Helmar Creative Team: May 2024

This project has been waiting a long time to get completed and I have finally done it!

I’ve used an old wicker lamp with a very battered shade to create this project.

I'm very happy with how it turned out!

So, for this project I have used a huge selection of laces and trims all attached to the lamp shade with Helmar Fabric Glue!

I have also painted the wicker base with white gesso very randomly.

and then painted the solid base with black gesso.

I also painted the old shade with black gesso.

Once dry I have gone in and started to glue my laces onto the lamp shade starting from the bottom working my way up to the top

While the glued laces were drying I went and dry brushed some black gesso over the wicker base
I have finished this lamp off with some matching flowers added some extra lace trims around the base and the top of the lamp stand and that’s about it

I just love reinventing old finds from an Op Shop bringing them back in a new way

Hi everyone, Nat here with an easy recycling project to make some pretty tags that I will use in future journals as writing spots.

I begin my project by making a masterboard using craft card from a book I deconstructed (packaging card or cardstock would be appropriate too). I also grab my tub of book text scraps. You can use any book pages for this, though a variety of text size, types and page discolouration adds to the interest of the finished collage.

First I sqeeze a good whack of the PVA glue into my pallet (I am working on a silicone mat with pallets included).

I add water to this until I have about a one third mix of water, and give it a stir to combine. This makes the PVA easier to brush on. You can always add more water or glue to get the consistency you require.

Next I use a large paintbrush to spread some glue on my base card and begin sticking down my text pieces.

Glue is also applied over the top of the book page pieces to seal them nicely.

Once my base piece is covered I leave it to dry. My next task is to stencil some random patterns on my base using distress ink and a stencil brush. I do one of my pages with purple and brown stencilling and the other with green and brown.

I grab my Archival Inks and Whichcraft Do You Do 'Documented' stamp set next and stamp these using black and brown inks on one page and green and brown on the other.

This is one of my two collaged masterboards complete and ready to make into ephemera. I just need to trim the overhanging text page edges.

The Masterboards are cut into good sizes for journal cards and long tags. I didn't do specific measurements for this as I don't mind them being different sizes. I managed to get four tags and six journal cards from each base piece.

Now the fun begins - the embellishing! I used Helmar's Tacky glue in a fine-tip applicator bottle to stick down book pictures, postage stamps, coloured book paper and other small pieces.

The tags had the top corners cut on an angle and the corners rounded for the journal cards. I inked around the edges of all pieces and added paper for writing on the back.

I found fabric scraps to make tabs for my tags and used the Tacky Glue to stick these on. Sewing around the edges of my pieces hold these tabs on firmly and finished my creations off nicely.

Here is a process video of this project:

This was such a fun project and the PVA glue worked so well to adhere my papers and seal them ready for my stencilling and stamping. This is such an easy and fun way to make pretty tags and journal cards while recycling a pile of scraps too.

Hope you will give this project a go and have fun crafting!
xx Nat