{Mixed Media Tutorial} Turning An Empty Tin Into Giftable Storage by Lynne

Happy Friday Everyone!  Lynne here today and for my first mixed media tutorial in 2017 on the STAMPlorations Blog I am going to show you how I turn empty Coffeemate tins into unique and lovely containers which I fill with treats to gift to friends and family.

Starting with an empty Coffeemate tin I lightly sand the outside and use embossing pastes and stencils to add texture.  When the pastes are completely dry I paint the tin with a layer of thick, white gesso and then add my base color.

For this tin I used my Peerless Watercolors which blended beautifully and left me with a soft pastel background.

Then I use one of my favorite mixed media techniques... stamping onto tissue paper or the thin paper that you find in a large dictionary and using matte Mod Podge to paste the perfectly stamped image onto the lumpy, bumpy surface of my mixed media project. 

This dictionary I found in a second hand store for two dollars is my absolute favorite to use for this method and I love how the paper is almost transparent yet tough enough to handle inks, paints and Mod Podge.

When stamping your image make sure to use a waterproof ink, like Stayzon, or the image will bleed and run all over your project when you go to apply it.  I use a watered down matte medium, like Mod Podge to glue my images to the tin because the matte finish will absorb more paint and ink beautifully once it has dried.

The tin already looks fabulous and I could stop right now, leaving the stamped images just as they are, but I felt like I wanted to add more color.  So using the same Peerless watercolor paints, I tinted the centres of the flowers and added a light wash of colors onto only some of the petals...

I also used a fine point sharpie marker to outline the centers and redefined some of the petal lines on the flowers, which made them pop right off the background.  

And finally... I used Rangers Stickles on the centres of each flower and Liquid Glass on the petals to add the little bit of sparkle and shine which all my pieces seem to have...

It is really tough to photograph a round object so you can really appreciate the colors, the texture and the sparkle of this piece.   So here are a few super close ups to help you to see how lovely the texture and the colors turned out.

I make many, many of these tins, each reflecting the personality of the person I am gifting... This one is a little bit of early spring being sent to brighten up someones day.  And because I am filling it with muffins, the inside will be as yummy as the outside!

So thanks for popping in to see how I used my stencils this month.  I do hope I have inspired you to go make something with your stencils.  And if you do, please remember to add your project to this month's "Anything Goes Except a Card", Mixed Media Challenge.

Lynne Mizera, Mixed Media Artist

for the STAMPlorations Mixed Media Design Team

STAMPlorations Products Used On This Project:

ARTploration Stencil: Build Me a Rose

Stamp: Helenium-Large

Stamp: Hope Blooms

Other products used on the project:

Dreamweaver Embossing Paste

Finnabair Art Basics Heavy Gesso

Peerless Watercolors

Ranger Stickles

Stayzon Ink - Teal and Midnight Blue

CTMH Liquid Glass

Matte Mod Podge

Sharpie pen - black