Friendly Plastic & Sequin Waste

SEQUIN WASTE WITH FRIENDLY PLASTIC

Having been out of stock of some colours of Sequin Waste for some time I have changed suppliers.  They are now back in stock with new colours available - such as Holographic Black and a lovely Metallic Purple.

Follow the link above to see the new colours - priced from 60p per metre (just click on the product heading on the website to see the quantity discounts.

When used with Friendly Plastic lovely effects can be achieved for either card-marking or jewellery.  Very easy to achieve - just warm the Friendly Plastic, then lay a piece of sequin waste on the top.  Push in a metal cutter (this acts as a template) and the lift them and push from underneath so that the plastic goes through the holes of the sequin waste.  It will also 'dome' the piece at the same time.  It is best to work on tin foil as this is flexible enough to give way when you push up - it also helps to protect the thumbs!!!  Just one last thing - leave the cutter in until it has gone completely cold.  You can then safely remove the cutter.  You will need to trim around with scissors as the cutter will not cut through the sequin waste.  Have fun!!

Friendly Plastic Art Deco Brooch

When I was at Brighton the other week-end I saw that I had quite a few triangular scraps in my box and decided it was time I did something with them.  I thought a brooch would be a nice idea, which you can see below.

Having made it I used what I believe to be the most secure way to add the brooch back.  I softened a scrap piece of Friendly Plastic and pushed the brooch fastening well into it, and then left it to go totally cold.  When cold I just flashed the back of the brooch and the back of the piece with the fitting on, with the heat gun.  You will see the black go glossy and that is sufficient.  Then just put the back of the brooch to the back of the fitting and job done - the Friendly Plastic will fuse together making a permanent bond.  Have a look through your scrap box and see what you can make from your waste.

Friendly Plastic with Cloud Clay

I made this Ball Pendant recently (during the last run of exhibitions) and the same practice would work equally well for beads.  The centre of the pendant is Cloud Clay which I have then painted with the Multi-Surface Paints.  Cloud Clay works particularly well for the centres of beads/pendants because even when it has hardened over 24 hours it is still very easy to push a hole through it.  I then heated some small strips of Friendly Plastic onto the ball and as it softened it took the shape of the ball.  Finally I added a few strips of peel-offs to add a little sparkle!  The ball was completed by adding an bead end cap top and bottom to push the pin though and make the hanging loop.  I have just realised that these would make very striking and economical Christmas Tree Decorations - I think I will now make some more to hang around the fascia of my Exhibitions Stand!

Friendly Plastic Pendant

I hope you like this pendant which I made at Sandown Park this weekend.  I have mounted it into a blank base.  (I do have a very small supply of these if anybody is interested - I have a trial order and if you like them I will order more).  I worked on the White Friendly Plastic and heated on small scrap pieces.  I then softened down the white (it looked too bright against the antique finish of the base) by brushing over the gold multi -surface paint.  It was then finished with Glossy Accents to glaze.

Friendly Plastic with Cloud Clay

This pendant has been made by combining Friendly Plastic with Cloud Clay and finishing with Colourful Thoughts Multi Surface Paints.  Cloud Clay has the advantage that it is air drying - no kilns or ovens required! 

Cloud Clay can be modelled by hand, rubber stamped and is ideal for using in molds.  Create your desired shape, or texture and just leave to air dry for 24 hours and it hardens and retains its shape/pattern.  Do remember however to keep your Cloud Clay in an airtight container (I wrap mine in cling film first)!
The textured face of the pendant is Cloud Clay which has been rubberstamped.  it was then flashed over with the multi surface paint, and heated with the heat gun to seal and blend the paint.  As an aside the Multi-Surface Paints are exactly what they say - multi surface.  The work on fabric (and heating the paint makes it washable), brilliant on Friendly Plastic & FP Pellets, Paper & card etc.
The reverse of the pendant is Friendly Plastic, which was heated on the reverse - the cloud clay then fuses to the Friendly plastic.  (The silver bail is trapped between the Friendly Plastic and the Cloud Clay).

Friendly Plastic Reverse of the Pendant

New products - Chains

I have just added some silver plated chains onto my website.  They are the snake type of chain and are 18" long.  Packed in 10's at £3.99 for the 10.  Visit my website to view them via this link.  This should be the start of me extending my jewellery components.  I have other things in the pipeline but have only just received the minimum order at the moment and need to play with them first before I launch them and order more stock.  I will have examples with me at Sandown Park and the forthcoming shows.

Cuff Bracelet in Friendly Plastic

Whilst I was in Manchester Christel was working on another Jewellery piece.  This is a cuff bracelet she has made using 2 strips of African Violet.  She joined the 2 together and used a rubber stamp at random to achieve texture.  She wrapped it around a bottle (of the correct size) on the Teflon Sheet whilst it was still warm and did not remove it until it was totally cold.  Christel then used the Copper Multi-Surface Paint, allowing the paint to fill the indentations made by the rubber stamp, but then rubbing it off the surface before it dried so it did not remain on the unstamped African Violet.  I wonder if she will notice if I pinch it off her!

Customer's Pendant seen at Event City

I saw this pendant on a customer at Event City, Manchester.  I originally spotted it at a distance and thought it quite stunning and a perfect example that Friendly Plastic does not have to be complicated.  Whilst she did say she had been somewhat over enthusiastic with heating the bottom green colour we both felt the black showing through did actually add to the piece.

Friendly Plastic Images from No 2 Video

 Here are some of the images from the No 2 Video (Fusing and Layering Friendly Plastic)

                             

Adding sparkle to Friendly Plastic

This lunchtime, after doing the regular post run, I was coming back through our Indoor Market and spotted the sparkly nail varnish used in Nail Art.  I thought of Friendly Plastic.  So I bought some and experimented.  First of all I covered the back of a ready made pendant - shown on the left.  It really is a nice easy way to make the backs of jewellery prettier. 

Of course it did not stop there, as things never do.  So I started looking at some of the simple jewellery pieces which we sell in our shop and experimented with the Nail Varnish on the front of the Friendly Plastic.  Again it has just added that little bit of glitz.

On the left Friendly Plastic
rubberstamped and the Glitter
Nail Varnish just added to the
stamped area.

On the right Friendly Plastic
pellets, rubber stamped &
highlighted with the nail varnish. The heavier copper metallic is done using foils (face down) onto the warm Friendly Plastic.  (The pellets were coloured with Alcohol Inks)

Lastly a brooch, just highlighted with the varnish.

Just one word of warning - do a test piece first - I have noticed in the past that some cheap clear nail varnishes have removed the metallic foil from the Friendly Plastic.  The better quality ones have been fine.  I did not have that problem with this glitter nail varnish and it only cost me £1.99.