Malachite for Mark

Faux Malachite how to.

My friend Mark of All Things Ruffnerian liked the background I used in my last photographs. 

Malachite looks great with a little gold (or a lot of gold).  

A not so true rendition of malachite also works. 
You're in charge, you're the painter.




You will need black and green acrylic paint, a wide foam brush and about 3 to 4 torn cardboard pieces, different sizes.

Start with black and add green.

I added a little yellow to my green because I didn't have the right green.

Blend a little.

With cardboard pieces start making circles

Overlapping circles and using different sized cardboard pieces.

Practice a few times.  You can add a paint conditioner (Floetrol) for more "open" time  or spritz with a little water. 
You'll find many examples of malachite on the Internet. 

When painting boxes seal paint with clear acrylic sealer for extra shine.   

Paint should not be too thick.  You want a smooth and even surface.

 Same idea (swirling paint around on paper) produces a fine stack of greeting cards.


Happy painting my dear Friends, and have a great remainder of the week.

Gina

http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Step by step, my secret weapon, the DUP cake

Deception

"The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers" Cake

also known as the DUP Cake.

Partial repost 

Are you 18 years or older? Are you a lineal descendant of an ancestor who came to Utah before the completion of the railroad on May 10, 1869?  If so, you might win this cake!




Every year I am asked to contribute my famous, home made cake to the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) bake sale. The first year, it was auctioned off to a Professor of History from the "Big City". The next year a member of the DUP won my cake.




The very next year, I received a phone call the night before the bake sale asking me when exactly would I be bringing the cake. The caller was waiting for me at the front door. The next year, the organizer met me at the door and the cake disappeared.






The following year I received a phone call, aksing me to please bring the cake AND the cake recipe. My recipe? Oh no, I can't do that. It is a secret. But I will share my secret with you.

So simple, all you need is one pound cake, your favorite preserves and Butter Cream (recipe follows).

Cut pound cake (Sarah Lee or from Costco) into 3 or 4 slices.

Butter Cream: cream together 1½ sticks soft, unsalted butter,

2 to 2½ cups powdered sugar and
2 to 3 TB fresh lemon juice.

On first layer spread your favorite fruit preserve.

Next  layer spread butter cream filling, and last layer, more preserves.
Cover entire cake with the remaining butter cream.  Decorate with violets or little violas.


Have a lovely weekend my dear
Blogging Friends

Gina

A heart to wear all year round

I saw it in a shop window, more than 20 years ago.

In a little town just outside of Munich, Bavaria, Germany

I just had to have it

It looks like it's been worn a lot...and so it has

This is how I would go about making this brooch

Cut a piece of cardboard into heart shape

Glue heart-shaped image onto card board

Glue heart-shaped piece of leather to back

Punch holes all around the 3 layers of the heart

Thread needle with colored suede and sew layers together

Glue clasp onto back

Add a few trinkets to the front

When I purchased this heart, the image was printed in black and white.  I hand colored it with watercolor pencils.  I noticed that all of exatmo hearts are now colored.  Did they see mine?

Happy Valentine's Day my dear blogging Friends

I wish you love this Sunday, this Monday and always.

Gina