tutorial Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Linda Nelson

MAKE SCENTED MOSSY EGGS

February 19, 2016

It’s that time of year again when all of us crafters will be laying and displaying our handcrafted eggs. Dipping, dying, batiking, painting, decoupaging, stenciling and glittering are some of the many techniques that will be used in the creative process. Let’s add “mossing” to the list. The pictured examples are not just any mossy eggs; they’re Linda’s mossy eggs, and I think you will enjoy making some. I certainly did.

Grab your supplies –

Styrofoam egg(s)
skewer(s)
brown and green acrylic paint
paint/sponge brushes
Elmer’s glue
dyed/preserved spanish moss
soil-less seed starter mix/potting mix (or a handful of peat moss)
dried lavender buds
small container
spoon

You will also need an electric coffee grinder or some sort of food processor, and a sieve.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Poke the skewer into the rounded end of the egg. This step is just for practical egg handling purposes. Next, mix some green and brown paint together to create a drab and muddy or mossy hue. Add to it a few drops of glue, mix well, then apply one coat of paint to your egg. Let the painted egg dry.

©Linda Nelson 2016

Grab a tiny handful of the Spanish moss(torn into little pieces) and a few pinches of lavender buds, and place them in your coffee grinder. Grind/pulse until the mixture is somewhat fine yet still maintains a little bit of texture. Continue making up batches of the lavender moss until you have about one half to one cup’s worth; that will be enough to cover a handful of eggs. A small Chinese takeout soup container is ideal for storing the ground moss.

Apply a generous/even coat of glue onto the egg’s surface with a paintbrush. Hold the egg over the container of moss, and using a spoon, scoop up some moss and drop it over the egg. Continue doing this while simultaneously turning the egg until it is completely coated. DO NOT dip the egg into the moss; it smudges the glue coating. Gently tap the skewer on the edge of your container to help the loose particles fall away, then place it somewhere to dry. I like to set the skewer down into the neck of a small bottle. Use a clean, dry brush to remove the rest of the loose particles; they can go right back into your moss container.

©Linda Nelson 2016

To make the brown egg, simply strain the soil-less/peat based potting mix thru a sieve until you have collected enough of a fine textured amount to work with. I didn’t add the lavender to this one, but you’re more than welcome to do so.

©Linda Nelson 2016

I’m not a big fan of providing exacting instructions for creative embellishing; you own that part. I figure that if you don’t have it in you to do it yourself, chances are that you’re not reading this post.

Do you like my Thumbelina-sized envelope? See how I made it?

©Linda Nelson 2016

Hmmmm…… what else have I been up to? Oh, I made a “chippy” egg. Just mention in a comment if you’d like me to share my technique for that one.

©Linda Nelson 2016

There you have it.

Now, make some scented mossy eggs, and get creative!

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TAG, YOU’RE IT!

December 21, 2015

And, in my eyes, you’re a star!

I always enjoy making my own gift tags, and even more so if it doesn’t require too much effort. The one pictured is ideal for repurposing old holiday cards, and is a very child friendly craft.

©Linda Nelson 2015

I found a very nice dimensional star tutorial at House Revivals, and it’s super easy to follow. While you’re there, check out more of Amanda Lee’s posts; she’s a very, very talented lady. I created a template, traced it onto my chosen card stock, cut it out, then wrote out my sentiment on the back. I simply used the non-cutting edge of a butter knife to score the folding lines. Punch a hole in one section, attach your tag to the gift with some ribbon or twine, and……Voila! You’re a crafty super star!

©Linda Nelson 2015

As a variation, create two templates, one smaller than the other, and glue the smaller one on top of the larger one. Outlining the star with glitter glue would look really nice, too.

Now, get creative!

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RELIEF YOURSELF: A TUTORIAL

March 6, 2015

Need some relief from all of this snowy, winter weather? Well, here you go; here’s some relief.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Perhaps you’d like to relief, yourself. You’ll feel great, and to do so, this is what you’ll need –

gesso
molding paste
a cone shaped plastic goody bag
an empty cone-tipped plastic bottle
acrylic paints, antiquing stain, or any coloring supplies of your choice
a surface to relief upon

©Linda Nelson 2015

Sleeve a plastic goody cone bag inside a glass, then spoon in equal parts gesso and molding paste. Twist the bag shut and use a squishing technique to mix them together. Snip the tip end of the cone and squirt your mixture into the plastic bottle. Prime your surface area with a coat of plain, white gesso. I chose a blank hemp journal, but wood/canvas panels, clay pots, etc…. would serve as great options, too.

Pre-sketch with a pencil, or just free-hand draw a design onto your surface. Grab your little concocted bottle of relief and do your thing. Now, set your piece aside to dry.

©Linda Nelson 2015

Apply a few coats of gesso over the entire surface area of your piece, allowing it to dry after each coat. Finish it off with a dry brush coat of acrylic paint, antiquing ink or any preferred technique to achieve the look you want. I sponged on some mossy green acrylic paint. I let it dry, then did a sponge on/wipe off coat of brown and teal tinted gloss medium. The journal book came with a satin cord bookmark attached to it; I simply added the skeleton key.

If you’re a purist, you know that this isn’t an authentic relief process. But, who cares. There’s snow on the ground, and in lieu of shoveling, you might prefer a less back-breaking activity.

There you have it.

Now, go relief……, yourself.

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NOT YOUR KIDDY’S PAPER PUMPKIN

September 16, 2014

Have I got a few resourceful, rustic and simple to make little pumpkins for you. Today’s post features not your little kiddy’s paper bag pumpkin, but a rustic, yet sophisticated lady’s paper pumpkin. The neighboring ones in this photo will be showcased in tutorial posts to follow.

You likey? Well, here’s what you do –

Crumple and scrunch a lunch paper bag until it’s wrinkly and soft to the touch, taking care not to tear it. Stuff the bag (pack it somewhat densely) just over half full with shredded paper, pillow stuffing, or something similar. Create an inward facing rolled cuff with the top half of the bag, rolling until you meet up with the stuffed half.

Take a 5 ft. piece of twine and make a loop knot at one end; tape the other end to a bamboo skewer. The skewer is your “needle”. Pass the skewer down the center of the bag, carefully piercing through the center of the bottom of the bag.

Pass the skewer through the loop knot, then tug the twine to create your first pumpkin groove. Continue around until you have six evenly spaced grooves with just the right amount of tension to give the pumpkin its characteristic shape.

Securely tie the twine off at the bottom of the pumpkin. Find or make a stem, then glue it into position. You may be able to forego glueing the stem on if it is long enough to be gently twisted and nestled in.

Add your embellishments, then place your newly created pumpkin among the other fabulous, decorative things around your home.

There you have it.

Now, get creative. And, do stay tuned for some more pumpkin making tutorials!

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