Beeswax canvases

This year I have been introduced to the delights of using beeswax and there is no stopping me now - I really love this effect and it's so much fun to do. After seeing the article in Craft Stamper, ('Buzzing for Beeswax' by Hels Sheridan March 2011 issue), my friend Sharon and I could not wait to have a go at recreating the project. We were so pleased when Kay, (Halliwell-Sutton of Indigo Blu), used the technique in one of our classes at Louth as this gave us the confidence to try it ourselves.

This is the beeswax canvas that I made in class with Kay -

I used Tim Holtz and Indigo Blu stamps. We had the option to use photocopied pictures so I chose to use family wedding photographs. I wouldn't normally have chosen grey and red as a colour scheme but I felt like going out of my comfort zone that day and I'm glad I did because I love the finished piece. I thought Kay's technique of using pieces of beeswax sheets really added to the effect and I couln't resist adding the metal flower.

You can see Kay's version in this months Craft Stamper, ('Stamping Contrasts' Jan 2012 issue) as Indigo Blu stamps are featured this month.

This second piece is my version of Hels Sheridans 'Buzzing for Beeswax' project which I had fun making one day with Sharon. Hers is fab too. The original article was so amazing that I didn't change too much. I looked for watch parts for ages and then in the summer visited my friend in London and saw some cheap pocket watches for sale on a stall at Portobello Road market. The one I chose didn't work and the man on the stall thought I was mad when I said I wanted it anyway at a reduced price. Took me ages to persuade him but I couldn't explain to him that all I wanted to do with it was take it apart for the pieces! I think you can also get the same watches on ebay and places like that.

Our friend Felicity's husband even made us both a wooden frame so we could mount them like Hels did. Looks great don't you think? 

Last but not least here is a couple of sneak previews of a xmas themed beeswax canvas that I made last week. Sharon came over - she is definetly my partner in crime when it comes to beeswax - and we both did a xmas theme although I chose much brighter colours. It was actually lime green and a bright red but by the time the stamping and wax is added it has actually toned down to more of a yellow and red. I really like it but I can't show the whole project because I actually made two and one is for a xmas present!

Hope this inspires you to get out the beeswax. We used a melt pot but it can be done with tin foil containers or cat food tins etc to melt the wax. I'd definetly recommend the Melt Pot though, although I'm not sure for reasons of sanity that I would recommend attempting to make two large canvases on the same day...