imaginarium post for december

Snowman Gumball Machine 
and Santa Baby Layout 
By Sue Smyth

For Christmas this year I decided to decorate a gumball machine,

but when I went to buy one, I could not find what I wanted.

So a good friend gave me hers, only catch was, the glass ball

was cracked. 

Since it broken I decided to make  it an non working gumball machine,

and turn it into a snowman snow globe.

I have added lots of glittered foam balls to the top and coming

out of the gum slot, as if the snowman is sending

snowballs down the chute.

I also wanted to use the skeletal feather as a kind of branch

with lots of snow on it, see how below.

I have added some gorgeous red berries and natural 

mini pine cones for lots of dimension.

Inside the glass ball is a snowman sitting in the North Pole

I have used the spade picket fence to encirle it all

and made my own north pole from an old plastic candy cane.

I have added pearls around the metal plate and lots of 

white fibres.

I typed out the 'snowballs' and printed it out,

then carefully adhered to the resin piece.

I have used some old ornaments here too, the snowflake and the trees

are just from Kmart, they match perfectly with 

the translucent look of the machine.

The pale blue and white, contrasts beautifully with vibrant 

reds, so I chose this perky snowman for the centre 

of the acrylic snowflake.

A crown of snowballs, after I embossed the ID circle frame

I have adhered it to the top and filled in with an 

assortment of glittered foam balls, and clear beads.

I have altered the sides, see below, with layers of 

gesso, metallic paints and pearl paint. Using 

chipboard and punched out snowflakes for texture.

Here I have used my Faux snow piled up on the bottom as 

snow does. I have published the recipe many times but if you missed it

here it is again.

Recipe 

1 teaspoon of Diamond Dust or coarse glitter

1 teaspoon of gesso

3 drops of Dimensional magic 

stir together until well mixed and apply as needed.

This is the plain machine, I have started with a coat of gesso.

And applied gesso to the glass with a sea sponge.

Then I have applied texture paste to the top and base

which I have used to adhere ID stars and some 

punched out snowflakes.

Around the bottom I have added some Art Stones. 

I repeated the look for the base, you will notice 

I did not put a lot of paint in the groves of the base

I wanted the blue to show through.

To make the base inside the globe, I have cut

a circle from cardboard, and applied gel medium.

Then add wads of tissue to make faux snow mounds.

When the top is dry paint it again with white gesso.

Then spray with a blue glimmer style mist.

Rub over some metallic silver paint, and also pearl paint

for a neat sheen.

Now I add my faux snow mix, in little drifts along the bottom.

This will set quite hard and be very durable.

To alter the fence I have painted both sides with white gesso.

then I have stippled lots of gesso over the top of the fence only.

Do this several times until you are happy, add in a sprinkle of 

mini art stones too for more texture.

Altered skeletal feathers 

Paint the feathers with white gesso.

Trim off the outer edges.

Then ink with a turquoise ink.

Now add lost of lumpy gesso to the edges.

Dry with heat gun and allow to blister.

Do this until you are happy with the snowy look.

Then bend and ruffle the branches.

Santa Baby Layout  

Next is a layout using the same colours and ideas.

This is a photo of my precious first born son, one that took 

a lot of heartbreak and loss to achieve.

He was born on 20th December 1997, so Christmas is 

a special time of year for many reasons(a daughter born on 

13th December too). 

I had to wait a whole year to get this cheeky toddler shot,

little did I know that precious son number 2 was well 

on the way when I took this photo.

The Imaginarium layered ornament is just perfect here

The base is painted with a metallic red paint, and

the top is embossed with aged gold emboss powder 

for a luxurious look.

Small alpha simply painted with pearl paint

make my title.

Here I have used the same skeletal feathers as above,

add in berries, flowers and some white holly leaves and

you have a winter floral cluster to die for.

I have used a stencil and gesso to give texture to my 

base cardstock, later I added pearl liquid pearls for dimension.

I have just followed the design of the stencil.

Some glittered stars just finish off the left hand side.

Paint the stars with gesso and then add a thin layer

of dimensional magic and white glitter and your done.

The dimensional magic allows the glitter to sink in and therefore

you have less glitter shed.

So once I have added the stencil with gesso, and sprayed with 

a glue glimmer style mist, I made a slurry 

of gesso, and flicked it over the background.

I have used a flick brush to get perfect splats.

Happy Crafting 

and a 

Merry Christmas 

to all