The Impatient Crafter : beyond the bead

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Embossing on Slick Surfaces Mixed Media Technique

My new book Beyond the Bead is overflowing with fun and easy mixed media techniques for the jewelry maker. One of my favorites is using embossing powder on slick surfaces. I've embossed on acrylic, glass, frosted glass and even ceramic. You can seal the final result with a clear laminate so it doesn't chip.

1. Use a dryer sheet to clean your surface to remove any static electricity.
2. Get a rubber stamp with an interesting image that isn't too detailed or tiny. Stamp with an embossing medium.
3. Pour regular or ultra fine embossing powder on stamped image (on the surface you're embossing, not on the stamp!) Feel free to use colors if you like and even use a variety of colors for a varigated look.
4. Shake off excess powder on a scrap paper so you can put it back into the jar. Use an exacto knife to remove any stray particles. There will be a few that you won't be able to remove without damaging the image, I just let that go.
5. Use a heat tool to melt embossing powder.
6. Allow to dry.
7. You can (if you choose) use Alcohol Inks or Adirondack or other glass friendly pens to color the image in.
8. If you aren't sandwiching the image, use a clear laminate to seal it.

Tips:
Don't overheat plastic items or you'll end up with a melty mess! Some surfaces take longer to heat up, so be patient. Don't overmelt your powder, it's ready as soon as it turns glossy, you'll see it happen. Move the heat tool around to get the entire image. Don't use a hair dryer, it won't get hot enough, you need a heat tool designed for crafts!

(I used Ranger embossing medium, powder and inks and Diamond Glaze as a laminate.)

Here are a variety of projects I've done with this technique. I'd love to see what you do with this...so feel free to send a jpeg of your work to theimpatientcrafter@gmail.com and I'll post the images in my blog with a link back to you!

Earrings on Left Embossing Powder on Acrylic (earrings on right feature Earthenwood Studio beads)

TastyLinks™ Saturday!

Click here to get the instructions for my Simply Lovely Bracelet at the Beadalon Website, you'll learn how to use scrimps and wire guardians! Copyright 2006 Margot Potter for Beadalon (You can find the bird charm at Ornamentea)
Join the Beadalon Fan Page on Facebook!

What a wild week! Up and down and all around and by Friday I was feeling like crawling under my covers with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a trashy novel. Then I got some stellar news I can share as soon as the ink is dry and that perked me up a skootch. I was still feeling kinda bleh until I got an email from my publisher. Both of my new books Beyond the Bead and Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed have sold through their first printings! Beyond the Bead sold through within the first three months! That’s rockin’! Plus the email included a little Press Release they’d whipped up that said some awfully super nice things about me. I’m a Leo, we love compliments. In fact we eat them for breakfast every morning. Please pass the ‘pretty please with brown sugar on top’ and a side of ‘gee you’re swell’s.”

So thank you to everyone who has purchased both of the books, thank you to folks who’ve written up some great reviews and helped get some buzz going. Kudos to my fabulous co-authors Fernando DaSilva (check out Nando's great post on pricing your jewelry line) and Katie Hacker (Katie's got a great post on Bead Artists against Breast Cancer)! We popped the cork on some bubbly last night and celebrated. This just confirms my belief that folks are hungry for inspiration and for creativity in these trying times. So if you’re a creative, take heart.

I'll be riding on a horse drawn carriage in a fancy (and probably soggy due to the rain) hat this Sunday! My SIL invited us along to schmooze with the uber elite at a prestigious horsey event. As Joan Rivers would say, "Fohn, fohn, fohn...fohn." Just call me "Lovey" dahling.

Super Linky Love thank you to the gals from ScaryCraft for featuring my Mixed Media pin last week! Check out their craftalicious blog!

Ms. Jennifer Perkins did a very fun blog round up of crafty red heads this past week. She included yours truly, I'm a red head at heart no matter what color is on my locks. Thanks Jen!

A Linky Love 411: The folks from Max and Chloe emailed me a hot tip on a great giveaway! They carry some really innovative costume and fine jewelry lines. Click here to enter a sweepstakes for a 500 dollar shopping spree!

My friend Melanie Brooks of Earthenwood Studio did a gorgeous design for Rings n Things last week. She was inspired by my simple wire wrapped lava rocks to make a mind blowingly cool wrapped design integrating her beautiful keyhole pendant as a focal element. Plus I love how she showed you first hand how to be inspired by something and then make it your own. Great work, Melanie! Also check out her thoughtful post about artists’ rights and copyrights here.

Without further ado...here’s this week’s sampling of TastyLinks™ open wide and say “AH!:”

Vickie Howell Create customized cards out recycled fabric and keepsake images!

The Crochet Dude Drew talks about his latest hook/needle find in an All Boye Review!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery See how to make stitchless embroidered fabric from the cool new book: Fabricate by Susan Wasinger.

Naughty Secretary Club Jen does a little painting, searches for vintages images and boils a pair of eyeglasses all in the name of creating a necklace with a little specs appeal.

Cross Stitch at About.com Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Connie's latest fun, fabulous, and did we mention FREE Cross Stitch pattern.

CraftyPod In her latest podcast, Sister Diane interviews Sarah Hodsdon about the future of the design profession in a global, digital economy.

Crafty Princess Diaries Go shopping in style with your own crocheted tote bag. The Crafty Princess shows off her latest finished fiber project.

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world Craftside's got a crochet pattern for a pop art roll of toilet paper cozy, a detailed tutorial on how to make a photo based painting, a free dress silhouette template from the new book: Cloth Doll Artistry, and a couple of necklaces made from some very unusual recycled elements.

Cathie Filian Cathie volunteered to make 40 centerpieces for an Awards Gala - Check out her trip to the flower district and step-by-step instructions on how to make the arrangements.

Blisstree Arts Cyndi has rounded up all of her favorite posts on making background papers and fabrics for your projects.

Aileen's Musings Aileen offer's another great Mothers or Father's day gift idea using more bottle caps!

About Family Crafts Help needed: Looking for creative graduation decorations... Ideas anyone?

The Impatient Crafter Learn how to make beaded wire circles with Madge!

Final Free Mixed Media Jewelry Project from Beyond the Bead

(Click on images to view close up!)

It's time for the final free project from my fabulous new mixed media techniques for the beader book...Beyond the Bead! Insert cries of unfettered glee and joyous abandon here.
This 'charming' project has a tale to tell. Originally these little flappers were a little more...shall we say...naughty. I was asked to consider covering them up just a skootch more and I agreed. It was never my intention to offend, I just have an affection for vintage pin up art. But only if it's naughty...and nice. It looks as if the Dover book I used is no longer in print, so I've provided a link to a fashion illustration title from the same period with less risque images. I've also included some variations I made using colored pencils and vintage Vogue pattern images from the 1940s. This is a pretty straightforward idea, you pick bold pen and ink images and you trace them on the shrink plastic. I'm all about make it easy and make it fun...this is a great project to do with kids (using kid appropriate images...of course!)

So without further drivel...here's your free project! Leave a comment and I'll randomly select a winner to be announced on April 1st. No fooling, tee hee. I'll be sending you a signed copy of the book, a jaunty Beyond the Bead promo button and a stash of CRYSTALLIZED-Swarovski Elements sparklies for your collection! Good luck! Oh and if you're on Facebook, would you consider joining my Fan Page? I'll announce upcoming events and airings on QVC there, share project debuts and links to what's new in Madge's world. Pretty please?

Nice and Naughty Shrink Art Charms
Copyright 2009 Margot Potter
Beyond the Bead for North Light Books
Are you a naughty girl? Do you love to dance on the edge of decency? Do you ‘rouge your knees and roll your stockings down’? Well, my little flapper girl, these nifty little shrink art charms are certain to suit your style. Vo dee oh doh!

*Any clean and simple black and white inked illustrations will work here. The bigger the better so you can really get the detail in before it shrinks! It’s important to use a very, very fine tipped market so you can really get the lines clean or the finished result could be lacking in definition. You can add more or less color depending on your mood.

Supplies
Dover Spot Illustrations Book
Rough and Ready shrink plastic
Ranger Adirondack pen red pepper
Ranger Archival Ink black
Micron 005 fine tipped black marker
4mm gun metal jump rings
Krylon silver leafing pen
Sheet of brown kraft paper cut to fit oven tray

ToolsHole punch
Craft dedicated Toaster oven
Metal spatula
2 pairs chain nose pliers

1. Select images from book. Remember that they shrink a lot, so pick large detailed images for best results.
2. Trace images on rough side of plastic using a fine tipped marker.
3. Accent images with red marker.
4. Cut out images with sharp scissors making interesting shapes.
5. Create hole in top of image with hole punch.
6. Place images in preheated toaster oven on top of precut brown paper bag liner on oven tray.
7. Allow to shrink, use spatula to flatten any still curled images before cooling.
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
9. Use metal leaf pen to edge images. Allow to dry.
10. Attach jump rings to charms.

Supplies
Rough and Ready Shrink Art Plastic Shrinky Dinks, Spot Illustrations Dover Books, Adirondack pen and Archival Ink Ranger, Micron pen Kuretake, Silver leafing pen Krylon, gun metal jump rings Rings n’ Things.

Free Jewelry Making Project from Design Secrets Exposed 'Connections'!

Here's a free jewelry project from beading Goddess Katie Hacker to whet your appetite for Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed co-written by Katie Hacker, Fernando DaSilva and yours truly (F+W Pubs 2009). From wire designs that defy gravity to innovative uses of everyday findings, there is inspiration for the beginning beader and the experienced jewelry designer on every page.

Congratulations to Sheila from Halo Hill Blog for winning last week's Bead and Wire Jewelry Exposed book giveaway! Email me your snail mail address Sheila and I'll get that prize out to you ASAP! This week's prize is another copy of the book, a spool of Beadalon purple Clear Colors wire, a pack of star tipped headpins, a pack of crimp covers, a pack of textured solid rings AND a small stash of Swarovski crystals! Leave a comment and I'll select a winner next Wednesday! Stay tuned for more contests from this book and my other new book Beyond the Bead in the next few weeks!

Connections
Excerpt from Bead & Wire Jewelry Exposed
Design Copyright 2009 Katie Hacker

This week's free project from Exposed is a design that Katie created using toggle rings in an unusual way. Can you spot them? The toggle rings act as links and echo the geometric channel-set crystals.

Materials
18mm crystal twist sew-on stone
3 14mm cosmic rings
5 8mm Siam round double-loop channel set crystals (these are sold at JewelrySupply.com see link)
3 6mm clear round single-loop channel set crystals
small silver curb chain
17 4mm round silver jump rings
9 8mm round silver jump rings
10 silver toggle rings
silver toggle clasp
(Order from Art Beads before July 31st and use my code to save 10%:SCF10P-POTTER-0112)

Tools
chain-nose pliers
wire cutters

Instructions
1. Cut the chain into the following lengths:
2. Pass one 8mm jump ring through the lower hole on the sew-on stone and use it to connect a toggle ring.
3. Pass a 4mm jump ring through the loop on the toggle and use it to connect a Siam crystal channel.
4. Pass one 8mm jump ring through the lower loop on the Siam crystal channel and use it to connect a cosmic ring.
5. Attach another 8mm jump ring to the cosmic ring and use it to connect a toggle ring.
6. Use a 4mm jump ring to attach the three 2" chain lengths to the lower loop on the toggle. Cut the chains so they're slightly uneven in length.
7. Use a 4mm jump ring to attach a clear crystal channel to the end of each chain.
8. Pass one 8mm jump ring through the upper hole on the sew-on stone and use it to connect a toggle ring.
9. Pass a 4mm jump ring through the loop on the toggle and use it to connect a Siam crystal channel.
10. Pass a 4mm jump ring through the other loop on the Siam crystal channel and use it to connect the loop on a toggle ring.
11. Pass one 8mm jump ring through the toggle ring and use it to connect a cosmic ring.
12. Pass another 8mm jump ring through the cosmic ring and use it to connect a toggle ring.
13. Pass a 4mm jump ring through the loop on the toggle ring and use it to connect a Siam crystal channel.
14. Pass a 4mm jump ring through the other loop on the Siam crystal channel and use it to connect the loop on the toggle ring.
15. Use a 4mm jump ring to attach three 4" lengths of chain to the toggle ring.
16. Use a 4mm jump ring to attach half of a clasp to the end of the necklace.
17. Repeat Steps 8-16 to complete the other side of the necklace.

All crystals are from Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements; chain and findings are from Beadalon.

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright Choker

Though we all know I freely worship at the temple of kitsch, on the other extreme I love to create stark, simple design. I’m a fan of the organic, striking, naturally inspired work of people like Robert Lee Morris. I like seeing how far I can pare something down to it’s most elemental level. That’s the idea here. I was given these magnetic clasp wire chokers from Rings n Things and these gorgeous Venetian glass beauties from Venetian Bead Shop and I wanted to make a design that allowed the beads to shine without just sliding them on the wire and calling it a day. I love these chokers. They create the perfect form for designs that move out from center because they maintain their round shape even when beaded. The idea here was the wire tendrils look like tiger claw scratches to match the tiger stripe theme in the pendant. Feel free to add a bunch more of the tendrils, this is your basic concept and you can take it where you like! If you get my new book Beyond the Bead, I show you how to hammer metal shaping wire into these funky tendrils on a mini anvil with a chasing hammer. Once you can do that, it’s just a matter of cutting up rubber tubing and sliding tubes, tendrils and a pendant on this wire that already comes with a magnetic clasp.

Why yes indeedy do, it’s another easy peasy lemon squeezy idea from The Impatient Crafter™!

Leave a comment and I’ll select someone to win two Rings n Things wire chokers, a package of Beadalon German gold plated wire and two stunning Venetian glass beads!

Who loves free stuff? I do! I do!

Cheers,
Madge