ABC Anniversary swap: Goddess No 8

I'll take you through the steps in making my ABC anniversary swap entries that have to be the same or very similar.

For those of you who follow my blog, you saw (this post) I made some backgrounds one Saturday. When I cut the papers, something happened. I still can't figure out what I did wrong, but I didn't get enough backgrounds for my project. So, I was back outside a few days later, making a couple more background pages.


After they were dry and cut to size, I got out the supplies for the remainder of the technique. From back left top (clockwise): patching plaster, stencils, credit card, bamboo skewer, backgrounds, bowl, water, coffee, plastic sheet. The coffee is not required, just something I need. I was trying to recreate the technique I found at Connie's blog. I suggest you visit her blog, because the technique is fabulous and it works!


I began by mixing some patching plaster which I had convinced myself might work as well as Connie's drywall mud, which is pre-mixed. I finally gave up trying to stir that mess with a bamboo skewer, and went right to the faux credit card. I used the technique that Connie used to apply the mud/plaster over the top of various stencils. In her video, Connie pointed out the background colors


would turn the drywall mud a lovely color over time.


I was certainly hoping so, because I was counting on the stencils. In case you are confused, instead of cutting pages into 4 X 4 squares, I cut them 8 inches by 4 inches, then folded them in half width wise. After spreading all the plaster on the pages, but before I removed the remainder of the plaster from the bowl,



I was going to take the various stencils to the outside faucet. It was then I saw the plaster fell off like chalk. I didn't even need the faucet for the stencils' just the bowl of leftover plaster.

When it was time to bring the squares inside,


I was shocked and mortified. The plaster not only fell off my plastic stencils, it also fell off my artwork. That's when I learned that patching plaster and drywall mud are not interchangeable.

At this point, I had too much invested in the squares to quit. Story of my life, I guess. Instead of making a single piece to see how things will work, I end up doing everything at once.


The good news in all this is the stencils accepted the patching plaster, and the plaster accepted the background colors. To compliment the backgrounds, I had intended to use a different image, but decided on the Goddess because I thought she would be a lot easier to cut out than the intricate image I had planned.



Here is a completed swap square. I sewed it on three sides. I know the colors are a bit similar, but I hope my swap partners aren't too disappointed.