Arsenic and Old Lace?

Or should that be Beeswax and Old Lace?? I suppose quite rightly that Joseph Kesselring didn't think Beeswax had the same ring or poisonous qualities as Arsenic, but for me and Hels Sunday Stamper Challenge the Beeswax worked quite nicely.

I had some unexpected free time this afternoon, so decided to have a go at Hels 'Lace' challenge.

She must have know that I picked up 2 metres of lace for 20p at the mini-scrap box yesterday, just hours before she posted the challenge - I am not a lacy girl so it must have been fate!

Whilst tidying Sparky's craftroom last time I visited I found these rather cute 4"x4" deep sided canvas's and she kindly gave me a couple. Since I will be staying with her in 4 sleeps time I thought I better use one or else she will moan 'haven't you use those watsits yet'

I also wanted to have another play with the Eco paints, and then that obviously (!) led me onto deciding to try out some beeswax I bought a while ago and the because I was listening to 'Les Mis' on my Ipod I remembered I had this lovely stamp which is of course iconic of LM and fits beautifully on the canvas. So I painted and then stencilled through sequin waste (note to self - put Jennies stencil waste rubber stamps on my Ally Pally shopping list!) Then I brushed on layers of beeswax and stamped the girl onto tissue paper and 'glued' it onto the canvas with more beeswax. Then 'I dreamed a dream' started playing. It was then a 'happy accident' occurred... I got some shrink plastic down from the shelf so that I could make a 'tag' (dream a dream) -- now my shelves are rather full - some may say overfull - and down came a bit of an avalanche, I was showered with clay moulds but more importantly floating down was the gold transfer foil I bought yesterday for 40p a metre - would it work on hot wax?? yes it bloomin does and it looks fab!

I am a serious wax novice and I was trying to get it smooth but soon realised that I liked the 'bumpy' effect on this project as it looks more dreamy. Finally I mounted it on a couple of cotton reels I had knocking about, so it can stand up rather than being hung on a wall.

All in all I am really happy with this quick bank holiday afternoon project.


*** Update... I searched youtube last night for more info on Beeswax and watched one done by the Queen of Wax Suze Weinburg, and guess what she used foils on her wax....
and there I was thinking I had made an useful discovery LOL ****

ATC alert....

I haven't made any ATC's for ages, seem to have lost my enthusiasm for the little darlings, or just two many other projects I want to do not sure which!

But I did sign up for a Beeswax Swap a while ago, so had to get my melting pot out and have a go. Here are the results .....

Inspired by a 'Beeswax Book' (that is a book made with beeswax, not a book on how to do it) I saw in a freebie local Artist's Mag I picked up yesterday, which was made from gauze, wood and beeswax, I just had to have a go! I used thin real wood veneer and gauze for the first one, but you can't really see the wood so that was a bit superfluous, but it is something that could work and I'll have another go another time! The second has a basic background of a dry baby wipe, which I spritzed with ink and then heated and then wax over the top and an air dry clay embellishment which was 'stuck' on with wax!

The final one cannot really be called an ATC as it is too big, but then I have a bit of a problem with ATC purists, just cos it won't fit in a folder doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed...... but yes I know.... an ATC should be 3.5" x 2.5"! But anyway it's not an ATC it's a RAK for the host of the swap, got very messy doing this one, it's gauze, wax, encaustic wax, stamping into the wax, metallic rub ons, accent beads and a tiny face .

No glue at all was used, even the label on the back was stuck on with wax and unusually for me I managed to complete the whole project without burning myself!

Take 6

I am hosting a swap which requires people to use 6 elements on one ATC... called Take 6 and is a kind of ATC recipe...

The ingredients that have to be used are...
1 Background...... no printed papers or images it had to be your own background
2. Metal
3. Clay
4. String
5. Fabric or leather
6. Embossing powder

Mix them all together and see what you get!

I get the impression that this has tested some people and it certainly tested the host (me!!)
Anyway here are my efforts! Hope I have used all the ingredients or else I will be in trouble!