My Business Cards from Print Runner!

I keep meaning to share the business cards I got from Print Runner!!
I love the way they came out!! They are two sided.
The front:

I used iPiccy to create a collage for my front, and again for the back.

One thing I did, was to convert the standard business card size in inches into pixels. That way, I just loaded the images to the site, and they did the rest!! To do that, I made my images 1050 (width) x 600 (height) in pixels. :) Thank you, Print Runner!!

The One About Two City Girls

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of living in the country. Most of my imaginary lives were set in country settings. Pioneering girls, heading out west with their families, living off the land... Young Indian maidens gathering in the forest, learning the skills to survive on the things the forest had to offer...
In reality, I lived in the city.
No horses.
No chickens.
Only rabbits, and the billion other exotic creatures my poor mom allowed me to bring into my room.
I was homeschooled until I started christian school in the 9th grade. That was where I met Beth. Beth lived in the city too. She liked the things I did, and she didn't mind that I was the new girl. I think she was probably the only thing I really missed about school at the christian academy when I left for public school. Our lives drifted apart, but she was one of those friends that you are tied to with the strings in your heart.
Fast forward more years than I would like to admit
(or think about)
to the wonderful world of technology...
Facebook to be exact.
Facebook and it's ability to see friend of friends that you might know...
Turns out, even though we started out just the same, two silly girls in the city, and our paths had drifted when we were young, we had ended up in very similar places.
Both living in the country, with chickens and gardens. Both selling in our own etsy stores. Both appreciating old and crusty things. Seeing beauty in days gone by. Both artists. Both bloggers. All grown up.
It wasn't long before we were reading each others blogs. Beth takes beautiful pictures of the place where she lives, the things she's creating, and bits of her daily life.
In one of those posts, she shared a picture with an un assuming coffee mug to the side. FARMGIRL it said.
I commented that I loved the mug, and she offered to pick one up for me at her local feed store.
Now, we can keep up over the miles that separate. Drinking our morning coffee in matching mugs. While reading the others blog.
Once city girls.
Now farmgirls.
Still Friends.

She says she'll keep loving me even though I *really* have creamer with just a little bit of coffee...
Also? Beth has a really cool project on her blog, where people like YOU (and me) send her pictures of her blog being read all around the world. Even places like my picture. On top of my laundry pile, on my couch. Beth explains it better...

On my mind...

Deep thoughts for today:
When Sir Mix a Lot sang of his "perfect" measurements for a woman - "36, 24,36? Only if she's five three!" I wonder if he realized that that top 36 is only a chest cage measurement, and not a cup size? Is he ONLY a butt man, or would he be disappointed if that 36 on top was an A cup? I feel like he's a boob man too...
Also.
I wonder what Jane Fonda's measurements were at the time that Mr. Mix a Lot claimed she didn't have a motor in the back of her Honda.
Talk amongst yourselves...

Vintage Doorknobs

One of these is an actual Vintage Doorplate. One of them, I made using Amazing Mold Putty and Casting Resin.
Wanna know which one is which? CHECK IT OUT!!
Be sure to share any projects you make using ideas like this on the Amazing Mold Putty® Facebook Page!!
As Shared on the AMP blog:
"Once again, my collections are inspiration to use my Amazing Mold Putty!! I have such a habit of buying things to use in my artwork, and then NOT using them because they are one of a kind... or they are so pretty I can't bring myself to use them... you get the idea. I don't use them. It's one of the things that makes Amazing Mold Putty one of my favorite new art tools.

For example: I have a collection of Vintage Doorplates... and I never use them for anything, because they are each unique. This one in particular is one of my favorites. I would love to use it in a piece of art work, but I can't get another one just like it... 

 Or CAN I?
Now that I have Amazing Mold Putty, I can MAKE one!!
What you need:
Amazing Mold Putty
Casting Resin
*OPTIONAL Brown Alumilite Dye
Spray paint
Acrylic Paint
Metallic paints
Antiquing Stain
Sealant
First, I used two equal parts Amazing Mold Putty and mixed them together until they were uniform in color.Then I molded it around the door plate by pressing the plate deep into the putty. I made sure that where there were holes, the putty came through, and then formed it into a point, so that the mold would pull free of the plate easily once it was set.

Because the plate was so old and crusty, parts of the rust and chipping paint came off into the mold.

I just took the mold down stairs to the sink and scrubbed them out.
Once the mold was as clean and dry as I could get it I used equal parts clear cast A and B. Then I poured Amazing Casting Resin into the mold. I also added a drop of Brown Alumilite Dye, but it didn't really make the resin as dark as I wanted, so that's a moot point. Next time, I will add more dye, and not have to spray paint the piece! When you mix your dye into the resin, add the dye to PART A of your A/B mix before you combine the two. If you don't HAVE dye, you don't have to have it to make this.

I use a "bed" of rice to keep my projects level while they are curing... a handy trick when  you live in an old farm house and NOTHING is level.
As the resin Cures, it starts to turn opaque... it's a cool thing to watch!! These two photos were taken in less than 2 min of each other.

I left the resin over night to set, but you can release the mold in as little as 30 min. if it's not your bedtime. Here's the cured piece! You can see small bits of rust that came out of the mold with this cure. Also, you can see how  slight the one drop of dye colored the piece. It would otherwise be white.

Since I was new to the dye, and didn't add enough, I decided to simply spray paint the piece a black base coat. I also sanded rough edges and cleaned up some of the holes in the piece.

Next, I used Robin Metallics Rub Ons to add metallic tones. My sets were part of my grandma's paints, so I  don't know where she got them. I think they can be found in most craft stores now.

Next, I create the chipped paint layer. Using regular craft paint.

When I'm done, I fill in the cracks with darker paints and antiquing stains until I have filled all the crevices and chips with dark colors.

I have to tell you... I think I ended up liking the NEW door plate better than the old one, and now, I can make more!! It's nearly impossible to tell which is the original, unless you're touching them.

 I love the detail of the chipped paint, and how well the resin and mold retained that.

Now, I need to get cracking and put my new doorplate to USE!! Be sure to share any projects you make using ideas like this on the Amazing Mold Putty® Facebook Page!!
I'd also love it if you visit me at "my house"!!"

Disclosure: As a member of Amazing Mold Putty's design team, I receive product at no cost to myself.