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Wednesday 3 June 2009

Paper Leaves or Cold Porcelain Leaves?

Recently i bought some cold porcelain from dianeharfieldminiatures I bought it because i thought i could make leaves for sunflowers. Anyway, last night i sat and cut out the leaves (well more squished them into shape). I used the leaf veiner from Angie Scarr to give them a nice texture. Once made and almost dry i decided they didn't look quite right and decided to make some from paper also.
So i cut out loads of leaves, and with quite a lot of patience wet each one and pressed between the leaf veiner. Each came out easily with the use of a pin.
So after all the cold porcelain i'm much happier with the paper one.
If anyone is interested in the cold porcelain then the link above will take you to the site to buy some. I've tried a few brands and this ladies recipe gives the best results, plus when dry its more flexible and stronger than other brands. You can colour it before or after shaping, cutting, whatever you want to do with it. It also can be rolled ever so thin and is still quite strong when dry.
Heres a picture of the leaf veiner i used with both the paper and porcelain.


Heres a picture of the leaves done with paper and porcelain.

Here's a picture of the potting corner with a sunflower. I've not made this sunflower (bought it at Miniatura) and keeping it for my witches house. Its just to show you what i have planned from the ones i'm making today. Hoping they look as nice as this one. I'm thinking i'll make make these ones with happy sunshine faces.

13 comments:

  1. Boy you have so much patience Nikki to make those leaves! The potting corner is just a wonder, we really adore it. That sunflower is beautiful, if you can make ones like that they will be great! Just admire your ideas and work so much Kate and John xx

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  2. What a blast from the past! Some years ago (like maybe 12...) a mini friend of mine who was from Columbia returned from a visit home with this porcelain clay-like product to make flowers. Most of us had little luck with it but she persevered. (She loved making flowers) The biggest problem was that it wasn't available in our neck of the woods. Never really saw it again in my circles.

    I'd use what ever looks the most real and stands up the best over time.(That leaf veiner is very cool). Seems like the bigger the leave, the more likely it is to crack, though real porcelain is apparently incredibly strong after firing. Many yrs ago, my mother made full sized flowers out of porcelain and they are still around.

    I like the sunflower in the corner, though. Did you give up on your idea for a tree?

    Tabitha (aka Susan)

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  3. Nikki I prefer the paper ones, they look more delicate. Cold porcelain in something I havent tried out yet but I know a few peeps who use it. It works great with the really teen tiny stuff. I love that sunflower in the corner.
    Debie xxx

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  4. Nikki! I love the corner idea. This one is especially nice. I don't know which I like better,the paper or the porcelain. Whichever you use will be wonderful! BTW, I like the music that you have playing in the background. I have never heard of Melody Gardot. I am going to have to see if I can find any of her CDs here.

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  5. The paper ones Nikki !!!
    You´ve done a great job on that corner and I too love the sunflower...and EVERYTHING ! LOL

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  6. Hi Kate and John. I did get a little bored, but the effort was worth it.
    I'll do a new post in the min. I've had good suces with the stem and the leaves for the sunflower but the actual sunflower head is not right. Need to keep trying though.

    Hi Susan. The cold porcelain is lovely and not showing that great in the picture, but i've used the paper leaves because i think they look better. I coated them in pva before i painted which will stop them from tearing.
    New post in a mo to show you.

    Hi Casey. Thank you for the lovely comments. I have not visited your blog for a few days but will pop by later and have a few days fix.
    Melody gardot does another song called Baby I'm A Fool. If you like the you will love this. You can find it on my sidebar music list at the top and listen to.
    If you like melody you will probably love Kate Rusby too. She's my favourite singer and plan to go and see her in concert soon. I'm hoping she doesnt stop singing live for a little while because she is having a baby. She sings like an angel to me.

    Hi Silke. Glad you like it all so far. It's taking quite some time because i'm learning lots of new things as i work. I'm making mistakes and correcting and learning as i go along. Won't be long now until fully complete.
    Maybe by the weekend.

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  7. Hi Debie. Oops, missed you there. Cold porcelain is really lovely and especially this ladies, but i suppose its like everyting and you have to have practice.
    The paper ones are more delicate and will show you them in a new post.

    Nikki x

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  8. ooh I could have done with that leaf press thing today myself as I made some leaves for a rose bush and they look ever so plain & boring so I'll have to get one of those now.
    I love your sunflower plant :o) and am going to reserve judgement on porcelain v paper until they are coloured.... you are going to colour both arent you? you have far more patience than I!

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  9. Hi Wendie. Would you like me to try and make a mould for you. I have a mould maker clay and can post it to you tomorrow with a few other parcels.
    I'll go and make it now. Saves on buying.
    I posted the update on the leaves.

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  10. I prefer the paper ones.
    I love you work, you sunflower and I like you ideas.

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  11. I prefer the paper ones as well :-) Much more natural.

    Leif veiners..now why do I not know about these. I would certainly never have thought to look at Angie Scarrs site.

    I do all mine by hand with a pin..perhaps I need to look at these some.

    How big are they though Nikki...looks like they'd be fab for big leaves like sunflowers but not so much for say tiny rose leaves.

    You'll be making foxgloves soon...I'll place the first order :-)

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  12. Hi Jayne. The mould is around an inch.
    I think you can get smaller veiners but you could always make your own smaller mould with sculpey mould maker which is like fimo but flexible.
    I think you can also get veiners if cake decorating shops too.
    Tyoe in leaf veiner and see what other optionc come up.
    I have a mould if you would like that i've made myself.
    Nikki x

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  13. Hi Nikki

    I have looked around but the cake ones are all too big for me.

    I could perhaps make a mold but to be honest, by the time I have wet the paper, pushed it in and let it set I am thinking it might be quicker for me to carry on using a pin.

    Unless I made lots and lots of molds.Hmmmm.

    Most of my leaves are real tiny so I am not even sure if I could make a mold small enough to fit a 1/8th inch leaf lol.

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Thank you for your comment xxx