H. O. W. E. V. E. R...

I have something new to share today...

I want to start with a review of clearly for art...

so I can point out the major difference below...

clearly for art is my clear moldable material that can be stamped & cut out or die cut to make custom embellishments...

the unique property is that every time clearly for art is heated/reheated, it goes completely flat...

so...when it's embossed with an embossing folder & reheated, the embossing disappears...

like I said...

completely flat every time...

here's where the title comes in...

H. O. W. E. V. E. R...

this next idea changes that property...

when Ranger introduced their new Metal Foil Tape Sheets I couldn't wait to play...

I finally had a chance to try my idea a few days ago...

I expected it to work...

and it did...

but I got a totally unexpected twist...

I wanted to put the metal foil tape sheet over

clearly for art(aka CFA)...

to create metal flowers, which would be thin, lightweight,

strong, moldable & unbreakable...

here's what I did...

I cut a piece of CFA large enough to fit these 2 flowers...

and a piece of metal foil tape sheet, the same size...

then I removed the backing from the foil tape sheet & applied it over the CFA...

what you'll see now is that you have 2 options here for the flowers...

the metal foil tape side is shiny...

but turn it over & the CFA side is still metallic,

but it's duller & toned down...

either side will work exactly the same...

so...depending on your project,

you can choose to make either side the top...

I decided to use the foil side as my top

for the flowers below...

I stamped my flowers, using jet black archival on the CFA side, lightly dried the ink & cut them out...

again...

you can stamp on either side...

next, I put both flowers in tim's dot matrix embossing folder & ran it thru the Vagabond...

you can use any embossing system...

but the Vagabond is really cute...

so now I have 2 really well embossed metal flowers...

I laid the flowers on my craft sheet & heated them with Ranger's Heat-It tool...

so that I could shape them...

expecting the embossing to be gone...

now here's the M. A. G. I. C...

once heated...

I could shape the flowers as usual...

but the metal foil tape held the texture in the CFA...

it didn't go completely flat & loose the embossing...

I was jumping for joy...

this opens a whole new area for play...

for the flower below I used denim & sailboat blue alcohol ink with a drop of the gold metallic mixative...

here's the metal foil tape/CFA flower...

and below is the little sample I made using the small sq. art parts frame...

tim's new kraft resist paper,

which I inked with weathered wood distress stain...

(LOVE it)...

both the paper & the stain...

some leaves, stamped on grungeboard...

a 3 1/2 inch art parts scallop & a NEW smaller one...

an idea-ology time piece & ornate plate...

a bit of a journaling ticket...

which is glued to a memo pin...

some brand new alpha parts to spell ART...

here's a better look @ the flower...

I used the gold metallic mixative to to change the color of the sprocket gear...

and used it for the flower center...

so once I got this unexpected result...

I HAD to play a bit more...

I used the same exact process for the flower below...

but this time after I embossed the flowers,

I gave them each a coat of Claudine's gesso & dried them...

then I misted the flowers with tim's butterscotch color wash...

and dried them...

then, I put them back on the craft sheet to heat so that they could be shaped...

after I shaped them, I wanted the edges a bit more distressed looking, so I used some caramel alcohol ink just on the tips of the petals...

then added a favorite accoutrement button...

and got this...

by adding Ranger's metal foil tape to the CFA and running it thru embossing folders you can quickly & easily make as many custom embellishments as you need...

no fancy metal tools are needed...

(ok...that Vagabond is fancy...)

the embossing folders makes it very simple...

now here are some IMPORTANT TIPS

to keep in mind...

HEATED METAL GETS HOT...

so be careful...

it also holds the heat longer, so you have a bit more working time...

I heated my metal/CFA pieces on the craft sheet...

let them cool about 5-7 seconds, then picked them up to shape them...

if it cools before your shaping is complete...

just heat the section that you need to mold...

if you happen to get a wrinkle in the foil tape when you apply it to the CFA...

no big deal...

the magic embossing folder takes care of that...

it's completely gone...

don't like the embossing folder you chose?

pick another & re-emboss the foil tape/CFA...

the original pattern is completely gone & you are left with the second pattern...

it's magic!

other options...

I could have used the sanding grip to lightly remove the alcohol ink, if I wanted the metal to stand out a bit more...

I could have done that with the gesso flower too...

I almost did...

but I didn't think it would look good with the butterscotch...

next time I'll choose a different color & sand off the embossed areas to reveal the metal to create a worn/distress look...

which I think will be cool with the gesso/color wash...

now I'm seeing metal butterflies...

leaves & more...

this is a fun combo...

you can also make stamped metal pieces...

so, instead of using the embossing folder,

just ink the metal/CFA & stamp...

then shape as desired...

you'll have a piece with no texture,

for another different effect...

and lots of background stamps to choose from...

and once again...

HEATED METAL GETS HOT...

so please be careful...

changing subjects...

in my last post I talked about Ranger's new Glue N Seal...

I forgot one little tidbit...

if you apply Glue N Seal over distress ink, you'll pick up some distress color on the brush,

since it's a water based product & distress inks react with water...

not that I've ever done that...

(ok...I did it twice...but I'm a slow learner)

it's NO BIG DEAL if you get color on the brush...

just run it under the faucet...

BEFORE putting it back in the jar...

the water takes the color right off the brush...

and your jar is nice & clean with no added color...

oh...the lightbulb just went off...

ding...

another metal foil tape/CFA idea...

I GOTTA try it NOW!

and...

make art!

wendy