Silkscreening Made Easy

Silkscreening Make Easy

April 27, 2011

by Wendy Switzer

Supplies:

·         Fabric Paints or markers

·         White sticky backed Vinyl

·         Transfer Tape

·         Craft Knife

·         Tweezers

·         Craft Mat

·         Silk Screen (optional)

·         Cardboard or poster board

·         Duct tape, masking tape AND pkg tape

·         Pencil

·         Tracing paper

·         Rolling pin

·         Sponge or sponge brushes

·         Paint squeegee or stiff cardboard

·         Hair dryer

·         Parchment paper/vellum

Instructions:

1.     Decide on the design that you would like on your shirt.

2.     Draw or print out design from computer on tracing paper.

3.     Tape tracing paper/design, UPSIDE DOWN, to your piece of your vinyl.  (Cut right side UP if you do not have a silk screen to use).

4.     Use craft knife and craft mat to cut along the design edges.  Make sure to only cut out those areas which you want to show up on your shirt.  (You can also use a die cutting machine to complete this step if desired)

5.     Next, place a piece of transfer tape onto your design.  Peel vinyl from the protective backing so that it is now on the transfer tape (vinyl sticky back should be exposed…do not touch sticky back; you need all the stickiness possible).

6.     IF YOU HAVE A SILKSCREEN CONTINUE HERE…IF NOT SKIP TO STEP #7:

a.     Press onto the BOTTOM side of your silkscreen (the side that will lay against the shirt)

b.    Rub firmly. Remove transfer tape.  Image should look right side up when you look at it

c.     Press any lifted edges down again.

d.    Place cardboard or poster board inside the shirt so that the paint will not bleed through.

e.     Tape the shirt down to your work surface.

f.     Position silkscreen over the shirt so design is exactly where you want it.  Use duct tape to tape down the TOP edge of the silkscreen ONLY.  This will allow you to lift and lower your design over your shirt but keep the image in the exact same place.

g.    Use masking or packaging tape to tape off any areas that might be open and allow paint to seep through.

h.     Squirt out a fair amount of fabric paint (or use markers) and use the squeegee to pull the paint across the silkscreen creating the image on your shirt. 

i.      Remove any excess paint from the squeegee and replace in bottle since it can be used again and again.

j.      Lift off silkscreen and wash screen immediately and peel off vinyl and discard. 

k.     While you wash the screen, keep the shirt laying flat to give it time to dry a bit.

l.      SKIP TO STEP #13

7.     Decide where you would like your design to be on your shirt and press firmly in place.  Be sure to rub all of the edges down VERY good.

8.     Carefully peel off the transfer tape.  Firmly use a rolling pin over the vinyl to secure any lifted edges.

9.     Use masking tape or packaging tape to tape off any areas that might be too close to the edge and perhaps have paint run off the vinyl.

10.  Use the sponge or brushes to begin to dab paint inside all of the open areas in the vinyl.

11.  When finished, let sit for 10 minutes to dry a bit.

12.  Use the tweezers to carefully peel back and discard vinyl.

13.  Use a hair dryer to dry the image. 

14.  Use a piece of parchment paper to cover the image and iron over.  Press for 5 minutes on a very warm/hot setting. 

Your shirt is now ready for

Chocolate Crafting

Chocolate Crafting

April 20, 2011

by Wendy Switzer

Supplies:

·         Almond Bark or melting chocolate discs (various colors/flavors)

·         Plastic Easter eggs – Any size

·         Silk flowers & leaves

·         Paintbrushes

·         Spoons

·         Electric skillet, hot plate or microwave

·         Bowls

·         Saucepan

·         Fondant

·         Candy, small toys, etc.

·         Food coloring paste

Instructions:

1.     Slowly melt chocolates.  Do not heat too much or it will scorch and ruin texture

2.     Wash & dry plastic eggs

3.     Pour chocolate into both plastic egg pieces and place into freezer for 5-10 minutes (depends on the size of the egg used.

4.     When your egg is ready for the next step, the chocolate will be shiny in the middle, but dull around the edges.

5.     Pour or spoon out the chocolate from the center.  Put back into the freezer to allow the center to set up.

6.     Once the chocolate has hardened completely, tap gently on the outside (plastic) and your chocolate egg will fallout of the mold.

7.     Once you have both egg halves, fill one side with small toys, candy, etc.

8.     As glue to secure the halves together, “paint” chocolate on one of the edges of one half of the chocolate egg.  Press halves together and place in freezer to set up.

9.     When the seam has set up, remove and prepare to decorate.

10.  Roll out fondant and color if desired.

11.  Measure around your chocolate egg and cut a ½” strip of fondant that will go completely around your egg to cover the seam.

Chocolate Flowers:

a.     Melt chocolate as you did in step 1 above

b.    Paint chocolate onto silk flower or leaf.

c.     Place into freezer to set up.

d.    Once chocolate has set up, CAREFULLY peel away silk flower or leaf

e.     Paint on chocolate accents if desired.  Let set up again.

f.     Use melted chocolate as glue to adhere flowers to the top of the chocolate egg.

Delicate Egg Boxes

Delicate Egg “Boxes”

April 13, 2011

by Wendy Switzer

Supplies:

·         JUMBO Raw eggs

·         Small nail

·         Mod Podge

·         Card stock

·         Acrylic paint

·         Foam brushes

·         Paper cutter or scissors

·         Glue pen

·         Glitter

·         Embellishments – ribbon, flowers, etc

·         Craft knife

·         Double sided tape or glue gun

·         Dremel tool with disc cutter attachment

Instructions:

1.     Using the small nail, tap a hole in each end of the raw egg.  Make sure one hole is bigger than the other.

2.     Blow into the smaller hole to blow the raw egg out of the shell.

3.     Place the egg shell into a sink of warm water and allow the egg to fill with water.  Gently shake water around in the egg shell.  Blow water out of the shell as you did before. This step can be repeated if you feel it necessary.

4.     Place egg into the over and bake for 20 minutes @ 250.  This dries out the egg shell and strengthens it as well.

5.     Allow egg to cool completely.

6.     Use foam brush to paint egg shell with Mod Podge.  Let dry.  Repeat if desired.  This step is vital in giving strength and durability to the shell. 

7.     Use the dremel tool and disc sander to cut your egg open – long way.  Cut from hole to hole.

8.     Measure around the cut edge of one of the egg halves.  Add ¼” to your measurement. 

9.     Cut a strip of paper, ½” wide X egg measurement above.

10.  Place a piece of 1/8” double sided sticky tape to one edge of your cardstock strip.

11.  Adhere cardstock to the INSIDE of one of the egg halves.  Make sure that ½ of the strip is ABOVE the cut edge.

12.  Paint and decorate egg halves as desired.  

Prom Asking Ideas

Asking for a date just isn't what is used to be...especially if you live in Utah! At times the "ASKING" can be just as costly, if not more, than the date itself.  

My goal for this segment was to share some ideas that are still within the creative ways, but be inexpensive enough that there is  money left over to actually go on the date! LOL ;)

Here is a link for ideas listed below http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1PiwPQMcTg

Also...how about asking for a date on live tv?  Thanks to 4 brave volunteers, they made this great idea become a reality http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBE7Yw7vmng

POST-IT Asking!

Supplies Needed:

• Poster Board
• Markers
• Post-It Notes - 100-200
• Pen

Instructions:

• Make a sign that says: "I had a question and thought I would "POST-IT"
• On all of Post-It notes write your asking..."Will you go to ______ with me?
• Post the notes all over his/her room, car, work place, locker, etc.

"SODA" ya think you can "POP" the question?

Supplies Needed:

• Bottle of favorite soda pop
• paper
• markers
• tape & adhesive
• ribbon, tulle, etc

Instructions:

• Measure the label on the soda and cut a piece of paper the same size.
• Write on the paper "SODA" ya think you would like to go to ______with me?
• Place adhesive on the back of your new label
• Wrap it around the soda bottle and secure in place with tape.
• Tie ribbon, tulle, etc around the top of the bottle and deliver! 

Heart Attack Victim

Supplies Needed:

• poster board
• adhesive
• markers
• scissors
• pink & red paper
• prescription bottle
• other colored paper

Instructions:

• Make a poster that says "You have just had a heart attack..."
• Cut out 100-200 paper hearts and scatter around the room, locker, etc.
• On a smaller paper write "I hear the perfect prescription is going to _____ with ______"
• Place the smaller paper inside the prescription bottle
• Decorate and cover the prescription bottle with paper, ribbon, etc.
• Leave the prescription bottle near the poster sign.

The Fake-Cake Ask

Supplies Needed:

• styrofoam plates
• marker
• paper & pen or computer & printer
• frosting

Instructions

• Write only one letter on each plate...spelling out your name
• Mix plates up and stack
• Frost the plates like a cake.  You can also take to a local baker to frost for you.
• Write out a message and place it on the top of the cake and deliver. They will have to get to the plates and then unscramble the letters to find out who is asking them out.

A Sweeping way to ask...

Supplies Needed:

• Broom (Dollar stores usually carry these
• Ribbon
• Paper
• Markers

Instructions:

• Print or write out a message that says..."I'd like to "SWEEP" you off your feet and take you to ____"
• Place message onto the broom
• Tie a ribbon around the broom and deliver.

For a complete list of over 100 ideas for creatively asking for a date you can order my CD "Asking in a Crafty Way" $10 (includes s/h).