Halloween Spider Bottle

Design Team Member Bea Grob recently shared this spooky fun altered bottle made 

with Makin's Clay® here on her blog. 

Mermaid Altered Bottle

Mermaid Altered Bottle by Steph Ackerman

Hi everyone, Steph here today with another altered bottle.  I must say I have been having so much fun incorporating Makin's Clay® products on my bottles.  Makin's Clay® is a fantastic medium to use on glass.

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​Supplies:

​Makin's ClayⓇ - white

​Makin's ProfessionalⓇ Cutting Mat

​Makin's Ⓡ Push Mold - Sea Shells

​Makin'sⓇ Texture Sheets
​Burlap
​Prima Metallique Paints and Art Stones
​Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray Inks
​Ranger Metal Embellishment
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Instructions:
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​Originally, I placed white clay around the bottle, then used the texture sheets randomly around the bottle for texture.  Then I painted assorted colors of acrylic paint.

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​But then I realized I wanted to go in a different direction and painted white gesso over the entire piece.  The gesso covered the paint, but still allowed the texture to show.

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Once dry, I painted the entire bottle with Prima Mermaid Tears for a pretty light blue effect.  Next, I wrapped burlap partially around the bottle and glued mesh on top.  Art Stones in a variety of sizes were glued next on the mesh and allowed to dry.

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​Using the sea shell mold, I created an assortment of shells.  I must say this is one of my favorite molds and I use it quite often. 

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​For color, I inked the shells, then spritzed them with several colors of Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Sprays before adhering them about the mesh.   I spritzed the bottle with several colors of Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray Inks, heat setting each layer so the colors would stay true.

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​ Finally, I added chain to a metal charm and placed in amongst the sea shells.

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​ I added more color as I felt necessary to finish my Mermaid Bottle.

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​ What do you think?

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​ Thanks for stopping by.

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​ Steph

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Altered Jar

Hi everyone, Steph here today with another altered jar.  I must say I have been having so much fun altering jars and Makin's ClayⓇ is a fantastic medium to use on jars to create amazing projects.

Do you keep secrets?  Do you write them down?  Where do you put them?  Instead of putting them in a box or an envelope, why not put them in a special secret jar?
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​Supplies:

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​Makin's ProfessionalⓇ Cutting Mat

​Makin's ClayⓇ - Brown
​Imagine Crafts Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray - Posie, Bamboo Leaves
​The Crafter's Workshop Stencil
​Prima Metallique Paints, Art Stones
​Graphic 45 Key
​Any size/type of jar
Mesh

Use brown clay (or any color of choice) and form it around the jar.  Use your fingers to move the clay around the jar until the clay meets.  Fresh clay will adhere to the glass as well as itself  so no adhesive will be necessary to seal the edges.  Your fingers will leave indentations in the clay and that just adds to the texture around the jar.
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​Use a Crafter's Workshop stencil with molding paste randomly around the jar.  Let it dry completely.

​Add color with a variety of Prima Metallique paints.
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​Continue adding color until you are satisfied with the results.  Allowing the colors to blend creates some amazing colors on the clay.

​ Spritz the jar with Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray in Posie and Bamboo Leaves.

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​Spritz a piece of mesh with Fireworks! Shimmery Craft Spray in Bamboo Leaves and then glue it around the jar.

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​Once dry, start adding a variety of elements.  I attached a key engraved with "Secrets" and assorted sized art stones along the mesh.​

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​Finally, I glue additional mesh around the neck of the jar.  This hides any imperfections at the top of the jar as well as gives it a nice finished look.
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​ What do you think?
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​ Thanks for stopping by.
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​ Steph
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Mixed-Media Altered Bottle

When I think of mixed media projects, my thoughts turn to canvas and wood because they are definitely fun bases to work with.  But have you ever thought of using a bottle as the base of your project?

Supplies:

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​Makin's Clay® - Black

Makin's ProfessionalⓇ Cutting Mat

Makin'sⓇ Texture Sheets - Set A, Floral A

​Beacon Adhesive 

Instructions:

Starting with a base of clay, the possibilities are endless. You can use any size or style of bottle for this project, just let your imagination flow. Simply adjust the amount of clay needed for the bottle you are using. I used a 4.2 oz package for my 16 oz bottle.

Use your hands to flatten and stretch the clay.

Starting at the bottom of the jar, place the clay on the bottle and force it around the bottle with your fingers. I found one 4.2 oz packet was enough for my bottle, but if you desire a thicker layer, a portion of a 2nd package will be required. Where the edges meet, push the clay together. While still fresh, Makin's Clay® does not need adhesive to seal.

Continue forcing the clay around the bottle until the bottle is completely covered. You will have finger prints in the clay, but that only adds to the final overall effect!

Using several texture sheets add designs randomly around the bottle. Since the clay is still soft and fresh, simply wrap the texture sheets around the bottle and rub on the texture sheet alternating pressure with your fingers. Using the different pressures allows for lighter and deeper impressions in the clay.  I used Texture Sheet Set A and Texture Sheet Floral A.

I let the bottle dry 24 hours before continuing, but you can continue as you see fit.  I actually taught this project recently and, since time was limited, my students painted the bottle right away and they turned out wonderful.

Using assorted Prima Art Alchemy acrylic paints, add the colors randomly - don't be precise - the idea is to play around, mixing colors and textures. 

I also used Prima art Alchemy Metallique wax to add additional color  The wax really added some amazing color on the black clay.

I glued some mesh  randomly around the bottom of the jar for some additional dimension (after first painting it with black gesso).  While the glue was still wet, I added some Prima Art Stones.

Finally, I selected an assortment of embellishments from my stash and added them to the bottle.  Some I glued in place and some were allowed to hang free.

I hope you give this a try.  It's a great way to use empty bottle and all kinds and types of embellishments in your stash.

Thanks for stopping by.

Steph

Altered Kitchen Memo Board

Altered Kitchen Memo board

Lately we remodeled our kitchen and the old Memo board didn't fit any longer. I knew I had to make something better, while at the thrift store I found this rather plain magnetic board and I taught I gonna turn into my new Kitchen Memo board

Supplies

Makin's Clay® about 120 g, also leftovers in any color.

Acrylic Paint in the color of your choice. I had one plain in lime green and one metallic in a more teal tint.

Gesso

A frame or Memo board

Silicon Mold by Prima from Iron Orchid Design Collection

Makin's Clay® Floral Push Mold SKU 39005

So out with some Makin's Clay®. I didn't care about the color, as I knew I gonna paint everything. 

The first step was to sand down the paint and add a light coat of Gesso. This helps to have the Makin's Clay® and the paint stick better to the frame.

I did use up some leftovers clay and some red clay, but the color really doesn't matter. I did fill up the Silicone mold

I did carefully pull out the molded patterns by bending rather the silicone then the Makin's Clay®

While the clay is still fresh I did bend the embellishments around the frame. That is one thing I love about Makin's Clay® you don't need to bake it. The frame is quite large and certainly doesn't fit into an oven. 

The focal embellishment at the top I did double up, first the large embellishment again bending around the frame and then adding the angel. I did press them carefully together and have added just a tiny drop of water before layering. 

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Here I have placed all the elements from the Prima Silicone form, now I'm ready for the Makin's Clay® Floral Push Mold.

I did fill in the 3 different sizes of Roses and a leave shape 

as you can see it needs quite a bit of them as the frame is about 18 x 22 “ (or 46 x 5 cm). I did add the flowers and leaves step by step, just to make sure that the clay is still fresh when I want to bend it around the frame. Then I did let it dry overnight. I came the next morning and did check which pieces needed some additional glue (I did use Tacky Glue) but a big portion just sticked by themselves to the frame.

Next I went over with a heavier coat of Gesso, I did even paint the fabric inside the frame this time

Now it is time to apply the paint, I didn't cover up completely the Gesso, in fact in some places I even wiped back some of the paint with a wet towel.

Again I had to let it try completely before I could add some Rub on wax in gold. I simply applied it with the finger to the raised area of the embellishments, I also did add some to the frame itself.

Etched Winged Bottle

Steph Ackerman recently shared this altered bottle with Makin's Clay® wing embellishments.  Makin's Clay® is the perfect option for almost any craft project as it's lightweight and flexible!

Thomas the Turkey - Altered Thimble

Thomas the Turkey Altered Thimble - By Patricia Krauchune 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I decided to make a little Tom Turkey finger puppet. The little guy is built on a sewing thimble.

Supply List:

Makin's Clay®: Brown/Peach/Straw/Olive/White/Red    
Amazing Quick Hold® Contact Adhesive

Glove with Texture                                                              
Leaf Silicone Mold                                                            
Beacon's™ Tacky Glue                                                      
Krazy® Glue

Golden® Gloss Polymer Varnish

Recommended Makin’s® Tools:

Makin's Professional® Clay Tools

Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine®

Instructions:

Roll out some brown Makin's Clay® on the #3 setting on the Makin's Professional® Ultimate Clay Machine®.

Apply a thin coat of Amazing Quick Hold® Contact Adhesive to the thimble.

Cover the thimble with the rolled out brown clay, trim. I then used a damp paper towel to smooth the surface.  Let dry overnight.  When dry, I added another layer of clay, the same thickness as the first layer of clay.

I immediately added texture using an old garden glove.

I used the small leaf on a silicone mold and made three leaves in the colors of olive, peach, and straw.

I next cut the leaves in half. Place the leaf halves in a fan like arrangement.

The leaf halves where then glued to the back of the thimble using Beacon's™ Tacky Glue. Smooth the leaf halves to blend into the thimble base.

I had some left over dried clay pieces that I used to form eyes, a beak, the waddle and little feet.

The eyes, beak, waddle and feet were then glued to the body using Krazy® Glue.

When the glue was dried, the puppet was sealed using Golden® Gloss Polymer Varnish.

There you go, Tom Turkey finger puppet is ready to entertain!