"It Takes A Village" Mixed media wood blocks

 

 

 

 

 

Hi!  This is Joyce and I am excited to be part of the Susan K. Weckesser Design Team.  Mixed media and recycling is a passion of mine, so today I would like to share with you how to create your own village using the wonderful new mini-pop inks, stamps, and scrapbook paper that Susan has created. 

For this project, I used recycled children's wood building blocks.  I made mine reversible, and the roofs can be switched around also.  Another idea would be to make a holiday house on one side and "everyday" on the other.  You can use any size, shape, or combination of blocks, so get creative and have fun!

 

 

First, choose your blocks to make a little village.  Slice larger blocks in half on the bandsaw to make roofs.  

 

 



 

 

Next, tear up strips of old tissue patterns into sections approximately 1" x 3".  Using a foam brush and Decou-page, glue on tissue pieces to cover all sides of your houses and roofs.  Be sure to overlap edges a bit.  Let dry.

 

 

Take your mini-pop ink color and swipe it on all sides of your wood piece.  This covers quite easily and is bright and vibrant.  When dry, use Mystery for a vintage look by swiping the edges.  Continue with all colors until all blocks are colored.

 



 

Ink up the Celebration of Simple stamps with the mini-pop inks and stamp onto the Colorburst scrapbook paper for the roof fronts.  Cut out triangles to fit your blocks.  Adhere the pieces with the Decou-page.



 

Trace the house block shapes onto the Colorburst paper and cut to fit the blocks.  Use both sides of the paper for variety.  Glue the rectangle pieces with Decou-page onto the blocks. 

 

Drill holes 1/4" into roofs for chimneys (screws or springs) to fit.   



 



 

With the Doodle Stencil and a cosmetic sponge, pounce Decoart paint colors on house fronts and backs.  Use coordinating paint colors with the mini-pop ink colors.  Let dry.  Using the Mystery ink, go over edges of scrapbook paper. 

 

Cut out magazine words that relate to the home theme.  Distress the edges with Mystery ink.

 

Arrange metal scraps, keys, buttons, dominoes, and magazine words to your liking.  Photograph for reference.  Glue on all paper pieces and words.  Doodle around words and stenciled areas with a ultra-fine sharpie pen and a white gel pen.  Brush over all house surfaces with Decou-page.  Allow to dry.  With foam brush, cover all wood block surfaces with Decoart ultra-matte varnish.  Dry well.  Glue down all metal pieces, dominoes, keys, buttons with E6000 glue.  Also glue in the chimneys with E6000 glue, referring to photo. 



 

I hope you enjoyed this project and look forward to seeing what you've created with Susan K. Weckesser products. 

 

Joyce Shaulis     For the Susan K. Weckesser Design Team

 

Susan K. Weckesser products:

Celebration of Simple red rubber stamps http://www.unitystampco.com/

Colorburst scrapbook paper

Color Box mini-pop inks: Kiss, Cocoa, Fresh, Sky, Mystery, Ice http://www.clearsnap.com/

Doodle stencil http://susankweckesser.com/shop/page/2/

 

Other Products:

E6000 glue  http://eclecticproducts.com/

Decou-page, Decoart paints in True Red, Peacock Teal, Sour Apple, Ultra-Matte varnish  http://decoart.com/

white gel pen  http://sakuraofamerica.com/pen-gel 

 

 

 

 



Trash to Treasure

Hello it's Samantha today with a pretty and practical recycling project :)

I just can't bear to throw  away old tins and jars so they usually get decorated and used as something completely different. Susan's house stamps are PERFECT for this!

 I measured my tin from top to bottom of the area I wanted to cover and then measured the diameter and cut a piece of white card to size. I then stamped the designs using silver embossing powder as I wanted something a little different to usual black outlines.

I coloured using my Derwent watercolour pencils and adhered to my tin. String wrapped tightly around keeps it in place whilst the glue is drying!

When I removed the string it I added some flowers and sequin stars a word stamp and it looks like this:

Here it is being used on my desk. The tin next to it has also been decorated now too!!

Much better than throwing them in the trash!! It would make a great plant pot too!

The stamps I used are:

Tumbleweed Houses and they can be found {right here}

and Journal Doodles with a Heart and they can be found {right here}

 I do hope you like my tin and I've inspired you just a little.

Wishing you a lovely day.

Samantha Read

Susan K. Weckesser Design Team member