Friday, August 29, 2008

I'm in love ...

... with BEESWAX!

Today Kyla and I drove over to Mary Strong's house (who I met through the PaperArts Yahoo Group) to learn how to make ATCs using Beeswax. It was so generous of Mary to allow us to use her premises, her experience and her Beeswax. I had the best time and the pictures of my very first cards using this technique are below.




I never thought it would be so easy to use, you just heat up some wax into an old small saucepan, then brush hot wax all over the card, quickly stick some thin paper (tissue paper, dress patterns, napkins, old book / music papers are perfect) on top of the wax, then brush more wax over the top and keep layering the papers until you cover your card. Heat up the wax on your card with a heat gun to melt the wax under the paper as you go as the paper absorbs more wax and sticks better. If the paper is too thick, it can be difficult to melt the wax under it to stick it properly, so may need to keep trying. Wait for the wax to harden slightly and if anything lifts up like a corner of the image for instance, just press with fingers to stick it. If you don't like what you've done, heat the wax and remove it. You can wax ribbons, flowers, threads, fibres, buttons ... just about anything would be my guess.

I am so happy with the results that I'm going out to buy some of my own beeswax this week so I can create more and may even do a whole set of cards to bring along to my next swap or for 1 on 1 trades.

My favourite ATC that I made today is in the middle with the little girl. The first 2 were done on white cardstock collaged with various tissue papers, dress patterns, text & music papers. The third one is done on a teal card with a white handmade piece of paper containing flower petals. The images I used were a gift I got from someone overseas ... I know I said it before, but I just love BEESWAX.


Life is a journey and love is what makes the journey worthwhile you will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love.
~ Henry Drummond ~

2 comments:

ladycherie1 said...

Hi from Sharon in the UK.


Great work Di! Welcome also to the AATCUK group! I know you will love it in the Advanced Artist Trading Cards UK group - some very keen and talented artists there...alll lovely people too!. I am pleased and honoured a card of mine is on your blog. What fun!!.... http://ladycherie1.blogspot.com/

nancy said...

These look wonderful. I did some beeswax, too, and was very happy with the way it came out. I actually dipped mine, rather than brushing it on. And if you want to stick more things on after it cools, the heat gun is just the thing - very gently, though.
Nancy
http://neatcs.wordpress.com