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Formica Chip Art ~ Egyptian Keychain

M. Elizabeth Lee
Rubber Roadsters
Advanced Stamping Design Team

Formica Chip Art remains one of my all-time favorite rubber stamping techniques.  These chips are the countertop samples made by Formica or Wilsonart companies available in hardware stores everywhere.  There are several approaches on how to incorporate these Formica Chips into artwork.  They can be covered with paint, collaged, or decoupaged.  I prefer to allow the dazzling design of the chip to show through.  I have been working in depth with these chips for a few years now.  My most important research dealt with trying to achieve permanency while heat embossing with embossing powders on the Formica Chip.  The heat embossing tended to pop off, scratch off, or cracked shortly after the application was made.    By the year 2000, I had tested a product called Folk Art Glass and Tile Medium as a base coat for the embossing powders.  It provided the base element (or tooth) needed for giving permanency to heat embossed powders on the Formica Chip.  Heated embossing powders no longer popped off the chip when prepping first with this medium.  I was quoted in Vamp Stamp News in January 2002 for my research and approach with this process.  It is my greatest pleasure to share it with you in the following project.

Supplies
Vintage Egypt stamp set (TAC, the Angel Company)
Hieroglyphics Rollagraph Wheel (Clearsnap ColorBox)
EZ Mount Foam Cling (TAC)
Black Crafter’s Ink by (Clearsnap ColorBox)
Provence Petal Points by (Clearsnap ColorBox ~ TAC)
Primary Petal Points by (Clearsnap ColorBox ~ TAC)
Lumiere Metallic Aztec Gold acrylic paint (Jacquard ~ TAC)
Versamark stamp pad (Tsukineko ~ TAC)
Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel Powder (UTEE ~ TAC)
Microbrush (Suze)
Ivory Cardstock (TAC)
2 Wilsonart countertop samples of the same kind (Formica Chips)
E6000 Glue
Dremel tool
Golden Gel Mediums Soft Gel (Matte)
Folk Art Glass and Tile Medium (Plaid)
Flat paintbrush (Royal)
Fine liner brush (Loew~Corniel)
Sanding Sponge (3M)
Gold jump ring
Short ball chain
Gold key ring
Cat Mummy golden charm (Designs by Pamela~Jewels of Isis) 

Instructions

1.    Lightly sand the Formica Chip samples with sanding sponge or fine sandpaper to create tooth and wipe dry with a Viva paper towel. 

2.    Brush on one thin coat of Folk Art Glass and Tile Medium to the Formica Chips and let dry.  Glue the 2 Formica Chip samples together using E6000 Glue and let cure.  Drill a hole near the bottom of the chip with a Dremel Tool or Drill Press for the charm.  An alternative method would be to glue on a dangle finding with E6000 Glue between the 2 Formica chips. 

3.    Stamp the cat goddess image on the ivory cardstock.  Render pigment ink color by dabbing microbrush in the designated color and patting onto the image.   Apply the Sunflower color to the entire cat image.  Shade in the crevices of the cat with Ocre.   Accent above the eyes with Roussillon.  Apply Scarlet Pigment Ink to the jeweled collar and a few dots to each side of crown.  Heat set the pigment ink with the heat tool.  Edge collar and fill in crown with Lumiere Metallic Aztec Gold using fine liner brush.  Cut out image.

4.    Remove hieroglyphic stamp from self-inking Rollagraph wheel and mount on EZ Mount Foam Cling.  Using Black Crafter’s Ink, stamp the vertical hieroglyphic border on each side on Formica Chip and heat set ink with a heat tool.

5.    Apply Golden Gel Mediums Soft Gel (Matte) to the backside of the cat image and adhere to the center of the Formica Chip.  Allow to dry. 

6.    Apply one coat of Folk Art Glass & Tile Medium to the surface of the Formica Chip and allow to dry.

7.    Lay the Formica Chip Face down onto a Versamark stamp pad and press lightly.  Dip the Formica Chip face down into UTEE powder coating well and heat emboss.  Repeat the process once more.  Apply steps #14 and #15 to the backside of the Formica Chip. 

8.    Attach Mummy charm to a jump ring and attach to the bottom of the Formica Chip.  Attach the ball chain to both the key ring and through the top hole of the Formica Chip.  Use for real keys or antique decorative ones.

Published previously on SS Reflections

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