New Techniques using Smooch

I recently took a class to create/make a pendant and bracelet with clear acrylic pieces. I've made a bracelet before with clear acrylic pieces and so I thought it would be interesting to get another persons take on the subject. Here is the little girl that will eventually be made into a pendant. The process: Peal the paper off one side, preferably the rougher side. We used Dye Ink and stamped an image onto the acrylic piece. The only problem I found here was that the Ink tended to run a bit. Once you've stamped your image, you can color them in with Smooch. As you can see with my little girl pendant and the bracelet - I should have put more coats of for these is to stamp the acrylic piece on the rough side, because you can barely see a hint of the color I applied. Once that is done you cure it with a heat gun to set the ink and wet smooch.

You can see more color in the bracelet pieces. The stamp I used was the smalled set of head stamps. Mostly ladies from a the past with hats, etc. Because of the running of the Dye Ink, some are hard to make out and one looks like a man and I said to everyone "He's my Mr. Darcy."

Although the colors are very faint, the pieces turned out very elegant and vintage.

Below are a couple photos of the instructures sample pieces. See the color, I must have miss something.

I'm not sure this is my thing, but I enjoy learning new techniques and trying new products like Smooch. I've had some for a while, but never really used it before now.

Alright friends, it is time for this sleepy girl to catch some zzzzz's.

Happy Weekend ALL!!!

Back to Work

Tomorrow I rejoin the daily work community. I'm a little nervous after being gone for so long, but mostly I'm just ready to get back to a somewhat normal routine. I'm feeling good, still get a little drained toward the end of a day, but every day that seems to get better.

We had some visitors this week from Colorado...the Wagners. They are in Texas for Spring Break and it was wonderful to see them. The kids are getting so big. Laura is very tall and beautiful and Alex is getting tall too and just as bubbly as usual. Isabel and I got to spend a day together just the girls and it was a really good day. Isabel also brought me some treats, the bag and pin cushion you see above. I stole the photos from her blog, but I know she won't mind. She is so creative and thoughtful. Gifts and a friendship that I will cherish for life. Bluebonnets are special; they remind me of Isabel and the times we've spent together. Below is another picture that Isabel has on her blog from their travels around Texas - they went up to Blue Bell creamery and stopped to take pictures with the bluebonnets.

David and I have been plotting and planning for a trip to Oklahoma for a nephew's wedding in June. It is always fun getting together with the Leyendecker family. We also have a neice's wedding this year in October. We will be busy going here and there this year.

God gives us vacations to equip us for the same job we left behind. Have a great week!