I have to admit that I’ve never been a big fan of metallic colors. Just a glimpse of gold and silver would transport me to Grandma Sara’s living room. You see, she was crazy about gold-leafing everything, and her living room showcased all of her projects, including a gold-leafed Elvis bust. So, when I saw that gold and silver were becoming popular amongst crafters and artists, I groaned a little. Then I saw how they were using it, and little by little, the metallic shades were growing on me. I can’t think of a better time of year to use gold and silver than during Christmastime. The colors themselves are just so festive. So, when working on this group of projects with my Christmas tree in sight, I couldn’t help but go into holiday mode. The secret I found to working with metallic colors is to keep it simple. At first I tried to mix gold and silver with colors, and it just looked like a mess. It was too much. Then I tried pairing one of the metals with a neutral color like kraft, white, or black. It was an instant success. Most of the projects I made are fairly straightforward and don’t require many instructions. For the gold-tinted ornament, simply remove the top from a clear glass ornament, add a few drops of Alcohol Metallic Mixatives, and swirl around until you get full coverage. To allow the excess ink to drip out of the ornament, I placed it upside down in a glass that had some paper towels in it. Once dry, put the top back on the ornament and hang on the tree. I wanted to use the gorgeous burlap bags to hold a gift, but felt it was a little plain. I used acrylic black paint and foam stamps to stamp the world “Joy” on the bag. The other projects include a glass ornament that I filled with gold and silver leaf trim, a test tube note that was embellished with some twine and tape, and a little gift card holder. I’m so glad that I took the plunge and started playing around with gold and silver. I have so many more ideas in store! About the Artist: Christen Olivarez is the Director of Publishing for Stampington & Company and editor-in-chief of Somerset Studio, Somerset Life, Mingle, HandCrafted, and Artists’ Café. Interests: art, slow food, writing, books, yarn, authentic living Follow Christen on Her Blog: thedeliberatelife.typepad.com
