Crackling Baubles by Rachel Harries

 

After this weeks Calambour show I have been asked by a few people how I made the Baubles for the wreath that was a sample on the show.

I start off with the That's Crafty! MDF bauble shapes and the Calambour primer, it is absolutely essential to use the primer if you don't it will lead to disappointment as this is what will keep your crackle in place without it there is no key for the crackle paste.

With all of these products I am very happy to leave things to air dry as that's how I work, flitting around a couple of projects at a time, if you want to crack on all these products can be heat dried.

Once my primer is dry I work on the crackle paste, I have to say I've never used anything quite like this product, when you open the pot it is quite dry and crumbly, this is quite normal for this product.

I work the crumbly paste with my spatula until it becomes creamy, there's no need to add anything to it just working it on your surface with the spatula will activate it to its creamy form.

I use two different colours I start with one and apply to the baubles making sure to leave space to add another colour, I go through the same process with the other colour working the crumbly powdery mixture with my spatula until it becomes creamy then adding to the surface of the bauble. In the process of spreading this on the two colour become intermingled.

Next I make sure I have some kitchen roll to wipe my tool on, I use a small ball tool but you can use whatever you have to hand, a cocktail stick would do the job, I draw the tool across the baubles to create the lines I want making sure to regularly wipe my tool off so that there is no build up of paste, this means wiping it sometimes twice in one line. If I do something I'm not happy with I can use my palette knife to smooth it back over and start again.

I leave mine over night to crackle you can use a dryer if you prefer.

There is a topcoat for the crackle paste but I don't have any so I use another coat of primer, I paint this gently on top, this is another part of the process that is really important if you don't put a top layer on your crackle it could get knocked off.

I then use the 3D glossy gold paste from calambour for the tops of the bauble, using the oldest tool available I apply the paste.

Once the are dry I add any extras I fancy putting on.

I then add some ribbons and away you go, you can use then to make a wreath, a card, a tag or use as a bauble in its own right.

I hope you like this project and that you give the crackle paste a go, its a really interesting medium.

That's Crafty! MDF Baubles

Calambour Crackle Effect Paste

Calambour Acrylic Primer Binder

Calembour Protective Top Coat

Tim Holtz Foundry Numbers