Loveing stamps

[lilli]

Sonya thanks for the link! Just yesterday I had my first try at using Opals, and I ended up with granules all over the place and not a lot of success, following the instructions on the jar!

Instead of a melting pot, do you think it would be ok to use a saucepan over hot water (similar to melting chocolate?)

Regarding texture paste,(or paper clay), when I stamp into it I brush a little cornflour on the stamp first.  I spread the paste quite thick, and press firmly on the stamp.

[sonya]

Sonya thanks for the link! Just yesterday I had my first try at using Opals, and I ended up with granules all over the place and not a lot of success, following the instructions on the jar!

Instead of a melting pot, do you think it would be ok to use a saucepan over hot water (similar to melting chocolate?)

Regarding texture paste,(or paper clay), when I stamp into it I brush a little cornflour on the stamp first.  I spread the paste quite thick, and press firmly on the stamp.

 Thanks for the tip of the cornflour Lilli, great idea!
Before I purchased a melting pot I used to put my opals into a tiny pot and heat the pot (from the bottom) with my heat gun, it worked just fine... and really I did not NEED that melting pot..you know how it goes.... im kind of a gagdet girl   

[sonya]

I do use moulds, the Crafty lady ones, these are quite deep and I have not had any break as yet. Mostly I full the moulds with paper clay and not opals, because you can paint the paper clay and they are super light to use on atcs etc ...like this face...
http://www.scrapbookingbydesign.co.nz/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=2971&cat=690&limit=views

[axel]

I am loving all the tips and ideas, thank you so much girls,i will be getting some Opel's to try i love how it looks.
Keep the ideas coming I'm soaking it up .....awesome 

[axel]

Well i had a play with some opals at the shop tonight  had lots of fun and made a bit of a mess 
will take a photo tomorrow to show you 

[cherienz]

I had fun too tonight.  Now I want opals and utee and, and... so glad I finally got a heat gun so I can try these things.
 On stamping other things:
My favourite stamping things probably would be my big foam stamps from Heidi Swapp (got ages ago), but because I am a bit of a 'messy' scrapper I love the foam stamp look, especially when you put acrylic paint on them.  I will try and find a couple of layouts and upload.  (I have to learn the linky thing too).  But foam stamps are usually cheap and just a different alternative to other stamps.  You can even try out using your foam thickers with ink or paint as cheap alternatives to actual stamps.  With the thickers you have to apply the adhesive side to the ink/paint to get the stamp in the right direction - but it is just another way to get more colours/variety out of your thickers.  so I don't put on a block , just get my fingers messy.
Cherie




Cherie

[lilli]

Thanks Sonya for the info about how to get by without a melting pot.  I had success using the heat gun under a tiny metal pot... a metal measuring spoon from my kitchen.  It now has a new life as my mini-melting pot!  I enjoyed watching the crystals melt and then poured it onto inked stamps and made some words, which can be used to embellish my layouts.

Also had fun at the shop experimenting with using Opals on chipboard.  Consequently I'm now an "Opals Groupie"    Bought a set of Opalettes, which are tiny pots of Opals, several different co-ordinating colours. 

[axel]

  ok here's my master piece  i covered a chip board butterfly with versamark ink then opals,do this 3 times ,to get a 2 toned effect or speckles just add the second colour on your last coat,have a stamp already inked and waiting (tip don't leave the inked stamp siting for to log) you can stop and ink your stamp and then run the heat gun over the opals until its hot again,take the stamp and stamp into the hot opals,and you get this awesome effect 

Now you wont to try it don't ya lol its so much fun and you get a neat texture or even words.

[lilli]

Looks awesome!

[sonya]

Thanks Sonya for the info about how to get by without a melting pot.  I had success using the heat gun under a tiny metal pot... a metal measuring spoon from my kitchen.  It now has a new life as my mini-melting pot!  I enjoyed watching the crystals melt and then poured it onto inked stamps and made some words, which can be used to embellish my layouts.

Also had fun at the shop experimenting with using Opals on chipboard.  Consequently I'm now an "Opals Groupie"    Bought a set of Opalettes, which are tiny pots of Opals, several different co-ordinating colours. 

LOL at your measuring pot ..Thats just what my little pot was as well, I should have just told you that, only mine came from hubbys granny ( she'd had it for many a year) and I thought that it may be that antiquated that you would wonder what I was talking about!!
Pleased your having fun with opals 

[Inspired2scrap]

Yes it was great fun, especially experimenting with the Fantasy Film. (this resembles coloured cellophane, comes in small sheets of different colours. When you add it to your melted layers, when you stamp in to it, the film shows through showing shots of different lights, giving multiple effects (kind of like paua shell) has nice effect for something different.