inCOGnito

Here is the latest box, Calico Crafts sent me a pack of watch parts a while back now and I have finaly put them to use on this wooden box!

I applied gesso to the lid of the box thickly and sprinkled the small cogs and watch parts into it and allowed it to dry before decorating with Americana Acrylic paints and Distress inks.



I used an old typewriter key for the handle which was kindly sent to me from Louise over at Alter it Monthly.

Think I will use it to keep all my small watch parts in……….Hold on…errrr….ummmm.. I've just used them all!

Andy

Asian Tea Caddie

Hi all,
apologies if you are receiving this post for the second time but blogger deleted it yesterday!

Here is one of the latest projects I have been working on.
An Asian box from Decopatch as pictured below.


I decided to turn it into a tea caddie using products from Decoart & Ranger.

I will attempt to give you a quick run through of what I did.
Detail was first added to the lid with a gold Americana writer to give the appearance of rivets.

The lid was then base coated with Decoart Dazzling Metallic Emperors gold followed by a coat of their Weathered Wood medium.
Once dry, one coat of Americana Buttermilk was applied on top. As it starts to crack the gold will shine through.

Two coats of Buttermilk Acrylic were then applied to the base.
Once dry, Weathered Wood Distress ink was then blended onto the lid, edges and the bottom of the base.
The box was then sprayed with a coat of Americana Matte sealer to set the distress ink.
Versamark was then stamped onto the base using a Tim Holtz stamp from the Floral Tattoo set and Bronze Perfect pearls Dusted on top.

Decopatch Jewels, tea labels and charms were then glued on with Ranger Matte Glue and Seal and a Fimo ball painted with Emperors Gold placed onto a cocktail stick, pushed through and glued into the centre of the lid.

Phew….Tea anyone?

Andy

Steampunk Time Machine

Hello all,
I have wanted to have a go at altering a box steampunk style for a while now but time has always been an issue for me, so I have taken full advantage of the Easter break and gone for it.
Choosing the box was the first hurdle but I decided on the Decopatch Papier Machie writing box pictured below.

The first thing It needed was a lid so I cut one out of thick Cardboard and began from there.
The rest is a long story, everything used on this project apart from the small penny farthing pendant from Calico Crafts and the cogs are recycled junk and cardboard, the clock is made from an old round box lid and the kilowatt meter from an old pin box….I could go on & on!

Ok here is my Steampunk time machine, click on Images for a larger picture.



This was such good fun to do and It holds all my alcohol inks and Perfect Pearls brilliantly. I may enter it for the Alter it monthly challenge.
Now I haven't tested it yet, I will do after this post but if it works I will post next weeks winning lotto numbers on here later when I return I promise!! lol

If you would like to learn these techniques check out my online workshop below.

http://www.andyskinnercrafts.com/online-workshops.html

Andy skinner

East Of India

These East of India tags from Calico crafts have been on my desk for a couple of weeks now and I finally got a chance to do something with them.
These super strong luggage labels come in Black, natural and white. They are ready punched and strung with twisted paper twine.

The first picture was made using a natural tag and the second one of the black ones.

Stamps from my Stitch in time set were used for the first tag.
I first stamped the sewing pattern with VersaMark and embossed with clear embossing powder.
Next I blended fired brick and faded jeans Distress inks around the edges.
Faded jeans was then used to stamp the cotton real and Brushed corduroy for the tailors rule.
A Stitch in time was then stamped with Archival black and the tag was finished of with an old button and the cool tailors scissor’s from Calico’s Steampunk range of pendants.

Stamps from my nature set were used on the second tag along with some decoupage paper and Perfect Pearls.

Here is a quick tag I made using Decopatch paper on 300 gsm cardstock with some of Lindsay Masons new stamps.


Andy

The da Vinci Project

I wanted to share with you this birch wooden box from the Craft Barn I made yesterday using the Americana spray image transfer technique shown in my earlier video.
In the video I was using it on bisque and cardstock so yesterday I had a go onto wood.
I printed a few copies of Leonardo da Vinci's study of a woman's head on a laser printer and transferred the larger copy onto the box lid and the smaller onto a tag to match.

I used distress inks with my blending tool to create a background and age it. I then used a crackled background stamp with Frayed Burlap Distress ink and stamped Object d’ Art from my Antiques set with Black Archival. I finished the top with a few coats of Americana Matte spray which gives a slightly satin finish and added a pendant from Calico Crafts Steampunk metal range.

For the base I have used Decoart Americana acrylics with there weathered wood medium for an aged and worn cracked effect. These products are also available from Calico Crafts.


A quick note on using this process on wood;
I so far have only tried this on birch and have found the smoother the wood the better the transfer, although I want the image to be slightly imperfect I would recommend sanding the wood first.

Andy

Steampunked

Just a quick post tonight as it’s nearly time to go home.
It has been a very busy week writing projects for magazine articles but I did manage to escape for a couple of hours this evening and have a play with this  birch ply door hanger from Calico Crafts. I decided to give it a steampunk theme.
Can you spot the party popper, plastic paintbrush handle, Perfect Pearls lid, cotton bud, lolly stick and googly eyes?
The good new this week is that my stamps are finally here and should be with retailers within the next couple of days! So to celebrate I will be launching a brand new competition with lots of sponsors!  There really are some fantastic prizes!!
Watch this space over the next couple of days!

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR LARGER VIEW

Andy

Free craft projects availiable at http://www.andyskinner.org

STEAMPUNK GOODIES

Look what the postman bought!

Whilst browsing the Calico Crafts website last week I came across their steampunk section and had to have these embellishments!
All of the antique brass steampunk metal pieces, charms, pendants etc in this range are nickel free and have a lovely, solid weight to them and these are just but a few of their selection! What do you think?


I also got the watch parts, sooo many of them in the pack!

All I need to do now is come up with a project to use them in.
You can Check out the full range here,
http://www.calicocrafts.co.uk
Andy