Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Looking Glass Mini-Shrine with Faux Plaster Tute

I've created two "Alice" projects for AlphaStamps.com this month. First there was Alice's Altoid Manor House and now a second little tin shrine inspired by the mirror that inspired Lewis Caroll to write "Through the Looking Glass". If you peek to that link, you'll see they look nothing alike, but it's that lovely old ornamentation I was after, not really replication.


The base of this piece uses one half of a Small Hinged Tin and one panel of this Small Altoids Tins Triptych FrameIt's quite small, with the base tin measuring just 2-1/2" tall.



Inside is filled with moss and Mini Rose Buds with some sweet Flower Soft blossoms.


While I am usually all about tiny floral elements, it's the fake plaster details that are my favourite this time around. Can you guess what they are made from? Hot glue!

Normally I'd make these elements with Creative Paperclay but I was feeling impatient. Some leafy silicone molds, hot glue, layers of gesso and white paint, and voila! Held side by side with resin, you can't tell the difference, and adding additional layers of gesso and paint softens the details and makes it look quite like plaster.


AND because I love you (and Leslie asked so nicely) I've made a video of that technique HERE.


Just look at this plastic frame with 'faux plaster' leaf embellishments! I can't wait to see what you make with them :)

Supply round up:
Small Hinged Tin
Small Altoids Tins Triptych Frame
Large Leaves Silicone Mold*
Multi-Sizes Leaves Silicone Mold*
Flower Soft - Sweet Pea
Mini Rose Buds - Red*
Pink Rose Garland* (leaves)
Small Round Silver-Plated Pendants (not shown, applied to back of shrine for hanging)
Moss
Hot glue!
Gesso and white acrylic craft paint


14 comments:

  1. Big fat thank you for sharing! Off I go to order some molds!

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  2. Amazing as always. Thanks for the tutorial. :)

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  3. You never cease to Amaze.....and a tutorial as well.....Thanks.....

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  4. Wow! and I already loved hot glue. Now I adore hot glue!!! I love Alice no matter what tiny thing she has been crammed in. This is sweet and love the little frame too. Endless ideas for making things like this and sticking them to other things. lol! Thank you thank you thank you for sharing a brilliant idea Nichola!

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    1. Totally not taking credit for this. I've seen people use hot glue in their molds before, and when I was in art school we had a lecture by, Eric Cameron, a fella that covered objects in layers and layers of gesso until they became unidentifiable. Smoosh the two together and ta da!

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  5. Very cool, but is it permanent? Will the hot glue pieces melt later?

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    1. If you heat it with a heat gun or put it in an oven it will melt. Just take as much care as you would with projects bonded with hot glue.

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  6. I love the way your brain works............

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  7. This is a great tip! I've wondered before... is that a marble slab you work on?

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    1. Nothing so fancy, just my regular old laminate kitchen counter top.

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  8. Cool! Thanks for your great tutorial. I have several molds, but I've never tried to fill them with hot glue. That's a great idea. Now my head is spinning with ways for making things like this.

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  9. Hot glue??!!!! That. . .is. . . brilliant!! The Alice pieces are dreamy! I feel like the little shrine is a portal all unto itself! Good thing we folk are too large to fit through. . but wait, what's this bottle on my table with the "Drink Me" label on it??? Hmmm. . .

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  10. Not just beautiful but brilliant too - the fae certainly bless you!

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