Two Old Crows Primitive Craft Tips and Recipes

Subject: Day Spent Crafting
Time: 9:14:51 AM CST
Author:  stl2oldcrows

St  Patricks Day is really not that far off....spent the morning thinking of other things I would like to make and remembered this old green enamelware saucepan .....so I added a few thing and turned into a light.....it can be found on my website Two Old Crows http://www.2oldcrows.com

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Subject: Free Valentine Pattern
Time: 9:32:53 AM CST
Author:  stl2oldcrows

This month in Primitive Times Magazine Im offering a free pattern. This is my first venture into offering patterns and its be very overwhelming the great response Ive received. In future holds me starting a whole line of patterns...so watch for my new adventure. You can find this really cute Valentine Poke at Primitive Times Magazine (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) Check out the other great articles and free patterns while your there !

 

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Subject: How to Rust for That Primitive Look
Time: 5:56:09 AM CST
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Rusting Items

This recipe will nicely rust safety pins, jingle bells, or anything else you want to 'age' for your primitive creations.The most important thing to remember about rusting, is that you will want to buy the cheap brand of pins, safety pins, bells..ect that you can find. The more expensive brands have a shellac coating on them that you will have to sand off before rusting. Makes sure they are NOT brass either -brass will not rust.Do this outside away from children and pets.....the fumes are terrible !

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup bleach
1 teaspoon salt

Directions :

Combine the ingredients in an old quart jar.

Add items you want to rust and cover loosely - place in a safe spot and let set for at least 2 days.

Line a tray with a couple of layers of paper towel and remove the items with an old fork from the mixture. place in the sunshine .......the items will begin to rust as they dry. Move them around so that they dry on all sides.

Perfectly rusted bells, pins, and any other item you wish to rust.

Caution: do not throw the mixture down the sink- dispose of properly where no animal or child could come in contact with.

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Subject: Distressing Wood and MetalHow to Distress Metal and Wood
Time: 5:33:38 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Distressing Wood and Metal

 

Distressing is one of the most effective and easiest ways to age furniture or a painted piece. We can take a new piece and make it look like it has been around for years and been touched by hands many times with a very simple technique using candle wax. I prefer using beeswax candles for this but any white candle may be used.

 

First look at the piece and decide if you wish the finished piece to look like a piecethat has been painted many times over, if so you will need to paint two colors. If you wish the finish piece to be bare wood where rubbed off you will only need to do a topcoat.

.

Sand the entire piece with a fine grade sandpaper and wipe with a tack cloth

 

If you wish a color beneath the paint rubbed off apply it now and allow to dry for 2-4 hours.

 

Using the candle on its side rub over the entire piece, paying special attention to the edges and corners, anywhere the piece may have been touched alot ( around handles) areas where it would have naturally gotten distressed

 

Now paint the entire piece going overthe wax with a topcoat, be sure to paint with the grain of the wood. Let dry thoroughly

 

Using steel wool rub the paint in the direction of the grain of the wood. Where there is wax underneath the paint will come off revealing either the bare wood or the color beneath. Avoid rubbing the steel wool against the grain as this will create an ugly scratch effect rather than a smooth distressed look.

 

If you wish you can repeat this process to make the piece look like it has been painted several times in different colors.

 

When completely finished wipe the entire piece with a tack cloth and protect the piece by varnishing.

 

Distressing can be done on both metal and wood.....just remember to follow the steps given before to prepare the surfaces for painting.

 

For more crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com)

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Subject: How to Make Grungy Candles
Time: 5:23:36 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Grungy Candle

Grungy candles are very easy to make and just take a little time and patience

Supplies:
Pillar or regular stick candles - I look for these on sale or at backyard sales.
Wax
Spices such as cinnamon, crushed cloves,ginger,allspice, grated lemon peel, grated orange peel (use any mix of these spices you like)
Fragrance oil such as cinnamon ( you can scent these or not)
Paint brush
Wax paper

Directions:

Carefully melt your wax adding the fragrance if you like

Place wax paper on your table and add any mix of the above spices

Paint one strip on the candle and then while the wax is still hot, roll that part into the spices. Continue until completed.

Let your candle dry for at least 48 hours before using.

Try very hard not to get the hot wax and spices on your candle wick. But, you can apply extra wax on the candle to look like candle wax is melting down the candle.

A word of warning: Do not light these candles they are for decorative purposes only. If you are going to sell these or give them away be sure to include a warning with them

For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us a Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com

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Subject: How to Make Paper Mache with Dryer Lint
Time: 9:22:24 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Dryer Lint Paper Mache

This inexpensive recipe is easy to make and works in those plastic candy molds very well. Just allow enough time for drying.

Supplies:

1 cup of lint from the dryer
1 cup torn up tissue paper (want colored use colored tissue paper)
2 tsp. liquid starch
2 cups water
Cheesecloth
Mold

Mix lint, tissue paper, liquid starch and water altogether and blend until smooth in the blender

Pour into cheesecloth draped over a bowl and press out as much of the liquid as possible

Add to mold and press tightly

Let air dry

Remove from mold carefully and sand lightly

Now you can paint these up anyway you like ......they make wonderful Christmas ornaments sprinkled with mica flakes or glass glitter.

For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com)

 

 

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Subject: How to Make Gingerbread Play Dough Cookies
Time: 7:09:13 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Play Dough Gingerbread Cookies

 

These durable gingerbread decorations smell good enough to eat but are inedible and great for decorating with. Do not try to make more than one batch at a time I have found it just doesn’t work ! This recipe will make about 5 large shapes.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of cornstarch

1/2 cup of white craft glue

red and green food coloring

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

1/4 cup of raisins

Cookie cutter or cardboard

Wax paper

Optional - white acrylic paint

Optional - wire

 

Mix the flour and cornstarch together in a large bowl. Remove little of this mixture and set aside. Add the glue and stir - it will look like moist crumbs.

 

Using your fingers knead the mixture until it is mixed evenly- this will take about 10 minutes usually. If the mixture is too stiff add just a tiny bit of water, if it is too moist add some of the mixture you set aside

 

If the dough is not workable just doesn’t have elasticity wrap it in plastic wrap and let it set for a couple of hours. When you work with it again you may need to add more flour and cornstarch.

 

Tint the dough to brown by adding the green and red food coloring……the shade you make is your own preference. To get that great gingerbread cookie smell now add the spices.

 

Roll the dough out between two layers of wax paper. Cut out the shapes with a cookie cutter.(If you do not have a cookie cutter cut out the shape of a gingerbread man out of cardboard and then place on the dough cutting around it with a knife)

 

Press the raisins in for eyes and buttons. For the gingerbread men to hang insert a loop of wire into the top carefully.  Allow the shapes to dry in a cool dry place until the front is hard ( at least 24 hour and up to 3 days depending on the humidity). Turn the shapes over and allow the backs to dry.

 

If you would like the gingerbread men to have frosting squiggles just apply this with a brush and off white acrylic paint.

 

These are so much fun to decorate with you will want to make several and they make great gifts that are fun with the kids to make !

 

For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com)

 

 

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Subject: How to Prepare Wood for Painting
Time: 8:59:17 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Folk Art Painting- Wood Preparation
As a folk artist I have found that wood preparation before painting is very important- if you want a beautiful finished product you must take the time to prepare your wood properly- no amount of painting will cover up the flaws that should have been fixed before painting. Below are a few tips and techniques that I have found helpful in wood preparation.

• Choose your wood carefully- avoid wood that is warped and has knot holes and is marred

• Fill in all holes, scratches and gouges with wood filler and let dry completely, sand and refill if necessary

• Spot seal any knots with Jo Sonya's Tanning Blocker or product like it- knot can bleed through paint and make terrible brown rings

• Sand wood with 150-220 grit sand paper making sure to sand with the grain of the wood. If you sand against the grain you will have scratches. Be sure to sand all edges and wipe with a tack cloth

• Seal the wood on all surfaces with a water based sealer- if you don't seal because wood is a porous material the grain will raise when the paint is applied making the surface bumpy . Allow the sealer to dry completely following instructions on the product

• Sand one more time with 220-400 grit sand paper to remove any grain that may have arose - this will give the piece a nice smooth surface to paint on.

• Remove all dust with a tack cloth
  
  Now your ready to paint !

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Subject: News Flash !
Time: 9:57:15 AM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

New Flash ! News Flash !

I just can't hold back the news any longer ! I'm so excited...I'm going to be one of the editors for the new online magazine "Primitive Times Magazine" (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) and have my own column " From the Crow's Nest" on the Primitive Times Magazine Website (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com ) I just can't begin to tell you all how excited about this awesome opportunity Angela Wenke from Heartland Marketplace has given me.

Angela's motto and slogan for the magazine "where crafters unite" and "uniting our crafting community one crafter at a time" really is just perfect. There are 12 editors on the staff - each more sharing than the last in helping others out in starting their own business and sharing crafting tips and techniques. The website and magazine will be full of articles about things from a woman's point of view, crafting tips and techniques, recipes, decorating and business information. A downloadable version of the magazine will have its first issue in November and monthly after that so be sure to watch for it. Visit the website (www.primitivetimesmagazine.com) to sign up - be sure to do that you dont want to miss an issue !

P.S. The magazine and website are both offering great advertising opportunities ...so be sure and check them out. ......tell Angie the Old Crow sent you !

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Subject: Oopps I Got Paint on My Clothes
Time: 1:16:43 PM CDT
Author:  stl2oldcrows

Paint on Your Clothes

Opps .......so you look down and there is that splatter or drop of paint on your favorite shirt. First never ward your favorite or best clothes when painting...you are asking for a disaster to happen ! No matter how careful and neat you are eventually the time will come that your going to get paint on your clothes. An apron is helpful especially at craft shows when you want to at least look presentable but the day will come when you will get paint on your own clothing. Try any of the following hints- sometimes they work - sometimes they don' t ! Caution these may remove the dye from your clothing leaving a worse spot so be sure to first test in an inconspicious place.

Fingernail polish remover - remember fingernail polish is paint . Dab some on the spot with a Q tip and then try to pick the paint off

Rubbing alcohol or vodka ( now if the spot doesn't come off just take a stiff drink and you own care- only kidding) applied to the spot may remove it. Test for colorfastness first and let it stand on the spot for about 5 minutes before rinsing in cold water

Hairspray- spray the spot with hairspray then hold under a faucet of cold water, scrape with knife carefully

Paint brush cleaner- paint brush cleaner such as Mona Lisa Pink Soap may remove the spot.

Thoroughly wast the spot if the paint still remains do not place the item in the dryer ( the heat will set the spot permanently) try one of the above again. If you cant get the paint out this now becomes your new paint outfit !

For more great crafting tips and techniques visit us at Two Old Crows (www.2oldcrows.com)


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