Saturday, April 10, 2010

Shabby Chic Roses

I got this from Pat, who got it from Ati, who got it from Anni, who saw the tutorial on Roben-Maries blog here – and just couldn’t resist having a go at it.

Lots of people are having a go and some really good ones are being created. I stitched the centre pieces on my ones as I seem to be a bit messy with glue.  Doreen had a great idea – she used a covered button in the centre.

Started off with some rusty ones:

roses

Then used some other scrap fabric:

rose2

The fabric used for this one is actually a piece cut from here:

fabric

I’ve had this fabric for what must be 15 years plus, bought from John Lewis in Oxford Street at £3.99 a metre and I have about a fat quarter left.

It started life as a much more colourful piece of fabric than this but I had dipped it in a weak solution of Potassium Permanganate – and I loved the effect, so much so that I think just about every scrap of fabric I had was dipped and turned a shade of brown in varying degrees. Obviously where my love of rust stems from, funny thing is though, brown as a stand alone colour does absolutely nothing for me!

I remember all this because I thought I had an original snippet of this fabric stuck in a book back from my City & Guilds days – but could only find a space where it had once been, although all the details were still there.

I then spent (wasted?) a whole evening looking back through old notebooks and sketchbooks and reminiscing. Took loads of photos of different bits but decided to spare you all sharing my memories with me. *LOL*

One thing though, I used to go to lots of exhibitions and used to keep all the brochures and buy loads of postcards and keep detailed notes about them – (these ones look like they are all from ‘97). It was quite entertaining looking back through these.

exhibitions IMG_2543

Anyway, the point of this story is that when I was looking for the snippet of fabric I came across this picture from a recycling project I was working on way back.

alison bailey smith

I decided to Google the name of the maker of the corset (and the winner of Green Magazines fashion competition in 1992 as the text explains) – Alison Bailey Smith, and found her website here. It really is well worth a look and if you use Google Images you can see other examples of her work. Make sure you catch the bit on how to dismantle a television set. :)

I was talking to a lovely girl at the N.E.C. who was very excited as her handmade card business was starting to take off for her and we were chatting about using resin. (Sorry, I know you read this but I didn’t get to ask your name). I had bought some resin several months ago but just hadn’t got around to using it as I keep meaning to see if I can get a book on the subject. I bought it from a fibreglass supplier instead of in kit form from a hobbyist shop and the instructions I have are very scant to say the least.

I remember being bowled over in 2007 at Ally Pally with the installation ‘ The 9 Pillars’ created by Helene Soubeyran and wanted to try resin casting myself – on a much smaller scale of course. I don’t think Helene has any fear of competition with these pieces – even without the air bubbles and fingerprints.  *LOL*

I started off with a postcard size textured sample. As you can probably see, the mould is the bottom of a plastic lunch box. It was a good start though because the colours look really wonderful.

IMG_2480_edited-1

IMG_2491This is a small sample which I have shown on the blog before, not sure if I told you how it was created though – will leave that for another time. This one looked better outside the resin.

sampleThese are hand made beads – although you would be forgiven for thinking it was a goldfish come to a sticky end. :)

deadgoldfish

This experiment is made of rusted baby wipes. Four of them rolled up together each time and then cut in to about 2cm wedges. It was quite tricky to place them all without getting covered with resin.babywipes2

And here’s a close up:

close up

Next came one of the shabby chic roses minus the leaf – it wouldn’t fit in the mould. You can see how the colours of the fabric have become much more vibrant.

chic

A couple of different views:

shabby1

shabhy 2

My original idea was to make a cast of a complete ‘Encrusted Blade’ but have a feeling it might be a bit on the heavy side. So I think that this is more what I would like to concentrate on. Its a piece of coloured Lutradur embedded in a thin layer of resin. Would like to try and get the layer thinner still, embed several of them separately and then attach them in some way.  And of course, make sure they haven’t got a lip around the edge.  Watch this space. :)

lutradur

 ALQS4

Kate has decided to do another round of this very popular swap. Rules are a bit different this time. Its a great swap – I have been really pleased with the quilts I have received each time. Check it out here.

20 comments:

Sharne Gregory said...

You are so creative with your experimenting. I love the rose in resin

Susan D said...

Is there an inch of space left in your house? Amazing how the rose has taken on a different look in the resin. I don't know about everyone else but you have got to think about an exhibition of your work some time in the future.

ALTERED ARTIFACTS said...

I am so impressed! and I did go watch that tut and I have to say yours I like yours soooo much better :))
Inka

Gina said...

I love the shabby chic rose set in resin... fabulous. My resin experiments all came out looking very cloudy and not all shiny and clear like yours! I always enjoy looking back through old note books etc. too.

Pat said...

I wish I paid more attention in Chemistry :-) The scrap roses are beautiful and your resin experiments are fascinating. I remeber being riveted by "The Nine Pillars".

Heather said...

I love your 'shabby chic' roses and the resin experiments are fascinating. I vaguely remember some years ago my teenagers trying something similar with wild flowers and other small items. Lots of possibilities with it.

Doreen G said...

Love the rusted roses Lynda and the one in the resin is fabulous.
I like your ides of using the scrim--looks a lot better than the small bits of fabric.

Lins Artyblobs said...

Roses are fab & I really love them in the resin. I keep thinking about trying resin but not got round to it yet, but seeing your work may give me the push. So you were a good girl with C&G, keeping notes, I didn't very often but wish I had [naughty girl] so I have blank pages where there used to be samples [as I borrow them too] or there is a sample still there, but what did I do to it?????

Julie said...

Thank you for the link to the tutorial, I shall have a proper look later. Your own roses are lovely and now I know what to do with my rusted fabrics and scrim :o) I've never tried working with resin but some of the effects are beautiful.

Julie said...

PS I agree with Susan D. When's the exhibition?

Anonymous said...

If you are looking for really lightweight resin pieces instead of chunks of plastic, try putting down waxed paper, then Lutrador or just paper and painting on the resin. If you are using ICE brand it can be drippled on with a wooden stick and smoothed a bit and it after 24 hours, you can cut it into shapes and flip them over, place on waxed paper and coat the other side with freshly mixed resin.
I've made paper dolls that way. Fun. Lightweight.

Morna Crites-Moore said...

Thank you for this excellent post! Your roses are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Wow! What an informative post. Love thise roses!!And the baby wipes idea!!Clever!

Micki said...

Love the rusted roses and the one in resin. I saw the video weeks ago but haven't gotten around to creating any.

Anonymous said...
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Angela said...

Your rusty roses are very beautiful, and I love the experimenting you have done with the resin.

lindacreates said...

I love the roses. It is especially gorgeous in the resin. I would have never thought of putting things like this in resin and now I will! I am off to see the tutorial on the roses.

Jackie said...

I was once part of an exhibition where ALison Bailey Smith was the Featured artist and her work is even better in the flesh.

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Alison bailey Smith said...

Many thanks for featuring my work