Rock-A-Bye Babies Mixed Media Tutorial

Mixed media assemblage is not something I do often and is a little out of my comfort zone but when I found a rusty old trowel that was partially covered in plaster at the thrift store,

I couldn't resist the urge to alter it!

Supplies:

Resin (I used ICE Resin® )

mica sheet
old rusty notched trowel that has some plaster crusted on it

sheet music

photo copy of poem

birch bark

photocopied graphics of birds and eggs (I found mind at the Graphics Fairy)

moss

twigs

2 screws

brown ink pad

hot glue

wire

drill

Instructions:

1. Tear sheet music to fit onto the trowel. Tear around the bird and egg graphics and the poem. Lightly rub each piece with brown ink to age them.
2.  Mix the resin according to the package instructions. Use a small piece of sponge or a sponge brush to cover the bird and egg graphic with the resin. Apply some resin to the trowel and cover with the sheet music and another coat of resin. Let the resin cure.
3. Drill two holes into the mica. Sandwich the poem between the bark and mica. Add glue to each screw and insert them into the holes in the mica with the screws ends poking through the bark to secure the layers together.
4. Bundle the twigs into a circle with some ends extending wildly outward from the center and secure with wire.
5. Hot glue the twigs into place on the trowel along with the bird and egg graphics. Glue moss to fill in gaps and to cover the glue.

 

Happy Creating!

Kathy

return to katalina jewelry's home page here

Photo Paperweight Tutorial

Make personalized paperweights
from inexpensive glass ashtrays!

 

Glass ashtrays are usually around $1 or less at the thrift stores,
are fairly heavy and make great personalized paper weights!

 

Materials and Tools

Glass ashtrays

Tissue paper

Photos or copies of originals

Modge Podge

Resin and containers to mix it in (I used ICE Resin®)
Scissors

Small paint brush for applying the Modge Podge
Printer

Instructions

1. Turn the ashtray upside down. Print and cut your photo to fit inside the recessed area of the ashtray. Use Modge Podge to glue in place. Let dry. Apply a layer of Modge Podge on top of the photo to seal it. Let dry.
2. Pour a layer of resin to cover the photo. Let cure.
3. Print lettering of your choice onto tissue paper. Trim as close to the lettering as possible. (The resin will cause the tissue paper to become fairly transparent but I don’t recommend putting it over the faces because it will cloud the image a little).
4. Use a tiny bit of resin to apply the tissue lettering into place (It would be best to do this step when you are mixing resin for another project since you’ll need so little). Let cure.
5. Pour resin to fill. Let cure.
6. Optional: Depending on the style of the ashtray, print out lettering and use Modge Podge to apply to the inside rim of the ashtray or across the bottom. If applying paper to the bottom, you will need to back it with a lightweight cardboard to prevent in from tearing.

Tips

1. Shop garage sales and thrift stores for glass ashtrays. Look for ones that have a slight recessed area on the bottom that will work well to hold the resin.
2. To print on tissue paper – Tape the tissue paper to a regular piece of printer paper so it will not get caught up in the printer.

Happy Creating!

Kathy

return to katalina jewelry's home page here