by Mark Montano
6 Finish by adding the second 8-inch piece of chain and then the second 10-inch piece of chain. Close the pin.
7 Add jump rings to the ends of both sets of chains and a lobster claw for the closure.
I AIN’T LION CAST SHOE CLIPS
This project is really about using a cast piece to create a beautiful shoe clip. It can be done with any cast piece that you want, but I found this lion fridge magnet and couldn’t resist casting it into an amazing shoe clip. Grab any unusual objects like faces on sculptures or interesting pieces of jewelry to do the same. Just follow the instructions for making molds and casting, and you’re halfway there!
YOU’LL NEED
2 cast pieces in a shape that you like
Spray adhesive
Gold leaf
Flat paintbrush
Minwax Polycrylic clear coat
2 clip-on earring blanks
E-6000 glue
HERE’S HOW
1 Mold and cast two shapes that you like.
2 Spray with the spray adhesive.
3 Carefully add your gold leaf with a paintbrush and let dry.
4 Coat your lion with Minwax Polycrylic clear coat and let dry.
5 Using a generous amount of E-6000, glue your earring back on to the upper part of the shape and let dry. Be sure to glue the curved part of the earring back, not the flat disk area.
SONG BIRDS
Hit any thrift or dollar store, and you’ll find a ceramic bird perfect for mold-making and ideal for this necklace. You could even use five different objects for something like this. The key with this piece is repetition. Repetition. Repetition.
YOU’LL NEED
Mold of bird head
Aluminum flashing
Tin shears or heavy-duty shears with serrated edge blades
Hammer and sharp nail
Scrap wood
Lumiere metallic paint in a color you like (I used Halo Blue)
Paintbrush
E-6000 glue
16 inches of silver-tone chain (or longer if you need)
7 silver-tone jump rings
1 lobster claw closure
HERE’S HOW
1 Cast five of your birds (See instructions and materials for molding and casting.). This might take a while if you’re using ICE Resin, which needs to set overnight. I might consider using the Smooth-Cast 300 for something with more than one cast piece.
2 Cut a piece of aluminum flashing 4 inches by 6 inches. Trace the base of each piece on the aluminum flashing and cut out a bit bigger all the way around.
3 On a piece of scrap wood to protect your work surface, tap a hole with your hammer and sharp nail at the top of each oval shape where you will be hanging your bird. I put a dot on the tin where I wanted my holes.
4 Flip each aluminum piece over and tap the hole to eliminate sharp edges.
5 Paint each piece with several coats of the Jacquard Lumiere metallic paint and let dry.
6 Glue the birds to the ovals with E-6000, making sure not to cover the holes.
7 When the glue is dry, add a jump ring to each bird and place your first bird in the exact center of the chain.
8 Measure how far apart you want each bird and add them to the chain evenly all the way around.
9 Add jump rings to the ends of the chain and a lobster claw for the closure.
TAKE A BOW
There is a scene in the movie Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell that has always stuck with me: As she’s about to head out to Christmas dinner with her future husband (though she doesn’t know it), she grabs a piece of mistletoe from the tree and plops it on her hat. And it looks amazing. She then does the same for her maid. I’ve never forgotten how something that simple could be so dramatic. It’s why I love making fabric bows for clothing. You can do it in a heartbeat and it always adds that extra something. I put this one on the waist of a bias-cut draped plaid dress and it looks wonderful.
YOU’LL NEED
Cast of face or a brooch
1/2 yard of fabric
1/4 yard of a matching taffeta
Scissors
Fiskars pinking shears
Needle and thread
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Pin back
Hint:
“Cutting on the bias” is when you cut diagonally instead of straight up and down on the fabric. You can do this by folding your 1/2 yard in a triangle, matching up the edges, and then cutting along that diagonal line.
HERE’S HOW
1 Figure out what kind of centerpiece you want. You can use an existing piece, or make your mold and cast. (See instructions and materials for molding and casting.)
2 Cut your first 1/2 yard of fabric on the bias in 2-inch strips. You will need about 4 feet of 2-inch bias.
3 Cut your matching 1/4 yard taffeta fabric in 1/2-inch strips using pinking shears.
4 Fold your fabric bias strips into a bow about 6 inches across and stitch together in the center.
5 Fold your 1/2-inch pinked strips into a bow about 6 inches wide and stitch to the fabric bow in the center.
6 Cut the loops on the pinked fabric bow.
7 Hot-glue your cast face or pin your brooch to the center of the bow.
8 Hot-glue your pin back to the back of the bow (or stitch it, it’s up to you).
THORNS AND HUMMINGBIRDS
I have always been in love with Frida Kahlo’s Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird. Recently I was able to view the actual painting in Los Angeles, and it blew me away. So, I thought it was time to create something inspired by this magnificent painting.
YOU’LL NEED
Cast of twig that you like
Krylon
ICE Resin or Smooth-Cast 300
gray primer
Lumiere metallic paint in Old Brass
Paintbrush
Copy of image
Scissors
Cardboard
Elmer’s Glue-All
2 yards of gold 18-gauge wire
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
12 gold-tone jump rings
Large pin
14 inches of medium gold-tone chain
1 silver-tone lobster claw closure
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 Create your twig mold and cast it at least six times. (See instructions and materials for molding and casting.) Since you need several casts of the twigs, you can do this step much more quickly if you use the Smooth-Cast 300 than with ICE Resin, since resin takes at least overnight to set.
2 Once your pieces are cast, spray them with the gray primer and let dry. Paint them with the Lumiere Old Brass and let dry.
3 Copy the bird image below, glue it onto cardboard with Elmer’s glue, and then carefully cut it out.
4 Mix your resin outside wearing gloves. Coat the bird and let dry overnight on wax paper in a room or area of the house that you don’t use. If you don’t want to mix ICE Resin for this step, you could use 3-D Crystal Lacquer to coat your bird.
5 Figure out how your twigs will go together.
6 Cut 10 to 12 pieces of wire about 6 inches long and wrap them around the ends of each twig by creating a loop at the end of the wires so they can be connected to another twig.
7 Once you’ve done this with your twigs, start linking the wires together with jump rings to hold your pattern.
8 Poke a hole with a large pin through the bird’s beak (you may have to drill a small hole) and link it to the center of your twigs with a jump ring.
9 Cut two 7-inch pieces of chain. Add chains with jump rings to the end twigs. Add jump rings and a lobster claw for the closure.
IT’S IN THE BIN
As many of you already know, some of the best craft supplies were originally destined for the waste bin. My favorite has always been paper, but lately I’ve found a love for plastic bottles and flimsy plastic bags. Think about what you’d like to make and see if you already have the
necessary supplies hidden in your trash bin. For this chapter, I tried to save the earth and make it more beautiful at the same time!
LORD OF THE RINGS (AND STONES)
Did you know that when you put resin on cardboard it becomes as hard as metal? I’ve been going nuts using the two together with terrific results and have created some pieces that hold up just as well as any jewelry. Not only that, but these pieces won’t tarnish like metal pieces. Plus, they’re made from recycled materials. I’d say this technique is a WINNER!
YOU’LL NEED
Thin cardboard (12 inches by 14 inches)
X-ACTO knife and cutting mat
Lumiere metallic paint (I chose Bronze)
1/2-inch to 1-inch wide flat paintbrush
Selection of small flat-back gems
Elmer’s Glue-All
ICE Resin
Wax paper
2 yards of small to medium gold-tone chain
Needle-nose pliers (and wirecutters if the pliers don’t have them)
2 gold-tone jump rings
1 gold-tone lobster claw closure
Rubber or plastic gloves
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut your rings from the cardboard with the craft knife. They don’t have to be perfect or even the same size—the variation is terrific!
2 Paint each ring front and back with the Lumiere paint.
3 Glue on your gems with Elmer’s glue.
4 Place your pieces on a flat surface covered with wax paper. If you need to, review information on ICE Resin. Mix your resin outside using gloves. The fumes from resin can be harsh so you will need to work in a well-ventilated area.
5 Thoroughly coat each piece, then let dry on wax paper overnight in a room or area of the house that you don’t use.
6 When one side is done, flip the pieces over and coat the other side with more resin and let dry overnight. This process will take a while, so look through the book and make some other resin pieces at the same time!
7 Cut your chain into eight 6-inch pieces.
8 Open a link on the end of your chain, thread it through two rings and close the chain as shown below.
9 Add jump rings and two 10-inch loops of chain to the end loops and the ends of the chains and a lobster claw for the closure.
TYVEC FLOWER BROOCH
Try as I might, I just can’t stop sewing paper. I come back to it time after time. My favorite is the Tyvev envelopes from the post office. You know, the ones that don’t rip? It’s a great way to transform something mundane into something quite beautiful. Go on! Give it a try!
YOU’LL NEED
2 Tyvec envelopes from the post office
Scissors
Sewing machine
Lumiere metallic paints in several colors*
Small paintbrushes
E-6000 glue
20 different-size pearls
Elmer’s Glue-All
Pin back
*I LOVE these paints, they make everything look amazing! See Resource Guide for some other Jacquard products and where to get them.
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut your Types envelopes into as many 4-inch by 4-inch squares as you can.
2 Layer three to four squares together and stitch through them with a freehand flower on your sewing machine. Don’t worry about how perfect it is; the more imperfect, the better!
3 Cut out the flower and make a 1-inch cut from between two petals to the center.
4 Overlap just a small amount to make the flower dimensional (almost as if you’re making a cone, but less severe).
5 Stitch over it a few more times to help it keep the shape.
6 Repeat steps 3 through 5 until you have four to five flowers cut in different sizes.
7 Paint the flowers with different colors of Lumiere metallic paint and let dry.
8 Glue the flowers together in the order you like with the E-6000 and let dry.
9 Glue the pearls in a cluster in the center of the flower with your Elmer’s and let dry.
10 Add your pin to the back with the E-6000 and let dry.
FUSING PLASTIC BAGS
It seems that everywhere I go, I get a plastic shopping bag, and honestly, they drive me nuts. There must be thousands of them under my sink. A friend told me about fusing them together with an iron and parchment paper, so I gave it a try—here’s what I came up with. Though there weren’t any noticeable fumes from my fusing projects, you still want to be safe and fuse outside or near an open window with some fresh air.
SOME HINTS
FOR YOUR FUSING PROJECTS:
1 Don’t worry if your bags get wrinkly or warped, that’s part of the fun!
2 I like using four layers of bags for my fusing.
3 I keep the iron somewhere between notches 3 and 4 . . . but . . .
4 You’ll have to experiment to make sure your iron isn’t too hot and just melts the plastic.
5 Make sure all of your plastic is tucked between the parchment paper so you don’t get melted plastic on your iron. Your mother will smack you for doing that!
FUSED PLASTIC FLOWER CUFF
Why not make those plastic bags into something amazing and show the world they don’t have to be so wasteful? This cuff is the perfect conversation piece as well as a great way to wow the world with your creativity!
YOU’LL NEED
Plastic bags
Scissors (try Fiskars pinking shears for added texture)
Iron and ironing board or countertop
Parchment paper
Needle and thread
Lumiere metallic paints in several gold and bronze colors
Paintbrush
Crystal beads or pearls, or a big gem
E-6000 glue
Velcro dots
Optional: Sewing machine
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut the handles and bottom off your plastic bags.
2 Stack four flat layers of plastic about the same size and sandwich them between two pieces of parchment paper.
3 Experiment with your iron to get the right setting (see) and gently iron over the parchment paper. Your bags will shrink a little bit, but shouldn’t melt. Check after every few swipes of the iron to see if the bags are fusing together. If they’re not, you may need to turn the iron up a little bit.
4 Remove the fused plastic and cut out wavy circles or flower shapes.
5 To give your flowers dimension, put each flower between layers of parchment paper, touch down with the iron, and immediately remove them. This wrinkles them a little bit.
6 Cut out a rectangle about 8 inches by 2 inches (or the size you want for your cuff) from the fused plastic and stitch around it with needle and thread or on your sewing machine. I like to do this because it gives it more texture.
7 Paint the cuff and all the flower petals with the Lumiere metallic paints and let dry.
8 Stack your flower shapes from large to small.
9 With a needle and thread, stitch up from the bottom and add a bead. Continue with as many beads as you want for the center of the flower.
10 Glue on your cuff with E-6000 or stitch it on.
11 Add your Velcro dots to each end for a closure, making sure to measure the cuff around your wrist one final time for a good fit.
FUSED PLASTIC BAG SHOE FLOWER
Most every girl I know has shoes with flowers on them. But none of them have a shoe with a recycled flower on it!
Other Ideas for this Technique:
Hairpins, bracelets, rings, and appliqués for handbags or tote bags.
YOU’LL NEED
Plastic bags
Scissors (try Fiskars pinking shears for added texture)
Parchment paper
Iron and ironing board or countertop
Crystal beads or pearls or a big gem
Needle and thread
E-6000 glue
HERE’S HOW
1 Cut the handles and bottom off your plastic bags.
2 Stack four flat pieces of plastic about the same s
ize and sandwich them between two pieces of parchment paper.
3 Experiment with your iron to get the right setting (see) and gently iron over the parchment paper. Your bags will shrink a little bit, but shouldn’t melt.
4 Check after every few swipes of the iron to see if your bags are fusing together. If they’re not, you may need to turn up the iron a little bit.
5 Remove the fused plastic and cut out wavy circles or flower shapes.
6 To give your flowers dimension, put each flower between layers of parchment paper, touch down with the iron, and immediately remove them. This wrinkles them a little bit.
Optional: I painted the edges of my black circular flower pieces with Jacquard Lumiere metallic paint in Pewter and I love the way it looks. Think about giving them a little bit of color to make them interesting.
7 Stack your shapes from large to small.
8 With a needle and thread, stitch up from the bottom and add a bead. Continue with as many beads as you want for the center of the flower.
9 Glue the piece to your shoe with E-6000 or add a clip and make it a shoe clip.
RECYCLED GOLD LEAF BRACELETS
Wait! Stop! Don’t toss out that big plastic juice bottle! You can use it to make something beautiful and in a very tiny way, you can help save the earth. Every time you reuse something that could go in a landfill, you’re doing your part to help. Can you imagine if we all did that every day?
