Dyed Creative Paperclay® with Rachel Whetzel

Hello, Creatives!! Rachel Whetzel here! I played this month, with some of my Alumilite Dye, and used it with my Creative Paperclay®! Then, I gave my dyed piece to my art student, and she created this!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED to make your own Dyed Creative Paperclay®:

• Creative Paperclay®
• Dye. I use Alumilite 

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES FOR MIXED MEDIA CANVAS:

• Paper Doily
• Paints. I use Folk Art acrylic craft paints.
• Paint brushes 
• Scissors
• Butterfly image
• Glitter 
• Tattered Angels pearl sprays
• Punchinella
• Patterned paper
• Glue. I use Crafter's Pick : The Ultimate and Elmer's
• Typewriter or computer connected to a printer
• Krylon's Matte Finishing spray

I wanted to experiment with using my Alumilite Dyes and Creative Paperclay. I also have a new frame I've been wanting to mold, so I started by creating a mold for a frame that Emmie could use on an art piece she and I started last month.

 I put some drops of  purple Alumilite Dye onto the clay and kneaded it into the clay. It was light to begin with, so I kept adding dye and kneading until it was as dark as I wanted it. THAT'S IT!! Using the dye was so simple, I couldn't believe it! The clay still dried and shaped as usual, and the dye didn't stain my fingers! I was really surprised.

Keep in mind, that your clay color when wet is a lot like paint. It's always a little different (usually a little darker) than it will be dry. Once it was mixed, I pressed the clay into my mold, and put it on low heat in the oven to speed up the dry time.

 Emmie wanted some butterflies on her piece, and the one she chose was one that I only had one image of, so I took a picture of the butterfly, and then printed out more in a word document, so that I could print them out in varying sizes for her piece.

 OTHER DETAILS:

• A glued a paper doily to the base canvas, painted over it, with the paint away to reveal the texture of the doily. 
• Crafter's Pick was used to glue a mirror down under the frame, and we sprayed matte sealant over the whole piece to seal it all, but also to frost the mirror. 
• Punchinella used as a stencil with yellow and white paints
• Elmer's glue drizzled down the page and then glitter sprinkled over the top
• More glitter in dots around the page
• Flower embelishments that Emmie brought with her
• The lyrics to You are My Sunshine printed on patterned paper and adhered to the piece