Thursday 9 January 2014

Playing and Learning With My Ranger Melting Pot.

I’ve had an evening of glorious Melt Potting ….. but I have sooooooo much to learn.  What I really should do is set aside an evening for watching some of the many Melting Pot/Utee videos on YouTube  and then play, but I am just too impatient!
Ranger melting pot and mouldSo, the first thing I have learned is not to let your Utee overheat as it becomes discoloured … as you can see from my pan the colour started out as Lapis Sapphire …. but gradually as I “played” with it over and over again it became erm ….. swamp green, as you will no doubt see from the finished results!  I am currently researching how to stop it overheating!!  I have also since found out that you should keep the pan lid on and NOT to stir during melting process (to stop bubbles forming),  well,  I hold my hands up and admit, I stirred copiously, like Fanny Craddock possessed ….. but in my defence I am only learning!!
I tried to use the melted Utee with a couple of my moulds, but with very disappointing results. The Utee appears to be too think to pick up the fine detail in the shallower edges of the moulds that I have tried so far, so again, further research is needed.
Ranger Melting Pot.Ranger Melting Pot. Utee heart
So, my chosen method, while I am still playing, is using a metal cookie cutter.  As you can see I have added beads and glitter to the mix. I pour the Utee straight onto the non stick craft sheet, press the cutter into it and then wait for it to cool, which takes a matter of just 30 secs or so.
Ranger. Melting Pot. HeartAs I said earlier, this is the stage where the Utee became swamp green, as I melted and reused it over and over again, trying getting the look/shape right,  don’t let it put you off, it was ME!!!!
Ranger Melting Pot. Utee hearts
These are four hearts of the hearts that I was happy with, which eventually will be used as gift tags.  I put the hole in them by using the pointed nozzle on one of my old glue bottles, holding it in the Utee until it had set. I then put a jump ring through the hole, onto which I will eventually tie a suitable ribbon or cord.
Utee Heart. Ranger Melting Potranger melting pot. heart. Utee
Overall, after my third play I am a bit disappointed with the swampy colour I made, but, from this one “mix” I have finished up with nine heart tags that I am happy with. The beads however are “lost” in all the colour, they look quite pretty when held up to the light but that effect is lost under normal light . …. so my next experiment will be just adding beads to plain unadulterated Utee.  But it’s all about playing ….
leftover Utee…… nothing gets wasted as the Utee can be remelted and used again for other projects, as my little tin shows.
Melting Pot. Ranger. Red HeartUtee Red and glitter hearts. Ranger Melting pot
At the end of the evening my final play was mixing Blue Raspberry Cosmic Shimmer with a little bit of glitter to make these red hearts ….. with Valentines Day in mind …….. watch this space!

7 comments:

Cheryl W said...

The red hearts look perfect! I think you're getting the hang of it!

SueF said...

Love those red hearts - & I like the swamp green colour too :-)

I was watching Hels on Create & Craft yesterday - she did some amazing things with her melt pot & I'm sure you will be too soon

Sue

tilly said...

wow, 3 days and what a lot I have missed lol...... your shopping trips have certainly brought some bargins, love the cake and candle stand.
Denise has made some beautiful stuff, no wonder you were the 'green eyed monster' lol and these hearts are beautiful for such little cost, I must check out these melting pots!
Tilly

Mrs B said...

Hi Helen. Glad you had fun playing with your melt pot. The red hearts are lovely. Take care.

marc said...

its all about play and WATCH THOSE VIDS AND LOOK ON THE BLOGS LOL a hour watching will save you a lot of wasted time find some project you like on you tube and follow and do it along with them in real time you can stop and rewind it really helps when it comes to new things but you know how we love to just play and never read those indestructions that come with it lol main thing have fun and the green are fab its just you dont like green big love marc

jc2711 said...

Ooh, these look fabulous. I too saw Hels on C&C last night and I am so tempted to get a melt pot. My New Years resolution was to show some restraint, but I am failing terribly and we are only just 10 days into the New Year; this does not bode well for 2014 :(
If you keep showing lovely things, I am going to really struggle :)
Keep fiddling; I enjoy it all.

Jackie and Bob

Sue Halliday said...

welcome to the world of the melt pot. It's true there are lots of youtube videos out there plus quite a bit on pinterest now too. Also worth looking under "jewel enamel" because one of the big companies here in UK sell it under that name. have fun!! I have found that if I turn the heat down after I've done a pour and am fiddling around and then turn up again for the next pour it helps a bit to stop it going amber but it is one of the thigns that does happen. Adding clear to the mix makes it worse