Easter time and I think of eggs

But not the chocolate kind but the Powertex kind, plus Powertex eggs have no calories!

I had some medium sized Polystyrene egg shapes and was thinking about what I could do with them.

I love fantasy and whimsy stuff and decided to make a dragon egg.

To create the texture I used Ivory Powertex and started by adding Powertex PAPER DECORATION This makes a perfect texture for the egg of a dragon.

I also mixed up some Powertex with some STONE ART to make a clay, to add extra texture and give a little more height my egg.

Some texture using the Powertex clay technique, when it was almost dry I sculpted it with a pokey tool.

This is a side view of my Dragon egg

Aha, it would not be a dragon's egg without a newborn baby dragon. 

I made the baby dragon out of Polymer clay, my other passion and scraped out some of the centre of the egg and glued in my baby dragon using the TRANSPARENT powertex.

Front view, I added some real crystal chips and some glass glitter to make it sparkle.

So Dragon eggs really do exist, well they do in my shed.

I enjoyed making this one so much I made a couple more

I now have a lovely selection of Baby Dragon eggs on my mantlepiece.

Altered Time

WOW what a cold and long winter we've had here in the UK and it's something we don't get very often - Time just seemed to drag on and on ... which brings me timely to my latest blog (Corny I know hahaha)!

Using the fabulous March  Project Pack  I had oodles of fun creating this Pocket Watch taking the Mad Watch scene from Alice in Wonderland as my inspiration.  I didn't add butter or mustard! but I did use some of them to pull together my colour pallet.

So first I unpacked and laid out the ingredients from the project pack, picked out some PowerColors and mixed up the black bister from the kit.

I always like to get a rough layout even though I know it will change once I get started. 

With this one I wanted a slighty deeper clock face so I used some MDF dropouts to raise the rim above the clock face.

First I used some Easy Structure and a cogs stencil (from my own stash)  to create some background texure that fitted with the theme.

Easy Structure dries really quickly and I prefer to let it dry naturally but if you are in a hurry you can blast it with some heat from a hair dryer or heat gun.            

Once the easy structure was dry I coated the whole layer  of Ivory Powertex from the kit (with a generous amount where there was no stencilling). 

I then placed some of the drop outs around the perimeter of the base, added the heart in the centre and the largest cog on top.   


I added some Ivory Powertex under the outer rim of the top layer of the watch and placed on top taking care to line it up accurately.  I applied more Powertex  over the top layer and then sprayed generously with black bister.

I used a hairdryer to dry and create some areas with a  bister split creating more texture and interest.

This part was all done in around 10-15 minutes.

While this finished drying I coated the numbers, clock hands and a few circle mdf dropouts with ivory. I then did the same to the remaining cogs which I placed into position while they were still wet.

The image tp the left shows where I thought I would place them, but I did move them around a few times before I put the Powertex on.  


Once the cogs, numbers, hands etc were dry I used Rich Gold Colorticx and Easy Varnish to richly coat the numbers and clock hands.  

I applied Yellow Ochre, Red Ochre and Dark Green pigments randomly over the cogs and circles and applied with Powertex pressing firmly on each piece until they had started to stick.


I used bronze gold colortricx to dry brush the background of the clock face.  

I then added washes of turquoise pigment as well as the yellow, red and dark green pigments to build up a rusty look.

I built this up over several thin layers.

I added a few flat back crystals to highlight where there were missing numbers and also popped some rusty circles to finish off the smaller cogs.

I did a similar finish to the stand using Ivory Powertex, Black Bister as well rich and bronze gold to give a cohesive look to the finished piece.

Below are some other close ups so you can see how it was all finished.

And here is the finished altered timepiece...

Have fun and don't forget to share your makes with us over on Powertex Addicts or why not join our fab new group The Powertex Studio where Certfied Powertex Tutors as well as YOU can share your creations and we can inspire each other.

Bye for now

Fi xx

This is what I had left!!!!!

These are the pigments I used and below are some close ups...

A Powertex Easter Crocus that Blooms All Year Round

Powertex Flowers at Easter Time

One of my favourite flowers to see blooming at Easter time is the crocus.  There is only one problem.  We have a very inquisitive, and very greedy young dog called Logan.

Before I buy any flowers for our garden, I always check out whether they are safe for dogs - because Logan tends to eat anything he can get his little paws on. He's not fussy if it's an Easter egg or an Easter flower - and neither are very good for him.

Although spring crocuses (unlike autumn crocuses) are not poisonous to dogs, ingestion can cause adverse effects with digestion.  Logan has a sensitive stomach, so that is not something I want to take a risk on.

Hmmm, what could I do about that?  The answer was obvious.  Make my own, non toxic Powertex ones :)

After three weeks curing time, these Powertex flowers are weather resistant, and will stay fresh all year round.  I have some poppy ones I made a couple of years ago in November that brighten up my garden all year round. 

How To Make A Powertex Easter Crocus

 

To start off with I cut the top off of a plastic bottle (keeping the lid on) and drilled a small hole through the lid.  (I then used the bottom half of the bottle for keeping my brush water in so nothing wasted.)

I attached the part of the bottle I was using to the top of a garden cane cane, and masking taped the whole thing so that it was nice and secure.  (Top tip - an old wine bottle or lemonade bottle is perfect for holding the cane steady whilst you do this. I painted this in ivory powertex and let it dry whilst I made my petals.

I made six petal shapes using my wire, and masking taped over them all before covering with material soaked in Ivory Powertex.  (NB: if using white Powertex be sure to choose material that is also a pale colour so that it doesn't show through.)

I let these dry off until they were just tacky, and then secured them around my taped up bottle into the shape I wanted the petals to be.  Once I had them in the shape I wanted, I then added some more strips of Powertex soaked material over the insides to ensure it was all securely covered.

I was having some difficulty getting my petals to stay in the desired position, so I bound them up with cling film and left them to dry overnight.  Powertex won't stick to cling film so I knew I would be able to unwrap it safely the next day, but it held the petals close enough for them to stick securely together in the desired place.

 I used cut off cotton buds for the stamen and made sure they were well coated with the powertex to ensure they had a lot of protection from the elements.  Once dry I gave them a good covering of Powertex yellow powercolor and easy varnish.

For the leaves, I split some more cane and masking taped them into place.  Wire would be equally good for this as long as you put enough masking tape over it to make it thick enough for the leaf shape.  I then covered the whole thing with strips of material soaked in Powertex.  I wanted the leaves to be bending over slightly so bent the material to give this effect, and then screwed up some cling film right at the ends to make sure it dried in a pointy shape.

From here on in it was just a case of choosing my colours and dry brushing to my heart's content.  For this one I chose to use Lilac Powercolor at the base, and blended this in  with Secret Art Loft Interference Lilac to lighten the petals a bit at the top.   I then dry brushed over the whole thing with some Powercolor white.   For the leaves I used  Powercolor Green, Moss Green  and  Colortricx Powerpearl  White.  All of these are available from Powertex UK  

I made sure to use plenty of easy varnish as well to fully protect my crocus once it was ready to go outside.  (Powertex sculptures are weather resistant after three weeks curing time)

So this Easter I will have a very safe, but very colourful garden.  Logan as you can see is very impressed.

And very inquisitive!!

Of course you don't have to stick to crocuses. Tulips would be great as would delicate snow drops.    I'm currently eyeing up the insides of some cardboard egg cartons which bear an uncanny resemblance to daffodil trumpets - once you are hooked on upcycling with Powertex you see everything with fresh eyes. 

What Easter flower will you choose to make?

You can see more of my Powertex makes on www.artandmurals.co.ukwww.artandmurals.co.uk and www.facebook.com/artmuralsbydonnamcghie 

Getting to know you - Powertex Design Team 2018

Wow! 2017 Just seemed to fly by for us I don't know about anyone else. Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas with Family and friends. So with the new year comes a mix up for the Powertex UK Design Team. Some are familiar faces the newbies are part of our Powertex family of tutors whom we wanted to give the opportunity of bringing their unique projects to the table.

Anna Emelia Howlett of Rosehart Studio

Yep that's me! I am Design Team, Blog co-ordinator and Press Office for Powertex UK.  Fully certified Powertex UK tutor. I am a busy little bee, when I am not creating artwork in the form of drawings, sculpture and journals, children's book designs, stamp designs and teaching workshops, you will find me working at the hobby shows with Powertex UK and so much more. I love using Powertex for mixed media or altered art projects particularly. I pretty much throw everything at it as I love detail! More is More!!
 I have four cats and would definitely have more if I could. On my time out I love hanging out with the other half, going to comic conventions, singing at Rock choir, riding horses and helping with girl guides. I am inspired by wild life, nature and mythical creatures to name but a few. My favourite word is Toodles.

 Abigail  Lagden of Curiously Contrary

Powertex tutor and the creative team leader based in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

These days, my life pretty much revolves around my two crazy rescue dogs (Benson and Daisy) and all things Powertex (not really a bad life!). When I have a bit of spare time (not as often as I'd like), I volunteer as a props maker for the outdoor spectacular, Kynren.

I absolutely adore the rich, intense colours and the amazing depth and textures that you can create with Powertex. I draw a lot of inspiration from nature, but I also love all things magical, mystical and fantastical, and find this influence has a tendency to creep into many of my creations!

 Annette Smyth Creative Adventurer 

Powertex Creative Team Leader, stockist and Certified Tutor
I live in Leamington Spa with my husband and 3 fur babies Harvey, Travis and Flo. I like to reuse found items in my work and get lots of inspiration from car boots, charity shops and recycling stores. I love lazy lunches, feel good movies, coffee cake and snorkeling in warm seas. I'm looking forward to sharing my ideas with you this year. 

 Donna Mcghie of Arts and Murals by Donna Mcghie

I am passionate about my art 4 a heart workshops, as a percentage of these goes to the Papworth Hospital Charity as a thank you for the life saving work they did when my husband needed a heart transplant.

I get inspired by the seemingly mundane every day things that are all around us, which is why I love working with Powertex, because it can and does transform the most basic of things into something beautiful.

Fi Potter of Fiona potter Artist and Jewellery Maker

Powertex UK tutor, design Team 2017 and tv guest presenter. Based in Warwickshire.

I made my mark in the jewellery world demonstrating lots of techniques on tv shopping channels. Since 2007 I've dipped my toes in lots of mediums discovering which would best bring my design ideas to life, from creating backgrounds for designing projects to use with resin jewellery and home decor, wirework, polymer clay, mixed media and more.

Having discovered Powertex in November 2015 I was hooked. I became a member of the Hochanda TV team for Powertex UK in 2017 and a member of the Design Team. I am thrilled to be back for another year to show you my spin on Powertex.I thoroughly enjoy sharing my love of Powertex with my grand daughter Sophie, we have much fun making fabulous creations.

Jinny Holt

Hello, my name is Jinny I am a wife, Mum to three and a Nanny to two Grandsons. 
I am a full-time Support worker and arts and crafts coordinator for young adults with additional needs. 
I have always enjoyed making and creating things since I was a child. 
I love to recycle things whenever I can and have been known to rummage through skips on the odd occasion, you know what they say "One mans junk is another man's treasure" 
I am inspired by everyday life and nature. As well as creating with Powertex I also enjoy Polymer clay and jewellery making and when I am not creating I enjoy gardening and decorating.

Kore Sage of Sky Sage Studio

I'm Kore, Mixed media crafter and arty experimenter. I believe in the healing power of creating art. If I'm not painting and layering to a background of Eighties hits and rock classices you might find me by the waves on Brighton beach or learning tai chi. My superpower probably involves orange paint.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

... especially with all the snow recently!  I hope everyone is keeping warm.

On the plus side, this is the perfect weather for staying indoors, hiding out in your craft room & getting creative, whether its making pieces to decorate the home, hand made gifts for loved ones or simply crafting for crafting sake!

For those of you with children or grandchildren, there is also the countdown to reindeer-led sleighs & a man in a big red suit & white beard bringing presents.  He goes by many names around the world - Father Christmas, Santa Claus, Saint Nicolas, Pere Noel, Weihnachtsmann & Kanakaloka (to name a few), but wherever you are in the world & whatever you call him, this is the inspiration for my make this month.

So to make a Santa inspired decoration, you will need

a Styrofoam cone, Powertex Red, Powertex Ivory (or White), Stone Art, Powertex Transparent, Paperdeco White, Easy Varnish, Powercolor Red, Powercolor Black & Colortricx Powerpearl

I started by giving the cone an initial coat of Powertex Red.  Powertex loves to stick to Powertex, so this forms a great base to work off.

While this was drying, I mixed up a quantity of Stone Art clay using the Powertex Ivory, & another larger batch of clay using the Powertex Red & Stone Art.  Wrap both batches separately in cling film to stop them from drying out.

Form the face using the Ivory Stone Art Clay.  I positioned the face about 2/3rds of the way up the cone, forming the nose from a ball of clay.  TIP: The clay can be smoothed by using a little water on your finger tip & rubbing it across the surface to blend the pieces of clay together.  Form the eyes using the end of a paint brush handle/your finger or similar.

The cone was then covered using the red clay.  Roll the clay out flat & apply to the cone, smoothing & blending the pieces together using a little water.

The Paperdeco White was perfect to add details like his beard, eyebrows & 'fur' trim on his hat & body.  I used Powertex Transparent for this to avoid colour transfer onto the red stone art clay, which would have happened if using the Ivory or White Powertex.  

Allow to dry.

The final stage was to add the details to his face - rosy cheeks/nose using Easy Varnish & Powercolor Red, eyes using the Powercolour Black & then a light overbrush with the Colortricx Powerpearl to add a frosty shimmer.

And here he is - all ready to deliver presents on Christmas Eve.....

Ghekko, gekko or geko?

This is how my ghekko started out, I simply used the square block to join the two parts.

I used yellow ochre Powertex as my glue for this job, well it is the best glue I know!

I turned it over, painted the whole thing with yellow ochre Powertex. I sprayed with blue bister and heated with a hairdryer until my fabulous crackles appeared. 

I used some of the MDF alphabet letters to give him a name, this became a point of discussion as to how it should be spelt and after 'googling' it I realised that it seems to be one of those words that has various spellings, I liked the version with the 'H', what do you think? 

Just to finish him off I fixed some twinkly flat backed crystals that I had left over 

from my jewellery making days onto his toes and in the centre of the letter 'O'

I can't wait to see yours! Tracey x