Saturday, March 29, 2014

Steampunk Easter Egg Ornament


I have to admit that I am NOT a "Steampunk" person. I do love doodads and whatchamacallits.  To collect. In a drawer. Or glass jar. To admire. 

This project started because we sell these chipboard gears in our store and they had been whispering in my ears for weeks!  I just had to use them.  We had also just gotten in a shipment of embossing enamels from Stampendous and I wondered how the chipboard would look with the enamels.  So I started to play.  I have no idea what part of my brain this project came out of but I really love the end result.  

The ornament is about to take a journey across the ocean to a very special person in New Jersey that loves Steampunk!!  I hope Toniann Carbone loves admiring it as much as I loved making it for her!!  

Although the gears I used in this project are made by a Brasilian company, and I was on the fence about whether or not to post this step by step. But, since there are plenty of companies out there probably making something like these gears, I went with it.  If you really want or need these, just shoot me and email and we can figure out a way to get them to you.  Or...maybe I will just add them to my Blog Candy.  


Supplies Used:

Chipboard Gears in different sizes and shapes
Heavy Duty Kraft Paper - I used a 300 gr./140 lb paper
Nested Eggs Nestabilities Dies by Spellbinders (S4-264)
Dylusions Ink Sprays by Ranger in Fresh Lime and Calypso Blue
Metallic Copper Eyelet
Versamark Embossing Ink pad
Glossy Accents or Diamond Glaze
Stampendous Embossing Enamels Used: Aged Black, Aged Silver, Shabby White, Aged Aqua, Aged Scarlet, and Aged Copper
Stampendous Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter
Die Cut Machine (Big Shot, Grand Calibur, Cuddlebug)
Big Bite or other tool to set an eyelet
Ranger Heat Gun
Copper Chain

Step by Step:

1.  (A) Die cut and emboss the largest of the Easter Egg dies using a die cut machine and the 140lb cardstock.  (B) Lay the Gears stencil over the egg and spray the part of the stencil that you want to see.  Using a paper towel, roll it over the spray to remove excess ink.  (C) and (D) Do this on both sides.  I used a mixture of Calypso Blue and Fresh Lime Dylusions Ink Spray on one side and just the Calypso Blue on the other.  (E) Make hole for eyelet using a Big Bite or other eyelet setting tool and set eyelet.


2.  Using the chipboard pieces you have, play around with them, move them around the egg, until you get the look you want.  In my case, I wanted a few layers of different designs and sizes.  I went with the largest on the bottom with the smallest on the top.  The photo below shows how I want to arrange my pieces after I emboss them.  They are not yet glued down.


3.  Now to emboss.  Using a Versamark Ink pad or another embossing ink pad, get each piece very wet. Then pour one of the embossing enamels over the whole piece, remove the excess powder, and then heat emboss with the Ranger Heat Gun.  I prepared each piece and set aside.  Then I went back and heat set them all at the same time.  Also, for the solid pieces, I used embossing enamels on both sides because I knew the other side would be seen from the back.  


4.  Now to glue the pieces down to the egg. Using Glossy Accents or Diamond Glaze, apply DABS on the back of each of the base pieces and glue to the Egg front.  When dry, turn the egg over and trim the pieces with a good scissor so they are not hanging off the egg (save these pieces for another egg).  Then apply the next two layers with the Glossy Accents.  But do not trim these layers.  When all your layers are glued down, put some glossy accents in the holes in the top pieces and slip a copper brad in each of the holes.


5.  Apply Glossy Accents around the front rim of the Egg and then pour the Champagne Crushed Glass Glitter.  Remove excess and put back into the bottle.  Set aside and allow to dry. Then do the back side.   Slip a copper or other chain through the eyelet and you are ready to hang this up for all to enjoy.

This would also make an amazing Christmas Tree Ornament!!

Hope you guys liked this post.

~Michael

11 comments:

  1. This is FABulous! I am a steampunk kinda girl, so this is very inspiring. Steampunk eggs! Whoda thunk it?!?! Well, Michael, of course! ;)

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  2. Oh Michael you made me cry. You always think of me. I hope you didn't throw the excess away because you can use it on another project. Love and Hugs TA. See you have a post that another person likes your steampunk eggs and it is inspiring :)

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    1. Well, I was not looking to make you cry!! Unless it is with happiness. Miss you and cannot wait for you to get this into your hands.

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  3. These are beautiful! Whatever part of the brain they came from, keep going there!

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    1. Thanks Cindy. Glad you liked. I hope my brain does keep going there. LOL

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  4. Keep that part of your brain working!! These are absolutely stunning!! Love the tutorial because I am able to try to recreate this lovely piece of jewelry! TFS!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Barbara. Would love to see what you create if you do. Glad the tutorial could help you.

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  5. I am new to your art. I am happy I found you. I love the steampunk eggs!

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  6. I have been trying to find the egg die set that you used. Might you be interested in selling s4-264?

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