Sod's Law.....................

...........seems to be in permanent residence at my house just lately.

Came home from work yesterday all fired up to play with the rubber mat and embossing powders and blow me DD had taken more orders over the phone before I got back.

I always like to try and get the orders done as they come in since the time a lady ordered a card and said there was no rush for it. Delivered it the next week and the birthday had been two days earlier. She still had it and sent it as a belated card but I've had a horror of cards being late since.

So once I had done the orders and tidied up I didn't feel much like getting a whole load of other stuff out and settled for sorting out my bit box and cutting some mats for mounting on cards.

I've had a play today and I am so pleased with how my piece turned out but unfortunately it doesn't scan awfully well. I've posted it but I'm going to ask Deb at the shop if she will take a photo with her digital camera when I go to work on Tuesday and then replace the posted scan.

I think you should get the general idea for now.

The base then for this technique is non slip mat [top picture]. It's the kind that you put on lap trays to stop your dinner flying off all over dog and it comes in various colours.....mine is white.

Next I have used the Ultra Thick Embossing Crystals from Once Upon A Stamp at Chesterfield and I tell you now.........these babies are to die for!!!!!

You will need to work inside some kind of tray for this as even using a low blow gun the powders go everywhere to start with. I use a flapjack tin which I place on a glass worktop saver so that the desk top doesn't burn.

Line the tray with a piece of heat proof liner or if you don't have that use greaseproof paper or parchment.

Cut a piece of the nonslip mat and shape it if required. Mine had straight sides with a curved diagonal top.

Cover with Versamark ink and then add a layer of Ebony UTEC and melt.

Keep the heat gun over the piece of work and keep sprinkling the Ebony crystals until you have the coverage you like.

Now keep the heat going and start to sprinkle in some of the colours.

Mine were Pearl Blue and Pearl Green with a touch of Christmas Silver for a bit of sparkle.

Keep adding colour until you have a pleasing effect.

Take a stamp that has been inked with Versamark and stamp into the hot crystals leaving the stamp there until the crystals have cooled.

During the adding powder and heating you inevitably get crystals around the edge of the piece of mat. These liquify and as you push your stamp into the hot crystals they blend with the mat to give some fabulous finishes.

Once cool remove the stamp and peel the mat away from the lining paper and decorate as you like.

I used.....Background stamp Bead Curtain by Judikins, Dragonfly free on the cover of a magazine.

The dragonflies were stamped onto self adhesive acetate and cut out. Screwed up Fantasy Film was then applied to the back and trimmed.

Like I said, I am sorry about the scan but will try and get the picture replaced as soon as possible.

Well as I have worked so hard this week I think I should allow myself a little more playtime and have another session with this mat and powders with maybe a bit of Friendly Plastic thrown in for good measure........if I dare cut the sticks I have.......mean old devil that I am.......lol!!!

Have fun...........I will be!!!

Sheila-x-