Friday, May 8, 2009

Fiber Arts Fridays - bits & pieces

It's Fiber Arts Friday! First I want to give a big thank you to my cousin Janet who made a donation to the American Cancer Society this week and acquired my art quilt Spring to Summer through the Fiberart for a Cause Collage Mania 2009 fundraiser, which ended yesterday after raising over $18,000 in three days! I had donated the piece in honor of Janet's mother, my aunt Flo, my mother's sister.

Next I have to answer my friend Michele's question posted in the comments on yesterday's Ten Two Studios Mother's Day Countdown (running through May 10!) She asked what I had used to stamp the pattern on my envelopes. It's a carved Indian printing block designed to do a repeat floral border on fabric (visible in the lower left hand corner of this photo).
2009_365_118 Envelope Epergne in Progress
In theory, it's an "antique" (or sold that way - it's at least 20 years old since my mom bought it in India in the 1980s!) so I didn't want to apply any ink or paint directly to the wood. Instead I used a "Magic Stamp" moldable foam stamp (the blue block in the photo), which can be zapped with a heat gun and then pressed against the patterned surface to make a reusable stamp! If you heat it again the texture goes away and you can repeat the process with something else. I've made stamps with delicate items like crocheted doilies, vintage buttons, and antique lace, as well as flowers and leaves from the yard. I first read about Magic Stamps in Transforming Fabric: Thirty Creative Ways to Paint, Dye and Pattern Clothby Carolyn A. Dahl, but I have yet to use them on fabric!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

THAT is pretty darn cool!

Mixing-Katie said...

Whoa, what a cool stamp! I've never heard of those magic stamp thingies, but it sounds neat!

Carolyn B said...

Thanks, maya :o)
@Katie - I'll TRY to remember to bring some for AFA.

Terri Kahrs said...

Clever and creative! Thanks for sharing this technique, Carolyn. I'll have to do some searching to find this super toy! Hugs!

Carolyn B said...

Thanks, Terri - I've found them at our locally owned art supply store, but I've been told that stores that sell supplies to school teachers carry them. They're a good buy since a pack of eight is only about $8, which is $1/block and you can use both sides (plus the edges for skinny things).

Michele said...

Wow, thanks for sharing this! I'd never heard of Magic Stamps--what an amazing process!

Cathy Spivey Mendola said...

Oh Carolyn! I was out of town and am still trying to get caught up with my blog visiting. I missed WAY too much!
I'm so sorry I missed the Fiber Art for a Cause auction. Darn! I would definitely have bid on something.
Your piece is delightful!
I absolutley LOVE the epergne in the book thingy! Very Clever!
Really wish I was closer to you and could take that photo class.
I could use a lesson or two or three!
I'm glad to be back. Wishing you a wonderful week!
cathy

Carolyn B said...

@Michele - thought you might like it :D
@Cathy - thanks for stopping by - I'm having a hard time keeping up on my blog visiting too (darn paying work getting in the way of my fun!)

Alpaca Farmgirl said...

This is really cool. Love that Magic Stamp! I miss stamping. Maybe I should do some of that...love the effect.

Thanks for participating in Fiber Arts Friday!

Carolyn B said...

Thanks, Katy & thanks for organizing it!

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