There are some crafts that just never get old for me. Have you burnt glue lately? I actually deliberately spent money on 18 gauge floral wire stems and some paint--despite our tight budget!--to be able to do these this year.Remember what they are? Hint: Aleene's Tacky Glue.
Hint: recycled crafting.
I dangled some beads from the single hearts after I cut them from the main piece of floral wire, but the doubled hearts are on one stem which has been twisted at the top to make a hanging loop. The tassels are just crochet thread which matched the paint.Hint: Simple craft, easy as can be.
Hint: You need ordinary scissors and a candle.
Got an angel in my pocket... Sometimes instead of dangles or ornaments, I make plant pokes. This angel was just a little too big and kept drooping in on itself over the candle flame, so I ended up picking up the candle and "painting" the flame over the whole surface.
Figured it out yet?
They're made from a USED brown paper grocery sack covered in wet glue! Remember? You glue cutouts together with wire down the middle, coat them with Tacky glue, and burn them over the candle flame. They turn absolutely black with soot (it does make some smoke; you might want to open a window), which you wipe off... and voila! antique metal! Then you drybrush, dab, or sponge them with metallic paint or gold-leafing, and there you are!
MY very expensive, fancy paintbrushes were wadded up damp paper towels. *eyebrow waggle* I used three paints, Folk Art Metallics Antique Gold, Metallic Copper and Metallic Amethyst. The ric-rac scarf on the angel, the crochet thread tassels, and the beaded dangles were all made from leftovers and/or scavenged from other projects. One evening's work total, including the time it took to remember how to efficiently use the candle and whether it matters if the glue dries before you burn it (nope).
I haven't had so much fun in an age. *grin*
My goodness Cath, these are marvelous...so very primitive, you should sell them at Etsy...they are absolutely beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that kind of technique before.
Thanks for sharing them with us.
You've inspired me to make some wire heart ornies, but they are made with gause...I will post them when they are painted.
Ooooo, can't wait to see them, Gris!
ReplyDeleteFunny, when my friend down the street saw the ornaments, she also said "you could sell these!" I wouldn't mind, but I think to make enough to sell takes more space than I have.
Well, we'll see what happens when my friend upstairs and I start in on them, eh? *grins* They take patience and a certain tolerance for smoke, but truly they aren't hard to make... and the painting part is almost as much fun as watching them turn black.
Maybe I'm part pyro, eh? It's a thrill watching the flames lick over the paper... *grins*
Cath
I tried to make these...
ReplyDeleteforget it...
so much work...
you are the sole owner of this project.
I got as far as the wire and then started doing something else...laughs.