H'OWL' Lovely Greencrafting Can Be... a Project using Sakura Hobby Crafts

Happy Wednesday! Earth Day is just a few days away, so I am sharing a greencrafting project. I am giving new life to this vintage metal stained glass owl frame. I really love the aged patina and oxidation on this metal frame.

Remember these when you were growing up??? I sure do! Those kits that you fill up with colored crystals and then bake them in the oven...I loved making them. Now they are cheap plastic with goopy glitter glue that don't last. I bought this owl at one of my local Indie Craft Shows from a crafty friend of mine who searches out and unearths vintage treasures. I brought this hootie back to life...with Sakura Hobby Crafts Crystal Lacquer and mica powders available at Viva Las VegaStamps!.

How I painted the papers: I put down a paper brushed with a little water and picked up the mixer color and painted it on. For most colors, I painted on both sides. This resulted in an aged paper look which has some translucency to it. I repeated for each color I made - this is how I ended up with all the lovely papers pictured above. 

After painting - I set aside to dry on waxed paper - this absorbed the excess moisture and kept my little colored pages from sticking. I really love how the Crystal Lacquer alone with a small touch of water soaks through the paper and becomes translucent with the feel of vellum when dry. It really gives the similar effect to that of of resin coated paper.

So I set off to begin collaging the paper to the frame using the Crystal Lacquer as an adhesive.

I selected a yellow painted paper and used Crystal Lacquer to glue paper to back of frame on desired "moon" sections.

When dry, I trimmed outer edges with a craft knife and on the inner borders, gently tore edges back from metal edge. I was careful not to expose sealed edge.

After fully collaging all sections with desired colored papers. No it's not pretty on the back, but it's doing the job. This will be mounted in a shadow box later and nobody will ever be the wiser.

Completed front view of collaged papers to frame. I could have stopped here...but I'm really going to make this "POP".

To add additional detail I started by adding the black colored Crystal Lacquer to the feet with a toothpick.

With a paintbrush, I mixed up some Pearl Citrine with Crystal Lacquer and added more color in the moon. Then I added a several other colors to add more depth and interest. The added wetness caused some warping, so as it dried, I gently pushed a dome in the center from the back - voila...instant 3-D!

I continued adding various mica colors to enhance other colored areas until all areas were complete. I left the head, wings and tail as they were because I liked the contrast.

Then I flood-filled each section with Crystal Lacquer and set aside to dry until all cloudiness disappeared. I left this to dry overnight.

Completed "OWL" Suncatcher

Have a wonderful Wednesday :) Sb