Back Gate Sign

I have wanted to put a sign on our back gate but kept forgetting to have HR cut a piece of wood for me.  Just as I was preparing to take a box of clutter to the curb for Free Friday, I spotted a plastic

frame and the light bulb went on. I could use it for a frame for a sign! I just happened to have a 6-inch tile from my days of decoupaging that fit, (well close enough) and I had Folkart Enamel paint. Using the Silhouette Portrait, I cut a stencil from contact paper.  I stenciled our name to the tile. The directions on the paint said it needed 21 days to cure or it could be baked at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Into the toaster oven it went for 30 minutes.  In the meantime I spray painted the frame to look like metal. I glued the baked tile, which kind of yellowed in the oven, to the frame with E-6000 glue and added a soda can butterfly.  Only time will tell how well the paint holds up in rain, snow and sun.

Have any of you used Folkart Enamel paint for outdoor projects? If you have, how well did it hold up? Do you typically bake the projects or do you let it air cure? Have you used the new multi-purpose craft paint for outdoor projects?  Thank you for leaving feedback in the comments below.

Playing with Wire

Recently I had the opportunity to take a Nina Bagley jewelry class (Yes, she was at Ephemera Paducah!).  

I have not made much jewelry using wire and was excited to learn some basic techniques

like 

 the Nina Knot,

twisting the wire using a hand drill, 

how to coil wire using a T-pin

and how to make a cocoon wrap.

In addition Nina showed us how to drill through thin shells, rocks and slate, using a Dremel type tool. and how to ball up the end of a wire using a small torch.

I do not plan to get into jewelry making, but these techniques will be useful in creating embellishments for journals and accessories. (That is if I don’t forget!)

I used the Nina Loop and the cocoon wrap to make this key fob.

I tried to ball of an end of wire for this project; it didn't work. I must have forgotten the technique already! 

Now, let me take a minute to gloat; Crafting from the Underground turned 1-year old this month. Yesterday it reached 5000 views! Woot Woot! Thanks to all of you that have taken the time to check it out! Hope you have found something that will encourage you to sign up for email posts (under my photo.)