Thursday, August 26, 2010

Blended Batik & a Hawaii Story

This week's Studio L3 Tim Holtz Compendium of Curiosities challenge is blended batik. I found this technique a bit scary because it involves using an iron, but I ended happy with the Halloween card I made.  I used lavender and grape distress inks for the bottom layer and orange marmalade for the top layer.  Plus, I overstamped in black. For the title block, I used marmalade for the bottom layer and black soot for the top level.  I added some ribbon and brads and declared it done!
So, here's my Hawaii story.  Five years ago, our family traveled to Hawaii, and we put the kids in camp one day so DH and I could go snorkeling.  At the end of the day, the kids brought in some cool fuse bead creations. Fuse beads are plastic, donut-shaped beads that children arrange into interesting shapes like flowers, butterflies, trains, etc. I'd always wondered how these were made. I asked the kids what kind of glue they used. Henry said there wasn't any glue. When I asked him how the beads were stuck together, he said:
"The teacher brought in this big flat board thing that looked kindof like a surfboard.  Then she took a really hot metal thing and pressed it on top of the beads and they melted together."  Of course, he was describing an ironing board and iron, but my children had managed to reach the ages of 10 and 7 without ever learning what those things were! 
No wonder the blended batik made me nervous!
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14 comments:

  1. AmyAugust 26, 2010 at 10:24 PM

    That really is very funny! My two know all about the iron - it won't be long until they become even more acquainted with it either.
    A great card today Rinda - is the web made with white ink?

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  2. helenaAugust 27, 2010 at 12:13 AM

    Good laugh to start my day. love the cobwebs with the skeleton

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  3. humelAugust 27, 2010 at 2:09 AM

    rofl!! The ironing would scare me too :-)

    When we first moved to the area we now live, I took The Children along to a Mums and Tots group. The Girl headed for the toy kitchen area, picked up the toy iron and shouted across the room 'Mummy, what's this?' And there was me hoping to pretend to all my new friends that I was a good housewife.... ;-)

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  4. SianAugust 27, 2010 at 2:52 AM

    lol! I taught both my kids how to iron this summer - I decided that at 15 it was high time he could iron his own jeans

    Very cool card, I love the web.

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  5. debs14August 27, 2010 at 4:09 AM

    Oh if only I didn't know what an iron was! We have those beads over here too (Hama beads?) I managed to melt a few onto the iron over the years! I have bad memories of batik. Used to help do crafts at the local primary school and when we were doing batik one day, a girl tipped a canister of hot melted wax into the palm of my hand! I had put out my hand to take the copper pot from her when she finished her design and she just tipped it upside down! Ouch!
    Please check out my blog today Rinda, there's an award waiting for you there!

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  6. scrappyjackyAugust 27, 2010 at 5:43 AM

    Great card,Rinda.
    Ironing is one of my pet hates...as soon as my kids reached 16 they had to do their own ironing....and if that means they go out in unironed clothes....tough!!

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  7. Deb @ PaperTurtleAugust 27, 2010 at 6:11 AM

    Hahahaha...cute story, Rinda. And really great Halloween card. Can't wait till Halloween! It's one of my favorite occassions to craft. :o)

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  8. AnonymousAugust 27, 2010 at 9:05 AM

    hahahahaahaha.. my kid didnt know that the iron was used for anything BUT fuse beads until just a year or so ago :)

    Mariana

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  9. NettyAugust 27, 2010 at 11:03 AM

    Great Halloween tag and love your webs. Annette x

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  10. Mommy2CVCAugust 27, 2010 at 11:51 AM

    LOL! That is a hilarious story Rinda! Love it and love your card!
    :)
    Your SIL

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  11. LaurenAugust 27, 2010 at 11:56 AM

    Awwww... what a cute story!

    And a great tag!

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  12. TerryAugust 27, 2010 at 6:06 PM

    Your tag is just way awesome! Love the webbing!

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  13. Linda LedbetterAugust 28, 2010 at 7:57 AM

    I'll be laughing about your story all day, Rinda! And, I'm glad you conquered your fear of the iron and made this awesome tag. The spider web worked beautifully for the blended batik technique-- it's so delicate, but the image is still sharp and perfect. Great colors and overstamping, too, and the little brads are a sweet touch. Well done, as always!

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  14. donnaAugust 29, 2010 at 8:50 AM

    Wonderful Halloween tag Rinda. I love how the purple worked with it and great idea to batik the spider web. I have an iron that shuts itself off - only way to go.

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