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Alcohol Ink Painting Double Masking Technique
Masking your alcohol ink paintings can help you achieve more realistic images. Here is how I mask two or more times to save the areas that I want to keep light and more controlled.
1. Lightly draw your design in pencil on the yupo paper.
2. Use a masking fluid to cover the outline or the whole drawn image.
3. Freely pour your alcohol inks on the paper for the background.
Post Christmas Updates
"Ed McMahon, where were you?" a short story
Alcohol Ink Painting - a Fun Workshop





I think we will do this again! You can see some of my alcohol ink paintings on my website: www.SandraFoxArt.com and on my etsy store: www.etsy.com/shop/SandraFoxDesigns
How to Create Dye Sublimation Ceramic Tile Coasters or Trivets a Tutorial

Its craft show time at the retirement community. The first Saturday in November is the date our clubhouse gets filled with people ( I hope buyers). This is the first year I am not selling my painted silk accessories. I think I saturated the local market with my silks. I am making dye sublimation tile coasters and trivets. I used to teach middle and high school deaf students how to create these. My friend gave me his unused heat press and specially coated ceramic tiles. I ordered prints from RPL supplies http://www.rplsupplies.com in New Jersey and I'm ready. Materials Needed:
- heat press machine ( aka tee shirt press )
- dye sublimation prints ( If you are lucky enough to have a dye sub printer you can print your own )
- specially coated dye sublimatable ceramic tiles ( the ones from Home Depot just won't do )
- heat tape, teflon sheet for the press, cork to finish the backs and a glue like Mod Podge

How to Create Dye Sublimation Tiles: 1. Cut your desired image from a dye sublimation print. You can print any image you want if you have your own dye sub printer. I don't have mine any more so I ordered ready made prints from RPL Supplies. 2. Set the temperature of the heat press to 400 degrees and wait for the press to reach optimum temp.

3. Place your tile coated side up on the center of the press. Carefully place your dye sub print face down on the tile. Use a little heat tape to secure the print in the exact place. Place the teflon sheet over the print. This stops any stray ink from staining the top of the press.

4. Close the top of the press and be sure there is good pressure on the tile. All models heat presses have different ways to adjust the pressure. Set the timer for 40 seconds and get ready to lift up the top of the press when your timer rings.

5. Use a spatula to lift up your tile. It will be hot! Let it cool. It doesn't have to cool completely before you remove the paper transfer and throw it away.


6. I finish my tiles with a piece of cork cut exactly to fit the tile's dimensions. I use a glue or decoupage sealer with a matte finish like Mod Podge. The glue is put on the back of the tile and the cork. I find a weight is needed to press down on the tile so there is good adhesion.

The 4 inch tiles make great coasters and the 6 inch ones are trivets. I will update this post with the results of my sales. I have 100 tiles ready to sell. Wish me luck.

My Word Press Blog
Click below to visit my blog on Word Press called : a handful of brushes.com
It is tracking the creative events in my life and gives tutorials of techniques and art projects.
How to Mount a Silk Painting on a Canvas
Mounting a silk painting on a canvas
materials needed:
your finished silk painting
a canvas 2 to 4 inches shorter than your silk in each dimension
for example: a 16 x 20 x 1 canvas needs a silk that is at least 22 x 26 inches
a 16 x 20 x 2 canvas needs a silk that is at least 24 x 28 inches
Painting Wine Glasses - For the First Time
What is a Jewish girl from the Bronx ( New York City ) doing planning a Christmas - Holiday party for 100 people in Florida?
It all started early in 2013 when my friends Linda and Mary asked me to help with the planning of the annual holiday party for our retirement village. "I don't know anything about Christmas parties", I said. Apparently, experience isn't that important. So here we are, a brand new planning team, finding a caterer, a band, planning a menu and decorations, etc. The caterer had a great idea - buy dollar store wine glasses and paint them. Put little battery tea lights in them and dim the lights for an elegant tabletop decoration on top of the caterer's tablecloth and runner. After the party each guest will take home the painted wine glass as a favor.
We decided to paint a snowman - easy enough for our first attempt at glass painting yet it fits the holiday theme.
Materials needed: dollar store wine glasses, glass paint ( Folk Art Enamel was used), alcohol to clean glasses, brushes and sponges, clear contact paper to make stencils, sponges and q tips for small details, oven for curing painted glasses
Here are the step by step directions and photos. What do you think? I will post pictures of the tables after the big event in December.
1. Clean glasses with a little alcohol on a tissue. Fold a small piece of paper in half and draw a basic snowman shape. We decided to use a two part body because it fit better on the glass. The paint can not be close to the rim where you put your mouth.

2. The stencils are cut out of clear contact paper and the backing is removed.

# 3. The stencils are carefully placed on wine glass. The top of the painted area has to be at least 3/4 inch below the rim. Although the glasses are safe to drink from, your lips should not touch any painted area. Make sure all edges of the stencil are sticking to the glass.

#4. Using the special glass paint, paint inside the stencil. A small soft sponge was used. Remove the stencil when the paint is dry. It takes about 5 - 10 minutes to dry.

#5. Now it is time to add the details. Here a hat is painted. It was easier to paint a batch at a time and one color at a time. It all depends on how many you are painting. Have fun.

#6. Here is the completed snowman wine glass.

#7. Now it is time to cure the painted glasses. Put them in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees. When the oven reaches the set temperature set the timer for 30 minutes. When the timer rings, turn off the oven. Let the glasses sit inside the oven for a few hours until the oven is totally cool again. I baked mine after dinner and the next morning I removed them from the oven. Let me know how yours turn out.
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