Newsletter
Posted on June 8, 2009 by Lisa
Welcome to the debut of my White Oak Attic Newsletter. Consistent with my character flaw of having more hobbies than time, I’ve found getting this first issue together and out for public viewing (and possible public ridicule 
), to be a somewhat daunting task ~ but I made it, here it is! Enjoy.
Quick, Easy, Photo Project – Make Customized Gifts!
Finished Photo Hobby Project
This is a simple way to make beautiful gifts out of all those digital photos you have that are taking up scandalous amounts of room on your computer. A great hobby for the homebound too!
Materials:
- Wood on which to mount your photo – balsa for the best results or see what the local hobby and craft stores have to offer at a bargain
- Inkjet Printer
- Inkjet Transfer Paper (found where printer papers are sold)
- Iron (with water removed if it is a steam iron)
- Digital Photos of your choice (or scanned images)
- Basic Photo editing software
- Light Stain for the wood (optional)
- High Gloss Sealant for finished product (optional)
- Mounting Hook for back of piece or display stand
Start with a favorite photo. For the example here I used an old photo of Ward, West Virginia – I scanned it and rendered it (told my scanner to create it) in black and white. The only limits are according to your photo editing software. You can edit the photo to your liking – making it in Sepia tones, black and white, full color or a fun, whimsical creation using a variety of effects offered by the software.
Once you’ve created a few photos you’re happy with, you’ll need to print them on tranfer paper with an ink jet printer. For this project I used Avery 3275 T-Shirt Transfers that I picked up at Wal-Mart.
Open the image on your computer and select the print command from the file menu. Click on the setting or preferences option for your printer so you can “tell” the printer what kind of paper you’re using. In my case, the software I use for editing my photos – the free version of Adobe Photoshop Album – Starter Edition 3.0 – only gives options for a variety of photo papers so I just selected “Other” and the size 8.5″ x 11″.
To make the best use of your resources, try to print multiple photos on one sheet unless you’re making a large print that will take up the entire sheet. My software allows the option (in those preferences for the printer mentioned above) to print multiple copies of the same photo in a variety of sizes and shapes in “photo packs” on one sheet, you know, just like when you order a set of portraits. I chose this option and printed several of the same image to allow for some experimentation.
For a really classy looking piece you can find a hobby store in the area that carries balsa wood in a variety of sizes or you can do what I did and just hop on over to the Wal-Mart craft aisle and see what they’ve got. I found the pieces you see in the photos for just over $1.00 each, not wanting to invest a lot as I experimented. You can judge the results for yourself .
Cut out the photos you intend to use that have been printed onto the transfer paper, handle them very carefully since scraping them will pull away part of your design. Set them aside.
I opted to stain the pieces of wood I used here. A very light color is recommended. For illustrative purposes I also used a gray stain to show the difference that background stain can make in your finished product. The other is “white” stain and it will likely take a specialty store to find it. I went to a wood working craft store here but I think a paint store would likely carry it too.
White pickling gel, or pickling paint is suggested since it gives the wood a finish but doesn’t compete with your photo. I also liked the vintage character this seemed to add to the project.
White Stained Wood & Photo Printed On Transfer Paper
Now you’ll need to turn your iron to its hottest setting, first making sure you’ve emptied all the water out of the reservoir if it is a steam iron. Position the photo – printed side down – onto the wood, centered as desired (make certain the wood has dried completely if stain was used).
Position the wood on a work surface that is about waste high allowing you to apply straight vertical pressure to the iron. Just iron the transfer onto the wood. Do not rub the iron over the surface since the slight motion can move the transfer and create a blurred image as an end result.
Instead apply straight vertical pressure to the iron, lifting and moving it to new positions to thoroughly heat the entire transfer. This only takes 5 or 10 minutes, maybe just a bit more if you chose a larger photo than our 3 x 5 image shown here.
With an Iron, Heat Transfer the Photo to the Wood
Once you have no loose edges sticking up from the transfer, set it aside to cool for a few minutes. If you attempt to remove the backing too soon your design may peel off the wood or smear. When you’re sure it is cooled completely, carefully, slowly with even force, peel the backing from the transferred image.
Cooling, Heat-transferred, image.
In about a half hour, your project is complete!
Stain Choice Makes A Big Difference
This project lends itself to all sorts of customization. Experiment with different types of wood and wood stains. You can add your own personal touches to further embellish the wood. Some ideas are decorating the edges around the photo with leaf skeletons glued to the wood with glue stick or another strong adhesive, ribbon, engraved plates identifying the subject in the photo or even custom carving if you select the right kind of wood!
While these look fine without a sealing coat, for protection and longevity it is strongly recommended you add a coat of high gloss to seal the design.
Email me (lisaisbell@whiteoakattic.com) pictures of your results and I’ll post them in an upcoming blog!!
Model Horse Makeover – A Hobby for Horseless Horse-lovers
Start with a Damaged Model Horse
This is the first of MANY posts about making over a model horse. See an amateur learn it first-hand here! I’ve never done this before, but have always wanted to try it so I’ll document my efforts and we’ll decide together whether I should continue to hone the craft or leave it to those with more talent .
I have loved horses for as far back as I can remember – all the way back to very early childhood. I did not have the pleasure of owning a horse until I reached early adulthood (see my blog www.horsearemyhobby.com for more about that). Because I could not have a real horse, I cultivated my love of horses with model horses.
Collecting model horses is far more involved than you likely imagine. Just like their real-life counterparts, these models compete in shows across the U.S. and around the world for various titles. There are live shows – you show up there with your models, put them on display and compete against others – and there are photo shows.
I haven’t visited this topic in-depth since girlhood so I’m sure I’m going to find a lot to share with you over the coming months as to how the hobby has evolved, but as a child the other type of showing was done by mailing in photos of your model horse to compete with photos of other model horses.
There are a variety of model horse brands on the market, Breyer is likely the best-known but some others are Stone and Schleich. In future issues of the newsletter I’ll explore the options in more detail. For the purpose of this discussion I just want to point out you can show the models “right out of the box” as they were created by the manufacturer or you can customize them into works of art of varying degrees of complexity.
My first efforts that I’ll document for you here will be just to do a simple re-painting of this badly abused model horse in the photo. As you can see, the paint has faded away or been rubbed off near the mane and in other places, there are black marks (magic marker?) here and there and the model just doesn’t look very show worthy in its present state.
My plan is to give it a new paint job and MAYBE add a realistic mane and tail. I say maybe because my first effort at this when I was oh, maybe 12 or 13 was a frustrating nightmare of dashed dreams and monumental amounts of wasted time and effort (and glue in places it shouldn’t have gotten, like on my mother’s coffee table for example .
Next month I’ll share photos of my progress and if I can find it, an old photo of a horse I sent away to have a realistic mane and tail added and to be photographed with some custom model horse tack. Back in those days before the Internet, for various fees you could mail off your little horse to receive a makeover and be professionally photographed in scale tack of your choosing. Your model was mailed back with said photos and you could then submit the photos to compete in various model horse shows. It was fun!
Tune in for the July issue to see what kind of mess I’ve made of this. At least this time I probably won’t get into trouble for getting glue on the furniture.
Crystal or Just Plain Old Glass – What’s the Difference?
Crystal Parrot
In our store, White Oak Attic, we offer genuine lead crystal figurines. When I first added this line of products, I was curious about just exactly made one form of crystal better than another and how crystal was differentiated from everyday glass.
The primary distinction is lead oxide content. The standards vary widely across the globe as to how much lead must be present in the glass to earn it the distinction of crystal. European standards are higher in some countries than the standards here in the United States from 1% up to 30% or sometimes a little more! Europeans still consider much of what Americans count as crystal as just glass since their standards of lead content are much higher – usually a minimum of around 10% compared to just 1% lead content passing for crystal here in the U.S.
Most of us can tell the difference just by seeing the two pieces side by side and picking them up. The amount of brilliance and light reflection produced by crystal is much more dazzling than that of glass without lead content. We can also feel the difference since a crystal piece, containing lead, will weigh more and just feel more substantive than glass.
Lead content in glass also gives it more sturdiness lending it to being carved and shaped by artists to produce beautiful works of art with sharper, well-defined edges in the cuts. Glass artisans also possess a great deal of skill and can produce amazing pieces but with crystal, the tell is going to be found in that ability to dazzle you under the lights.
Most of us have experienced the dazzling effect of crystal in the mall when passing a display of crystal in the storefront windows or kiosks. You can learn more about the wide differences and standards held by different countries by just googling the phrase “difference between crystal and glass”.
As for what we offer, our products are crafted in Turkey and come with a certificate of authenticity. Watch this category of White Oak Attic as we add more products in the coming months from additional suppliers.
Product of the Month
This month’s product of the month is the Bamboo Duvet Cover Set. No, we’re not referring to the design pattern but instead the fabric from which these are constructed (we do offer several color patterns).
In an earlier post on the blog (click here to read it) I go into more detail about the virtues of Bamboo fabric and why it makes such a great choice for summer bedding. Those of you registered for our newsletter received a discount code for $30 off any Bamboo Duvet Cover Set throughout the month of June! Not on our list? Register today (click here) and I’ll be glad to forward the email with the discount code to you right away! Every month will feature a different product so even if the Duvet Cover Set doesn’t interest you something added down the line surely will - so don’t miss it!
Estate Sale Treasures! Making its Entry June 15th!
If you enjoy discovering treasures at estate sales and auctions you will love this new category at White Oak Attic. It starts June 15th with the introduction of our product category Estate Sale Treasures and it’s very first subcategory called Epehemera (click here to learn about ephemera).
Each month I’ll add a new subcategory to Estate Sale Treasures depending upon what I find to put there. I’ll include resources here and possibly in the product descriptions to help you learn more about the product being offered and ways you can use it at your place. If you have no interest in buying it, you can still benefit by learning something new and maybe even get yourself an idea for a new hobby!
Additional Tips and Content Coming in our Next Issue
As our newsletter evolves so will the content. In keeping with my state of being – having more hobbies than time – I also have more ideas than time and so it will be a process for all of them to materialize.
Register at our website (click here) to receive an email announcing when the next newsletter is posted and receive special discounts and other exclusive content!
Stories From The Attic
Beginning with this issue I’ll include a fresh post to Stories From the Attic. This is a category in our blog for posts I write ruminating on a wide range of topics that strike my fancy and don’t really have a logical category. I’ll share stories others have shared with me, cover an interesting topic I think you’ll enjoy, or just share thoughts on something that came to mind recently.
An earlier offering is about Lightening Bugs, or Fireflies as some of you know them, and you can find it by clicking here. The category list in the right margin, labeled Stories from the Attic gives you access to all my entries under this heading (click here). Watch for this feature monthly beginning in August.
Lisa Isbell, 6-7-09.
