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Monday 19 February 2018

February Destination Inspiration - Arriving at Terminal #3

Hello Everyone and Welcome

Amanda (ink-a-pink) here today, greeting you at Terminal #3 of this months Destination Inspiration journey.
Lets begin with a quick recap of what's in our travel bag to create with:
Product: Paint
Technique: Crackle
Colour: Black
Substrate: Tag

That's what I would call a 'happy' bag of goodies!
It's time to get messy and create my textural, crackled tag.



The tag is covered with plaster moulding to create all that fabulous deep texture.
Warning: Though effective it is quite messy!!

The Tag
I roughly sketched out a circular area in the centre of the tag that would remain free of plaster as this would be the flat space in which I would position my focal feature later. I then applied the plaster moulding to the tag.

Here's how:
Prep a bowl of warm water and cut lengths off the plaster roll. Alternately you can cut as you go, like I did and just 'embrace the 'messy'.



Working with one length of plaster at a time place into the warm water for a few seconds and remove. Don't drench or soak or the plaster will just become a 'gungy' mess that's hard to work. You will see and feel the plaster sheet 'soften' and become more pliable.



See the difference: dry (to the left), wet (to the right)



Apply the wet plaster sheet to your substrate either by keeping it flat for an even texture or by laying it down unevenly with lots of lumps and bumps to create deeper texture - as I did with my tag . Repeat the process until you are happy with the depth of texture you have achieved.
The plaster will set hard almost immediately but will need to dry thoroughly as it will still hold moisture from the water.
I actually altered my tag with plaster mould and stained it up some time at the end of last year for another project I had in mind at that time so I was at all ready to re paint my tag and get crackling.
I re-painted with a couple of coats of black Acrylic paint. Once dry I applied a layer of matte medium to give added adhesion for the crackle paint that was coming next.



 Though the instructions say to apply the Crackle paint with a soft brush I applied it with both a spatula and my fingers as I find both easier to use with this type of medium. As with most crackle mediums crackle paint is no different - the size of the cracks varies based on the thickness of application .
I always leave crackle mediums to air dry as personally I think allowing the process to happen naturally creates better results .



Once the cracks formed they seemed to take on a creamy yellow hue- I guess some of the colours of the stain (oranges and yellows) I had used when I initially coloured the plastered tag last year had permeated through!



Not really a problem as after applying another coat of matte medium to seal the crackle I applied another coat of Black Acrylic paint to cover and then used silver gilding wax to enhance the cracks and texture.
Lets get you up close to see



all the peaks and troughs



and all those crevices and cracks!



The Focal Feature
I die cut a large circle, painted it with black Acrylic paint and stamped onto it using an Andy Skinner crackle stamp.



I die cut a few smaller circles adhered them together to give sturdiness and painted them black.
I used the same crackle technique as I had for the tag:
coat with matte medium,
apply crackle paint quite thickly with spatula, leave to dry,
seal crackle with matte medium.



I adhered the cracked circles on top of each other and topped with an Tim Holtz Ideology Ornate plate that I altered with black alcohol ink touched up with silver gilding wax.
 An Ideology Quote chip sits atop with silver brads to fasten.



This was then adhered into the centre of the tag with foam pads and 2 screw eyes were nestled into the top and bottom to finish off.



As for the tag tie, well, nothing I had in my stash seemed to look right (and it has to be right) so until I find that certain something it will remain as is.
I do hope you like my textural crackled tag -I had a great time creating it!



Thank you for accompanying me on the 3rd leg of this months Destination Inspiration. I hope I and my fellow Creative Guides, Nikki (Terminal 1) and Annie (Terminal 2) have offered you some creative inspiration. Be sure to pop back next Monday when a fellow Creative Guide will be ready to greet you at Terminal 4, the final stop of this months journey.  

Our latest challenge 'Melt It' is currently underway and we hope you will be able to join us . 
We  always look forward to seeing all your entries. 
Details and inspirational projects can be found here .
Wishing you all a great week 
Happy Crafting 
Amanda
x  

26 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous black crackled tag Amanda! That plaster is so thick and gives such great texture - the black and white contrasts make this quite stunning the the LOST Quote Chip is so appropriate (we are more likely to get lost in darkness right?!! A lovely tag using the supplies in your travel bag! Julia xx

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    1. yeh that was my thinking! Julia. That and the fact that this is how I have felt recently!! Thank you so much for your lovely words xx

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  2. Wow - stunning texture, Amanda - so cool to see the plaster in action. I have some sitting at home, and am now very sad I'll have to wait two months to play with it!! Fabulous drama with the b&w crackle too - great work with this month's travel bag contents.
    Alison x

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    1. Thank you so much Alison for such kind words. I'm sure you'll make magic with your plaster when you do gt back to play with it .
      x

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  3. Stunner!! Love this so much!! Thank you so much for sharing tutorial Amanda!

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    1. Thank you Shilpa for your kind words and for taking the time to stop by today . x

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  4. Oh wow Amanda what an absolutely amazing tag!! I remember working with that plaster stuff many moons ago when making masks with a group of youngsters and had quite forgotten about it, it works brilliantly on your tag, and the effects you achieved with the black paint and silver gilding wax are just the perfect backdrop to that stunning focal point. The addition of the crackle makes it even more effective! The content of the travel bag was ofcourse just right for you, and you have used it with the most amazing result, - brilliant!!

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    1. ooo your masks sounds interesting - bet the youngsters loved that lesson and loved you too for teaching them how to have fun creating. Appreciated thanks for your kind words x

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  5. Fantastic details on your tag Amanda x Love the moulded plaster's texture, complete with the black paint and silver g/wax. The focal point is so wonderful with amazing crackle...great use of the travel bag contents and a super step by step too.

    TFS Annie x

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    1. Thankyou so much Annie for your lovely words both here and on my blog. I really appreciate x

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  6. J'adore vos tuto et j'attends toujours avec impatience leur édition,merci.

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  7. OH My Gosh!!! That tag looks amazing...like cold cinders or Volcanic surface...yummy!!! XXX

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    1. aw Thank you ever so much Gina. I appreciate your kind words and your visit x

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  8. Absolutely fantastic texture Amanda, looks wonderful and I love the contrast between the central focal piece and the darker backdrop. Tracy x

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    1. Big thanks , Tracy for your lovely words and for taking the time to join me here today . Really appreciate x

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  9. Wow, what amazing texture Amanda, love the crackle on top of the cast plaster, what an amazing effect! Thank you so much for sharing it, Deb xo

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    1. Thank you so much! Deb for your lovely comment . I do appreciate x

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  10. Love this Amanda! Oh how we do love to get messy....just adore your design and the fabulous texture and contrasts xx

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    1. oh yes we do :D . Messy hands and in my case face, arms, anywhere and everywhere = a good day at the office ! Thanks so much Nikki for your kind words . They are much appreciated x

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  11. This is incredible Amanda and oh so creative! I'm crazy over this intense texture and dramatic color palette. Gorgeous tag and amazing inspiration! Hugs, Autumn

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    1. aw appreciated thanks Autumn for your kindness. Do hope thats 'crazy' in a good way ?? ;) x

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  12. Wow, Amanda, you sure do know how to use your supplies to create such amazing texture and even more fabulous cracks! I just love this design! You are amazing, girl! Hugs!

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    1. thank you so much for your kindness Sara. I really do appreciate xx

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  13. You really have created the most wonderful texture with the plaster sheet and I love the contrast between that and the beautiful light crackled centre - the whole piece has such wonderful drama, it is gorgeous! Anne xx

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    1. Thank you so much Anne. Your kind words are very much appreciated . xx

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