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what do you do when you try a new technique and fail miserably? I just tried to to do the Faux Metal technique and it sucked royally. Not sure If I didn't put enough layers on(four, just like the tutorial said) , or used the wrong stamp( the leaf and small flower from Botanicals, my latest acquisition) or what/. even my attempt at the cracked glass didn' t come out right.
right now I have very limited supplies and I am rather upset at wasting so much copper embossing powder on something that didn't work.
I know practice makes perfect, but how do you get over the fact that your first attempt is less than stellar when you don't have much to work with as it is?
I totally fluked out and happened to follow a couple of tutorials for new techniques that were done on smaller pieces of paper, like a tag or an ATC (2.5 x 3.5 inches). Since then, I've just been in the habit of trying out new things on ATC-sized paper and I've remained totally oblivious to the frustrations you've run in to.
I should look into this technique you tried...I have about fifty gallons of embossing powder, most of it older than ten years, and I've been wanting to use it up!
I forgot to say that with the smaller pieces to try a new technique on, I can easily and quickly do three or six up at a time and do slight variations to see what works best. I've created some absolute crap in my initial attempts, but even the garbage attempts have their uses. I've found myself fishing experiments out of my waste cup to see whether a particular image or particular colour of ink will work on the remaining experiments.
I just laugh at myself and start over. You should have seen my first attempt at Cracked Glass! ICK! OR, I just say...WHEW! I won't do that again! LOL
I guess what I'm saying is I try to keep a sense of humor. Don't give up!
Welcome to the reason I'm not a technique junkie. When I first started papercrafting, I was fearless and tried all sorts of wacky wild stuff. Most of it didn't work for me...either because I screwed up or because the end product wasn't my style. I didn't know what my style WAS back then, LOL!
I just kept chugging away at new techniques until I realized my style was clean and simple and quick. Took a long time to figure it out, and I used up lots of supplies that ended in the trash, but I learned a lot and had fun doing it.
Please don't be so hard on yourself. Absolutely no one makes every technique work right the first or third or even tenth time.
Mrsjvb, you are not alone in having trouble with the faux metal technique. I'm a demo and still have trouble with it. Just last week, I watched my upline doing it, then followed the exact same process with the same stamp and still didn't have a good result. I tried it again and it worked a bit better, but it's still something that requires a bit of practice, in my opinion.
honestly I just recycle stuff. I pull off what I can reuse like brads or bottom layers that didn't tear or whatever and then I throw the ugliness into the recycling bin.
I have not been happy with my cracked glass......ever. Never tried the faux metal since I couldn't even get the clear down right.
I'm a technique junky and I can't tell you how many times I've had to repeat, repeat, did I say repeat... to get the look and some techniques I never mastered. I was never was able to get the one where you use egg shells - I ate a lot of scrabled eggs just to get egg shells to play with.
I always figure that some of the people who developed the technique problably had to try a few times to get it right. For me learning something new is why I love this art form. If I bought special supplies for a technique and then find I really don't care to do it again I find fun in finding a different way to use the supplies. Well,except the egg shells, they are still in a baggie waiting for me to decide what to do next. LOL
It depends on my mood. Sometimes I laugh it off. Other times, I get in a major funk and decide to just chuck the whole hobby. I've learned to wait out those times..............
__________________ Dear Paperlicious is my blog...with a series on how I'm learning to improve my cardmaking by studying others.
I'll usually try 3- 4times before giving up, but usually get the hang of it by then.
If the technique uses a consumable product that is relatively expensive, I might consider only trying twice and making note of what happened and then seek advice, like you have, to see if I could figure it out before trying again.
As the faux metal goes, I found that it takes lots of practice and preparation. Like someone else said, have the stamp ready and already inked up with Versamark prior to the last EP coat heating. Then very quickly after heating the 4th coat, grab the stamp and push it in. You only have about 2 seconds after the heat tool is turned off, before the EP hardens, less if your house is kept rather cool or if you have a fan on.
I'm still wondering what it turned out like that you say it didn't work? Do you mean the impression wasn't very sharp? Did your stamp stick? Remember that lots of times once you trim up and mount something it looks a LOT better than just in its raw form.
Whatever you do, don't toss it. If it really won't work for anything, maybe you could cut it up and make small embellishments with it. There are lots of times I've cut things into strips or stamped over something in such a way that the details don't show up (I mean the ugliness, lol!) but the color or texture of it really sets off something else. It's all good....
One good thing about the cracked glass technique is that you can just remelt the UTEE and try again. I've found that placing it in the freezer before cracking it makes for a more successful job.
__________________ "Life is much too important to be taken seriously." Oscar Wilde Proud to be a member of Mo's Digital Pencil Challenge DT! My BlogMy Gallery
at least I know I am not alone. with the cracked glass, when I went back over the instructions I realized that I had failed to stick it in the freezer so I didn't get the cracked look.. but the suggestion to run it through the crimper saved the image. in fact I think I will be brave and try that technique again.
I was just bummed cuz I obviously did not realize just how fast that stuff cools so i got almost no impression on one whole side of the stamp, although the side the did work looked awesome. I use my copper ep all the time and to have suddenly used up half of my contents on something that didn't work..waahhhh...
yes, I felt sorry for myself. i also found out yesterday that DH is deploying for eight months soon. It's the first time he has deployed in gawd..4 or 5 years now and I am waaayyyy out of practice on dealing with it...
I just wanted a new toy to play with to keep my mind off crap.
...
yes, I felt sorry for myself. i also found out yesterday that DH is deploying for eight months soon. It's the first time he has deployed in gawd..4 or 5 years now and I am waaayyyy out of practice on dealing with it...
I just wanted a new toy to play with to keep my mind off crap.
Thanks for the sympathy,though.
((((((hugs))))))) My DH retired last Nov, and I know exactly what you're going through. It just stinks.
A big, big thanks to you and your DH for your service to the good ol' US of A.
Failures?
When I do have a creation that I'm less than thrilled with, I just keep trying. Most things, even watercoloring, just require lots of practice. I've recycled MANY cards. 
