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| Halloween light |
I tend to use them for book covers, book marks, art quilts, well lots of things really! But I use them two dimensionally to add texture or layers and had been thinking about manipulating the sheets to create a three dimensional form for a while now. So I decided upon a tea light which would be a simple form to start with.
So gathering my red silk sheet I dunked it into the (slightly grotty) sink and soaked it in water for a while.
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| Silk fusion |
Once it was wet, I cut it into 1" strips with scissors and layered it over a cling wrapped plastic cup.
This was then sponged with a 50% strength textile medium and water. You could use PVA glue mixed the same.
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| 3D silk paper play |
When the silk was mostly dry, I removed the form gently off the cup and gave it a blast with the hair dryer to finish it off.
Now to play!
As this was going to be a tea light holder, I thought lacy holes cut into the sides could look rather pretty. So using a Joggles stencil and black artliner drew a pattern over the sides.
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| silk paper play |
But anyway, now was its time to play!
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| Versa Tool |
The tool tended to melt the silk as it went so left a black charred edge to the design.
Ah, but now was the time for her moment of glory. So I popped a tea light inside her, lit it up and turned off the lights.
WA LA!
I'm thinking Halloween. What about you? I loved how it glowed and the light spilled out of the lacy holes.
Just a note of caution. If you like the idea and am going to play, it would be a good idea to place the tea light into a small glass first. Silk does not tend to flame and like wool is mostly fire retardant, but you are adding either glue or textile medium to it so its always better to be safe than sorry. (as they say)
I had fun doing this and I can feel more tea lights coming onso ta ta for now and for all those Aussies and New Zealanders out there.
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| ANZAC DAY |