Altered Steampunk Bird

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This article is written by Barbara Rankin 

Barbara shows you how to take a wooden bird, a simple coffee filter, some jewelry findings, and die cuts, then combine them with ColourArte Silks Acrylic Glazes and other mixed media, to alter this sweet little steampunk-style home décor piece.  These techniques can be used for any project and will help you have a better understanding of how to apply them in your art.

This little wooden bird is going to take on a new life in Steampunk world.  I found this little guy by Art Minds in my local craft store.

bare wood bird

Remove the screw eye first.  Tear a coffee filter into strips and adhere to bird with Mixed Media Adhesive.

coffee filter adhered to bird’s wing

Paint bird with ColourArte Silks Bolivian Blue and beak with Silks Harvest Sol (mixed with a bit of Silks Mango Mama)acrylic glazes. [www.colourarte.com]

painted bird with Silks paint jars

Add a wash of ColourArteSilks Mallard Green to the breast, tail and wing feathers for a bit of highlight.  It is subtle but effective.

birdand Silks paint jars

Adhere a 6” x 7” piece of Ranger foil tape to a sheetof silver metallic cardstock. Die cut four wings and two crowns with the Cuttlebug Cut N’ Boss folder. I also cut out two hearts, not shown in photo. Trim lower portion of one of the wings for each side, as shown.

photo of metal foil covered cardstock and diecuts

Apply DecoArt Metallic Lustre Iced Espresso to crowns and Black Shimmer to wings.  Add ColourArte Silks Rusty Mauve to one heart, thenhit high spots with black archival ink (Noir Black Palette Hybrid ink used).  Add metal bling to crowns and shape crowns and wings with fingers.

photo of painted metal foil covered cardstock and diecuts

Begin adding embellishments to the bird.  Adhere two wings to each of the bird’s wings, layering one over the other.  Join the two crown pieces, shape and adhere to the bird’s head.  Add jewelry finding with black gemstone on each side of head for eyes.  Add curved tubular beads to each side of the bird’s tail feathers.

adhereddie cut wings, crown, eyes, flowers

Glue tiny bead chain with “Seeds” charm around bird’s neck, gluing bead chain together on top.  Cover the glued join with Tim Holtz’s Ideaology metal flowers and leaves.

photo of bead chain with “Seeds” charm around neck and metal flowers

Here are two side views of the finished altered bird.  Isn’t he adorable!

right facing bird finished

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Barbara is a mixed media artist who loves to teach.  She loves to learn new techniques and to share her knowledge with other artists.   She is a contributing artist in a book:  Make it in Minutes: Mini Albums, and has been published in several paper and online magazines.  She is currently on fourdesign teams, ColourArte, Sin City Stamps,Altered Pages, and Gina’s Designs.  She has served as a design team member for The Robin’s Nest and Creative Paperclay®, as well as guest designer for Craftwell USA, Unruly Paper Arts, and Gina’s Designs.

She lives in the Memphis, Tennessee area with her very supportive husband of 32 years, and her two Yorkies, Chloe and Zoe.

You can see more of Barbara’s work on her blog at Black Hole Art Studio or via Facebook – Black Hole Art Studio

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How to Create Mini Altered Houses

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Melanie Statnick has put together the materials list and instructions for these cute mini houses.

Supply List

To create your own village, you will need:
  • Wooden houses
  • wooden pieces including hearts, tags, bingo tiles, fence , rulers.
  • Tissue paper,
  • decoupage,
  • flat brush/glue brush,
  • glossy accents,
  • letter stickers,
  • Walnut Ink Spray
  • a heat gun.

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Instructions

Step 1. Decoupage tissue paper to wood houses. Apply glue directly to wood. The tissue paper will move around and might rip. This is the look we are going for. Grungy, wrinkled look. Dry with heat gun and set aside.

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Step 2. Spray all wood pieces with your Walnut Spray Ink. Dab with paper towel and dray with heat gun. This will the wood an antique look with some grunge.

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Step 3. Using glossy accents glue fence onto front side of your houses and continue with the other wood pieces. You can arrange them how you like.

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Step 4. After your pieces are glued and dried, you can now add your word art. Last use Glamor Dust, Liquid Pearls, or Stickles to add details.

Creating Mini Altered Houses

Happy Creating!

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I’m a Canadian Mixed Media & Collage Artist out of North Carolina . I create art daily from my private studio and my artwork is fun and whimsy . I teach mixed media and art journaling online  and I hold mixed media workshops around the USA.

 

My artwork can be found in art galleries and shops extensively in NC with international private collections. I have created my personal line of original stamps to purchase and use in your art.  Look in my Etsy shop for my line.

Please visit my website to learn more about me and my work at www.melaniestatnickart.com or become fan on Facebook.

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Starting a Mini Altered Houses?

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Melanie Statnick has put together the materials list and instructions for these cute mini houses.

Supply List

To create your own village, you will need:
  • Wooden houses
  • wooden pieces including hearts, tags, bingo tiles, fence , rulers.
  • Tissue paper,
  • decoupage,
  • flat brush/glue brush,
  • glossy accents,
  • letter stickers,
  • Walnut Ink Spray
  • a heat gun.

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

Instructions

Step 1. Decoupage tissue paper to wood houses. Apply glue directly to wood. The tissue paper will move around and might rip. This is the look we are going for. Grungy, wrinkled look. Dry with heat gun and set aside.

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

Step 2. Spray all wood pieces with your Walnut Spray Ink. Dab with paper towel and dray with heat gun. This will the wood an antique look with some grunge.

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

Step 3. Using glossy accents glue fence onto front side of your houses and continue with the other wood pieces. You can arrange them how you like.

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

Step 4. After your pieces are glued and dried, you can now add your word art. Last use Glamor Dust, Liquid Pearls, or Stickles to add details.

How to make a Mini Altered Houses?

Happy Creating!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I’m a Canadian Mixed Media & Collage Artist out of North Carolina. I create art daily from my private studio and my artwork is fun and whimsy. I teach mixed media and art journaling online  and I hold mixed media workshops around the USA.

My artwork can be found in art galleries and shops extensively in NC with international private collections. I have created my personal line of original stamps to purchase and use in your art.

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Altered Library Card Pocket

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This article is written by Melanie Statnick

How to alter old library card pockets

I miss having library cards in the back of books. When I was younger we had to look books up in the card cataloging boxes. Signing the books out with your name and seeing who borrowed it before you, or even how many times you checked out the same book.

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Using Silk Acrylic paints I altered these paper library pockets. I painted the first color coat onto the pocket first, then I used a paint brush to apply the second color to the applicator and rubbed it over the stencil onto the pockets in a circular motion.

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Dry the paint and add some stamps and paper collage sheets and embellishments using a gel medium or mod podge. I outlined the images using a black Pitt pen, white get pen and then added some Stickles.

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

Lets get arty and alter these library card pockets

I used a Valentine theme to stuff the pockets with. You can makes them however you like. Cute for sticking a magnet strip on the back and posted it onto your refrigerator and leaving notes for your sweetheart.

*All materials can be found on Altered Arts website

How to alter old library card pockets

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Melanie Statnick is a published artist/writer out of North Carolina. Melanie creates art daily from her private studio. Her style is happy and whimsy. Statnick’s artwork can be found in art galleries and shops extensively in NC with international private collections. Learn more about Melanie view her website at: www.melaniestatnickart.com
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