Altered Tins

Our Frog Dog March Mixed Media Kit is full of possibilities! I have created a range of projects this month... from a repurposed discount frame, a journal cover (coming soon), 

and today's project altered tins.

I started with the larger tin and adhered the Dusty Attic Gears with mod podge.

Next, I added these sticky letters.  I had purchased them awhile back on a sale rack at Michaels.

They have a texture that will show up under the foil tape.

Next, I cut the foil tape to cover the gears and the letters.

To get into the nooks and crannies, I used the eraser end of a mechanical pencil, and in a few really tight spots, I used a bone folder. Don't use anything sharp or it will tear the foil. 

With a paper trimmer I cut the foil tape into different sized strips.

I covered the rest of the Tin top with the strip pieces, placing them randomly to fit.

Using the other end of the mechanical pencil (lead inside) 

I pushed straight down making marks that resemble rivets.

I used the pencil to draw different designs on each strip piece.

To add a bit of "aging" I rubbed black acrylic paint all over the top, and then gently wiped it back off with a baby wipe.  (you could use a damp paper towel) The paint was left in all the groves and edges.

This step really helped emphasis the little details.

You can't see in the photo above, but I also cut a thin strip of foil tape to cover the side edges of the top piece and used the pencil to add more "rivets" all the way around the tin.

Tin #2

For the smaller tin, I used Amazing Crafting Products to create more gears. 

(I know I will get a lot of use out of these molds for future projects!)

The price of the Amazing Crafting Products is minimal, considering you can make casts of your molds over and over without having to purchase more metal pieces or chipboard.

The Amazing Casting Resin goes a LONG way!!

See the steps for making the gears  here in my previous post.

I had a few metal pieces in my "stash" and I wiped on the Pinata color from our kit and quickly wiped it off with a baby wipe, leaving some of the black to fill in the groves.

Below, you can see that the metal pieces are darker, and that they also have the Rusting Powder added, which I will explain in steps further below.

I covered the tin with torn pieces of an old book, glueing them on with mod podge.

Next, I took a wedge sponge to apply some of the Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist -Silhouette Silver  to give the book page pieces even a little more "aging" 

Below, the top has color, the bottom does not.  It's pretty subtle.

Next I placed the "bottle caps" (Tim Holtz Salvage Stickers) evenly on the top and used a Black Derwent Inktense watercolor pencil to outline each one. Once you outline with the pencil, you go back with a small wet brush to "wake up" the color and create some depth.

Hopefully, the effect is that they look like real bottle caps with dimension:)

I used this same process around the letters "stuff" from the same Tim Holtz Salvage Stickers.

I could not believe how many cool pages of stickers came in this ringed folder!!!  

Enough for MANY MANY more projects!!

Finally, I added the Dusty Attic Rusting Powder to all the "parts" and the edges of the tin...trying to age the areas that naturally rust on a real vintage tin.

To use the rusting powder:

1.) Apply liquid glue (craft glue, matte medium, mod podge, or even embossing liquid) to the areas you want to rust.  

2.) Sprinkle rusting powder over those areas, tapping off excess on piece of paper.

3.) Pour excess back into jar (you'll want to save every bit of this super cool product!!)

3.) Spray with a white vinegar.

4.) Let it dry for at least 30-60 min.  Rust deepens with time.

Below, you can see where I added the "spinner hand" from our kit to the clock piece I had in my stash.

I also added a little metal wire "tied" to the gear on top. 

The "gear" that is second from the top of this pile, is a gear made with 

AMAZING MOLD PUTTY & AMAZING CASTING RESIN.

It's always hard to stop "creating" with our monthly kits.  So much product with such inspiration from all the other talented ladies on our design team!

Every set of tins created has been so unique.  I love them all!!

Check out Laura Mooney's , I love the colors!

Not to mention the rest of our design team's creations so far...

Hope you've been inspired to create TINS!!  

We'd love to see yours on our Facebook page!

It's always such a joy to share with you!

Sue

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Repurposed Discount Frame : Highlighting Amazing Crafting Products and FD March Kit

Here's what I used from our kit:

 Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist - Silhouette Silver

 Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist - Golden Doubloons

Dusty Attic Rusting Powder

 Dusty Attic Gear Chipboard Set

 Adirondack Paint Dabber - Pebble

 metal clip

AND...for the focal point of the frame...

A special piece "Re-created" with Amazing Crafting Products!

My first decision was to use a favorite "trinket" I purchased at a local design store.  

(It was the only cool thing I could afford at the time!)

Above is a photo of the purchased item, and next to it, the reproduction made with 

Amazing Crafting Products! 

To make the mold...Mix equal parts of A and B Mold Putty

                                

TIP: to decide how much putty to use, start by using just one part (either A or B) 

Press it onto your piece to see how much it takes to cover, using enough to have a solid bottom...if it's too thin on the bottom it won't be sturdy. If I can almost thinly cover with one "side" (a or b) I then add the equal amount of the other side...mixing until incorporated.  

(1 min to mix, 1 min to mold)

Hope that makes sense to you:)

Using equal parts A & B of Amazing Mold Putty, I pressed the putty over the top of the piece, then flipped it over to build up the sides.

Leave the mold to set for about 10-15 min.

To create an aged copper appearance, I used a dry brush to brush on Alumilite Copper Metallic Powder right onto the mold.

Next, I mixed equal parts A & B of Amazing Casting Resin, adding a few drops of Brown Alumilite Dye. It doesn't take much!

Once the Resin is poured into the mold, it is set in just 10-15 minutes!

(without the dye, the cast would be white)

The right is the cast, left the original.  I made several casts of this piece (once you make a mold you can use it over and over!)  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the one that had the Copper Metallic Powder added...but you can see how it came out in the finished frame piece.

The cast is thin enough, that I was able to trim some of the rough edges with scissors.

I made gear molds with the same steps as above using the Dusty Attic Gear Chipboard.

When the gear casts were finished, I used a wet brush to brush on 

Lindy's Stamp Gang Magicals in "Steampunk Sepia " 

(The Magicals achieve the same color as the Starburst Spray in our March Limited Edition Kit.)

Next, I created the background for my photo using the Adirondack Dabber in "Pebble" 

from our kit on my Gelli Plate.

I dabbed the paint onto the Gelli Plate, misted a few spritz of water over the paint and then rolled the paint with a brayer.

Once the paint was spread on the gelli, I pressed the Tim Holtz stencil (burlap) onto the gelli plate, lifted it up and pressed a blank piece of white card stock on top.

For this project, I used Magicals instead of the sprays in our March Limited Edition Kit, because I had them on hand before I received my sprays in the mail.  

The Industrial Chic Magicals produce the same colors as the Industrial Chic Starburst Sprays, 

but they allow you to create a specific "concentration" of color as you go, because you can mix small portions, varying the amount of intensity by the ratio of powder to water.  

The Sprays offer the advantage of having the color already mixed and ready to spray.  

When using the magicals as a spray, you must mix with warm water in a separate spray bottle.

I often "grab" a bit of the Magical powder with a dry brush, placing it in the lid of the container.

Then, I add a little warm water to my brush and stir, until I get the color I want.

This is the technique I used to add color to my photo's background page.

Brushing the mixed powder onto a wedge foam, I applied the color over the gear stencil.

I highlighted parts of the stencil image using other Lindy colors.  

(Time Travel Teal and Steampunk Sepia)
I applied the color with a small round paint brush.

I also used a sponge brush with a more diluted (more water than powder) Time Travel Teal 

to add more color and interest.

Above you can see the gold I added by dipping a dry brush into the Lindy's Stamp Gang Moon Shadow Mist -Golden Doubloons from our March kit.

The darker Teal was achieved by using a heavier concentration of Time Travel Teal powder to water.

The Lindy's colors are so vibrant and rich.

On to the frame...

 I purchased this for half off the clearance price of $5.10...about $2.50! 

I knew I would be covering up the writing, and I did this with Liquitex Super Heavy Gesso 

from our January Limited Edition Kit.

Do you have any old frames you'd like to re-invent?!! Grab that Gesso!

(MANY of our kit products last for months!!)

Once the Gesso was dry, I applied color using the Lindy's Magical in Time Travel Teal, using the same techniques from above. 

Next, I applied "patches" of Matte Medium (you could use any liquid glue/adhesive) 

randomly to the frame.

Then, sprinkled Dusty Attic's Rusting Powder on top, tapping off the excess onto a sheet of card stock so I could put what was not needed back in the jar. 

To activate the rust powder, spray with white vinegar and allow it to dry.  It will take 15-30 min to see the rust appear... the rust color will deepen a bit after more time.

I found that I could go back and spritz with a little more vinegar to deepen the rust color even further.

To rust the metal clip from our kit, I applied Glossy Accents (for a little thicker coat) and sprinkled with Rusting Powder...then activated it with white vinegar.

I added some chain that I had in my "stash" along with the sentiment tag from our March kit and the gears I molded and cast with Amazing Crafting Products.

Below, you can see that I added a hint of Tim Holtz Distress Ink in walnut to the center of the heart.

Our children and grandchildren are an extension of us...

Part of what "Life is about!"

A friend of mine was looking at this piece, and didn't believe the cast wasn't metal!

I used a lot techniques in this project and would welcome any questions you might have!

I so hope you feel inspired to create yourself!

It is a joy to share with you,

sue

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Letter It! A monthly series...with a lot of help from Lindy's

Yay! for our Limited Edition Kit!

The "jewels" of the kit of course are the Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Sprays.

No other product gives you the intense color and unique variation that comes with 

Lindy's Starbursts and Magicals.

Our Limited Edition Kit included a VERY generous supply of Starburst Sprays...

(Industrial Chic) The WHOLE set...love that!  Thank you Tina!

For this project, I used Magicals instead of the sprays, because I had them on hand before 

I received my sprays in the mail.  

The Industrial Chic Magicals produce the same colors as the Starburst Sprays, 

but they allow you to create a specific "concentration" of color as you go, because you can mix small portions, varying the amount of intensity by the ratio of powder to water.  

The Sprays offer the advantage of having the color already mixed and ready to spray.  

When using the magicals as a spray, you must mix with warm water in a separate spray bottle.

I often "grab" a bit of the Magical powder with a dry brush, placing it in the lid of the container.

Then, I add a little water to my brush and stir, until I get the color I want.

This is the technique I used and these are the colors on my journal page...

Rusty Lantern Lime

Shabby Turbine Teal

Steampunk Sepia

Time Travel Teal

Steel Shimmer(Glitz Spritz)

with the addition of 
Cajun Carnelian Red

I began by drawing loose wavy lines across my water color journal page in pencil.

Then filled in each space with color.

Above you can see the set lined up...notice the color in the lids...I used these as my "palette" loading a dry brush with a bit of powder, then spritzing a little water in each lid.  I mixed until the color became uniform, then spread it on the page, adding water as needed to keep the color flowing.

You can "paint" the sprays on your page in this same way, by shaking your spray bottle to make sure all the lovely bits of color are mixed, then open your bottle and dip your brush in!

The variation of tones and the shimmer from the mica in the powder is difficult to capture in a photo, but I think you can see some of the shimmer above.

I used my 2 favorite pens to add doodles to each color space.  (Scarlet Lime, and Uni-ball Signo)

The next step is to "lay down" an image or words that will be left "uncovered" after adding black (or you could use white) paint, leaving the image or words showing with the doodles coming through.

If you feel confident to draw letters/images free hand -do that, OR trace letters and shapes

 like the ones below.

You can use chipboard like above, or you could find a font you like, write your "sentiment" in a word document (creating the appropriate size for your project) then print out...cut out...and trace!

Above you can see where I first drew the words with a pencil, then went over those lines "sometimes roughly" with my "Scarlet Lime" pen.

Next, I covered the rest of the page with black gesso.  (you can use acrylic paint in any color, but I thought the black would be a great contrast to the Lindy color and compliment the doodling.

Below, is the Rusting Powder from our regular kit.

WE ALL LOVE THIS STUFF!!  

To use it, simply apply any type of glue (including matte medium, embossing liquid, or craft glue) then sprinkle the powder over those areas.  Make sure you tilt your piece and catch the excess to put back into your jar...you won't want to waste a drop, it's so fun to use!!

To activate the Rust Powder, spritz with a white vinegar....then let dry.  You'll see some of the rust effect within 10-15 min...but more will appear with time.  If it is not rusting as much as you want, spray with a bit more vinegar.  Let this dry.

I happened to have a "rust activator" that I use with a "rusting paint" (pictured below)

This also worked to activate the rust powder. 

Just a few close ups of the beautiful color achieved with Lindy's Magicals/Starbursts.

I outlined the letters with a Uni-ball Signo pen.

I think the Rust Powder adds such great texture!

Aren't we ALL just "girls with ideas?"  

Hope you enjoyed my first March project:)

It's a joy to share with you!

Sue

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