Saturday, March 5, 2011

Let's Get Caught Up!!!


First I'll start with the Precious Metal Clay class I took. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a very soft clay that comes in little tiny, weighed packages. You roll it, mold it, carve it, and sometimes (twice for me) break it, before you fire it in a kiln and it magically becomes pure silver!

Now, I thought, hey, I've played with Polymer clay. It can't be THAT difficult to make a ring! Ha! Boy, was I, and everyone else in the "beginners" class, totally wrong. This stuff dries out very quickly, cracks and breaks very easily, and is soft enough to make it difficult to make it into a completely even ring.


BUT, it was a real learning experience, and I'll go back for more. Teresa Kodatt the owner, taught the class, and she is AMAZINGLY talented as well as patient. Boy is she patient!!!


She fired the rings. Then we dropped it into Liver of Sulphur to add the etched color, polished it, and off I went.


It's a bit crude. But I love it. The texture is pretty cool, I think. Not at all what I envisioned, but really, really a fun piece.


Moving on......Tutorial on UTEE Embossed Metal Numbers!!! Yay!!! No, I didn't forget that I promised. (Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel)



1. Take a Numeral and push into embossing pad.



2. Using tweezers or just holding onto the sides, drop it into a jar of UTEE. Here I used Gold. Push it down all around to adhere UTEE.


3. Remove from the jar carefully. It will look like this. Not completely covered, but NOT to WORRY!


4. Using your Heat It Tool, heat on your Craft Sheet, until it all comes together. Don't overheat too much or it just slides off the number. See it starting to melt at the top? Scrape off extra from sheet with the Craft Scraper.

5. Add sprinkles of Platinum and Bronze as shown while it's still hot. Take Heat Tool away from this process or you will blow the UTEE all over the place. TRUST ME, I know from experience!


6. Add as much or as little as you like. Remember, this is metal, and it will get VERY hot!!! So let it cool a tad before touching. Clean off the edges with your fingernail or a wooden skewer while it's still warm. It cleans off very easily.

And you are DONE!!!

We're going to use these numbers in the Embossed Metal on Canvas classes I'm teaching.

Good news from Linda at Creative Cuts and Crafts today. The classes are 1/2 to 3/4 full already!!!!! I am so excited to get to go up there and meet all you great people. Getting kits ready to go as we speak!!!

So a fun little book I found yesterday while shopping with the Watercolor Chicks. Now I won't have to call my daughter and ask what the grouping of letters on FB meant in a post. Worth every penny.


Just a few of the bits of Tim goodness I got in on the doorstep Thursday. Whoo Hoo! Fun times ahead......

And this....my dear friend Ann's husband Phil has a museum of Farm Tractors from the family farm down in Southern Illinois. He is always finding me little bits of things that just make my heart race. They both think I'm WAY too EASILY amused, but that's OK!!!

I've gotten tiny metal purses, vintage cabinet cards, vintage buttons, cattle tags, print blocks, etc, etc, etc....but I nearly dropped my teeth when she handed me this little gem from Phil!!!


Can you believe it????? Grungy and broken. It's almost identical to Tim's reproductions. The head is a little smaller, but I know Ann thought I'd lost my mind until I showed her the new ones from Tim. Strange, very strange.....


So that's all I got! Just working away making up the kits for classes. Cutting paper, Grungeboard, Grungepaper, ribbon, chipboard, and all that fun stuff!!!


It's snowing on my tulips for Pete's sake!!!

Take care and be good to each other.

Linda

17 comments:

Lynne Forsythe said...

Fabby tut Linda!!! so I'm torn about which is better....the Tim~0~lish goodies or the book!!! ahhhh...I THINK.....GOODIES!!

PS>....SNOW has become a 4 letter word in my book....looking to get some Sunday...bahhhh humbug!!

Pam Perry said...

Love the ring, Linda! I had to give up PMC - got too pricy, and got hooked on Tim stuff! Love the tutorial too! Come to San Jose to teach!

moejoetreasures said...

Thanks Linda, for keeping your
promise !!! I appreciate that VERY
much ! I also liked all the rest
of let's play catch up !
Speaking of that.... I too, want
to share something with YOU !
I now officially have a new blog...
IF you want, please take a peek.
I am VERY new to blog, so don't
laugh too loud, ok? Thanks, tee-hee
moejoetreasures.blogspot.com
As ever, Moe :-)

Gretz said...

Thanks for visiting my blog ;-) I haven't been to yours (or really any one elses) for ages. Yours is always so full of beautiful things!

Oh how lucky getting a package from Tim-mee ;-)

Lynn Stevens said...

I've been wanting to take a precious metal class, Theres a guy here who teachs it, The stuff is so expensive though!!! Fun ring!!

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

ooh I have taken a class using PMC and it is soo fun! I still have some :( and that is from years ago at HIA ( now CHA!) lol love the metalising technique too :))
HUgs x

misteejay said...

Your ring is so cute - love the aged rustic look of it.

Certainly plenty of things to see in your catch-up.

We in the UK keep being told that snow is on its way back - hope not - as a nation we do not cope well with the white stuff.

Toni :o)

Helen said...

Wow, what goodies you have to show today!
The ring looks great - sounds like a fun class. Have a great day.

Sharon said...

Linda, I always look forward to your blog posts and today was no disappointment. Have never worked with UTEE, but might want to try now, since you have explained it so well. I also found the little texting booklet and love it AND actually found some little dolls just like yours at an Antique Faire recently. Fun!!

SusanK said...

Lots of eye candy today, Ms. Linda! Fun, fun, fun!!!! Yep, snowed like crazy here yesterday but it didn't stick yet awoke to a snow-covered landscape...at least enough to hide the bare spots and sticks. :)

Kaz Hall said...

wow just found your blog....lots of lovliness here love the tutorial thanks so much for sharing

kazx

Unknown said...

Thanks for the tutorial. I always get messed up when the heat tool blows the UTEE away. I didn't think the metal would stay hot enough. Now I know!

Elaine A said...

Hi Linda -

Told you you'd enjoy the PMC class - LOL! Your ring turned out wonderful, it has a well-loved aged look to it. Thanks for the tutorial! And I can't believe what your friend's husband found for you. I mean, what are the chances of that?! Very strange indeed!

Elaine Allen

Hels Sheridan said...

cool (or should that be HOT) tut Linda... LOVE that ring... I tried the clay once...erm... nuff said ROFL
Cute ickle dolly, am patiently waiting for mine to arrive xx

2amscrapper said...

Great work on the ring! I just bought my UTEE yesterday--in time for your great tutorial on how to use it with the numerals! YAY!

Linda B said...

visiting your blog is like stretching out on the sofa to relax...totally enjoyable and always makes me smile

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