Are you ready for a shot of colour?

The leaves are almost gone, and although it's still weirdly mild in Toronto (for November), the clock is ticking, and winter is just around the corner! In the corporate world, my go-to wardrobe colours, were black, grey and navy, but now with my beady, mixed media life, I find myself constantly reaching for colour (well acually, I still reach for black, but it's a sickness)! No, I'm not going to abandon my wardrobe completely! Replacing everything would be much too costly, but there's always the wild and wacky world of accessories!!! Bracelets, necklaces, rings, belts, hats, gloves and scarves, oh my....and don't forget, they can all be embellished with beads.

As a mixed media artist, my colour requirements, go way beyond accessories! I'm addicted to anything colourful (except in my clothing). Paints, powders, markers, beads, buttons, threads, leather, paper, pigments, waxes, feathers and fibre, are just some of the ways I've learned to cope with winter! BeadFX cannot possibly carry everything I need to buy (after all, they are a bead store), but they do have a nice selection of products, to enhance my arting experience. We'll explore, just a few!

Gilders Paste - "is a wax/resin product with a high concentration of pigment, for adding colour to metal, wood, ceramic, resin and many other items. It behaves much like a wax or a polish. Apply with a finger or a cloth, let dry - buff." I've used Gilders Paste on the edges of my Altered Dominios, paper collage/beads, metal (boxes and charms), shells and stone. It's wonderful stuff, and really, very easy to use!

MetalFX - Mica Powder - is BeadFX's own line of metallic powders. While originally intended for colouring epoxy clay, it's also very effective, when used with Ice Resin and polymer clay. A little goes a long way! You could also shine up your handmade cards, or paper collage, by brushing on a light coat. Also, how about those tired holiday ornaments? Could they use a little more sparkle (just remember to spray them with a light fixative, for protection)? Okay, I know.....it's not glitter....but sometimes you need to be a little more subtle. I wonder what would happen if I tried dusting it on metal? I'd need to spray on some type of fixative, but I bet it would work! I'll file that idea, in my "later" folder.....

Iced Enamels - "by Susan Lenart Kazmer, are a unique, custom-formulated, proprietary, Cold Enameling system for permanent adhesion of colour on metal. The combination of enameling medium, powders, and Ice Resin as a clear protective top coat, produce a rainbow of durable, brilliant colour on metal that is easy to do and lasts a lifetime." If you like the look of glass enamels, but are not ready to commit to the time, effort and expense involved, this is an interesting alternative. I started out using it on metal bezels and blanks, and then graduated to shells, watercolour paper (made into bracelets) and paper beads. I'm certainly not finished exploring this product yet, so you can expect more updates and workshops in the future......................................................................................................................................................................
Stones, crystals, beads, rattail (cording), soutache, feathers, leather, threads and more! Why don't you drop on by? BeadFX has walls of colour (both on-site and on-line), to seduce you out of the winter blues!