Monday, November 01, 2021

How I Made My Quick and Easy Little Spooky Collaged Bottle Decoration



I just love crafts that are quick and easy to make.  Especially little decorations that can be placed just about anywhere.

Several years ago one of the online classes I was taking was for making collaged glass bottles.  I loved that class and have been making different collaged bottles ever since then.

For years I have been wondering how well tissue paper would work for the main layer of the collage instead of using paper.  So, I decided to find out.

In adding craft supplies to my Linda Walsh Originals Zazzle shop last year I decided to add some of my Halloween designs to their tissue papers - including one of my jack-o-lantern designs.  Since purchasing the tissue paper I've wondered ever since how it would work on glass.


So, this year while I was creating several mixed media paper doll creations I decided to find out.  Here's how my experiment turned out and how I made it.


Supplies Needed:

1 small glass bottle with cork.
Jack-O-Lantern Tissue Paper 
Halloween Scrapbook Paper Images 
Halloween Graphic Image Stickers 
1 Tattered Cloth Strip - 12" long by 1" wide
Multiple Mixed Media Fibers - 20" long each
Mod Podge
Stabilo Pencil - Black
Tortillon's or Blending Stump
Brushes
Scissors


1) Take the cork out of the top of the bottle and set it aside. 

2) Take a sheet of tissue paper to use as the main background and cut it so you have enough to cover the whole bottle beneath the top of the rim under the lip and including the bottom. 

3) Brush mod podge on the entire surface of the glass bottle underneath the top of the rim under the lip and along the bottom of the bottle.

4) Press the tissue paper to the glass bottle making sure it adheres all over the sides of the bottle and along the bottom of the bottle.  Make sure it is not too bulky where the folds are.  If it is cut the bulk out until the tissue paper folds lie flat.

5) When satisfied with the tissue paper placement brush Mod Podge on the tissue paper you just glued to the bottle to seal it.

6) Let the bottle dry before adding any of the embellishments.

7) Decide which scrapbook paper and sticker image embellishments you want to use for collaging sections of the bottle on top of the tissue paper.

8) Cut out the scrapbook paper images you want and then add Mod Podge to the back of the scrapbook paper images and then place them on the bottle.

9) Cut around the outer white edges of the stickers so there is no white edging and then place them on the bottle where you want them.  If they will not stick properly to the curvature of the bottle add Mod Podge to the back of the sticker and then apply it to the bottle.

10) When you are satisfied with the placement of your stickers and scrapbook paper images brush Mod Podge on them to seal everything to the bottle.

11) Let the bottle dry completely.

12) Apply stabilo pencil shading along all the edges of your images to shade them.

13) Blend the stabilo pencil shading with a tortillon or blending stump so the edges look finished and are blended.

14) Wrap several of the mixed media fibers individually around the top rim of the bottle under the lip so it is covered and tie each tightly in a knot.  Trim the ends.

15) Tie the tattered fabric around the top of the rim under the lip and then in a bow on top of the mixed media fibers you placed there.

16) Knot the ends of the tattered fabric strip.

17) Place the cork stopper back in the bottle.



Ta da! You're done.

Easy peasy - right!

Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Written By Linda Walsh of Linda Walsh Originals and Linda's Blog. Linda is a doll maker and doll pattern designer.

My New Mixed Media Paper Doll Witch and Frankenstein

 

I had so much fun with creating my mixed media paper doll for the ""BUBBLE, BUBBLE, TOIL AND TROUBLE.... LET’S GET BUSY ON THE DOUBLE" swap I decided to make another mixed media paper doll for myself.

Now, if you know me, you have to know that "moderation" in creating is not in my vocabulary. When I'm  creating I usually create several different items or more than I really should.  This time I restrained myself and created just one additional Halloween mixed media paper doll.

I wonder if this is the new me - nah....... lol 

It's just a singular aboration..... lol


However, the paper doll I created entered up being both a witch and a Frankenstein so you could say I created two more mixed media paper dolls....lol

I wanted this design to be a sceptical witch and friendly Frankenstein standing in front of a witch's brewing pot.  Even though the Frankenstein was friendly I decided to have him hold two bloody heads ready to go in the pot.

Given the width of this creation I decided it would be easier to not make this duo with articulated arms and legs. All of the layers would be fixed.  

Given how much I love mixed media, I decided this duo would have several embellishments, paper flowers, several different types of fibers, ribbons, chipboard stickers, paper graphic images and various scrapbook papers.



I already had an idea for my witch and Frankenstein "paper dollie's" faces. 

As you know my biggest weakness when it comes to my dolls are painting and drawing the faces.  I can't seem to keep my hands from shaking when I have to paint tiny little details, like the face of a paper doll would be.  So, I decided to use two graphic image faces I had designed years ago for one of my witch e-patterns and one of my Frankenstein e-patterns.

I already had the graphic design faces in my computer so I would be able to easily re-size them to fit my "paper dollie" heads. 



I also decided to use one of my own ghost digital images, as well as several of the  heads that I created for one of my ghost e-patterns years ago. I figured they would be a cute addition to the witch's brewing pot that for this design.  After all - what's a witch's brewing pot without a few heads....lol 

With all those ideas in mind I set about to design the two bodies and the front and back of their costumes.  

I wasn't as concerned with the back of this duo as I wanted them to hang on the wall in my farmer's porch bathroom for the Halloween holiday season.  Since no one was going to see the back I decided to just finish their backs with the same scrapbook papers I would be using on the front of their outfits.

I'm still thinking about a name for this scary duo but I'm working on it.  For now they are hanging on the wall in the bathroom.

I hope you like the way they turned out.


Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh

My Mixed Media Witch For The Bell, Book and Cauldron Halloween Paper Doll Swap



I had so much fun with creating my first mixed media paper doll for the "Life Is A Cabaret" swap organized by Hally Levesque for the Progressive Paper Doll Party Facebook group that I decided to participate in the "Bell, Book and Cauldron Halloween Paper Doll Swap." 

The theme for this paper doll swap was "BUBBLE, BUBBLE, TOIL AND TROUBLE.... LET’S GET BUSY ON THE DOUBLE." For this swap we needed to make one paper doll and add a boo-licious recipe to it.

According to Hally: "It may be a traditional or creepy conjured up recipe, as long as it is part of the paper doll creation. (Example) ... a witch, stirring her brew plus a written recipe... just as long as the recipe is part of the doll or its presentation."

No matter what kind of doll I make they always have an opinion on what they should be and my "paper dollie" decided while being a witch she was going to be a nice witch. 

Here's what she told me: "She loves the Halloween season and having fun, but doesn’t like to scare anyone. She’d much rather have a conversation with them or teach them how to fly around on a broomstick." 

"She doesn’t like to create nasty brews but doesn’t mind creating jello brains. You might think that “jello brains” would be scary but she can assure you they are not. They’re “jello” after all."

"However, she does have a reputation to maintain and does need to be somewhat scary for that to remain intact so her solution is to create a visually scary dish but something that wouldn’t hurt a fly." 

I had no choice but to accede to her wishes.


So, I thought about what I wanted to do and decided to go with an articulated witch paper doll with moveable arms and legs. 


For the recipe I decided to have her hold a recipe book in her right hand.


She had to be mainly paper but could include some embellishments so, given how much I love mixed media, I decided she would have several embellishments, paper flowers, a creative embroidery trim, lace, several different types of fibers, paper graphic images and various scrapbook papers.


I decided to use two of my own ghost digital images, as well as several of the "brain" jello images and a scary eyeball image from one of the Halloween scrapbook paper sheets I had bought. 


I already had an idea for my "paper dollie's" face.  My biggest weakness when it comes to my dolls are painting and drawing the faces.  I can't seem to keep my hands from shaking when I have to paint tiny little details, like the face of a paper doll would be.  So, I decided to use a graphic face I had designed years ago for one of my witch e-patterns and my Spoonflower fabric designs.

I already had the graphic design face in my computer so I would be able to easily re-size it to fit my "paper dollie's" head. 

With all those ideas in mind I set about to design the body, moveable legs, moveable arms, and the front and back of her costume.  

I decided the easiest thing for me to do for the back was add a long cape so the back would be finished but nothing would interfere with her moveable legs and arms.

After finishing my paper dolI stood back to take a look at her and decided for my second "paper dollie" she had turned out okay.  

I had decided to name her "Brainna" and she was pleased with that. Phew..... lol

After taking pictures of her I packaged her up for her recipient.

I hope you like "Brainna."  I like her and, luckily, she likes herself, too.....lol


Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh