playing with powders, paste...

and bare wood!

inexpensive plain wood ornaments have unlimited potential and can be used with so many products for a MILLION different results...

here's one way to alter this 5 inch tall wood tree...

from Hobby Lobby...

grab your fern green archival ink & 

fern green embossing powder...

use the brushed corduroy distress marker to color the trunk...

add fern green archival ink over the tree, then sprinkle on the fern green embossing powder while the ink is still wet...

heat to emboss...

use potting soil archival ink with 

the checkmate stencil 

to add the pattern to the tree trunk...

ahhh..

cute...

oops...forgot the photo...

add potting soil ink to the green tree edges...

then...

use snow cap white pigment ink with the spatter stamp to stamp over the tree & give it a quick dry...

using the happy holidays stencil...

apply gold metallic embossing paste thru the larger "merry christmas", with a palette knife...

I added it at the bottom of the tree...

then set it aside to dry...

add gold metallic embossing paste to the art parts star & pounce the palette knife over the paste to create texture...

it's kind of like making the peaks in meringue... 

set that aside to dry...

it will dry with the texture...

when the paste has dried, use the blending tool to add potting soil to create an aged metallic effect...

I also added a tiny bit of watering can archival to the very edges of the star & now it looks like this...

YIPPEE!

Glue N Seal is back!

I LIGHTLY added some around the outside edge of the star, then sprinkled on 

the rock candy distress glitter...

then added the remnant rub after the glue n seal had dried...

remnant rubs are fantastic over uneven surfaces...

swipe the letterpress over the tree branch archival pad, then sprinkle with 

the tree branch embossing powder &

 heat to emboss...

while the powder was still hot, I added a second layer of the powder to create a completely smooth enamel effect...

using one layer of embossing powder gives a textured result...

adding the second layer makes it very smooth...

I used potting soil to stamp the tiny text over each of the letterpress...

the next photo shows how to

 alter the ice skates...

the top is the original...right from the package & the bottom one is altered...

I used my finger with a very small amount of

gold metallic embossing paste & 

tapped it onto the front of the ice skates...

I left the blade portion silver...

then I added some potting soil ink after the paste had dried, which was only a minute, since I used such a small amount of paste...

using the hemostat to hold these really helped...

and it's a really handy tool for embossing small pieces...

it protects your fingers from the embossing tool...

next I added remnant rub words to each skate...

put them on a jump ring & attached the jump ring to the screw eye...

all ready to go...

to change up the linen ribbon...

after shaking the tarnished brass distress stain, dispense some onto the craft sheet & swipe the linen ribbon thru the stain & dry...

I darkened it with a bit of potting soil...

and twisted the middle to make it thinner...

now the star gets glued to the top of the tree...

the letterpress get glued on above the metallic sentiment...

leaving room to attach the ice skates with the screw eye...

the linen ribbon gets tied to the tree trunk & I also added a second screw eye...

so...

from this...

to this...

yes...I AM addicted to letterpress & I don't want the cure!

below you can see the raised gold embossing paste sentiment and the little rub ons on the skates...

I DO believe that

every detail does matter...

instead of sending a card, how fun it will be to surprise some "special people" with a handmade ornament?

did you notice that

I needed an O...

so I used the Q upside down...

hey...

it's ART...

there are NO RULES!

be on the lookout for bare wood items...

 Hobby Lobby is loaded with so many fun holiday choices...

I picked up quite a few, for very little $$$

and I'll be sharing more altering ideas in coming blog posts...

I LOVE home decor type stuff...

I picked up several of these same wood trees, 

so I think it will be fun to share 

several completely different ways 

to change them up...

stay tuned!

now...

I'm off with my sweetheart 

to celebrate today...

loved him then...

love him even more now...

little did he know then that he would be promoted to HEAD OF SHIPPING & RECEIVING!

haha...

I hope you're inspired to pick up some bare wood

and gather your supplies...

so YOU CAN...

make art!

wendy

ps...THE BEARS STILL SUCK!