me!}
If you don’t happen to have a big, strong man to hand, all is not lost however as you can gently warm your FP and place it into the embossing folder whilst warm enough to bend and flex but not so hot that you can’t pick it up. You will need to lightly spritz the inside of your folder with water to act as a release agent, and be careful of your fingers as the edges of hot FP can be a bit like molten sugar and super sticky. When the temperature is right a little cold water on your hands should allow you to manoeuvre it into place. All you need to do then is simply squash the folder by pressing gently on it...and leave it to cool. This technique is a little bit trickier, but with minimal practice you’ll soon get the hang of it. :0)
The photo shows a warm piece of FP {complete with sticky edges so i could remember which was which} on the left and a cold embossed piece on the right.
Technique seven ~ creating texture with through extrusion!
This technique is achieved by warming the FP thoroughly on a non~stick craft mat and then laying a mesh~like material over it. You can then lift the mat and pull it over the edge of your desk in a curvy motion to ease the plastic through the holes, or you can push with your fingers from behind the mat. As always play around with this and do whichever suits you best.
In this photo you can see that i’ve extruded the FP through sequin waste and bits of left over lace trim, but the number of things you could use is huge...try hessian for example, or the plastic packaging the oranges sometimes come in...again...if you think of anything that works really well...please pop back and share it with us all!
Technique eight ~ creating further interest by embedding items
Our final technique for today is another simple one. By pressing small items into warm FP you can trap them in the plastic making for an interesting surface texture. To trap items it is necessary to push them in far enough that the FP comes up around them slightly in order that it can hold them when its cold. Alternatively, as i’ve done with the small mirror here, you can push the item into the warm FP to make an indentation and then when its cold, glue it in to place.
I have no idea how many tiny things you could try this with, i’ve used glitter, tiny beads, chips of sea glass, buttons...this really is a case of look around you and see what you have that might be worth a try! With the purple and silver piece in the centre of the picture here, i have dropped tiny chips of glass called *Byzantia* into the FP and then flattened it with an acrylic block to make the surface smooth. I love this effect!
Now, to start to put all these techniques together, i've created a little mini~book with a cover made entirely from FP. Do you think you could do this yet?
Of course you could! Simply cut 12 strips of FP and melt to fuse them, squashing with an acrylic block. When this is cool pop it into your BIA machine to make the binding holes {or use a hole punch}, then gently spot heat areas of the cover you wish to embellish with more FP pieces and press them into place {simple heat will join them together there is no need for glue}. Add a bling swirl and bind to create your first FP mini~book!
I do hope you've enjoyed all i've shared so far. Thanks for the lovely comments and do speak up if you have any questions and queries...i'll always do my best to answer them for you!
ok, enough for today...its nearly time for tea! enjoy the journey...xxx
January 18, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day Two
day 2 ~ making patterns and playing with surface texture
Hello again...welcome to the second day of Friendly Plastic play. Yesterday, we had a very simple introduction to FP, and i went easy on you so anyone who hadn’t played before could have a go and create a little something. Today...i want to work you a bit harder! ;0) We’ll be using the heat gun today, which heats the FP with a dry heat and is a bit more difficult to control...but when you get the hang of it, you’ll soon see it has definite advantages.
Right, so now we know how to join small pieces of FP together we can now move onto making our own marks and patterns in the plastic...and there are lots of ways of doing this!
Technique two ~ making stripes and variations on them
By combining 2 or more coloured sticks and cutting them into strips we can create stripey pieces of FP in all manner of styles...think thick stripes, thin stripes, a mixture of the two...and as many colours as you like!
Simply cut your strips with sturdy scissors, align them in a pleasing fashion on a piece of non~stick sheet and heat gently for a few seconds with the heat gun until you see the edges soften and the pieces join together.
As you’ll see from the photo, this method of joining gives a beautiful curvy shaped surface to each stripe, which i love {the bottom piece in the photo}...but you can get rid of this if you want a smooth texture by simply placing an acrylic block gently on top while the FP is still warm {the top piece in the photo}. Leave the block in place until the piece cools and hardens and it will simply fall away.
Using an acrylic block to gently *squash* the FP is an excellent way to thin it too {which we’ll come onto tomorrow} and to give yourself a sturdy piece of stripey plastic with no gaps in it. Sometimes you might want gaps though, in this case simply place the unheated pieces slightly apart or at angles to each other...and then heat to bond where they touch.
Of course you don’t have to stick with stripes to use this method, try triangles and squares for a patchwork look...and you can even cut up your stripey strips, realign them, and create a patchwork effect that way too...just play!
Technique three ~ swirling and marbling colours together
Another fun and simple way to make interesting patterns is to marble several colours together. This is done just as before with shapes cut and heated gently to meld together. While the FP is still warm you can gently swirl with an embossing stylus to create interesting patterns {the top piece in the photo} or gently drag a marbling comb through the top surface of the FP first left, then right, to create the patterns illustrated {the bottom piece in the photo}.
Hello again...welcome to the second day of Friendly Plastic play. Yesterday, we had a very simple introduction to FP, and i went easy on you so anyone who hadn’t played before could have a go and create a little something. Today...i want to work you a bit harder! ;0) We’ll be using the heat gun today, which heats the FP with a dry heat and is a bit more difficult to control...but when you get the hang of it, you’ll soon see it has definite advantages.
Right, so now we know how to join small pieces of FP together we can now move onto making our own marks and patterns in the plastic...and there are lots of ways of doing this!
Technique two ~ making stripes and variations on them
By combining 2 or more coloured sticks and cutting them into strips we can create stripey pieces of FP in all manner of styles...think thick stripes, thin stripes, a mixture of the two...and as many colours as you like!
Simply cut your strips with sturdy scissors, align them in a pleasing fashion on a piece of non~stick sheet and heat gently for a few seconds with the heat gun until you see the edges soften and the pieces join together.
As you’ll see from the photo, this method of joining gives a beautiful curvy shaped surface to each stripe, which i love {the bottom piece in the photo}...but you can get rid of this if you want a smooth texture by simply placing an acrylic block gently on top while the FP is still warm {the top piece in the photo}. Leave the block in place until the piece cools and hardens and it will simply fall away.
Using an acrylic block to gently *squash* the FP is an excellent way to thin it too {which we’ll come onto tomorrow} and to give yourself a sturdy piece of stripey plastic with no gaps in it. Sometimes you might want gaps though, in this case simply place the unheated pieces slightly apart or at angles to each other...and then heat to bond where they touch.
Of course you don’t have to stick with stripes to use this method, try triangles and squares for a patchwork look...and you can even cut up your stripey strips, realign them, and create a patchwork effect that way too...just play!
Technique three ~ swirling and marbling colours together
Another fun and simple way to make interesting patterns is to marble several colours together. This is done just as before with shapes cut and heated gently to meld together. While the FP is still warm you can gently swirl with an embossing stylus to create interesting patterns {the top piece in the photo} or gently drag a marbling comb through the top surface of the FP first left, then right, to create the patterns illustrated {the bottom piece in the photo}.
You can see that i overheated the marbled piece slightly and so the plastic became a little too molten, making it spike and stick at the edges...i’ve shown you this...so you’ll know what not to do!!
While the FP is warm you can also use your embossing stylus to make indentations, small holes, and to stretch out shapes as i’ve done on the edges of this example...this is a really useful way to create fun shapes as you’ll see later in the week.
Whenever using tools to shape your FP you will need to dip them in a little cooking oil to prevent them sticking to the hot FP.
Technique four ~ creating surface texture with rubber stamps
The simplest way is to literally sink your stamp into warm FP, leave it to cool, and gently prize it away {this is not usually difficult, unless you melt plastic onto the wooden block too!} All types of stamp can be used: wood mounted/unmounted/acrylic, as they are created under high heat pressure...they won’t come to any harm from a little Friendly Plastic encounter. The advantage of acrylic stamps is that you can see directly through to gauge how much pressure you are achieving...the advantages of rubber stamps is that they are often more deeply etched...so you can get a deeper impression.
You can do this technique with a permanent ink too for a different look. Notice how much more obvious the pattern is when i’ve applied Brilliance Graphite Black ink to the same stamp before using it. The stamp is by Judi Kins for anyone who likes it :0)
An alternative to stamping with ink is to increase the contrast after its cooled by rubbing a little Stazon ink over the design or a little dark acrylic paint, or Stickles to add some sparkle.
As always have a play with what you have on hand...and you don’t need to limit yourself to actual stamps either...have a go with buttons and nail heads or anything you feel won’t melt, and can preferably be dipped in oil to aid release...you might be suprised what you can find that will create an interesting texture for you...and if you find something marvellous...do share it with the rest of us, eh? :0)
Of course...you don't have to stamp into a a single colour piece of FP...you can stamp into your stripes and swirly designs too! I think that might be enough for today...so i'll leave you have a play and practice these techniques before we move onto some new ideas for tomorrow. I couldn't leave you without a few ideas of what you can do with your practice pieces though...so below i've created a necklace, a phone/bag charm, an enamelled brooch {covering the piece totally in glossy accents and leaving it to dry overnight}, and a card topper with a little bling and few liquid pearls...now go...create beautiful things!
A note about cold water
If you are a speedy or impatient crafter you can immerse your hot FP into a bowl of cold water to harden it instantly with all these techniques...i don’t tend to bother as i just wait a couple of minutes and work on another piece...but it works brilliantly if you’re in a hurry! Simply dry them with a soft towel when you take them out :0)
Answers for Alexa:
1) How many times can the same be re-heated/moulded? Is it just once?
you can actually reheat and remould a piece of FP several times...possibly infinitely and i often reheat it several times in the process of one project...the thing to be mindful of is disturbing the foil coloured coating and ruining your patterns/colours. FP can be recoloured and we will talk about this later in the week :0)
2) You pressed a flower into yours to get it to stick. If you press something in and then remove it, will it hold the mark - like a mould?
funny you should ask this today...as that is just what i've been doing...if you still have any questions about this just shout :0)
January 17, 2011
Friendly Plastic Masterclass ~ Day One
hi gang, today we are going to focus on the basics, for those of you out there who may not have used friendly plastic before...so lets start at the very beginning {hums to self...}
ok, so what is friendly plastic?
Manufactured by Amaco, Friendly Plastic is a fun and easy to use lightweight modelling material that comes in a variety of beautiful coloured sticks {they look and feel a bit like a stiffer version of those shatterproof rulers i had in my school days}, or as a bag full of small white pellets. To begin with we will look at the plastic strips as these are the easiest way to get started...and i am all for easy!
Essentially, the plastic is fashioned into whatever creation you want by heating it, whereby the texture softens so either the surface or the whole piece can be manipulated. When your piece cools down it will harden again, and the shape will remain unless the piece is reheated. A useful property of FP is that when it is warm, it sticks to itself...enabling colours to be mixed and pieces to be layered or welded very easily. FP is also a very lightweight material making it ideal to use for papercrafting embellishments without weighing down your scrapbook or making your cards fall over on their fronts ;0)
You can heat the FP by two methods;
dry heat, using a heat gun or a baking tray in the oven, or wet heat, using hot water in a bowl or a temperature controlled pot {this is a good use of your Melt Pot if you have one, set the temperature to between 60~80}. Today we will use the wet heat method.
what do you need to get started?
For today's simple project you will need:
2 strips of FP in co~ordinating colours {i’ve used one solid colour and one patterned}
a bowl of hot water or a melt pot,
a small piece of non~stick craft sheet/teflon or a piece of sturdy aluminium foil
clean towel
a pair of sturdy scissors
{optional ~ magnetic paper or small magnets, small flower to embellish}
Technique one ~ joining pieces of FP
Using the sturdy scissors, cut 4 roughly equal sized strips of FP, two from each colour. Place one of the strips onto the non~stick sheet or foil and carefully float this on top of the hot water until you see the edges soften as the FP melts.
Carefully, lift the sheet out of the water onto a towel and gently press the next piece of FP into the first as in the picture.
Refloat this and repeat until you have all 4 strips in place, then use a pokey tool or similar to sink the piece and ensure all the joins have bonded together.
Lift the sheet back out onto the towel and gently press a flower or other charm into one corner. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool completely and harden...and voila...you have just created your first FP piece!
I have finished mine by attaching a small photo and a piece of magnetic paper to the back...and stuck it to the fridge :0) i think its quite cute to have a mini~framed portrait of the whole family...sort of like a rogues gallery in the kitchen!
ok, so what is friendly plastic?
Manufactured by Amaco, Friendly Plastic is a fun and easy to use lightweight modelling material that comes in a variety of beautiful coloured sticks {they look and feel a bit like a stiffer version of those shatterproof rulers i had in my school days}, or as a bag full of small white pellets. To begin with we will look at the plastic strips as these are the easiest way to get started...and i am all for easy!
Essentially, the plastic is fashioned into whatever creation you want by heating it, whereby the texture softens so either the surface or the whole piece can be manipulated. When your piece cools down it will harden again, and the shape will remain unless the piece is reheated. A useful property of FP is that when it is warm, it sticks to itself...enabling colours to be mixed and pieces to be layered or welded very easily. FP is also a very lightweight material making it ideal to use for papercrafting embellishments without weighing down your scrapbook or making your cards fall over on their fronts ;0)
You can heat the FP by two methods;
dry heat, using a heat gun or a baking tray in the oven, or wet heat, using hot water in a bowl or a temperature controlled pot {this is a good use of your Melt Pot if you have one, set the temperature to between 60~80}. Today we will use the wet heat method.
what do you need to get started?
For today's simple project you will need:
2 strips of FP in co~ordinating colours {i’ve used one solid colour and one patterned}
a bowl of hot water or a melt pot,
a small piece of non~stick craft sheet/teflon or a piece of sturdy aluminium foil
clean towel
a pair of sturdy scissors
{optional ~ magnetic paper or small magnets, small flower to embellish}
Technique one ~ joining pieces of FP
Using the sturdy scissors, cut 4 roughly equal sized strips of FP, two from each colour. Place one of the strips onto the non~stick sheet or foil and carefully float this on top of the hot water until you see the edges soften as the FP melts.
Carefully, lift the sheet out of the water onto a towel and gently press the next piece of FP into the first as in the picture.
Refloat this and repeat until you have all 4 strips in place, then use a pokey tool or similar to sink the piece and ensure all the joins have bonded together.
Lift the sheet back out onto the towel and gently press a flower or other charm into one corner. Leave for about 5 minutes to cool completely and harden...and voila...you have just created your first FP piece!
I have finished mine by attaching a small photo and a piece of magnetic paper to the back...and stuck it to the fridge :0) i think its quite cute to have a mini~framed portrait of the whole family...sort of like a rogues gallery in the kitchen!
ok, so now i want to have a go...where can i get supplies?
Friendly Plastic is widely available at most general craft shops but online there are good selections at:
That's all for today...i hope you liked my simple introduction to this fascinating and versatile medium...if you have any queries or questions...just leave them in the comments section and i'll do my best to answer them for you :0) and don't forget to join me tomorrow for a new project and a new technique!
January 16, 2011
welcome to my friendly plastic masterclass :0)
in the spirit of this friendly medium...i offer you a very friendly hello...a warm smile...and week long blog posting of tips, ideas, techniques and projects using this very versatile medium!
i will endeavour to show you how you can use this very budget friendly item to create embellishments for your cards, scrapbooks, body and home :0)
i will endeavour to show you how you can use this very budget friendly item to create embellishments for your cards, scrapbooks, body and home :0)
be sure and pop in every day this week...and play along with me...don't be shy about posting me links to your friendly plastic creations, too...i find you guys seriously inspiring!
January 13, 2011
a quick share...
...ever stuck for stamping inspiration? check out this fabulous gallery of ideas!! its awesome!
January 05, 2011
a little bit of philosophy....
...and you don't get that here very often ;0)
as someone who has studied a fair bit of psychology and psychotherapy...i can't resist an opportunity to add a little Carl Rodgers quote to a project:
this is the part of the january prompt for ali's one little word class...my word for the year is grow, and this quote speaks to me of the need to accept who i am now, in order to allow myself to grow into the future
the complete page is here:
it centres around a definition of the word grow...created from a mixture of rub on letters and handwriting...
just for fun...and as a chance to wish all you wednesday people a very happy new year...here is my dreadfully chaotic desk...and a glimpse at my shelf...which you'll see also needs a serious tidy!!
as someone who has studied a fair bit of psychology and psychotherapy...i can't resist an opportunity to add a little Carl Rodgers quote to a project:
this is the part of the january prompt for ali's one little word class...my word for the year is grow, and this quote speaks to me of the need to accept who i am now, in order to allow myself to grow into the future
the complete page is here:
it centres around a definition of the word grow...created from a mixture of rub on letters and handwriting...
...for the eagle~eyed amongst you...if you're wondering why i haven't shown you the left hand side of this spread...that is because its a photo based page...and i'm still waiting for ink for my printer...so i can't add the photo until it arrives!!
just for fun...and as a chance to wish all you wednesday people a very happy new year...here is my dreadfully chaotic desk...and a glimpse at my shelf...which you'll see also needs a serious tidy!!
thanks for stopping by...and do pop over to julia's place to say hi to her...and to all the other wednesday folk!
January 02, 2011
One Little Word for 2011...
to kick off my scrapping year, i've joined ali edwards' class over at big picture classes called *one little word*...if you fancy joining in...you can find all the details here :0)
the basic premise is to pick a word to think about and ruminate on during the year...seeing where it takes you personally and creatively...my word is grow...and i have high hopes for a ton of personal growth/development as well as creative growth over the coming year.
the basic premise is to pick a word to think about and ruminate on during the year...seeing where it takes you personally and creatively...my word is grow...and i have high hopes for a ton of personal growth/development as well as creative growth over the coming year.
the word grow instinctively makes me think of plant and animal life, developing before your very eyes...which is why i chose to highlight my word with a bright and hopeful looking flower...to emphasis my hopes...
the flower head is pre~made {prima} but i've created the stem with some ribbon trim and a fine tip glue...topped off with a cute bow made from the remainder of the length of ribbon used to underline my title
the flower head is pre~made {prima} but i've created the stem with some ribbon trim and a fine tip glue...topped off with a cute bow made from the remainder of the length of ribbon used to underline my title
***hint***
repeating the use of the same ribbon in two different ways gives extra emphasis and allows you to use up the full length! i love repetition in design, its a slick way to add weight to an idea and creates a comfortable familiarity on a page too :0)
so there it is...the first LO of the year...and not a photo in sight!! lol
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