A Victorian Inspired Paperweight Featuring Dried Baby's Breath and Statice

This paperweight was made using some of the small flowers I dried in my earlier blog post (Six Easy Steps to Creating Beautiful, Dried Flowers).

The supplies I used for this project are shown above.  They include tacky glue, foam mounting squares, a swatch of paper to use as the background, some dried flowers, and a brass heart finding.

Once again, I'm using the Heirloom Dome paperweight kit from our shop at PhotoWeights.com.  This is my favorite of the domes we carry because of the beaded design that frames the display area.

The paper I chose for the background came off an old scrapbook cover I purchased to salvage for my craft projects.  If you prefer, you can use decorative scrapbook paper.

TIP:  If you like to go to flea markets and antique shops as much as I do, look for items you can use as backgrounds in your designs such as album covers, tattered books, embossed document folders, and other things covered in leather, textured paper, and fabric.

Place the adhesive side of the mounting board (included with each paperweight kit) onto the reverse side of your background paper.

Using a pair of scissors, trim any paper that overlaps the edge of the mounting board.

Place a double-sided, foam mounting square in the center of the background.  (If you're using old paper, make sure the adhesive will bond to it properly.)  Leave the protective paper over the top surface of the mounting square to keep the adhesive clean.

Apply glue around the perimeter of the mounting square.   The width of your glue pattern will be determined by the length of the flowers' stems and the size of the decorative piece (brass heart) you place over the flowers.

Begin arranging your flowers around the mounting square, making sure each stem is placed directly in the glue.

Layer your flowers until you're happy with the pattern and coverage.  Make sure the flowers aren't thick enough to apply pressure to the back of the decorative piece (brass heart).

After the glue has dried completely, gently tap the edge of the mounting board onto your work surface to remove any loose particles from the flowers.  You can also use a few puffs of air from an air canister.

To finish your design, remove the protective paper covering the adhesive on the mounting square.  After you've cleaned the back of your decorative piece (brass heart) with rubbing alcohol or glass cleaner, gently position it onto the mounting square and press down to secure.

Center the finished design over the adhesive side of the bottom pad and gently press down to secure.

After you've cleaned your paperweight with glass cleaner, place the bottom pad face-down onto the base of the paperweight.

The brass heart I used for this paperweight has a fairly flat back which provided the perfect surface for an adhesive mounting square.  If you'd to use something that has a textured or curved back, such as a piece of costume jewelry, you could glue one or more small wood or plastic cubes to the back to act as risers which would allow you to secure the item to the background while providing enough space to tuck the flowers underneath.

Paperweight Backgrounds: Deconstructed Book

 

Backgrounds are critical when it comes to building a design around a specific item.  The paperweight pictured above features an antique watch fob with a beautiful, intricate monogram in the center.  If the fob were attached to a plain paper background, the result would have been rather dull and unimaginative.  The combination of materials and textures brings it all together perfectly.

This week I'm going to share a few tips to help you create wonderful backgrounds using re-purposed items you may already have around your home.  These materials are inexpensive and easy to find.  They'll also provide you with results I'm sure you'll love.

My first project uses pieces of an old book I found in a dollar box at a local flea market.  I chose it specifically for it's blue, marbled cover.  If you're not fond of marbled paper, look for book covers in various colors, textures, and materials.  Worn leather and embossed paper are my favorites.

Although I purchased the book specifically for it's cover, I'm using more neutral elements to create the background for this project.  I started by applying some paper from within the book to the Heirloom Rectangle paperweight kit's mounting board (shown above).  The paper is slightly discolored and has a wonderful texture.

Using a layer of delicate muslin I removed from the book's spine, I created a horizontal band and glued it to the background.  The muslin has some tattered paper attached to it, as well as some frayed areas I left untouched.

I used a little white glue to hold down a few bits of loose paper to ensure everything would stay in place.  You need to make certain your background is strong enough to hold the item you're displaying.  The surface will also need bond properly with the adhesive used to attach the item.

The watch fob was glued to the background using an adhesive that may be removed from the metal at a later time without damaging it.  When you're displaying an item of value, including sentimental value, it's important to use an adhesive that will not permanently damage your trinket or memento.

I hope this project has inspired you to find new, innovative sources for your paperweight design materials.

The next project will involve an old, leather wallet.  Please stay tuned...

Creating a Sandy Background for Your Paperweights

I wanted to share an easy tip for creating the perfect sandy background for your paperweights.  This background is wonderful for shells and other small trinkets from the shorline.

Can you guess what I used?  Creating this look is as simple as applying sandpaper to the mounting board included in each paperweight kit.

Do you have any tips for background materials?  Please share your ideas by posting them below.

Painting Glass Paperweights

Applying paint to the bottom of your paperweights is a brilliant way to frame your artwork in color.  In the example paperweight (PhotoWeights: Heirloom Square), I painted the field of glass around the display area with metallic gold paint.  The gold instantly transformed the clear glass into a splendid frame for the rose artwork.

Here's how I did it:

Clean your paperweight with a good, streak-free glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol.  Make sure there are no dust particles on the back of the paperweight prior to painting.  Use a durable paint that's appropriate for use on glass or ceramics (such as Plaid FolkArt Enamels).  It may take 2-3 coats of paint for complete coverage.

Important:  Allow the paint to dry between coats.  The paint should be completely dry prior to adhering the paperweight kit's bottom pad to the base of the paperweight.

Once the paint has dried completely, clean the interior of your display area with a soft cloth.  Place your artwork face-down onto the bottom of the paperweight and cover the base of the paperweight with the velvet pad to finish.

I wanted the paint to have a smooth texture, so I applied it with a paint brush using even strokes.  If you'd like to take a more artistic approach, you can use a variety of painting techniques and tools to create patterns and textures.

If you haven't used paint in your paperweight projects yet, I hope this project will inspire you to give it a try.  If this is something you've already done, what has been your experience?  What kind of materials and painting techniques have you used?

Pinned to My Heart Paperweight

This paperweight was designed around a single object, an antique stick pin that came with an old needle cushion I picked up at a tag sale last fall.  The stick pin has some depth to it, so the generous bottom recess of the heart paperweight was the perfect fit.

Here's how I made it:

I started by covering the mounting board with a scrap of antique linen.  The mounting board is self-adhesive, so glue isn't needed for this step.  I just applied the fabric and trimmed the overlapping material.  I then applied a second layer of linen over part of the heart-shaped background using tacky glue.  The second layer has a scalloped, stitched edge and a single eyelet which adds a lot of character and dimension.

Once the mounting board was prepared with the linen, it was time to apply the additional elements that include the antique stick pin and a vintage ribbon.

The stick pin was applied directly to the background with hot melt glue.  (I needed a glue that would dry immediately and secure the pin in place.)  The ribbon was positioned to hide the hot melt glue and was held in place with a small amount of tacky glue.  The ends of the ribbon were folded over the edge of the mounting board and held in place with glue and tape.

Once the tacky glue dried completely, the design was ready to display in the paperweight.

Paperweight Kit Used:  Heart PhotoWeights