Sunday 23 August 2015

Paperartsy 2015 Topic 15 – Gels and Mediums


After watching the video done by Lin Brown  showing how to use gel medium and shimmer sprays I couldn't wait to give it a try.
I love Pauo shell. The colours that glimmer in the different light I don't think there is another shell that comes as near to the WOW factor as Pauo shell. 
I gathered together my shimmer sprays. I have so many that I have no idea which company they are made by and some of them I have decanted into the Tim Holtz mini misters. The mini misters don't seem to block as easy as the bigger bottles! The larger bottles I find I have to de-blocked the nozzles every time I use them! (to de-block nozzles I remove the spray head n soak in warm soapy water). 
I used PaperArtsy's Crunchy Paper, freezer paper (waxy side), black card and white card. 
Leandra suggested a stencil with smaller patterns as they seemed to work better than a more open space. 
Initially I had 3 sets of paper n card. 

These are the final choice of designs for my tin.
I used the stencils with clear gel medium.
 
 



 




 

All of the paper and card.

Waited for them to dry. 
Arranged in groups and decided which shimmers to use with which sets. 
Sprayed them and left them over night to dry. 
The next morning most of them I liked but added more shimmers to ones I didn't think looked like the shell. 


Once dry added a blue shimmer to the waxed Kraft paper that had circles on it thinking would look even more like shell but ruined it cos the shimmer was the wrong blue so wiped it off with a damp paper towel. Luckily that worked so I left it at that point. (The above top foto is with the blue shimmer and the bottom foto is with it wiped off!). Because my shimmers were not permanent I sprayed a gloss varnish over it so as to protect the shimmer. 
I then stamped the blobby flowers with bronze embossing powder but they were really hard to see against the background.
 

So stamped them on tissue and embossed. 
Painted them on the reverse with translucent paints so as not to take the eye away from the shell effect once applied to the paper with Matt Mod Podge. 

Still a little hard to make out but I think they compliment the shell effect. 
Painted the tin. 

I've had that tin for years. Originally it was a presentation tin for a watch but I had been using it for my roll ups. I stopped smoking at the beginning of April and wanted to I decorate it so completely changing it and giving it a new life! I'm going to put mints in it and return it to my Kipling bag as it feels odd with out it, the bag feels empty. I feel as if I have forgotten something, lol. 
Cut wax paper to size and glued onto the tin with my rubbish glue gun. I then decided to cut a smaller piece and stick it on the bottom of the tin. 
Coated all of the tin with 2 coats of gloss Mod Podge. 
I'm really happy with the results but I think Lin's looks more realistic to the Pauo shell. I must get some of the sprays she used, when mine have run out!!! Well when nearly run out! Honestly must get some soon, lol. 

Materials used; 
PaperArtsy JOYF38Beach Hut, Yellow Submarine. 
PaperArtsy's Crunchy Paper.  
Maimeri Gloss gel medium. 
Americana pearlizing medium. 
IndigoBlu matt paint – Park Lane. 
Stencils mainly Sheena Douglass. 
Shimmer sprays various companies. 
Mod Podge – Matt, Gloss. 
Stampendous embossing enamel - Aged Copper. 
Versamark. 
Crafters Companion - Spray and Shine. 

From my stash; 
Black, white card. 
Freezer paper. 
Tissue. 

Challenge entered;