How to make and use a template?

After I made little packaging bags, hopefully I will also need some big packaging bags. :) The stamp I made from the sponge will not be big enough for the bigger bags so I made a template. My logo is not so easy to make a template from as it consists of circles and they can't really connect but I managed to do it with a little cheating...
Here is what you need:
Tempera paint, a paintbrush, paper bags, a sharp knife, your logo printed onto a thick plastic sheet.
Cut out the dark part of your logo as that will be the part which will be stamped onto the paper bags. In this case, I cut away the inner and outer circle. Keep your knife as straight as possible. That way you can control the sharp knife on the plastic better.
Mix some tempera paint to the color of your liking.Put the template on the paper bag surface. Since the circles are loose, I'm placing them all inside the bigger cut out circle and take away the second circle.
Hold both circles and dip the sponge with paint over the template. Don't use too much paint as it will go underneath the template. Just little bits. Since the inner circle is loose, I have to hold it and make sure it doesn't move. It's a bit tricky but you can make templates where this is not neccesary.
Haha, you can see where I held my fingertips on the plastic template.
Take away both templates and look at the result.
First I planned to stamp my website address on the bottom but making the template would have taken me forever so I decided to attach a business card on the bag. :)
Slowly but surely, I'm getting ready for the craftparking fair in Maastricht...

And if you haven't seen my new postcards yet, hop over here and leave a comment, you might win some! ;)

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How to make your own packaging?

I'll be attending the craftparking fair in Maastricht (Netherlands) on the 16th of August. Since this is my first craft fair ever, I just want to be fully prepared. I made some personalised packaging & had fun making it.
It's so easy & cheap and it looks supercool I think.
Here is what you need:
Tempera paint, cardboard plate to mix paint, paintbrush, empty paper bags (you can buy them at papersupply shops or places where they sell packaging materials), a kitchen sponge, a sharpie marker, a template of your logo or avatar, a sharp knife.Cut out the logo or avatar. If you don't have that, you can certainly find some nice easy drawings on the internet. Don't take something too complicated as this is not suited for very detailed logo's.
Trace the outline of the logo onto the sponge.
Cut out the inside part of the logo.
Trace it onto the sponge.
Then take the sharp knife and cut into the traced lines. Make it about 5mm or 0,20inches deep.
Then with the tip of the knife, take away the bits of sponge.
For the outside part, you can cut away the excess sponge.
It should like this when you are finished. It doesn't matter that it's not looking extremely nice, it's the result that counts.
Then mix some paint in your liking. I of course need lime green. :)
Apply some paint to the sponge with the painbrush.
Then sponge it onto the paper bag.
I have a little stamp with my Etsy store and I stamp it below the logo. It's perhaps a bit small but I think the logo is still recognisable.
So they dry & they are done! :)
Hope this inspired you to make your own packaging. Give it a try, it's fun! :)

And if you haven't seen my new postcards yet, hop over here and leave a comment, you might win some! ;)

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How to do plaster carving?

I love sharing things that I love doing myself, so I made another how-to.
This time about plaster carving. It's such a simple way to reach wonderful results. It's especially a very fun activity to do with kids.

Here is what you need: wine corks, nails, a piece of plaster, a piece of tracing paper, a pencil, a nice drawing and if you have 'em, all kinds of cutting tools like lino cutters, knife,...
I'm terrible at drawing, honestly, if I would draw a pig, you probably would think it's a monkey.
So, I often use other people's art to help making what I want. This time I'm using AnnaRubyKing's printable colour in pages. I chose to trace the branch with a pencil onto tracing paper.
Then I turn around the tracing paper and I rub with a pencil the drawing onto the piece of plaster.
This is the result:
There are several tools that you can buy especially for plaster carving but if you are only going to do this once in a while, why don't make your own tools?
You need some nails, wine corks and a hard surface for this. Put the nail with the sharp side into the cork and press firmly. Now you have a hole.
Then take out the nail and press the head of the nail into the hole. This is a bit hard but if you press it onto the hard surface it's easier. Now you have a handy grip to carve into the plaster.
It's much safer too if you work with children. You can also put a needle into it, this makes very fine lines.
These are some of the tools I use. The branch like tools are handmade too from nails and hazelnutbranches. They are very handy but a bit more tricky to make.
Outline the lines of the drawing with a sharp knif or needle. You will have to blow lightly to remove the excess plaster so you can still see your drawing.
Then create some depth into the plaster. I used a lino cutter to do this.
OK, my branch looks slighty different then Anna's drawing but I like it!
With a pencil, I added some lines into the plaster and with a handmade cork-tool, I'm going to carve the lines slightly deeper into the plaster.
Then I'm going to press a piece of clay into the carved plaster and see if I'm satisfied with what I just made.
I take the clay away...
Jip, I like it! If not, you do some more carving and repeat these last two steps.
I tear away the sides to get rough edges and make a hole into the pendant with the lino cutter.
Tada! Let it dry and fire it in the kiln. If you don't have a kiln, you can do this also with polymer clay, papier mache or air drying paperclay.
Have fun carving your own plaster!