Archive for November, 2009

Friendly Plastic Classes in the UK by Liz Welch November 21st

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Bend It Shape It (Any Way You Want It)


21st November at Stitched Up and Fleeced (Sue Lancaster’s studio) 49 Nethergreen Road, Sheffield S11 7EH

07879 424989 Email: Stitchedupandfleeced@live.co.uk 10am – 4pm £40 Please book directly with Sue.


The very best way to get to know Friendly Plastic. We work through a whole host of techniques including my Lacework and Oooze techniques, plus Piecework, impressions, foiling, embedding, some beads, and generally anything everyone wants to know. We use hot water and dry heat to achieve our aims, so you learn loads about the easiest ways to work with Friendly Plastic in your own environment. You will make between 10 and 20 sample pieces to use as you wish in whatever creative medium you are currently working in. Friendly Plastic is so versatile that it suits textile people, jewellery folk, paper artists, mixed media players, model makers, costume designers and many others that I have not even thought about. One thing you will be sure of is that you will be going home with a head stuffed full of ideas and a bag full of interesting and decorative samples. If you are a regular reader of this blog you will have seen some of the things that people get up to on these Bend It Shape It days, so beat the grey November skies and forget abut all the things you need to do and come and discover a whole new world of creativity.


FP jumble


Friendly Plastic play with Adrienne Goodenough

Monday, November 16th, 2009
Today we're featuring Adrienne Goodenough and her play day in Friendly Plastic. She shares a great idea of creating patterns on Friendly Plastic - read on....

Carol and I have been playing with Friendly Plastic today. One thing we did was make some decorated Friendly Plastic strips.

Take a pale coloured strip of FP - white, mother of pearl, pale gold. Drip alcohol inks onto it - the brights work well. Move the inks around with some kind of tool - I used the end of a fine straw. I dripped more ink on and blew some of it around.



The colours I used were POOL, CLOVER, and PURPLE TWILIGHT. The finished strip looks pretty just covered in the inks.


If you want to go a step further, take a Sakura Souffle pen, and doodle all over the inked strip.
You can now use the decorated strip in your projects.


You can see more of her work by visiting her blog: www.adriennegoodenough.blogspot.com

Friendly Plastic Open Challenge Deadline on 18th

Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Challenge 2010 logo

Today is just a quick reminder to have your entried postmarked by the 18th!! Dont miss out on an opportunity to have your butterfly seen by thousands at the Holocaust Museum.

We can't wait to see your mixed media work too!!!

Just click on the butterfly link on the right sidebar for more information!

Friendship Cards – Free Friendly Plastic Project – Fave Crafts

Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Share your artwork with a Friend by creating these unique and beautiful cards for any occassion. Just imagine how nice it would be to open your mailbox and receive one of these cards from a thoughtful friend! It would make your day to say the least!

Project by Jana Ewy - courtesy of AMACO and Favecrafts


Materials:
Friendly plastic 7” sticks: 3, mother of pearl/white,
Adirondack Alcohol inks: colors of your choice. I recommend playing around with all of the colors.
Alcohol blending fluid
Rubbing alcohol, 91% isopropyl
Paintbrush
Scissor
Ruler
Stylus
Paper cutter
Envirotex Lite, resin sealer, or any high gloss acrylic sealer
Non-stick cookie sheet
Distress ink: vintage photo
Black card stock
White card stock
Black and white checkered paper
Printed sentiments or words
Antiqued brass 1/8” eyelets: and setting tool


Instructions:
Place the stick of plastic on a protected work surface. I start with a wash of the blending fluid over the plastic stick.



In a random pattern apply drops of ink in one or two colors as your background colors. Allow the colors to blend together. Use your paintbrush to fill in any white areas that are left. Clean brush.
Dip the brush into the rubbing alcohol and touch the plastic where you want to create white circles. These circles will resemble puddles.



Choose another coordinating color of ink and dilute slightly with rubbing alcohol. Using the brush apply this color within the white puddles. Continue this process until you have obtained a pattern you are happy with. Try using different colors.



Now comes the splashing part: dip you brush into the rubbing alcohol, apply a drop of a desired color of ink to the bristles and splash (splatter) the ink across the surface of the plastic. Repeat this with as many colors of ink as you like. Allow the finished design to dry completely.



Using a scissor cut the plastic to the desired size. I cut mine 2 3/4”.



Apply the Envirotex sealer following the manufactures instructions.



Note: I like to place my pieces on a non-stick cookie sheet. This way if there is any run off, it will be easy to remove later. Once I have the Envirotex mixed, I like to pour it into a small squeeze bottle. The application will be more precise and much easier. Blow softly, through a straw to pop any bubbles that remain. Allow the resin to dry at least 12 hours. If there has been any run off, remove the piece from the pan by pressing the needle tool under it and lifting it off the sheet. You can cut the excess that has run off with a scissor. Envirotex cures completely in 24 hours.

Create three 5 1/2” square cards, using black card stock. Measure 1/2” from the fold and score using a stylus.



Measure and mark the hole placement along the fold. 3/4” from the top with the holes 2” apart. Punch the holes, insert and set the eyelets.


Print the sentiments of your choice onto white card stock and cut out as 3/8” strips. Tear the ends off to a suitable length. Use the remainder of the white card stock and cut three 2” x 3 3/8” rectangle mats. Distress the edges of both the sentiment strips and the mats using the distress ink.


Now cut three 1 7/8” x 3/1/4” rectangle mats from black card stock and three 1 3/4” x 3” mats from the checkerboard paper.


Layer and adhere the mats together using glue or double-sided tape. White, black, checkerboard. Adhere the Splashed plastic onto the checkerboard mat. Next, position and adhere the matted piece to the center of the card.


Position and adhere the sentiment below the splashed plastic.

For more creative inspiration follow these links:

www.youtube.com/friendlyplastictv

www.amaco.com

www.favecrafts.com

www.rarelizzie.wordpress.coom

www.justbananas.com

www.lindapetersondesigns.etsy.com

www.jen-lowe-designs.blogspot.com

www.milllanestudios.blogspot.com

New Artist Feature – Friendly Plastic

Friday, November 13th, 2009
I want to thank Karine Collignon from www.bijouxartcreation.blogspot.com for sending me the link to this artist - Bravigou

Unfortunately, I don't know very much about the artist other than they are located in France.




The way that the Friendly Plastic graces the crystal is superb!!! What a great way to accent and also a way to maybe disguise a flaw.

Be sure to check out more of Bravigou's work on their blog

Md. battles milk crate bandits

Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Crates and pallets used to transport soda bottles and milk are apparently popular with some thieves, but the legal authorities in Maryland are on the case. According to several reports today that are very likely to be picked up in...

Friendly Plastic Showcased on Inspired at Home’s PJ Party

Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Friendly Plastic was showcased on the Inspired At Home's Live PJ party!

A big thank you to Maria Nerius for sending us the link so that you can view the show!

She wrote to us:

I wanted to let each of you know that Friendly Plastic was the talk of the town during the Nov. 11/09 Share Your Creativity Pajama Party LIVE! on Facebook! Here is a link to watch the show: http://apps.facebook.com/inspiredathome.

I host this program every Wednesday night at 10 pm ET on Facebook. It’s a brand new application that allows us to use webcams and microphones and interact live with our audience. All shows are archived so they can be viewed at any time. It’s a blast!

Anyway, Friendly Plastic was a hot topic (pun intended!). I think you’ll enjoy the interaction. You can view the speakers and also follow any chat which included live links to the FP blog and Just Bananas! We’ll also be posting all those links on the Pajama Party LIVE! blog this week:
http://pajamapartylive.wordpress.com/

This is a really fun and exciting venue and a way to get to know all the designers in the industry a little more personally! So Join in! Check their blogs for times and information. You can also friend Tiffany Windsor and Inspired at Home on Facebook!

Dow to spotlight electric vehicles

Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Dow Chemical Co. will sponsor a new showcase at the 2010 North American International Auto Show that will feature innovations related to electric vehicles. The exhibit, dubbed Electric Avenue, will include advances in lighweight design and battery technology. It will...

A big trade show drops Chicago — but not NPE

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
While the plastics industry waits on SPI to decide on a location for NPE, another big trade show has already decided to move away from Chicago. The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has decided to hold its 2012 gathering...

Chicago media fascinated by posh Pepsi

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Tim Hanrahan's letter to the editor of Plastics News complaining about the high cost of exhibiting at NPE is continuing to generate attention. The latest: Chicago's CBS 2 posted a story Tuesday night titled "Chicago Conventions Take A Hit Due...