Thursday 24 October 2013

Playing With Marc’s Melting Pot and Utee.

I have been sooooooo slow at getting things blogged recently,  I stayed with Marc back in August and only now am I showing you what we got up to, how rude!
Picture40Picture41
Firstly …… Marc introduced me to the art of cooking chicken in the “London Style”, you can imagine all childish giggling that ensued,  especially when I asked innocently how/where I should insert the onion (for flavour) and the accompanying stuffing, after giving it a good buttery massage, while being closely scrutinised by Marc …….. we are sooooo bad together!  And then, naturally I had to introduce Marc to drinking vodka and coke Las Vegas style ……. Picture42
I digress …… so,  back in August we decided to get Marc’s Melting Pot out, something I have always been curious about,  but never quite managed to get in my online shopping basket …..
Ranger Melting Pot 1Ranger Melting Pot
We both wanted to experiment with using it with coloured UTEE to faux solder  simple microscope slides decorations, especially as Marc had every colour under the sun to colour the UTEE, that’s so Marc!!!!
Picture45
The idea was to sandwich a piece of decorative paper between two microscope slides and then dip each side into the UTEE to create a faux solder all the way round.
Picture50
However, Marc and I are both very good at getting distracted by other things along the way and going off on tangents, we  are also TOTALLY undisciplined when it comes to getting things out when we are crafting ….. and before we knew it Marc’s lounge was covered with all the things he wanted to show me and that we oooowed and ahhhed over as only crafters do!!!!
Picture49Picture39
There was stuff everywhere!!!! 
Picture46Picture48Picture47
I was very impressed at our very first attempts , the UTEE was easy to use and the effect pleasingly “rough/rustic” …..
Picture52…… with more practice I know I could improve my “technique”. Once the “solder”  was set (almost instantly),  I fiddlefarted with embellishing the glass and wrapping coloured wire round the slides …. all very amateur …but this really was “playing on the hoof”, with both of us firing ideas at each other, ten to the dozen.
Picture51
Since I have come home Marc and I have talked/planned a lot about what we want to try next time with Marc’s Melt Pot. I especially want to try making UTEE cubes that contain little treasures using an ice cube tray ….. so I think my suitcase will be full of purposeful bits and pieces now that I have a clearer idea about what I can do with UTEE, rather than clothes ….. but since we spend most of our time lounging in our pyjamas anyway …… I don’t think I will miss them!
And now,  going off on a tangent ….these are just a few of the decorative pins Marc has made, they are soooooo beautiful, and each one different ….. I have a few that I keep on my treasure shelf in my dining room in little bottles …… I love them so much.
Picture53
And this is a card that Marc ‘just’ knocked up on his first attempt of using his new Karen Burniston  Sizzix Album, Accordion Flip 3-D die  Item # 658035.  Marc is very into his 3D and pop up dies/cards.  I am afraid they are a little beyond me ….. and too much work, all those sides to fill!!!!!!! I tell Marc that his need to construct is a “man thing”!!!
Picture54
Oh, and how was the chicken?  …….. Nom, nom, nom …… although Marc didn’t actually have any as he is a veggie!!!  Happy, happy days!

5 comments:

Cheryl W said...

It sounds like you had such a great time with Marc. I'm anxious to hear about your next adventures together!

Mrs B said...

Hi Helen. Looks like you had a great time with Mark. Your slides are so good. (Must have taken ages to put everything away again, that's the worst bit isn't it!) The accordian flip die is on my wish list, I really want to have a go at this style. Glad you enjoyed the chicken. Take care.

Merry said...

What a wonderful time you andarc had. I have only just had my first encounter wit UTEE. I really like how you used it as a faux solder.

Pamela said...

Marc is so good for your wilting mojo Helen. You must find it hard to say goodbye at the end of a stay.

marc said...

LOL i will see you sunday for a few days that card was just to show you how it looked decorated its horrid i just used the 3 bits of paper i had in the bin lol and the stars were put on to out line the fram but i do love that diy it makes great cards to put photos on as little keep sake albums i do them with the girls at hospital they can make them as long as they want just by joining them together they journal on one bit and put a picture of the advent on another and as they only take hrs to do they can keep up to date with things and you can never have to many pins i use them on every gift i give they hold things shut and i always put that little poem in with the gift/ that says see a pin and pick it up and all day /year your have good luck have a bit of luck from me big love marc cant wait to play this weekend marc