Wednesday, October 24, 2012

MIrror Images

Within all of the crazy quilt journals I've been working on this year, I have incorporated different reflective and mirror elements.

This piece will have the most literal usage of a mirror to date.

I didn't know how I was going to do it but I had been planning to hang a mirror in Mrs. Rose's room with my 8th grade reflection within it.

Below I've cut out two paper pictures of me to see which size might work best.  Paper is much too thick and the mirror reflects the back side of the paper which is distracting.


I went straight from school to volunteer and was always wearing my school uniform.  Finding pictures of me in uniform from 8th grade wasn't very easy.  

I still had my old Eighth Grade yearbook and found this Student Council picture of me seated.  It was the only one within the whole book that would work.



Originally I had envisioned a profile of me looking into the room but I couldn't find any actual pics to represent that.  Since I often sat in a visitor's chair when visiting Mrs. Rose, a seated position of me might actually be better.

To transfer the picture image to the mirror, I thought I might try something similar to the rub-on transfers sold for scrapbooking.

Believe it or not, there is actually a company that sells special paper that goes through your inkjet printer to make your own rub-on transfers.  I bought mine from Texascraft here.


The paper comes with an adhesive tack with which you coat the cut-out images once you've printed them on the special paper.

I printed out images in various levels of opacity and cut out more than I needed, expecting there will be lots of flubs when I go to rub the images on the mirror.

One of the negative reviews for this method was that the images don't come out crisp and perfect.  That will actually be OK with me since I want the image to be transparent and dreamlike...like a memory.

I wore gloves to coat all the images with the adhesive and worked outside where there is plenty of ventilation.


I set the coated images on non-stick parchment paper to dry.  I coated some images more heavily than others and I'm curious to find out how they behave when I go to rub them on.

Below you can see where the adhesive soaked through the paper.  I'm not sure if that's a bad thing or not...


Unfortunately, they have to cure overnight so we won't know if this idea will work until tomorrow.  

I know.   I'm sure you're on the edge of your seat ;-}

To be continued...

11 comments:

Dolores said...

I look forward to tomorrow's installment. One question, Was Mrs. Rose's walls really gray?

Susan Elliott said...

No. Actually her walls were that institutional gray green color. To be honest, I couldn't find enough of that color in my stash, the quilting store or anywhere else...I guess the world doesn't really want to buy that color. I chose grey because it is colorless...and grey days are drab and dreary. Grey is also what happens to our hair when we age...and grey has many different shades...and yet grey doesn't look so grey when complemented by color. We'll see if that works...

Mary Ann Tate said...

I hope it works because I think your idea of the transparent dreamlike image also ties into your creation of the memory of Mrs Rose. It sort of plays into the idea that memories are stored and have to be retrieved and are not completely clear until something brings them back to us.

Gerry Krueger said...

If that doesn't work I have something that will... It is made for a printer and makes the old fashioned kind of clear (transparent) decal that you slide off with water... I will send you a sheet if you want to try it... I used it in a jewelry project some time ago... Gerry

Cari said...

Actually I am on the edge of my seat !! Can't wait to see how this turns out !! Hugs

Suztats said...

I am always amazed at the amount of research and learning of different processes that goes into creating one of your crazy quilt journals. The results are fantastic and I so enjoy learning from you. Thanks.

wendy said...

I cant wait to see what happens! Will be back tomorrow to find out!!

Unknown said...

And let me say the picture is great. You look just as sweet and charming today.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Can hardly wait to see how this part turns out. What a sweet young lady you were, just a hint of what you have become as a woman.

FlowerLady

Teresa said...

I can hardly wait!
Teresa's Heartfelt Stitches

Rachel said...

I am indeed on the edge of my seat, really looking forward to seeing how this works!

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