Halloween Charm

One of my favorite Yahoo groups has to be Art Charms.  I love making tiny little bits of art and trading them with artists all over.  Last year I did not partake in the Halloween antics and I really missed out, this year I was able to join up at the last minute.

The brass ghost has been altered with both black and white Guilders Paste.  Love this stuff!  I used an acrylic sealer to ensure that all my hard work would not wear off. 

The brass stamping base was colorized with Vintaj patinas.  This was my first time using these, even though I bought them ages ago because I "had" to have them.  I do love the finish they created.  It really looked like enameling before I covered it with stickels.  

On the back I also added a tiny little moon detail.  This too was touched with a bit of Guilders Paste to age it a bit.  They were charms that I simply cut the loop off of and then glued with a bit of Hypo-Cement.  Very handy glue, but I always hate that it oozes out as you try to get that needle cap back in.  Ah the joy of crafty "stress."

Stay tuned for lots more Halloween goodness, it seems it is that time of year and I am embracing it.

Cheers, 

Rhea

Tiny Gypsy Shrine

I made this little shrine a while ago, and I forgot had not yet posted it.  I have been lagging in my art production of late, but I hope to get some inspiration this weekend.  I was quite happy to find something to post as I was enjoying a lazy Saturday morning online.

The base of this tiny creation is an exquisite shrine from Alpha Stamps.  The blue tint comes from my favorite, guilders paste.  A layer of acrylic paint and then some kromocrackle and I had a really nice textured shrine base to work with. 

Brass Filigree Corners, that were also altered with paste and paint, were added to the top portion of the shrine.  Adding this type of brass finding to any project is a simple way to add a very nice detail.  The imagery also comes from Alpha Stamps.  I love the scale of this particular sheet as the images are much smaller.

Since the shrine kits has layers, I wanted to cover up some of the evidence of construction.  I used a bit of tissue tape and then added layers of paint and patina color.  Another small detail is a bit of trim added for another layer of texture.  

I hope to head into my creative cave today and play with the gypsies a bit more as I am participating in a gypsy swap through Alpha Stamps.  Sometimes having something I "have to do" helps get me out of a creative rut...which I have been in for some time. 

Bring on the gypsy mojo!

Cheers, 

Rhea

Gypsy Charm

I was absolutely thrilled to tap into my jewelry making roots when I came up with this project for Alpha Stamps.  In my opinion jewelry is really like assemblage, so I think that is why I like both of those genres of art so much.  The gypsy theme opened up so many possibilities as far as charm elements.  Hearts, birds, celestial, religious, nature, coins, really anything can fit into the traveler theme.  I made lots of bead dangles as well to fill out this piece and add color. 

I used lots of guilders paste to unite the different finishes of the charms.  I wish I had guilders paste in every color offered.  Right now I am making do with copper, black and patina. Liver of Sulfur was also used to age some of the raw brass.  It is a smelly process, but the outcome is grand. 

I used lots and lots of charms from Alpha Stamps.  They are actually on sale for a few days in honor of my little creation, how cool is that.  There are also free gifts to be had with your order until supplies run out, so check it out here.



There is more gypsy art coming soon so be sure to follow along for lots of enchanting projects.

Cheers,

Rhea

Feather your nest

I am so excited to be hosting a swap in my Art Charm group.  The theme is "Feather your nest" and the idea is to create art charms inspired by birds, wings, trees, eggs, nests, houses, feathers etc.  A perfect genre for spring.  Sign ups open tomorrow and we will be swapping in groups of fifteen.  Anyone can participate as long as your part of the Yahoo group and you follow the swap guidelines.  Check it out if you are interested!  The group was founded by the authors of Making Mixed Media Art Charms and Jewelry.  Both Peg and Chris are amazing!



I have been scouting for materials for this swap ever since I read one of the swap previews.  I love how the owners of the group let us know what is coming so we can find good deals. 

I found these cute little birds on clearance at a big box store.  I wanted to jazz them up a bit so I decided to play with my favorite new product from Alpha Stamps, Guilders Paste.  This is a wax based medium that can be used on wood, metal, clay, ceramics etc.  It is very easy to apply and adds great color and depth.  I highly recommend it to my Art Charm pals, as this was a quick way to make my charms stand out and make them unique.



Now, I knew I wanted to also have some egg charms to trade.  I searched high and low in my local stores, but could not find a true egg shaped bead.  I almost picked up some pearls, but the shape just was not right.  Then I had a flash of insight and headed to the floral department.  These little plastic eggs were super cute.  I used a candle to heat up my head pin and poke holes and make them into a bead.  It is so fun to find a way to alter a product and use it outside of the intended purpose. 

These were so super simple to put together, I really did not do any construction.  I actually forgot I had all these wings, but when I was seeking some other stuff in my crafty mess I came upon them and knew they had to be a part of this swap.  Again, I wanted to add some interest, so I dabbed on a bit of pearl color acrylic paint.  Sometimes simple can be a good thing.



This looks like a great beginning of a wonderful swap.  I think a charm bracelet may be on the horizon. 

Cheers,

Rhea