Wild-Art and Larryware: My Job For Today

As the wind and the rain lash against the windows here - we always seem to get the tail end of the weather system from Scotland - I have a huge job in front of me!

I work in sections - well, I try to and I try to do one thing and not lots of things all at once!

I make 'What To Do' lists, if it's more then 10 then it's a little over board, if it's less then 10, I'm heading in the right direction.

In this case:

Started mid October:

Wooden Christmas Decorations

1. Design images to use, for example:

I work best at nights designing on photoshop - I tend to use each image for every size all at once, so for example I'll do 12mm circles, 16mm, 20mm, 25mm, 30mm, 50mm and then after I'll start on the different square sizes - although so far it's only been 16mm, 25mm and 50mm.

2. Paint the shapes - Black, white, red, blue, yellow, green etc - I have special acrylic paints for wood Docraft Acrylic Paint I find is the best. I usually paint at least 3 coats on each piece - it takes time!

3. Varnish the shapes - Docraft have their own acrylic paint varnish but I never got on with that! So this year I've gone for spray varnish, either gloss or this amazing stuff Spray and Sparkle Silver Glitter Varnish - I find it's the best for wood and the wood does indeed sparkle silver! I do two coats on each side!

4. Print out the images on double sided matt paper - I have an hp printer, but it's very happy using ANY paper I give it... and so I use this epson paper which I also use to print my own photography cards and tags too.

5. Line up each shape with best picture - I tend to go with the picture itself, as in, colour corresponding in the picture with the coloured shape - sometimes I break my own boundaries (I'm such a rebel!) and don't match at all - but generally I do!

6. Glue the designs onto the wood - blimey I've had trouble finding the right glue, it's been a nightmare! Because I use ink jet print outs (look here, laser prints are costly, they may be only 56p per sheet at my local printers, but my local printers is a 30 minute drive away and laser printers themselves are affordable but their ink costs the earth!) So after many, many trial and errors and utter disasters I have FINALLY found the best glue, like, EVER! Naturally it's from America... Glamour Seal from Annie Howes - it's AMAZING! So I glue AND brush over the image at the same time so it helps with protection! I also now do both sides!

7. A new idea - self adhesive gems - I do like a bit of bling, but not too much, I'm not a big fan of the over the top can't see anything but fake crystals effect - but for decorative purposes and especially for Christmas purposes, they work brilliantly! Same design, both sides!

8. A glaze top coat - now the images are protected - as in won't run if I add anything else on top, I have found Aleene's Jewellery Pendant Gel Glue works the best so far - I cover the entire surface, image, wood and the gems, as it gives them an added layer of glue in order to actually 'stay on' and hopefully for a long time to come!

9. Add jewellery bails to the shapes without a hole - I always promise myself every year that I'll purchase shapes always with a hole, but it doesn't seem to happen!

So.... here they are right now... Sorry for the frankly appalling photos, there's no light in here!