Two Old Crows's profilePrimitive Folk Art Craft...PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
Primitive Folk Art CraftingEver wonder how those great primitive crafts are made on ebay and websites we will share with you here recipes and techniques that you can use to make primitive crafts for your home or to sell. February 12 Free Valentine PatternThis month in Primitive Times Magazine Im offering a free pattern. This is my first venture into offering patterns and its be very overwhelming the great response Ive received. In future holds me starting a whole line of patterns...so watch for my new adventure. You can find this really cute Valentine Poke at Primitive Times Magazine (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) Check out the other great articles and free patterns while your there ! February 05 Painting SoapPainting on soap can be a lot of fun and makes an inexpensive gift to give or sell at craft shows. The biggest factor I have found in having success when painting on soap is patience - you must allow time for the soap to cure between steps. I like to buy pure-n-natural soap because it is expensive and is only imprinted on one side, if you buy soap that is imprinted on both sides take a hot butter knife and smooth the imprint away. Simple steps to painting soap follow: Remove the soap from the wrapper and let dry for a couple of days turning over a few times. Wipe the soap with a cottonball and alcohol to further remove oil from the surface which will keep your paint from adhering. Try not to touch the surface you are painting on after wiping with the alcohol
Seal the soap with a sealer I like to use Delta's candle and soap medium , Jo Sonya also makes an excellent sealer. Seal only the top and sides if you plan to use the soap. Let this thoroughly dry and cure for a day
Basecoat with acrylic paint the background if you wish it painted
Transfer your pattern with a stylus and graphite paper . Be careful not to press to hard or you will make grooves in the soap.
Paint your design as you would on any other surface and let dry thoroughly.
Varnish with an outdoor surface the painted surfaces
I like to place finished bars of soap in small party bags and tie up with homespun, ribbon or raffia to match the soap. Let your imagination run……apples for a teachers gift, frogs for a little boy, sheep and saltbox houses for your prim friends.
Have fun painting Debbie
Debbie own Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com) where she sells her handcrafted folk art in various mediums and vintage collectibles October 31 How to Rust Items for that Primitive LookRusting Items This recipe will nicely rust safety pins, jingle bells, or anything else you want to 'age' for your primitive creations.The most important thing to remember about rusting, is that you will want to buy the cheap brand of pins, safety pins, bells..ect that you can find. The more expensive brands have a shellac coating on them that you will have to sand off before rusting. Makes sure they are NOT brass either -brass will not rust.Do this outside away from children and pets.....the fumes are terrible ! Ingredients: 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup bleach 1 teaspoon salt Directions : Combine the ingredients in an old quart jar. Add items you want to rust and cover loosely - place in a safe spot and let set for at least 2 days. Line a tray with a couple of layers of paper towel and remove the items with an old fork from the mixture. place in the sunshine .......the items will begin to rust as they dry. Move them around so that they dry on all sides. Perfectly rusted bells, pins, and any other item you wish to rust. Caution: do not throw the mixture down the sink- dispose of properly where no animal or child could come in contact with. October 20 Distressing Wood and MetalDistressing Wood and Metal
Distressing is one of the most effective and easiest ways to age furniture or a painted piece. We can take a new piece and make it look like it has been around for years and been touched by hands many times with a very simple technique using candle wax. I prefer using beeswax candles for this but any white candle may be used.
First look at the piece and decide if you wish the finished piece to look like a piece that has been painted many times over, if so you will need to paint two colors. If you wish the finish piece to be bare wood where rubbed off you will only need to do a topcoat. . Sand the entire piece with a fine grade sandpaper and wipe with a tack cloth
If you wish a color beneath the paint rubbed off apply it now and allow to dry for 2-4 hours.
Using the candle on its side rub over the entire piece, paying special attention to the edges and corners, anywhere the piece may have been touched alot ( around handles) areas where it would have naturally gotten distressed
Now paint the entire piece going over the wax with a topcoat, be sure to paint with the grain of the wood. Let dry thoroughly
Using steel wool rub the paint in the direction of the grain of the wood. Where there is wax underneath the paint will come off revealing either the bare wood or the color beneath. Avoid rubbing the steel wool against the grain as this will create an ugly scratch effect rather than a smooth distressed look.
If you wish you can repeat this process to make the piece look like it has been painted several times in different colors.
When completely finished wipe the entire piece with a tack cloth and protect the piece by varnishing.
Distressing can be done on both metal and wood.....just remember to follow the steps given before to prepare the surfaces for painting.
For more crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows(www.2oldcrows.com) October 14 Preserving Fall LeavesPreserving Fall Leaves Fall is a wonderful time for a walk and we all see leaves that we wish we could keep forever, now we can by one of the methods below. Choose beautiful fall leaves for their shape and color and avoid leaves with imperfections. It is better to pick leaves or branches from the trees directly- the ones on the ground are already dry. Each method has it merit and all are very simple - so take the time for that fall walk and find some leaves to decorate with ! Pressing a Leaf in a Book This is probably the easiest method if you are just wanting to do a couple of leaves. Take an old thick book and place the leaf between the pages making sure it is completely flat- it will take a few days to dry but will last for many weeks and retain its wonderful color. Pressing Leaves in Wax Paper Place the leaf between two layers of walk paper and cover with an old towel or cloth rag. Press the fabric with a warm iron sealing the wax paper with the leaf between. Let cool and carefully cut out your leaves. Microwaving Leaves Choose the freshest leaves with the brightest colors do not use fallen leaves. Place leaf on two sheets of paper towel in the microwave and cover with another sheet of paper towel. Run the microwave for 30-180 seconds - check often and be careful you can start a fire. If the leaves curl up after removal they are not dry enough, if they are scorched you have left them for too long. Let the leaves dry flat for a couple of days then spray with a sealant Glycerin Method This is my personal favorite method and I have found it works the best. To preserve the leaves on the branch set the branch stems in a bucket of warm water for about 1 1/2 hours. Mix 2 parts water and 1 part glycerin in a saucepan, bring to a boil for 1o minute and set aside to cool. Cut stems of branches at an angle and smash so that they can absorb more glycerin solution. Place the stems in the glycerin solution and store in cool place. When you see beads of glycerin on the leaves remove and wipe each leaf with a clean paper towel. Hang to dry . To preserve individual leaves.Remove any debris from the leaves. Bring a mixture of 1 part glycerin and 2 parts water in a saucepan to a boil. Pour the mixture into a heat proof container and submerge the leaves. Keep in a dark cool place until the leaves change color. Remove the leaves and dry with a paper towel. All of the above methods work. The leaves I have preserved with glycerin have lasted several years. If I just want to bring in some branches and place in vase I just add 1/2 teaspoon of glycerin to the water and change weekly. Glycerin can be found an any drug store. October 09 How to Transfer a Pattern for PaintingFolk Art Painting- Transferring the Pattern
Transferring your pattern on to your piece can sometimes present problems...your pattern may not fit properly even on a piece of cut wood, this is because the wood may have change size a bit from sanding or from the wood cutter not having the original pattern
Place your pattern on the design area and line up the edges the best you can making sure the pattern is straight vertically and horizontally in the middle of the patttern.
Tape your pattern securly to the piece
Choose the correct piece of transfer paper for the background. White transfer paper should be used on dark backgrounds while black or gray graphite on light backgrounds
New graphite or transfer paper should be wiped with a paper towel to remove the excess otherwise your transfer will be too dark and smudges will appear on your piece. If this does happen carefully remove the smudeges with an artist gum eraser (this type of eraser will do less damage to your painted surface)
Slip your graphite paper between your piece and pattern making sure the graphite side is against the piece- I dont know how many times I have traced a pattern only to find out I ahve traced to the pack of the pattern piece rather than the piece
How much of the pattern should I trace is often the question ? I only trace the silhouette then basecoat and then go back to trace the details in. Any detail I feel comfortable free handing I do not trace.
Only use light pressure when tracing with your stylus otherwise you will dent the surface. Begin at the top of your pattern and go in a continous path jumping all around the pattern will only make you lose your place. You can always lift your pattern and graphite paper carefully to see where you are if if you lose your place but be very careful to realign when placing it back or your pattern will be off.
When finished check your work carefully and remove any wronged placed line or smudges with you artist gum eraser
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows ( www.2oldcrows.com) October 05 Folk Art Painting- Tracing Your PatternFolk Art Painting- Tracing the Pattern
October 02 How to Prepare Wood for Folk Art PaintingFolk Art Painting - Wood Preparation
As a folk artist I have found that wood preparation before painting is very important - if you want a beautiful finished product you must take the time to prepare your wood properly- no amount of painting will cover up the flaws that should have been fixed before painting. Below are a few tips and techniques I have found hlepful in wood preparation.
Choose wood carefully - avoid wood that is warped and has knot holes and is marred
Fill in all holes, scratches and gouges with wood filler and let dry completely, sand and refill if necessary.
Spot seal all knots with Jo Sonyas Tanning Blocker or a product like it - knots can bleed through paint leaving terrible brown rings.
Sand wood with 150-220 grit sand paper making sure to sand with the gain of the wood. If you sand against the grain you will have scratches. Be sure to sand all edges and wipe with a tack cloth.
Seal the wood on all surfaces with a water based sealer - if you dont seal because wood is a porous material the grain will raise when the paint is applied making the surface bumpy. Allow the sealer to dry completely following the instructions on the product.
Sand one more time with a 220-400 grit sand paper to remove any grain that may have arose- this will give the piece a nice smooth surface to paint on.
Remove all dust with a tack cloth .
Now your ready to paint!
For more crafting tips and techniques be sure to visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com) October 01 NEWS FLASHNEWS FLASH ! NEWS FLASH !!
I just can't hold the news back any longer......I'm so excited ....I'm going to be one of the editors on the new online magazine " Primitive Times Magazine"(www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) and have my own column "From the Crows Nest " on its website. I just can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this awesome opportunity Angela Wenke from Heartland Marketplace has given me.
Angela's motto and slogan for the magazine is "where crafters unite" and "uniting the crafting community one crafter at a time" is really just perfect ! There are 12 editors on staff each more sharing than the last in helping others out in starting their own business and sharing crafting tips and techniques. The website and magazine are full of articles about things from the woman's point of view, crafting tips, recipes, decorating and business information. A downloadable version of the magazine will have its first issue in November and monthly after that so be sure to watch for it. Visit the website Primitive Times Magazine (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) and sign up---be sure to do that you won't want to miss out on the first issue.
P.S. The magazine and website are both offering great advertising opportunities - so be sure to check it out.....tell Angie the Old Crow set you ! September 27 Oopps I Got Paint on My ClothesPaint on Your Clothes
Oopps...so you look down and there is that splatter or drop of paint on your favorite shirt. First never wera you favorite or best clothes when painting because the inevitable will happen - you will get paint on your clothes. No matter how careful or neat you are the time will come so wear old clothes. An apron is helpful when painting in public such as a craft show where you want to look at leat presentable. Try any of the following hints below- sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Caution these may remove dye from your clothing leaving a worse spot so be sure to test in an inconspicious place first !
Finger nail polish remover- remember fingernail polish is paint. Dab some on the spot with a Q-tip and then try to pick the paint off
Rubbing alcohol or vodka (now if the spot doesnt come off just take a stiff drink and you won't care- only kidding) applied to the spot may remove it. Test for colorfastness first and let it stand for 5 minutes before rinsing with cold water
Hairspray- spray the spot with hairspray, hold under a dripping faucet of cold water and then scrape off carefully with a knife
Paint brush cleaner- paint brush cleaner such as Mona Lisa Pink Soap may remove the spot.
Thoroughly was the spot if the paint still remains do not place the item in a dryer (the heat will set the paint permanently). try one of the above again if the paint still remains. If you cant get the paint out this becomes your new paint outfit !
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com) September 25 Distressing WoodDistressing is one of the mo st effective and easiest wasy to age furniture or a painted piece . We can take a new piece and make it look like it has been around for years and been touched by hands many times with a very simple technique using candle wax. I prefer suing a beeswax candle for this but any white candle may be used.
First look at thepiece and decide if you wish the piece to look like a piece that has been painted many times over, if so you will need to paint two colors. If you wish the finish piece to be bare wood where rubbed off you will only need to do a topcoat.
Sand the entire piece with a fine grade sand paper and wipe with a tack cloth
If you wish a color beneath the paint rubbed off apply it now and allow to dry for 2-4 hours
Using the candle on it's side rub the entire piece paying special attention to the edges and corners, anywhere the piece may have been touched alot ( example- around handles) areas where it would have naturally gotten distressed.
Now paint the entire piece going over the wax with a topcoat being sure to paint with the grain of the wood. Let it dry thoroughly
Using steel wood rub the paint in the direction of the grain of the wood. Where there is wax beneath the paint will come off revealing either the bare wood or the color beneath. Avoid rubbing the steel wool against the grain as this will create an ugly scratch effect rather than a smooth distressed look
If you wish you can repeat this process to make the piece look like it has been painted several tims in different colors
When the piece is completely finished wipe with a tack cloth and protect with a varnish of your choice following manufactures directions
Distressing can be done on both metal and wood - just remember to follow the steps given before to prepare the surfaces for painting.
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrow.com) September 20 Making Your Own Grubby TagsMaking Your Own Grubby Tags
Grubby tags are a great addition to any primiitve or country project.They can be used as tags on baskets, packages or even as Christmas ornaments. You can make them as elaborate or as simple as you wish with decorating. The directions below are for simple grubby tags background for the tag.
Supplies:
3x5 index cards (You can substitue boughten shipping tags but I like to substitue simple index cards you can then cut the card to any size or shape you want before staining)
3 heaping tablespoons of instant coffee( I have found that more expensive brands will give you a darker color- if you use a cheaper brand you may want to add more- experiment to get a shade you like)
1 cup of boiling water
Few drops of vanilla ( I like the scent of vanilla but substitute cinnamon scent at Christmas time - the choice of scents is yours )
Sponge Brush
Drying rack
Directions:
Cut the index cards into the size and shape you want- stars, bells, trees, crows or standard tag sizes) punch a hole in the top for the string
Mix the boiling water, instant coffee and vanilla well then apply to both sides of the tag with a sponge brush and place on a drying rack to dry ( I like to use an on screen window but you can use a bakers rack)
Let the tags dry thoroughly turning them a couple of times. If they dry to light you can restain them. To hurry up this process place them on a cookie sheet in a low temperature oven for a few minutes.
If you want the tags to have a motley effect spray them with a bit of water before completely dry
Should the tags curl up ( I find this happens when I dry them in the oven) press them with an old iron on a cotton setting - if you dont have an old iron place a pressing cloth over them before pressing to protect your iron
Be sure to stain the string that you are going to use also.......strings can be made of string, embroidery thread, torn homespun fabric, twine or raffia
Once they are dry the fun begins. Writing can be done with a permanent sharpie marker. Embellishments such as mica flakes, rubber stamping, buttons, bottle caps, copies of vintage images or photos - all can be used.If I do more than just write on them I do modge podge them.If the items you add seem to light colored just dab them a bit with the coffee staining solution using a q-tip
Let your imagination run wild and have fun making tags !
For more crafting tips and techniques visit Two Old Crows(www.2oldcrows.com)
September 18 Making Your Own Lavender Linen SprayLavender is known for its wonderful aroma and soothing benefits. You can make this spray for ironing, to freshen towels and sheets in the linen closet, on old linens to freshen them up, as an air freshner and on your pillow just before going to bed- it will relax you and help you fall asleep
Ingredients for a 5 ounce bottle
4 ounces of distilled water ( tap water will cause it to become cloudy)
1 ounce of 100 proof vodka or ethanol (rubbing alcohol - do not use isoproyl)
10 drops of lavender essential oil
5 ounce spray bottle ( dark glass works the best)
Mix the essential oils in the alcohol, the alcohol will take on the scent of the oil. Slowly add the distilled water stirring constantly. Fill the bottle
Store in a cool dark place and shake well before using. Test on an inconspicious place on fabric before spraying the entire piece.
Non staining oils such as juniper, eucalyptus, rosewood or peppermint can be substitued for the lavender oil.
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows ( www.2oldcrows.com) September 13 Primitive SnowballsPrimitive snowballs are a great addition to any primitive, vintage or country decor at Christmas time. They are easy to make and take very few supplies, even your kids can help !
Supplies:
Stryofoam balls in the approximate size you want the snowballs to be ( I have substituted balls made out of aluminum foil in a pinch but the compound doesnt stick to it as well)
White joint compound (its what they use when dry walling or filling cracks -dont buy spackle its too expensive)
Mica flakes or glass glitter ( if you cant find either of these you can use the sparkly modge podge and just paint it on once the balls are dry)
Off white, buttermilk or antique white acrylic paint
Toothpicks and an old cardboard box
Directions:
Place some of the joint compound in an old bowl and add drops of the acrylic paint until you get the color you wish ( the compound alone is just too white for my taste)
Roll the ball in the compound being sure to cover it evenly all the way around. Be sure to coat it generously.
Now drop the ball covered with compound into a bowl of mica flakes and roll cover all the surface...shake gently
Place a toothpick or wooden skewer into the ball and then stick into the cardboard box to dry....I find this lets the ball dry more evenly then placing them on a wax covered cookie sheet like I use to
They will take 2-3 days to dry depending on the humidity. Be sure to let them dry thoroughly
These when finished look wonderful sitting in a wooden bowl mixed with a few sprigs of greenery, berries and pinecones. They make an expensive gift when placed in a cellophane bag with a grungy tag that says "Snowballs 5 cents" or a tag made out of a Vintage Christmas image. You can even scent them with great scents like peppermint, jack frost or pine green.
*When finished be sure to wash your hands well and apply a lot of hand lotion. I find the compound has a tendency to dry your skin out. Last time I made them I wore disposable cheap gloves which seemed to work well.
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at "Two Old Crows" (www.2oldcrows.com) September 08 Fleecing Wool FeltFleecing Wool Felt
To give wool felt that aged look making it perfect for crafting is very easy by following a few simple steps. This technique will only work on wool felt you can also do it with 100% wool fabric.
1.Using cold water wet the wool felt completely do not agitate. Colors should be done separately because dyes will be let loose and can run ( expect the water to change color)
2.Squeeze out by hand as much of the water as possible do not wring the fabric this will only stretch it and make the fibers weak.
3.Place the fabric in a dryer on the regular setting and nearly dry ( I find that this takes about 20 minutes in my dryer) Do not place both dark colored and light colored fabrics together they will bleed on to each other.
*Place an old towel in the dryer after removing the fabric and continue to the drying cycle- this will remove any excess dye from your dryer
4. Lay the fabric flat to finish drying smoothing out the wrinkles the best you can with your hand.
5. Press with a steam iron
This fleeced wool felt in great for making sheep, crows, penny rugs and other primitive items . It may be tea stained to give it an even more worn look.
For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows ( www.2oldcrows.com) September 06 Tea Staining FabricTea staining has been around a long time and was first used to hide stains on linens. It is one of the most popular ways to stain fabric and gives it a warm antique look. Different types of teas such a green tea, black tea, rasperry and herbel teas will give you different tints and tones on fabrics so don't be afraid to experiment a bit. Hibiscus tea will give you red tones while black teas give more of a soft brown or cream tone to the fabric. Tea staining works well only on natural fabrics- muslin, cotton, linen and wools dye well. It is very easy to do and just takes a few simple steps
If you fabric is new be sure to wash it first to remove the sizing before dying.
I have found 4 cups of water and 4 single cup tea bags will dye one yard of fabric. Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat add tea and let set for about 5 minutes until the liquid turns the desired color. Remove the tea bags from the water if you dont the tea bags may make dark stains on your fabric
Wet the fabric in water thoroughly, removing excess before putting in the tea mixture- stir gently
Let soak for approxiamately 10 minutes checking to see if the fabric is dark enough. Remember you fabric will dry a shade lighter.
When fabric has reached the desired color remove from the tea mixture and rinse well with warm water and a mild dish soap- if you dont the fabric may become damaged by the tea- tea contains acid which can destroy fibers over time
Line dry or place the fabric in the dryer. I like to put the fabric in an old pillowcase to protect my dryer and if Im going to put in white clothes right after I will wipe the dryer out if it jeans I just dont worry
When the fabric is dry if you want it darker repeat the process , if the fabric is too dark wash the fabric in a gallon of water to which you have added 1 tablespoon of bleach this will lighten the fabric- rinse thoroughly and redry
If I am going to use the fabric for something that is going to be washed I will soak it in a gallon of cold water to which I have added 1 tablespoon of vinegar to set the color.
Have fun tea staining - remember the possibilities are endless -old linens, clothes, etc can all be tea staine
For more great crafting tips and recipes visit our website
Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com) Read Debbie's Crafting Columns for more great crafting tips and techniques
|
|
|||||||||||
Send a private message
Tell a friend
Add to My MSN
Add to your network
Sign up for alerts|
|
