Stencils and Foil Beads

 My Versa Tool came in the mail yesterday! Today I played with it and created 2 stencils. It was very easy.  I traced an image on a sheet of transparency film using a fine tipped Sharpie. Once my Versa Tool (basically, a woodcutter with several interchangeable tips) heated up,  I cut lines into the plastic, being careful to skip occasionally so my design didn't fall apart. I decided to wing it rather than plan my stencils out. That probably wasn't the best idea, but it seemed to work anyway. The tip I used was a little on the the thin side, so I am going to retrace my lines using a thicker tip. I have seen many people advice people to use a sheet of tempered glass to cut a stencil out this way, but I used an old sheet of book board because it was what I had. It worked pretty well, although I am putting the tempered glass on my wish list. I like that it isn't completely crisp and straight. The lines are a little shaky, which gives it more of a homemade look.

Another thing to remember is to NEVER, NEVER EVER lose sight of the fact this is a raging hot tool. I was careful to keep it in its stand, but in a moment of foolishness, I grabbed it by the end to move. Argh! Not my finest moment. So far, this is the least unpleasant burn I have ever had on my fingertips. I made a German pancake a few years back and forgot that the pan had been in the over and the handle was blazing. That was agony. I will have a nasty scar on my thumb, but I will be okay. Let that be a lesson to you all. 

I also made some aluminum foil beads, idea courtesy of Jennibellie, of course. Her sheets of aluminum foil were painted on both sides with acrylic paint, leaving some of the foil unpainted. Then, she cut into strips and squished them tightly into balls, pierced a hole with a toothpick, then coated with a mixture of PVA glue and varnish.  She didn't like Diamond Glaze for this because of it was too thin for her liking. She is in the UK, and I don't know how similar to plain old white glue PVA glue is, but that is what I used. I mixed it with some Diamond Glaze to see how it would work. The beads are not completely dry yet, but they do not really look very glossy. I may do another coat, just with Diamond Glaze. 

 I feel I am living on the edge using Diamond Glaze because the last time I played with it, this happened.

Most of the paper beads I painstakingly cut and rolled and glazed became stuck to the toothpicks. Uncool. I keep meaning to come back with a tool and try to drill out the holes, but it doesn't sound very appealing to me. I am hoping my foil beads don't do the same.

Sadly, my experiment with the molding glitter glue into cabochons was a failure. The few that had glitter coating the bottom were somewhat salvaged by cutting the mold out. My cabochons will just include the mold. I am not sure if I will try this again. If I do, I will fill the molds with glitter and them use something harder. Maybe Diamond Glaze? Hot glue? I will also grease the molds before filling at all. I guess this is the reason we do experiments. They cannot all turn out like one hopes. What kind of experiments gone bad have you experienced? Drop me a line and we can have a laugh.