We all seem to have our stashes of found treasures. Whether those treasures are something that has been passed down to us or found in an antique store, it is wonderful to honor these beauties by placing them in our artwork. That said, how to alter, adhere and even attach these baubles can be somewhat of a challenge. The following offers up a bit of advice for working with common and perhaps not-so-common embellishments.
When working with something like a typewriter key, often the back shank is still attached. In some cases you can remove this with heavy-duty wire cutters; in others, a more aggressive approach is needed. I have found the best way to remove these is with a cutting disc and Dremel tool. If this is not an option for you, use a heavy-duty file. To adhere, use an aggressive adhesive.
When stacking things together such as paper, ribbon and found scraps, a simple stitch placed through all the layers is a great way to hold everything together without manipulating the design. If you are working with wood, adhere the stack with a bit of adhesive. If working on canvas, stitch right through the canvas itself.
When working with vintage or antique jewelry, simply remove the backing with pliers. To adhere, use an adhesive appropriate for your surfaces and found objects.
Keys are wonderful as is but even better when you add a word or even a few rhinestones. When attaching, use a sturdy adhesive that is safe for metal and paper.
To retain the dangling nature of an object, simply create a ribbon stack. Fold the stack in half and adhere to the collage. Place the bail of the object through the top strand of glued ribbon and tie a knot.
Add a small drop of glue to each button as this will hold them in place. With a brush reserved just for wax, apply a thick layer of beeswax. Allow to dry. If need be, heat with a heat gun to thin. Reapply if necessary.
Attach two buttons to the ribbon with a simple stitch. Once the ribbon is adorned, adhere it to the surface with adhesive.
Apply a thin layer of adhesive to both the back of the object as well as the surface. Place the object onto the adhesive and allow it to dry properly.
Place a selection of buttons on a wire.
Fold the wire into a circle. At the center point, twist the wire through itself to close.