Simple Powertex Top Hat Project

Hi it's Kore here! I've been playing with the Wonderland products and the MDF project packs are amazing! I've used lots of bright colours in my projects with the Acrylic paints from Secret Art Loft. The colours are so vivid. I'm crazy for my pot of Orange Marmalade!

My favourite was the Top Hat set. It's a large template with lots of pieces to decorate. Did you get hold of the Top Hat set? This is how I decorated my MDF pack with Powertex products and the new acrylic paints. It's a simple project but with some fun techniques to try out.

My ingredients:

MDF Top Hat set

Powertex Bronze

Powertex White

MDF Phrase "We're all mad here"

Piece of cotton fabric, long enough to wrap around the hat

Strips of fabric or t-shirt yarn for springs

Alice In Wonderland inspired Rice Paper

Easy Coat Mat

2 pipe cleaners

Acrylic paints in Orange Marmalade, Raspberry Sorbet, Lemon Meringue from Secret Art Loft

Easy Varnish

Red Powercolor pigment

Tequila Sunrise and Violet Valentine powder pigment from Secret Art Loft

This is a simple project to complete. The steps describe how to prepare all the parts separately before assembling them with Powertex.

Step 1

Prepare the base. Paint the hat base parts with Bronze Powertex and use the Powertex to stick it together. The curved pieces can be adhered front and back to attach the brim to the rest of the hat. Do one side and dry before turning over. Put this aside to dry.

Step 2

Prepare the playing cards. I used the Alice in Wonderland inspired rice paper and some Easy Coat Mat. If you want the colours of your rice paper to be bright, apply a coat of white Powertex first and leave to dry. Apply a thin coat of the Easy Coat Mat and apply the paper. I used a wet paintbrush to "draw" around the edges of the cards and also on the cut out. The wet rice paper could be torn away and smoothed with a paintbrush. Coat with another thin layer of Easy Coat Mat, smoothing the paper gently from the middle to the edges. I painted another of the playing cards with Red Powercolor mixed with Easy Varnish.

Step 3

Creating the springs. The springs are pipe cleaners twisted into spirals, although you can make them any shape you like. When they are the shape you want them use white or bronze Powertex all over the pipe cleaners and use strips of fabric to wrap around the shape.

Leave these to dry before adding your stripes (Step 5) on a craft mat or plastic bag.

Step 4

Prepare your MDF shapes. If you're adding other painted shapes, now is the time to get your colours out. I love the Secret Art Loft Acrylic paints, they blend and mix really well but the base colours are also really vivid. Paint your pieces bright colours. If you want really bright colours I recommend painting them with Ivory Powertex first. I also used some Red Powercolor and Easy Varnish to make a bright red paint for the small heart, diamond and club.

Paint the feather with Orange Marmalade and Raspberry Sorbet. I painted the letters from the MDF phrase with Raspberry Sorbet and that adorable little flamingo!

Step 5

Striped springs. You can use strips of fabric to do this or paint the stripes on with Bronze/White Powertex. Reshape if required and leave till touch dry on a craft mat or plastic bag.

Step 6

Assemble the hat. Apply Bronze Powertex to your fabric for the hat band and wrap around the join. Pleating the fabric loosely before wrapping it round the hat gives a great texture. While this is still wet you can tuck MDF pieces into it with a little Powertex and press them into place. Use Powertex to adhere your MDF pieces to the base. Tuck in the feather, a playing card, the springs and the price tag to the hat band. Stick down your other embellishments to the base. Bend your pipe cleaner springs into place.

Step 7

Adding highlights. When the Powertex is touch dry, use powder pigments to add more colour or pearl effects. I used Tequila Sunrise powder pigment and Easy Varnish to dry brush the hat band and some Violet Valentine powder pigment to highlight the letters. It's useful to have a piece of tissue or paper handy to protect other parts of the hat while you do this.

Even when this is all dry you can go back and add more embellishments and pieces as you like.

How will you decorate your project pack? Post a picture of your Wonderland inspired creation in The Powertex Studio on Facebook and see what others are creating. You can also enter your project into the April Powertex Challenge over on Instagram. Just add #12monthsofpowertex to your post to join!

Until next time, I hope you can find a little time to let your art out!

Kore x