Sugar Skulls: By Darcy Wilkinson

Hello!

As October has an extra week, our October TIMI Challenge ALSO has an extra week!

So, today we are sharing some special, blog only projects!

The fabulous Darcy Wilkinson designed the Sugar Skull stamp that came free with your November issue of Craft Stamper, and she shared some wonderful projects with us on page 64 of the magazine.

Darcy has created even more fabulous art....... and here it is!

  Sugar Skull and Lace Choker

Darcy also shared the instuctions on how to make it:

Skull and Lace Choker

I began by adding 2 coats of white gesso to 2 small squares of cotton fabric. once this was dry I stamped the skull onto one piece of fabric. This was then coloured in using Faber Castell Pitt Pens. I then stitched the 2 pieces of fabric together using my sewing machine, the now double strength piece was trimmed close to the stitching leaving an area at the top that was folded over a metal ring . I painted the back and edges using Little Black Dress Fresco paint by PaperArtsy. 

I took a length of white lace , long enough to go around my neck, this was gathered and the gathers stitched in place by machine. I did the same with a length of black cotton webbing, this was stitched on top of the lace.  

I handstitched the ring to the front of the choker . Finally I added ribbon ties at the back. 

Darcy also created some pin badges:

Sugar Skull Pin Badges

Not having a badge maker, I wondered if I could successfully make badges, turns out they are a little fiddly but not hard. I began by buying some large,cheap badges, they are just over 2 inches/5cm big and were only 40p each. I removed the pin backs and then was able to remove the brightly coloured birthday images from the fronts. 

I stamped the skull onto smooth printer paper, the paper needs to be thin. I coloured the skulls using Letraset Promarkers and Faber Castell Pitt Pens, making each one different. I drew a circle around each skull and filled in that area with colour. Next I placed each skull face down onto clear,self adhesive coverfilm,(available in most stationery shops) then I cut out the circles. I clipped around the edges, this helps the paper bend over the front of the blank badge. I smoothed the image over the badge, no glue needed, turning and smoothing, tucking the excess to the back, I repeated this a few times, turning and smoothing, trying to make the edge creases as small as possible. Once I was happy that the edges were as flat as they were going to get I popped the back of the badge into place. 

Thanks Darcy, we love the stamp, and love the projects!

You still have a few more days to enter the October TIMI Challenge, all the details can be found HERE!