The search is on for a UHU Gluer

Would you like to be a UHU gluer? Here's the skinny, according to the UHU blog:

"Bloggers interested in becoming a UHU Gluer must:
1) Have an active blog where she/he posts regularly about craft projects (Craft diversity is great - any and all specialties are invited and encouraged!)
2) Must be in the U.S. or Canada - our program can only send samples to these places
3) Must be willing to use and promote UHU for projects on your blog and this gluewithuhu blog and encourage more folks to check out this blog and use UHU."

If you qualify, please go to the UHU blog and send Sarah an e-mail by or before September 10.
The gluers (myself included), along with Sarah and Rose, who both work for UHU, will pick FIVE finalists.

Each of the five will receive this autumn themed craft kit, along with four types of UHU glue. Finalists will be required to use the above materials, but may also use materials they have on hand as long as they do not spend any more than an additional $10 to complete the challenge.

Finalists will send photos of their projects which will be posted on the UHU blog. The new UHU Gluer will be announced the first week in October. The new Gluer will pick the free UHU sample for October and highlight a project on the UHU blog using it. ANY and ALL STYLES are welcome.

TIP: Those of you who read my blog are more than likely altered artists and might feel the materials they have to use are too "scrapbooky" or not your style. Well, I have to admit, if I had to use these pieces, they wouldn't be my style either. However, you can always paint the scrapbook paper, color or sand the buttons (even stick them inside crushed bottle caps), and dry brush gesso over the papers. No one says you can't alter the paper and the other materials you will receive. Use your gel pens, oil pastels, watercolors, fluid acrylics, glazes, or even fabric to change the feel of the piece.

I'm not sure how I'd handle the scarecrow, but I believe I'd find a cabinet card or magazine image and cut the head off the scarecrow and replace it with a more "vintage" image, then mount it on a sheet of vintage sheet music and go from there. So don't be turned off by the materials. They can always be altered to YOUR style, and you can use those found objects you've been saving for just this project.

Remember, though, you MUST have an active blog that focuses on artistic endeavors and live in the US or Canada.

Silent Sunday: Rural Kansas

A double spread in my Hands AB

I'm in love with this Nickle Azo Gold fluid acrylic. I know it is gold, but it has that red/orange glow I can't get anywhere else.

Left side is an old New York City newspaper ad for a John Lennon film mounted on three pieces of card stock/ledger paper.

Right side is a magazine image of a hand on a hand mounted on two gold glaze papers.

Revised pages in Dana's AB

I kept staring at the tree I created in Dana's AB and finally got the courage to revise or rework it.


Not sure it's all that much better, but at least now the tree isn't quite so lopsided. I hope Dana likes it. All I have to do is add my name and date and this spread will finally be complete.

Dana's AB and other art

Dana, Kathy, and I, the "We 3" artists are participating in a round robin and I have Dana's book, which she decided would be "Nature." Every three months, I will receive this book again, as we will exchange books each time we meet. Dana said the Nature theme could be loosely translated, so I decided to tackle it before I put it on the back burner and forgot about it.

This book is a real challenge, and I had trouble with it from the very beginning. The pages are thin, they are perforated for easy removal, which also makes them delicate, and this type of book is difficult to work with because it doesn't meet in the middle and it is very hard to get paint or paper to the edge. It is also quite a bit smaller than I like. I think it's about 6" square. Both Kathy and Dana have these ring binder books, and they make me think we are making art journals rather than altered books. I suspect it will be difficult for me to embellish them the way I would like, but I guess we shall see what transpires as we progress through the books. Incidentally, mine is the only "real" book of the three.

OK, enough whining. I began by gluing two pages together on each side for support, then added some vintage sheet music. There was a small bit that didn't cover the right bottom, but I was hoping I could correct that with paint.

Using a bristle brush, rather than foam, I laid down several colors of paint in random fashion, then walked away so it could dry.

A storm had washed and watered my plants, so all I had to do was pick my veggies. This was yesterday's peppers after I washed them, and before I refrigerated them. Yes, I get at least this many either every or every other day. It's another bumper crop year for peppers.

It was now time to make a mask for Dana's spread. I used heavy card stock, stamped two birds, then cut them out.

The next step was to sketch out the tree's outline, which I did, but ran into trouble when painting. I mixed blue glaze and gesso together (to lighten the blue) and painted it over the areas where the tree was to go. I laid down the stencils, one far below the other, although, in the end, they look like they are right across from each other. Then I "stamped" a large circle around each bird and filled in around them using gold glaze mixed with the blue and white mix. I tried to use some small leaves from my yard in the circle area, but they just wouldn't print. So I had to fill in the globs these leaves left. One of the bird masks is in the upper right of the the photo above.

The tree was a mess and didn't show like I had hoped, so I got out my black fabric paint and outlined the tree. Sadly, when I had filled in the gold circle on the right, trying to rework the area I tried to stencil with leaves, I messed up the design of the tree. I'm going to blame it on that darn center binder rather than the artist!

The birds didn't show at all, but I couldn't do anything about that because the paint around the birds was still wet, so I went looking for another project I could mess with.

I was given this book on my birthday in 2006 or 2007, and have never done anything with it until now. I wanted some place to put all that paint that was still on my palette, and this was the perfect spot. Now I have a book that I can play around with backgrounds in.

I also grabbed my box I'm working on, and added a few papers. This is the front view,

one side view,

and the back, which is only partially finished. I spent nearly two hours adding these little bits and pieces, and decided I had better things to do than mess with this box, which I like less and less with each piece I add to it.

Finally! Dana's book was dry enough that I could outline the birds. At least they show up, now!

The full left side and partial right side of "The Tree of Life." Feel free to click on any image to enlarge. The above and next photos were scanned, so they should show up quite nicely in the larger view.

The entire right side and partial left side. I still have to sign my name and date it, but I'm calling this one finished unless I can figure out a way to make the tree look more realistic.

More monoprints

For this next batch of gelatin monoprints, I chose metallic glazes as seen above. From left: copper, silver, gold.

I began with a circle highlighting "Siam" from an old dictionary. I will use this in my 7 continents AB.

This piece didn't turn out well, partly because the mimosa leaves wilted nearly as soon as I clipped them. I used gold glaze on yellow and white checked cotton fabric.

This print is of the two leaves/stems I inked in the above print and placed back on the material. The gold glaze dried way too fast on the gelatin block, although it took forever to dry on the fabric.

Lovely leaves that reminded Dana of feathers when she saw them. This was a combination of gold and copper glazes.

A branch on a dictionary page. Although I didn't plan it at the time, I might use it in Dana's Nature AB.

Another of those lovely leaves that look like feathers.

Because the glazes I used on the project dried so quickly, I decided to return the gelatin block to its pan and go on to another project. This one is my shadowbox I started over a week ago. I cut some Christmas wrap, adhered it to the box, then dry brushed gesso over most of it.

Next I added those lovely leaves that still had some of the gold and copper paint on them. I'm not sure where I'm going with this box, but right now it is sitting and waiting for inspiration.

Circle of hands for my AB

Although I originally painted this fabric to use in Dana's AB, when I messed it up, I knew I couldn't use it in her book. When I found these four card "hands" I knew I had the circle I needed to complete the spread and a way to use this fabric piece.

Hand sewn in my Hands AB

I loved this scrapbook paper I found in my scrap pile, and thought it would look good with a hand sewn onto it. I found a hand image, traced around it using parchment paper, and cut it out. Then I turned the scrapbook paper over and drew the hand image on the back side. Next I sewed the image, but I don't have a free motion option on my sewing machine, or if I do, I don't know how to use it. So there I was trying to turn my paper and follow that hand image. That was a hoot. I used some of the coffee dyed paper I made the other day for the stenciled title and sewed the pieces on using my sewing machine. Sorry, I really don't hand sew.

Silent Sunday: Patty's (http://bitze.wordpress.com) Sunflowers

When good ideas go bad

If you are an artist, or even if you just like to play around with techniques, sometimes you get an idea that works, and sometimes you just can't win. Friday was one of those "no win" days for me.

I began with the idea of using that red fabric that didn't want to cooperate when I was using it in gelatin monoprinting. I decided to try bleaching it, so I dug out my bleach pen, some rubber stamps, a Styrofoam tray with a water saturated paper towel, and a plastic piece with circles.

I began by putting way, way, way, way, way too much bleach on the rubber stamp. Did I mention I had way more bleach than I needed?

I stamped the material three times, the last time giving me the best print.

I immediately soaked the stamp in the wet paper towel until I could clean it properly.

Next. I used a foam brush to color the tips on the hard plastic piece and stamped.

When I pulled the plastic piece away from the material, it stuck to the plastic. Dang! That was not what I was going for.

Undaunted, I re-inked and stamped again, this time being careful to hold the material down when I pulled the plastic away. Now the circles didn't all print.

That was OK. I could fix that by dipping the flat end of a bamboo skewer in the ink and stamping. Not what I wanted, but not too bad.

After three hours, the fish still looked this way, so I washed out the bleach and there was NO difference in the material. Not even a hint that there had been bleach sitting on the piece all that time. After the piece was dry, I tried stamping a fish in the gold paint, and that didn't work, either. All I got was a blob of partially printed goo. I was able to wash the paint out of the material with no effect to it. So I have given up on that material. I'll find something to use it in, but it won't be bleaching, stamping, or monoprinting. If I hadn't torn it up, I could have turned that material into an art apron since nothing sticks to it!!

So, on Friday I tried to make art and made a mess instead. Sometimes that happens, and the idea is to not give up. You can be sure I'll be back in my studio today after taking my neighbor to the airport and stopping by the home improvement store for art supplies.

Fun monoprinting

Thursday I used everything I learned on Tuesday and incorporated it into a fun day of monoprinting. I began by removing the gelatin from the pan. You can see the little flecks of paint that are in the bottom of the pan, and how the clear gelatin (YES, it's the same Knox gelatin I used the other day) has turned red from the reinkers I used on Tuesday that I didn't remove, so they stained the gelatin.

I got out some glazes, and since they dry slower, I decided to use them on this latest set of monoprints. I also got out my reinkers and Lumiere, which is a fabric dye, but didn't use them.

By the time I had everything set up, it was about 5:30 am, as shows on the clock. It was still quite dark when I started this project, but I was so excited to get started, I couldn't sleep.

I began by placing a mask I cut from cardboard onto the gel block, then brayerd on some Bisque colored glaze.

I laid a piece of white cloth on top and pressed. You can barely see the image from the back after I pressed the sheet to the block with my hands. Some paint will bleed through certain porous materials, some will simply show that the print has been successful, other fabrics and papers won't show any hint that the print has been successful. After you do this awhile, you get a feel for what has printed and what hasn't.

This is what the block looked like after my first printing and placing the bird stencil back on the gel block.

This is the print I got using some of the same red fabric I had on Tuesday. It isn't any prettier in person, so I decided to rethink the paint and the fabric I was using.

I had all this Bisque glaze on my palette, so I added some Dark Blue glaze and cleaned my gel print with a paper towel and water. Even though it was probably not necessary, I cleaned the gel block after every few prints, having learned what happens when you don't clean your gel block, then try to clean it with baby wipes. I truly recommend paper towels and water to get a good, clean gel block.

As you can see, I have done a few monoprints, then cleaned the gel block to get a negative print.

I worked for several more hours, printing both paper and fabric. I used three colors total: Bisque, Dark Blue, and Dark Green. I didn't have a chance to use any reinkers or my copper Lumiere.

I wasn't out of room, but I was fast approaching the limit of my living room rug.

By the time I quit, I had worked my way into the dining area.

I mostly concentrated on leaves, because the bird stencil didn't last too long.

My favorites were the green leaves shown on the far left of the photo.

Here are all three prints using Lily of the Valley leaves. I hope to make a wall hanging using them. The one on the left was the first printing, then the one on the bottom right was the second printing. The print above it was the fourth print (third print was on paper, see below) where I placed the leaves back on the gel block (as I did the bird above).

I could have gone about two more hours, but

I broke the mold when I stamped the ginkgo leaves on the print. Although this broken mold would still make some lovely prints incorporating leaves or birds, I know I don't have to work with a broken gel block. I cleaned the block again, then chunked it up and threw it in the microwave.

In the meantime, I cleaned my work surface, put the paints and inks back in their place, but gathered all the other supplies and placed them in a container for quick access.

It was now almost 1:45 and that was the first time I have even looked at the clock in over eight hours!

This time I got smart and strained the old paint chips out of the liquid as I poured it in the pan. Yes, I learn something new each time I try this technique.

Since the gel has a short "shelf life," I will probably make more of these tomorrow or Saturday. The instructions said the gel block would last "several weeks" in the fridge, but I'm not sure that will be the case when I use it every day or so. However, the ironic thing about this pan is, the gelatin was nearly set by the time I had the craft room cleaned, just from sitting on my kitchen table.

Click on any image below for a better view of some of the papers and fabrics I made during my day of monoprinting.

Blue and Bisque glazes, hand made dove mask on white cotton. First print.

Second print from above inking.

Mostly Blue and some Bisque glazes using leaves from my yard on white cotton fabric. First print.

Second printing of Blue and Bisque glazes with doilies used as masks on white cotton. First printing was on red fabric.

Green glaze and Ginkgo foam stamp on white cotton. First print.

Single leaf on book page. First print.

Three leaves (third printing) on dictionary page. Prints one and two were on white cotton (see above).

These were all fun, although some came out better than others.

Lessons learned:

1. You need lots of room when monoprinting.

2. Clean your brayer when changing colors using a bucket of water, rather than baby wipes.

3. Clean your gel block often and it will last much longer.

4. The more you reheat your gelatin, the faster it sets up.

5. If there are paint chips in your gelatin, an old window screen will capture them as the gelatin is being poured into the mold.