here's how I got started...

here's how I got started...
a 20 minute podcast by Crazy BeYOUtiful

Monday, September 22, 2014

altered with distress spray stain & embossing powders...

while looking thru my *to be altered* stash, 
I found this wood holder...

I remember picking it up at an antique store, with the intention of making it a business card holder...
fairly long ago...
so...

after I blew the dust off...
haha...

I misted the wood with vintage photo distress spray stain...
the spray makes it super simple...
then I dried it...



now it looks like this...


next I chose my letterpress &


to add embossing powder to the letterpress,
swipe the letterpress onto the archival ink pad, then sprinkle with embossing powder & heat to melt the powder...


my letters looked like this...
nice & bright...
you could quit there, but I went over them with potting soil to age them...


then I stamped over the letters with jet black & the polka dot stamp & the tiny text stamp...

in the photo below you can see that I enameled the wood holder...

I swiped the cornflower blue archival pad over the areas where I wanted to add the cornflower blue embossing powder, sprinkled on the powder, wiped a bit off the edges...
then heated it to melt the powder...

so far...


wiping off some of the powder from the edges really adds to the vintage/chipped enamel effect...
I added potting soil archival over the whole thing and now it looks like this...


I used multi medium to add my letterpress to the holder......


and just as I planned...
it's the perfect size to hold business cards at conventions...


some things to note...
AWESOME on bare wood...
it couldn't be any easier or faster...

stamping on the letterpress is a tiny detail, but it does matter...

look at inexpensive things & think about how to make it something else...
if it has good bones & can take the heat, 
you're ready to go...

upcycling, repurposing...
or whatever you call it is
 is another way to...

make art!
wendy
pssst...be watching my Facebook page...
there will be a flash giveaway today...
it's a set of all 6 of my embossing powders...

35 comments:

Linda O'Connor said...

awesome project. luv to upcycle

Claudine said...

This is so darn cute! Love it

Gabrielle said...

Love it! Looks really cute!

Debby said...

Love it and I have some of those tiny stamp sets from years back and can have a play once I get some powders!

Diane Swanson said...

That is incredible! I LOVE it!!!!!

SusanK said...

Yep, definitely need to come your way for a mojo boost! This is super!

jezebel said...

Trash to treasure is now renamed "things to alter" in my house!!

Thanks, Wendy!
Jen

michelle said...

I love it so adorable!

Lisa said...

Oh my gosh, how creative!! It looks fabulous!! Love it!! Have a great day :)

Lisa
A Mermaid's Crafts

Redanne said...

I so want those EPs so that I can do my own name on something.... anything! The spray looks amazing on the wood base too. Anne x

Jenny Marples said...

Love the way the wood looks covered in the delicious embossing powder and you've really made your lettering pop. You told us to go buy things which would take heat so I picked up a couple of bargain mini cake tins today - now I just need the embossing powders...
Thanks for even more inspiration. Jenny x

Janie said...

That is so cool.

Unknown said...

OMG! So adorable! I bet it will be on your demo table this weekend with The Collins Grouo!

Vic said...

Perfectly sweet little holder.

Jessica said...

Love this!! Can't wait to try the new sprat stains and embossing powders!! :)

Craft Addicts - Tracy Evans said...

Love this Wendy, the embossing powder looks fantastic and this is a fabulous idea, love the laters . Tracy x

Dorothy said...

Ok...that is way to cute!!!

Helen said...

what a great upcycle!

Art Joy of Sharing with Peg and Shel said...

Fantastic, love this! thanks Wendy

LoraineC said...

No end to the possibilities, fantastic 😉

Kirsten said...

That is so cute & gorgeous.

Anita Houston The Artful Maven said...

This little project packs a big punch!!! Love it!

AngelkissesbyLinda said...

Wendy, this is such a cute little business card holder. Love these techniques.

Unknown said...

So BEAUTIFUL

Kathy Eddy said...

Love, love, love this little gem Wendy! So stinkin' cute!

Teresa (Smeared and Creased) said...

I love it Wendy, so very awesome!!

Art By Wanda said...

Wonderful project!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inkypinkycraft said...

what a great little project and love the look of the embossing powders, yummy!

Wilma said...

This is so very very cute and beautiful!!!

Theresa said...

way cool.

Linda said...

Awesome card holder, Wendy !!! Thanks for sharing the techniques, can't wait to get my hands on some of the embossing powers. Hope you have a wonderful week, finally getting cooler here, glad to see the heat and humidity go.

seahag said...

I love the randomness of the powders. This was a great find. I like how you used the ampersand in your name too. Pretty slick!

Carol McCready said...

Fantastic project. I have so many ideas now. Just not enough embossing powder.

Unknown said...

This box is absolutely adorable!

Tammy Hershberger said...

OK, one of these days I HAVE to get around to #1 ordering the embossing powder, and #2 checking out all the great things you're doing with them! LOOOOOVE the gorgeous vibrant colors!

Hey Wendy, just wondering... are you going to be in Cleveland next weekend for Adventures in Stamping? Don't see it on your schedule, but just thought I'd ask. You being there would be the ONLY reason I'll go!