Angel or Devil-Peek-A-Boo Project

Over the Rhine is one of my favorite bands. They lyrics to their song "What I'll Remember Most" are "The biggest lies are the little ones. When the look in your eyes is the distant one. Angel or demon You know that they can share the same bed I've laid awake so long I've got them both inside my head. You were 80% angel 10% demon. The rest was hard to explain. This is the inspiration for this current project.

 

Supplies: (2) Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Wings Assortment, Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Feathers Shape Set , Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Family Tree, (I used the hearts only), 2 small dragon eyes, Lumiere Pain Hi-Lite Blue, Pearl White, Crimson, Deco Art-Festive Red, Paintbrush, Clamps, Weldbond, Polymer Clay, Heart Shape and Circle Cutters, Stamps, Clear Roller, Ribbon Blade, Sculpey Liquid Clay, Tiny Nails, Mica Powders- I used Finnabair White and Brass, Rangers Grey, White and Black Glitter, Deco Art Dura Clear Matte Varnish, paintbrush, Versa Mark Marker, Embossing Powders-I used Judi Kins Extreme Peacock, Opaque White ,Rangers Black Sparkle, Black, Ice Resin-Tarnished Bronze and German Silver, Heating Tool, Exacto Blade, Weldbond, Rub'n Buff-Silver, Antique Gold, Gold Leaf, and Spanish Copper, Glossy Accents, Finnabair Microbeads, Tyvek, Scissors, Bag of BBs or Kitty Litter, Clear(White) and Black Gesso, Assorted Beads, Soft Flex Beading Wire, 2mm Barrel Crimp Bead, Crimping Tool, Miniature Wind Chime Kit, pewter chandelier earring finding, wire, microscrew, screwdriver

1.  Take apart Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Wings Assortment and two Heart Frames from Family Tree Kit.

2.   Choose one "good" dragon eye-I used a blue human eye- and one "bad" dragon eye-I used a red cat eye.

3.  Paint one heart with Lumiere Hi-Lite Blue and Pearl White, the other with Lumiere Crimson and DecoArt Festive Red.

 4.  Glue Hearts together and clamp into place, allowing to dry fully.

5.  Roll out your polymer clay into a thin sheet.

6.  Cut into two pieces.

7.  Use clear roller and gently roll over two stamps of your choosing.

8.   Use heart cutter to cut out two hearts.

9.  Place eyes in center of each clay heart gluing into place with Sculpey Liquid Clay.

10.                Add details to eyes using circle cutters, small nails securing with Sculpey Liquid Clay.

11.                Use Mica Powders to "paint" the eyes, I used Finnabair White and Silver for "good eye" and Red and Gold for "bad eye". Add small nails for added details.

12.                Bake as per manufactures recommendations.

13.                Paint one side of wings with a paint made of mixing Finnabair white mica powders and white glitter added to DecoArt Dura Clear Matte Varnish.

14.                Paint the side of wings with a paint made of mixing Finnabair black and bronze mica powders and black glitter added to DecoArt Dura Clear Matte Varnish.

15.                Add dimension to wings by variegating lines of embossing powders and ice resin-I used a versa mark marker I added Ice Resin- German Silver, Judi Kins-Opaque White Embossing Powder and Ultimate Peacock to the "good wings" and Ice Resin- Tarnished Bronze, Rangers Embossing Powder of Black and Black Sparkle to the "bad wings"

16.                Be sure to cure with heating gun after each new color added and be extra careful not to contaminate your supplies as you add each additional layer.

17.                Use an Exacto Blade to reopen some of the laser cuts that are now covered with cured embossing powders and ice resins.

18.                Glue cooled clay eyes into Heart Frame using Weldbond.

19.                Distress and add depth to heart eye frames using Rub'n Buff.

20.                Fill in any gaps using Glossy Accents and Microbeads.

 

21.                Glue wings together using a small strip of Tyvek and Weldbond.

22.                 Allow to dry completely and flat weighted down with BBs or kitty litter.

23.                Trim Tyvek from wings so it does not show through heart eye frames.

24.                Glue each heart eye from on its respective side allowing to dry completely and flat weighted down with BBs or kitty litter.

25.                I wanted to add more stability to the wings and coated them with a clear gesso thinking it would dry clear and transparent. BUT IT DRIED WHITE!! So I had to save my cool project.

26.                I went through my supplies and found another set of Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Wings Assortment and Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts-Feathers Shape Set to add more depth to my wings.

27.                I painted wings with white gesso then I used a versa mark marker I added Ice Resin- German Silver, Judi Kins-Opaque White Embossing Powder and Ultimate Peacock to the "good wings"

28.                I painted feathers with black gesso then I used Ice Resin- Tarnished Bronze, Rangers Embossing Powder of Black and Black Sparkle to the "bad feathers"

29.                Glue to respective side using Weldbond.

30.                Allow to dry completely and flat weighted down with BBs or kitty litter.

31.                String together an assortment of beads using SoftFlex and crimping the ends leaving a loop to put a jump ring through.

 

32.                Attach beads to top of heart using a jump ring.

33.                Attach 3 small wind chimes to pewter chandelier earring finding using thin wire.

34.                Attach to the bottom of heart using a micro screw and a screwdriver.  

35.                Mobile is now ready to hang and enjoy for whatever mood you find yourself in.

 

 

 

Some more lyrics from Over the Rhine

 

I'm a Failed Christian
I don't go to church
I smoke and I drink
And I lie and I curse

(Failed Christian)

All my favorite people are broken
Believe me
My heart should know

Some prayers are better left unspoken
I just wanna hold you
And let the rest go

All my friends are part saint and part sinner
We lean on each other
Try to rise above

We’re not afraid to admit we’re all still beginners
We’re all late bloomers
When it comes to love

All my favorite people are broken
Believe me
My heart should know

Orphaned believers, skeptical dreamers
Step forward
You can stay right here
You don’t have to go

(All My Favorite People)

As the Deer Pants-Peek-A-Boo Project

I am not an overly religious man but was raised up attending a small, little white church on the hill several miles from our small country home. I always loved the Psalms the best as they expressed just deep emotions and longings. I was a bit of an outsider growing up in this rural setting as I was an artistic emotional child. I comforted myself reading the Psalms and always believing in better days. This is the inspiration for this piece. Many people try to keep deer out of their gardens I am inviting them to be part of our gardens as I try to include all outsiders into my art.

Supplies: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Flourished Deer, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Creepy Tree 5 Inches, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Vine Corners, Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts-Layered Frame Bella Oval, Upcycled Seed Packet Plant Holders(can find them by doing an internet search sold by Amazon, garden centers, some Big Lot stores), photocopies of woodland scenes, Ranger Vintaj Patina Set, Small Natural Sponge, Coptic Marker-Pistachio, Weldbond, Clear Matte Varnish, Paintbrush, Versa Mark, Wendy Vecchi Embossing Powders-Tree Branch and Fern Green, Ranger Embossing Powder-Brick (Use to be named Rust). Heating Tool, Antiquing Cream Raw Umber, Weighted Bags of BB's or Kitty Litter, balsa wood, micro-screws, screwdriver, Ferro Textured Paint Irongold and Silver,  24 jump rings-12 gauge x 3/8 i.d.(inside diameter) anodized aluminum in black ice, and  two pairs of flat nosed pliers
1.   Separate Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Flourished Deer, Vine Corners, and Creepy Tree 5 inches.

2.  Make copies of woodland images you'd like to use. I made copies of two I had taken form my many walks in the woods.

3.  Use Ranger Vintaj Patina set to distress the Seed Packet Plant Holders using a small natural sponge.

4.  Cut out photocopied pictures and use a Pistachio Coptic marker on the edges.

5.  Glue pictures into Seed Packet Plant Holders using Weldbond.

6.  To make the outdoor friendly coat with two coats of Clear Matte Varnish.

7.  Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Flourished Deer with Wendy Vecchi Tree Branch Embossing Powders.

8.  Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Vine Corners with Wendy Vecchi Fern Green Embossing Powders.

9.   Emboss Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Creepy Tree with Rangers Brick Embossing Powders.

10.                Cure all using a heating tool.

11.                To antique the shiny pieces I used a dry brush to apply Raw Umber Antiquing Cream.

 12.                Coat all embossed pieces with Clear Matte Varnish as the Antiquing Cream is water based and will run unless coated.

13.                Use Weldbond to layer the embossed pieces onto the Seed Packet Plant Holders.

14.                Allow to dry fully using a weighted bag of BB's or Kitty Litter to hold pieces into place.

15.                Once dry add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to assure they will be able to withstand the outside weather. ***Some artist might stop here but I always like to take it a few steps further and pushing the envelope a little closer to the edge. I've heard it said "If you're not living on the edge, you're wasting too much space***
16.  Using Gypsy Souls Laser Cuts Layered Bella Oval Frame to make a "Salad Bar" sign.

 17.  Print the words "Salad Bar" using your word processing program.

18.  Distress the paper sign using a stamp and permanent ink of your choosing.

19.  Use Rangers Brick Embossing Powder on the back portion of the frame curing with heating tool.

20.  Use Ranger Vintaj Patina set to distress the front portion of the frame.

21.  Use a Coptic  marker to determine proper placement of printed inked words.

22.  Glue into place using Weldbond.

23.  Dry flat and weighted down with your trusty bag of BBs or kitty litter.
24.  Distress sign using antiquing cream of raw umber, copper paint, and Coptic markers.

 

 25.                Add a layer of Gloss Accents to center of sign.

26.                Sprinkle with Finnabair microbeads and mica chips.

27.                Add an aged look using Finnabair Red and Brown Rust Paste.

28.  To add weight the salad bar sign so it would hand correctly I cut out and oval shape from a piece of balsa wood.

29.  Distress with Ferro Textured Paint of Silver and Irongold.

30.  Secure smaller more delicate sign to larger balsa wood using screwdriver and micro-screws.

31.  Use Finnabair Red and Brown Rust Paste to tie it all together.

32.  Drill two holes into balsa sign, add 12 to 13 aluminum jump rings to both sides so sign can dangle between two deer signs.

33.  Once everything is dry, add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to assure it is outdoor ready.

34.                Once everything is dry, add several more coats of Clear Matte Varnish to make it outdoor ready

.

I find great comfort walking in the woods. Every gift I receive while there comforts me. Seeing a deer drinking from a stream restores my soul and lets me know all is well in the world. I find Nature can be a great cathedral and wisdom often comes in unexpected places. And, a sense of humor makes the darkest days brighter.