Pot of gold - papier mache jewelry bowl

Ok, I am not a leprechaun, not even Irish and as much as I'd like to, I don't own a pot of gold. But I have a golden pot. Actually I made  a golden pot myself in the easiest  way possible. I need to store my continuously growing rings and bracelets collection and it turned out perfect for this purpose. The technique that I used is called papier mache and you've probably at least heard of it, if not even tried it in school. It's really simple but the result is quite amazing.

Here are some tools and supplies that you'll need:

1. You will use the bowl as a mould, but you'll have to cover it up in platic wrap because you don't want your paper to stick to the actual bowl
2. Rip a newspaper in 2 cm wide strips
3. Take a strip of paper and using a paint brush, apply mod podge on one side then stick in on the bowl and apply another layer of mod podge. Continue doing this, applying a full radial layer of strips, then continue with a circular layer. It's like creating a crisscross with the strips. You will need to add at least 5 alternating layers to get a stiff result. But you can go up to 10, the more the better.
4. Let it dry over night
5. Next day, carefully remove the papier mache bowl from the actual bowl
6. The plastic wrap should come off easily
7. Trim the edges
8. Paint it

I have the best golden acrylic paint so I had to use it for this. I hope you like it and I really want to see how yours turns out, so please feel free to comment or leave a photo with your papier mache project.

Love,
L.

Glam Eggs

Daca saptamana trecuta v-am aratat cum puteti vopsi ouale intr-un mod cat mai natural, saptamana asta vreau sa va arat fix opusul: oua aurii ca de basm folosind diferite tehnici cu rezultate diferite, dar cu acelasi efect WOW!

If last week I showed you how you can dye your eggs with natural dye, this week I want to go the other way around: golden fairytale eggs using three different techniques with three different result but with the same WOW effect!

In primul rand pentru fiecare din cele 3 tehnici veti avea nevoie de oua: fierte sau golite sau de lemn, cum va plac.

First, for all three techniques you will need eggs: hard boiled, blown out or wooden, as you wish

Pentru ouale poleite aveti nevoie de:

1. foita de imitatie de aur; 2. un catel de usturoi; 3. pensula

For gold leaf eggs:

1. gold leaf; 2. garlic; 3. brush

Pentru ouale cu vopsea aurie aveti nevoie de:

1. vopsea efect pentru oua auriu (eu am folosit Carmin Nunate de poveste); 2. pensula

For gold dye eggs:

1. gold dye for eggs; 2. brush

Pentru ouale glitter aveti nevoie de:

1. sclipici auriu; 2. aracet; 3. pensula

For glitter eggs:

1. golden glitter; 2. modpodge; 3. brush

Oua poleite:

In mod normal foita metalica se aplica cu un adeziv lichid special, dar pentru ca nu stiu cat este de toxic acel adeziv si cat poate patrunde in ou prin coaja poroasa, am folosit o tehnica veche pe care am vazut-o la realizarea icoanelor pe sticla: sucul de usturoi - in momentul in care se usuca devine foarte lipicios

1. pisati bine de tot un catel de usturoi pana scoateti toata zeama din el

2. inmuiati pensula in zeama fara a lua si bucati de usturoi si aplicati pe ou tuse de pensula din loc in loc

3. luati cu degetele foita de aur fara cat mai usor, este foarte fina si se rupe foarte repede, si aplicati-o pe ou

4. folositi degetele pentru a tampona foita pe ou; in locurile in care am pus usturoi aceasta va ramane lipita; lasati-l sa se usuce

Gold leaf eggs:

Usually for gold leaf you need size or a special adhesive, but because I don't know how safe that adhesive is and because the eggshell is porous and can absorb it, I used an old technique which I first saw in icons making: garlic juice - whet it dries it becomes really sticky

1. crush a garlic clove until you get all the juice out

2. dip the brush in that juice but be careful not to get garlic bits on it and apply a few touches on the egg

3. take the leaf with your fingers but be careful because it is very fragile and it breaks easily, and apply it on the egg

4. use your fingers to tap the leaf on the egg; the leaf will adhere on the garlic covered spots; let it dry   

Oua vopsite:

Pentru aceste oua am gasit in magazin un set de 3 vopsele in nunate metalice: argintiu, aramiu si auriu.

1. pregatiti vopseaua conform indicatiilor de pe ambalaj si puneti cateva picaturi de vopsea pe o farfurie

2. fixati oul intr-un suport si cu ajutorul pensulei vopsiti jumatate din el in auriu pentru a crea efectul de colorblocking; lasati-l sa se usuce

Dyed eggs:

For these eggs I found in store some metallic gold dye for eggs 

1. prepare the dye following the package instructions, then pour some dye on a plate

2. put the egg in an egg cup and with the brush start painting half of the egg to get a colorblock effect; let it dry

Oua glitter:

Desi arata extraordinar v-as sfatui sa nu faceti ouale fierte cu sclipici ci doar pe cele golite sau doar unul doua fierte pe care sa nu le mancati. Chiar daca aracetul nu este toxic si se poate aplica pe ou, sclipiciul asa cum stiti se imprastie peste tot. Iar in momentul  in care il veti coji tot sclipiciul va ajunge pe albus si nu veti mai putea scapa de el. 

1. aplicati aracet pe ou cu ajutorul pensulei

2. asezati oul pe o coala de hartie si turnati peste el sclipici direct din borcan; scuturati apoi surplusul de sclipici si lasati-l sa se usuce. 

Glitter eggs:

Although it looks absolutely fabulous I would advise not to use this technique on boiled eggs but rather on the blow out or one or two boiled eggs that you don't plan ti eat. Even if the Mod Podge is not toxic and you can use it on the eggshell, the glitter as you know it scatters all over the place. So when you'll try to remove the eggshell it will cover your egg white and there is no way you can get rid of it.  

1. apply Mod Podge on the egg using a dry brush

2. put the egg on a sheet of paper and pour glitter on it directly from the jar; remove the excess glitter and let dry

Pregatiti-va pantofii cu toc pentru ca Pastele acesta va veti putea incanta invitatii cu o masa super eleganta si glam. 

Prepare your stilettos because this Easter you will impress your guest with a very elegant and glamorous dinner. 

Cu drag,

Love,

L.